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February 10
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Erin
marked as to-read:
Bangkok 8: A Novel (Paperback)
by John Burdett
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Erin
marked as to-read:
Special Topics in Calamity Physics (Hardcover)
by Marisha Pessl
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Erin
gave
to:
The Master and Margarita (Paperback)
by Mikhail Bulgakov
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in January, 2008
Erin said:
"My GOOD goodreads friend recommended this book (as opposed to my BAD goodreads friends who don't) and she loved it. So I really wanted to love it too, but alas, I didn't. It was jam-packed with allegorical references that I didn't get. And to my ...more
My GOOD goodreads friend recommended this book (as opposed to my BAD goodreads friends who don't) and she loved it. So I really wanted to love it too, but alas, I didn't. It was jam-packed with allegorical references that I didn't get. And to my shame, it was also very context dependent on 1920's Soviet life of which I know goose egg. I also found the writing somewhat stilted but I attribute that to the translation rather than the author. So having no real understanding of the underlying message nor the circumstances in which it was written, it didn't hook me. Now having said that, I will say I liked the characters and the rapid and colorful plot development. It was a "visually" stimulating book and it has, in fact, made more curious about that period of time in Russia. So thank you, my GOOD goodreads friend, for stretching my literary frame. ...less
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Erin
is currently reading:
The House in Paris (Paperback)
by Elizabeth Bowen
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Erin
gave
to:
Native Speaker (Paperback)
by Chang-Rae Lee
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in December, 2007
Erin said:
"One of the few books I actually own and have read twice, although I must admit I loved it the first time and just liked it the second time. I suppose it has a lot to do with life circumstances at the time of the reading? Anyway, a very subtle telli...more
One of the few books I actually own and have read twice, although I must admit I loved it the first time and just liked it the second time. I suppose it has a lot to do with life circumstances at the time of the reading? Anyway, a very subtle telling of a Korean-American's life as a spy, a husband, a son and a father. While he must blend in his professional career, he forever remains an outsider by his Korean-ness. Chang-Rae Lee, the author is a master at describing the nuanced emotions of such a life. ...less
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January 21
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Erin
gave
to:
The Man Who Smiled (Kurt Wallander Mysteries)
by Henning Mankell
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in January, 2008
Erin said:
"Sometimes like a cracker between tastes of wine to cleanse the palate, a good predictable murder mystery accomplishes the same thing. So between a somewhat depressing book about living in a strange culture in a strange land and my next book written ...more
Sometimes like a cracker between tastes of wine to cleanse the palate, a good predictable murder mystery accomplishes the same thing. So between a somewhat depressing book about living in a strange culture in a strange land and my next book written in 1920's Soviet Russia (bound to be a bummer) I can always count on Henning Mankell's Detective Kurt Wallender to solve a gruesome murder with aplomb. ...less
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January 11
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Erin
gave
to:
A Free Life (Hardcover)
by Ha Jin
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in January, 2008
Erin said:
"I actually listened to this book on CD over the past few weeks and I mention this because I think that impacts the way one experiences a book. Anyway, I loved it. It's a lush, detail-driven account of a Chinese family's life in America after leaving...more
I actually listened to this book on CD over the past few weeks and I mention this because I think that impacts the way one experiences a book. Anyway, I loved it. It's a lush, detail-driven account of a Chinese family's life in America after leaving China around the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. It's told from the father's point of view, a man longing to be a poet, but instead pursuing the "American dream" of wealth and success.
The book moved like a foreign film to me. It's not plot or action driven, every detail didn't serve to move the book along. Instead it was a rich, introspective account of one man's search for meaning. The book ends on an uptick but it feels transient. In other words, life isn't about what we've got at the end but by the millions of moments strung together to get there.
...less
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December 26
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Erin
gave
to:
The Summer Snow (Soho Crime)
by Rebecca Pawel
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in December, 2007
Erin said:
"I give this book three stars, but one star is for the historical setting of Spain in 1945. So if I take away the fascination with that time and place, then it's a mediocre mystery. All of the main characters were fairly one-dimensional, and consequ...more
I give this book three stars, but one star is for the historical setting of Spain in 1945. So if I take away the fascination with that time and place, then it's a mediocre mystery. All of the main characters were fairly one-dimensional, and consequently uninteresting to me. However I like the pacing of the story as it unfolded and of course, I loved the backdrop of mid-century Madrid. ...less
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December 22
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Erin
gave
to:
Depths: A Novel (Hardcover)
by Henning Mankell
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in December, 2007
Erin said:
"I really love Mankell's Swedish Detective Kurt Wallander series. So with no new translations due for awhile, I decided to give one of his non-Wallander books a try. On a positive note, I can now say that I know more than I ever thought possible abo...more
I really love Mankell's Swedish Detective Kurt Wallander series. So with no new translations due for awhile, I decided to give one of his non-Wallander books a try. On a positive note, I can now say that I know more than I ever thought possible about making depth soundings in the Stockholm archipelago. I can only hope that knowledge comes in handy at some point in my life, otherwise I have lost about 6 hours of my life for naught. ...less
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December 12
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New comment on Erin's review of
The Master and Margarita
(see all 4 comments)
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