210 ratings | 13 reviews | avg rating:4.26

Paul’s Year In Books

Paul’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Paul’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Paul’s 2025 Year in Books

Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul’s Bookshelves

to-read (1363)
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Paul’s Friends (82)

Sandy Green

95 books | 779 friends

Holly

1,287 books | 55 friends

Bookaddict

2,349 books | 251 friends

Brian

1,300 books | 53 friends

David Dunlap

19,117 books | 38 friends

Mary Beth Miller

2,477 books | 130 friends

Brian

21,755 books | 52 friends

Jaymie

4,978 books | 349 friends

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Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

Born

in Bristol, Connecticut , The United States

Website

http://www.paulacampora.com/

Member Since

January 2010

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/paulacampora

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I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH! I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH!) where, thanks to my friend John Costello and his father, Dr. Donald Costello, I earned a degree in American Studies despite the fact that the only American places I’d ever visited were summer vacations on a beach at Rhode Island and occasional day trips around New England to watch jai alia, greyhound racing or the trotters with my grandfather who, with my Uncle Joe, taught me how to ride and drive a sulky behind my very own pony named Misty (that's me and Misty at left). After college, I wandered around the country for a few years. Despite what my mother might say, I did not steal her 1973 Buick Electra. Despite what my friends might say, the car was the color of summer gold. Not piss yellow. I've lived in every state that begins with the letter U or a C. I was a Student Conservation Association volunteer for awhile giving tours at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in southeast Utah. I spent a winter schlepping very expensive bags around the Rocky Mountains for guests of the Snowmass Lodging Company. As a Holy Cross Associate volunteer, I lived with a half-dozen friends in a tiny house in the San Francisco Bay area where we tried to be good people. I stayed in California to teach kindergarten at St. Patrick Elementary school in West Oakland. I got married (yahoo!), and my wife and I lived in “the heart of the bay,” Hayward, California for nearly ten years. When we decided to move, we put names of favorite places in a paper bag and pulled out a slip that said PENNSYLVANIA. So that’s where we live now. These days, I remain married to my best friend. I have a son and a daughter who keep me on my toes. I’ve got a day job and a kayak and tons of books that I love to read. I write early in the morning and late at night. My favorite place in the world is wherever my wife and kids are. I am especially happy when that place is next to a lake or in France. My favorite word in the dictionary is Naugahyde. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 20 years. My favorite non-home-cooked meal is cinnamon-raisin French toast plus black coffee at the Karlton Café in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. For the future, I hope my family and friends are safe, healthy and happy and that I will write dozens and dozens of new stories and novels, each one better than the last. ...more

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Combine Editions
Paul Acampora’s books

Average rating: 3.75 · 5,835 ratings · 1,204 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	I Kill the Mockingbird 3.75 avg rating — 3,983 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Defining Dulcie 3.48 avg rating — 571 ratings — published 2006 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	How to Avoid Extinction 3.88 avg rating — 417 ratings — published 2016 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In Honor of Broken Things 3.92 avg rating — 295 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Confusion Is Nothing New 3.66 avg rating — 242 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face 3.84 avg rating — 211 ratings — published 2011 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First Date 3.91 avg rating — 97 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'arte di andare in pezzi 3.67 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First (and Maybe Last?) Date 3.17 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Acampora, Paul (February 19, 2013) Paperback liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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48 posts
Paul Acampora's Blog

Subject: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD(!)

TO: Friends, family, and book lovers!

(with a special shout-out to fans of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD!)

FROM: Paul Acampora

SUBJECT: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD (!)

Hi everybody!

I’m writing because my new novel – I KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD – will arrive in stores this coming spring. It’s a comedy caper for kids (say that three times fast) about a group of friends who sabotage their school’s summer reading list. It’s also

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Paul’s Recent Updates

Paul Acampora wants to read Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America by David S. Reynolds	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 11, 2026 03:48PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Two Ships by David S. Reynolds. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Two Ships by David S. Reynolds <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 10, 2026 04:07AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Country People by Daniel Mason (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 10, 2026 04:06AM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution by Jill Lepore Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite History & Biography	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 03, 2026 01:24PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of We the People by Jill Lepore. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — We the People by Jill Lepore <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 03, 2026 04:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Agnes Lives! by Hallie Elizabeth Newton	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 30, 2026 05:15PM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read The Wonder by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 27, 2026 05:48AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Wonder by Emma Donoghue. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Wonder by Emma Donoghue <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 20, 2026 09:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read How Fiction Works by James Wood	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 20, 2026 09:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of How Fiction Works by James Wood. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — How Fiction Works by James Wood <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 13, 2026 07:09AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Paul Acampora (?)

“Shelving books incorrectly is as good as stealing them. It's almost worse.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: books, bookstores, libraries, shelving, stealing

24 likes

“We will speak for the books."
...
"Like the Lorax?"
"The Lorax speaks for the trees," I remind her.
"Books are made out of paper. Paper is made out of trees."
"What about e-books?"
"We can speak for them too."
"Audiobooks?"
"Audiobooks speak for themselves." She grins. "Get it?”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: audiobooks, books, e-books, lorax

20 likes

“We are all broken, but sometimes the jagged pieces fit together nicely.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

16 likes

See all Paul Acampora's quotes »

Polls

What book should we read in October?

You may write in titles, provided the book is a 2015 Newbery contender and already published.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford

17 votes 33.3%

El Deafo by Cece Bell

10 votes 19.6%

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

6 votes 11.8%

Another Day as Emily by Eileen Spinelli

5 votes 9.8%

The Eighth Day (Eighth Day, #1) by Dianne K. Salerni

The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni

3 votes 5.9%

I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora

3 votes 5.9%

The Zoo at the Edge of the World by Eric Kahn Gale

3 votes 5.9%

The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell

2 votes 3.9%

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie Lamana (write-in)

1 vote 2.0%

I Kill the Mockingbird

1 vote 2.0%

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T Lamana (write-in)

1 vote 2.0%

Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere (write-in)

-1 votes -2.0%

51 total votes

3 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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The Seasonal Read...: Fall Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC!	2251	797	Nov 30, 2011 09:05PM
The Seasonal Read...: Winter Challenge 2011: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2866	792	Feb 29, 2012 09:03PM
Wild Things: YA G...: 50 State (or Country!) Challenge Reading Plan	58	224	Dec 26, 2014 09:56PM
The Lost Challenges: 'Pick Your Poison' Challenge	37	236	May 16, 2015 11:58AM
David Estes Fans ...: 2015 A-Z Author Reading Challenge - 1/1/15 - 12/31/15	45	82	Nov 03, 2015 06:37AM
WACKY READING CHA...: September 2016 Mini Challenge	82	63	Oct 26, 2016 09:50AM
The Challenge Fac...: And the Winner is...	680	142	Dec 03, 2016 03:19PM
WACKY READING CHA...: Fall Fun Bingo	119	97	Dec 13, 2016 03:32PM

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Paul’s Quotes

“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

717 likes

“Grammar is a piano I play by ear.”
― Joan Didion, Joan Didion: Essays & Conversations

tags: grammar

1641 likes

“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

4577 likes

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time...give it, give it all, give it now.”
― Annie Dillard

1308 likes

“Thieves of private property pass their lives in chains; thieves of public property in riches and luxury. CATO THE ELDER1”
― Mike Duncan, The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

1 likes

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Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

rssPaul’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Two Ships by David S. Reynolds

See a Problem?

Preview — Cops and Robbers by Donald E. Westlake

See a Problem?

Preview — We the People by Jill Lepore

See a Problem?

Preview — Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger

See a Problem?

Preview — The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

See a Problem?

Preview — Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster

See a Problem?

Preview — How Fiction Works by James Wood

See a Problem?

Preview — Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Paul’s Recent Updates