1680 ratings | 1213 reviews | avg rating:4.18

Kathleen’s Year In Books

Kathleen’s 2025 Year in Books

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

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Kathleen Rooney’s Followers (1,399)

Kathleen’s Bookshelves

to-read (842)
currently-reading (7)
read (1717)
did-not-finish (0)
abandoned (13)
books-i-ve-published-with-rose-meta (31)

Kathleen’s Friends (1,777)

Robert Wechsler

1,617 books | 190 friends

Kelly Spitzer

1,105 books | 164 friends

Sandra Simonds

4 books | 167 friends

Megan

38,577 books | 402 friends

Alex Helm

102,469 books | 1,702 friends

David A.

1,062 books | 116 friends

Joseph Michael Owens

3,752 books | 578 friends

Linda

11,412 books | 270 friends

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Kathleen Rooney

Goodreads Author

Born

Beckley, West Virginia, The United States

Website

http://www.kathleenrooney.com/

Genre

Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

Member Since

February 2008

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Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, and a founding member of Poems While You Wait, a team of poets and their typewriters who compose commissioned poetry on demand.

She is the author, most recently, of the novels Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey. Her latest collection Where Are the Snows, winner of the XJ Kennedy Prize, was published by Texas Review Press in September 2022. Her novel from Dust to Stardust, was published by Lake Union Press in Fall of 2023, and her debut picture book--co-written with her sister Beth Rooney and illustrated by Betsy Bowen--was published by University of Minnesota Press in Fall of 2025.

Her fifth novel, Man Overboar ...more

366 posts
Kathleen Rooney's Blog

52…

…is the number of poems that we–Paige DeLuca, Elena He, Bri McLaughlin, Eric Plattner, Matthew Warakomski, and I–did while writing Poems While You Wait at the Lyric Opera’s premier of avery r young’s opera safronia: Thanks to the Lyric for having us and stay tuned to the PWYW Instagram for the results!

The post 52… appeared first on Kathleen Rooney.

Combine Editions
Kathleen Rooney’s books

Average rating: 3.86 · 37,776 ratings · 6,286 reviews · 35 distinct works • Similar authors

	Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk 3.84 avg rating — 33,621 ratings — published 2017 — 2 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
	Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey 3.97 avg rating — 2,451 ratings — published 2020 — 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
	From Dust to Stardust 3.87 avg rating — 625 ratings — published 2023 — 6 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
	Live Nude Girl: My Life as an Object 3.97 avg rating — 182 ratings — published 2009 — 7 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
	O, Democracy! 3.91 avg rating — 118 ratings — published 2014 — 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
	Robinson Alone 4.47 avg rating — 103 ratings — published 2012 — 2 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
	For You, for You I am Trilling These Songs 3.91 avg rating — 116 ratings — published 2009 — 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
	Oneiromance by Kathleen Rooney (Goodreads Author), Patty Seyburn (Editor) 4.48 avg rating — 69 ratings — published 2008 — 2 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
	Reading with Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America 3.46 avg rating — 70 ratings — published 2005 — 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
	Man Overboard! 4.06 avg rating — 47 ratings — expected publication 2026 — 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

More books by Kathleen Rooney…

Kathleen is Currently Reading

Kathleen is currently reading

A Long Desire

by Evan S. Connell

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 20, 2026 05:22AM

Kathleen is currently reading

The Forty Rules of Love

by Elif Shafak (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 03, 2026 01:42PM

Kathleen is currently reading

The Bee Sting

by Paul Murray

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Mar 22, 2026 10:54PM

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Kathleen’s Recent Updates

Kathleen liked Ruth's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "Loved the walk. Audio voice is FABULOUS. now trying to track down the map which I believe is included in the hard copy book. Also a soft spot for me because my mother (who was 30 years younger than Lillian ) was a department store copywriter who had " Read more of this review »
5 hours, 31 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen liked Barbara's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "I enjoyed this tale of octogenarian Lillian walking through Manhattan in 1984 while recalling her long and eventful life."
5 hours, 31 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen liked LORI JEAN ROONEY's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "Soft cover book Sweet book"
5 hours, 31 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen liked Lilly's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "Kathleen, I could kiss you on the mouth "
5 hours, 31 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen wants to read This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar (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
Apr 22, 2026 04:38AM · 1 like · like
Kathleen started reading A Long Desire by Evan S. Connell	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
Apr 20, 2026 05:22AM · like
Kathleen started reading The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak (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
Apr 03, 2026 01:42PM · 2 likes · like
Kathleen rated a book it was amazing The White Lantern by Evan S. Connell	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
From "Olduvai and All That" "After that it was downhill all the way, or uphill--depending on your estimate of mankind--from omnivorous thighbone-wielding assassins to those erect Ice Age people with whom we can sympathize, who felt a previously unkno ...more
Apr 03, 2026 01:41PM · 3 likes · like · see review
Kathleen wants to read A Long Desire by Evan S. Connell	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
Apr 02, 2026 07:14PM · like
Kathleen wants to read The Lost Origins of the Essay (A New History of the Essay) by John D'Agata (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
Apr 01, 2026 04:55AM · like

More of Kathleen's books…

Quotes by Kathleen Rooney (?)

“I thought at times that poetry might be an elegant way of screaming.”
― Kathleen Rooney, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

tags: anger, expression, feeling, poetry

44 likes

“The point of living in the world is just to stay interested.”
― Kathleen Rooney, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

tags: keep-on, living, motivation, resilience

36 likes

“If you love something, know that it will leave on a day you are far from ready.”
― Kathleen Rooney, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

tags: loss, love

29 likes

See all Kathleen Rooney's quotes »

Polls

April Side Read Nominations ~ 2nd Poll

The Breakdown

by B.A. Paris

17 votes, 33.3%

Beneath a Scarlet Sky

by Mark T. Sullivan

12 votes, 23.5%

The Almost Sisters

by Joshilyn Jackson

10 votes, 19.6%

It's Always the Husband

by Michele Campbell

6 votes, 11.8%

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

by Kathleen Rooney

6 votes, 11.8%

51 total votes

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