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My Name Is Lucy Barton (Amgash, #1)

Elizabeth Strout

Start date: July 16, 2017

Finish date: July 19, 2017

Discussion: July 2017: Award Winners

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July 2017: Award Winners

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By Anita · 1 post · 27 views

last updated Jul 01, 2017 03:06AM

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 4 + stars again.
By Karin · 4 posts · 18 views

last updated Aug 07, 2017 12:41PM

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What Members Thought

Dec 08, 2015 Lori Elliott rated it liked it · review of another edition

Melancholy is how I would best discribe the overall feel of this novel. It was very disjointed. I do think that the style of the writing helped to convey the feelings that Lucy was trying to sort through, however, as a reader it confused me. Unfortunately, this was just ok for me.

58 likes · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2016 Anita Pomerantz rated it it was amazing

A very quiet novella that is extremely moving.

Honestly, this book spoke to me personally on a lot of levels. Others may relate to it differently though I felt that the way it is written, perhaps the reader fills in the blanks with their own experiences. Or one may relate to certain aspects more than others.

Lucy is ill in a New York City hospital, and her recovery necessitates a rather lengthy stay. Her estranged mother comes to stay with her. Lucy reveals herself through her interactions and dis ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Ladyslott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: play-book-tag, fiction, family-relationships, relationships, favorite, nyc, kindle, marriage, library, mother-daughter-relationship

I love Elizabeth Strout’s style of writing. It is quiet and simple; while reading it appears as if nothing is happening, and yet somehow much is being conveyed. Lucy Barton’s story is sad and happy, simple yet complex. Very little is said, but much is implied.

The book opens with Lucy reflecting back at a time when she was in the hospital after an operation. Her mother, whom she has not seen in a long time, makes the journey to visit her daughter. They sit together talking and yet there are many ...more

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Jan 16, 2016 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: lotsa-buzz, wouldnt-normally-read, fiction, memoir-and-autobiographical-essays, literary-schmiterary, r2016-in-2016

This book, the text of this book, has a certain self-consciousness to it. It feels like it is busy paying too much attention to itself, and wondering what the reader is thinking of it, is what I'm saying. Which is funny, since it is a book about a self-conscious daughter and a self-conscious mother, both very very fragile and worried about being judged and dismissed by others. And if that's accidental, then that's an ironic thing. But if it is purposeful, then that is a thing of beauty.

The self- ...more

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Apr 20, 2016 Margaret rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, favorites, library, contemporary, health, mental-health, awards, booker, womens-prize, literary

Most of this book takes place in a hospital room. When Lucy Barton suffers complications following gall bladder surgery, that leads to a lengthy hospitalization and an extended visit from her estranged mother, who seems to never leave the room or even to sleep. There's good reason Lucy is estranged from her family, namely a miserable childhood lived in poverty and neglect.

Lucy's story is told as she and her mother talk about everyday life, past and present. I think just about everyone could fin ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Kristel rated it really liked it

Shelves: family, writing, tob, marriage

This is a novella length book by Elizabeth Strout that is on the short list of the Tournament of Books 2017. This is the second book by the author that I've read. I liked Olive Kitteridge quite a bit. This is similar in that it is a lot of inner thoughts of the women. Olive Kitteridge being an older woman and Lucy Barton a middle aged mother and author. The story is short little segments of thoughts that reveal little bits about Lucy and her life but not all. Lucy is recovering in a hospital of ...more

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Nov 22, 2016 Lynn L rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Beautiful. This book is gently written. Relationships-marriage, family, and friends figure throughout.

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Oct 27, 2017 Charlie Ravioli rated it it was ok

I listened to this one and maybe that’s a contributing factor to my low rating or maybe it was my overall frame of mind or maybe I’m not a sophisticated reader, but this one just didn’t click for me. I hesitate to blame it on me being a male because it makes me sound like a pig (and it further supports a comment my aunt once made looking at my library (albeit over 20 years ago) - “wow, what a bunch of man books”). Anyway, I found some of it interesting but overall I was just like “huh?” It’s a r ...more

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Nov 28, 2015 Bonnie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The writing was excellent, and the characters were deep and heartbreaking. The story did move slowly though, and seemed more like a slice of life memoir really than a novel.

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Sep 02, 2015 Robin rated it really liked it

Shelves: yybest-of-2016

Strout is an amazing writer. Fans of her earlier book, OLIVE KITTERIDGE, will love this beautifully written short novel with lots of meat for discussion.

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Dec 31, 2016 Jennifer Pope rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, female-authors, audio

This book is different from others I've read. It's not plot driven. There isn't really an overarching story or progression. It's kind of an exploration of one person, Lucy Barton, and how life experiences and her family have shaped her. There are vignettes throughout that go back and forth in time some are about her and some you learn something about her based on her interpretation of the event. These are all very well done and interesting. I enjoyed this kind of haphazard way of a "story" unfol ...more

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Feb 27, 2017 Dolly rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: new-england, relationships, 2017, audiobook, education-school, pets, germany-german, other-usa, france-french

Ode to the dysfunctional family by a middle aged mom.

interesting quotes:

"Artists are different people." (p.)

Lowest part of who we are - feeling superior...

...more

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Apr 08, 2023 Hannah Peterson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: aty-2023

I read this for the first time a couple years ago and while I enjoyed it, it took me some time to really "get" what Elizabeth Strout was doing. The end result was that I read it over the course of a week at my parents' house, rated it four stars, and didn't think that much more about it.

This year, I picked up a copy of Olive Kitteridge from my local little free library and read it a couple of months ago. I LOVED it. Then I listened to a podcast where Charlotte Wood, the author of Stone Yard Dev ...more

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