Carol Shields readalong, here is the discussion thread

[Evelyn]

Oh that's too bad Noorilhuda, I enjoyed the pictures, I hope you will feel that they were worth the wait.

[B the BookAddict]

Forgot to say I finished Unless which by my count was the fourth time I'd read it. My comments are really just what I wrote in an earlier message:

I found it so evocative, that a young woman in her prime forsakes everything in an odd search for 'goodness'. I found it very emotive from the parent's point of view, they felt so unable to 'rescue' her or to heal her. When a child has some sort of breakdown, often the parents feel unable or stymied to help.

It's still a 4★ read for me.

[Shirley]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Forgot to say I finished Unless which by my count was the fourth time I'd read it. My comments are really just what I wrote in an earlier message:

I found it so evocative, that a you..."

Yes, I'd agree with you there, B -in the end I thought it was worth four stars for the reasons you state above.

[Gill]

I've just seen that Larry's Party is £1.99 on UK Amazon for kindle today.

[Noorilhuda]

Just an update, Gill and gang: finally got the 'real/ undiluted / with pics' version of The Stone Diaries (the 2008 paperback) and have started reading from where I left off.

For now, I'll just add that Carol Shields is the bane of all authors / wannabe writers: I feel inadequate, incompetent, even impotent (!) - the info is so precise and heart-felt and full of so many wonderful enigmatic ordinary people in action with feelings, hopes, rejections - just like in life, in which we are thrown with a past and present not of our making and a future not of our choice. It's sublime and heart-breaking. And I'm only on page 56.

[Gill]

Oh, Noorilhuda, what a fabulous comment. Especially the final two sentences. You have expressed it so well, and now feel like I want read the book again!

[Shirley]

Gill wrote: "Oh, Noorilhuda, what a fabulous comment. Especially the final two sentences. You have expressed it so well, and now feel like I want read the book again!"

Yes, you make me want to try another! I might try Larry's Party next.

[Jenny]

I am definitely going to try another as well!

[Evelyn]

Great choice Shirley, I loved Larry's Party, hope you do too!

[Shirley]

Evelyn wrote: "Great choice Shirley, I loved Larry's Party, hope you do too!"

Thanks, Evelyn, although it will be a while until I get around to it!

[Noorilhuda]

Gill wrote: "Oh, Noorilhuda, what a fabulous comment. Especially the final two sentences. You have expressed it so well, and now feel like I want read the book again!"

Gill/Shirley, am done with it and now I'm depressed and speechless.

[Gill]

Oh, Noorilhuda, I hope you're not too depressed, are you pleased or sad that you read it?