1705 ratings | 1238 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 (1,409)

Kathleen’s Bookshelves

to-read (852)
currently-reading (5)
read (1742)
did-not-finish (0)
abandoned (13)
books-i-ve-published-with-rose-meta (31)

Kathleen’s Friends (1,779)

Adam

516 books | 265 friends

Margie

1,847 books | 38 friends

Celia

5,621 books | 758 friends

Alex Helm

105,918 books | 1,868 friends

Amber

1,204 books | 503 friends

Atlas

45,299 books | 3,480 friends

Lindz

527 books | 170 friends

Tina

12,144 books | 176 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

372 posts
Kathleen Rooney's Blog

13…

…is the number of poems that we–Sam Nassau, Eric Plattner, Andrea Rehani, Rachel Robbins, and I–wrote while doing Poems While You Wait at the American Writers Museum Festival: Thanks to the AWM for having us, stay tuned to the PWYW Instagram for the results!

The post 13… appeared first on Kathleen Rooney.

Combine Editions
Kathleen Rooney’s books

Average rating: 3.86 · 38,063 ratings · 6,348 reviews · 35 distinct works • Similar authors

	Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk 3.84 avg rating — 33,831 ratings — published 2017 — 21 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 3.96 avg rating — 2,472 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 3.86 avg rating — 634 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 — 119 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
	Man Overboard! 3.83 avg rating — 89 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
	Oneiromance by Kathleen Rooney (Goodreads Author), Patty Seyburn (Editor) 4.46 avg rating — 70 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

More books by Kathleen Rooney…

Kathleen is Currently Reading

Kathleen is currently reading

The Oyster Diaries

by Nancy Lemann

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Jun 14, 2026 05:40AM

Kathleen is currently reading

Emily Dickinson’s Lexicon

by Katie Lehman

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May 23, 2026 08:53AM

Kathleen is currently reading

The Bee Sting

by Paul Murray

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Mar 22, 2026 10:54PM

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Kathleen’s Recent Updates

Kathleen liked Mandy W's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "I really enjoyed Lillian’s wanderings through NYC, noting all of the changes in the city in her time there. It was awesome to see the same “grumpiness” that current older generations have about tech coming up in 1985 regarding television and advertis" Read more of this review »
9 hours, 6 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 Courtney's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "Probably more of a 4.5 for me, walking the streets of Manhattan with Lillian was a delightful way to spend time. She climbed the career ladder when women didn't do that and made a mark on the advertising world while her personal world crumbled and th" Read more of this review »
9 hours, 6 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 Melissa Cutler's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "DNFed at page 131 No plot, just a rambling lecture about "back in my day we did it better" nostalgia and a thinly veiled book report about historic NYC."
9 hours, 6 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 Rebecca's review of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk: "Maybe the audiobook just wasn't the right fit here. I gave it a good try but I couldn't really see where it was going."
9 hours, 6 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 In a Dark Wood Wandering: A Novel of the Middle Ages by Hella S. Haasse	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 15, 2026 10:13AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen rated a book it was amazing The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing the Lyric Essay Insights and Prompts from Contemporary Writers and Teachers by Heidi Czerwiec and Lee Horikoshi Roripaugh	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
This is the fifth Field Guide and, like all the rest, it's comprehensive, informative, and fun. ...more
Jun 15, 2026 06:40AM · 1 like · like · see review
Kathleen rated a book it was amazing Take Sky by David T.W. McCord	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 "Take Sky" Now think of words. Take sky And ask yourself just why-- Like sun, moon, star, and cloud-- It sounds so well out loud, And pleases so the sight When printed black on white. (3) From "Starling" In burnished armor with yellow lance a knighted sta ...more
Jun 15, 2026 05:01AM · 1 like · like · see review
Kathleen wants to read The White Sea Horse and Other Sea Magic by Helen Cresswell	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 15, 2026 04:47AM · like
Kathleen is currently reading The Oyster Diaries by Nancy Lemann	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 14, 2026 05:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Oyster Diaries by Nancy Lemann. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Oyster Diaries by Nancy Lemann <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kathleen rated a book really liked it Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos	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
"So when I got through telling Dorothy what I thought up, Dorothy looked at me and looked at me and she really said she thought my brains were a miracle. I mean she said my brains reminded her of a radio because you listen to it for days and days and ...more
Jun 13, 2026 02:00PM · 2 likes · like · see review

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 ~ 1st Poll
Top 5 Books move onto final round

The Almost Sisters

by Joshilyn Jackson

10 votes, 21.3%

The Breakdown

by B.A. Paris

10 votes, 21.3%

It's Always the Husband

by Michele Campbell

7 votes, 14.9%

Beneath a Scarlet Sky

by Mark T. Sullivan

7 votes, 14.9%

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

by Kathleen Rooney

4 votes, 8.5%

The Party

by Robyn Harding

3 votes, 6.4%

All the Bright Places

by Jennifer Niven

3 votes, 6.4%

Wonderstruck

by Brian Selznick

2 votes, 4.3%

Sweet Tooth

by Ian McEwan

1 vote, 2.1%

The Map That Leads to You

by J.P. Monninger

0 votes, 0.0%

47 total votes

1 comment

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