14 Comments
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Candace Coakley's avatar

Great post. I will be there to see you at BookEnds on Aug 9!

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Christina Gagliano's avatar

I love that quote from Lost and Found--thank you for sharing! Books: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese; Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller; and I am still recommending Henriette Lazaridis’ Terra Nova.

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Jane Roper's avatar

I loved Terra Nova! And Covenant of Water is definitely on my list. (It's even longer than Brothers Karamazov!)

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Natalie Ward's avatar

If Claire Fuller wrote the alphabet, I’d read it. Another book to add to my birthday cart....

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Deacon Joanne's avatar

Jane, I was so happy when Zibby's opened up in my neighborhood. I would totally come for your reading (and I loved Society of Shame). Sadly I'll be out of town. So I'll miss your SoCal visit. Have a wonderful time.

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Jane Roper's avatar

Thanks so much Joanne! I’m actually not going to be at the Santa Monica event (I wish!!) It’s just a book club discussion. But you’re the third person who thought I was going to be there. Eep!

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Deacon Joanne's avatar

Oh, thanks for clarifying. Now I feel less sad about missing it. Consider a visit to SoCal sometime anyway. :)

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Nancy Postrel Collins's avatar

This post made me feel so much better about my recent reading habits. I don't understand why I changed so much. Reading books used to be my greatest joy, now it's a challenge to commit my brain to a long narrative. Anyway, thank you for writing this. I will buy your book, and it sounds so interesting that I'll probably read it too!

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Natalie Ward's avatar

The ratings were *chef’s kiss

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Erika B.'s avatar

This post speaks to me! Going into bookstores in my youth felt like opening the door to everything that was possible. So many stories, so many things to read! Now bookstores make me feel like there's not enough time, I can't buy more because I'll die before I read them all. That said, I've been keeping track of my reading more this year and it's making me feel like maybe I am still a reader of books. Things I've loved this year (besides your delightful book) are some mysteries by Dervla McTiernan, Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, and Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead.

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Jane Roper's avatar

Glad I'm not alone. Nickel Boys and Demon Copperhead are both on my (endless) list!

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Randy Susan Meyers's avatar

Glad to know I'm not the only one who has 3 - 7 books going at a time. (audio, phone, paper/fiction, paper/nonfiction (usually 3) and the ebooks I prop open my eyelids to read late at night. I've made my family promise to keep audiobooks going if I fall into a coma (before pulling the plug and after plucking my chin hairs.) See you soon. Love your rating system. I give this essay 5 pieces of watermelon and one vintage nightgown.

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Kate R.'s avatar

I recently realized that I have 250+ on my Goodreads "want to read" list (and now I have at least 2 more, thanks!), plus nearly 100 other things (mostly ebooks) that I own and haven't read. It doesn't help that I can't read more than one thing at a time. I buy books as gifts for my husband to satisfy my cravings.

Your ratings are perfect!

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Sara Reish Desmond's avatar

Great post, Jane! Just read “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” and found it adjacent to what I like so much about anything Jennifer Egan does. So, if we ever get to have a Candy House convo, we can work this into the mix. Currently reading “Run” by Ann Patchett and admiring the way she is constructing the reader’s understanding of the relationships in the story. I feel manipulated. And I don’t seem to care!?

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