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How to Behave in a Crowd
How to Behave in a Crowd: A Novel | Camille Bordas
30 posts | 18 read | 39 to read
An absorbing, darkly comedic novel that brilliantly evokes the confusions of adolescence and marks the arrival of an extraordinary young talent. Isidore Mazal is eleven years old, the youngest of six siblings living in a small French town. He doesn't quite fit in. Berenice, Aurore, and Leonard are on track to have doctorates by age twenty-four. Jeremie performs with a symphony, and Simone, older than Isidore by eighteen months, expects a great career as a novelist--she's already put Isidore to work on her biography. The only time they leave their rooms is to gather on the old, stained couch and dissect prime-time television dramas in light of Aristotle's Poetics. Isidore has never skipped a grade or written a dissertation. But he notices things the others don't, and asks questions they fear to ask. So when tragedy strikes the Mazal family, Isidore is the only one to recognize how everyone is struggling with their grief, and perhaps the only one who can help themif he doesn't run away from home first. Isidores unstinting empathy, combined with his simmering anger, makes for a complex character study, in which the elegiac and comedic build toward a heartbreaking conclusion. With How to Behave in a Crowd, Camille Bordas immerses readers in the interior life of a boy puzzled by adulthood and beginning to realize that the adults around him are just as lost.
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Kazzie
Pickpick

So good! The unusual family dynamics were fascinating- so strange to an outsider (the reader) - but so delightfully normal to the family, that the story seemed effortless. Underscores that kindness and manners are important!

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Taylor
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Pickpick

An astounding novel. This is filled with incisive observations and a consistent sense of humor that's both biting and erudite. Yet at the same time there is so much heart and earnestness: characters who feel endearingly real, leaving the reader fond of everyone.

Then there is the ending, which lands with the most perfect tone and sensibility. It took me out.

Really it's one of the best contemporary novels I've read.

6 likes1 stack add
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Taylor

Simone, over the phone, had given me a list of questions for the president if I had a chance as well as a selection of words she believed he would be inspired to look up in the dictionary when he had a minute (Simone had said if he actually only had one minute, he should just read the definition of the word “elitism”) because it was obvious to her he didn‘t precisely know what they meant.

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Taylor

Let me tell you—this novel is hilarious. It cracks me up on nearly every page. It‘s funny in the same kind of way that the Harry Potter books are funny.... Just tons of heart and wit and spunk.

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monalyisha
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I gifted a library patron an ARC (of the tagged book). She loved it as much as I did & was so grateful that she presented me with this today!

The thing is... I have no idea what it is! 😂

She‘s so hip that I didn‘t want to admit that I was clueless (gotta maintain my street cred, you know)? I thought it was going to be some sort of kombucha... but it definitely isn‘t. I know for sure that it has vanilla beans in it. Is it extract? Help! 😆

riversong153 🧐🤨🤔 6y
laundry_piles Hmmmm very curious haha some kind of sun tea? 6y
alvingregorio Only one way to find out! Post the discovery when you taste it! I'm so curious. 6y
See All 18 Comments
TheFunkyBookworm Omg 😂😂😂😂 this is something that would happen to me too 😂😂😂 6y
Lindy Now I‘m curious too! 6y
AmyG Is it vanilla extract or if thicker...vanilla bean paste? 6y
mcipher Looks like some kind of tea for sure... 6y
BibliOphelia Like Alice down the rabbit hole you go...😉 6y
Redwritinghood It looks a little pale in color to be vanilla extract. Could it be tea? 6y
KrystleTheBookSlayer Maybe vanilla extract? I can't tell what's at the bottom of the jar, I think your just going to have to take a sip lol 6y
GondorGirl Ooo- a mystery! I have no idea, but can't wait to hear what it is! 6y
readordierachel Is it a kombucha starter? 6y
somebooksaround A vanilla honey maybe?? Either way, hope it‘s good!😂🙌 6y
KrystleTheBookSlayer I love homemade vanilla extract! That was so sweet of her! 😊 6y
laundry_piles @monalyisha wow homemade vanilla!? That sounds amazing! 6y
alvingregorio Yummy 6y
mcipher Oooh homemade vanilla is amazing! And that‘s a huge jar of it. Awesome!! 6y
73 likes18 comments
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monalyisha
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Pickpick

There‘s something really beautiful & sad about the fact that even though I read this book closely, I still tried to connect the dots on its cover.

The meta-question at its center is one that‘s been on my mind, given how apathetic I‘ve felt toward many of my recent reads (despite their literary merit): “Isn‘t there a way to have it all?... To be, at the same time, intellectually & emotionally involved?”

*Review cont‘d in comments 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/1: In other words: can‘t I have well-drawn characters, language as craft, *&* stimulating ideas? I always argue: YES! I can & I will! This book validates my conviction. AND it‘s funny (in a depressing but genuine way). Honestly, I‘m a little bit obsessed with it.

READ IT NOW! (It‘s the best book I‘ve read in a long while.)
(edited) 6y
LiteraryinPA I hadn‘t heard of this one, but your review made me want to give it a try! 6y
PenguinInFlight Stacked! It sounds really good! 6y
monalyisha @LiteraryinLititz It hasn‘t gotten much attention on Litsy yet. Please do! 6y
monalyisha @PenguinInFlight Yes! It needs more readers! 🙌🏻 I read it for book club, actually; I‘m excited to see if they all loved it as much as I did! 6y
62 likes6 stack adds5 comments
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monalyisha
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“You worry too much, honey. Everything is going to be fine. You‘ve always worried and it‘s always been fine.”

“Exactly,” Aurore replies. “That‘s exactly why I need to keep worrying.”

I didn‘t understand how they could agree that everything had always been fine.

*This book is so funny & astute- oftentimes depressingly funny, & this is a prime example - but funny nonetheless. It‘s just what I needed to get me out of my recent book apathy.

emilyhaldi #stacked 👍🏻 6y
monalyisha @emilyhaldi Good move! 🙌🏻 6y
62 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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monalyisha
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I forgot my book at home today & there are no available copies on Overdrive or Libby. I‘ll just be over here, moping real hard. 😿

Also, Happy 40th Anniversary, Garfield! Thanks for being a comfort on Mondays, whenever I‘m peeved, & anytime I want to eat all of the lasagna (which is always). 🎂

LikelyLibrarian I have the exact same problem. That‘s why I‘m on Litsy! 6y
monalyisha @LikelyLibrarian IT‘S THE WORST. 6y
amb Me too, it must be something about today 6y
monalyisha @amb How weird! Do you think there‘s a forgetting spell traveling via Litsy? That‘d be so nefarious! What did we ever do to you, wizard??? 6y
amb @monalyisha 😂😂😂😂😂 6y
74 likes5 comments
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monalyisha
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“She always got strangely nostalgic... when the time came to pack the car & go home. She demanded a window seat for the ride back. She said looking at the seashore fade away through the window was a good way to get a grasp on her melancholy & that being able to pull from a store of melancholy was what made great artists. “Car trips make great artists?” I asked, making sure I understood what my sister had said. “Car trips *back,* Simone specified.”

Taylor I just finished reading this book. So. Good. 6y
monalyisha @Taylor Jealous! It‘s definitely one of the best books I‘ve read in the last couple of years. 💞 I gave it to a patron & she loved it so much that she gave me an entire mason jar full of homemade vanilla (which I forgot I posted about so you probably already knew). 😅 I wish it was getting more attention! (edited) 6y
Taylor @monalyisha Yeah I saw it in a bookstore‘s new releases section randomly, and committed it to memory to read it. But then I forgot what it was and they had moved the book away from the new releases section; so I asked them and they didn‘t know what I was talking about; then I had to google “coolest book covers 2017” and happened to find it on some online list; so thank goodness I found it again. 😁 6y
Taylor @monalyisha Have you read The Idiot by Elif Batumen? This reminded me of that. This is way better though. 6y
monalyisha @Taylor I haven‘t but I actually have it sitting at home, checked-out from the library right now. 🤓 6y
51 likes5 comments
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Victoriahoperose
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Mehso-so

This was one of the books I got in a Goodreads giveaway and it was okay. It‘s an interesting story about family and dysfunction and has some tones of Augusten Burroughs. But, it was dry and honestly really boring at points. I didn‘t hate it, but it‘s not my favorite.

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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

This book was a good companion this month though endless commutes and tennis lessons. The family grew on me as the book went on.

27 likes2 stack adds
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Bookwormjillk
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Someone folded down the pages in this library book 🤬🤬🤬🤬

Librarybelle 😡 7y
TheKidUpstairs 😲 I confess to dog earing pages now and then, but I would never ever ever do it to a book that I didn't own!!! That's evil 😈 7y
Bookwormjillk @TheKidUpstairs agree! A paperback on the beach, fine. A library book- no!! 7y
23 likes3 comments
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brookerhi
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Pickpick

This is one of those books that‘s saying so much more than what‘s on the printed page, & like any good coming-of-age novel, allows the readers to renew their understanding of life & the world through the burgeoning eyes of a child. Isidore‘s observations of the “hows & whys” of people are spot-on & will have readers nodding their heads. Even better, Isidore is funny & he doesn‘t even know it, making for a novel that is both comedic & insightful.

Cinfhen Awesome review! Sold & stacked !!! 7y
UrsulaMonarch & pretty! 😀 7y
37 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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brookerhi
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November 7: #booksandtea - This child here! He just notices everything, sippin‘ on that #tea!
“Mom ate from blue plates & bowls because she‘d read that blue tableware cut your appetite, & she always wanted to lose four pounds. That night, she‘d made whitefish, & whitefish you could eat as much as you wanted & not gain an ounce, she said, but still she‘d set a blue plate in front of her.” This book is crackin‘ me up. 😂 #lilbookishthanks

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Lindy
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Yam fries and a sleeve of local brew while I wait for my next event at #VWF2017. This morning, Camille Bordas, about coming of age novels, said it's not nice to be a child going through adult experiences for the first time, but it's interesting to watch. She was born in 1987 & this is her 3rd novel, the 1st in English (her 3rd language after French & Spanish). Audience question: how do you do it? Answer: one sentence at a time.

Reviewsbylola 🤤🤤🤤😍😍 7y
52 likes1 comment
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brookerhi
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Day 16: Published in 2017 - Added this one to my #TBR list yesterday, & I'm super excited because it's a French coming-of-age novel! "How to Behave in a Crowd" takes place in a small town in France, & follows an eleven year old named Isidore who doesn't quite fit in. His family may be full of prodigies, but they don't know how to respond to tragedy when it hits their household - and this is where Isidore comes in ... #bookstagram #septinbooks17

5 likes1 stack add
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rachellayown
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So this novel came out last month and didn't get much buzz, but I had fun interviewing the author. I was really impressed that she wrote such a terrific book in her second language! You can check out the interview here: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2017/09/11/how-to-behave-in-a-crowd-camille-bordas-...

merelybookish I really liked this book. Dorey is such a great character. Will check out the interview! 7y
readordierachel Great interview. That's definitely impressive! Also, what an interesting cover design. 7y
rachellayown I loved Dorey too @merelybookish! Thanks! 7y
rachellayown Thanks @ReadOrDieRachel! Yeah, I was impressed. And I love the cover! 7y
42 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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EvieBee
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After last month, I'm feeling a little reading fatigue. Trying to look for something that is interesting but not depressing.

Dottie's great company even though she feels like an idiot. I won't be able to get her to the groomer until next week and her hair is blinding her...so I dug around in my bits and bobs box and found this little deal! #dogsoflitsy #dottie

Susannah I know just how she feels. I've got a clip holding up my hair too! 💇😉 7y
AmyG She rocks the clip. 👍🏻 (edited) 7y
MarriedtoMrT Cute! 7y
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Beckys_Books Adorable 7y
BellaBookNook That is the cutest! 7y
batsy Too cute. That clip suits her so well 🐶 7y
Snow I bet she feels FABULOUS 😍 7y
Redwritinghood She might hate it, but I think she looks adorable. 7y
EvieBee @Susannah Lol, you too?! 😄 7y
EvieBee @AmyG @MarriedtoMrT @Beckys_Books @BellaBookNook @batsy @Snow @Redwritinghood Thank you so much! We never know what to do with her hair at this stage lol! 7y
LeahBergen She's very glamorous. 😆 7y
Ms_T How fabulous does she look?! 7y
Simona She looks very cute... and clip looks like little tiara❣️ 7y
EvieBee @LeahBergen @Ms_T @Simona Thank you so much! Her hair was so thick she broke the little tiara. Lol! She wasn‘t cut out for that lifestyle. 😂🤗 7y
102 likes14 comments
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LinaLovesLit
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LinaLovesLit
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Parented by a quirky mother and a man she refers to as "the father," ... his keen skill for observing people and interpreting their emotions set him apart.

How to Behave in a Crowd is an intelligent and reflective look at adolescence, on par with Catcher in the Rye and The Secret Fruits of Peter Paddington.

See my full review at instagram.com/angeline_emery.

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LinaLovesLit
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I have a lot of exciting reading to do! In addition to several other books, I've received an ARC of How to Behave in a Crowd by French author, Camille Bordas. I've never read anything like this and I'm really enjoying it! Review coming soon.

@penguinrandomhouse @Crownpublishing

9 likes1 stack add
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merelybookish
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This is an ARC I got from Penguin #firsttoread. I'm not far in but the narrator (a super observant, empathetic 12 year-old boy) cracks me up.
Probably not the book for you if you like plot or dislike precocious child narrators.

vivastory This sounds fantastic. Stacked! 7y
merelybookish @vivastory It's really funny! Every page there's a funny/sad/poignant line. Reminds me a bit of The Idiot by Batuman. 7y
vivastory @merelybookish Still need to read Batuman 😬 The Possessed would be a great book to read now that I'm finished with Master & Margarita 7y
merelybookish @vivastory It's neverending... 7y
57 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Christyco125
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Mehso-so

When I read the description of the story I thought of The One-in-a-Milion Boy by Monica Wood. Unfortunately, the only thing they had in common was a woman on her way to setting a record for age and that the boy was misunderstood. There were some entertaining spots but not enough to save the book from being a drag. #2017christyread #firsttoread #meh

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Allietaylor16
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August galleys I need to get to!!!

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silentrequiem
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I want to read! Stupid work and adult responsibilities. *Grumble*

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kerry
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Holidays are for books and sunshine.