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American Marriage (Oprah Book Club)
American Marriage (Oprah Book Club) | Tayari Jones
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB 2018 SELECTION "Haunting . . . Beautifully written." --The New York Times Book Review "Brilliant and heartbreaking . . . Unforgettable." --USA Today "A tense and timely love story . . . Packed with brave questions about race and class." --People "Compelling." --The Washington Post "Epic . . . Transcendent . . . Triumphant." --Elle Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn't commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy's time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy's conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward--with hope and pain--into the future.
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Chiac25
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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“This is a love letter. Everything I do is a love letter to you.” -Roy

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Eggs
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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If you read this book, you know to what I refer ….
🔪💔😫

#StabInTheBack

#IdiomInsight

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

Powerful novel with themes of race, love, and marriage. Told from three POVs(some in letters), Jones‘s characters may not be likable or make selfless choices, but they are authentic. The guilt, heartbreak, and pain of a life interrupted feels honest, and as complicated as real life. This is about one family‘s experience, but the far-reaching impact of mass incarceration and systemic racism within the criminal justice system can not be ignored. 4⭐️

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Kris10H
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Mehso-so

Book #33
3.5/5
Decent book - offers a different perspective on relationships, in the context of African-American characters in the US. My complaint would be the pacing of the storyline. There were a lot of places that felt very slow, and it didn't have a very good flow.

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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I immediately thought of this one, however it is the opposite of #standbyme 😬 💙 💍💛 I ready disliked Celestial…

#VolumesandVocals

Eggs Her name doesn‘t really match her values/behaviors… 9mo
Vansa I found this book quite awful, honestly.As you've said,Celestial is quite unbearable and the book is written to make her troubles seem as material as Roy's, when he's literally in jail.The book glossed over how difficult his jail term must have been,and ended with a bizarre scene where he's almost violent with her,and then I'm supposed to think he's a nice guy because he stops??The reviews this book got baffled me 9mo
Eggs @Vansa Maybe this book belongs in an anthology of broken marriages/broken humans 9mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Vansa completely agree!! 9mo
61 likes1 stack add4 comments
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mjtwo
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

22-5 May 23 (audiobook)
A pick - well-written and raised many questions. But I disliked self-centred Celestial and despised Dre. Yes, I thought she should have stuck by her man! Not sure whether that is an old-fashioned, sexist view - I like to think I would have felt the same way if their genders had been reversed. But as Roy said, it wouldn‘t have happened to her.

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she.hearts.horror
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

Your best trait is also your worst.

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JackOBotts
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finally read this #BOTMBacklog. Not a fan of Celestine and how she handled her relationships, but I cannot imagine being in her shoes and seeing the life she worked to build with her husband being snatched in an instant of “mistaken identity”.

Suet624 Three stars for me too. 11mo
Reggie I loved this book. There were a lot of little lines in here I still think of. And the Thanksgiving scene where everyone has an opinion about her and Andre and Ray. Loved it. 11mo
34 likes2 comments
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Lenamarcela339
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Here is my #bookspin list for April! Looking forward to this month‘s picks!!

TheAromaofBooks I read Brave New World for the first time in February. Such an odd book! I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!! 12mo
BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @TheAromaofBooks ohhhhh! Will be happy to share when I finally read it. 😂😂 12mo
TheAromaofBooks I think I was especially intrigued because it's always listed as a “classic dystopian“ novel along with 1984, which I reread last year. They are definitely interesting contrasts to each other! 12mo
23 likes4 comments
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JennO1
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Mehso-so

This took me a while to get through. It starts quickly and then abruptly slows to a crawl. I considered putting it aside, but I didn‘t dislike it enough to quit on it. I wanted to see where the marriage was going, I just didn‘t want to deal with the characters anymore.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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#WomensHistoryMonth #recommendations 12of31
Fiction
Well written interesting story of what happens in a marriage when the husband is wrongfully charged with rape and sent to prison. A wholely original story that brings up an all too common situation for Black Americans. I love that this got people talking about our "justice" system. We know that 1/20 people in the US are wrongfully convicted. This book looks at what this can do to a family.

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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#LoveTriangle
#MarchMagic

This was a great book, but I didn‘t care for the wife at all! I also met this author at a book signing and she is awesome!! I need to read her back list!

💙💛

KathyWheeler I saw her several years ago at an Alabama Library Association convention. She was great. 13mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @KathyWheeler ❤️❤️❤️ 13mo
Crazeedi I've had this book on my kindle for forever!! 13mo
See All 6 Comments
Eggs 💙💛💔💛💙 13mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Crazeedi you need to read it!! 13mo
81 likes6 comments
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Shaaaannnn
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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YAY. The first time I reached my reading goal in like, three years. I blame college. But, I‘m so thrilled!

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Shaaaannnn
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

Wow, what a read! A perfect, well rounded book. Read it.

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Karisa
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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I‘m loving the new podcast Book Exploder! It‘s hosted by Susan Orlean, and she talks to other authors about breaking down key passages in their books.

This wonderful episode gave me a much deeper appreciation for Tayari Jones‘ book. I had no idea of her process (basically wrote 2.5 books and then interwove their stories 😱): https://open.spotify.com/episode/3lBbAwFe56klGNvpzCBDE5?si=OSkiFAraS2WEuUl7hkMvS...

charl08 Thanks for posting this - I'm always looking for new book podcasts. 1y
61 likes1 comment
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Brooke_H
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Excited for book club tonight. It‘s our first in-person meeting in…I don‘t even know how long! 📚

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Brooke_H
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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My current staff pick

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jenniferw88
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

This has to be one of the best notes I've ever written in an #lmpbc book!

4 3/4 ⭐

#2019 #202025 @Librarybelle

@jhod it will be on it's way back to you soon!

jhod Ha very good! Pleased you liked it! It was one of those where the hype ruined it for me I think as I had such high expectations 2y
jenniferw88 To be fair, anything is better than mine - I'm sorry it was a dud. I should have changed my choice as I was struggling with it! @Mrs_B 2y
Librarybelle This is on my to read list! 2y
67 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Eggs
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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#MadeYouMad #BookMoods @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I became angry with the wife for abandoning her husband who was serving time for a crime he didn‘t commit 😡

Vansa So so so glad to read this opinion.This book made me SO MAD for exactly the same reason- seriously? I'm supposed to fall sorry for this woman when the poor guy literally is in high security jail for a violent crime he is innocent of committing?and somehow the book wants me to think her problems are really major?What even was the weird ending,where he nearly sexually assaults her-to show us he's not that nice?So overhyped 2y
Vansa Also,she writes as if his stint in jail is super comfortable and he's totally fine-none of the horror and the violence of incarceration,made even worse by your innocence 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect choice!! I couldn‘t stand Celestial 🤬🤬 2y
67 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Donna1980
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

I think what resonated most with me in this book was how accurate I felt it‘s portrayal of marriage was. A marriage that is pushed up against the ropes, when all feels helpless. Celestial and Roy are separated by prison, Roy accused of a crime that Celestial knows he didn‘t commit. Devotion, shown through letters starts to wain as one goes forward in life and the other is incarcerated. It‘s heartbreaking but honest. Deserving of its rave reviews.

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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“Sometimes when you like where you end up, you don‘t care how you got there.”

#BookMoods
#Celebbookclubpick

From Oprah‘s book club 💙💛

I enjoyed this one! It was beautifully written with relatable characters who found themselves in a very difficult situation. I would like to think I know what I would do in this situation, but do I really?

I really enjoyed meeting Tayari! She is awesome!

ncsufoxes That is so cool. I loved this book. I had to read it for a family development class. I need to read her other book. 2y
KristiAhlers You‘re so lucky. I enjoyed that book as well! 2y
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jlhammar This was a good one! I really liked Silver Sparrow too. 2y
Jensol77 I really enjoyed this read. She made the characters very multi-demential. Complicated themes. 2y
Eggs Moral dilemmas! But well written 👏🏻👏🏻 2y
92 likes1 stack add6 comments
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charl08
American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Check out my fancy new pen mug at work...

#WomensPrize

TrishB That‘s amazing 👍🏻 2y
squirrelbrain 💕💕💕 2y
charl08 Almost as good as a book! @squirrelbrain @trishb 2y
81 likes3 comments
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thewallflower0707
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones

I was busy the last few days!

The Split (f/f romance with focus on a lovely friendship): ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Children of Jocasta (good Ancient Greek story retelling): ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The sisters of Sparta (another retelling, but characterization fell short & too much was missing): ⭐️/5
An American Marriage (different than I expected): ⭐️⭐️,5/5

#reading

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jenniferw88
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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CrowCAH Perfect title for today! 2y
mabell 👍 2y
Santie This is a really good one!!! 2y
54 likes3 comments
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Reynosa8701
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book! Not bad for a thrift store find!

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jenniferw88
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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SassyPants617
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February‘s pick for the book club I‘m in. So far, I‘m enjoying it.

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Peaslady
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Mehso-so

This was good, just not great. Felt at points it got a bit laboured, found myself almost skimming. Pace wise it started so quick and then slowed a lot, so perhaps that was it. The story of the impact of the wrongful conviction on not just Roy but the others in his life was very moving. And there was a lot in there about the significance and divergence in parenting from both sides I found interesting. But perhaps not one I‘d rush to recommend.

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kimmypete1
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

Giving it a pick, but it took me awhile to get into it.

30 likes1 stack add
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Hitchhikerbooks
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Mehso-so

This book made me feel things I wasn't ready to feel.

Cathythoughts I bailed on this one 🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y
Hitchhikerbooks Understandable. It wasn't what everyone made it out to be. Over-hyped 3y
12 likes2 comments
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nocto
American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

I had very little clue what to expect of this book when I started reading it. I think it was on the Women‘s Prize shortlist when it caught my eye. Good story, and enlightening. Great characters, I liked the way the story was passed around between them so you got to understand the different viewpoints. Sadly the central premise of the book in which a black man is falsely accused of a crime was all too believable. My #bookspin for July.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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#curiouscovers #tree
A great book looking at an all too common situation in America. What happens to a marriage when one of the people is falsely accused of a crime and goes to prison?
Great way to start thinking about the American justice system if you don't, and great discuss topics on relationships too.
@eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs Great choice 🌳💔🌳 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I totally agree!! I did not care for Celestial… 3y
ChaoticMissAdventures @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I didn't either! But it is interesting to put yourself in her place and think about the situation. How, who, and why people get married, and if and what it would take for a relationship to stay together through so much extended stress and trauma. 3y
31 likes3 comments
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melissajayne
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

4⭐️ I enjoyed the book and thought that it explored some excellent issues, like how incarceration affects a marriage and how Black African American males have been targeted (thinking of the Susan Smith cases where she gave a description of an African-American male of drowning her kids when she had actually done it herself) for certain crimes. I felt that the epilogue was an afterthought and really didn‘t add anything

42 likes2 comments
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melissajayne
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Onto my second book for #deweysreadathon #24hourreadathon #readathon. I will post reviews of completed books in the coming days.

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melissajayne
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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On page 6, it mentions “blue box jewelry”. I have never heard of that term; what is it?

MsMelissa Might be referring to Tiffany, as all Tiffany jewelry comes in a blue box. 3y
readingjedi Tiffany's blue box is iconic in the jewellery world. 3y
AmyG My guess is Tiffany becauee of it‘s distinctive blue box. 3y
megnews I agree, Tiffany. 3y
melissajayne Thank you for the answers 3y
19 likes5 comments
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Graciouswarriorprincess
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Thank you Durham County Public Library for the amazing lineup of authors for your first #libraryfest! I also love the tumbler!

BennettBookworm That sounds so fun! 3y
62 likes1 comment
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kiahjones
Pickpick

🖤

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Marni
An American Marriage | Tayari Jones
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This was a powerful book that looks at the impacts of racism and the justice system through the lens of one marriage. It was eye opening and heartbreaking.
#diversereads
#read2021