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Biloxi
Biloxi | Mary Miller
20 posts | 15 read | 19 to read
Like her predecessors Ann Beattie and Raymond Carver, Mary Miller brings an essential voice to her generation. Building on her critically acclaimed novel, The Last Days of California, and her biting collection, Always Happy Hour, Miller slyly transports readers to her unapologetic corner of the South--this time, Biloxi, Mississippi, home to sixty-three-year-old Louis McDonald Jr. His wife of thirty-seven years left him, his father has passed--and he has impulsively retired from his job in anticipation of an inheritance check that may not come. In the meantime, he watches reality television, sips beer, and avoids his ex-wife and daughter. One day, he stops at a house advertising free dogs and meets overweight mixed-breed Layla. Unexpectedly, Louis takes her, and, newly invigorated, begins investigating local dog parks and buying extra bologna. Mining the absurdities of life with her signature "droll minimalist's-eye view of America" (Joyce Carol Oates), Mary Miller's Biloxi affirms her place in contemporary literature.
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blurb
Catsandbooks
Biloxi: A Novel | Mary Miller
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Just got back from a much needed long weekend vacation on the Mississippi gulf coast!

Tera66 Great picture! 3y
Catsandbooks @Tera66 thank you! 3y
Professional_Book_Dragon Love the dress! 3y
43 likes4 comments
review
Mitch
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Pickpick

In Louis, Miller has created a quirky, unloveable main character -who speaks his mind, alienates those around him with a frank meanness and has a rather warped world view. He begins to reconnect with the world when he acquires a dog. Although he's bitter with an ugly sense of superiority and I really didn't want to spend time with him- I could admire Miller's observations, her attention to detail and the skilful way she created his small world.

MicheleinPhilly I ❤️ a good novel about a cranky ass. #stacked 3y
Mitch @MicheleinPhilly This fits that bill perfectly! (edited) 3y
78 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Mitch
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Having a quiet half hour with my new book. I want to love it - but I just do t like the main characters - he makes my skin crawl! But his story is compulsive reading!

Soubhiville Yeah definitely not likable characters in this one. 3y
Mitch @Soubhiville yeah - not one! 3y
86 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Mitch
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Starting this one tonight about a man who‘s life changes when he gets a dog. It was a lovey present from @Soubhiville after we saw it in an Austin bookstore. Little did I know that a year later that I‘d be digging in - reading it with a puppy nestled on my lap! 😘

AmyG I was just going to type....this could be you! 3y
Soubhiville Funny the changes life tosses our way! I hope you‘ll enjoy it 🙂❤️ 3y
Gissy I see many books on the back!! Cozy place!! 📚📚📚📚📚😍❤️❤️❤️❤️ 3y
89 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
VanessaCW
Biloxi | Mary Miller
Pickpick

It‘s quite a quirky tale. The main character is somewhat eccentric and grumpy, but luckily for the reader, the dog is lovable and happy. It‘s primarily about ageing and the feeling of becoming gradually invisible. It‘s also about loneliness and how a dog can make all the difference to a person‘s life. Layla saves Louis‘ life in a way, I think. It‘s told as a ‘slice of life‘ story so not for those who enjoy action packed stories.

3.5 ⭐️

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VanessaCW
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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I‘m reading this one at the moment. I enjoy stories about animals.

44 likes1 stack add
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Mitch
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Thank you thank you thank you sweet friend. We saw this whilst bookshop shopping together back in October - so already I love it. Thanks @Soubhiville
❤️📚❤️📚❤️📚❤️📚❤️📚❤️📚

Soubhiville You‘re welcome! I hope you‘ll enjoy it. It‘s quirky! 4y
64 likes1 comment
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Soubhiville
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Pickpick

@Mitch and I both picked up this book at Book People to read the blurb. We talked about the interesting choice of the young female author to write a main character in his early 60‘s, going through what he calls “a 3/4 life crisis.”

While I found it an uncomfortable read, I couldn‘t put it down. With topics of late life divorce, a strained relationship with his kid, alcoholism, retiring, weight issues, it‘s rather dark. But there‘s a sense ⬇️

Soubhiville Of humor that I really appreciated. Little flashes of hope pull this story together. I thought this was a cool book. 4y
Mitch Sounds a great read - our instincts were right! 4y
57 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Devyn
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Mehso-so

3 1/2 stars for this one and that half a star comes solely from the character development that only happens in the last three pages of the book. Louis, the first-person narrator, is far from likeable, but I cheered for him to get better. I loved the style of the writing so I‘ll definitely be looking for more from Mary Miller. It‘d be perfect for anyone who likes day-in-the-life plot lines and has a soft spot for grumpy guys.

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toofondofbooks
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Pickpick

I picked up this one because I live about an hour north of Biloxi and we drive down pretty regularly. So it was neat to read about a place I am so familiar with. This book is written as a kind of stream of consciousness of a 64 year old recently divorced and retired man. It's not a happy feel good book at all, but I found myself having a lot of sympathy for the main character.

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Kdunkelberg
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Pickpick

Mary Miller shows us 21st C Southern culture through her character Louis McDonald Jr and his dog. Her dry humor makes this a delightful read.

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Kdunkelberg
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Mary Miller at Lemuria Books in Jackson MS.

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Flaneurette
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Saturday morning porch reading and 82% done with current read. I‘m liking this book so far but it‘s not a favorite like Mary Miller‘s last book was for me. She writes women soo well and she‘s not quite as successful with a male pov. I do so love lonely older characters tho, it‘s kinda my jam lately

Melissa_J Lovely reading spot. 5y
Chelsea.Poole Beautiful scenery 📖 5y
MrBook What a great place to get some reading done!!! 5y
39 likes4 comments
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eedevore
Biloxi | Mary Miller
This post contains spoilers
show me
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Mehso-so

I wanted to love this. I hadn‘t heard of it and then it showed up in my mailbox from my mom because it does sound like exactly my kind of book: depressed man gets semi-weird dog, his life changes. But I just could not get into it. The characters are all weird, but not in an endearing way (even the dog isn‘t that lovable) in an uncomfortable way. There‘s stalking & drinking & driving & nobody changes but somehow it‘s supposed to be a happy ending.

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ReadingEnvy
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Mehso-so

Catching up on my eARC backlog (this one is from live right publishing via edelweiss, out May 21) - Biloxi is about 62 year old Louis, who is trying to figure out how to live after his wife left, his father died, and he "retires" from his job. ⤵️

ReadingEnvy Louis reminds me of Ignatius J. Reilly (Confederacy of Dunces) if suddenly left to his own devices as an older man, but not in a funny way. He doesn't really know who he is without his roles with other people, he doesn't know how to take care of himself (but then gets a dog,) and he does a lot of things out habit that he doesn't even enjoy (watching Fox News seems to be one of these things.) ⤵️ 5y
ReadingEnvy This is probably a realistic depiction of aging these days. I would have liked the perspectives of the other characters because they are obviously seeing that he needs looking after. I didn't find it to feel particularly southern the way it is described, maybe just not big city. 5y
BethFishReads Shoot. I had this on my May list 5y
ReadingEnvy @BethFishReads well I hope you at least try it...I feel like I'm missing it 5y
BethFishReads @ReadingEnvy I will likely give it a try, but with lower expectations 5y
54 likes5 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Mehso-so

Entertaining enough that I finished, but there is just no plot here. Lots of folks from my book club would love that but not my bag 😜 #24b4monday

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Liberty
Biloxi | Mary Miller
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Morning reading. ❤️📚❤️

84 likes2 stack adds