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The Line of Beauty
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
"One can't get enough of Hollinghurst's sentences...If you value style, wit, and social satire in your reading, don't miss this elegant and passionate novel."-Washington Post Winner of 2004's Man Booker Prize for fiction and one of the most talked about books of the year, The Line of Beauty is a sweeping novel about class, sex, and money that brings Thatcher's London alive. Nick Guest has moved in with the Feddens, a family whose patriarch is a conservative member of parliament. An innocent in matters of politics and money, Nick becomes caught up in the Feddens' world of parties and excess, as well as in his own private pursuit of beauty. Framed by the two general elections that returned Margaret Thatcher to power, The Line of Beauty unfurls through four extraordinary years of change and tragedy. A New York Times Bestseller (Extended) A LA Times Bestseller List A Book Sense National Bestseller A Northern California Bestseller A Sunday Times Bestseller List A New York Times Notable Book of the Year And chosen as one of the best books of 2004 by: Entertainment Weekly The Washington Post The San Francisco Chronicle The Seattle Times Newsday Salon.com The Boston Globe The New York Sun The Miami Herald The Dallas Morning News San Jose Mercury News Publishers Weekly "A magnificent comedy of manners. Hollinghurst's alertness to the tiniest social and tonal shifts never slackens, and positively luxuriates in a number of unimprovably droll set pieces...[an] outstanding novel."-New York Times Book Review "Hollinghurst has placed his gay protagonist within a larger social context, and the result is his most tender and powerful novel to date, a sprawling and haunting elegy to the 1980s. A"-Entertainment Weekly "Mr. Hollinghurst's great gift as a novelist is for social satire as sharp and tra
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review
Centique
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

It‘s the 80s and Nick Guest is a young intellectual and discerning aesthete, fresh from Oxford, awed by his friend Toby‘s family and upper class home filled with art and antiques where he is a lodger. Toby‘s father is an MP in the Thatcher government and the home hosts many of the privileged and powerful. Nick seems to be appreciated by the family for his wits and his homosexuality is known and he hopes, accepted. We follow Nick through his ⬇️

Centique relationships with the family and his lovers, where he is always walking a line between desire and deference to others. A book about identity, class and sexuality, power and greed. Hollinghurst does an amazing job of capturing the tone and detail of this time and this group of people. So many odious characters pinned to the page in all their awfulness. ⬇️ 3y
Centique This won the Booker in 2004. The additional picture is an example of the Ogee line used in architecture - one of a few references to a “line of beauty” in the book. 3y
Megabooks Great review! 3y
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Ruthiella This has long been on my list! 3y
Centique @Megabooks thank you! 3y
Centique @Ruthiella you‘ll need to be in the mood for a chunkster, I should have mentioned that! I do like a good 500 pager now and then though 😋 3y
LeahBergen Fab review! 👏🏻 3y
Ruthiella @Centique Good to know! I don‘t mind long, however, if the contents justify the length. 3y
Ruthiella @Centique Good to know! I don‘t mind long, however, if the contents justify the length. 3y
Reggie Have you seen the series made of this book? I remember watching it and being destroyed in the end. I‘ve always wanted to read him but I get the sense he writes mood-killer, queer, books. 3y
shawnmooney My favorite of his! 3y
Centique @Reggie I haven‘t watched the series but I looked at the cast and it looks pretty good! Yes, the last scene just hurt 😣 this is the first book of his I‘ve read. I‘d definitely read more but it is slow moving and there are so many awful people, it could be hard going. I think if you haven‘t experienced the whole English class thing (like me) it‘s pretty fascinating from an outsiders point of view. 3y
batsy Brilliant review. I've always wanted to read him and to start with this one. 3y
Billypar Great review! I really liked "So many odious characters pinned to the page in all their awfulness." I've definitely read novels with that description, with maybe more of them taking place in the 80s than would be expected by chance? ? 3y
Centique @batsy thank you 😘 3y
Centique @Billypar thank you Vinny! I was trying to figure out why I can enjoy a novel full of awful people and I think it‘s because they have been captured and are now shown to everyone. What is it about the 80s huh? The decade of hypocrisy I guess. 3y
CarolynM Great review. I loved this too, one of my favourites in the year I read it (3 years ago, maybe?) I want to read all his books, I've only read this and the latest one 3y
Centique @CarolynM ooh I see I already have it stacked. It looks very good! 3y
Rissreads It‘s on my shelf staring at me but I‘m not sure why I never get to it? @MrsMalaprop liked it if I remember right. Sorry I haven‘t been in touch, have been off social media for awhile. Lots going on which I will tell you about when I get to writing you a proper letter! Sorry to hear your Dads not doing great. Much love xxx 2y
Centique @Rissreads I have missed seeing you around! I can understand the need for a social media break though. These are crazy times. It would be so lovely to get a letter 💕 Hope you and your family are doing ok xxx 2y
MrsMalaprop @Rissreads Yes, I loved this. We did it for Book Club years ago. The other of his I read is 2y
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KarenUK
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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#3books #thatwererecommededtome recently by my lovely co-worker, and we seem to like a lot of the same books...
I read and loved the Hollinghurst, and the other two are on my nightstand waiting..... 📚

OriginalCyn620 📚😊📚 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I wish I had a coworker to talk about books with!! ❤️ 4y
KarenUK @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks well... I‘m kind of cheating, because I‘m a Barnes & noble manager! All my co-workers talk about is books! 😍💕 4y
BarbaraBB I‘ve never heard of Shuggie Bain! (edited) 4y
KarenUK Not read it yet, but just seen it was long listed for booker.... I‘m on hold at the library for it... @BarbaraBB (edited) 4y
49 likes5 comments
review
KarenUK
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

Loved it! On the surface it‘s about the money, greed, sex and politics of Thatcher‘s 80s, but it‘s about so much more. It becomes a story of belonging and not belonging, of a glamorous facade and what lies beneath the veneer. Nick, a young gay man, besotted by a rich family, becomes a part of their world for a while, until things inevitably fall apart around him. Gorgeous writing and compelling characters, can‘t wait to read more by Hollinghurst.

squirrelbrain This sounds great - my kind of thing. I have The Spell and The Swimming Pool Library on my physical TBR shelf - I shall have to get round to them sometime soon. 4y
Cuilin Read The Stranger Child by the same author. Good book. I just stacked this one. Sounds good. 4y
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KarenUK I think you‘d really like it Helen... @squirrelbrain .... I have The Swimming Pool Library and The Stranger‘s Child on my shelf, waiting to be read, and read and loved The Sparsholt Affair last year... @Cuilin 4y
MrBook 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤗 Great review! 4y
CarolynM One of my favourite reads last year❤️ 4y
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KarenUK
Line of Beauty | Alan Hollinghurst
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Crazeedi Good morning!❤🌷 4y
KarenUK @Crazeedi Hi there! Hope you are doing ok xxxx 4y
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KarenUK
Line of Beauty | Alan Hollinghurst
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#Movember @Cinfhen #borderline
No borders, just a Line! One from my #2020TBR today, I‘ve been meaning to read this 2004 Man Booker winner for ages! I read The Sparsholt Affair this year, and really loved his writing, so hoping for a great read.... 💕

Cinfhen I think @TrishB mentioned wanting to read this book too!! I was meh about 4y
TrishB @Cinfhen I‘ve put this book into hibernation as there was just too much 1980s Tory politics that just resonated too much with today. 4y
Cinfhen Ahhhh, not for me then @TrishB my knowledge of British politics is rubbish 😉 4y
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TrishB @Cinfhen at the moment I wish mine was! 😘 4y
BarbaraBB I loved this book, despite the politics. Maybe because it didn‘t resonate when I read it - year‘s ago. 4y
KarenUK Uh! Not sure I can do the politics right now either! But I love his writing so maybe I‘ll brace it! @trishb @barbarabb @cinfhen 4y
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MrsMalaprop
Line of Beauty | Alan Hollinghurst
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#7days7covers #covercrush Day 4

7 covers, 7 days. No explanation. Wanna have a go @Lidia ?

LeahBergen I‘ve wanted to read this one for years. 5y
Cathythoughts Love this cover @LeahBergen I really want to read it too (edited) 5y
Lidia Yes sounds like fun. Thanks for the tag! 5y
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TrishB
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Current read - but going into hibernation at the moment because I just can‘t do any more Tory politics. It‘s stirring up everything awful I remember about the 80s, which then jars with everything going on today and I‘ve decided I‘m done for now.
To be returned to when less bitter and twisted.
It‘s basically Brideshead in the 80 and wonderfully written.

Cathythoughts I like you ( #hibernation) review 👍🏻 5y
Balibee146 I feel your pain 😭😭😭 5y
MicheleinPhilly I have tried to read this book 3 times and I‘m just never into it. Go back to your series, love. 😘 5y
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rockpools 😬. Hoping to wake up in the shower shortly and discover the last 3 years have all been a dream. Failing that, I feel a ‘highly improbable murder mystery‘ phase coming on. 5y
Andrew65 Can‘t even run their own party let alone the country! 😔 5y
Oryx Planning that move to Svalbard now. 5y
Izai.Amorim The Devil said he'd rather make Hell join the EU than save a place for Johnson and his bedfellows. So for the record, there's no special place in hell for them. 5y
TrishB @Balibee146 I‘m glad (if you know what I mean!) 5y
TrishB @MicheleinPhilly I took your advice! A bit of cold blooded murder has helped! (In a book obvs) 😘 5y
TrishB @RachelO if only we were in soap land.... 5y
TrishB @Andrew65 ☹️☹️ 5y
TrishB @Oryx I‘m in. Especially if there‘s snow because 2 days of sun has done it for me! 5y
TrishB @Izai.Amorim ☹️☹️ it‘s a mess. 5y
BarbaraBB I loved that book but I feel you. What the hell is happening? I really don‘t get it. Is any of those politicians thinking beyond their own ego? 5y
TrishB @BarbaraBB most right wing government since the 80s. I‘m truly worried as to what happens next ☹️ 5y
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krismlars
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

I read this book several years ago. Couldn't tell you much about it now, but I know that I really liked it. I recently started going to a therapist, and I saw this in the sidewalk walking from her office this week. I immediately thought of the book, but wondered if there is something else to the phrase. Either way, I found a little something to treasure in Cambridge!

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CarolynM
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

I am going to be thinking about this for a long time. The story is deceptively slight. The triumph is in the vivid characters who personify so much about the upper middle class world of the 1980s and its "greed is good" mentality and also its ambivalence towards gay men in the early years of the AIDS epidemic. So many secrets, so much dishonesty, so much sycophancy. It's tragic.

Freespirit Great review. 5y
Crazeedi Thanks for the review!👍 5y
TrishB Great review 👍🏻 definitely looking forward to it even more now! 5y
See All 8 Comments
Reggie There was a 3 part miniseries of this book. I haven‘t read the book but the series was pretty good. Nice review. 5y
Theaelizabet Nice review. 👏 5y
CarolynM @Reggie Thank you and thanks for bringing the series to my attention. The Wikipedia synopsis makes it sound like they've changed a few things, but I'd definitely like to see it. 5y
MrsMalaprop Loved this one too 👍. 5y
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CarolynM
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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I'm enjoying some holiday time on beautiful Green Island. My internet connection is a bit iffy, so please forgive me if I'm not liking or commenting much for the rest of the week.🙂🌴🌺🌤🍹

LapReader Lucky duck. Have a great time. Now I want some grog 😂 5y
Cathythoughts Have a great time 😘 5y
JennyM Enjoy!!! 😘 5y
See All 13 Comments
Kalalalatja Enjoy! 5y
TrishB Enjoy 😁 I was going to start this today but it‘s in the spare bedroom and my sons asleep in there! Book dilemma- wait til he gets up (could be hours) or start another one in my kindle!!! 5y
erzascarletbookgasm I just looked up Green Island..happy holidays! 😍 🏝 5y
Freespirit Have a lovely holiday😊 5y
youneverarrived Enjoy 😘 5y
CarolynM @TrishB That is a dilemma! What did you do? 5y
CarolynM @LapReader Your comment appeared just then - weird! It's lovely here, I indulged in a mojito last night. It was delicious! 5y
TrishB I read two other books and now the new Atkinson has arrived and that has to be next! This one will be soon 😁 5y
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BookwormM
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Mehso-so

#unpopularopinion #reading1001

I love this cover but I didn‘t love the book it just wasn‘t for me. I can see that it is beautiful written but it still left me cold.

Full review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2816366204

If any UK Litten would like this book (good condition) let me know in comments first to request gets it.

Cinfhen @TrishB I think u wanted to read this book!!! 5y
TrishB @Cinfhen Thanks! I‘ve already brought it a couple of weeks ago! I‘m keeping my fingers crossed I like it 🤞🏻 (edited) 5y
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Ladygodiva7
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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BookwormM
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#reading1001 #BOTM

Just starting this and I love the cover 💕💕

BarbaraBB Great cover indeed. And it‘d such a good book ❤️ 5y
38 likes1 comment
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Litpixie
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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It's a rainy, EF kind of day. To battle my storm anxiety I'm going to escape into a book.

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AlaSkaat
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst

"He saw that interests weren't always a sexy thing. A shared passion for a subject, large or small, could quickly put two strangers into a special state of subdued rapture and rivalry, distantly resembling love;"

Suet624 That‘s true! 5y
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Haileybug97
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst

‘For Gods sake don‘t leave me.‘ He said, ‘Of course I won‘t,‘ and felt the occasion close in on him, suffocatingly, from a great distance. It was something else Toby had mentioned, by the lake: there are times when she can‘t be alone, and she has to have someone with her.

review
saresmoore
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

This recent read has become a new favorite. There are some sociopolitical elements in the story, but the character study is what brings the force to this beautiful novel. What we get from Hollinghurst‘s micro-observations is a broad picture of human life through a very specific lens. When I was reading it all in one sitting, I noted: There‘s something intensely humanizing about being trapped behind the veil of a protagonist‘s insecurities.

saresmoore I think that‘s what makes a lot of books work. Keeping the reader cut off from objectivity forces empathy, but also reveals something nuanced and powerful about the human experience that otherwise couldn‘t be articulated. Anyway, I loved this and read it in one sitting for a readathon. #4newfavesin4days #4newfavsin4days 6y
Cinfhen Brilliant review 6y
dylanisreading What a fantastic review. Are you planning on reading Hollinghurst's latest? 6y
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saresmoore @Cinfhen Thank you! 😘 6y
saresmoore @Bianca Thanks! I plan on at least trying all of his books. Have you read 6y
BarbaraBB Great review of one of my favourite books as well 😘 6y
saresmoore @BarbaraBB Thank you! ♥️ Have you read any others of Hollinghurst‘s? 6y
BarbaraBB I have two others by him on my shelves but are postponing reading them because I like him so much ☺️ 6y
dylanisreading @saresmoore No, I haven't, but it's on my tbr now. The Librarian Is In raved about it. 6y
saresmoore @BarbaraBB I certainly understand that logic! 6y
saresmoore @Bianca Well, let me know when you get around to it. I‘m always up for a buddy read! 6y
Moray_Reads For some reason I always get Alan Hollinghurst mixed up with Julian Barnes. Which is strange because I've never read anything by Hollinghurst! 6y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads And I‘ve never read anything by Barnes! Have you read/liked anything by him? They‘re both older English white male authors, so I can understand the blurring. The Line of Beauty is a really impressive book. 6y
andrew61 I recall really enjoying it and the thatcher dance is a memorable scene. 6y
saresmoore @andrew61 Yes, memorable indeed! 6y
Vikkiha Great review. I loved this book. It‘s one that sticks with you. The characters are all so well developed. I would definitely read more of his books, have only read one other so far 6y
saresmoore @Vikkiha That one sounds great! 6y
dylanisreading @saresmoore Sounds good! I think I'm ten on the holds list at the library. Perhaps I'll treat myself to a copy for my birthday. 6y
saresmoore @Bianca That sounds like a great idea! 6y
batsy Beautiful review, Sara. Great points about objectivity vs seeing through a character's extremely flawed view (reminds me of Dostoevsky... do all roads in fiction lead me back to the big D?) A friend recommend this to me a long time ago and you've reminded me to read it. I'm also curious about 6y
saresmoore @batsy Thank you, friend! I am seeing the connections you see, too. Especially when I compare it with what I‘ve read of early/ancient storytelling up until the 19th century, it seems like Dostoevsky‘s claustrophobic subjectivity might represent a shift in literature and global cultural mythos. It makes me want to read more of Big D! Ha! 6y
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ephemeralwaltz
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I want all of these black&white Picador 40th Anniversary collection covers! I have the edition of Room from this collection and it‘s stunning. The Line of Beauty and Mother‘s Milk look gorgeous!

wanderinglynn Beautiful! ❤️ 6y
Kalalalatja I can feel a craving coming on 😍 6y
HannaPolkadots They're so pretty!😀😻 I have the Mother's Milk one, but I want them all!!!😉 6y
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wallacereads
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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I like ‘em thick. #mountTBRchallenge

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saresmoore
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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I just finished The Line of Beauty and am only 20 minutes away from completing 24 hours for the #readathon! This book was incredible, but I need some time to process before reviewing it. Now finishing up the ‘thon with a few stories from Anthony Marra.

#24in48

LeahBergen Yay! Go, you! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
EllieDottie Congratulations 🥂 6y
Redwritinghood 👏👏👏👏 6y
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Graciouswarriorprincess Congratulations! 6y
Eggs 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
Suet624 Well that‘s quite a way to finish up. Anthony Marra. Guaranteed to break your heart while you‘re laughing. 6y
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review
BarbaraBB
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

I loved this book about Nick, who stays with the wealthy Fedden family in Kensington Park, London. He divides his time between partying and travelling with the family on one side, and exploring the realities of his sexuality and gay life on the other.
The park plays a big role in this aspect of his life - at least as I remember the book. Highly recommended!

#NuYear #DownInThePark #1001books

Reggie I‘ve never read this but I saw the miniseries. I just remember feeling so bad in the end. 6y
Kalalalatja Stacked! 6y
Cathythoughts I‘m listening to the Sparsholt Affair on Audible at the mo. Excellent 👍 6y
See All 9 Comments
Cinfhen I‘ve already stacked this book....but I have no recollection 😬sounds good! Thanks for the reminder 6y
TrishB Good park 👍🏻 read a couple of his but not this one. 6y
BarbaraBB @TrishB I have only read the tagged one but this one is my favourite so far! 6y
Liz_M @Reggie There's a mini series? 6y
TrishB My reply was supposed to say pick.... but I suppose park fits! 6y
BarbaraBB @TrishB 😂 I thought park was perfectly find 😂 6y
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wallacereads
Line of Beauty | Alan Hollinghurst
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When there is traffic and you‘re not the driver. #mountTBRchallenge

Kaye Look at that bookmark ! 6y
wallacereads @Kaye - It is courtesy of @LA_Mead! 6y
Kaye Is it some type of origami ? Very original looking ! 6y
LA_Mead 😊 I make them out of up-cycled books! 6y
32 likes4 comments
review
thebeercolonel
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
Pickpick

A staggering beautiful work of genius, like an updated gayer Brideshead Revisited.

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shawnmooney
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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This is one of the best gay novels out there, and one of my favorite novels set in London. It won the Booker in 2004.

#RockInMay #LondonCalling

andrew61 An unforgettable scene of hero dancing with Thatcher, a great book. 7y
shawnmooney @andrew61 Yes! 💜🕺 7y
Lindy @andrew61 That scene stands out for me too. 👍 7y
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Cinfhen Stacked! Thanks for posting today 💗💗 7y
Reggie Ive never read it but I watched the 3 episodes on dvd and was DEVASTATED. One of the few times i called my friend Josh to cry, he was that friend in ur 20's u traded crying phone calls with. Some were for identity issues, some were Im drunk @2am and my cousins trying to kill me. Mine was the latter. Lol good times. 7y
shawnmooney @reggie Yay! I loved the film or mini-series or whatever it was, too: but the novel is approximately 8 million times more powerful! Yes, this story spoke deeply to me, so much so that I'm hard-pressed to say one semi-articulate thing about the novel. 7y
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Mediaevalgirl
The Line of Beauty: A Novel | Alan Hollinghurst
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Excited to read this for my Queer London Book Club! My first Hollinghurst novel 🌈🇬🇧📚#amreading

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shawnmooney
Line of Beauty | Alan Hollinghurst
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34 likes5 stack adds