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Do Not Say We Have Nothing
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
An extraordinary novel set in China before, during and after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989--the breakout book we've been waiting for from a bestselling, Amazon.ca First Novel Award winner. Madeleine Thien's new novel is breathtaking in scope and ambition even as it is hauntingly intimate. With the ease and skill of a master storyteller, Thien takes us inside an extended family in China, showing us the lives of two successive generations--those who lived through Mao's Cultural Revolution in the mid-twentieth century; and the children of the survivors, who became the students protesting in Tiananmen Square in 1989, in one of the most important political moments of the past century. With exquisite writing sharpened by a surprising vein of wit and sly humour, Thien has crafted unforgettable characters who are by turns flinty and headstrong, dreamy and tender, foolish and wise. At the centre of this epic tale, as capacious and mysterious as life itself, are enigmatic Sparrow, a genius composer who wishes desperately to create music yet can find truth only in silence; his mother and aunt, Big Mother Knife and Swirl, survivors with captivating singing voices and an unbreakable bond; Sparrow's ethereal cousin Zhuli, daughter of Swirl and storyteller Wen the Dreamer, who as a child witnesses the denunciation of her parents and as a young woman becomes the target of denunciations herself; and headstrong, talented Kai, best friend of Sparrow and Zhuli, and a determinedly successful musician who is a virtuoso at masking his true self until the day he can hide no longer. Here, too, is Kai's daughter, the ever-questioning mathematician Marie, who pieces together the tale of her fractured family in present-day Vancouver, seeking a fragile meaning in the layers of their collective story. With maturity and sophistication, humour and beauty, a huge heart and impressive understanding, Thien has crafted a novel that is at once beautifully intimate and grandly political, rooted in the details of daily life inside China, yet transcendent in its universality.
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JacintaMCarter
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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shawnmooney
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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https://youtu.be/qNC0kAqAPj0?si=taHq8-VbdoF-0UbF

Mikiko‘s reading project was to read six of my favorite books. Here‘s what happened.

Books

Happening by Annie Ernaux
Tanya Leslie (Translator)

Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

Indelicacy by Amina Cain

The Peacock by Isabel Bogdan
Annie Rutherford (Translator)

shawnmooney Woman Running in the Mountains by Yūko Tsushima
Geraldine Harcourt (Translator)

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
5mo
22 likes1 comment
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Jemmygem
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Pickpick

Wow what a story.

Julsmarshall I need to move this up my #TBR. 11mo
BookwormM Loved this one 11mo
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jlhammar
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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📕 Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
🖊 Donoghue, Emma
📺 Dark (German sci-fi thriller series - Netflix)
🎙 Del Rey, Lana
🎶 Don‘t Just Sit There - Lucius

#ManicMonday #LetterD
@CBee

CBee Nice! Thanks for playing 😀 2y
40 likes1 comment
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

A powerful, tragic and immersive read. Marie has grown up in Canada, unaware of her father‘s previous life in China. After her father‘s death, a kind of relative comes to live with her and her mom in Vancouver. Marie‘s friendship with Ai-Ming begins her journey into their families‘ intersecting pasts, culminating in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

#Booked2022 Set in China ✅
First book finished for #20in4

Cinfhen This was such a wonderful story!! Immersive is a GREAT description!! 2y
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Totally immersive. When I was done reading, it felt like coming up for air. 2y
Cathythoughts Brilliant review ! I must try again , I didn‘t get too far the first time. 2y
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jlhammar Loved this book! 2y
Ruthiella @Cathythoughts Thanks Cathy. It is quite dense, I did have trouble at first finding my footing. 2y
Ruthiella @jlhammar It‘s quite an achievement! So not surprised it made the Booker shortlist back when. 2y
61 likes6 comments
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rachelm
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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This was a #blameitonlitsy purchase in, oh, 2017? Finally getting around to reading it! It‘s beautiful and so musical so far.

jlhammar Such a good book! 2y
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Hannah_11
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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“Tomorrow begins from another dawn, when we will be fast asleep. Remember what I say: not everything will pass.” #pick #summerread #holiday

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canbku
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Can't wait to finally be getting to this pick!

Prairiegirl_reading I found it difficult but so worth it! It‘s phenomenal. I hope you enjoy it! 3y
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dixi_e
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Slowly re-reading this. Major difference in my own enjoyment and appreciation for the story after living and experiencing #lifeinchina for the last year and a half. The craft, creativity and characters are remarkable.

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nao
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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I read 4 book in January 📚❄
That's a good number since I'm working ☔
My favourite book was : ¤ Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien ¤ 🌸
Looking forward to read more in February 😅 but I don't think so. 😅

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nao
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

Do Not Say We Have Nothing Madeleine Thien 5 stars ⭐
I started 2021 with this amazing novel, setting in China following the life of two successive generations who lived through Mao‘s Cultural Revolution and their children. A well crafted, heartbreaking and lovely novel. It opens the door to the history of a huge nation and shows that with time injuries can be healed but the scars stay forever.

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bnp
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1. No! I would be afraid of the mess I would make.

2. Simple food and the company of my dog.

#thankfulThursday @Cosmos_Moon

Cosmos_Moon # 2 sounds very lovely 🥰 have a nice weekend! 3y
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SabGinesi
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Mehso-so

I give this book a rating of 2/5. As a Canadian living in the GTA, I was super intrigued by this novel. However, this story could have been told in half the pages. Getting through the first part of the book felt tedious and only nearing the end could I not put my book down.

So many interesting themes, which have unfortunately been drowned out by long and uninteresting writing.

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SabGinesi
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Almost done reading this book - it took a while to get started but it‘s getting more interesting!

Prairiegirl_reading I almost gave up on this. It was a book club book that we split up and if not for my group‘s discussion in the first part I don‘t know that I would have made it through but I‘m so glad I finished. It is excellent. 3y
SabGinesi @Prairiegirl_reading The first part of the book is hard to get through, especially since there‘s so many storylines. I haven‘t gotten to the end yet, but the second half is much better! 3y
Prairiegirl_reading @SabGinesi exactly. I felt like I was missing a lot. Like it was going over my head. The second half is outstanding! 3y
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Kazzie
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
Pickpick

Took some time to get into, but once i did, fantastic. Interesting insights into modern Chinese history

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JillR
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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I‘ve started this and am not very far in, but am really struggling with it. Have you read this? Is it worth persevering? I really, really hate giving up!

LeahBergen It‘s a bit of hard work at first but I ended up really enjoying it. 4y
AnneCecilie I don‘t remember much from the beginning, but I know I loved it 4y
Canadian.Reads I have started it twice, made it farther the second time but still have not finished! Third time is a charm, maybe? Good luck! 4y
JillR @Canadian.Reads @AnneCecilie @leahbergen thank you all 😊. I‘ve decided to pause on this one for a while, but it‘s still on my stack and I‘ll try again another day! 4y
33 likes4 comments
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emilyhaldi
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Confession: I'm not sure I would have picked this as my next read if I had known the complete attention it requires 😅 but I'm taking a deep breath and diving back in!

Linsy Pretty 4y
BarbaraBB I don‘t know if I should say this but I bailed 😉 4y
Kalalalatja I really liked it, but I read it the same year I read Pachinko, and it sort of paled in comparison 🤷‍♀️ 4y
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LeahBergen I really enjoyed it but it does require a bit of work. 4y
Liz_M I loved this. My only regret is that no one told me it would make me cry during the flight on which I read it. 🤦 4y
emilyhaldi I can't lie @BarbaraBB bailing crossed my mind a couple times... How far did you make it?? 4y
Lcsmcat I loved this book! Stick with it, it‘s totally worth the tears. 4y
BarbaraBB Not too far. But part of the reason was I wasn‘t in the mood for the Chinese history parts - of which I had read much already. 4y
batsy Beautiful photo 💜💐 4y
Reviewsbylola Ugh I‘m feeling the same way. My concentration is 0. 4y
63 likes10 comments
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ClairesReads
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

a very good novel, impressive in its scope and delicate in its execution. as a reader here I benefitted from my interest in History, and background knowledge of classical music. Without these, this novel might have felt slow, but with them, it was a fairly impressive exploration of 100 years of Chinese History. At times I felt the novel could have been paced better, but by the last 100 pages every thread was woven together.

sarahbarnes This is still on my TBR! 4y
ClairesReads @sarahbarnes I needed #readharder2020 to nudge it off mine but I‘m glad I did 4y
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ClairesReads
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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ClairesReads
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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A book by or about a refugee #readharder2020

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violabrain
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Pickpick

This is one of the most beautiful, amazing, heartbreaking books I have ever read. As a professional musician, I am often very wary of books that feature music prominently because often the details are laughably wrong and it‘s too distracting. She does make some really strange mistakes, but for the most part, the musical themes in here are handled expertly. Also a very fitting book for the times we are living through right now.

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TheLudicReader
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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I wrote a little post about shopping my own shelves during this time of quarantine. It was fun to take a closer look at my tbr shelf.
https://theludicreader.com/2020/05/18/shopping-my-shelves/

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mirnas
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

I really liked this novel about Chinese 20th Century history. The novel begins in Vancouver where a narrator, a girl of Chinese origin, lives with her mother. A family history is about to be uncovered...

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Cathythoughts
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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#Bookreport #weeklyforecast

Started to listen, as well as reading Do Not Say ... beautiful
Started Defending Jacob ... 🤞🏻

Not great with the reading at the moment, too much covid going on ...
🤞🏻maybe this week will be better
Happy Reading All 👍🏻❤️

TrishB I have corona brain too! Can‘t concentrate for long periods. Just getting by. Hope Lisa is behaving 🐶💜 4y
Cathythoughts @TrishB Yes it‘s enough just getting by , and stay strong. Lisa is as good as gold ❤️🐶 4y
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Cinfhen You‘re the 3rd person I saw post about this book today!!!! 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Keep calm and stay positive Cathy. I try to maintain this mantra too. Our government has extended the restricted movement order to 12th May, and I‘m beginning to feel restless..escaping into books help. Hope you‘ll be able to get some reading. ❤️ 4y
Cathythoughts @Cinfhen oh good ... I hope I can get into it 🤞🏻😘take care 4y
Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks Jessie X I hope you are ok , it‘s all so strange & upsetting , and I know we must be strong & positive too ... sending warmest regards to you & yours XX 😘 4y
66 likes7 comments
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Lcsmcat
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Two #talented musicians who the Cultural Revolution affected differently. #reallyrandomFebruary @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Come-read-with-me Sounds like an interesting read! Stacked!! 4y
OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚🖤 4y
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stephanieevelyn
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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I‘ve never read music described in such an eloquent and innovative way!

Cathythoughts I have this one on kindle ... it‘s long & that‘s putting me off a bit ... but I believe it‘s very good 4y
Alora Beautiful picture! 4y
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BethR91
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
Pickpick

A beautiful story spanning several generations. The first 50 or so pages were a little difficult but I am so glad I persevered. The history of China is a difficult one and it is through stories such at this that we remember what the people of China have been through

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BethR91
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
Pickpick

A beautiful story spanning several generations. The first 50 or so pages were a little difficult but I am so glad I persevered. The history of China is a difficult one and it is through stories such at this that we remember what the people of China have been through

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Niso
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Pickpick

Brilliant heartbreaking saga of familial strife, love, music and revolution in China.
It is a complex but immensely rewarding reading experience, and I hope more people will get to enjoy it as much as I did.

#greatbooks #historicalfiction #china #culturalrevolution #classicalmusic #favourites

BookwormM I loved it 5y
Prairiegirl_reading I read this awhile ago. I read it with a weekly book group where they break up the book into sections and get together weekly to discuss each section. I‘m glad I did it that way because I probably would have dnf‘d it at the beginning. It is complex and I was a little lost at first but I‘m so glad I stuck with it because it is an absolutely beautiful book. 5y
Niso @Prairiegirl_reading I struggled through the first 50 pages or so, but it was well worth it. I read it 2 years ago and I still think about it, especially when listening to classical music ❤ 5y
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Kalalalatja
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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In 1990, Ai-Ming says to Marie and her mother “please, #gimmeshelter” after fleeing the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protest. Her stay leads Marie to discover more about her father‘s life, which has been secret so far, while at the same time showing examples of China‘s recent history.

I loved the book when I read it, but tbh, I don‘t remember much from it now.

#MayMovieMagic

Cinfhen Good memory!!! I totally forgot about this one 5y
RohitSawant Nice one! 5y
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BestDogDad
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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April reading wrap-up. Much goodness. Do Not Say We Have Nothing was epic, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy was an excellent companion novel to Harold Fry, Mala was poignant and well narrated, and Bertrand is one of the great minds of the 20th century. #Aprilwrapup

Suet624 Queenie ❤️❤️ 5y
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BestDogDad
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

This is the epic tale of three generations of a Chinese family. The plot centers around three historical events in China: Mao's Agrarian reform The Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen Square. This book was beautifully written with well fleshed-out characters. There is so much detail, I think a second reading would reveal nuances I missed in this reading. I might give the audio version a try some day. Highly recommended!

saresmoore I absolutely loved this book! Audio for a reread is a great idea. 5y
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BestDogDad
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Rounding up intellectuals, artists, land owners, and others with wealth or Western influence and eliminating them - so disturbing. To a MUCH lesser degree it reminds me of the anti-intellectualism that has been permeating the US under the current administration. Loving this bleak, affecting book so far.

TrishB I loved this book💕 5y
bedandabook I loved this book too. Some novels just speak to you. 5y
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HardcoverHearts
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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The weekend can‘t come fast enough. Look at all these amazing library holds that have come in!! The top row are all the ebooks and below are all the audiobooks. I‘m practically sweating with anxiety over this bevvy of riches bestowed upon me! Luckily, the library gives me 20 days for the check outs, and I tend to listen to most audiobooks at 1.5 speed. Should I take bets on how many I can finish? 😂.

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BestDogDad
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Thank you for adding this family tree to help me keep track of the folks in this novel. In my old age it seems I need rosters and illustrations in my novels. 😣

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Read66
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
Pickpick

There is a lot in this book to take in - my “favourite” parts were the portrayal of what life was like for ordinary Chinese citizens after the Maoist revolution and during the student demonstrations in the late 80s. Such a claustrophobic and compromised life always living with anxiety and fear - feelings that carried on to the next generation. Well deserved award winner.

CarolynM Great review! 5y
Read66 Thanks! 5y
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janeycanuck
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

This had been on my shelf for ages and I finally picked it up after several women in my bookclub mentioned recently reading it but not enjoying it. I quite liked it but did find it hard to follow at times, which was the main complaint from the ladies.

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AnneCecilie
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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#adventrecommends day 19 (another catch up)

A novel about family, family history and immigration

BookwormM I loved this but it does get mixed reviews 5y
57 likes1 comment
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janeycanuck
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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December 14th? Guess I‘m a bit late in posting my #DecemberTBR. In my defence, I‘ve been too busy buying books to read and haven‘t finished a thing yet? Also, November ended up being almost all library holds so basically, my stack is everything from November, the last few books to finish off my #readharder challenge & a few more pre-2018 TBRs for my quest to #readmyowndamnbooks. Thank goodness I already read the #girlybookclub pick this month.

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Lcsmcat
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If you love music, or history, or China, read this book!
#symphony #quotsydec18 @TK-421

TrishB I loved this 💕 5y
saresmoore I‘d like to add...also read it if you love words, because it is such a beautifully written book! 5y
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DHill
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I‘ve been looking forward to this one for a long time #octoberreads

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Kat_H
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

Ok, this broke me a little. A rainy day here in the UK so I have spent several hours lost in this. What a heartbreaker, so moving and so beautifully written. I feel really lucky to have had a good streak of amazing reads recently but good grief, I need a lighter read next I think! Ps have you ever sent fanmail to an author?

Ye_Mighty_Andy_Spare I wrote a short email to Lily Brooks-Dalton after I read Good Morning, Midnight to say how much I enjoyed it, and received a very nice reply from her thanking me for getting in touch. I never know if there's an etiquette regarding contacting authors - i guess the more famous they are, the more of a nuisance and time-suck fan interaction becomes because of the sheer volume of it 5y
Kat_H @Ye_Mighty_Andy_Spare oh that one sounds a goodun, have added it to my TBR! Thank you! No, I have no idea either. I guess if they welcome fanmail they put their contact details out there and if they don't, they don't? 5y
Ye_Mighty_Andy_Spare Good point! Her website had a contact section. It's a beautifully written tale 5y
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EMWF
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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“I know that throughout my life I have struggled to forgive my father. Now, as I get older, I wish most of all that he had been able to find a way to forgive himself.” Madeleine Thien will be at #emwf18 to read from her critically acclaimed and haunting novel that follows the lives of two generations - those who lived through Moa's Cultural Revolution; and the children of the survivors, who became the students protesting in Tiananmen Square.

janeycanuck I was so excited to see her as one of this year‘s authors and then was so sad when I realized I was away during this year‘s festival 😰 6y
EMWF @janeycanuck Oh no, that‘s too bad! Hopefully you can join us next year 😊 6y
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cdreincarnate
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Pickpick

OMG I loved this book so much! It‘s a beautiful story of family, friendship, revolution, history and how it repeats itself, what we owe each other and how the things we owe different people in our lives can conflict. It‘s also about the power of music, as well as the power of silence. It‘s so beautifully written and I just don‘t have words for how much I enjoyed this book!

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saresmoore
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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For #24in48 Hour 12 Challenge: A Whole New World

Do Not Say We Have Nothing expanded my worldview like no other and I‘d say it contains a whole world within itself. Masterful doesn‘t even begin to describe it. I absolutely love this book!

TrishB Ohhh I loved this too 💕 6y
LeahBergen Isn‘t it marvellous? ❤️ 6y
Cathythoughts Sounds great ... and you loved it ! & it‘s one of those books I have an irrational resistance to ... must get over that 6y
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saresmoore @Cathythoughts I know some have found it to be intimidating, but it is high on the list of the best books I‘ve ever read and it is wholly unique. 6y
emilyhaldi Ugh, I need to get to this one!!!! 6y
BookwormM This was my pick to win the Booker the year it was shortlisted I was very disappointed that it didn‘t 6y
TrishB @Cathythoughts I have a few books like that - weird isn‘t it! This is awesome though.... 6y
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Creadnorthey
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Pickpick

This will probably not be a classic but it‘s many layers and fractured pieces coming together but never quite fitting make it as good a read as it is heartbreaking- the Great Leap Forward is a ragged torn thing according to this author- her story makes its point.

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Creadnorthey
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien

Big Mother: There is no way across the river but to feel for the stones.

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Creadnorthey
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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I was looking at some of the commentary and one struck me as true to my experience reading this book: going down the rabbit hole of the Chinese Cultural Revolution!

TrishB That was me I think! Absolutely fascinating! 6y
Creadnorthey Yes I think it was 🤗 6y
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TrishB
Do Not Say We Have Nothing | Madeleine Thien
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Black
Don‘t binge watch - less reading time!
Tagged one - got lost down rabbit hole of Chinese Cultural Revolution!
Mayonnaise
None 🎉🎉
Hi all 🙋 have a great weekend 😁
#friyayintro

Cathythoughts 👍🏻👍🏻❤️ 6y
Ruthiella Best weekend plans ever! 😀 6y
Simona Yes for all your answers 👍👌 6y
See All 8 Comments
emilyhaldi Always mayonnaise 🙌🏻 and black 😉🖤 6y
TrishB @Ruthiella I know 😁 hopefully reading!! 6y
TrishB @Simona 😘👍🏻 6y
TrishB @emilyhaldi 😁😘 6y
TrishB @Cathythoughts 😘 happy hols 6y
82 likes8 comments