Welcome to Litsy!

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Question 5 #nyrbbookclub

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

mklong It‘s interesting not only to think of what the world was like when it was written, but also in time in which we are reading it. I suppose the world rarely resembles the idyllic summers in this book, and while I enjoyed the escape, I couldn‘t fully drown out thoughts of the rest of the world, then and now. 4y

BarbaraBB I thought about this while answering question 4. I appreciated the book because it brought the reader an escape from harsh reality. Knowing that added to the reading experience. Without that knowledge I would have been very surprised why it made such an everlasting impression on Greek readers. I do wonder why it became a NYRB classic though! 4y

vivastory @mklong I was worried I'd have the same experience & I think had I read it just a few days later I would have but I was able to immerse myself in this book, but once I finished it I was immediately pulled pack into the world by all the chaos. I think insular dream bubble is a good phrase for the experience. 4y

See All 32 Comments

vivastory @BarbaraBB I was wondering the same re: selection for NYRB. Suba recommended the following Greek novel, also pub by NYRB, which I immediately ordered

The Murderess

Liz_M I always read the forwards/introductions after the novel, to avoid spoilers and prevent incorporating other's interpretations before I've formed my own, so the quote didn't influence my reading at all. 😁. To me this novel feels similar to another nyrb book:

Enchanted April

Theaelizabet I chose to accepted it as an idyll, though I knew it to be divorced from reality. Reality ain't what it used to be so I kind of understood the impetus for Liberaki. 4y

vivastory @Liz_M That one has always been on my TBR. Thanks for the reminder! 4y

BarbaraBB I see the connection with The Enchanted April. However that was a real feel good novel for me and I think Liberaki also tried to add some unconventional ideas about women - which I liked. Having said that, I loved Enchanting April much more than this one. 4y

LeahBergen I‘m the same as @Liz_M . I never read the introduction until after I‘m finished so I was fully in the dream bubble/idyll and unaffected by any knowledge of the contemporaneous politics. 4y

Liz_M @BarbaraBB It's been ages since I read it, but I suspect the pacing and plot structure are better in EA. 4y

LeahBergen I loved The Enchanted April and enjoyed the experience of reading it way more than this one, too @BarbaraBB 4y

Liz_M @vivastory You're welcome. There is also a lovely movie of the book. 4y

Leftcoastzen The beauty of the book in some sections, was astonishing.I spent time on my grandparents farm , it reminds me of that.Time stops a bit , riding a horse through a field, collapsing in a field letting nature talk to you,a world away. I haven‘t read Enchanted April. Like @BarbaraBB enjoyed the more unconventional ideas about women. 4y

batsy @vivastory The Murderess was really vivid and strange and grim, and super interesting. I didn't agree maybe with the entire sensibility of the book but it was memorable. I'd love to know what you make of it. 4y

vivastory @Liz_M I will def keep that in mind. After hearing praise from @barbarabb & @leahbergen as well, EA just moved way up my TBR 4y

batsy @Liz_M Enchanted April is definitely on my TBR! 4y

batsy @mklong I think that kind of idyllic summer is so nostalgic, because you can only experience that kind of absorption in your own life and little bubble when you're young. And then you grow up and the real world never retreats! 4y

vivastory @batsy vivid, strange, grim You're speaking my language! Can't wait to dive into it. I also ordered Kassandra & the Wolf, so it'll be interesting to see what Liberaki's daughter has to say. From what I've heard it's quite an experience. 4y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen My aunt has a farm, too & I was reminded of summers I spent on it while reading this. Pleasant memories for sure. 👍 4y

batsy @vivastory Kassandra & Wolf—I'd describe it in the same way. Go grim! Lol. And I think I prefer the daughter's style more than her mother's 😅 It's definitely an experience. She digs deep into the ugly stuff. 4y

batsy @Leftcoastzen "Time stops"—I like that. I like how the book tried to convey that quality, too. 4y

vivastory @batsy #TeamGrim 😂 4y

merelybookish I found reading this quite slow. It captured that languid quality of summer. But it started to wear on me too maybe because my summer is like my spring was and my fall will be. I guess I don't want to be aware of the passing of time (steeped in memory and nostalgia) in a book when I am so aware of the strange passing of time (steeped in loss and uncertainty) in my own life. 4y

batsy @merelybookish That's such an astute point! I do wonder if my own impatience with the book at times had something to do with that. Particularly during this year, where it seems it's impossible to catch a break and much of the time has passed with no particular purpose or meaning. 4y

Theaelizabet @batsy @merelybookish Yes! Such perfect summaries of the time and its effects. 4y

GatheringBooks Unlike @batsy and @merelybookish I found the pace of the book comforting & just right, although I could perfectly understand the impatience. I think the fact that I am having back-to-back-to-back virtual meetings, orientation, fully-online classes - this proved to be my “escape.” I didn‘t really have any “summer” (was teaching fully online even then), this became my experience of summer, allowing me to burrow deep in greens and innocence & light. 4y

Suet624 Too many books give away too much in the intro. So it was interesting to find out the history of the time period the book was written in. I really appreciated the writing that dealt wit nature, with walks, with the stars and the observatory. I had just a bit of trouble with the fiddle-de-de nature of the younger characters and their live interests. I‘m curious if this was a lovely reprieve for readers or a tease for readers who longed for peace. 4y

LapReader I‘m intrigued. 4y

batsy @Suet624 Yes, nicely put Sue. I think those were the strengths and weaknesses of the book. I enjoyed Katerina's perspective but her reading of other characters means we get her young adolescent perspective, so maybe certain people or their motivations seemed simplistic while at other times, profound. 4y

BarbaraBB @GatheringBooks It‘s interesting to see how different we receive (?) this book. For me it was very calming in the chaos of the current times. @batsy and @vivastory thanks for coming up with such great questions ☀️💚 4y

batsy @BarbaraBB Thanks for joining in 💚 It was a fab discussion and I loved hearing everyone's perspective. 4y

tpixie Wow! Intriguing! 4y

59 likes2 stack adds32 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Question 4 #nyrbbookclub

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

BarbaraBB Interesting question. I think the success of this book in Greece is hugely due to its publication date between WWII and the civil war. The book brought a sparkle of light. I don‘t think it would make as much of an impression because there is so much too choose from when we need something uplifting for our lives and I think the book might be too innocent, too slow and with too little happening for our critical minds in a fast fast world. 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Agreed. I think that there's more to choose from now that can act as a balm. 4y

Liz_M While this exact book might not be the right one for these times, I think the sentiment expressed by Camus holds, especially now. It seems as if so many people in these times of Covid are reading more escapism and genre books. I can't speak for everyone, but I am finding it easier to read mysteries (hope that problems can be solved), science-fiction (hope that there is a better way to build society), and "beach reads" (escape from grim reality). 4y

See All 21 Comments

Theaelizabet @vivastory @BarbaraBB There is much more to choose from, but this book was balm for me during what feels like our current social uncertainties! When I read that quote I thought of how many newer books I encounter seem dark and without hope, attributes that were certainly the case for Liberaki's readers when this was published, yet she managed this little bit of light. The worked for me, but a Greek friend of mine found the “light“ disingenuous. 4y

Theaelizabet @Liz_M Yes, that's been my current reading experience, too. 4y

vivastory @Theaelizabet Thats interesting, re: your Greek friend. Also, there's the issue of when a book is written vs. publication date. 4y

BarbaraBB @Liz_M @Theaelizabet You are definitely right about that, my choices this year are also very different from before corona. 4y

LeahBergen My reading this year has really skewed more towards books set in lighter and happier times, with lots of country settings. I ultimately gave this book a “pick” (after leaning to a “so so”) because of the lushness of the setting. 4y

Theaelizabet @vivastory True, but there's the mention about midpoint of the year 1945 and the book was published in 1946. I saw a video discussion about this book and a young Greek reader questioned any “light“ from such an era. I called my local friend who grew up just outside of Athens and her response was similar. Her parents were children during the war. 4y

batsy @BarbaraBB Yes, I think the social and political context was a huge factor. There is a certain magic about this book, something about that enchanted summer vibe that's totally insular and private, but I also felt myself getting impatient with it at times and couldn't quite figure out why! 4y

batsy @LeahBergen The writing, setting, and descriptions were really lovely! And *yet*, something was not fully there for me. It's a tough book to analyse, for some reason (for me, anyway :) 4y

Liz_M @batsy Same here -- something about the frame of the three summers kept it from being a coherent novel. It's not quite a single story, but not three distinct, linked short stories either. 4y

vivastory @batsy I recognized the translator's name from the years I spent reading so much poetry. I'm not surprised that she was drawn to Liberaki's book, which has as you mentioned such impressionist & lyrical prose. In the intro she mentioned that she was close friends with Greek poets like Elytis. I think it's this poetic quality of her writing that makes it tough to analyse. 4y

vivastory @Liz_M Yes! Well-said. I completely agree. 4y

batsy @Liz_M Yes, I think you've nailed it there. 4y

batsy @vivastory That was an interesting detail, I thought! I enjoyed her intro v much. I've heard of Van Dyck but not sure if I've ever read any of her other translations. There is that distilled, pure quality to Liberaki's prose that reminded me of poetry, too. 4y

GatheringBooks @Theaelizabet I feel the exact same way. This book was like a balm to me after a hectic, frenzied day. I also felt an inception-like sentiment whereby Katerina wanted desperately to make something important with her life and to be out THERE doing something in the world; whereas I, reading her, want so desperately that kind of peaceful quiet where everyday feels the same as the day before. The serenity of greens and simple living. 4y

Suet624 @LeahBergen I went with a so-so but I agree with you. The lushness of the setting made it so much more enjoyable for me. 4y

Billypar Interesting discussion! I don't think covid has altered my reading choices at all. I feel grateful when I get a really good book that I can get lost in, but it's the same sort of book I liked before and this one was a little on the slow side either way. But maybe I would feel differently about reading choices if it were a world war instead of a pandemic, or if there were simply less options to choose from. 4y

batsy @Billypar Yeah, great point. A war would have been just so different and I wouldn't even know how to read within those circumstances... Btw thanks for joining in and I hope your move went well! 4y

Billypar Thanks! And nice job facilitating this discussion - great questions and there were lots of interesting points that I hadn't considered. 4y

45 likes21 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Question 3 #nyrbbookclub

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

BarbaraBB For me it feels more like a description of friendship than of siblings. Because they all play a part (by laughing, by feeling uncomfortable among each other) while as siblings you grow up together and personal feelings and speaking your heart out are more common - in my experience. 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Definitely, but I also think that the three sisters in this book were also close friends so it's also a bit hard to separate the two. This does feel like a description of friendship rather than familial bonds though. 4y

Liz_M @vivastory said it perfectly! 4y

See All 14 Comments

Leftcoastzen My mother always said her brother was her best friend. I‘m an only so elements of siblings not so clear. I know a couple of sisters that are happy they are at a point of also being friends, but the description in the book seems more like friendship. 4y

LeahBergen I don‘t know here, you guys. I most definitely have a relationship like this with my brother (my only sibling) as well as with my closest friends. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y

LeahBergen That being said, my best friends growing up were three sisters and they would most definitely NOT describe themselves this way. 😆 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen 😂I understand. My brother is one of my best friends. 4y

batsy I like the varied opinions here! I have two sisters and I could relate to what Katerina meant. There's that bond that comes from being able to laugh together, especially when others around us don't get it. I do feel the same with my older brothers too and if all 5 of us are together and we're in on a joke, it's one of the nicest things. And I think it's also true of friendship with close friends :) 4y

merelybookish I have one sister and I get this. I am probably closer and more alike many of my friends but it's also true that I can laugh with my sister like no one else. Laugh hard, deep, belly laughs. I just think growing up in the same house, with the same parents forges an understanding and sensibility that is unique to siblings. 4y

batsy @merelybookish Yes. And that kind of us against the world cocoon that it fosters among siblings, even if it might not last long! 4y

GatheringBooks I am an only child, too, so I don‘t have a firsthand account. My husband has 3 siblings and humor and laughter play a huge role in the family dynamics, similar to ours. We have huge belly laughter that can be irreverent. So yes, the familial bonds can also overlap with that of friends‘ whom you choose to be family, and family members you love hanging out with. I think one can only share the deepest laughter with those you are most intimate with. 4y

Liz_M @GatheringBooks you've expressed this so well! 4y

batsy @GatheringBooks "deepest laughter with those you are most intimate with“—yes ? 4y

6351365861 Wow 4y

37 likes14 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Question 2 #nyrbbookclub

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

BarbaraBB Katerina is the one who is subjective, she sees and interprets what is happening. She is the fly on the wall while the others are the characters she creates, they don‘t have a mind of their own. I think Liberaki wanted the reader to identify with Katerina and not be distracted by opposed views from other characters. 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I agree. I think that Katerina was also the most autobiographical character in the book for Liberaki. 4y

batsy @BarbaraBB @vivastory I think so too, and we can see that Katerina is perhaps in training to be a writer. I like that Liberaki honours her age and youth so she doesn't really emerge as a someone precociously intelligent. I quite enjoyed seeing things from her eyes. 4y

See All 25 Comments

vivastory @batsy I did enjoy her POV, but I was also occasionally puzzled by her interactions as they made her seem a bit younger, or maybe it was just me reading her with contemporary jaded sensibility 4y

Liz_M I didn't even notice the specific first-person versus third-person narratives. 😬 But, I did think this novel was clearly Katerina's story and the further the narrative got from her experience, the less I liked it. (Laura's? section almost made me give up reading). 4y

vivastory @Liz_M Although it was told from first person POV I thought it was going to be a portrait of all 3 sisters. I was a little bit puzzled when we didn't get quite as full of a picture of Infanta as the other two. 4y

Liz_M @vivastory Right! Did we ever get Infanta's point of view at all? I found her the most puzzling. While Maria seemed (in the end) to be the most traditional, Infanta was the most conservative. I kept wondering if there was some trauma that made her so.....frigid? Unable to accept physicality? 4y

Leftcoastzen like @vivastory I enjoyed her POV , but was also surprised she suddenly seemed younger.And I kept waiting for more on Infanta as well. The lush description of details of everyday life and the beauty of the countryside made me happy. 4y

BarbaraBB Like @Liz_M I was very interested in Infanta and felt that Katarina didn‘t know her sister at all. So little came up about her. It‘s like real life, I know, but I was a bit disappointed! 4y

LeahBergen I agree with @Liz_M here. I was more invested in the autobiographical aspect of Katerina‘s tale and found myself irritated when the focus went away from that at times. 4y

LeahBergen And yes, more on the horsey Infanta character. She had such a beautifully ethereal quality to her. 4y

batsy @vivastory Yes, there was an element of her seeming really sheltered/protected. 4y

batsy @LeahBergen Horsey Infanta! Lol. Yup @BarbaraBB @Liz_M I found Infanta very intriguing and was frustrated not to get a better sense of her. But I suppose that was also Katerina's impression of her own sister at that age. I wonder what an older Katerina would make of her sisters after growing up and experiencing life a bit more. 4y

Liz_M @batsy We need a sequel! 4y

Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB I think your first answer nails it! It took me a bit to get used to switching POVs, but once I did I thought it served the story well. 4y

vivastory @Liz_M @leahbergen I would 100% read a sequel. Three Autumns. And this time let Horsey Infanta speak! 4y

LeahBergen @vivastory 😂😂 Yes! Three Autumns: The Return of Horsey Infanta. 4y

merelybookish @batsy I also saw this as the development of Katerina as a writer and so she is playing with POV and imagining what happens to her sisters. Infanta was the most intriguing. It seems almost cliche that the least comfortable with her sexuality would channel all that energy into horseback riding. 4y

batsy @merelybookish Right? Lol. It was a cliché but on the other hand I did appreciate that the characterisation of Infanta resisted the cliché by being interesting on her own terms. 4y

GatheringBooks @BarbaraBB @batsy @vivastory the parallels between Liberaki and Katerina, at least the way it was also described in the Foreword do point towards the autobiographical aspect of the narrative. I enjoyed the POV, and while it was naive, it was also refreshingly open and vulnerable - and cruel, too, on occasion (edited) 4y

Suet624 Yes to everything you‘ve said @Liz_M. 4y

Liz_M @merelybookish oooh, well said! 4y

batsy @GatheringBooks A fairly true glimpse of a searching, yearning adolescent mind. As I mentioned to @Suet624 in another comment, certain perspectives seemed simplistic, and at other times profound and beautiful. 4y

Billypar I would love to read an Infanta-centric sequel. Or even her perspective during the same time period of Three Summers. I was curious what her thought process was while her aunt appeared to pay special attention to her and pressure her not to return romantic advances (if we assume Katerina is interpreting this accurately). 4y

batsy @Billypar I was interested about that, too! I wanted to know if she felt an affinity with her aunt Theresa or if she felt conflicted and what was at the root of her remoteness. I felt like Aunt Theresa's lingering trauma was maybe communicated or passed on to Infanta in some way. 4y

34 likes25 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Question 1 #nyrbbookclub

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

BarbaraBB I think (especially for it‘s time and the setting) women are described as quite independent - an independence growing each summer. Sexual taboos are lifted and although Maria (that‘s the name of the eldest isn‘t it) turns out rather traditional, I think the two younger sisters and many other female characters in the book make their own decisions. (edited) 4y

Leftcoastzen There is an element in that generation that women‘s roles are expected,you are expected to get married,have kids , keep house.But I also feel the young women had independent streaks. The conflicting feelings that come from war ( even on the horizon )often polarized feelings to keep things as traditional as possible or questioning if social norms are desirable, if life is so fragile and /or fleeting,why not live vibrantly? (edited) 4y

Liz_M I don't think Maria sacrificed freedom to submit to a traditional role. Most of what we see of her is from other's perspective, but the one bit from her own was focused on nature and the circle of life, if you will. I saw her acceptance of Marios as choosing to live the way she wanted -- sort of the idea of passive resistance being more powerful than confrontation, as how water wears down rocks. 4y

See All 22 Comments

Theaelizabet I'm not sure I believe that Maria fully submitted. She seemed to come to the marriage on her on terms and she chose the marriage. The outcome of that decision, however, had ramifications that do align with those of submission.

I would love to read the 1946 reviews for this book. Such an honest assessment of women's desires and needs would have been a first for Greek culture of that era, I would think.

4y

Leftcoastzen @Liz_M I love your comment! Even though on the surface it seems like taking the traditional role , but she made up her mind and took control of the situation. 4y

Theaelizabet @Liz_M I agree. 4y

Liz_M @BarbaraBB @Leftcoastzen I also was pleasantly surprised at the amount of independence these sisters experienced. 4y

batsy @Liz_M That's a great point. Maria also makes that jab about "dissatisfied women" to her mother-in-law which suggests she made a decision about her life and marriage based on what she wanted out of it. But it was also poignant towards the end that Marios thinks of Maria's "agony of happiness" towards the end. Hinting at perhaps a dissatisfaction that was creeping in? 4y

Liz_M @Theaelizabet exactly! 4y

batsy @Leftcoastzen I was thinking about the war and the changing social norms too, that would perhaps push people to extremes (to rebel against gender expectations, or retreat into it). @Theaelizabet Yes! It would be so interesting to learn how it was received by Greek readers then. 4y

merelybookish Like @Liz_M I didn't feel like Maria submitted. Her power is so rooted in her body and phyisicality. She chose Marios with some awareness of his limitations. Maria certainly seemed more fulfilled than the aunt who wanted to negate her body. I also thought the mother an interesting figure. Not many women in this era could leave their husbands. She is aided by having a home to return to but also an independence of spirit. 4y

batsy @merelybookish The mother was another Infanta type character for me—someone I'd love to spend more time with. Katerina's description of her love for her mother as one resembling a lover's was really touching. 4y

GatheringBooks @Theaelizabet exactly what I thought as well. Maria‘s “submission” was her form of rebellion. She struck me as decisive - she knew what she wanted and went for it headlong. 4y

GatheringBooks @batsy while I liked Marios character in the beginning, I found myself disliking him in the end for precisely this reason. So typical. 🤷🏽‍♀️ 4y

Suet624 I originally believed she submitted until I read all of these comments. The way I saw it was that she freaked out that she had had sex with a stranger and realized she better get married pretty damn quick. She promptly settled for one of the men who liked her. Then I began to hunk she was getting rather clingy and domesticated. Now I‘m starting to wonder if I‘m completely off base. 4y

Liz_M @Suet624 There is some ambivalence, but immediately after having sex Maria "began to walk peacefully, slowly..." and thinks about Queen bees choosing the strongest male. "Her time had come, that was all. The man was a simple coincidence." However, "She wasn't embarrassed now while she was alone, not before God.... But the others? The humans?" And as she was almost home "why did she keep thinking that from this day on the scarifices would begin?" 4y

Liz_M So Maria accepts what happens as part of nature, but also understands that society thinks differently. I read this as she chose the best life she could. 4y

Suet624 @Liz_M yes, but there is that sentiment that “ from this day in the sacrifices would begin”. That‘s why I felt it was a submission. 4y

batsy @Suet624 Yes, good point. Towards the end I was struck by how Maria appeared melancholy but kept saying, "I'm happy". So that "agony of happiness" bit tugged at me. 4y

BarbaraBB Like @Suet624 I mostly remember the sacrifice part of her thoughts but reading the discussion above and @Liz_M quotes I start doubting. 4y

Billypar Great observations- I'm in agreement. Maria's casual attitude toward sex might not have been too uncommon of young women before settling down, even as frowned upon as it was then. So I agree that it was less of submitting than it would have been for her sisters who both had interests that husbands of the time might ask their wives to give up. But I did also notice the creeping marital strain that seems pretty universal in marriages at any time. 4y

saresmoore These are such thought-provoking questions! I‘m sitting outside the circle for this one since I didn‘t do the reading 🙈, but I am loving the discussion. 4y

34 likes22 comments

mklong

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

You don‘t read this at your own pace, Liberaki somehow forces you to slow down to hers. For the most part, I enjoyed the slow pace and lush descriptions, but agree with others who felt their patience tested at times. Looking forward to the discussion! #NYRBBookClub

vivastory I've loved the group's cheerful pictures 4y

batsy Nice review :) I agree with your opening sentence; this book kind of resets one's sense of time. 4y

51 likes1 stack add2 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Join us in about an hour (11 pm MYT / 10 am CST) to discuss our August #nyrbbookclub selection!

@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @vivastory @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @Suet624 @Theaelizabet

vivastory 👏🎉📚 4y

BarbaraBB I‘ll be there! ☀️ 4y

merelybookish I may be late but plan on reading and commenting! 4y

See All 14 Comments

vivastory @BarbaraBB 👍📚 4y

vivastory @merelybookish Looking forward to your thoughts! 4y

Theaelizabet I‘m off to get a flu shot, but will weigh in as soon as I can! 4y

batsy @BarbaraBB 🙌🏽 4y

batsy @merelybookish @Theaelizabet Looking forward to hearing from you both whenever you can :) 4y

Leftcoastzen Nice to see photo of author , I hadn‘t looked it up. 4y

LeahBergen I‘m popping in now! 👏🏻 4y

batsy @Leftcoastzen Yes, I was interested to see a pic! Not very many and she looks a bit stern in this one, which is a nice contrast to the book I thought 😁 4y

GatheringBooks Oooh! Interesting author photo. Fierce. 4y

Suet624 She looks formidable. 4y

batsy @GatheringBooks @Suet624 Yes! Having a formidable mother like that might explain why her daughter wrote a dark book

Kassandra and the Wolf

47 likes1 stack add14 comments

Billypar

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

#nyrbbookclub
Liberaki really made me feel like I was there in the Greek countryside, admiring the beautiful surroundings with the family. The descriptions were so vivid, and I liked how they were tied to Katerina's perspective, like nature was an outgrowth of her teenage angst. But the slow pace did make my attention wander at times: I felt a little adrift during the first half and the efforts near the end to impose a plot felt a bit artificial.

Billypar @batsy @vivastory 4y

merelybookish Well said. I really wavered between a so-so and a pick with this one. But the vivid writing pushed me to a pick. 4y

BarbaraBB I feel like we all feel the same about this book! Good luck with moving Saturday! (edited) 4y

See All 11 Comments

batsy Nice review that succinctly sums up how I feel! 4y

Billypar @merelybookish That was my reaction exactly! 4y

Billypar @BarbaraBB Thank you! And yes, it seems like no one loved or hated it: the writing is clearly very good, but issues with the plot, characters, and pacing held it back. 4y

Billypar @batsy I like how you compared it in your review to being inside a Monet garden - I had similar feelings reading those lush descriptive passages as when viewing landscape paintings, even if the narrative was lacking. 4y

vivastory I hope your move went smoothly & as others have said it seems like there was a consensus among the group. Speaking of NYRB, you've been a part of our group for several months now & we just had our final vote for our October selection. If you're up for it I was hoping you'd co-host in Nov. (edited) 4y

Billypar @vivastory Thanks - it went as smoothly as moves go, but oh so many boxes to unpack now 😥 I would love to co-host in November! (I may actually already have my three picks, lol). Quick question though: are story collections okay, or do we try to stick to full-length works? 4y

vivastory @Billypar I always say that the only time I regret being a voracious reader is when it's time to move. Wonderful. I can't wait to see your nominations! Story collections work & I'd love to have a month where we read & discussed one. The only requirement is that it is a NYRB Classic. (edited) 4y

Billypar @vivastory Okay, great! I'll plan to post the three choices after September's discussion - just let me know if there's a particular time that's best. Very much looking forward to it - thanks for continuing to coordinate this into its second year - I've been enjoying the selections and discussions very much! 4y

45 likes11 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

This Greek novel about three sisters on the cusp of womanhood is described as “cinematic” & “sun-drenched”, & that‘s apt. It‘s lush & delicate; infused with mood, memory, & feeling. I felt like I was inside a Monet landscape of a garden. I thought the writing beautiful & found its depictions of sisterly relations & family bonds true & poignant. Liberaki has a gift for description & characterisation without imposing any judgments or resolutions. ⬇️

batsy I agree with @vivastory in that I'm not sure what makes this one of the favourite Greek novels of all time as translator Karen Van Dyck explains in her intro. Maybe it was a balm, as the real world was too awful to contemplate in 1946. In our present time, to linger in the world between these pages did feel like an immense luxury. At the same time it also made me slightly ... impatient. Looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts #nyrbbookclub 4y

Freespirit Beautiful review😊 4y

Cathythoughts Yes ! @Freespirit I agree ! A beautiful review ❤️ 4y

See All 19 Comments

BarbaraBB Looking forward to Saturday‘s discussion! 4y

Leftcoastzen Nice review! 4y

vivastory Wonderful review & I completely agree that it feels like an Impressionist painting. Should be an interesting discussion! 4y

batsy @Freespirit @Cathythoughts Thank you! ❤️❤️ 4y

batsy @Leftcoastzen @vivastory Thank you and I'm keen to hear everyone's thoughts on this too :) @BarbaraBB 4y

Centique You wrote that beautifully Suba! I‘m entranced by the idea of being inside a Monet painting 😍 4y

batsy @Centique Thank you, lovely! I think this is something that you might enjoy in the right mood. 4y

RohitSawant Terrific review! I love stories about siblings so definitely stacking this. And echoing Paula about inhabiting a Monet. 4y

batsy @rohit-sawant Thanks, Rohit! 💜 4y

readordierachel Pretty photo 4y

batsy @readordierachel Thank you! I hope you've been well 🙂 4y

readordierachel @batsy Trying to be. Hope you've been well too. I've missed y'all 💕 4y

batsy @readordierachel I've missed seeing you here, too! So nice to see you back 💖 4y

Kanarthi Thank you for this write-up! I read your review months ago, and today I had to pick books for Santa thing, for someone who requested translated works by female authors, preferably from eastern europe. Their tastes tended more towards literary novels than mine do, so I'm glad that I recalled your eloquent w 4y

Kanarthi ... your eloquent review, that is. Thanks again! 4y

batsy @Kanarthi Thank you for your kind words! I hope the person who gets this as a gift enjoys the book 😊 4y

102 likes7 stack adds19 comments

Leftcoastzen

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

#NYRBBookclub Can‘t wait for the discussion to come .Actually, I found the sisters pretty annoying but absolutely loved the author‘s description of homes , farms , nature ,& scenery.I also love the mysterious Polish Grandmother! 😃

BarbaraBB Lovely photo! 4y

batsy I got pretty impatient with the sisters at times, too 😆 Loved the writing and descriptions. 4y

Leftcoastzen @BarbaraBB Thanks! My mom got me the little reading kitty. 4y

48 likes1 stack add3 comments

Suet624

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

so-so

I enjoyed parts of this story of three wealthy sisters and their quest for love. However, it went off the rails on several occasions with new characters flying in and out and the sisters stumbling into and out of love for no apparent reason. The author wrote beautiful passages and then would seemingly get bogged down in the narrative. I‘m curious to see what others in the #NYRBbookclub think of the story.

batsy Nice review, Sue! I saw yours and Leah's comments about your interest ebbing and flowing and I found that interesting. I'm only just at the beginning and looking forward to see where I fall. 4y

Suet624 @batsy I really enjoyed the tone and writing of the beginning of the book. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 4y

vivastory Nice review, Sue. Looking forward to diving into this one but I've heard similar points from others in the group. I'll be interested to see if I have the same pacing issues. 4y

Suet624 @vivastory I‘ve been a bit of a book curmudgeon lately. Hopefully you enjoy it. 4y

61 likes4 comments

LeahBergen

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Okay, #NYRBBookClub. I‘ve started!

I‘m about 40 pages in and really enjoying it. I can‘t quite put my finger on it but it‘s reminding me of something... maybe My Brilliant Friend? 🤔 I‘m not sure but, so far, it‘s a lyrical and lush coming-of-age tale. So far, so good.

Cinfhen Beautiful cover 4y

catebutler I still haven‘t started...it glares at me each night, sitting on my nightstand. 😂 4y

batsy I need to start (now where have you heard that before? 😅) but I'm glad you're off to a good start! 4y

See All 10 Comments

LeahBergen @Cinfhen It‘s pretty, isn‘t it? 😊 4y

LeahBergen @catebutler Judgey books. 😆 4y

LeahBergen @batsy It left off with the Brilliant Friend feel, bored me for several pages, and now I‘m enjoying it for it‘s Love in the Time of Cholera feel. 😆😆 4y

Suet624 I go in and out of liking this book. 4y

LeahBergen @Suet624 I‘m finding that, too! 4y

sisilia I‘m eyeing those NYRBs 👀 4y

LeahBergen And the collection keeps growing with our book club. 😆 4y

77 likes10 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

#AboutAugust Day 18: I thought this was a pretty #artful rendering of our #NYRBBookClub title.

Eggs

Eggs Gorgeous! Book is nice too 😂🤣😂 4y

57 likes1 comment

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

#AboutAugust Day 16: #Adrift in gastronomic ecstasy with this Turkish baklava while reading a Greek novel for #NYRBBookClub.

Eggs

LeahBergen Perfect! 4y

Eggs Wonderful❣️❣️ 4y

BiblioLitten I had baklawa yesterday! It had cream on it and was delicious😍 4y

58 likes3 comments

merelybookish

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

I've been a crummy member of the #NYRBbookclub for the last few months so excited to be starting the current selection early. And so far, it is the exactly the fresh, summery read it promises to be. And bonus, it works for #wit month. @vivastory @batsy

batsy Oh, glad it's off to a good start! And I should probably start sometime soon too 😅 Nice; I'd forgotten about #wit month! 4y

69 likes2 stack adds1 comment

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

#AboutAugust Day 10: Always #awestruck by the sight of baby back ribs and garlic parmesan fries (yuh, I am easy dut way). Celebrating Singapore‘s 55th birthday in our favourite place in this quaint provincial desert town we now call home. Majulah, Singapura. We miss you.

Eggs

Cathythoughts ❤️ 4y

Leftcoastzen Looks yummy! 4y

Eggs More mouth watering photos 😋🤤 4y

60 likes3 comments

saresmoore

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Dear current reads,

I‘ll get to you eventually.

Sincerely,
The Milk Maker 🐄

Caroline2 Ahhhhhhh, lovely. 😍 4y

Texreader Absolutely precious!! 😘❤️❤️❤️ 4y

KVanRead Precious babe 💕👶 4y

See All 26 Comments

Cathythoughts Adorable ✨ 4y

vivastory Afternoon nap sounds pretty good 😴 4y

britt_brooke So sweet! 🤩🦩 (edited) 4y

ValerieAndBooks 💖😍💖 4y

dainarmb Adorable! 🥰 4y

marleed Gorgeous and enjoy every second as a milk maker. My son was Daddy‘s boy since the day he was born. One day I fed him as his dad came home. He held tight to the breast but twisted his body crying for his dad. It was hilarious- even then. At that moment I was just his food source. ...But there‘s also when they are holding tight to the breast, look up, see you and with all the love in the world, smile big and get a face full of milk! 4y

Kalalalatja What a little cutie 😍 4y

saresmoore @marleed Such sweet memories! And yes, I love the face full of milk moments! 😅 4y

saresmoore @vivastory Agreed. 4y

KarenUK Just so gorgeous! 💕 4y

AlaMich I love the sassy, hand-on-hip pose! ☺️ 4y

Eggs ❤️💗❤️💗❤️ 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Beautiful! ❤️❤️❤️ 4y

BarbaraBB Too cute 😍😍😍 4y

BiblioLitten Ohh so adorable🥰🥰 4y

Lcsmcat So sweet! 4y

andrew61 Thanks for sharing sara, lovely photo, i hope you and your family are all enjoying this special time ☺ 4y

saresmoore @andrew61 Thank you! We are savoring every precious moment. I waited a long time for this little one! 4y

LeahBergen Clara! 😘😘😘 4y

CarolynM That's important work you're doing. The books will still be there when the all night feeding stops🙂 4y

erzascarletbookgasm Enjoy these precious moments! I‘m fondly remembering my milk feeding with my second child (I didn‘t get to breast feed my first one). 4y

batsy Hello, sweet Clara 😍😍😍 4y

Suet624 Wonderful. 4y

114 likes26 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

#FlyHighJuly Day 28: I have #fallen in love with picanha - and ordered it again for husband to grill. Paired with our #NYRBBookClub pick for August. Hopefully, we can vote on the September title soon, book deliveries being what they usually are now. 💕

vivastory, Eggs

ju.ca.no Yummy! 4y

Eggs Glorious food 🥘👏🏻🤗 4y

51 likes2 comments

BarbaraBB

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

The fact that I am sailing in #Greece now adds a lot to this book. It‘s about tasting and smelling and feeling Greece and I literally do now. I enjoyed the stories about three sisters growing up, as we learn by getting glimpses of their lives through three consecutive summers. Lovely book!

#ReadingEurope2020 🇬🇷 #NYRBBookClub #NYRB #Summerfun #SummerInTitle #LitsyBitsy #Wave #ATY2020 #RelatedToOlympicSummerGames

Cuilin, nomadreader, Librarybelle, batsy, vivastory, StayCurious

RedLeaves Looks amaaaazing!!!!! 4y

erzascarletbookgasm 😍 awesome! 4y

Cathythoughts Lovely ✨ @erzascarletbookgasm Jessie did you get a copy of Three Summers ? I have one now 4y

See All 22 Comments

Freespirit What a great experience!! 4y

erzascarletbookgasm @Cathythoughts I don‘t. Too bad I won‘t be reading along. 4y

Tanisha_A Wow! How perfect indeed 😍 4y

JennyM Looks beautiful - perfect read! Enjoy 😊 4y

Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm oh dear. I wish I could send you one ... only still no post 🙄. I will when I can ❤️👍🏻 4y

batsy That looks like utter bliss! 🥂 So glad to hear you enjoyed the book 💕 4y

CarolynM That looks heavenly! I'd so love to be there with you. Enjoy😘 4y

wanderinglynn That looks amazing! Greece is high on my list of places to visit. Plus I love sailing ⛵️ 4y

Librarybelle So beautiful! 4y

Cuilin Looks wonderful. Enjoy. #wave 👍 4y

squirrelbrain Looks wonderful! Have a fab time! 4y

AmyG Wow! Enjoy every wonderful minute! 4y

MoonWitch94 How amazing!!!!!!!! 4y

GatheringBooks Oh wow! That is awesome! 4y

LeahBergen Look at you! 😍😍😍 4y

Cinfhen Livin‘the high life ♥️♥️♥️ 4y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen absolutely 😇 4y

ValerieAndBooks Is that a glass of Retsina 😊? Glad you‘re having a great time! 4y

BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks That would be so fitting but it is “just” wine! 4y

101 likes1 stack add22 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

Just had Zoom discussion for the book. Average of 2.6⭐️ Most could not connect with the characters, and the switch of POVs was quite distracting😆 I gave it 4⭐️, as I felt like I was taking a walk in the village, saying hello to each of the main residents, and just being nosey about their lives 🤪 I guess I had the right mood when I was reading it

BarbaraBB That is too bad the others didn‘t like it. I wonder what our #NYRBBookClub will make of it! 4y

sisilia Yes, we‘ll have another interesting discussion @BarbaraBB 4y

76 likes1 stack add2 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

pick

4⭐️ Filled with wonderful characters, this is a charming story about three sisters growing up over the course of three summers. It‘s a dreamy summer read that makes me want to linger just a while longer

batsy Yay! Nice to hear that you enjoyed it 🙂 4y

LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻 4y

75 likes1 stack add2 comments

Three Summers | Margarita Liberaki

July stack. I keep changing my stack 🙈

vivastory The Grossman is as big as all of the rest combined! 4y

sisilia @vivastory Hahaha yes.. it‘s long overdue. I read Stalingrad last Nov, and was supposed to read Life and Fate in January.. and then Covid happened. No mood to tackle big books 4y

vivastory I completely understand. I have to really commit to a doorstopper before I start reading, but often end up loving them 4y

See All 9 Comments

BarbaraBB Haven‘t you finished Three Summers yet? However, I‘d start with Iza, one of my favorite #NYRBs 4y

sisilia @BarbaraBB Not yet. I‘m halfway ☺️ I‘m glad you like Iza.. so far I like all Szabo‘s NYRB novels. My fav is still The Door 4y

BarbaraBB That‘s one I still need to read but I have it waiting for me! 4y

Gissy Mee too I change all the time by stack of books because I want to read all the books at once☺️That bunny figurine has a face like "can I do it?"☺️Yes you can!!!? 4y

sisilia @gissy 🙌🏻 It also depends on the mood... 😸 4y

Gissy Yes, I agree and life things because today and tomorrow I know I can't read much. I need to do some chores. 4y

61 likes9 comments