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The Terranauts
The Terranauts: A Novel | T.C. Boyle
106 posts | 49 read | 1 reading | 80 to read
A deep-dive into human behavior in an epic story of science, society, sex, and survival, from one of the greatest American novelists today, T. C. Boyle, the acclaimed, bestselling, author of the PEN/ Faulkner Awardwinning Worlds End and The Harder They Come. It is 1994, and in the desert near Tillman, Arizona, forty miles from Tucson, a grand experiment involving the future of humanity is underway. As climate change threatens the earth, eight scientists, four men and four women dubbed the "Terranauts," have been selected to live under glass in E2, a prototype of a possible off-earth colony. Their sealed, three-acre compound comprises five biomesrainforest, savanna, desert, ocean, and marshand enough wildlife, water, and vegetation to sustain them. Closely monitored by an all-seeing Mission Control, this New Eden is the brainchild of ecovisionary Jeremiah Reed, aka G.C."God the Creator"for whom the project is both an adventure in scientific discovery and a momentous publicity stunt. In addition to their roles as medics, farmers, biologists, and survivalists, his young, strapping Terranauts must impress watchful visitors and a skeptical media curious to see if E2s environment will somehow be compromised, forcing the Ecospheres seal to be brokenand ending the mission in failure. As the Terranauts face increased scrutiny and a host of disasters, both natural and of their own making, their mantra: "Nothing in, nothing out," becomes a dangerously ferocious rallying cry. Told through three distinct narratorsDawn Chapman, the missions pretty, young ecologist; Linda Ryu, her bitter, scheming best friend passed over for E2; and Ramsay Roothorp, E2s sexually irrepressible WildmanThe Terranauts brings to life an electrifying, pressured world in which connected lives are uncontrollably pushed to the breaking point. With characteristic humor and acerbic wit, T.C. Boyle indelibly inhabits the perspectives of the various players in this survivalist game, probing their motivations and illuminating their integrity and fragility to illustrate the inherent fallibility of human nature itself.
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CoffeeWineBook
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Trying to read, but...

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mellissimo
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Pickpick

I only read bad reviews about this one on Litsy so far, but I loved it! The setting, the story, the characters, everything adds to the tension and for me made it to one of these books you just can't put down until you're done. I actually was sad when it was over way to soon. 😅

TheNerdyProfessor TC Boyle is my favorite author of all time. I loved this one! His newest novel is set to be released in April. 6y
64 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Read66
Terranauts | T C Boyle
Pickpick

Enjoyed this one! Even more so when I discovered the author was inspired by a true event. Eight people who take part in a experiment where they live in isolation for two years as a precursor to settling on Mars show all the usual society shortcomings. Told in alternating points of view.

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calicodreamin
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Bailedbailed

Not a huge fan to be honest. The characters were unlikable which is a huge turn off for me. Self centered, egotistical, and backstabbing. I couldn‘t stand any of them. The plot left a lot to be desired, more to the point, there was no plot. Basically the book boils down to thin wistless musings of garbage people in a cool surrounding.

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MStew
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This is a scifi book i have wanted to get to , its dystiopian i do believe from sounds of it and these 8 "terranauts" (scientists) have to live in a glass dome E2 (a possible off earth colony with 5 biomes rainforest,savanna desert,ocean and marsh) there are 4 woman and 4 men being closely monitored and they have to prove they can survive what ever is thrown at them...

#scifi #readmore #books #booknerd #book #bookaddict #booklover #litsyreads

Nute Love dystopian novels!!! 6y
MStew @Nute me too!!!! 6y
113 likes11 stack adds2 comments
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Conservio
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I really enjoyed this. The author does a great job developing our three main characters and exploring potential situations. It is a slow burn though, took me about 3 weeks of reading a few chapters here, a few chapters there to get through it.

At the end, none of the three main characters are particularly likes me.. all 3 are self centered, but in different ways.

#ecosphere

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Conservio
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“ Oh! You put a book down? Must be my new bed!!” - Tache #littenkitten #catsoflitsy

BookaholicNatty 😂😂😂😂😂 7y
11 likes1 comment
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Conservio
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I was super excited when I found this! About a fictional biosphere 2. I love biology and I think it‘d be absolutely amazing to work in a biosphere!

The Biosphere refers to separate experiment conducted in the 1990‘s/ early 2000‘s. It‘s essentially a giant sphere with different ecosystems + researchers. The goal was to make them self sustaining. #biology #science

11 likes1 stack add
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Buechersuechtling
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Als Hörbuch definitiv meine Empfehlung. Abstriche gibt es nur wegen der zu langen, ausrufenden Erzählweise.

Ich habe mich oft mit verschiedenen Personen identifiziert. Charaktere zu schaffen, die nicht nur Sympathie- oder Antipathieträger sind, scheint eine von Boyles Stärken zu sein. Auch wenn mir in dieser Geschichte manche Figur sehr eindimensional vorkam.
Gottvater zum Beispiel. Lachhaft. Aber wahrscheinlich ist genau er realistisch.

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Buechersuechtling
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Mehso-so

Schwierig, eine prägnante, kurze Meinung zu formulieren. Ich hätte kaum durchgehalten, hätte ich gelesen statt gehört. Die ersten ~9,5 Stunden dümpeln zu sehr dahin. Aber dann wird es spannend. Kontrovers. Die umwelttechnischen Probleme innerhalb von E2 und die Bezüge zur realen Umweltproblematik packen mich. Mehr als die zwischenmenschlichen. Trotzdem bin ich gebannt.

Das Hörbuch ist nicht großartig, hinterlässt aber einen deutlichen Eindruck.

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Buechersuechtling
This post contains spoilers
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Immer wenn ich sowas hören muss wird mir echt schlecht – und da ist es mir egal, ob in einem Hörbuch oder in der Realität:

„Ich hätte alles dafür gegeben zu jener ersten Nacht zurück zu kehren und mich zu vergewissern, dass sie die Pille nahm oder ihr Pessar eingesetzt hatte.“

Na klar, es ist ja auch biologisch-partnerschaftlich völlig ausgeschlossen, dass auch der Mann Verantwortung für Verhütung übernimmt. ??

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Buechersuechtling
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Schon irgendwie blöd, wenn man abends über sein Hörbuch einschläft, aber natürlich nicht sagen kann, an welcher Stelle. ??

*sucht die letzte Passage, an die sie sich erinnern kann*

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Buechersuechtling
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„Und vier Blutegel hatten sich an meinem Oberschenkel festgesaugt wie ein aus Würmern gebildeter Geheimcode.“ (~11:14:00)

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Buechersuechtling
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Schlimm, dass es immer noch realistisch ist, dass es Männer gibt, die Frauen, wenn sie schwanger werden, automatisch die Schuld in die Schuhe schieben – frei nach dem Motto: „Ich dachte, sie nimmt die Pille.“

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Buechersuechtling
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Und überhaupt, warum sind „alle“ (Linda, E) so erstaunt-entsetzt darüber, dass Mission Control sich wie die Stasi verhält (im Dienste der Wissenschaft ? natürlich ?) und auf jegliche Privatsphäre pfeift❓?

_Das_ kann man sich als Terranauten-Aspirant|in doch nun wirklich vorher denken.

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Buechersuechtling
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Ich weiß ja, die Geschichte muss und wird stetig zu einem Herr-der-Fliegen-haften „Lehrstück“ über Gruppendynamik. Aber was Gottvater da in Kapitel 2 (~5:40) mit E am Telefon abzieht, ist mir echt zu plump. ?

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Buechersuechtling
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Diese plumpe Anbahnung von sexuellen Interaktionen, Bettgeschichten, F*ckfreundschaften – wie auch immer man das nennen will.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Ehrlich. Ich weiß nie, ob unsere Spezies wirklich so plump-primitiv gestrickt ist, dass „Handarbeit“ früher oder später nicht mehr zufriedenstellt – oder ob das eine „Tatsache“ ist, die durch Zeitungen, Bücher und Filme im allgemeinen Unterbewusstsein verankert ist.

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Buechersuechtling
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Die Terranauten sollen wohl in regelmäßigen Abständen Theaterstücke ? aufführen.

Wie albern. Ich meine, was taugt das als teambildende Maßnahme❓ Es wird die Zerfallsprozesse, die in einem solch abgeriegelten Szenario zwangsläufig auftreten (müssen) weder aufhalten noch sie verlangsamen und sie erst recht nicht verhindern.

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Buechersuechtling
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Geht schon los. Kapitel 2. Unter vier Stunden Spieldauer.

Ramsay Roothoorp macht sich auch bei mir unbeliebt, weil er wohl die anderen Terranauten bespitzelt.

Vorhersehbare, aber wohl nötige Entwicklung. ?

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Buechersuechtling
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Geht schon los. Kapitel 2. Unter vier Stunden Spieldauer.

Ramsay Roothoorp macht sich bei mir unbeliebt, weil er „zufällig und unbeabsichtigt“ hinter Dawn her spannt:

„Jeder würde es genauso machen.“
Äh, nein. ? Vielleicht jeder Mann. Aber sonst …

Das scheint aber so ein „Frauen-Ding“ zu sein. Das entlockte dem Mann meines Vertrauens nämlich kein müdes Schulterzucken und erst recht kein das verwerflich findendes Entsetzen.

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Buechersuechtling
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Also bislang kann ich die wirklich vielen wirklich schlechten Beurteilungen, die ich gelesen habe kurz nach dem das Buch rauskam, absolut nicht nachvollziehen.

Aber gut. Ich bin mit 1:37 verstrichenen Stunden bei fast 17 Stunden Gesamtspielzeit ja auch noch nicht wirklich in medias res.

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Buechersuechtling
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„Ich hatte mich schon darauf gefreut […] ein bisschen geheucheltes Mitgefühl in die Ohren zu träufeln.“ (~ 1:36)

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Das könnte spaßig werden, so dezent, hinterrücks, subtil fies niederträchtig-arrogant-alphamännchenhaft schadenfroh wie sich Ramsay Roothoorp hier präsentiert. ?

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Buechersuechtling
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Ich mag den Perspektivwechsel zwar sehr. Dass ich mir Ramsay Roothoorp, den Kommunikationsoffizier aber ergoogeln musste finde ich doof. Unglücklich. Minuten nachdem die Namen aller acht Crewmitglieder samt Position/Funktion genannt worden sind, en passant fallenzulassen, dass man für Kommunikation zuständig ist, funktioniert in Hörbüchern meiner Meinung nach noch schlechter als in „Lesebüchern“.

Wer kann sich das alles denn so lang merken❓

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Buechersuechtling
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Der Mann meines Vertrauens hat seine „Kopfhörchen“ ? natürlich gefunden. ??

So konnte ich also gestern schon weiterhören. Erstaunlich, um wie viel mehr ich bei Hörbüchern nach ein paar „ungehörten“ Tagen den Faden verliere.
Bei „Lesebüchern“ komm ich schneller wieder rein. ?? Egal, wie lang die leselose Zeit war.

Geht das noch wem so❓

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Buechersuechtling
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Wenn der Mann meines Vertrauens mir seine „Kopfhörchen“ ? leiht, geht‘s jetzt weiter mit den Terranauten. ?

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Buechersuechtling
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Die Terranauten sind da‼️??

Wann immer ich müde genug bin, um ins Bett zu gehen, werde ich gleich loshören können.

Zwischen den Jahren wird es in dieser Hinsicht außerdem nützlich sein, wenn ich alsbald meine Kopfhörer wiederfinde. ?

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Buechersuechtling
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Eventuell hab ich mir gerade „Die Terranauten“ als Hörbuch vorgemerkt. ?
Kurz vor Weihnachten soll es verfügbar sein.

Lesen wollte ich jetzt nicht, dafür waren mir die Rezensionen, die mir dazu begegnet sind, zu schlecht, aber als Hörbuch finde ich, verdient es eine Chance.

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RebL
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Finished Terranauts and now need to shower. Pictured: My feet on the actual Bio2 beach and a current NASA experiment housed there.

11 likes2 stack adds
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Paperback.Propensity
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Mehso-so

I know it's late for pancakes but I had a craving.
Anyway I just finished The Terranauts, finally. And it was... okay. So-so. I was interested the whole time in how things would play out by the end, only to have the End be sort of unsatisfactory.
It was a very long drawn out book, with long drawn out sentences. I won't be reading it again.

rhiannebrownbread So unrelated, but I love your little cup placemat! 7y
8 likes2 comments
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Paperback.Propensity
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Still reading this.
After, I think I am going to read short books for a while.
My hands are cramping.

mcipher 😂 7y
11 likes1 comment
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heatherkaz
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#SpaceOddity #SeptemBowie
While this doesn't take place in actual outerspace, the characters have their own "tin can" to live in and mission control to deal with. I can't imagine the mindf*ck this would be, much like being in space.

Btw, I love this photo challenge ?
@Cinfhen @Marchpane

Marchpane This one's been on my TBR for a while. So fascinating to think about living that way! 7y
heatherkaz @Marchpane I know this has mixed reviews, but I loved it! 7y
Jaimelire I enjoyed this one 7y
Cinfhen I'm intrigued by this book, too! 7y
23 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Yossarian
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A perfect day to sit outside and read a book and be glad that I'm not confined to a fully enclosed self-perpetuating airtight bio-dome for the next two years!

101 likes3 stack adds
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Yanes
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Current read... started it yesterday late at night... couldn't find the sleep I needed.

The book is based on a true story which took place in the 90s. So far I am liking this book...

Buechersuechtling Oh, I didn't know that it's based on a true story. 😊 Interesting. Enjoy your read. 7y
Yanes @Buechersuechtling Thank you very much 😊 I hope it is good. Did you read it? 7y
Buechersuechtling @Yanes At first I wanted to but then I heard from many people that it is hardly an average read. Lengthy and the "old-wine-in-new-skins"-kind. So I decided to wait. If my public library will buy it, I'll give it a try. – But sorry… I don't wanted to slam it to you. ? 7y
Yanes @Buechersuechtling I like your honest opinion 😍 Thank you for that 🤗🤗. I still want to read the book and afterwards I will make up my own mind to it. 7y
Buechersuechtling @Yanes 😅 Hpheeeww. 😅 I was a little worried that I put you off from (enyoying) it. 7y
13 likes5 comments
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MonikaS
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Happy Sunday Littens!!! Spending my Sunday afternoon at the Reference library enjoying the Pegasus Frappuccino from Starbucks. (They were out of the unicorn frappuccino)🦄😢
Hope everyone had a great weekend!!😊

Matchkim I'm jealous. 8y
Bostonmomx2 I went there today too and they had a sign out noting they were out of the unicorn ? fraps. I thought it was a limited thing only for a week and was over anyway. The other day a lady behind me actually freaked out when she heard they were out of the syrup lol I could hear her scream, " are you kidding me" the guy wasn't amused. ?? 8y
MonikaS @Bostonmomx2 Yes it was a limited time thing but I thought today was the last day. Lol. No worries. I liked what they suggested instead😀😀love strawberry drinks😍🍓no need to freak out on the workers, I totally agree👍😀 8y
65 likes3 comments
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librarypoweruser
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Wednesday night reading on a warm San Francisco Patio.

brendanmleonard Sounds like a little piece of heaven! 8y
Zelma Perfection! 👍 8y
30 likes2 comments
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Heidi2
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Pickpick

Shortly after I stared reading I said that all characters were unlikable. Gotta change that now. First of all they are human. I think Boyle portrayed typical human nature quite well. Kinda could see the places where they came from, even the irritating ones. Some characters were more featured than others, would've liked a bit more insight into the others as well,found them a bit underwritten. Overall a good book! Some may hate the ending. Not me.

Jinjer Stacked! 8y
3 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookBabe
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#BookNBrunch! Great meeting today of #ThePoconoBookClub discussing The Terranauts! 🍳🥓🥞☕️

MrBook 😍😍😍😍 8y
94 likes1 comment
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Heidi2
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There's not a single sympathetic character in that book so far. What doesn't mean it isn't good. Typical human behavior. And we all know, humans can be idiots. I like the changing chatacter perspectives. I suspect some serious drama coming up.

Jinjer What do u mean by sympathetic character please? 8y
Jinjer Name me a human who's NOT an idiot at times.🙄 8y
Jinjer Beautiful glass and candle holders!!! 8y
3 likes3 comments
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Heidi2
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Currently on page 126, so far so good. But I had to interrupt reading for running errands, going for a walk, polishing nails and making this salad. Doesn't happen when you're listening. So: next time back to #audiobook I am.

MrBook That looks delicious 😋👍🏻. 8y
Heidi2 @MrBook Thanks. That WAS delicious 😉 8y
MrBook 😆👏🏻🙌🏻 8y
See All 8 Comments
Jinjer @mrbook was just discussing this book with his book club! I wonder how this book about terrenauts differs from the one about argonauts. I don't know what either word means, obviously. 8y
Heidi2 @Jinjer Terranauts in the novel are a bunch of scientists who live in a huge 3-acre sealed glass-compound in Arizona A terrarium, if you will, that includes five biomes: rainforest, savanna, desert, ocean, and marsh. They live there for 2 years, completely isolated from the outside world. Story is based on real events, actually.
Don't know what argonaut means.
8y
Jinjer Interesting! Mom & I both remember hearing about the real place. I think she and Dad still lived in Arizona when it was being built. Biosphere 2. Had to google to see WHERE in Arizona it is. Oracle down by Tucson. It's still there and it looks like you can tour it now. It's owned by university of Arizona. I hope it's a good book. 🤞 8y
Jinjer argonauts were a band of heroes in Greek mythology! Did neither of us learn anything in school????😳 8y
Heidi2 Yeah, I googled the place and saw the pics, but I didn't want to dive deeper into information about it. I'm not sure how close the author stays to the real events and I don't want to get spoiled. I'll read more about it once I'm done (which will happen one of these days).

School... what's that? Something that feels like a hundred years ago... 😑
8y
4 likes8 comments
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Heidi2
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Let the reading weekend begin! #theterranauts #dieterranauten #germanedition #weekend

Jinjer My god that pizza looks good! 8y
Heidi2 @Jinjer That's a plain Dr Oetker Mozarella pizza 😉 8y
Jinjer @Heidi2 😳Seriously? Looks fresh from a pizza parlor! 8y
4 likes3 comments
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Heidi2
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Still sealed... waiting for me, to be opened and read this upcoming weekend. After tons of #audiobooks I'll actually read a printed book again. Can't wait for a relaxing weekend reading on the couch #TheTerranauts #TCBoyle #germanedition #DieTerranauten

Jinjer That looks like a book for #topplethetome 8y
Heidi2 @Jinjer What's #topplethetome? Please enlighten me. 8y
Jinjer Uhhhh can't. I've used the wrong hashie and can't find the right one.😳😂 8y
See All 6 Comments
Jinjer Found it! #tometopple I was close! They focus on reading books that are chunksters. That one in your picture looked pretty thick. 8y
Jinjer Don't think I've ever owned a book that came sealed btw! 8y
Heidi2 New hardcovers are usually sealed over here. 8y
3 likes6 comments
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MrBook
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#BookNLunch! Breakfast edition. I wanted breakfast, and I got it 😆. Accompaniment this pleasant afternoon: corned beef & Swiss omelette, grilled tomatoes, white toast, & tea. (No tots available.) MMMmmm 😋! Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 8y
120 likes1 comment
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Heidsalot
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Pickpick

Finished it with an hour to spare! The characters in this book are all terrible people to varying degrees and I found myself making out-loud commentary about what an a** or idiot this or that person was, but that doesn't turn me off from a book. I will say that, while she does some pretty 💩 things, I found Linda to be the most relatable/I could understand what motivated her to do said 💩 things.

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schwaetzchen
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"Wer auf Rache sinnt,
sollte zwei Gräber graben."

T. C. Boyle

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schwaetzchen
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"Man kann das Unbehagen anderer Menschen ebenso wenig empfinden wie ihren Schmerz, jeder steckt in seiner selbstgeschaffenen Blase, ob er es nun zugeben will oder nicht."

T. C. Boyle

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Heidsalot
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The Terranauts and house projects continue! I remember hearing about this book when it came out, but for some reason didn't really pay attention at that time. So glad the library had it on audio! I really enjoy the voice actors, too, and that's a big sticking point for me with audiobooks.

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Heidsalot
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Listening to The Terranauts while working on house projects and really enjoying it!

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Elizzy
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Manchmal mag ich auch einfach nur Hörbuch hören!

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AngisBuecherkiste
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Neuzugang

Buechersuechtling Oh, ich bin sehr gespannt, was du dazu sagst, denn ehrlich gesagt, habe ich bisher wenig begeisterndes darüber gehört… Wär schön, wenn mal jemand sagt, dass es sich zu lesen lohnt. Dir viel Spaß‼️? 8y
AngisBuecherkiste Danke Dir! Werde dann berichten. @Buechersuechtling 😊📚💕 8y
15 likes2 comments
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Songsofhome
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Mehso-so

Hmmmm, not a bad read but I didn't like the end and I might be too much of a romantic to really appreciate this story and style... the problem is you want to identify with the characters but then again... it's almost impossible to like them!