Welcome to Litsy!

“Who knew that such a beautiful place could be hidden away in the suburbs of Beijing! As I wound down the narrow mountain road, a feeling of awe washed over me, as well as feelings of sorrow and resentment for being excluded.” I remember feeling similarly when flowers & blue sky were ever-present in California in February while my friends on the east coast were cold & shoveling. It‘s hard to explain but I was so sorry they were excluded from this.

kspenmoll You explained your empathy for others quite well. Beautiful quote and photo. 5y

Suet624 Thanks for understanding me Katherine. 💕 5y

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so-so

While this wasn‘t my favorite of the #NYRBbookclub selections, I know many of the scenes will stay with me. It‘s a brief study of the culture of old China vs. the new materialistic capitalist China and details the ways in which family and friends can deceive and manipulate. The main character, living in poverty, builds and sells high end sound systems to the wealthy. It‘s an odd book with an abrupt ending and a number of wonderful insights.🤷🏻‍♀️

BarbaraBB Fab review. I enjoyed the China parts more than the plot! 5y

LeahBergen Great review (and I felt pretty much the same way). 5y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @leahbergen This book was really hard to review because I didn't want to oversell it. On the other hand I liked it. It had its flaws but it had some gems. Thus my confused emoji at the end. :) 5y

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vivastory @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @liz_m @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP 5y

Bonus Question!
This marks the one year anniversary of #NYRBBookClub Not only has the world changed, but we've had significant changes in our group. We lost a member, two of our members have welcomed future readers into the world (or very soon!) Through it all we've shared photos of our pets, our bails, our wine & once a month we gather together and share our enthusiasm. So, what has been your favorite book of the past year?

merelybookish First of all, I love that my handsome Obie is front and center in this collage! 😻😹 My favourite was Elizabeth Taylor's A Game of Hide & Seek closely followed by Cassandra at the Wedding. Ive had a few so-sos and maybe one bail along the way! But love this book club and look forward to it each month 5y

merelybookish Meant to add, a lot happens in a year! And even in a virtual space we can experience joy and loss! Thanks Scott for all your work in keeping us going. Cheers friends! 5y

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emilyhaldi What a great year of reading!!! Thank you so much for hosting, Scott! I‘m going to have to revisit the past 12 reads and really think on this one... but I would just like to say that Harriet, our dear friend from After Claude, has really stuck with me 😂😂😂 5y

BarbaraBB Dear Scott, thanks for this bonus question, for initiating the best bookclub I know, for remembering Rachel and for the past year. I hope we will continue this fantastic bookclub. So many great reads. My favorite is still Cassandra, followed close by Judith and Iza. 💚 Thank you all, #NYRBBookClub 5y

BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi o yes Harriet, how could I forget about her! 😂 5y

Suet624 Cassandra, hands down. After Claude, The Expendable Man, Iza‘s Ballad, and Black Wings Have My Angel were books I will always remember as favorites too. 5y

sprainedbrain Even though I wasn‘t able to get a copy of all of them in time, I‘m glad to have read the ones I did. Thank you for organizing, Scott! My favorite was definitely Cassandra. ❤️ 5y

emilyhaldi I really think my favorite might have been The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne! It‘s kind of surprising to me, but looking back on all of the books, I have a lasting fondness for that one 💙 5y

emilyhaldi @BarbaraBB Harriet was sure to make such an impression on her readers as never to be forgotten! 😆 I do still laugh when I remember her... so I‘m going to go ahead and say After Claude is in my top 3 🤗 5y

Billypar I think Iza's Ballad was my favorite. I started late so looks like I'm going to have to check out Cassandra. I've really enjoyed this group: such interesting works and discussions! 5y

LeahBergen I love this question and I love this book club. ❤️ A year already?? Thanks for keeping us all together, Scott. My absolute favourite would have to be The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne. The biggest surprise hit for me was Black Wings Has My Angel. 5y

vivastory @merelybookish Bonus point for him not being in the sink! 😸 Those were def. two of my favorites! 5y

vivastory @emilyhaldi I'm pretty sure that if I was to do a word cloud of all of the protagonists from our books of the past year, Harriet's would be the biggest 😂Lonely Passion is def. one of my favorites! 5y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Thank you for your kind words. Great choices, friend. 5y

vivastory @Suet624 I was trying to find pics of Black Wings etc but couldn't access it on Litsy for some reason. That was a great one. Lookiing forward to co-hosting! 5y

vivastory @sprainedbrain Definitely one of my favorites. Please continue to join in when possible. 5y

vivastory @Billypar Yes, def. check out Cassandra! It really started the group out on a good note. It's in my top 5. 5y

vivastory @LeahBergen It's hard to believe, isn't it? Lonely Passion is def in my top 5. Black Wings was a big surprise for me. 5y

Liz_M I was lucky enough to host one of my favorite reads - The Expendable Man - which I love for the twist that forced me to acknowledge my subconscious biases. My favorite, new-to-me read was Iza's Ballad, hands down.

Thank you Scott for running such a wonderful, well-organized book club! 👏 👏 👏 5y

merelybookish I also want to give a shout-out to Sleepless Nights which I found really intriguing! 5y

MicheleinPhilly I have been truly terrible at consistency with this group but I do love it and thank you Scott for leading us. If it keeps up, I‘d love to participate when I am able but am willing to relinquish my “spot” for a new member to have book picking/voting privileges. 5y

BarbaraBB @Liz_M I forgot about The Expendable Man because I had already read it but I loved that one too! 5y

mklong I can't believe it's been a year! Thank you so much for putting this together and keeping it going Scott! I think Judith Hearne has been my favorite so far, but honorable mentions have to go to Cassandra, Black Wings, and The Other (still have nightmares about that one!) 5y

vivastory @Liz_M The Expendable Man was fantastic. One of the best twists I've ever read. 5y

vivastory @MicheleinPhilly No worrries! Join in when you're able to. 5y

vivastory @mklong I haven't been able to look at wine the same way since The Other... 😬 🍷 5y

LeahBergen @vivastory @mklong Eeeee, that wine cask! 😆😆 I loved The Other, too. 5y

saresmoore Oh, it‘s so hard to narrow down! I loved Black Wings & Expendable Man—neither of which I expected to like. I think Cassandra and Hide & Seek are tied for my favorites, but I also really liked Judith Hearne. It‘s been such a great year and my favorite ever book club, to be sure! 5y

sisilia Wow, one year! 🥂 Thank you @vivastory for organizing. My fav is definitely Judith Hearne. I haven‘t read Iza‘s Ballad and The Other (still scared to start) yet. Hopefully I get to read them this year 5y

Leftcoastzen Thank you for holding it all together @vivastory I have to say all the books have been worth reading, Judith Hearne and Cassandra are probably my favorites.After Claude was pretty something too! 5y

batsy I can't believe it's been a year! Thank you so much for organising and getting a fabulous thing going ❤️ All of the books have been small revelations; After Claude, A House and Its Head, and Cassandra's Wedding knocked me off my feet... Black Wings Has My Angel, too. Lonely Passion, Sleepless Nights, A Game of Hide and Seek! Gahhhh... Don't make me choose 😭😂 5y

batsy How could I forget The Other! 💀 5y

vivastory @saresmoore Def. two of my faves. Glad the group has turned out as well as it has! 5y

vivastory @sisilia Hard to believe, isn't it? I look forward to your thoughts on them when you do. Looking forward to co-hosting in June! 5y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen Excellent choices! 5y

vivastory @batsy I really couldn't narrow it down past my top 5. The selections have been so consistently good. Even months where I feel more lukewarm I feel I get a new take on the work after our discussion. 5y

GatheringBooks Thank you so much for hosting @vivastory . i started teaching a fully online summer class to undergraduate students in our university last sunday and it has taken all my energies recently, so def late to this party. But I love this book club, I love the discussion and thoughtful Qs and really appreciate all the effort you put into this. I have a love-hate reln going on with nyrb titles, but love this one best of all.

Iza's Ballad

Reviewsbylola I wasn‘t able to get the book for May, so I ended up missing this question. Undoubtedly my top two though are Expendable Man and Judith Hearne! 5y

Reviewsbylola And thank you for hosting! 5y

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Our protagonist is in the music business and loves music. So, what was the last album you fell in love with? #NYRBBookClub
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP

Suet624 Animal Requiem by Rachel Fuller. Can't stop listening to it.
5y

merelybookish Oooh! Fun question! I started listening to a lot of Aimee Mann again this spring and was really into her album Charmer. 5y

BarbaraBB Fun question indeed! For who knows me it is predictable but it still is Blood Sugar Sex Magik as well as Californication by RHCP🌶Other ones I loved are Oyster by Heather Nova and Ten by Pearl Jam and Throwing Copper by Life. 5y

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Billypar I tend to find out about older albums late, so last year, Rilo Kiley's More Adventurous and Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun were favs. Also Cerulean Salt by Waxahatchee. 5y

vivastory @Suet624 Adding to my Spotify library! 5y

vivastory @merelybookish I like Aimee Mann. I'll have to check that one out. I always think of her cameo in Portlandia 😂 5y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Excellent choices! Have you heard the new Pearl Jam? I think it's fantastic! 5y

vivastory @Billypar I love Erykah Badu! Will def. check out the Rilo Kiley, I've enjoyed the songs I've heard by them. 5y

Liz_M I've never been someone that listens to albums -- I love individual songs, and rarely enjoy all the songs on an album. So, the albums I love are either compilations/best of or classical music. The most recent discovery was Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt. The repetition with variations is fantastic background music for baking or great as white noise to drown out neighbors/neighborhood noise. 5y

MicheleinPhilly Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple! 5y

mklong Fun question! I recently listened to Radiohead's OK Computer start to finish for the first time in years and it gave me goosebumps all over again 5y

vivastory @Liz_M I've been listening to classical more frequently on Spotify recently 5y

vivastory @MicheleinPhilly It's brilliant!! 5y

vivastory @mklong Radiohead is def. a personal favorite of mine. I've seen them live twice & Thom Yorke perform solo/ Would gladly go again. 5y

saresmoore What a fun question! I‘m not sure if I should admit this, but my anthem of late is Lizzo‘s “Cuz I Love You”. It‘s the backbone of my kickass female empowerment playlist for a natural labor. 😂 5y

saresmoore @MicheleinPhilly I haven‘t listened to it, but that has to be my second favorite album title ever! Nothing can beat “Melancholy & the Infinite Sadness”, IMO. 5y

Leftcoastzen I‘m so old , I remember hip FM radio that played whole albums.🙄I grew up in the era of the concept album.I want to check out the new Fiona Apple,some classics I never get tired of:Nebraska and Born to Run Bruce Springsteen.Quadrophenia The Who, Mermaid Ave. Billy Bragg & Wilco,Sandinista! & London Calling The Clash. Warning Green Day. 5y

batsy What @MicheleinPhilly said! ?? I've also rediscovered what a perfect album Sade's Diamond Life is and listening to Laura Nyro's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and loving it. I'm with @Billypar ; when it comes to books and music; I'm never "on time", as it were ? (I'm planning to look up the songs/albums mentioned in The Invisibility Cloak; I enjoy classical music but not at all well-versed in it) 5y

vivastory @saresmoore Lizzo is def. motivating! 5y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I remember FM radio doing that! My fave local station (member supported 89.3 The Bridge) still does periodically, especially for big ones. Just a couple of months ago they playe dthe new Pearl Jam in its entirety when it was released, uninterrupted. Yes, def check out the new Fiona Apple. I think you'll love it! Excellent choices, The Clash are a personal fave. 5y

vivastory @batsy I LOVE Laura Nyro. I feel like I never see people mention her... 5y

Leftcoastzen @batsy Laura Nyro! 😍👏👏👏😻 5y

batsy @vivastory @Leftcoastzen Yay for Laura Nyro love 💜 I remember Fiona being compared to her with her debut 5y

GatheringBooks Our family‘s binge-watching This Is Us - we are at season 2, so I am listening to their OST nonstop on my spotify. We are obsessed! 5y

vivastory @GatheringBooks I'll have to check that out! 👍 5y

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A novella is a difficult form. Often it can feel like either an overly long short story, or an abridged novel. Were there elements &/or characters that you would have liked to have seen developed more? Do you think Fei's book worked well as a novella?
#NYRBBookClub
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624

vivastory @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP 5y

LeahBergen I was pretty “meh” about this novel and gave it a “so so” or 3 stars. It just seemed very insubstantial to me. I sensed the bones of a good story sitting there (and enjoyed the quirky humour) but felt it could‘ve been so much more. Imagine this idea in the hands of Murakami! 5y

emilyhaldi I would have loved to know more about Ding Caichen and his disfigured companion 😏 I felt a bit cheated with that storyline and the amount of mystery left around their past. I hope someone here is able to offer some theories or insights into that whole situation... 5y

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Suet624 @emilyhaldi I have so many questions about that too. They almost deserved their own novel. 5y

merelybookish Ditto @LeahBergen and @emilyhaldi I felt some things were left unanswered eg. what happened between his sister and his friend (sorry I don't remember any names.) And the ending just felt too sudden. He was exploring something interesting and it deserved/needed more! 5y

Billypar @LeahBergen I was getting a Murakami feel - like it was about to turn really strange but never quite did. 5y

BarbaraBB @Billypar I read a comparison to Murakami but I don‘t think it is comparable. Murakami is the master in this field. And I agree with @emilyhaldi Such a frustrating storyline. 5y

Billypar @emilyhaldi @Suet624 Absolutely agree - the introduction to his character when Songpin was describing him was so creepy and it felt like a letdown to not have more developments with his character. 5y

Billypar @BarbaraBB Yeah it almost became less strange as it went on, whereas Murakami ups the ante on the mysterious occurrences as his novels develop. 5y

emilyhaldi It‘s almost like there were Murakami intentions, but as soon as the most interesting characters were introduced, Fei got overwhelmed and gave up 😂 @LeahBergen @Suet624 @merelybookish @Billypar @BarbaraBB 5y

Suet624 Also, was there some reference to the fact that Ding Caichen hadn‘t actually died? 5y

vivastory @LeahBergen Exactly! I feel like I had read the exact same thing in Murakami's short story collection “The Elephant Vanishes“ 5y

vivastory @emilyhaldi I wish I could. I reread that section twice. So, my impression is that Ding Caichen really did commit suicide. But I think he did it because he knew he would have been killed by a rival mafia otherwise. Cui got that mysterious text meant for someone else earlier in the book. Also, if they mutilated her face as a warning to him & then he felt guilty & hired Cui to craft the best sound system in the world, knowing he was going to die.. 5y

emilyhaldi Ahhhhh I didn't consider the sound system being a gift for his companion (girlfriend? wife?) That makes sense!! @vivastory But yes, @Suet624 I read it that way too... And how did the money get wired to Cui's account after the suicide? 5y

LeahBergen @Billypar Exactly. Like it needed more cats or spaghetti. 😆 5y

LeahBergen @emilyhaldi Yes!! They were such a weird couple and I needed more. 5y

vivastory @emilyhaldi I think his companion said that the money would be free after his bills were paid off. My guess is that it went through some version of probate court & the remainder of his estate went to his companion who sent the money to his companion. But this is all just assumptions on my part. I felt that there were too many storylines for it to work as a novella, but not necessarily compelling enough to want to read it as a novel. 5y

vivastory @LeahBergen Don't forget the Colonel 🍗😂 5y

Billypar @vivastory @LeahBergen Lol- yeah if the Colonel or Jack Daniels showed up, that would have made things interesting- talk about uncertainty! 😅 5y

Liz_M @merelybookish I also wanted to know what happened between the sister and the friend. 5y

Liz_M It's such an oddly structured story. As if in each stage of Cui's life we are shown a snippet of what could be a whole novel the inappropriate childhood friendship torn apart by..... ; the famial bonds broken by greed and the sister's betrayal of her brother....; the well paid job that drags Cui into the underworld.... 5y

mklong Totally agree with @Billypar that I was getting a Murakami vibe, but it never went anywhere. I felt let down by that, but that is possibly unfair to Ge Fei and what he was trying to do. 5y

vivastory @Liz_M I had the same thought. It really did feel like a string of underdeveloped scenes. For me it would have worked so much better as a full length novel. 5y

sisilia I didn‘t care much about the plot and character developments, and maybe that‘s why I like this novella 🤪 I enjoyed the snippets that @liz_m mentioned; I nodded with agreement to all the madness (Yep, seen that before. Yes, that‘s pretty normal these days) and I loved many of the quotes about life 5y

Leftcoastzen I found myself wondering where all the characters/ storylines could go...maybe he was going for more of an edgy yet light “ slice of life” feel.I wondered a lot if he dug deeper how he would avoid ideas that might run afoul of the Chinese political system. 5y

batsy I agree @emilyhaldi those characters and that aspect of the story were verging on full on strange and I would have liked more! But it did seem like he abandoned it at that point and we got that kind of weird Hallmark ending. Like @sisilia although the plot or themes itself felt slight, I mostly enjoyed the meandering "loser's tale" that came before; the disaffection, the ennui, the pithy philosophising. 5y

GatheringBooks You missed me here @vivastory - :) but its ok, as i am super late to this party. I felt that this was just right, the length, the pacing, the astuteness of the writing that was restrained thruout. Yet, i confess that i never really connected to the story nor the characters. I enjoyed the audiophile aspect with the references to obscure music which I enjoyed - I appreciated the subtlety of the writing, but - no connection. It didn‘t move me. 5y

GatheringBooks @Liz_M this is a very sharp observation. I am thinking now @vivastory could it have been a deliberate choice on the author‘s part to leave the arcs suspended in that way? Notwithstanding its being frustrating for the reader-could that be the intention? Plus the entire malaise & meandering aspect that is also at the core of the story, the getting there but not quite, and it is ok, because it is how it is - like an air of resignation, a tired sigh. 5y

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vivastory #NYRBBookClub @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP 5y

In an interview Fei said, "I made a point of going to southern Beijing, walking around the streets, memorizing the images, the scenes, understanding what went where, and what was there. I was inspired by a great critic who pointed out if you're going to write about the city, you have to write about a specific place-you can't write purely on the basis of your imagination..." Do you think that Fei adequately portrayed Beijing in his book?

merelybookish I feel like I got a taste of Beijing and how it has changed in the last 30-40 years. The descriptions of his childhood street and the rich neighborhood where the guy lived are still vivid. But I felt so much eluded me in this book, in part because I lack knowledge about Beijing and Chinese culture in general. 5y

Billypar I thought Fei's descriptive passages worked really well - poetic, but in a succinct way. I'm not sure I felt immersed in Beijing to the point I could picture it. But it might be more my limitations as a reader in imagining scenery. 5y

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Suet624 Well... I'm not sure I would know if he adequately portrayed Beijing, but I know that I appreciated how he reflected the change in the culture from his childhood. 5y

BarbaraBB I am with @Suet624 I appreciated these descriptions a lot. 5y

vivastory @merelybookish I agree. I do wish there had been a bit more description, but the novella format wouldn't have really allowed for it. Also, I wonder how much was lost in translation. 5y

vivastory @Billypar It was interesting, because in the interview he specifically mentions Balzac who really did try to immerse readers in the scenery. I felt that with Fei it was as you said a succinct way. 5y

Billypar @vivastory That's good to know - I still need to read Balzac at some point! 5y

Liz_M I can't point to a specific passage or description, but I definitely wasn't in NYC and this story doesn't feel like it could have been set in America, so I have to assume the atmosphere was representative of Beijing. 5y

sisilia I like what he did in portraying the changes. It‘s pretty much the same for the Chinese people who live in other Asian countries. Everthing is now modern and people are getting more and more individualistic 5y

Leftcoastzen I found wishing I knew more about Beijing.I‘m with @merelybookish the difference between his childhood street and the rich neighborhood was vivid.I know for so many years the Chinese people did not have a lot of money (some still don‘t)and had the feeling that the new rich , as they are most places , are not nostalgic for old ways & places that reflect their humble beginnings 5y

batsy Like @merelybookish said those descriptive passages were really vivid. But I'm not sure if I could really see Beijing in my mind; it was more like I could *feel* the city and the changes and the sense of materialism shaping it. That's probably got to do with how a lot of cities around the world were changing in that way and I could see it from my perspective of living in a developing country in SE Asia. 5y

vivastory @batsy That's an interesting point. I wondered how much it would influence a sense of the place if you were living somewhere similar. Shared experiences etc. 5y

GatheringBooks @batsy that is what i felt too - it was more the essence or the pulse of the city that was effectively captured, i thought @vivastory The details of the place as “beijing” were never too overwhelming nor overly drawn that it becomes expository-like or has a docu vibe. I felt the everyday existence in a place with a strong social divide, the interactions felt real, and the cultural aspect was clear but not contrived nor seemed like an affectation. 5y

vivastory @GatheringBooks It's always an interesting question to me on how authors decide to tackle making their cities come alive & I think you're spot-on with the way Fei handled his portrayal of Beijing 5y

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Mr. Cui crafts speakers for wealthy audiophiles. Did you find the technical jargon & the physics of sounds to be too much info or was it interesting?
#NYRBBookClub
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP

LeahBergen I actually found it pretty interesting (although the actual brand names went in one ear and out the other). I am definitely NOT an audiophile. 😆 5y

Liz_M I definitely skimmed those parts. 5y

emilyhaldi TMI for me!! Some of the background regarding the audiophile community was interesting but I found the paragraphs of technical naming and listing of parts to be distracting. 5y

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Billypar I liked those sections - I'm not an audiophile myself but I kept imagining how amazing the music would sound. 5y

merelybookish Initially I read them and found them interesting but will admit to some skimming near the end. 😬 To connect with your last question about not being perfect, I do think this is where Cui sought perfection. No one completely aimless could have that level of love, knowledge and technical know-how even if it doesn't have obvious value to others. 5y

Suet624 It wasn't too much information for me. While I didn't find it all that interesting, I appreciated his connection and love for the technology. I think it's possible that I know a lot of people like him and I listen to a lot of babble that ultimately results in me knowing something I didn't know before. :) I also enjoyed checking out the music he referenced. Pete Townshend also spent time in his book doing the same thing, by the way. 5y

BarbaraBB I felt myself skimming a bit over those parts but I didn‘t mind them, they were needed for the story. 5y

vivastory @emilyhaldi I was a bit.. 😴 5y

vivastory @BarbaraBB True, that's one part I found myself glad that this was a novella. I actually did find the sections about the physics of sound really interesting. When he started talking about the parts of speakers though, it became a bit too technical... 5y

vivastory @Liz_M I def. don't blame you! 5y

emilyhaldi @Suet624 me too! As Cui drove up to the house later to confront Ding Caichen, and he heard the Brahms 2nd piano concerto playing - his favorite - I had to look it up and listened as I read the rest of the book. Beautiful! 5y

mklong I agree with @merelybookish that, while I skimmed them, I think they were necessary to show Mr. Cui's expertise. It gave him a depth and showed some passion that his character was otherwise totally lacking. 5y

sisilia I found it interesting at the start, but I skimmed it when it got very technical when he built the set for Ding Caichen 5y

Suet624 @emilyhaldi oh, I‘m happy you did the same thing! 5y

Leftcoastzen I‘m a little nerdy about that stuff myself, I can‘t afford the real high end , but am in love with retro 1970s better than average components.Yay Pete! @Suet624 I‘ve got to get t the Townsend autobiography! 5y

batsy I'm not an audiophile myself and I found those sections interesting! I was a bit worried at first because I thought my eyes might glaze over. I also liked that it provides moments for him to go on philosophical tangents about pretentious connoisseurs because those asides amused me 😆 5y

vivastory @batsy I was laughing at a few of those comments 😂 5y

Suet624 @Leftcoastzen Honestly, that guy is a genius. The things he‘s created including sound systems is noteworthy. 5y

GatheringBooks @Suet624 @emilyhaldi i had the same thought! My husband def knows more than i do in the audio department so i would check in with him if he knows the stuff i am reading in the novel. I wanted to create a spotify playlist based on the music that he mentioned and those obscure pieces, but never got around to doing it. But i did play the brahms on repeat for a time. I found it fascinating notwithstanding the technical aspect. 5y

Suet624 @GatheringBooks great idea on creating a Invisibility Cloak Spotify playlist. Classical music has become a soothing option for me during these godawful times. 5y

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vivastory @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP 5y

One of the themes of The Invisibility Cloak is uncertainty in life. "You should understand that nothing in this world is ever truly clear. If life is crazy, let it be crazy!..Try to be perfect, and where's the fun?" How well do you think Fei handled this theme, especially for Mr Cui's development?
#NYRBBookClub
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly

LeahBergen Cui‘s character took this almost to an extreme. He was just so ... I dunno ... aimless to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 5y

Billypar I'm not sure about the theme's development throughout the novel but I didn't like how it popped up in the final paragraph - it seemed a little too pat, stating a moral of the story so plainly. 5y

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Suet624 I may be misunderstanding the question, but I honestly understood Cui's directionless meandering through his life. While he was being thrown out of his apartment, he seemed to meander his way into a new home & family. His uncertainty over his life's options never seemed to completely unravel him. While he could have had become angry at the lifestyles of the wealthy that he served, he took it all in stride and used it to his advantage. (edited) 5y

vivastory @Billypar I agree. It seemed like he reached an epiphany in just a couple of sentences. I even went back & reread the passage a few times, thinking maybe I'd missed something, but I couldn't really see any subtext hinting at it. 5y

vivastory @Suet624 I do think that his meandering, go with the flow attitude & the theme of life's uncertaintites were separate. What struck me as a bit odd towards the end in the passage I posted, it seemed like it was his aimlessness was being criticized. It felt like Fei needed a bit more of a resolution, so it was just sort of stuck on a bit? 5y

vivastory @LeahBergen 😂There is an interview in The Paris Review (Sue pointed it out to me) where he talks at some length about the person he modeled Cui on. It made me understand Cui as a character slightly more, but it didn't really change my opinion of the book. 5y

mklong At the risk of sounding a little mean, am I the only one who feels like this theme is overly simplistic? It all boiled down to basically a FaceBook meme-style “Life is crazy, buckle up!“ 5y

Billypar @mklong Nope, I think you're on target. There are plenty of books filled with unexpected turns that thwart characters' plans, but I don't think they need to be codified into some kind of lesson for the characters. Uncertainty in fiction is its own reward! 5y

Leftcoastzen He did seem to blow in the wind a bit. I thought some of his aimlessness might be due to his failed relationship.Seems like people who are not in a relationship will either be very set in their ways or kind of rudderless.He seems used to friends and family disappointing him or asking too much of him with little thought to the consequences for him. 5y

sisilia The way I see it, this is linked back to the Chinese mindset. Traditionally, there are set of rules about how life is supposed to be. Family is supposed to be loving and supportive. Marriage is for forever. If you work hard, you will succeed. Well, those may be true in the past, but things are different now in the modern society - and that‘s when the anxiety hits. What if I don‘t make it in this life? So that phrase fits nicely as an answer 5y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I think thats very true 5y

batsy I agree with @Suet624 I thought that sense of aimlessness was well-depicted for the most part; he really lived the uncertainty. But i also agree with the comments that how it was resolved or fixed was too simplistic in the end. I wonder if the author was trying to show how Mr Cui just seems to have aimlessly sleepwalked into a kind of life with meaning? @sisilia Appreciate those points; that context is certainly relevant. 5y

GatheringBooks @sisilia @batsy great exchange about cultural context and the seeming simplicity of the resolution. However, i also thought that the aimlessness @vivastory may also be perceived from the lenses of poverty - if one has nothing to lose, one simply goes through the motions of what is expected - great if you find beauty, but everything has an ephemeral quality. I thought the resolution was just right, as it should be. 😂🧚🏼‍♀️ 5y

vivastory @GatheringBooks That's a really good point, esp. since his poverty is inseparable from his chosen career path making speakers, which he idealizes earlier in the book when he talks about how clients would never cheat him. 5y

35 likes16 comments

#NYRBBookClub discussion starts in about 30 minutes. As always chime in when you're free. The world is a mess, I hope you and your loved ones are doing well.
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP

Suet624 Doing a zoom 20th wedding anniversary celebration of my daughter and son in law and then will jump on. Time sure flies - 20 years! On the other hand, I just had a facebook reminder video of 2 years ago when I was screaming with the Foo Fighters at Fenway Park. That seems ages ago! 5y

mklong Got caught up in the NASA launch but am wading in now... 5y

Suet624 Scott, do you know when I‘m due to make a selection? 5y

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vivastory @Suet624 You'll be making the nominations in August for September selection 5y

Suet624 Perfect. Thanks! I can breathe easy for a bit. (edited) 5y

batsy Scott, wanted to check if I'm making nominations next in June? Or is it July? I seem to have lost all track of time 🥴 5y

vivastory @batsy You will be nominating in July. @reviewsbylola is nominating in June. 5y

batsy @vivastory Thanks! 5y

49 likes8 comments

batsy

pick

Wanted to steal @emilyhaldi 's review because it sums up the book so well :) This is a 3 ⭐ pick for me. Not wow, but I liked something about the self-deprecating tone shot through with black humour & the nuggets of insight that fill its pages. I think it's trying to raise some interesting questions about art, authenticity, & meaning, but it comes off a little too slight. Still, I always enjoy an underachiever's tale told with wit. #nyrbbookclub

emilyhaldi You're much too kind- and I agree with your review completely! Especially regarding those "nuggets of wisdom" ? 5y

batsy @vivastory 5y

batsy @emilyhaldi 😊❤️ 5y

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mklong

Love it when my book matches my flowers! Slow start, but I hope to finish up tonight in time for the #NYRBBookClub discussion tomorrow.

Texreader 👍🏻💙 5y

vivastory It's a quick read. Looking forward to your thoughts on it. 5y

batsy Beautiful photo 😍 5y

erzascarletbookgasm Gorgeous pic and flowers! 5y

LeahBergen Look at those hydrangeas! 💙 5y

48 likes5 comments

emilyhaldi

so-so

Hmmmm ok, well I have some conflicting thoughts on this but I'm going to consider Mr. Cui's concluding instruction to "stop nitpicking and dissecting every little thing... keep one eye closed and one eye open... quit worrying about everything and everybody" and life (and this book?) will actually be pretty fucking beautiful ?
#NYRBbookclub

BarbaraBB Such a spot on summary 😀 5y

BarbaraBB That cat 😻😻 5y

vivastory Very nicely said 5y

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batsy Love this review 💕 5y

LeahBergen Yep. I‘m feeling much the same way about this one. 5y

Reviewsbylola I‘m actually glad I skipped this one. 5y

62 likes6 comments

Leftcoastzen

pick

#NYRBBookClub a pick, but not enthusiastically so.Mr.Cui may not have status or money, but he has an interesting skill, building high end audio sets.Ones he basically can‘t afford to own.As he struggles to make ends meet , his friends & family are more antagonistic than helpful or supportive.Cui was left behind in the Beijing boom,amazed at the shallow & greedy who seek status with an almost western capitalist zeal.Some dark humor throughout.

vivastory Excellent review. I agree with you. Although I rated it a so-so, there is certainly elements I like: narrative voice, aphoristic insight scattered around... I've just read better version IMO 5y

BarbaraBB Great review. I liked to learn a bit more about current day China but wasn‘t blown away by the story. 5y

batsy Nice review! I agree @vivastory those are the elements I liked. I'm almost finished and I'm pretty sure it's a pick but it just missed being wow for me. 5y

59 likes3 comments

so-so

The narrator, slightly disillusioned & adrift, is barely making it on orders for customized speakers for wealthy audiophiles. He looks back on more prosperous times, including a legend about a wealthy figure that provides the book title & a metaphorical attitude to our narrator. A novella, there's a lot of moving parts. Too many, I think. The parts that work are interesting, but aren't necessarily new to me. I've seen similar elements in 👇

vivastory Murakami's story collection, "The Elephant Vanishes." Elements I liked, sadly though this is I believe the first #NYRBBookClub selection I've rated a so-so. 5y

Suet624 I liked this interview where the author talks about the invisibility factor. https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/11/14/invisibility-cloak-interview-ge-f... 5y

vivastory @Suet624 I'll definitely check that out. Thanks! 5y

BarbaraBB I agree with you Scott! Thanks for the link, @Suet624 5y

batsy @Suet624 Thanks for that, looking forward to checking it out once I'm done. 5y

82 likes5 comments

batsy

Oof...

#NYRBbookclub

Suet624 Loved this quote. 5y

Cathythoughts Wow 5y

GreenGrl87 Whoa 5y

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Leftcoastzen There are little gems in this book. 5y

paulfrankspencer Apparently there are degrees to familial love. 5y

vivastory I really liked that quote 5y

batsy @Suet624 @vivastory like @Leftcoastzen said this book has some gems of insight! 5y

batsy @Cathythoughts @GreenGrl87 Lots of good quotes in this book that I don't want to think about too much 😥 5y

batsy @paulfrankspencer Very much so! 5y

Reggie Yikes!!! 5y

batsy @Reggie I had to pause my reading and shake it off, lol 5y

77 likes11 comments

Lyrics from a Peking opera. Unfortunately they‘re not wrong. #nyrbbookclub

sisilia I LOL-ed when I read this 😆 5y

Suet624 Strangely it was the perfect summation of the last book I read. 5y

batsy I haven't reached this bit yet but that's too good 😅 5y

50 likes3 comments

LeahBergen

Okay, I‘m heading in, my fellow #NYRBBookClub pals!

This one seems to be splitting people‘s opinions. 🤔

vivastory I'll be curious to see what you think! 5y

Leftcoastzen Am I the last to start this as in not yet !?😀🙄🤦‍♀️ 5y

tpixie I love how you drink took up the cover of the book! #Reflections 5y

mklong @Leftcoastzen Nope 🙋🏻‍♀️ Late as usual over here too. It‘s short, so we should be fine right? 5y

Suet624 Just started too. 5y

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Last one 😆

43 likes

Yeaaaahhhh... YOLO, just go with the flow 🤪

TheSpineView Great quote!💜 5y

44 likes1 comment

A lot of people are pushing their limits just to look “rich”, which is a dumb thing to do. Why do we care about what others think?

Leftcoastzen 👏👏 5y

vivastory Such a great line! 5y

Suet624 Yes!! 5y

41 likes3 comments

Another one from this book 💕

Leftcoastzen Like that one , too ! I have to start reading it. 5y

sisilia @Leftcoastzen Looking forward to discussing this 😃 5y

batsy Oof so true. I still haven't started yet but I like all the quotes you've shared! 5y

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sisilia @batsy 💕😁 5y

Liz_M That struck a cord with me as well 🙂. 5y

emilyhaldi I underlined this section as well 🤗 5y

sisilia @Liz_M @emilyhaldi Favorite phrase! 🥰 5y

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Join me Sat 5/30 @1 PM CST as we discuss Ge Fei's The Invisibility Cloak. Reviews have been a bit mixed on this selection. Did this work for you or not? Let's discuss.
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet
#NYRBBookClub

vivastory @Aimeesue @Billypar @JenniferP 5y

Leftcoastzen I need to get on it! Haven‘t started it yet .😯 5y

Suet624 @Leftcoastzen I haven‘t either! Fortunately it‘s short. 5y

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LeahBergen I‘m starting it today. 👍🏻 5y

BarbaraBB Looking forward to it! 5y

batsy @Suet624 @Leftcoastzen @LeahBergen I hope to start later today 😆 5y

emilyhaldi Starting it right now 😁 5y

54 likes7 comments

Billypar

so-so

#nyrbbookclub
I enjoyed the sly humor about characters without many redeeming qualities, but was a little disappointed that the mystery aspects introduced early on didn't end up developing very far. The writing was engaging, but I would have enjoyed more twists and turns: the short length and anticlimax gave it an unfinished feel. I did like the descriptions of high quality sound systems - it made me want to listen to what was being described.

merelybookish I felt similarly. There were aspects I liked but not everything added together. 5y

vivastory Good review. Too bad it didn't turn out great. 5y

Billypar @merelybookish @vivastory I'm glad we're discussing it- definitely a few things I wanted to hear from others about. 5y

batsy I haven't started (and I should!) but I'm seeing a few reviews/comments in this vein! 5y

Billypar @batsy It's pretty short, so you should be able to polish off quickly. I think so far reviews are split between 'pick' and 'so-so'. Interested to hear your thoughts! 5y

38 likes5 comments

merelybookish

so-so

Between a pick and a so-so. I enjoyed the descriptions of present-day Beijing as well as the Beijing of the narrator's childhood. I also was intrigued by the family and friendship dynamics. But a lot left me mystified. There were significant themes that eluded me, a plot I didn't really care about, and some questions that remained unanswered. As always, I look forward to what other #nyrbbookclub members have to say. @vivastory

vivastory I just started this. I'm enjoying it so far, but I think I might feel the same! Should be an interesting discussion! 5y

59 likes1 comment

merelybookish

From 1950s small-town Iowa to 21st century Beijing. Diving into May's #nyrbbookclub selection. Something to keep me sane while I'm in a four-hour zoom class. 😩 @vivastory

BoldCityBooks What kindle is this? Newer model? Looks bigger than mine 5y

kspenmoll 4 hours! 5y

BarbaraBB 4 hours?! That‘s impossible 😫 5y

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merelybookish @Nebula_of_Books I think it's a Paperwhite. I've had it a few years. 5y

merelybookish @kspenmoll @BarbaraBB I know. It's ridiculous. People don't seem to understand that online education is not the same as being in a classroom. 5y

vivastory I feel bad for pushing the like button on this 😬 5y

merelybookish @vivastory Haha! I appreciate that. There's not much to like! 5y

57 likes7 comments

saresmoore

I‘m not sure what to think of this book, so far. The writing is clever and I‘m liking the narrator‘s POV, but not sure where the story is going... 🧐 #NYRBBookClub #bookandbump

Leftcoastzen Need to get started, nice bump!😀 5y

Billypar I was having the same reaction - I just passed a quarter of the way through, but the last page I read introduced a tantalizing hint of a plot to come...and now I have to start work. It's times like these I wish I wasn't such an honest work-from- home employee 😅 5y

saresmoore @Billypar Isn‘t integrity such a burden?! I hope you‘ll get some more reading time soon! 5y

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ulyssesartmiller Oh hey, NYRB book club! I‘ve been considering signing up for that. How is it overall? 5y

BarbaraBB @ulyssesartmiller I‘ll tag @vivastory for you, he knows all about our great book club! 5y

ulyssesartmiller @BarbaraBB thanks! 5y

Suet624 Thank you for this beautiful photo. I love seeing a pregnant belly. 5y

LeahBergen Aww, I love this photo! 💙 5y

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BarbaraBB

pick

This book is called a comic novel but to me it‘s tragicomic at the most, with a bit of fantasy. Highly original and I loved to peak into modern China.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Cui, a middle aged man who barely scrapes by in Beijing by building high quality audio systems for wealthy customers.

#NYRB #NYRBBookClub ⬇️⬇️⬇️

BarbaraBB His social life consists of a lingering love for his unfaithful ex-wife, a childhood friend, and the sister who demands he turn over his apartment to her. To solve his logistical problems he takes on an audio project for a risky client. 5y

Megabooks I love this cover!! 5y

BarbaraBB @Megabooks Me too, I‘d read it only for its cover 😍 5y

Crazeedi Agree! #CoverCrush! 5y

vivastory I'm glad you liked it! 🙂 5y

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saresmoore

As the marvelous music permeated the dark night, the whole world seemed to fall silent at once, turning darkly mysterious. Even my two goldfish in their enameled stoneware basin would leap up and disturb the water with their tails, wriggling with cold excitement. An illusion of hiding in the quietest corner of the deepest place on earth would take over my consciousness.

#NYRBBookClub

saresmoore I just started this morning & I am enjoying the meandering, but still brief observational style. It seems we are deeply enmeshed in the narrator‘s introspection from the beginning. 5y

Cinfhen So good to see you!!! Hope you‘re feeling well and the girls are busy bees 🐝 🐝 ♥️ I think it‘s your birthday soon ~ sending love 🌻 🌻🌻 5y

saresmoore @Cinfhen Thank you, sweet friend! The girls are thriving, even in spite of the quarantine. Lucy is doing a lot of coding and working with an amazing teacher to hone her writing skills. Elliott is mostly just being a very emotive 9yo, creative intricate dolls & dollhouses, and waiting impatiently for her baby sister to arrive! 5y

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Cinfhen Another girl 💗💗💗how awesome!!!! Thanks for the update on Lucy & Ellie 😁 glad you‘re all doing well...looking forward to a family photo ❣️❣️❣️ 5y

BarbaraBB Beautiful quote. I am starting the book right now too. Happy to hear you are all doing well. When are you due? 👶🏻 5y

Megabooks Congratulations on you 3rd girl!! 💖💖 Also there‘s definitely some #coverlove with that book! 5y

saresmoore @BarbaraBB Due date is July 23, but my first two came a few weeks ahead of the estimate, so I‘m preparing for early July. Who am I kidding? I‘m prepared for any moment! 5y

saresmoore @Megabooks Thank you! 5y

BarbaraBB So exciting! I hope you are feeling well yourself too. Take care & keep us posted ❤️ 5y

LeahBergen Happy Birthday, my lovely friend! Sending all sorts of love and best wishes your way!! 😘😘😘 5y

erzascarletbookgasm Happy birthday Sara! 💗🥳 5y

saresmoore @LeahBergen @erzascarletbookgasm Thank you, sweet friends! 🥰 5y

batsy Happy birthday, lovely Sara! Wishing you much happiness ❤️🎈📚🧁 5y

Centique Happy birthday Sara! 💕💜💕 5y

saresmoore @batsy Thank you, Suba! 💞 5y

saresmoore @Centique Thank you, Paula! ❤️ 5y

Lindy Belated birthday wishes! 🎂 ⭐️ 🐠 5y

Suet624 Jeepers. I always think your birthday is in June. I hope you had a lovely one. 5y

69 likes18 comments

pick

4⭐️ I love this! Reading this novel really feels like listening to my parents sharing their wisdoms about life 😆 So many quotable phrases that I will definitely revisit. Excellent translation by Canaan Morse, too!
#NYRBBookClub

Hooked_on_books Great cover 5y

merelybookish I haven't started yet but glad to see a positive review! 5y

61 likes2 comments

sisilia #nyrbbookclub 5y

46 likes1 comment

vivastory @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet 5y

Thanks to @saresmoore for co-hosting April's selection. An enormous thank you to all of you! Our thoughtful & lively discussions continue to be a high point of my month. Join me this month as we read and discuss Ge Fei's The Invisibility Cloak. @sisilia I look forward to your June nominations!
#NYRBBookClub

GatheringBooks i actually finished this two nights ago. it‘s a quick read! :) looking forward to the june selections. 5y

vivastory @GatheringBooks I just looked at the page count. It is a quick read! I'm getting Murakami vibes from it... did you like it? 5y

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emilyhaldi Ohhhhh @vivastory Murakami vibes?! I am a recent fan of his. The comparison makes me even more excited for this next NYRB classic 💙 5y

vivastory @emilyhaldi I haven't started reading yet, but from the description I'm getting that feeling. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint! 5y

GatheringBooks @vivastory i enjoyed it. not so much murakami but more of an audiophile‘s diary, with a macabre twist that, ok, is slightly reminiscent of murakami - but not quite. 5y

saresmoore I‘m looking forward to this one! 5y

vivastory @GatheringBooks I see. It sounds intriguing, a change of pace from the past few months I think. 5y

vivastory @saresmoore I think I'm going to start it next week 👍 5y

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My #NYRBbookclub May selection arrived today from Better World Books. I was all kinds of delighted. It apparently originally came from Strand Book Store and is an autographed copy. There was nothing in the description stating it was autographed! All for $5.

erzascarletbookgasm 😍 lucky you! 5y

squirrelbrain What luck! ❤️ 5y

batsy Score! 🙌🏽 5y

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saresmoore Woohoo! 5y

merelybookish Score! 5y

vivastory Nice! 5y

kspenmoll The cover is lovely too! 5y

Suet624 @kspenmoll it is, isn‘t it? 5y

sisilia This is awesome! 5y

56 likes9 comments

GatheringBooks

OriginalCyn620, Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#BloomingBibliophiles Day 24: Our #NYRBBookClub pick for May has a mighty #colorful cover. Borrowed an e-book version from Singapore NLB‘s overdrive, which I still get to access, thanks to beautiful bibliophile friends.

OriginalCyn620 📚👍🏻💙 5y

vivastory I will most likely be getting the e-book too. Yes, it's a colorful cover! 5y

66 likes2 comments

Leftcoastzen

The Invisibility Cloak | Fei Ge

#bookmail is the best mail ! Powells had to lay off over 300 people when the stores closed down .They hired 100 back to process orders that came in , slowed by social distancing, I get it , I want them to stay safe.Read a great review of Picture, the tagged book is #NYRBbookclub May selection.I was obsessed (years ago) with Barthelme thought I‘d check out the biography, affordable because it‘s used , glad it‘s in nice shape.Tom Toms butt , NEC.

sisilia Wow, I didn‘t know that Powell is that big! 5y

Leftcoastzen @sisilia the main store is multiple rooms and floors , I believe there are 5 smaller locations, and mail order.Portlanders can correct me if I‘m wrong .New , used & a rare book room , amazing place. 5y

sisilia I hope to visit Portland one day 🤞🏻😻 5y

Leftcoastzen @sisilia It is a great city and if you love books Powells is heaven! 5y

47 likes4 comments