The Pilgrim Hawk

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#weirdwords #weirdwordwednesday @CBee

Pulchritude: beauty

“How rare pulchritude is among the Irish, I said to myself; therefore what a trouble is made when it does appear...“

CBee Lovely word! 3mo

Ruthiella This word always mixes me up because it sounds to me like it should mean the opposite. Maybe because of the similar sounding “putrid”? 3mo

rubyslippersreads I learned this word from the #BetsyTacy books. 3mo

Daisey I‘m with @Ruthiella. This word always sounds like it should be the opposite of beauty to me. 3mo

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sisilia

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

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4⭐️ I reread this with my IRL bookclub and I loved it the same. My favorite character is Mrs. Cullen 😍 I can see myself in her 🤭 but not with a hawk. A raven is more likely 🐦‍⬛

Leftcoastzen Great read 5mo

batsy Love this book! 5mo

sisilia I read this 3 years ago with #nyrbbookclub … Glad to reread it this year. It‘s much better than his other book Apartment in Athen @Leftcoastzen @batsy 4mo

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Pinta

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

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Psychological novella set in 1920s French village—foreigners meet for an afternoon of drink and conversation. Part “Who‘s afraid of Virginia Woolf?” & part Gatsby. Cinematic scene-setting & world-weary narrator in the spirit of Nick Carraway. The random cruelties of marriage & intimacy, desire for beauty (symbolic & otherwise). Class, power, jealousy, domestication. Beautifully switches between flat, clear-eyed cynicism & romantic longing. 1940

BarbaraBB Great review. If you want more, the discussion last month about this book here on Litsy was very good! 4y

batsy Lovely review! I thought it was a brilliant, unnerving read. 3y

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Pinta

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

^^The shifts from drama to comedy to spiritual longing, romantic symbolism, psychological musings, all in 100 quick pages. A cycle in an afternoon, furiously churning. Such great story pacing.

Loc 152: “I brought my hawk,” Mrs. Cullen unnecessarily announced.
>>Wry, spare humor.

KILLER line:
Loc 1055, Mrs. Cullen speaking of husband: “He has bated, don‘t you know.”

Bated, as in when the kept bird flaps wings frantically on tether. CALLBACK

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Suet624

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

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I enjoyed this novella so much that I read it twice. A perfect example of how to write a story. The observations of a third party witnessing the tension of a marriage, the jealousy of a husband over his wife‘s devotion to a hawk, the perils of marriage itself, were spot on and delicious. Almost each sentence held a concept worth stopping and thinking about or chuckling over. This was just a delight. #NYRBbooclub

LeahBergen And that Lucy was such a fantastic character. 🦅 4y

Suet624 @LeahBergen It's been several weeks since I read the book and Lucy stands foremost in my mind when I think of the story. Westcott's descriptions of her were brilliant and she was such a dominant presence. Such a strong spirit, yet made vulnerable by mankind. 4y

batsy Yes! Every page had gems to mull over. Such insight and perceptiveness, even when it came to "characterising" Lucy, as it were. 4y

Tanisha_A How true! I wanted to underline something on every page. 4y

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Tanisha_A

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

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Caricatur-ish! A fantastic and satisfying read, and definitely a modern classic. Set in 1920s, the location was idyllic (who wouldn't love a novel set in French countryside?), the characters were a brilliant mess, and the prose was perfect. I am still wondering at the genius of Wescott to pack a ton in just 108 pages. It's essentially a tale of love triangles, not a common one though. There is a bird involved, literally. 👇🏽

Tanisha_A But of course, in a larger sense and meaning of the book, it's a symbol and nothing like i have come across before - very inventive and unique. As you can see there are a bunch of page tabs in such a short novel, and honestly I could have put one on every page. It's brimming with great sentences and observations about life, love, human dispositions, nature etc. One of my favourites is this one about trees - 4y

Tanisha_A “The trees had been so lovingly tended ever since a pupil of Lenôtre's set them out that each of them had developed its maximum character. The way they stood in informal groups, or in line, or alone at a little distance, seemed not only to conform their feelings about each other: idiosyncrasies of affection or obedience, pride or pain. And unlike human characters in such an assembly, they promised or threatened nothing more; 👇🏽 4y

Tanisha_A no episodes or developments.”

My very first #nyrbclassics read was a success, yay! I am going to look at the questions you posted and the discussion, today. @vivastory @Suet624 #nyrbbookclub 4y

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batsy Fabulous review! I love that quote you chose. It's such a perfectly-structured book. His writing? Heart-eyes for days... 4y

Tanisha_A Correction in the quote above. *Seemed not only to conform to the art of parks but to express their feelings about each other 4y

Tanisha_A @batsy It's definitely one of the most structured books i have read. So neat. And soo funny too at instances, i have been laughing thinking about it. *heart-eyes for days* totally 🌳 4y

Cathythoughts Great review & picture 👍🏻❤️ I have this one stacked 4y

BarbaraBB Great review! 4y

Nute Excellent review! You gave me such a feel for this book...I wish that it was in my possession right now! 4y

readordierachel Lovely photo 📷 4y

LeahBergen Great review! Lucy was my favourite character. 😆 4y

Suet624 Just getting a minute to look at Litsy. Your review is fantastic and I'm so glad you enjoyed your first NYRB read. I have a ton of post-its in my copy of the book as well. It was so good! 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Wescott writes of domesticity vs freedom & love vs desire among other issues. Considering the length, did Pilgrim Hawk work for you, or did it feel too full?
(Here is a link to an interesting brief article by Cunningham on Edwin Frank approaching him to writing the intro to Pilgrim Hawk as well as an excerpt: https://electricliterature.com/the-pilgrim-hawk-glenway-wescott/

vivastory Question 5
#NYRBBookClub
@suet624 @barbarabb @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @leftcoastzen @Liz_m @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @reviewsbylola @theaelizabet @billypar @tanisha_a @catebutler @daena 4y

batsy It felt full, but not in a bad way. I agree with Cunningham that it was as long as it needed to be. The language was so rich & complex that it seemed full in that sense, but I found the length perfect. At no point did I want it to end faster & when it ended I didn't feel like I had been robbed of what should have been a longer story. Wescott's writing blew me away. I admire how he constructed this story! (Thanks for the link; gonna check it out) 4y

vivastory @batsy I completely agree. This is my favorite novella that we have read. I initially rated this as 4 stars, but I just can't stop thinking about it & have bumped it up to 5 stars. I can't wait to read more Wescott. 4y

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Leftcoastzen I thought it was full and lush.The writing was beautiful, and his wit made me smile.I spent a lot of my life with a similar thought process, the pros & cons , the joys & compromises of relationships.How it stings every time your” soul mate “is totally oblivious to “ not get” something about you that you assumed he/she understood.Wescott could see how we could be tethered,like Lucy,and where the lines are , if the joys outweigh the compromises. 4y

Leftcoastzen And if there is a breaking point,if we really know and understand,lovers , acquaintances, friends at all. 4y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen Perfectly stated, friend! Wescott really understood & expressed the delights & frustrations of love so vividly & memorably. So much perfectly packed into such a small volume. 4y

sisilia It‘s just perfect! It‘s short but it didn‘t feel short with the deep dive in love, relationship, etc. I‘m craving for more Wescott, too! 4y

batsy @Leftcoastzen Yes, perfectly put about the breaking point in people. Felt like that was the essence of it. 4y

BarbaraBB I didn‘t appreciate the book as much as you did, probably because I didn‘t pay enough attention. This discussion adds some much to the book - again! I am immensely grateful for this bookclub. I now feel like reading it all over again. @Billypar @batsy @Leftcoastzen @vivastory 4y

BarbaraBB I also love the graphics with these posts 😍😍 4y

vivastory @sisilia Apparently the only other novel he published is also released by NYRB

Apartment in Athens

vivastory @BarbaraBB I think I will def read it again in a few months. Thanks! Vintage travel posters seemed appropriate 4y

sisilia I read that earlier this year, and loved it @vivastory 🙂 4y

GatheringBooks I am with @BarbaraBB here. I feel that I may not have been in the right headspace when I read it - or it has been too many books in between that the original impact the novella may have had is lost on me now. 😭😭😭 4y

LeahBergen I didn‘t find it too full. It was just so elegantly written and the perfect length. 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen Agreed 100% 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Speaking of Jean, Eva & Ricketts, Cunningham writes, “One imagines they pass through this novel while living out an unwritten novel of their own, one in which they are the central figures, and the commotion created by those people in the parlor is important but secondary.“ Did you find any interesting points about class in Wescott's portrayal of the servants?

vivastory Question 4
#NYRBBookClub @suet624 @barbarabb @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @leftcoastzen @Liz_m @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @reviewsbylola @theaelizabet @billypar @tanisha_a @catebutler @daena 4y

Billypar Westcott definitely seemed to be drawing a parallel between the dramas among both groups. I did wonder how much the author shared the disdainful attitudes towards servants as his aristocrat characters held. By making the 'they have the same troubles' point, it seemed a little condescending, even if it wasn't meant to be. I think this was the one part I didn't like as much, but not sure if I'm misinterpreting. 4y

vivastory @Billypar Cunningham read an upstairs/downstairs subplot with the servants. I thought this was intriguing, but am not wholly convinced. There was something a bit idyllic in the portrayal of the relationship between the servants & the aristocrats. I don't know very much about Wescott's life, other than he was according to wikipedia “independently wealthy.“ I def picture the servants in the other room rolling their eyes at the shenanigans going on 4y

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batsy I'm not convinced about Cunningham's reading either, and wondered if I was being a bit too critical. But I agree, I felt that this book depicted a class of people who took it for granted that there should be another class of people to serve them. Alex had some pretty standard snobbish views about the relationship between the employer and the domestic help and Cullen was fine to simply observe this. 4y

Leftcoastzen It seems to me that the ones who have the means to travel and go to such places do assume there‘s a class of people to serve them, and a story from their point of view might be more interesting.I wonder if it was just a thought to see it through their eyes or seem more empathetic? @vivastory I wondered about that independently wealthy noted in Wikipedia, It says Glenway was born on a farm in Wisconsin, how did he get that money? 4y

Leftcoastzen @vivastory continued: some of my family were farmers, none were independently wealthy!Despite my interest in the author , I have not read a biography. 4y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen According to a quote I found online by Ingrid Norton, Wescott was supported by his sister-in-law, who was an heiress. Another interesting bit of info. Wescott was the basis for Hemingway's character Robert Prentiss in Sun Also Rises 4y

Leftcoastzen @vivastory Oh yes! I remember the Prentiss thing now that you reminded me!😂Probably another one of the reasons I looked into him years ago, before the interweb thingy.😀 4y

BarbaraBB @vivastory These are such interesting sidenotes! On topic, I love Cunningham‘s idea of an upstairs/ downstairs drama and it would have been great if Wescott had written the other one as well at some moment, but to be honest I now didn‘t ging it very well worked out and was impatient to get back to the main storyline. 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I agree. I would have liked another novella from the servants perspective, I wouldn't want this book to have been changed at all. I'm surprised by how slim Wescott's fiction output is. After PH the only novel he published (also pub by NYRB) is Apartment in Athens. It also appears that his partner, Monroe Wheeler, worked for MoMa NY as the first director of exhibitions. 4y

BarbaraBB She sounds interesting too! The wife I mean. Have you read

Apartment in Athens

vivastory @BarbaraBB I haven't. @sisilia said it's great. Hope to read it in a few months 4y

LeahBergen Okay, that is fascinating that Hemingway based a character on Westcott. I‘m off to head down a rabbit hole! 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen I haven't read Sun Also Rises, but apparently it wasn't flattering portrayal. Supposedly Hemingway's mother once told him that he should write more like Wescott 😬 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Why do you think Cullen released Lucy? Did this act surprise you?

vivastory Question 3
#NYRBBookClub @suet624 @barbarabb @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @leftcoastzen @Liz_m @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @reviewsbylola @theaelizabet @billypar @tanisha_a @catebutler @daena 4y

Billypar It surprised me: even though I knew Cullen hated the hawk, he seemed too drunk and passive to attempt something like that. I think I misjudged him in the same way Tower did. 4y

vivastory @Billypar I was surprised too. The Cullens were exasperated with one another, but as you said he seemed very passive. I will def be reading this one again, there were so many layers to this work. I think this is my fave novella the group has read. 4y

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Billypar Agreed - I really liked how multilayered it was. I'm not always a fan of novellas, but this one felt fully-formed. 4y

batsy Yeah @Billypar I agree. My answer to q 2 was something similar; Tower knew that he had misjudged Cullen & as a reader I was fully taken in by Tower's assured narration. Even though you know by the end he's not reliable, either. Maybe this is also meta-commentary on the power a writer can exert over their readers? And yes, I was taken aback that Cullen chose to release Lucy. I was preparing myself for some gruesome violence involving the bird. 4y

batsy I *think* he did because he was truly afraid of Lucy & didn't want to have to deal with an anxious bird more than he should. And also maybe because he's a coward, in some ways, and needed to keep his hands clean. Tower himself felt disappointed that Cullen fell prey to sentimentality when Lucy finally returned—he saw that Cullen seemed almost relieved? 4y

Leftcoastzen I agree with you all .Like @batsy I was preparing for violence to come to Lucy,Cullen took the sneaky, mean way, I think ultimately Cullen was somewhat relieved because he may not have thought through how he might deal with Mrs. Cullens reaction to losing the bird,Cullen is cowardly after all. 4y

vivastory @batsy @leftcoastzen I think Cullen puts on a good show as being affable & passive, but is really dramatic & afraid to be honest with his wife. I agree with both of you, he was being cowardly. 4y

BarbaraBB Exactly @Billypar we misjudged Cullen because of Towers‘ unreliability. I am not sure why he did it though. Because he was afraid, like @batsy thinks, or maybe from a desperate wish to get Mrs Cullens attention and safe what‘s left from their marriage? I really don‘t know because of Towers‘ interpretation of the situation (and I don‘t think he‘d be sympathetic towards the ‘romantic‘ scenario). (edited) 4y

Billypar @BarbaraBB Yeah it's an interesting question: I agree with @batsy that he is probably afraid to be honest with her. I wonder if there's a gender norm aspect to it - Mrs. Cullen likes all these riskier, sporting activities that Mr. Cullen is fearful of, but maybe he feels ashamed as a man to speak up. I do also think there's a romantic angle as well - he clearly seems jealous of Lucy and the attention she lavishes on her. 4y

GatheringBooks That is exactly what I thought @billypar - it was the jealousy/insecurity that stood out for me most of all 4y

LeahBergen Like @batsy and @Leftcoastzen , I was fully expecting some sort of act of violence. The tiptoeing, sneaky release of Lucy was somehow (pathetically) cowardly. 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

After the commotion in the Daimler, when the Cullens attempt to leave the first time, Mrs. Cullen says “I don‘t even know which of us Larry thought of shooting, wife or chauffeur or haggard” [p. 98]. Which do you think is true, if any? Do Cullen‘s actions throughout the day make more sense when you know about the gun?

vivastory Question 2
#NYRBBookClub @suet624 @barbarabb @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @leftcoastzen @Liz_m @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @reviewsbylola @theaelizabet @billypar @tanisha_a @catebutler @daena 4y

Billypar I don't know if I have a good guess, but it's interesting that Alex thinks Tower overestimated Cullen's drunkenness, but Tower also apparently underestimated how dangerous he was, when he thinks his drunken ramblings are benign and not at all like a murdererer who might be driven to violence. 4y

vivastory @Billypar For some reason Tower struck me as being several years younger than the Cullens. His age is never stated, but I had the sensation that his jaded attitude was a bit of a youthful front. When Mrs Cullen talked about the incident & he downplayed it he seemed naive, which reinforced my image of him as being younger. Although the book takes place in France, during the time of the story prohibition was in place in US, so I wonder how that 4y

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vivastory @Billypar possibly shaped Alex & Tower's attitudes re: alcohol 4y

Billypar I never thought about the Prohibition angle - that does put the alcohol and morality philosphizing into context. I did think Tower and Alex were meant to be younger than the Cullens. I got the sense that neither of them really knew what to make of the Cullen's situation, so they were making the best guesses they could given their limited experience. 4y

batsy I felt some warning signs when Tower underestimated Cullen's drunken talk. It felt like Cullen was signalling a lot of repressed fear/pain. And I like that Tower, as a (failing?) writer could later understand that he was imposing his own narratives on Cullen's alcoholism. But I still don't think that made me understand the gun (didn't see it coming), & that's why I found the book powerful. It really showed how you can never truly *know* a person. 4y

Leftcoastzen I felt that Tower and Alex were younger & didn‘t know what to make of it. I also think alcohol can fuel a situation but the original thought/impulse is there.It made me think of Fitzgerald on Tom & Daisy “they smashed up things & creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together & let other people clean up the mess they had made.” 4y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I have been meaning to read Gatsby again & this one has def moved it up my list. I first read it right out of hs & was a bit indifferent, but I think it's a book you appreciate more with life experience. Yes, that quote really speaks volumes about their attitude towards their servants 4y

vivastory @batsy For me that you can never really know a person might be the most powerful message of the book & is why Lucy such an emblematic character in the story. I really liked the Eugenides quote on the back & have ordered the book the essay it's excerpted is from

Lost Classics: Writers on Books Loved and Lost, Overlooked, Under-read, Unavailable, Stolen, Extinct, or Otherwise Out of Commission

batsy @vivastory Is that the blurb on the back cover? I had to read the ebook because there was no way of getting a physical copy sent here from abroad at the moment. That book sounds super interesting! I'll look out for your thoughts on it when you get to it :) 4y

BarbaraBB I was surprised like @batsy when Towers underestimated Cullen‘s drunkenness. It showed the narrator‘s subjectivity because the amount of drinks mentioned were certainly enough to make a man drunk. It taught the reader that we shouldn‘t trust Towers too much and indeed, the gun came as a surprise! 4y

BarbaraBB @Leftcoastzen What a great quote, it perfectly describes the Cullens too. I didn‘t realized the book had so much in common with Gatsby! 4y

vivastory @batsy Here is the Eugenides blurb on the back cover. I thought of it after your comment “Wescott's pulling of the rug of surety from under the reader's feet is nothing less than what happens to a person proceeding through life. In the book I find a deeper, sadder truth: the truth of never being able to get to the bottom of it, of any of it. Of love. Of marriage. Of sex. Of this life itself, so full of appetite & thinking“ 4y

GatheringBooks Like everyone here, the presence of the gun blindsided me altho i was expecting a dramatic end of sorts because of the tension, build up, foreshadowing that conveys a sense of antipathy and the violent urges to escape - across all characters, including the hawk actually. 4y

GatheringBooks @vivastory @batsy whoa. Love that quote. While i enjoyed reading the story, it was largely unforgettable and so-so for me. Maybe I am not in the right headspace at the moment. 4y

vivastory @GatheringBooks I found it interesting that the violence in the dramatic end happened offstage, away from where the narrator observed it. I think this is def a book where the reaction would vary depending on the day. I read it during essentially a free day & I think that made a big difference. 4y

LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen What a perfectly appropriate quote! 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

In the intro. Cunningham writes, “Oh, I thought, a symbol. And, the hawk is, of course, a symbol...Wescott knew what he was up against, what sort of portentousness he flirted with, and it is a measure of his talent that he was able to not only fully engage what might be implied by such a stubbornly meaningful image...but also to create a hawk that is...an entirely convincing, integral member of the story.“ Do you think Wescott succeeded?

vivastory Question 1 #NYRBBookClub @suet624 @barbarabb @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @leftcoastzen @Liz_m @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @reviewsbylola @theaelizabet @billypar @tanisha_a @catebutler @daena 4y

Billypar I think he did. I like how he uses yr narrator's musings to openly question why we anthropomorphize animals or use them as symbols. He isn't going for anything as simple as 'the hawk is really x', but inviting us to do what Mrs. Cullen does - i.e. what parallels can we draw between the solitary hawk and humans in relationships. Do they hold up? In doing so the hawk becomes another character because of these comparisons we project onto it. 4y

vivastory @Billypar Absolutely, I found Mrs. Cullen's thoughts on Lucy interesting as far as the behaviorism. Initially it seemed possibly to be disingenuous, but the more I thought I about it I think Mrs. Cullen believed it. It's tempting to project human traits onto Lucy, but she maintains her independence as a species & a character 4y

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batsy I think he did, too. Lucy somehow emerged as a character all on her own. I liked how Cunningham emphasised that Tower was able to "see" Lucy without easily trying to make her a stand in for something bigger. Also when Cullen talks about her being in their bedroom at night while they sleep, I could truly *feel* his panicky fear. 4y

Leftcoastzen I think Wescott pulled it off. It was a tall order though . I mean a hawk takes up a lot of space by the way it needs to be handled.So you would think people of means would have hired a handler for the hawk.But it becomes clear that the hawk also helps Mrs. Cullen control Mr. Cullen!😀And what you guys said @vivastory @Billypar I love the way our narrator Alwyn takes it in stride! 4y

vivastory @batsy Haha, I forgot about that but really did make my skin crawl a bit! (insert gig of Hitchcock's The Birds) 4y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen That's a great point. They clearly had the money for a handler. One of my fave scenes was when Tower put on the glove & Lucy perched on it. Watching Mrs Cullen's hand gestures without the glove, very telling.... 4y

merelybookish Sadly, my last minute attempt to read this didn't pan out. The text on Amazon was indeed only an excerpt. I got one scene which involved lots of discussion about Lucy. I enjoyed what I read, though, so hopefully I can track down a complete copy someday. 4y

BarbaraBB I think he absolutely succeeded. Sometimes Lucy felt like a baby, in need and asking for attention (pooping and indeed the sleeping with them 😱), other times she was the one the others asked attention from or maybe even approval. In any case she was the center of the relationships and of the story. 4y

vivastory @merelybookish If you're able to track down a copy I def recommend it. I loved it 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB Yes, she was def the focal point of the story I think. A really difficult thing to accomplish to have a character who is so present yet doesn't have any dialogue. Wescott completely succeeded. (edited) 4y

GatheringBooks I loved how deeply you are able to read the novel with your musings here. I especially liked @Leftcoastzen ‘s thoughts on how the hawk helps the missus control the mister. Didn‘t think of it that way, but perfectly credible! The sinister presence of the hawk thruout was keenly felt, the primal energy restrained but only barely, was captured effectively. 4y

BarbaraBB @vivastory I didn‘t think of that, but that is quite an achievement by Wescott indeed! 4y

LeahBergen Sorry to be chiming in late here! It‘s a testament to Westcott‘s wonderful writing just how quickly I felt I “knew” a bird. Is it odd to say that Lucy was my favourite character? 😆 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen Not at all! I loved how Wescott portrayed the Cullens' domestication of Lucy, yet how she still retained her dignity. I also admired, as others have pointed out, that he didn't fall into the easy (& a bit lazy) trap of anthropomorphism. I think this actually helped reinforce his other themes. Like what @batsy talked about re: never knowing a person. 4y

batsy @LeahBergen Not at all! I think she was my favourite character, too 4y

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Leftcoastzen

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

pick

#NYRBBookClub what a gem of a book! A garden party & our narrator has a gift with words & a gift of observing the human condition.Are we as tethered to our condition as Lucy the hawk is tethered to Mrs.Cullen?I sought out Wescott from a reference in a book about F.Scott Fitzgerald long ago.Book club members may recall 1 of my choices for the club was his Apartment in Athens.Tho I wouldn‘t have wanted to miss The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne .😁

Suet624, vivastory

vivastory Yes, Lonely Passion was a fave but this one is a real gem too! 4y

batsy Oh! Lonely Passion has become one of my faves but I also definitely want to read Apartment in Athens 🙂 4y

Leftcoastzen @batsy One of mine too ! I could feel her trials & tribulations.I think most of the NYRB books are good , many of the ones we have read are great! 4y

Billypar I would definitely try another Westcott after this one - I hadn't heard of him before. He seems like one of those authors where you want to bookmark so many passages because of how much they stick in your brain. 4y

Leftcoastzen @Billypar I already want to read it again . I was rushing a bit to finish before book club ,want to slow down and wallow in the luscious sentences.😌 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#NYRBBookClub September Selection Discussion starts in about 80 minutes. As always chime in when you are available.
@Suet624 @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @batsy @Reviewsbylola @Theaelizabet @Billypar @Tanisha_A @daena @catebutler

GatheringBooks Just in case it may be too late for me later, will share my thoughts tomorrow, our first day of work (we begin work week on sundays). :) thank you for hosting, Scott! 4y

vivastory @GatheringBooks Looking forward to your thoughts! 4y

Tanisha_A Thankee Scott! I haven't finished reading it yet. Will join in a bit later! 🙂 4y

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vivastory @Tanisha_A Chime in when you can. Look forward to your thoughts! 4y

Liz_M 😪 My library hold never came in, sorry to have missed the discussion. 4y

vivastory @Liz_M Oh, no! When it does arrive I def recommend reading it. It's a gem! 4y

BarbaraBB I‘m on it now, was having dinner when you posted! Thanks for hosting Scott! 4y

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merelybookish

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Trying to be ready for tomorrow's #NYRBbookclub discussion, but not sure about this 99¢ 'excerpted' edition for Kindle. Hopefully I don't miss too much.
@vivastory @Suet624

Billypar At least it's 100% purified 😅 4y

merelybookish @Billypar Yes, whatever that means! 🙄 And a pretty short excerpt, although I did get to meet the hawk Lucy. 4y

47 likes2 comments

Suet624

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Dear NYRBers: this week I‘ve been working 12 hour days at City Hall sending, receiving and alphabetizing thousands of ballots. 4,000 in the last three days. Then dividing these by district and then by ward. I‘ve also been reporting campaign financing for my daughter. Throw in two Airbnb cleanings somehow in there. I‘ll be working both days this weekend on ballot items. Scott has graciously offered to host tomorrow‘s discussion. I‘m so grateful.

Suet624 @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @leahbergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @gatheringbooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Theaelizabet @billypar @Tanisha_A @vivastory 4y

Lcsmcat Thank you for your election work. Y‘all are the unsung hero‘s of democracy. 4y

Suet624 Thank you so much. This year our secretary of state sent everyone a ballot, which is unusual for our state. There are two of us working with the ballots with one more person on the way. People keep registering so we have to keep sending out additional ballots. It‘s crazy town, but it‘s all going to work out. @Lcsmcat (edited) 4y

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Theaelizabet Thank you so very much for you work on the elections. 4y

BarbaraBB You‘re doing such important work, and it is so hard needed! Wishing you all the best. And success!! 4y

batsy What @BarbaraBB said 💜 4y

Leftcoastzen Wow , thank you ! that is vital work! I hope you have time to comment past this busy weekend, Airbnb? So some are traveling cautiously?I know your state was in better shape than some, virus wise. 4y

LeahBergen What you‘re doing is so important! 👏🏻👏🏻 You come and chime in on your book pick when you can spare a moment or two. ❤️ 4y

Reggie You‘re amazing, Sue! 4y

saresmoore Thank you for what you are doing, Sue! ♥️♥️♥️ 4y

vivastory Echoing everyone in the thread. What you are doing is wonderful! 4y

Suet624 @Theaelizabet @BarbaraBB @batsy @LeahBergen @Reggie @saresmoore @vivastory. Thank you all for your kind words. I'm just coming up for air this Saturday afternoon. It's an adventure, for sure. 4y

Suet624 @Leftcoastzen VT has been the one state that seems to have been able to keep the numbers of cases quite low. In fact, we now have a wild scramble of out-of-staters buying up property/homes at exorbitant rates to live here. It's a little overwhelming, as they are mostly folks who have money. Vermonters are always a little nervous that their state will be changed by folks who think they are smarter than us. :). We're “cute“ to them. 4y

Leftcoastzen @Suet624 That‘s awful ! They are rushing to buy places in Az.too .Soon it‘s going to be too hot to live here & we will run out of water.53 days over 110 this year a new record 150 + over 100 4y

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Tanisha_A

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

I have been carrying a feeling of emptiness the entire week, because there was zero reading in it. Ugh! Today seems to be that day when i say bye bye to that emotion. 🙂

Loving the prose in here. That quote for instance -

“But on as fine a day as this, modern art was dimmed and dwarfed by the view of the garden and the park beyond it,...”

Tanisha_A Looking forward to the discussion! #nyrbbookclub @vivastory @Suet624 4y

batsy Glad you got some reading time in! The writing in this book is *so good* 🤩 4y

Tanisha_A @batsy Yesss. ❤️ I am reading it so slow, because it's got a potential of getting over very soon. #novella 4y

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Suet624 I read it very slowly too. Sooo many great lines, one after another. I‘m glad you‘re enjoying it. 4y

vivastory Glad you're enjoying this one! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on it! 4y

sisilia Pencil in hand while reading gang! @batsy @Cathythoughts 😆 We can create a club for this 4y

Cathythoughts Definitely @sisilia @batsy You can‘t beat the pencil ✏️.... perfect for reading 4y

batsy @Cathythoughts @sisilia Yup! I had to read the Kindle version of this though, so I missed scribbling in the book :( #PencilGang 4y

Tanisha_A @sisilia @batsy @Cathythoughts Love that! #pencilsout #pencilgang 4y

52 likes9 comments

batsy

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

pick

Maybe it's my #HarpySpinster condition, but I find all marriage novels to be vaguely exotic; it tells me about a life I only want to imagine. This novella grips you like how I imagine a falcon's claws would. A compact, menacing, & mysterious gem that's best summarised in Cunningham's intro: "in terms of character & event it is strung throughout with little bombs, some of which explode on contact, some considerably later." The writing is brilliant.

batsy There are a handful of characters & the unforgettable falcon, Lucy. Lucy is also the namesake of the Willa Cather novel we're currently reading for #catherbuddyread. I almost went mad at the book serendipity with regard to the themes of both novels: psychologically astute yet questioning; the utter enigma of human nature & the sometimes fruitful but quite frequently destructive tension between wanting freedom & wanting to be tamed. #nyrbbookclub 4y

batsy @vivastory @Suet624 4y

erzascarletbookgasm What brilliant review, I‘ve already been intrigued by the blurb, now I want to read it so badly. 😆 4y

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shortsarahrose Liking this as a fellow #HarpySpinster 4y

Cathythoughts Great review... I already have it stacked 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y

LeahBergen Yes! I found it so bizarrely interesting, too. I‘m looking forward to our discussion! 4y

BarbaraBB Great review, clever conclusion about the tension of freedom and wanting to be tamed! 4y

kalinichta “my #HarpySpinster condition“ 😄 4y

CarolynM Great review. Stacked 4y

Suet624 Fantastic review and fantastic book! I really enjoyed it. 4y

readordierachel Absolutely fabulous review. Stacking. 4y

batsy @erzascarletbookgasm @Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB @CarolynM @Suet624 @readordierachel Thank you so much! ❤️ It might be a tough book to take for some, but I found it really original and unforgettable. 4y

batsy @shortsarahrose Lovely to meet another! 😁 4y

batsy @kalinichta 😆😆 4y

Centique I love the way you‘ve described that tension 😍 Another one for the TBR! 4y

vivastory What a stellar review! Looking forward to tomorrow's discussion! 4y

Billypar Great review! I love the Cunningham quote you chose- that one stood out for me too as a nice way to sum up such an unconventional work. I've never read Cunningham but I might need to try one of his now - I share his enthusiasm on Pilgrim Hawk. 4y

batsy @Centique Thank you! I think it might appeal to you 🙂 4y

batsy @vivastory Thanks! The discussion questions were so interesting and I feel there is so much more to be plumbed for such a short book. 4y

batsy @Billypar Thank you! I found his intro so interesting. I read The Hours years ago and loved it, but I need a refresher. I have this on my TBR thanks to @Centique 's review

A Home at the End of the World: A Novel

Billypar That's so funny because I saw @Centique 's 5 star rating on Goodreads and added it to my TBR on that basis. You're very influential, Paula! ☺ 4y

Centique @batsy @Billypar oh that‘s kind of you both! I think I will be putting that book in a few peoples hands for birthdays too - it‘s like book evangelism 😂😂 4y

saresmoore Gosh, you give good review. Everything you write it just a pleasure to read! 😍 4y

batsy @saresmoore Thank you, Sara 😘 Your new profile pic is just gorgeous! ❤️ 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

pick

The Cullens, an Irish couple, bring their trained hawk as they visit the narrator & his friend outside of Paris for an afternoon. The narrator, Alwyn Tower & his friend & future sister-in-law Alexandra Henry, witness the state of the Cullens' relationship. Tower, a self-aware misanthrope, is an interesting narrator. He frequently ruminates on certain themes, but one gets the sense of him being uncertain due to his youth. We are never sure👇

vivastory how old he is, but I had the sense that the Cullens were a slightly older couple. While flipping through Michael Cummingham's introduction I was not in the least surprised to find the following, “With its single bucolic setting and the desperate, strangling wit and manners of its most prominent characters, it owes a good deal to Chekov.“ At only a few pages over 100, Wescott's novella doesn't waste a single scene. This is an effective work of many 4y

vivastory moods (funny, melancholic, etc) that lingers on. #NYRBBookClub @Suet624 4y

LeahBergen This was a pick for me, too. I‘m looking forward to our discussion! 4y

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vivastory @LeahBergen Same! This might be my favorite novella our group has read, a quiet but powerful book. 4y

Cathythoughts I see I have it stacked .... sounds good guys 4y

batsy I think this was a 5-star read for me. Just so brilliant and sharp and odd and bracing! 4y

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batsy

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

I love the description here. "The solemn glance of its maniacal eyes" seems to come off the page. I don't know much about Glenway Wescott as a writer but there's a precise clarity to his writing and a psychological acuity that makes every page feel very complex and rich so far. #nyrbbookclub

Cathythoughts I see I have this one stacked. Great picture.... yes ! the eyes ! 4y

batsy @Cathythoughts The writing is so good ❤️ 4y

Suet624 I kept getting chills as I read some of the sentences in this book. They are so good. 4y

batsy @Suet624 Yes, I'm reading the kindle version and had to highlight so many passages. It feels like I'm reading something entirely strange and different. 4y

vivastory This was one of my favorite passages in the book 4y

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LeahBergen

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

The starting of the next #NYRBBookClub pick always calls for a glass of wine. 🍷

@vivastory @Suet624

BarbaraBB Don‘t all new books 😉🍷?! 4y

Cathythoughts Enjoy 📚🍷 great combo 4y

Leftcoastzen I need to start this book , I need wine!🍷 4y

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Tanisha_A Definitelyyyyyyy! 😁 4y

vivastory That's a good rule📚🍷📚🍷 4y

Reviewsbylola I didn‘t have a chance to get this one so I‘m out this month. 4y

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BarbaraBB

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

pick

This book breathes the 1920s in all its observations. It‘s The Great Gatsby all over again from the moment a young American opens the door and lets the Cullens in - a somewhat eccentric Irish couple of which the woman takes an hunting hawk everywhere she goes. The American - an unsuccessful writer, of course - tries to imagine their relationship during the course of an afternoon, based on how they behave towards the hawk. ⬇️⬇️ #NYRBBookClub

Suet624, vivastory

BarbaraBB The hawk causes a disruption but not much more happens. Yet there is an incredible tension in all the not-happening. (edited) 4y

Cinfhen Lovely photo 😍 4y

Suet624 Great review. So much is happening in a book where not much is happening. 😍 4y

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BarbaraBB @Suet624 There is right? Have you finished it yet? 4y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB I did. Thoroughly enjoyed it. (edited) 4y

BarbaraBB @Suet624 Looking forward to the discussion again! 4y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Thanks. I‘m back in town 😀. How is your lockdown going? 💕 4y

Cinfhen Lockdown is more frustrating that anything else...it seems arbitrary and I think the younger kids (20-30‘s) are still not adhering to the rules/restrictions😡We‘re trying to fly out and just go to the states...hoping to leave middle of next week but now they are talking about shutting down the airport. 4y

vivastory Wonderful review. I'm really looking forward to our discussion! 4y

LeahBergen I‘ll read this review when I‘ve finished, too. I‘m glad you liked it! 4y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen I hope you can fly to the States and be with your family again - finally. Closing the airport sounds so rigorous - I hope it won‘t come to that 🤞🏽💚🍀 4y

Cinfhen Nope, not able to purchase tickets 😢😢😢they are restricting purchases as the airlines are bracing for possible shut down😩😩I‘m super frustrated, mostly at hubs for dragging his feet. I knew it would come to this. Oh well. Shit happens for a reason. Hopefully, there won‘t be a shutdown & flights will open up beginning of next week 4y

BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Oh no. That sucks. I thought we would spare the economy as much as possible this second time and don‘t shut down completely. I can‘t imagine how frustrated you must be. Let‘s hope flights will open up soon ❤️😘 4y

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Tanisha_A

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Cracking open this one. #nyrbbookclub

@vivastory @Suet624

Cathythoughts Nice picture 4y

MargaretPinardAuthor Yes, love the warm drink pairing! Never heard of book. I tried getting into NYRB for a while but it didn‘t take. 😬😊 4y

Eggs Cover Love 4y

LeahBergen I‘ll be starting soon, too! 👏🏻 4y

vivastory I'm starting this one soon. Looking forward to your thoughts! 4y

63 likes5 comments

vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Join @Suet624 & I Sat 10/3 @ 1 PM EST for discussion of September #NYRBBookClub selection. As you are reading you might want to jot down a line or two that resonated with you, as we will be discussing Wescott's style.
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Suet624 @Theaelizabet @Billypar @Tanisha_A

vivastory I know there are a couple of others who expressed interest in joining in this month. If I forgot you, I apologise. 4y

BarbaraBB Great! I‘ll start it soon and am looking forward to it, as always! 4y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I saw you're traveling today. Hope everything went smoothly 🍷📚 4y

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daena @vivastory I‘d love to be added if possible. I‘ve enjoyed quietly reading along these past few months. 4y

vivastory @daena Glad you will be joining us! 4y

LeahBergen Looking forward to it! 4y

LeahBergen Hey! Is this our last round, Scott?? 😮 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen Nope, we'll be going through end of November 4y

LeahBergen Oh! Who has the next pick? 4y

LeahBergen Oh, disregard. We still have @Theaelizabet ‘s pick! 😊 4y

vivastory @LeahBergen Yep, plus there'll be one more month after @Theaelizabet pick 4y

emilyhaldi Yay! I will be reading this one next week 🤓 4y

63 likes12 comments

Suet624

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Those Trumps just have to get their name on everything! 🤣🤣🤣😳😳😳. And Trump Mediaeval is a trademark of Linotype-Hell. How fitting.

Graywacke 🤦🏻‍♂️ 4y

kspenmoll 😂😂 4y

BarbaraBB Haha! I love reading about types by the way! 4y

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vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Thanks to @batsy for co-hosting in August. Yesterday's discussion was wonderful & as always there were so many great insights. In September we will be reading Wescott's novella. Join my co-host @Suet624 & I as we read and discuss. @Theaelizabet I'm looking forward to your nominations for October. In order for people to request these from the library &/or purchase them, please post your 3 nominations by this Tuesday. #NYRBBookClub

vivastory @BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola 4y

vivastory @Billypar @Tanisha_A 4y

Tanisha_A Hiii! I am so excited to join you guys 🎈 4y

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vivastory @Tanisha_A I'm glad you're joining us! Looking forward to your thoughts 4y

Theaelizabet @vivastory Thanks! I‘ll be posting this afternoon. 4y

LeahBergen I have my copy! 👍🏻 4y

BarbaraBB I‘m all set for that one. Looking forward to it! 4y

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GatheringBooks

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#3Books Day 1: #IPlanToReadThisMonth

OriginalCyn620, Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚👍🏻 4y

BarbaraBB We‘ve got one in common 😉 4y

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GatheringBooks

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#AboutAugust Day 31: I #always pair molten chocolate cake with my books, especially #NYRBBookClub titles.

Eggs

rabbitprincess YUMMMM that looks amazing 😋 4y

Eggs I need that lava cake 😋🤤😉 4y

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GatheringBooks

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#AboutAugust Day 29: Food is the #accessory to my book shots, evidently. #NYRBBookClub - mix grill for the win!

Eggs

TheKidUpstairs That plate looks delicious! 4y

Eggs Mouth watering phood-ography 4y

46 likes2 comments

sisilia

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

pick

4⭐️ I love it when I get to read this kind of novella. Thin, but packed with so many details that got me thinking 😃 Michael Cunningham‘s intro said it all: this is “an endlessly intricate meditation on freedom versus captivity and passion versus peace.” This is my second Wescott, and am looking forward to reading more of his works

48 likes

GatheringBooks

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

#AboutAugust Day 24: This is called the #absence of self-restraint. 🤷🏻‍♀️😭🤣😂
Our #NYRBBookClub choice for September is here!

Eggs

Mrs_B 😍 looks yummy!!! 4y

cassareada This looking amazingly delicious. 4y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😋 4y

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Soubhiville Oh wow that looks decadent! 4y

Eggs 🤤💕😋 4y

vivastory That looks fantastic! The dessert looks great too 👌 4y

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BarbaraBB

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

This #BookDepository bookmark (that came with my latest order for the #NYRBBookClub) is pretty funny I think 😀. It doesn‘t really pair with the book cover, which is super creepy!

Suet624, vivastory

Megabooks 😂😂 4y

Suet624 🤣🤣 4y

ju.ca.no Love the currenty bookmarks😍😍 4y

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Tanisha_A Love it 😁 4y

Billypar My favorite is Pride and Preju-juice 😁 4y

Kalalalatja That‘s great 😂 4y

BarbaraBB @Billypar Mine too! 4y

LeahBergen 😆😆 4y

vivastory Nacho in the Rye 😂 4y

72 likes9 comments

vivastory

The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

With 9 votes, Wescott's novella is the #NYRBBookClub September Selection. Join @Suet624 & I as we read and discuss!
@BarbaraBB @emilyhaldi @sprainedbrain @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @MicheleinPhilly @GatheringBooks @saresmoore @sisilia @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Theaelizabet

saresmoore Great pick! I guess I was a bit preoccupied and totally missed the voting on this one. 🤪👶🏻 4y

vivastory @saresmoore Completely understandable. I hope that things are going smoothly! 4y

Suet624 @saresmoore haha. No kidding. You have some rather important distractions. 4y

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KVanRead Looks good! 4y

vivastory @KVanRead You should join us for the discussion! 4y

KVanRead Very tempting! I will try. 4y

batsy Yay! This one has been TBR for decades 🤣 4y

Tanisha_A Woohoo! I am definitely joining for this one 4y

Suet624 @batsy I‘m so glad. This was such a last minute choice. I must have known you were hoping to get it off your shelf. 4y

vivastory @batsy I hadn't heard of this one before, but I'm definitely intrigued! 4y

vivastory @Tanisha_A Glad you're joining us! 👏 4y

batsy @Suet624 😂😂🔮 4y

LapReader This book club sounds amazing. Can I join? 4y

Suet624 @LapReader hi! Just saw your comment. You can always read the books selected and join in the conversation. We‘d love that. In a month or two, after each of the original members has had a chance to select a book, the group will open up to new voting members. 4y

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mspixieears

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

"The circumstances of passion are all too petty to be companionable...It is the kind of thing you have to keep quiet about for others' sake, politeness's sake"

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mspixieears

Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story | Glenway Wescott

Heartbreaking facts about hawks.

Suet624 Ugh. So sad 7y

mspixieears @Suet624 it really is. 7y

4 likes2 comments

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