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A Doubter's Almanac
A Doubter's Almanac: A Novel | Ethan Canin
55 posts | 39 read | 79 to read
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this mesmerizing novel, Ethan Canin, theauthor of America America and The Palace Thief, explores the nature of genius, rivalry, ambition, and love among multiple generations of a gifted family.Milo Andret is born with an unusual mind. A lonely child growing up in the woods of northern Michigan in the 1950s, he gives little thought to his own talent. But with his acceptance at U.C. Berkeley he realizes the extent, and the risks, of his singular gifts. California in the seventies is a seduction, opening Milos eyes to the allure of both ambition and indulgence. The research he begins there will make him a legend; the woman he meets thereand the rival he meets alongside herwill haunt him for the rest of his life. For Milos brilliance is entwined with a dark need that soon grows to threaten his work, his family, even his existence. Spanning seven decades as it moves from California to Princeton to the Midwest to New York, A Doubters Almanac tells the story of a family as it explores the way ambition lives alongside destructiveness, obsession alongside torment, love alongside grief. It is a story of how the flame of genius both lights and scorches every generation it touches. Graced by stunning prose and brilliant storytelling, A Doubters Almanac is a surprising, suspenseful, and deeply moving novel, a major work by a writer who has been hailed as the most mature and accomplished novelist of his generation. Praise for A Doubters Almanac [Canin] is at the top of his form, fluent, immersive, confident. You might not know where hes taking you, but the characters are so vivid, Hanss voice rendered so precisely, that its impossible not to trust in the story. . . . The delicate networks of emotion and connection that make up a family are illuminated, as if by magic, via his prose.SlateAlternately explosive and deeply interior.New York (Eight Books You Need to Read) A blazingly intelligent novel.Los Angeles Times Math made beautiful . . . Canin writes with such luxuriant beauty and tender sympathy that even victims of Algebra II will follow his calculations of the heart with rapt comprehension.The Washington Post A masterful writer at his transcendent best.BBC Elegant and devastating . . . A Doubters Almanac is exquisitely crafted. Canin takes us readers deep into the strange world of his troubled characters without ever making us aware of the effort involved. . . . An odd and completely captivating novel.NPRs Fresh Air There is a shimmering loveliness to Canins glimpses of higher mathematics. . . . A Doubters Almanac is a novel whose achievement is fully equal to the . . . tragedy it portrays. Ethan Canin understands both the allure of great intellectual accomplishment and the price it exacts from those who pursue it. Unlike his protagonist, his own prodigious effort has produced a work of exquisite and enduring beauty.BookreporterEthan Canin writes about mathematics as brilliantly as T. S. Eliot writes about poetry. With this extraordinary novel, Ethan Canin now takes his place on the high wire with the best writers of his time.Pat ConroyA book that raises the bar for novelists.Literary Hub Staggeringly ambitious . . . a story of majestic sweep.PasteFrom the Hardcover edition.
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LisaLovesToRead
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Pickpick

Wow. This book was challenging at points, but I am so glad I stuck with it!

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MrBook
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Stop 9 on today‘s home-library tour!

Do you own or have you read any of these books?!

(Current tune on the player is “I Feel Good,” by James Brown .😎🎼)

#MrBooksBooks

vivastory I loved The Blinds. I was just thinking about that book the other day. 6y
EmilyM Loved the Billie Letts book!! 6y
stacybmartin The Winter People! So creepy and atmospheric. 6y
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Leftcoastzen I just bought the Blinds on a kindle deal still TBR , found a nice copy of Blaze at a library sale also TBR. 6y
LeslieO I loved The Blinds! 6y
Dragon The Quick, I quite liked it. 6y
TheLudicReader I read The Winter People. Can‘t say I liked it...but I haven‘t liked anything by McMahon since 6y
89 likes7 comments
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hdhubbard
Bailedbailed

3/10 I really tried to get into this book, only made it about a third of the way through. Nothing really caught or held my attention I'm sad to say. One of very few books I've ever been bored enough that I have no interest in reading any more, much less trying to finish it

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eirracm
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
Mehso-so

Not my speed, but well written. Put in line with Goldfinch a book you just have to finish, can't say you like, but will remember.

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Sresendez12
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It‘s the weekend of our library‘s annual book sale! Tonight was the pre-sale for the volunteers. I looked forward to the event every year! Best $30 I‘ve spent in a long time #bookhaul

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Beckys_Books
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I haven't bought any books in a while, and when both kids asked to go to B&N (two different trips) I couldn't resist. A Doubter's Almanac and The Yellow Birds were on the sale rack. The Essex Serpent has been on my tbr for awhile. The Passenger is a total #blameitonlitsy and the two Laini Taylor books are because I'm loving Strange The Dreamer so much. Plus my son already has the third book and it looks lonely on his shelf.

TheLibrarian Great selection! 7y
Tamra Awesome! I want to hold & smell them. 😂🤣 7y
SilversReviews THE PASSENGER was very good. 7y
71 likes4 comments
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AMVP
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
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#fallintobooks #day3

Only one line of #cursive in this title, but I felt it worth posting all the same. I really forgot how good this cover art was.

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Yossarian
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Another gorgeous day, another gorgeous book. I'm doing what he's doing.

83 likes4 stack adds
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MrBook
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This was my #bookhaul from my visit to the bookstore the one night after #BEA17 concluded for the day. I always wait for the Reacher novels to come out in this paperback format (a year-long wait 😩). What do you think of my haul? 😁

Zelma Fabulous! 👍 7y
ApoptyGina69 I love all Ethan Canin. 7y
Leftcoastzen What bookstore? 7y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 7y
95 likes5 comments
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wanderer15
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Pickpick

An impressive book about big ideas, both mathematical and philosophical. The protagonist struggles to harness his genius and alienates his family and friends but is still sympathetic despite his myriad flaws. I think the math parts would still be engaging even for those normally allergic to it - the book is about familial relationships, not theorems and proofs. Maybe a bit longer than necessary, but I never felt that the narrative dragged.

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mjdowens
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Just snagged 5 eBooks from Amazon 3.99 or less. Three Dark Crowns I already had and just started. Going to give Mischling another try.

mjdowens Well, that picture did not turn out well huh?🙄 8y
britt_brooke I snagged 3 more books this morning. So many great deals! 8y
18 likes2 comments
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Yossarian
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
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http://momath.org/home/volumes

Although I don't live in New York, I will be reading along with the Museum of Mathematics' new Book Club this year. The first two books were in my TBR anyway, and the rest of the list looks good too!

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds like a great book club! 8y
TheNextBook Just finished Hidden Figures for @LitsyFeministBookClub and it's so good! 8y
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LauraJ I really liked Almanac. 8y
nandana Really cool. Wish I were still in New York. 8y
112 likes7 stack adds6 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post! I want this one just for its cover 😊! A book about a family of geniuses in the latter-half of the 20th Century? Yes, please 😊! Dealing with the movements of the times? Yes, please 😊! Lauded by Book Riot? Yes, please 😊! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Reading_E This has been on my TBR for ages! So tempting to get it...😳 8y
lynneamch Yes please, indeed! Stacking now. 8y
BraveNewBooks @Powells #indiespensable did a slipcased version of this that's absolutely gorgeous. 8y
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mauveandrosysky This is one of my favorite books of 2016 8y
outis Great book! One of my faves of 2016 (but I definitely prefer the original cover) 8y
Laalaleighh I have this on my the shelf at home. 8y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 8y
93 likes13 stack adds7 comments
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Redwritinghood
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I'm glad everyone is posting their GoodReads stats. My husband says I read "all the time". Now I can show him that it's not so much.

Ashley31 This graphic is so cool! Where did you get the design? 8y
Redwritinghood @Ashley31 That's just a screenshot from my GoodReads account on my iPhone. I didn't really create anything for it myself. 8y
Ashley31 Cool. I'll have to check that out. Thanks! 8y
51 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Amiable
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There's math in my book. Somebody send help!

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outis
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For all you Tournament of Books fans out there who haven't been paying attention, the time has come to nominate your favorite 2016 novel for long list consideration! #TOB2017
http://www.themorningnews.org/p/tournament-of-books-tell-us-your-favorite-2016-n...

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KVanRead
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#photoadaynov16 Have to give a shoutout to this one for #dysfunctionalfamilies. It was my first ever Litsy post and one of the best books I've read this year. The family is so messed up but their love for each other is abundantly apparent, complicated and real. Highly recommend. @RealLifeReading

outis I loved this one, too! 8y
Ericmanciniwriter You speak - I stack 8y
KVanRead @out is @Eamann Yes! It's one of those I want everybody to read. 8y
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BooksCatsMaine
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
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Her pupils are gyroscopically inert!
Bourbon is his gasoline!

Truly a love story for the ages.

#badsexaward #gyroscopicallyinertismynewsafeword #andret #andret #icantevenwithandret

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8little_paws
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I think this works for today's #photoadaynov16 challenge 😂 @reallifereading

RealLifeReading Definitely!! 8y
46 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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KVanRead
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#booktober My #FirstEverLitsyPost five months ago. Thanks @BestOfFates for liking and @BooksForEmpathy for stacking. The past five months with Litsy have been fantastic and it just keeps getting better! I don't think I've had this much fun with books and bookish folks. 💋📚💋📚💋📚💋📚 @RealLifeReading

BooksForEmpathy Love following you!! Yay Litsy! 8y
KVanRead @BooksForEmpathy Aw, thanks. Love following you too! 8y
36 likes2 comments
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mauveandrosysky
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Here are a few books I would have loved to see on the National Book Award longlist. Any that you were hoping would make the list?

Hooked_on_books Homegoing should be on there 100%. I think it's a farce that it wasn't included. 😤 8y
Notafraidofwords All Things Cease to Appear and Homegoing should have been on the list! 8y
BooksForEmpathy I have The Doubter's Almanac and am so excited to read it. Homegoing should have been on there. 8y
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bookishkai Homegoing definitely should have been on there; I'm beyond disappointed that it wasn't selected. 8y
mauveandrosysky @Hooked_on_books it really is. I just can't even understand how it didn't make it, honestly. 8y
mauveandrosysky @BooksForEmpathy Doubter's Almanac is one I still think about and I read it in the very beginning of the year. It sort of killed me but in the best way. I hope you enjoy it! 8y
mauveandrosysky @bookishkris I am too. I just don't get it. 8y
Megabooks I don't get it. I just don't. Plus notice 3 of 4 of these books were written by women. 👎🏻👎🏻 8y
mauveandrosysky @Ebooksandcooks I don't get it either. I'm glad at least that the longlist is pretty diverse. POC, LGBT and four female authors. It makes me happy to see that, at least. 8y
Megabooks Yes. I do notice men tend to win though. 😒 8y
MrBook I enjoy most everything I read 😂, so I can't really decide. And I don't usually pay attention to publishing dates. 8y
mauveandrosysky @MrBook I enjoy a lot of what I read, too, but there are always ones that stand out above the rest to me! 8y
L_auren The only one I've read on there, I hated!! Looks like I have some reading to do 8y
mauveandrosysky @L_auren now I'm curious...which one did you hate?! 8y
L_auren @mauveandrosysky ah yes I totally buried the lead. Hated The Portable Veblen!! 8y
50 likes3 stack adds16 comments
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outis
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Pickpick

Wow. Don't be scared off by the mathematics that provide the setting and structure for this one - there's so much to think about here. Beautiful, moving and exceedingly elegant.

#biblioweekend

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outis
Pickpick

Wow. Don't be scared off by the mathematics that provide the setting and structure for this one - there's so much to think about here. Beautiful, moving and exceedingly elegant.

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outis
Pickpick

Wow. Don't be scared off by the mathematics that provide the setting and structure for this one - there's so much more to think about here. Beautiful, moving and exceedingly elegant.

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outis
Pickpick

Wow. Don't be scared off by the mathematics that provide the setting and the structure - there's just so much more to think about here. Beautiful, moving, and very elegant.

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outis
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Using #biblioweekend to finish what's shaping up to be a great read.

Liberty Oooo, yes, a good one! 8y
ApoptyGina69 I'm a huge Ethan Canin fan! I'm so glad he keeps writing. He's been with me since the '80s. 8y
outis @ApoptyGina69 This was my first encounter with Canin, but definitely won't be my last! Any particular recs? Thanks! 8y
ApoptyGina69 @outis I definitely recommend America, America pub. 2008. 8y
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mauveandrosysky
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#Recommendsday: This remains one of my favorites of 2016. It's an epic, agonizing family saga centered around the father, a math genius consumed by the self-doubt that plagues him his entire life. He's a huge asshole, honestly, but in the second half of the book, we see him through the eyes of his son, and that gives him (and the novel) such depth and complexity. I savored every last sentence by the end of it and still think about it often.

CarrieScott Want 8y
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ApoptyGina69

Always a delight to read new Ethan Canin. Lifelong love.

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sumichi
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"An infant, in his first sleepiness must let go of the world; a man must learn to die. What comes between are grains of sand. Ambition. Loss. Envy. Desire. Hatred. Love. Tenderness. Joy. Shame. Loneliness. Ecstasy. Ache. Surrender. Live long enough and you will solve them all."

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KVanRead
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Re-reading last few pages of this prior to book club discussion —soooo good, which is I'm pretty sure what Zeus is trying to tell me with his insanely loud purring.

5 likes2 stack adds
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AllisonMP
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
Pickpick

A mathematical family saga. I picked this one up because I read an interview with the writer and enjoyed all his answers. That was a good strategy, it turns out.

4 likes3 stack adds
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LauraJ
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
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Nope, never gonna finish.

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LauraJ
Doubter's Almanac | Ethan Canin
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Powell's Indiespensible subscription edition. Almost finished...

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KVanRead
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That moment when you've raced to the end of a great book and you suddenly realize it's over and you feel like you just lost your best friend. Like if you know what I mean.

KendallMorganHall I 100% agree and it happened to me with The Doubter's Almanac. I immediately went to the local library to see what else they had by Ethan Canin (unfortunately not much). My hold came in on his book America, America today so I'm looking forward to diving into it. I hope i'll love it just as much! 8y
KVanRead I'll have to add that one to my TBR. I happened upon For Kings and Planets in a ski condo once and spent the whole vacation with my head stuck in it :) 8y
4 likes2 comments
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KVanRead
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Pickpick

What a big, deep, dark drink of a novel...like Milo's woods, full of adventure and revelation. Ostensibly the story of a mathematician but about so much more: perception, creativity, genius, doubt and the quest for understanding beautiful woven around indelible characters and an engrossing story.

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KVanRead
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Beth.Pedota

I am about two thirds of the way through this book and I'm really struggling to finish it.

Angelala007 Then toss it! Too many good ones out there! :) 8y
2 likes1 comment
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CareBear
Pickpick

So very beautifully written.

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KVanRead
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"...nobody ever chooses the right thing. I mean, exactly the right thing. (...) you can only choose what you choose. After that, it's up to you to make it right."

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LauraJ
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Just finished part one during my lunchtime read with Abby the Badass Tabby. So far, so good.

Liberty 😻 9y
Lauren.Archer I read this book recently. I absolutely loved this book. Hope you enjoy part II 9y
Gezemice Abby rocks. 9y
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mauveandrosysky
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Pickpick

Characters so alive, you feel like you know them personally. This truly epic family saga explores the nature of genius, ambition, truth, doubt, failure, addiction, meaning, and love. One of my favorites of the year so far - haunting and unforgettable. I think about it often.

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KVanRead
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Nature never broke its own laws. Every piece of code encyclopedized within an atom of creation. And all of it merely waiting.

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KendallMorganHall
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Pickpick

I liked this book so much that I immediately put holds on all of Ethan Canin's other books at the library. Yes, it is about a mathematician, but this book is so beautifully written that I dare you not to love it.

KVanRead I read For Kings and Planets years ago and really loved it. 9y
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KVanRead
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100 pages in and very intriguing so far. Never thought I'd find so much creativity in the world of math.

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Karimargaret
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Hoping to finish this awesome book today! 📚❤️

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melonbooks14
This post contains spoilers
show me
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Pickpick

Circle and circle to understand. You can lead and I can follow. You can cut and I can bleed. You can run to desolation, ruination, but I can stand here and reconsider.
Awesome read. Deep feels. Thanks @bookriot for the heads up!

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Lauren.Archer
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Weekend reading

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Madeline
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This cover is a good start.