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Commencement
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
A sparkling debut novel: a tender story of friendship, a witty take on liberal arts colleges, and a fascinating portrait of the first generation of women who have all the opportunities in the world, but no clear idea about what to choose. Assigned to the same dorm their first year at Smith College, Celia, Bree, Sally, and April couldn t have less in common. Celia, a lapsed Catholic, arrives with her grandmother s rosary beads in hand and a bottle of vodka in her suitcase; beautiful Bree pines for the fiance she left behind in Savannah; Sally, pristinely dressed in Lilly Pulitzer, is reeling from the loss of her mother; and April, a radical, redheaded feminist wearing a Riot: Don t Diet T-shirt, wants a room transfer immediately. Together they experience the ecstatic highs and painful lows of early adulthood: Celia s trust in men is demolished in one terrible evening, Bree falls in love with someone she could never bring home to her traditional family, Sally seeks solace in her English professor, and April realizes that, for the first time in her life, she has friends she can actually confide in. When they reunite for Sally s wedding four years after graduation, their friendships have changed, but they remain fiercely devoted to one another. Schooled in the ideals of feminism, they have to figure out how it applies to their real lives in matters of love, work, family, and sex. For Celia, Bree, and Sally, this means grappling with one-night stands, maiden names, and parental disapproval along with occasional loneliness and heartbreak. But for April, whose activism has become her life s work, it means something far more dangerous. Written with radiant style and a wicked sense of humor, "Commencement" not only captures the intensity of college friendships and first loves, but also explores with great candor the complicated and contradictory landscape facing young women today."
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ChasingOm
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Pickpick

Another short holiday story; I‘ve tagged the author‘s novel.
I read this while my husband and I drove to Columbus for a short anniversary weekend away. 😍 Walking around the shopping center last night, we admired the lights & listened to the Silver Bells on the horse drawn carriages. #FestivePhotoChallenge
I love stories set in reality television; I would read this story as a full novel so I could learn more about the characters. #WinterGames2021

StayCurious Happy anniversary! 3y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LeafingThroughLife
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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Do you ever just get bored with a book before it ends? There‘s nothing *wrong* with this book. The writing is above average and the characters are believable. I‘m just ready to move on, and I‘m not sure if it‘s the book or me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

LoverofLit That happens to me occasionally too. I think it's just my mood wanting something else most of the time. 5y
18 likes1 stack add1 comment
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mrs.stevens
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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Having a bit of a time really getting into this book...140 pages in...there‘s still a chance yet 😬📖

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Hope you're loving Litsy so far 💖📖💖 5y
GlassAsDiamonds Welcome to Litsy!! 😊😊😊 5y
7 likes2 comments
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Blaire
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Pickpick

I loved most of this book with the exception of the April storyline and its ending. That almost ruined it for me. The rest was a wonderful depiction of college friendship and life as a 20-something. I graduated college a year before the women in this book so the time they were living in felt very familiar and relatable. Plus my sister-in-law is a Smithie so I was familiar with the campus and the traditions. #booked2018 #friendship

Cinfhen Nice photo and great review 💚I‘m putting this book on my #someday pile 7y
49 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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amyrohn
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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@Smangela Thank you so much for your thoughtful gifts!!! The socks and the notebooks are adorable and I'm absolutely blown away by the time turner, it's gorgeous. I definitely giggled when I saw Commencement 😊 Thank you, thank you, I love it all!
#sockswap @JPeterson

Smangela Awe yay! I‘m glad you liked it! I had to swap socks last minute because you JUST got the dobby ones haha! Hopefully Shell Yeah suits you too ;) 7y
70 likes1 comment
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mcctrish
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Pickpick

Dropped my son off at university as I started this and while I hope he makes life long friendships like the ones in this book, I hope he avoids some of the tragic events. It's a great read about meeting your best friends at college and all the up and downs life can take in your early 20's

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mcctrish
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Managed some reading time beside my baby pool today, a nice last gasp of summer before re school starts tomorrow #nobabieslivehereijustlikethepool

18 likes1 stack add
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mcctrish
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Fitting I should start a book about friendships made at university the day before I drive my oldest son to his first year at Laurier University. I need some comfort food now

LauraBeth 💕💕 7y
Grrlbrarian Hang in there! It's not easy, I know. Be gentle with yourself and schedule some things you like to do for when you return. It seems like nothing will help - but it does at least somewhat. 7y
kspenmoll Know that feeling. ❤️. @Grrlbrarian has the right idea. 7y
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mcctrish @Grrrlibrarian and @kspenmoll it is sort of funny how knocked flat I feel, my son has been working at a summer camp for 2 years so I'm sort of used to him not being here, I think it's the milestone of him truly not being a little boy anymore. Once school starts up ( I'm a substitute teacher) I will get busy and back to normal 7y
kspenmoll ❤️ 7y
19 likes1 stack add6 comments
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The_Little_Librarian
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Today I officially graduate with my Masters degree in Library Science 👩🏻‍🎓🍾😍📚Bella decided she wanted to graduate too 😂🐶

Mariposa_Bookworm Congrats to you and Bella!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y
The_Little_Librarian @Mariposa_Bookworm thank you so much 😊😊 8y
KarenUK 🙌🙌🙌💕 8y
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TrishB Congrats 🎉🎉 8y
Lacythebookworm Congratulations!! 🎈🍾🎊🎉 8y
tpixie Congrats!! 🎊🎉🎈 Bella is so sweet! #dogsoflitsy 🐶 (edited) 8y
PurpleyPumpkin Congratulations!🎉🎊🎉🎊 8y
BookInMyHands Congratulations!! We have 4 people in our library going through the San Jose MLS program right now! 8y
rubyslippersreads Congrats to both of you! 🎉🐶❤️ 8y
BookishShelly Congratulations! 8y
25 likes10 comments
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CocoReads
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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Me: what's that medal for? My Kid: Didn't I tell you guys I'm Magna Cum Laude? No, no you didn't. So proud of both my kids but this is my first college graduate! Although her sister will be done in December so I can be proud all over again!

MrBook 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y
SusanInTiburon ❤❤❤❤ 8y
Jas16 👏🎉 8y
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aa_guer2021 😁😊👏🎉 8y
Redwritinghood 👍🏻👍🏻👏👏 8y
CouronneDhiver Woohoo! Congrats grad 8y
TrishB Well done 👍🎉 8y
MyNamesParadise Yay!!! Congrats!!! 8y
83 likes8 comments
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Kimberlone
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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Spending this Sunday afternoon at my baby cousin's commencement ceremony #UAA #Classof2017 #seawolfpride #greenandgold

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The_Little_Librarian
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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My Library threw me a surprise graduation party yesterday 😱😍🎉📚 After 2 1/2 years I have my Masters in Library Science and I can finally spend more time reading with my Littens 😍🎉🍾

ScorpioBookDreams Congratulations!! 👏👏 8y
TrishB Well done 😄👍 8y
[DELETED] 1409720085 Yay! Congratulations! 8y
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PurpleyPumpkin That's a great achievement - congrats!🎉🎊🎉🎊 8y
Libby1 Yippee!!! Well done. 😃 8y
LauraBeth Congratulations! 🎉🎉👏👏⭐⭐ 8y
19 likes1 stack add6 comments
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allisonRC
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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A New England read-the third book in currently reading.

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k_andrws
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
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Pickpick

I think this book may have changed my life, and I don't say that lightly. I turn twenty in a month and, honestly, I'm having a quarter life crisis; but this book is such a comfort for a college woman, who's world is friendship and adventure and learning to find herself. Its words on sexuality - orientation, freedom, and abuse alike - would've been such a comfort to me a couple of years ago. I treasure this book for its intelligence and kindness.

Beckys_Books Enjoy this phase of your life. It will be wonderful. 8y
susanw I have an almost 20 year old daughter. Adding to my stack and adding it to hers too! Thanks 8y
Cinfhen What a beautiful review😍 8y
Posemn Thank you for sharing in your review. I didn't necessarily like the storyline in Sullivan's Maine but it was still worth the read. I am going to add this one to my stack. 8y
Jillsandypants Beautiful review. I've been meaning to get around to reading this. 8y
112 likes20 stack adds5 comments
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k_andrws
Commencement | J Courtney Sullivan
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My favourite aesthetic for book covers is when they match my wine 🍷 #augustofpages #photobookchallenge @TheSpinecrackersBookClub

marixa Perfect! 8y
Marchpane Gorgeous view! 8y
RealLifeReading Ooh. Nice 8y
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Blair_Reads Love this photo! 8y
bookishkai Love the view, and also love the book. 8y
CherylDeFranceschi Beautiful! 8y
Donna_sBookMinute Perfect match. And the rooftop color complements. 8y
Bookdodger Beautiful! 8y
TheSpinecrackersBookClub Gorgeous photo 8y
Laalaleighh @k_andrws 😂👌🏼🍷🍷🍷 8y
Leanney How did you like this book? I thought I'd like it a lot more than I did. 8y
Zelma New reading goal. 🍷 8y
k_andrws @leanney it took me a while to get into, but I absolutely loved it! Such an important book. But my mum read it straight after me and detested it, so maybe I've read it at the right time in my life? Shame you didn't like it so much though 8y
k_andrws @zelma ahahah yes, living the dream! 8y
108 likes6 stack adds15 comments
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bookishkai
Commencement | J. Courtney Sullivan
Pickpick

I laughed out loud, smiled in recognition, and longed to return to my college years. There is something universal about life at a women's college, and Sullivan captures that unique environment well.

4 likes2 stack adds