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The Sport of Kings
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
124 posts | 80 read | 2 reading | 148 to read
The daring, inventive novel (a sprawling family saga set in Kentucky that combines southern gothic with the drama of horse racing) from a brilliant young author named one of The New Yorker's "20 Best Writers Under 40." Here is the ambitious, strikingly original, and dazzling new novel from a young writer whose first novel, All the Living, received passionate praise and rave reviews, and earned her one of the highly coveted spots on The New Yorker's list of the "20 Best Writers Under 40" alongside such peers as Karen Russell, Wells Tower, Ta Obreht, and Dinaw Mengestu. But where that first novel had startling ambition and scope yet strictly contained its remarkable energy within notably spare language and a pared-down setting and time frame, this new novel's energy bursts out of the gate running and gallops through generations, consuming a multitude of characters and plots. The title The Sport of Kings refers to horse racing, and the novel centres itself within that world: a connected web of humans and animals, as well as a fertile patch of land, in the heart of Kentucky. With breathtaking fluency, C.E. Morgan puts us inside the consciousness of an extraordinary range of characters who inhabit that patch of land through the years: an adolescent trying to grow up under the withering gaze of his landowner father; a brilliant black woman struggling with her seeming fate to be a household servant; a whip-smart boy who grows up in the ghetto but seeks to know more about his mysterious origins; and a girl whose uncompromising love of her family's legacy leads her to gamble with her own life. C.E. Morgan's writing has been compared to that of Marilynne Robinson and James Salter, and her ability to articulate moments fleetingly observed or sudden subtle changes in tenor and mood has a similar effect of mingled surprise and inevitability. This is writing that, even in its wildest and most southern-gothic moments, contains both the ring of truth and the thrill of discovery. From the Hardcover edition.
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PaperbackPirate
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Pickpick

🐴 Today‘s #CuriousCovers prompt is Pets.
🐴 Although the horses in this book are not pets, I think horses are wonderful pets.
🐎 This book centers around a family that breeds race horses, but that‘s really just the backdrop to a masterful illustration of how generational wealth works. Without hitting you over the head, the author makes a good case for reparations for slavery.
It‘s long and very dark so get in a good headspace first.
🐎🐎🐎🐎

BkClubCare This book is great 👍 3y
PaperbackPirate @BkClubCare It was unlike anything else I‘ve ever read before. 👍 3y
50 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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PaperbackPirate
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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I‘m just about to get started with my #SuperSeptember Readathon with @Andrew65 !
My goal is to:
finish The Sport of Kings. I have 251 pages to go!
read The Baltimore Book of the Dead by Marion Winik.
🐎 And I‘m off!

Andrew65 Good luck 😊👍 4y
30 likes1 comment
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tholmz
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Pickpick

This was my “doorstopper” choice based on the Book Riot Read Harder challenge. I know nothing of horses and horse racing but of course, this story is much bigger than that, (and I also did learn a lot about horses). Gorgeous writing and really tough to stomach at times.

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steph_phanie
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
Panpan

If you want to drown in the darkness of a Southern family saga, then this is for you. Spoilers below.

Morgan is talented, yes. Her commentary about slavery, racism, classism, patriarchy, etc is important. It should be uncomfortable. But I clawed my way to the end of this LONG book, foolishly hoping someone, anyone, would be redeemed or get justice! But no! Everyone was bound by their bodies and their own ego to an awful end! Even the horses!

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steph_phanie
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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It's really hard to read when your book is being used as a pillow!

Real talk: I am struggling with this book. There are parts I get totally engrossed in, but then parts/characters that completely turn me off and make it hard to keep going. I will finish it, but I don't think I'd read anything else by C. E. Morgan.

I am almost half way through. Does it get better? #bookstruggle #thesportofkings #CEMorgan

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Amandajoy
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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I‘m posting one book a day from my extensive TBR pile. No description. No explanation. Some will be new. Some will be old. They all spoke to me at one time. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in on the fun if you want to.

Day 9 #tbrpile

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steph_phanie
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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It's been sitting in my TBR pile for a couple years. Time to give it a go! 🐎

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Cinfhen
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Got my lineup for potential weekend reads😊American Dirt is for May‘s IRL bookclub and the other 2 just called to me, although both have been on my shelves for a long time. And all three books are #Chunksters 😳😱😲

Cathythoughts In Flight Portfolio ✈️... more airplane books 😁... enjoy ! I‘m struggling to read a page with this new puppy. Must really get a routine going 🐶 4y
Cinfhen You have a new puppy @Cathythoughts ????? Did I miss that???? 4y
Cinfhen Congrats ♥️🐾 soooo wonderful @Cathythoughts 🐶 4y
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Cathythoughts Thanks 😊👍🏻she‘s lovely ! Lisa ! 4y
TheBookHippie I have the Flight Portfolio here too waiting to be read! 4y
Cinfhen It‘s the first book I started reading this weekend @TheBookHippie and I‘m hooked!!!!! 4y
98 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Billypar
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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#DontStopMeNow #MayMovieMagic
Kentucky Derby edition. I don't usually follow horse racing, but happened to be out on Saturday with a friend who had money on Country House, so naturally pretty happy, even though no one stopped Maximum Security besides instant replay.
As for the book- I added it purely on the strength of the recommendations- not sure I would have chosen it otherwise.
Side note: 'Don't Stop Me Now'- pretty good horse name! 🏇

Suet624 I really liked this book. 5y
Cinfhen Lingers on my shelf!! And yay for your friend!!! And great #HorseName 5y
See All 7 Comments
Reggie I work at a casino, but had Saturday off, but when I came back Sunday, a lot of the regulars who always chat with me were PISSED. A lot of them lost money and there's a lot of conspiracy theory going on. It was kinda funny. 5y
RohitSawant Awesome pick! 👏🏼👏🏼 5y
Billypar @Suet624 I've heard a lot of very enthusiastic recommendations, so that caught my eye. Not on my shelf yet @Cinfhen but I hope to get to it at some point! 5y
Billypar @Reggie I can imagine! It must sting all the more thinking you've won, only to have it taken away 😬 5y
37 likes7 comments
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Read66
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
Pickpick

I had a couple of issues with this book but overall it is a compelling family saga set in the world of thoroughbreds in Kentucky. Well developed characters throughout

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AnneCecilie
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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Pickpick

WOW!!! This book! Just wow. I used some time getting into the story and the characters, but once I did the pages just flew by.

This is the story of a white Dynasty family who were among the founders of Kentucky and everything that entails when it comes to its history and philosophy.

RaimeyGallant Nice review. 6y
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AnneCecilie
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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Next up.

This was actually on my tbr for my last years summer vacation, and was one of four books I didn‘t get to then.

So a year after isn‘t too bad, right?

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CindyE09
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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Pickpick

I was expecting a touching family drama about how a father and daughter overcomes racism when an African American groom helps them train and race a horse in the Kentucky derby. Boy was I wrong. This book was very gripping, but boy is it not a touching “feel good” book. I disliked all the main characters, but still really enjoyed this novel. It explores important issues and themes regarding slavery and the repercussions. Definitely worth a read.

Suet624 I loved this book. So rich with detail. 6y
Daryl1 I liked this book but hated all the main characters. The story is beautifully written but none of the characters grow as human beings. Kind of like life sometimes. 5y
121 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Lacythebookworm
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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I‘m hoping to finish this one up over the weekend. Just over a hundred pages left. At times the writing blows me away. Morgan is certainly a talented storyteller who has a way with words.

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Lacythebookworm
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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@readsusieread and I are off to the state library association board meeting today, but first, reading! Happy Friday!

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Lacythebookworm
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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Thank goodness for in-room coffee ☕️ 💕
I decided on The Sport of Kings for my next big book of the year. My only complaint is that the font size is tiny. 👓

tournevis And it looks like servicable in-room coffee too! I've had the "might as well be burnt toast" hotel coffee often enough. 6y
Lacythebookworm @tournevis So true! I think I‘m in luck this time 😊 6y
Booksnchill This is on my stack for #femmeuary- how do you like it? 6y
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nofutureparttwo
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
Pickpick

There is so much in this book, and so much to love. I was a little disappointed by the ending, but that seems ridiculous in light of the brilliance that preceded it. Morgan deploys her central organizing metaphor—the fetishistic resemblance between horse breeding and chattel slavery—to devastating effect. This book absolutely deserves its comparisons to Melville and Faulkner.

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nofutureparttwo
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan

“[T]he human, he knows what perfect is even though he ain‘t never gonna find a perfect thing on this earth. [...] I done spent my whole life chasing justice. But you think justice is here on earth? Child, I don‘t see no justice. [...] But all them things you can‘t see is what matters most. [...] Lack‘s the most real thing there is! [...] You ain‘t gonna miss something that don‘t matter or ain‘t never had the possibility of existing in this world.”

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nofutureparttwo
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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“She knew that men extracted coal and sometimes died in the mining. She wondered at their deaths. Was it childish to ask why? How many mountains had been uprooted to light a home like hers? [...] Fathers felled the world their children were supposed to live in, Tantalus eternally slaughtering his Pelops. Was it worth it? Was this farm worth it? Was the human nothing but a machine that extracted coal from the hills and horses from the fields?”

nofutureparttwo (I couldn‘t resist checking out a physical copy from work!) 6y
6 likes1 comment
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nofutureparttwo
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Started listening to this today during my shift at the library, and I‘m already two hours in! Morgan‘s writing is so good I find myself wishing I had a physical copy as well.
#audiobook #nowreading #libby

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SharonGoforth
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Happy New Year! I wanted to share my top 5 reads of 2017. All were amazing, but The Sport of Kings (tagged) was phenomenal. Here‘s to a fantastic year of reading in 2018! #top5readsof2017

JessClark78 Happy New Year! 6y
SharonGoforth @JessClark78 And a very Happy New Year to you, too!! 🍾🎉🥂 6y
rockpools Happy New Year! 6y
See All 7 Comments
Owlizabeth Happy New Year!! 💞 6y
SharonGoforth @RachelO @Owlizabeth A very Happy New Year to you both!! 🎉🥂🍾 6y
NatalieR Welcome back to Litsy! I haven‘t seen you here for awhile. Happy New Year! 🎆 6y
SharonGoforth @NatalieR Thank you! It has been awhile. I‘d gotten away from reading, but I want to get back to it for 2018. Happy New Year to you, too! 🥂🎈🎉 6y
62 likes7 comments
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bethcos
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Mehso-so

Very mixed feelings about this book.

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rachelwill
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
Pickpick

** Woefully behind on my Litsy admin... So prepare for a deluge of one line reviews! **

Book 21: Family drama, borders and boundaries, horses and dubious breeding... Well written with a range of characters spanning various centuries- but would have liked to spend more time with some of the lesser developed or later introduced characters...

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Sumi
Sport of Kings | C E Morgan
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Pickpick

Intense. Less horsy than I would have preferred.#Deweysreadathon

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DocBrown
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Panpan

Biggest disappointment since Fates and Furies. It isn‘t easy to write a big book. That said, this one never got anywhere. Introduced a lot of interesting characters who came and went — some came back around but without really doing anything consequential. And the book never found its ‘center‘. I felt frustrated and cheated.

manifestsanity Thank you. I couldn't stand Fates and Furies either. 6y
8 likes1 comment
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DocBrown
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Seven hours into this 23-hour epic. I‘m almost as far into it as my first attempt when I ran out of steam. Will I get any further into it this time around?

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MrBook
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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#TBRtemptation post 9! Great cover! A thick, historical epic and NYT 2016 Notable Book. Hellsmouth is thoroughbred filly who has a legendary family's fortunes riding on her. The Forges, an old, proud Kentucky family, are first-time horse breeders. Patriarch Henry partners with his ambitious daughter, Henrietta, and ex-con farmhand Allmon, to create a new future out of sheer will to make Hellsmouth a champion. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

bedandabook This is just a wonderful book. One of this year's favourites for me. 6y
68 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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AMVP
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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#riotgrams #day2 - #orangecovers

Seems like this book has been getting more appreciation since the paperback dropped. I'm looking forward to starting it.

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SharonGoforth
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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1. Middletown, Ohio 2. The Sport of Kings, C. E. Morgan 3. Days Without End, Sebastian Barry 4. Nancy Drew mysteries 5. Strangers On A Train (Patricia Highsmith, book/Alfred Hitchcock, film) 6. ? #LETSTALKABOUTBOOKSBABY

Suet624 Yes! Loved sport of kings. :) 7y
Jess7 Ohio 🤗 7y
batsy Love Strangers on a Train, have to read the book ☺️ 7y
See All 6 Comments
SharonGoforth @Jess7 👍👍 7y
SharonGoforth @batsy I really liked the book. Creepy!! 7y
59 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Zoe_reads_books
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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It's only July 8th and I've already acquired a sizable amount of books...oops!

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SharonGoforth
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Absolutely, no question. #bestreadsof2017sofar #jubilantjuly

8little_paws Up high, my friend ✋ 7y
SharonGoforth @8little_paws Absolutely ✋️😊 7y
49 likes1 stack add3 comments
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BookBrat
Sport of Kings | C E Morgan
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Big splurge at opening of Interabang, our new independent bookstore!

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Skybariline
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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Pickpick

This is such a dense book, but it contains a lot of worthwhile material on the legacy of slavery, racism, poverty, wealth, and family. I liked the setting of the Kentucky thoroughbred horse racing industry. Overall well written, but there were a few too many digressions.

10 likes1 stack add
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NatalieR
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Pickpick

A very well written novel with descriptive language. This story has everything: love, history, racism, southern culture, pride/ego, grief, horse racing, and so much more. Since I live in the Lexington, Kentucky area, I really enjoyed knowing the areas mentioned and appreciate the horse racing industry. The horse farms around here are spectacular! 🐎

Lola Great picture! 🐴❤️ 7y
NatalieR @Lola Thanks! 😊 7y
bedandabook Loved this one! Glad you enjoyed it too. 7y
55 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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SharonGoforth
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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I've read a lot of good books #sofar in 2017. Listed above are some of my favorites.

DivineDiana Only read Hag Seed so far which I loved! Are your choices listed in any order? 7y
Moray_Reads I've read all of these except Sport of Kings, excellent choices! 7y
SharonGoforth @DivineDiana Not really, although The Sport of Kings is my number one pick. All are excellent, imo. 7y
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SharonGoforth @Moray_Reads I was completely blown away by The Sport of Kings. It is a must-read, imo. 7y
DivineDiana @Sharonrich Thank you! 📚More #tbr! 7y
Moray_Reads @SharonGoforth I have it on my Kindle singles I'm glad to hear it! 7y
49 likes6 comments
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jhod
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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27 likes2 stack adds
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DocBrown
Sport of Kings | C E Morgan
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Listening to a racist rant by one of the protagonists in this novel. It could have been lifted wholesale from the other book I'm reading.

Sydsavvy I really want to read this book! You liking it? 7y
DocBrown @Sydsavvy which one? Sport of Kings starts out S L O W L Y but is beginning to pick up speed (I hope). Stamped from the Beginning is a tour de force. Covers a lot of ground. Both are sweeping epics. Not breaking any speed records with either of them, but liking them both! 7y
Sydsavvy Ooh! Sold! 7y
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Redheadrambles I think Sport of Kings is worth the effort and might be one of my top reads of 2017 but she does take a few digressions 7y
Sydsavvy Sport of Kings just sounds good. And now you have me intrigued on the other 🤔 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I've been calling that #bookendipity, it's so fun and weird when two very different book overlap in odd ways. 7y
13 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BkClubCare
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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"Did he want to grow a garden or did he want to be the kind of guy who grew a garden?"

Literaryunicorn I loved this book so much. Hope you are enjoying!! 7y
BkClubCare @Literaryunicorn - I am. Though, I don't disagree that it is often heavy with its own importance. Or something. Overwrought? Overwritten? Who cares? I have a friend that REALLY didn't like the writing. And if I encounter the word 'karst' again.... 7y
Literaryunicorn Haha... I didn't notice the "karst" thing! Now if I reread I will. ? I do understand the critique, but I guess that I like that when I'm in the mood for it. It reminded me a lot of East of Eden which is my all-time favorite. 7y
Redheadrambles Ah cool your reading this ! I pretty much loved it but while reading I certainly had your frustrations- she does have a certain grandiosity in places and it could do with some editing however on balance loved it 😀 7y
21 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Mindyrecycles
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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BkClubCare
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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"Nothing short of genius." So says a blurb on the cover. Ended up buying the print so I can figure out name spellings only to discover my audio must have skipped a few chapters?!?!???? Am here for a bookclub where I am the only one who shows up... should I have another beer? No, the answer is NO.

xicanti But, BEER. 7y
BkClubCare @xicanti - I would have if I hadn't had an appt later. 7y
xicanti You make a good point. 7y
21 likes3 comments
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OldVictorianQuill
The Sport of Kings | C. E. Morgan
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It doesn't look like my boy is up to running any races... #horseracing #mylazyboy

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BkClubCare
The Sport of Kings | C.E. Morgan
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Dogs don't like posing with eBooks. Oh well! I'm actually listening to the audiobook but wanted the book cover thus iPad. This is the only #TOB2017 title I didn't finish before the tourney. #AmReading #ImeanAmListening #DogsofLitsy #whpg #EstherFest

dastevensish On a totally unrelated note, I made pie today. It made me think of you. Thinking of you makes me smile. See-->😁 7y
29 likes2 stack adds2 comments