Welcome to Litsy!

yay…challenge completed #readinglife #readinggoal

I love Patrick Gale, I loved this. He can take a terribly sad story, which in his hands is then told very gently and is incredibly readable. The clue here is in the title; each chapter starts with a description of a painting in an exhibition of artist Rachel Kelly‘s work. Slowly going back and forth through time the story untangles and pieces together Rachel‘s life, and that of her four children. Beautiful. Prepare to cry.

Sad story of African colonialism through the guise of Christian missionaries. I did not enjoy this as much as some other Achebe, but a great piece of important literature.

Mark Twain, not long before he died a bitter old man, was writing a book much like John Latham's.... Like Latham, he chose to laugh in agony rather than sob in agony about how irresistible forces, whether physical or economic or biological or political or social or military or historical or technological can at any time smash our hopes for moderately happy and healthy lives for ourselves and our loved ones to smithereens.

We like to pretend that so many important discoveries have been made on a certain day, unexpectedly, by one person rather than by a system seeking such knowledge, I think, because we hope that life is like a lottery, where simply anyone can come up with a winning ticket...

Who knows? Tomorrow morning, some absolute nobody, maybe you or I, might fall into an open manhole, and return to street level with a concussion and a cancer cure.

A rather odd collection of previously unpublished stories that will probably be most appreciated by fans. My favorite part of it was an essay about American myths and decline, which is even more painfully relevant than it was in the 90s.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#Falling Day 14: #Cider - I have yet to read the novel and see the film - am I missing out? Look at baby Charlize Theron.

he crossed the whole north africa just to go back but i guess we do that all the time
what does this mean ?!?!??!?!?! i need some time to reflect
i love reading in my bed in my new room with my record player at night with the bugs buzzing outside

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

How do you see Emily‘s writing ambitions manifest & grow throughout Emily Climbs?

Where do you see similarities between Emily & LMM?

What do you think of the choice Emily makes at the end? Do you agree with her decision or were you disappointed? What does the decision say about her sense of self? About her writing ambitions?

Are there any other scenes, themes, quotes, or characters you‘d like to discuss?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread
Emily‘s relationships with her family naturally change here, and the New Moon family members fade a bit into the background. Still, her family continues to (or tries to!) influence her choices.

Where do you see that family influence most strongly in this book?

How are Emily‘s choices shaped by her family—and where do you see her pushing back on that influence as she matures?