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Orbeck33

Orbeck33

Joined October 2015

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The Empathy Exams: Essays by Leslie Jamison
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

Read this book now. It's smart, interesting and funny. I'm not a huge non-fiction person but I adored Grunt. Not that you needed more reasons to respect our service people but this book will give you a new appreciation for their sacrifices. It will also help you appreciate the scientists who work to keep them safe and heal them. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

28 likes4 stack adds
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Orbeck33
H is for Hawk | Helen Macdonald
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I'm 80 pages in and really struggling to stay interested. So...much...bird. Should I persist?

jessdean I listened to it on audible. I enjoyed it. But I think it would've been hard to read it in book form. 8y
Shemac77 I loved it but I'm a bird watcher. 8y
TheLadyHyatt I thought I'd hate this book but ended up really loving it. I enjoyed learning about the bird stuff, and the grieving process is amazing. 8y
See All 7 Comments
WanderingBookaneer Persist! The audiobook is lovely. 8y
Orbeck33 Maybe I'll try it in audiobook... I've never done an audiobook before. 8y
Magslhalliday I enjoyed it, despite neither knowing or caring about Hawks. 8y
HeatherBookNerd I'm listening to the audio, which is beautiful. 8y
17 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Orbeck33
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In case being a solider and facing death isn't hard enough, thinking about some of the other things troops have to deal with really brings home the sacrifices they are making even when not in battle. In the above mentioned scenario, 60% of those Marines got ill.

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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

While it dragged a little at times, I really enjoyed this intimate portrait of a loving family. Reilly really invites us into her characters' minds and she doesn't over-simplify them the way some authors do. Recommend.

22 likes1 stack add
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Orbeck33
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Frass= insect shit. I feel a little smarter knowing this.

Soubhiville Me too 😜 8y
Book_Gnome And I feel a bit dumber having already known this for some reason 😂😂😂😂 8y
Oblomov26 You learn something new everyday 8y
31 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
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This book is so incredibly interesting and entertaining to read. So many new things I'm learning!

Coleen Love Mary Roach. Haven't gotten to this one yet. 8y
Megabooks As a veterinarian who has studied one health initiatives, parasites, bacteria, and viruses, this does not surprise me. It is a very unfortunate truth. Clean water and cheap toilet initiatives are vital! 8y
Orbeck33 @Coleen You must get a copy! I can't wait to read more by her. 8y
14 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
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This book is chock full of astute little gems that really capture the psychological reality of feelings like love and death.

tricours How do you blur everything but a few lines? Is that a new feature? 8y
Orbeck33 @tricours No, not new. When you are in the Litsy photo editor you can scroll across the bottom for different options. One is "blur". You choose that and manually blur the parts you want blurred. 8y
MrBook That's a good quote right there. 8y
18 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
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Orbeck33
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Orbeck33
The Nest: A Novel | Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
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Truth

todd ... especially true regarding what we look for in pets. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151111-why-do-dogs-look-like-their-owners 8y
25 likes1 comment
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Orbeck33
Lust | Geoff Ryman
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Bailedbailed

I wanted to love this book. I loved "Was". I get where Ryman was going (about the complications of parenting and how our early experiences shape our ability to be intimate) but I just got so tired of the whole premise. I got 70% in. Should I return to it?

Orbeck33 @shawnmooney Thoughts? 8y
shawnmooney I read and very much enjoyed it many many years ago when I was a confused, sexually-exuberant, single gay guy in my late 20s and it really spoke to me then. I have no idea whether it would resonate for me all these years later. 8y
Orbeck33 LOL. I'm a 37-year-old mom. Maybe that's the problem? 8y
9 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
The Nest: A Novel | Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
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I'm 40% into this book and I don't like/care about any of the characters. It's a breezy read...but will I start to care?

Megabooks If you don't care by then, you probably won't. 8y
BooksForEmpathy I never did... 😳. 8y
19 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
Was: a novel | Geoff Ryman
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Pickpick

I loved this book. Why has no one read it?! It's original, beautiful and moving. It intertwines the stories of Judy Garland, a real life Dorothy, and a gay man named Jonathan who plays the scarecrow in a stage production. It deals with loss, abuse, AIDS and hope ever so tenderly. Read this book!

shawnmooney I read it years ago and also loved it so much! I have an autographed hardcover. His later novel 'Lust' is also great! 8y
Orbeck33 @shawnmooney Adding Lust to my stack now! 8y
17 likes7 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
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todd I wish words came out of my mind like this! 8y
25 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
The Girls: A Novel | Emma Cline
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Mehso-so

While the language of this book is strikingly beautiful and original, the story and character development really fell flat for me. I lost interest about 50 pages in and nothing changed as I read on. Disappointing for a book with so much hype around it. Felt over-written.

LitHousewife I'm just at the halfway mark in the audiobook. The narration is measured and slow, but the story and the writing are keeping me going. Hopefully the ending will work better in audio? 8y
TheWellReadOwl Same here @Orbeck33. I thought Part I was good insofar as the insights into female adolescence were sharp. But the rest failed to live up to the promise of the premise or even the beginning of the story. And some of the prose made me 🤔. 8y
14 likes2 comments
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Orbeck33
Pickpick

I can't believe it took me this long to read this beautiful book. Scout is one of my favorite narrators. It's a shame we will never have a sequel where we can see the woman Scout grows up to be. Then again, I know that so much of the book's charm is that the POV is that of a 7-9 year-old girl.

ramyasbookshelf I agree. I'm not sure I want to see scout grow up.. She'll be raised in a sexist, racist environment and you never know what influence it would have had on her.. 8y
22 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
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Well they nailed the injustice of racism but they sort of forgot about sexism ;)

26 likes1 stack add
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Orbeck33
In the Night Kitchen | Maurice Sendak
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What better place to listen to a story than on your daddy's chest?

31 likes3 stack adds
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Orbeck33
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I'm FINALLY reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I adore Scout's voice and description. How awesome is the above description of boredom?

Rebeccak Hahah that really is an amazing description! 8y
ramyasbookshelf I just recently read this for the first time.. Loved loved it! 8y
Texasblues I've known a few people I could describe thusly. 8y
36 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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Orbeck33
Slade House | David Mitchell
Pickpick

Read this book. It's creepy but not so upsetting as to keep you up at night. This man's imagination is amazing. Pure enjoyment. Only complaint is that it's not longer!

kdwinchester I have a huge author crush on David Mitchell. ❤️ 8y
BookishFeminist Loved this book! Read it around Halloween last year. 🎃 8y
Yossarian Would you recommend it to someone (me) who did not care for Cloud Atlas? 8y
See All 7 Comments
Orbeck33 @Yossarian I haven't read Cloud Atlas so I can't say. I was going to try it next. I've heard CA can be convoluted and hard to follow. Slade House isn't at all. 8y
Yossarian Thanks! 8y
iwitzman Can I borrow? 8y
Orbeck33 @iwitzman yes! We'll bring it this weekend. 8y
25 likes10 stack adds7 comments
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Orbeck33
Slade House | David Mitchell
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I haven't been sleeping well lately and keep meaning to turn in early but this book keeps me up (and maybe it's why I'm not sleeping well???). So gripping, so creepy, so good!

Megabooks I've read good things about this book. 8y
Orbeck33 I stayed up to finish it and am sad it's over! I've heard The Bone Clocks is a related work. Is this true? Anyone read both? 8y
24 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
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Mehso-so

I liked this book although it dragged in the middle. It's a love story that at times morphs from moving into over-the-top and saccharine (which leaves me numb). Loved the ending and cried when it was over. Worth a read but don't skip something amazing to put this on top of your stack.

Bookgirl I didn't feel it dragged but agree it's the ending that really made me love it! 8y
10 likes1 comment
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Orbeck33
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"Would could not prepare a child for the future; such knowledge might be intolerable." Such an astute observation about why we lie to our children to protect them, even when they aren't little anymore (the child referred to here is 23).

Bookgirl I love this book. It's one of my favorite love stories! 8y
13 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
Blackass: A Novel | A. Igoni Barrett
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17 likes1 stack add
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Orbeck33
Blackass: A Novel | A. Igoni Barrett
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Mehso-so

I wanted to love this book. In fact, I loved parts of it. But overall Furo didn't capture me, nor did the other characters. The statement about race seems spot on but the story, sadly, didn't move me. I also found Ignoi's side plot totally unnecessary and distracting.

Taylor 😥 8y
10 likes1 comment
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Orbeck33
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Starting the bookclub young with these two. Books that are songs are some of my favorites because I can read them 20 times in a row and not tire of them.

acg I like the side-eye he's giving his sister 😒 8y
LizzyNanney Adorable! 8y
Ald Love this picture. 8y
Teri We have this book and I feel the same way about singing it! This and Frosty the Snowman. 8y
24 likes4 comments
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Orbeck33
The Luminaries | Eleanor Catton
Panpan

I had heard amazing things about this book so I stuck with it despite wanting to bail several times. It was very slow and I never felt invested in the story or characters. I found the writing dry and the plot hard to follow. Skip it.

emilyesears I almost bought this book at Goodwill the other day, but I'm glad I didn't! 8y
EmSilver It won the Man Booker prize! I'm astonished! 8y
15 likes2 comments
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Orbeck33
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Panpan

I know Mo Willems is beloved (including by my daughter) but I don't get the appeal. The characters all seem manic and just off. I don't find them endearing and I find the writing awkward.

Jaime I find this book hilarious for me, but confusing for a toddler. 8y
Bookgirl I love this book because kids universally crack up laughing when you read it out loud to them! 8y
mmckale I couldn't agree more! I really dislike having to explain what we are reading as we go. It doesn't work for little kids and it's not fun for me. 8y
6 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Orbeck33
Eating Animals | Jonathan Safran Foer
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Pickpick

A must read for everyone- carnivores and herbivores alike. Well written and very thought provoking. Not just another poorly done "food" book. I've read this 3 times.

19 likes9 stack adds
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

This lived up to the hype. Unlike what others said (that it was slow to start) I felt grabbed by the characters and pacing right away. Beautiful story. I cried at the end, which to me means I was really invested in the characters.

Megabooks I've been told by several people to read this. Thanks for the rec! 8y
30 likes10 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

This book stayed with me long after I forgot the plot. The writing is so unique and powerful that I started to narrate my thoughts with the same cadence as the prose while I read it. If you like beautiful, skillful writing and characters you can almost feel, read this book.

15 likes15 stack adds
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

Another one of my favorite children's books. The story of Gerald the Giraffe who was mocked for not dancing like the rest of the animals. He goes on to find his own music and dance his own way. I tear up every time I read, "sometimes when you're different, you just need a different song". Rock on..

6 likes6 stack adds
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Orbeck33
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Mehso-so

I'm a pretty big Lena Dunham fan so I really wanted to love this book but it was fairly mediocre. Dunham has the ability to write very well but this book is not her best work. The writing was uneven and often the ideas trailed off, not fully realized.

Megabooks I agree with your assessment! 8y
iwitzman I agree, got halfway through and was too annoyed to continue 8y
TiffReadsAndRuns Frankly, after one too many mediocre celebrity memoir-ish books, I've stopped picking these up. I've been very underwhelmed so far. 8y
See All 6 Comments
Orbeck33 @TiffanyDJ After loving Bossy Pants I got sucked into celebrity memoirs and have often regretted it! 8y
TiffReadsAndRuns @Orbeck33 This is where we differ! I was underwhelmed by Bossy Pants and The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl. It's not that either book was bad, but....just not the amazing books everyone raved about. It's put me off that particular genre for awhile. 8y
Monchi13 I agree! Am also a Dunham fan. But this book just felt self-indulgent. Most of the anecdotes are pointless. The worst is that it almost ruined watching girls for me... 8y
8 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Orbeck33
Bel Canto | Ann Patchett
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Pickpick

Such a beautiful, heartbreaking book. Expertly written. A must read.

Bookgirl I liked State of Wonder even better 8y
16 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
The Red Tent | Anita Diamant
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Mehso-so

I adored the first half of this book. The second half felt like a completely different book that I wasn't nearly as taken by. Still worth reading.

Sammie I enjoyed this book but agree it 180'd a bit. That is the struggle with basing a novel off a bible story 8y
Bookgirl Loved this book 8y
Sydsavvy Completely agree!!!! 8y
7 likes6 stack adds3 comments
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

Essential reading as a Gender Studies major. An interesting look into the lives of sex workers and what can empower them. @AbsReads

AbsReads Thanks. Never heard of it. 8y
12 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

I read so much Butler in undergrad and then re-visited her in grad school. Her writing is so dense but her concepts are brilliant. She was ahead of her time and still is. I've heard her speak and her speaking is just as dense and smart as her writing.

GabrielleMRO Couldn't agree more! 8y
EmSilver Such an amazing writer, what a brilliant mind! 8y
36 likes42 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
Washington Square | Henry James
Panpan

This is the only book I had to use Cliff's Notes for in high school. I was so throughly bored that I cheated! Never had the courage to try another Henry James novel after this.

Ald Reading Henry James can replace water boarding. 8y
Orbeck33 @Al ha! 8y
4 likes2 comments
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Orbeck33
Big Red Barn | Margaret Wise Brown
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Pickpick

Currently one of my favorite children's books. Something about this book is so soothing to me. The rhythm and cadence are wonderful. Seems like the red-headed stepchild to Brown's big hit Good Night Moon but I'm a much bigger fan of this book.

AbsReads I don't get the fuss over Gnight Moon. I'm a Corduroy girl. 8y
6 likes1 comment
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Orbeck33
Watership Down | Richard Adams
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Pickpick

One of my top 10 favorite books of all time. I've read it several times. The first time I finished it I cried that it was over (literally). Read this book to be transported and moved. And here is a photo of an adorable bunny.

iwitzman Who doesn't love bunnies?? 8y
Peddler410 This is the only required reading book I did not finish. 8y
18 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
Panpan

I did not get this book. The writing was tedious and the characters were impossible to connect with. The backdrop is so interesting that I hoped for so much more. I had to force myself to finish it.

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Orbeck33
The Corrections | Jonathan Franzen
Mehso-so

This book was all the rage about 5-10 years ago. I finally read it a few years ago and while it was well written I came away wondering what all of the fuss was about.

SGJ Same here. Prose: bulletproof. Scene by scene: brilliant. Overall? So-so. 8y
AbsReads Same here. I was bored. 8y
Bookstorecats I thought we read this is book club @Orbeck33 ?! I skimmed whole sections because they bored me. Wasn't there talking poo? 8y
Orbeck33 @Bookstorecats We did but I skipped it back then. Can we make a new book club where people actually read the books?! 8y
6 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Orbeck33
This post contains spoilers
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Pickpick

My rating quivers somewhere between "pick" and "so-so". Each seems too far in one direction. This book is totally unique. I wasn't even sure what to make of it. What did others think? Is this the delusion of a mentally ill woman or just a lonely, odd soul?

BooksForEmpathy Very odd I think, yet another perspective of how to live a life that varies greatly from the norm. I read this a long time ago and the idea of "carpooling" still stays with me... 8y
Orbeck33 Ha! I "carpool" all of the time but never thought to call it that. I just kept wondering "are these things really happening or is she imagining them?" For example was her therapist really peeing in take out containers? 8y
1 like2 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
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Such a great description of the feelings one can have for an infant.

squibblesreads this book is on my shelf and it's calling my name! 😍 8y
Orbeck33 @squibblesreads Please share your thoughts when you are through! 8y
6 likes2 comments
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Orbeck33
The Secret History | Donna Tartt
Mehso-so

I think I'm the only person I know who didn't adore this book. Perhaps it's because I found it impossible to like or attach to the characters. It certainly transports you deeply into the story but that wasn't really a place I wanted to inhabit.

AvidReader25 You're not alone. I didn't love it either! 8y
PutnamKatie Same! Didn't love it! 8y
AbsReads I didn't even finish it 8y
See All 7 Comments
Orbeck33 Litsy is so affirming! This is the only place where I've found people who didn't like this and 1Q84! 8y
Jaime I loved this one but though The Little Friend was awful 8y
Bookgirl Also did not love it. I went into The Goldfinch as a skeptic but ended up fanatically crazy about that one. 8y
jessberk13 I started this and never finished. Maybe I'll have to give it a second chance. 8y
10 likes9 stack adds7 comments
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Orbeck33
Rosie Revere, Engineer | Andrea Beaty
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Pickpick

I adore this book. It teaches kids that what matters is trying, rather than outcome. It also stars a girl and woman who are engineers. We need more books like this!

AbsReads It's a kid's book? 8y
Orbeck33 @AbsReads yes! Get it for Hanna. It is now my go-to baby gift. I didn't know about it when you had H. 8y
5 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
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Bechdel's psychological understanding her father's sexuality's impact on her (and hers on his) is so spot-on.

LizzyNanney I love love love this book! Seeing the musical when it comes near me next season! 8y
SGJ Teaching this one in a couple weeks. So good. 8y
7 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Orbeck33
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I'm half way through this zany book. I'm curious to hear what others think but no spoilers (yet) please!

Taylor I did not like it. 8y
Bookstorecats I am stuck. But it's my my bedside at Book Expo and I am determined to finish before my flight home. I think I might have a globus..... 8y
Orbeck33 @Bookstorecats stick with it. I usually don't recommend doing so but @todd almost quit multiple times and is glad he didn't. Plus it's short! 8y
4 likes3 comments
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Orbeck33
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Such an interesting way to describe a dip into psychosis.

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Orbeck33
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Pickpick

Didion gives her readers the gift of letting us intimately into her grief. So beautiful, so painful and so necessary in a culture that shies away from talking about death.

tkmadden this book saved me this year. she's the best! 8y
Orbeck33 @tkmadden I'm glad you had it to help you on what must be a painful journey. 8y
SGJ Had this one on my nightstand so long, now. Kind of superstitious about actually reading it. 8y
Orbeck33 @SGJ it's worth it! 8y
donnasoutherngarden I want to read it, but I'm almost afraid to. The older I get, the more vulnerable, through my growing extended family. 8y
7 likes3 stack adds5 comments