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merelybookish
Liar's Dictionary | Eley Williams
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This month"s #bookspin and #doublespin. Feeling hopeful I will read one of them. ?

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merelybookish
Plainsong: A Novel | Nancy Huston
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Squeaking in my #bookspin stack for October.

Ruthiella I‘ll be curious to read what you think of Stone Arabia if you get to it. I‘ve not yet, but the two other novels from Spiotta that I‘ve read have been interesting. 13h
TheLudicReader I read Crossing to Safety years ago and loved it. 3h
merelybookish @Ruthiella I read Wayward a few years ago and loved it. That's why I bought this one. If/when I ever get to it, I'll let you know what I think. 😅 2h
merelybookish @TheLudicReader So many of my respected reader friends love it! 2h
48 likes4 comments
review
merelybookish
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Pickpick

Loving the fall colours 🍂🍁 And loved this book. Spark's ability to create such a vivid and compact portrait of the various inhabitants of a girls' rooming in 1945 London is astounding. There is always a surprising bite to her writing and it's here too. Between this and the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Spark is a fascinating (and unsentimental) chronicler of girlhood. And another book for #192025 @Librarybelle

Librarybelle Hooray!! 17h
jlhammar Great book! Beautiful photo 🍁 14h
TheLudicReader Ahhh, our magnificent river. 3h
merelybookish @jlhammar I loved it! And thanks. 🙂 2h
merelybookish @TheLudicReader Yes, one of the loves of my life. 💙 2h
50 likes5 comments
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merelybookish
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My #bookspin and #doublespin for Shorty September. I bailed on the Bowen (the stories all started to feel like the same, fraught relationships at an Irish manor house where much is left unsaid). I finished the Colwin, which I enjoyed. She works small and I like that. Although she mostly inhabits a rarified White world of wealthy/intellectual New Yorkers.
Always feels good to knock a few books off the shelf!
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 22h
38 likes1 comment
review
merelybookish
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Pickpick

Finished another volume. This one felt longer, maybe because the narrator is growing increasingly annoying (and my annoying I mean a jealous, possessive a$$hole ?).That said, reading his depictions of gay men ("inverse" in early 20th century parlance) and gay relationships is fascinating knowing that Proust himself was gay. Because I would not say it's exactly flattering. (The narrator in the book is not.)
On to Volume 5! #morningswithMarcel

merelybookish Tagging @DrSabrinaMoldenReads since we seen to be in this together. 😉 2d
54 likes1 comment
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merelybookish
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"Small, runty, and rooty, she looks like a young edition of an old gnarled tree."
How's that for a flattering description?! ?
From my #doublespin book that I'm trying to finish today.

review
merelybookish
Fortnight in September | R C Sherriff
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Pickpick

As delightful as everyone says!

LeahBergen I‘m glad you can still be my friend. 😉 3d
merelybookish @LeahBergen LOL. I didn't realize how much was riding on liking it. 😅 3d
Ruthiella A lovely, plotless book! 2d
See All 6 Comments
marleed I love this book. It‘s the only book I can think of that when I recommend also encourage reading how/when the book was written and edited (or might I say not edited.). 2d
merelybookish @Ruthiella Indeed! My favourite. 😉 2d
merelybookish @marleed It does require patience, if you're used to faster plots. 2d
58 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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merelybookish
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Some literal choices for this month's #titlesandtunes theme. Lots of 🔵🔵🔵 A crime fiction modern classic with blue in the title and a cover of Joni Mitchell's Blue by Sarah McLaughlin. (Can't get the original since Joni removed her music from Spotify a while ago. 😟). @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB #blues
https://spotify.link/Xw1g6rLpuDb

Cinfhen Love your choices! Literal works well in this instance 🩵🩵🩵 3d
youneverarrived I almost picked this too! 😆 only didn‘t because it wasn‘t on Spotify. I think Blue might be my favourite ever album. 3d
merelybookish @Cinfhen Blue is a pretty great theme. 💙 3d
See All 6 Comments
merelybookish @youneverarrived Yes, mine too. It never grows old! (Clearly we have very similar taste in music. 😉) 3d
BarbaraBB What a beautiful song! 2d
merelybookish @BarbaraBB A classic. 💙🔵💧 2d
44 likes6 comments
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merelybookish
Anne of Windy Poplars | L. M. Montgomery
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Latest addition to my Montgomery collection.

LeahBergen That‘s a lovely one! 🥰 1w
IndoorDame Lovely copy!! 1w
Leftcoastzen What a beautiful cover! 1w
See All 9 Comments
batsy Pretty!! 1w
RobES Love this old edition 😍 1w
SayersLover Wish I had that edition it‘s so Anne! This is hands on my favorite of her books! @merelybookish 1w
Aimeesue Beautiful cover! 7d
kspenmoll just love the cover! 3d
Centique Ohhh its a beauty! 😍 3d
73 likes9 comments
review
merelybookish
Lightning Rods | Helen Dewitt
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Mehso-so

Second book completed for the Helen DeWitt spotlight group I joined. What can companies do to prevent sexual harassment? One business man comes up with a surprising solution. 👀😳🍑🍆 And then builds a business on it. DeWitt is clever beyond words & her ability to satirize the absurdity capitalist logic and American corporatese is amazing. Still, I will never love satire. Not for the faint of heart. A short story version would have been plenty.

dabbe I spy two adorable kitty butts! 🖤🐾🐾🖤 1w
Centique Yes satire almost never strikes me right 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1w
merelybookish @dabbe Yes! They both like to join me when I read. 1w
merelybookish @Centique It seems to lack the emotional depth that I crave from fiction. 1w
69 likes4 comments
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merelybookish
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Pickpick

A perfect, short, lazy-day read. Set in the Jazz Age, Lorelei is a smart woman who believes in fate, fun, and diamonds. 🥂 💍💃 In her diary, she recounts adventures with her 'unrefined' friend Dorothy in NYC, London, Paris & Vienna, & the men they befriend along the way. You can't help but root for Lorelei & chuckle at Dorothy My #dramaqueen for #titlesandtunes. So glad I finally read it! @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

dabbe Hello there, sweet pup! 🖤🐾🖤 2w
LeahBergen I like to think I‘m a believer in fate, fun and diamonds 🤣 2w
batsy Great review! Fate, fun, and diamonds sounds like a life philosophy to admire 😆 2w
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Centique @LeahBergen @batsy i might have to vary mine a little to fate, fun and chocolate. 😜 This sounds so good though! 2w
BarbaraBB Sounds like a book for me too! And well chosen for the prompt! 2w
merelybookish @LeahBergen @batsy @centique @BarbaraBB Definitely an inspiration! 😁 (She might be a bit of an opportunist too 😉). The book is fun, funny and biting. I think you'd all enjoy it! 2w
merelybookish @dabbe Thank you! It's actually my sweet kitty cat. 🙂 yesterday our area was hit by Tropical Storm Lee, so we hunkered down in bed together. 2w
Cinfhen Glad the challenge helped you get a book off your TBR as opposed to adding more books 😜 2w
dabbe @merelybookish Yet another reason I need my eyes checked! 🤣 I thought it was like a husky mix! 🤩🤗😍 2w
71 likes2 stack adds9 comments
review
merelybookish
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Panpan

A disappointing & over-written Canadian novel with two timelines. One, the river, about Ronny, an orphan making his way on the streets of 1940s Vancouver. Two, the sea, about Chandra, a son of Sri Lankan immigrants growing up in 1980s Nanaimo. Both boys are trying to figure out how to become men in limited circumstances.There's promise here but the writing (too flowery x 1000) & the vague relationship between timelines weaken it. It needed a 👇

merelybookish a good editor! Moorthy has talent and I feel bad panning it. But it was a slog to get through. #netgalley 3w
64 likes1 stack add1 comment
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merelybookish
Lightning Rods | Helen Dewitt
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DeWitt's second novel, a satire on sexual harassment in the workplace. It's testing me. 😒

Lindy Whew! I know what you mean. This one really pushes the acceptability boundaries 3w
56 likes1 comment
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merelybookish
Big Girl | Mecca Jamilah Sullivan
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It was a weird summer and I feel like my #top10ofsummer2023reads reflects that. 😅 A real mix of genres here.
Thanks for the tag @BarbaraBB @youneverarrived
I have no idea who hasn't been tagged. @vivastory @LeahBergen @Centique @Graywacke @Lcsmcat @Leniverse @jlhammar

BarbaraBB Thanks! I loved Elena Knows 🤍 and am curious about Ducks! 4w
LeahBergen Thanks for the tag! I‘m still summer travelling and may not be organized enough to make a post yet. 😆 4w
Centique Thank you Margot. Ill have to think of my best Winter Reads 😂 4w
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batsy Ducks was on my list, as well! And agreed on Elena Knows and Strong Poison 👌🏾 4w
youneverarrived I‘m intrigued about most of your choices! I haven‘t read any. 3w
merelybookish @BarbaraBB Ducks is worth checking out! 3w
merelybookish @LeahBergen Enjoy your summer travelling!! Hope it means a bit of book buying too. 😄 3w
merelybookish @Centique Duh. Of course. 🤦We are so obnoxious on this side of the world. 🤷 3w
merelybookish @youneverarrived Im not surprised. It feels like I read some off the radar books. 3w
Centique @merelybookish oh youre not of course youre not! 88% of the world population on your side of the world according to Google. We‘re the weird little sister down here doing things opposite. 😂😂 It always makes me laugh though - im cold when youre hot and hot when youre cold - and it kinda helps you look forward to the next season. 💕 3w
60 likes10 comments
review
merelybookish
Big Girl | Mecca Jamilah Sullivan
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Pickpick

I decided to read this book about a young fat Black girl growing up in 1990s Harlem after hearing the author interviewed on the Virago podcast OurShelves. I figured if the book was half as engaging as the author, it would be good. And it is! From the age of 8 up, Malaya's size is a constant source of conversation, investigation, intervention & shame. Nevertheless Malaya refuses to be reduced to what she weighs. A challenging & heartwarming book!

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merelybookish
Hoarders | Kate Durbin
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Saw this on IG. Made me LOL. 😂😂

Suet624 Hahaha 1mo
sarahbarnes Yes this pretty much sums it up. 😂 3w
DrSabrinaMoldenReads That would be so awesome 2w
62 likes3 comments
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merelybookish
Paris Stories | Mavis Gallant
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My #bookspin stack for September. All short story collections! Some have been patiently waiting on my shelves for years.
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1mo
Lcsmcat Lots of great books there! 1mo
merelybookish @Lcsmcat Would be good if I read some of them! 😅 1mo
Lcsmcat @merelybookish The problem we ALL have!! 1mo
56 likes4 comments
review
merelybookish
Big Cabin | Ron Padgett
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Pickpick

I didn't manage to read a book of poetry for each day of August for #thesealeychallenge, but I did do it 21/31 days. So not bad! Lots of good poetry! And a pretty good mix: old and young, famous and less-well-known, local and not. There were only a few collections that left me cold. One note for next year: make sure to have lots of slim volumes to choose from.

Leftcoastzen Amazing stack! 1mo
CSeydel Terrific! 1mo
Ruthiella 21 out of 31 is still pretty amazing! 👏👏👏 1mo
58 likes3 comments
review
merelybookish
Last Samurai | Helen Dewitt
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Pickpick

Not sure how to rate this book. It's definitely a challenging read and pushes the limits of the novel form. It started out as an intellectual experience but by the end, I found that there was some emotional resonance. In general, it's asking some provocative questions about education and self-determination. It's not so much a book I enjoyed as one I will continue to think about. So a pick!

Ruthiella This book will stay with me too, I think. I want to read her follow up too, which is supposedly very different 1mo
59 likes1 comment
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merelybookish
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Book Outlet strikes again! 🙈😬🤷

TheLudicReader I always have a full cart on that stupid site. 1mo
Ruthiella I love those Virago naked hardbacks! They are so pretty. 😍 1mo
batsy Nice 😍 I've had my eye on that edition of Black Narcissus! 1mo
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LeahBergen Viragos! I must go check out their site again. 1mo
ShelleyBooksie The cover of the book of witches- gorgeous!!! 1mo
merelybookish @TheLudicReader It's so dangerous! 💸💸 1mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella Me too! I'm a sucker for a Virago! 1mo
merelybookish @batsy I couldn't resist! 1mo
merelybookish @LeahBergen There were a bunch available. I was surprised! 1mo
merelybookish @ShelleyBooksie Yes, maybe will save for October. 🧙 1mo
Centique Janet Frame! 🙌🙌 I havent read that one yet 🤔 1mo
55 likes11 comments
review
merelybookish
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Pickpick

In 1963, a young Dervla Murphy decided to cycle from Ireland to India on her trusty bike Ros. WHY she decided to do that is never fully explained, but I enjoyed her account of the journey. It did drag at the end & there was some inevitable cultural insensitivity. (It feels wrong to try to characterize a race of people.) But Murphy is humble, open-hearted, and brave. It's hard not to like her. Particularly enjoyed her time spent in Afghanistan.

merelybookish This was my August #titlesandtunes pick. It also worked for #192025 @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle 1mo
Librarybelle Sounds interesting! 1mo
BarbaraBB Cycling through Afghanistan on your own… imagine! 1mo
Cinfhen Awesome 😎 love the photo 1mo
Suet624 That‘s impressive! 1mo
65 likes5 comments
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merelybookish
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I'm actually early this month for #titlesandtunes. 😮😀 This book has been sitting on my shelf for years and paired well with this classic 80s song by Kim Carnes. I guess #dramaqueen made me think of movies stars.
🎭👸🎥⭐
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

batsy Great pairing! Iconic song and I've not read the book, as well. Cool to see in the Litsy description that Edith Wharton seems to have loved it 🙂 1mo
merelybookish @batsy Thanks! There's a Backlisted episode about it which is what prompted me to buy it. (I won't listen till after I've read it.) 1mo
LeahBergen Oh, how I love this song! And yeah, this book has been sitting on my shelves for years, too. 😆 1mo
See All 8 Comments
Cinfhen Fabulous!!!! 1mo
BarbaraBB Brings back memories! 1mo
merelybookish @LeahBergen It's a great song! And feel free to join me. The book is actually pretty short. 👍 1mo
merelybookish @BarbaraBB Yes, I was still pretty young when it was a hit. 1mo
merelybookish @Cinfhen Thanks! Great prompt! 1mo
47 likes8 comments
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merelybookish
Last Samurai | Helen Dewitt
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When the character of one book you're reading mentions the name of the author of the other book you're reading. Funny little book coincidence. 🤓

rwmg It does give you a weird feeling, doesn't it? My favourite one was when Inspector Chen was reading the same Ruth Rendell collection of stories as I was. 1mo
53 likes1 comment
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merelybookish
Dearly: New Poems | Margaret Atwood
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Day 16 #thesealeychallenge

Internet is off at work so catching up on some poetry.

SamAnne Loved this one. 2mo
57 likes1 comment
review
merelybookish
Birth Road | Michelle Wamboldt
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Mehso-so

Promising story, clunky execution. The book follows Helen McNutt from a young girl into marriage. She faces many challenges: a taciturn mother, the early death of her father, being forced to leave school to work in factory, an abusive marriage. And yet,Helen also finds ways to be happy and to triumph. It is a heartwarming story. AND the writing kinda sucked. 😬
I hate to dump on a local publishing house, but this needed a better editor.

dabbe Look at dose sweet kitties! 🖤🐾🐾🖤 2mo
Leftcoastzen Kitties!😻😻 2mo
merelybookish @dabbe @Leftcoastzen They are big fans of hanging out on the verandah. I read. They sleep. 🙂 2mo
55 likes4 comments
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merelybookish
Still No Word | Shannon Webb-Campbell
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Day 8-9 #thesealeychallenge. Stirring collection by a Mi'kmaq poet from Ktaqmkuk aka Newfoundland.

Poetry is cartography:
mapmakers and sailors
trust it's
written in the stars
"Towards Definition"

54 likes1 stack add
review
merelybookish
The Librarianist: A Novel | Patrick DeWitt
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Pickpick

A soft pick. A novel about a librarianist named Bob Comet. Story starts when he's retired and inadvertently gets a gig volunteering at a seniors home. It feels a bit like DeWitt wanted to create a character study of an unexciting man (who still has a somewhat eventful life.). Between a soft pick and a so-so. Dewitt is like the Wes Anderson of fiction. (I can't be the first to make that comparison.)
Pic of my little garden bounty. 🧅🌱🥔🥒

Leftcoastzen Reading it now , loved French Exit , love the Wes Anderson reference, so get that! 2mo
Leftcoastzen Nice bounty too! 2mo
JamieArc This made me realize that I get French Exit and The French Dispatch mixed up 😆. Makes perfect sense to me! 2mo
See All 16 Comments
BooksCoffeeNurse That looks wonderful! ❤️ 2mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
Ruthiella Well, The Sisters Brothers was more Coen Brothers than Wes Anderson, but I hear you with that reference! 2mo
robinb Nice haul. 😊 2mo
Cinfhen Ahhhhh, lovely photo 😍BTW: fantastic comparison 🙌🏻 2mo
Vansa Actually I think Patrick Dewitt is a lot deeper than Wes Anderson's twee-ness. ( I am not at all a fan of his movies!) 2mo
merelybookish @Leftcoastzen Will be interested to hear what you think! And thanks! 🙂 2mo
merelybookish @JamieArc Haha, yes! 🇫🇷 There's a slant there that feels similar (although more pronounced in Anderson, I think.) 2mo
merelybookish @BooksCoffeeNurse @dabbe @robinb We had so much rain at the start of the summer, the garden has been slow. But it's coming! 2mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella Makes me think there's an argument to be made for comparing the Coens and Anderson. Very different aesthetics but a similar deadpan delivery? 2mo
merelybookish @Cinfhen Thank you! Oddly enough this is my first DeWitt novel, so it might not stand up to a lot of scrutiny. 🙂 2mo
merelybookish @Vansa Interesting! I do like Anderson but can appreciate your criticism. And this is my first DeWitt novel, although I saw the movie adaptation of French Exit. 2mo
UwannaPublishme Fresh veggies! Yum! 2mo
66 likes16 comments
review
merelybookish
The Covenant of Water | Abraham Verghese
Pickpick

I finished!! 🎉🎉
An old-fashioned family saga that weaves together a satisfying tale across multiple generations of a family in India. It is compelling. It is well-done. It is freaking long.
I grew to care about the characters. I was invested. There was a lot of love & generosity in the story. And this will never be my favourite kind of novel. (Oh, the sentences I could slash! 😅)

rockpools 😂 I love your review! But I still can‘t decide whether I want to read this or not. 2mo
Billypar Great review! I'm with you - "family saga" is usually a jacket flap description that makes me return a book to the shelf if the page count hasn't already intimidated me. 2mo
BarbaraBB Agreeing with you and @Billypar. Still haven‘t dared pick this up. 2mo
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merelybookish @rockpools @billypar @BarbaraBB Thank you! And yeah, it's tough! I read it for a book club. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered. This is solid, spacious good storytelling. But it's not exciting fiction. It doesn't do anything new or interesting. And it's a time investment. 🤷 2mo
batsy Yeah I'm with the rest who are scared of a long book that's deemed a "family saga" ? 2mo
Tamra I love a good family saga! I started this and then a library book came in for work bookclub. I hate due dates. 🙃 2mo
bnp I enjoyed his earlier book, Cutting for stone, so bought this one on audio. I like it, but I'm glad I don't have a due date in front of me. 2mo
merelybookish @batsy haha. We have a bias!! 😆 2mo
merelybookish @Tamra Especially when the book is 700 pages!! 2mo
merelybookish @bnp I also did it on audio. 31 hours long! 🤨 2mo
48 likes1 stack add10 comments
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merelybookish
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Day 7 #thesealeychallenge
There are a few poems by Edna St Vincent Millay that I love. I found a few more gems in here. I also think I might prefer her in small doses. 😅

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merelybookish
Processional | Anne Compton
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Day 6 #thesealeychallenge
Another collection by an Atlantic Canadian poet. It won the Governor-Generals awards on 2005.
The motif of the house/home runs throughout -- as memory, history, loss, protection. One upside to reading a local poet is how familiar the descriptions of landscape and weather are. 👍
My poor geraniums are finally blooming. It rained so much in June & July, they were struggling.

Cathythoughts Sounds good. We‘ve had the wettest July on record ! Geraniums are lovely. We have them too. 2mo
merelybookish @Cathythoughts Thanks! We've had a few weeks of sun but more rain coming this week. 😐 2mo
47 likes2 comments
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merelybookish
Fog and Smoke: Poems | Katie Peterson
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Day 5 #thesealeychallenge
This collection is rooted in the domestic space of a family home and the state of California where fog and smoke are increasingly present. The poems evoke the tension between being present to daily life while also witnessing the force of climate change
Due out in January 2024. #netgalley

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merelybookish
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Day 4 #thesealeychallenge
Welp, not every collection will land. This one eluded me, felt like work. Most of the poems were too obscure for my taste. A few on motherhood ("I Called Birth A Wonder Tale") did hit me, though.
A Nova Scotia poet. Trying to read some poetry from Atlantic Canada. ??

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merelybookish
The Covenant of Water | Abraham Verghese
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My #currentlisten. It's good. Also long.

Cathythoughts I‘m still reading it … I‘m getting places at last. If I can keep up the pace , I might finish tomorrow 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 2mo
Cathythoughts It‘s so good ♥️ 2mo
merelybookish @Cathythoughts Yes, I like it too! I am doing it on audio and so will take me a while. Still, I'm on the final stretch! 👍 2mo
63 likes3 comments
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merelybookish
The Way Home | Elizabeth Brewster
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Day 3 #thesealeychallange
A collection by a minor mid-century Canadian post from my home province of NB. I like her direct, unadorned style.
"Tired of Books"
I don't want to write
literature
the stuff students are examined on
just notes
a few memories
as my father told me his
. . .

ShelleyBooksie Yay NB!!! 2mo
merelybookish @ShelleyBooksie Yes! Do you live here too? I'm outside Saint John. 2mo
ShelleyBooksie @merelybookish - sure do - in Fred ♡ 2mo
61 likes3 comments
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merelybookish
The Sorrow Dance | Denise Levertov
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Day 2 #thesealeychallenge.
I bought this book at a used bookstore in Denver. Look at the sweet vintage bookmark that was tucked inside.

Lots of poems about grief following death of her sister. But this line about a hummingbird made me smile
"the fierce, brilliant faith
that pierces the heart all summer."

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merelybookish
Death the Barber | William Carlos Williams
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Day 1#sealeychallenge
A short collection of works by WCW. (I believe from a poetry swap from @batsy ?)

"Flowers by the Sea"
When over the flowery, sharp pasture's
edge, unseen, the salt ocean
lifts its form -- chicory and daisies
tied, released, seems hardly flowers alone
but color and the movement -- or the shape
perhaps -- of restlessness, whereas
the sea is circled and sways
peacefully upon its plantlike stem.

sarahbarnes I still love his well-known poems from college - the wheelbarrow and the plums. 2mo
batsy Oh, lovely! I need to read more of him! Like @sarahbarnes I've enjoyed the few well-known ones I've read. This sounds like a great challenge; only know about it now thanks to you 🙂 2mo
merelybookish @sarahbarnes Me too! As much as they get made fun of, they are so powerful in their simplicity. 2mo
merelybookish @batsy I don't think it's very old! It's a good excuse to read more poetry. 2mo
43 likes4 comments
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merelybookish
I Have More Souls Than One | Fernando Pessoa
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My stack for #thesealeychallenge. It's my second time attempting it. Goal is to read one book each day in August. Wish me luck! 😅

Ruthiella You can do it! 😃👍 2mo
BookwormAHN Good luck 🍀 2mo
Lindy Duffy; Boland; Sarton; Atwood… I see you have lots of great reads ahead of you this month. Bon courage! 🍀 2mo
See All 6 Comments
merelybookish @Ruthiella Thanks! It feels pretty ambitious. 2mo
merelybookish @BookwormAHN Thank you!! 2mo
merelybookish @Lindy Merci! Part of the appeal is to dig into some poets' work that I usually just dip into. 🙂 2mo
45 likes6 comments
review
merelybookish
Rodham | Curtis Sittenfeld
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Mehso-so

Rodham imagines what might have been had Hillary Clinton never married Bill. Hillary gets her due, Bill suffers suitably and Trump, well, he makes a slithery appearance. The book is divided into 3 parts: the Yale school dating Bill years; 1990s senator Hillary; 2015 race for the Democratic ticket. I was into parts 1& 2 but part 3 lost me. It started to read less like a complicated story about a complicated woman and more like wish fulfillment. 👇

merelybookish There are aspects of Sittenfeld's writing that I love in part because it is so relatable. Her craft is in appearing straightforward and simple. She can be brilliant but she can also be disappointing. This is better than Romantic Comedy and less dull than Sisterland but far from her best, American Wife. And phew what a treat to have it off my TBR!! Also my #bookspin for July! @TheAromaofBooks 2mo
merelybookish Recycling my portraits in orange pic. 😀🧡 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2mo
57 likes3 comments
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merelybookish
Rodham | Curtis Sittenfeld
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Reading on the verandah with a big ol' moon shining down.

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
Cathythoughts I look forward to your thoughts. This one is sitting on my shelf for so long. 2mo
merelybookish @dabbe Moon is even prettier tonight! 🌝 2mo
merelybookish @Cathythoughts I also had it on my shelf for ages. 😅 I ended up having mixed feelings. I loved the first 2/3 and disliked the last 1/3. 2mo
dabbe @merelybookish The full moon is tomorrow! 🤩😍🤩 2mo
58 likes1 stack add5 comments
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merelybookish
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A travel memoir that's been on my #TBR for ages and a cheesy 90s song by World Party are my picks for #titlesandtunes #theworldismyoyster.
Anyone else remember "Put a Message in the Box"? ?
?Put the message in the box
Put the box into the car
Drive the car around the world
Until you get heard. ?
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB I can‘t remember it but it fits the prompt perfectly! 2mo
Bookwomble I love World Party, and Goodbye Jumbo is one of my favourite albums! Excellent choice! 😊 2mo
batsy I don't know this song but I'm going to rectify that today 😁 2mo
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Cinfhen Not familiar with this song 🎶 at least I don‘t think so…need to have a listen and I love that some people are choosing travelogues for this prompt!!! Awesomeness 🤩 2mo
merelybookish @BarbaraBB It does! Once I thought of it there was no other possibility. 2mo
merelybookish @batsy I hope you like it! I feel validated knowing @Bookwomble likes it too. ☺️ 2mo
merelybookish @Cinfhen You've created some great prompts with lots of possibilities. 2mo
Cinfhen Thanks! @BarbaraBB and I are having SO MUCH fun with this laidback “challenge” 🥳 we LOVE seeing everyone‘s personal interpretations 🥰 2mo
Bookwomble @merelybookish Karl Wallinger of WP is an excellent songwriter. I guess more people would know his song "She's the One" because of the Robbie Williams cover than would know him directly. Excellent melodies and thoughtful, socially aware lyrics. I hope more people listen to his music because of your tag ? 2mo
rockpools Oh wow. I think I have this on single somewhere… Perfect choice! 2mo
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merelybookish
Strong Poison | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

My first Peter Whimsey mystery. I quite enjoyed it! #192025 @Librarybelle

Librarybelle I‘ve not read this one yet! 2mo
batsy This is a good one! 2mo
Billypar I read Whose Body at the end of last year, also as an audio book, and the Lord Peter Wismey performance made me laugh - something about the high pitched voice racing through the lines in that bygone British aristocrat accent 🙂 2mo
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merelybookish @batsy Yes! Loved Miss Climpson and the "cattery". ? 2mo
merelybookish @Billypar Yes, he's delightful! Silly but also aware of his silliness. 2mo
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merelybookish
Edna St. Vincent Millay: Selected Poems | Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Uncomfortably accurate (says she who is getting ready for bed at 9:10 😴😂)

TheBookHippie Solidarity ✊🏼 2mo
batsy Perfect. And yes, too real 🙃 2mo
GingerAntics This is me these days. 2mo
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merelybookish
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Upside. My director gave everyone at work a book to read and 2 days off to read it.
Downside. I have to read this book. 😆 (I hate reading work-related stuff. 🙈)

Blueberry Good reviews. Goodreads has it at 4.18 stars. It must be job related? 2mo
merelybookish @Blueberry Yes, job-related. I work at a center that serves women who have addictions. 2mo
Prairiegirl_reading I‘m with you. I struggle with assigned reading too. This does sound interesting, but I don‘t work with people with addictions. 2mo
Tamra Definitely a catch 22! 2mo
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merelybookish
Tales of the City (Revised) | Armistead Maupin
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Mehso-so

This book is rooted in the lives of the residents of an apartment building in San Francisco. There's Mary Ann, the recent transplant from Cleveland. Mona, the embittered lonely woman. Michael's, Mona's friend and a hopeless romantic. Brian, a self-loathing straight guy. Anna, the mysterious landlady who offers a joint to any friend. And so on. The world expands to include more. We skip about to work places, date nights, society shindigs. 👇

merelybookish It is VERY of its moment! As I said in an earlier post, a lot like Three Company's, if not substance than in tone and style. Armistad's characters could totally hang at the Regal Beagle with Chrissy & Jack. I found it all facile & dated. I could imagine it was light entertainment in 1978 but it didn't have the same appeal today Anyhoo, I didn't love. But glad I read. Also my #bookspin for July complete.💅 @TheAromaofBooks #192025 @Librarybelle 2mo
merelybookish Also, if you have no idea about Three's Company. Hello, I am 👵 2mo
Librarybelle I‘ve seen Three‘s Company in reruns - I could totally envision the show reading your review! 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Some books hold up better than others - sometimes it's not even because there's anything “wrong,“ the story just doesn't carry through to a different era. 2mo
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merelybookish
Rodham | Curtis Sittenfeld
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Portraits in orange! (Couldn't resist pairing my #doublepin with my daughter's most recent painting.)
I bought this book when it came out and have avoided it ever since. But the time has come to read it! Excited to see where it falls on my Sittenfeld scale. (Please be better than Romantic Comedy! 🤞)
@TheAromaofBooks

batsy Your daughter is so talented! 2mo
merelybookish @batsy Aw thanks for saying that! I'm kind of amazed by it! 2mo
BarbaraBB That is really good painting, I am impressed! 2mo
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sarahbarnes Oh wow, that painting is impressive! 🧡 2mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2mo
Centique What an amazing artist! That painting is so alive with personality 😍 2mo
merelybookish @BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes @dabbe @Centique Thank you! I love her work and appreciate all the kind comments! 🥰 2mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2mo
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merelybookish
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Reminds me a lot of Three's Company. Similar humour, setting, references.
Making me think about what makes a book feel dated. 🤔

Ruthiella Just wait. It gets totally kooky and very far from a Three‘s Company plot line! 3mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella It does get kooky! 2mo
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merelybookish
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Pickpick

A beautiful memoir about the mother-son relationship. Recommended for people who love gorgeous writing. Not recommended for people who like a clear plot and timeline.
#netgalley

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merelybookish
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On to Volume 4. #morningswithmarcel

Centique You are a legend 🙌🙌 2mo
merelybookish @Centique Lol. I'm making my pokey way through it. And I do enjoy it - mostly. 2mo
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merelybookish
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Pickpick

Volume 3 of In Search of Lost Time is ✅ This might be my least favorite volume so far. Set mostly in Paris, our narrator moves into society and we start to see what the mucky mucks are about. Lots of tracing of lineages and "witty" conversations. Also lots of annoying remakes about women & girls. ? Still Proust is a master. When he describes a colour, a scene from a window, an emotion it is worth slogging through some aristocratic namedropping.

sarahbarnes Great pic! Sunshine! ☀️ 3mo
merelybookish @sarahbarnes It came and went! Rain in the forecast for the week. 🙁 3mo
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merelybookish
Big Swiss: A Novel | Jen Beagin
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Mehso-so

I expected to LOVE this and . . . I didn't. Beagin is a phenomenal writer. There were passages that took my breath away. And exploring if we are our trauma is right up my alley.
And yet...something about the tone grated. It felt smug, cynical or too clever for its own good. It got to me, like an infestation, like the bees, the maggots & the stink bugs. Eventually I just wanted the story equivalent of a bug-free heated room in a regular house.

merelybookish I listened to it on audio and I wonder if that contributed to my irritation. Big Swiss's voice was kind of awful. But it had lots of sex and drugs if not rocknroll so perfect for this month's #titlesandtunes @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB #sexdrugdandrocknroll 3mo
BarbaraBB That‘s so true! 3mo
Ruthiella I liked it more than you and definitely want to read more from Beagin, but I agree, it didn‘t really hit the way I expected it to. 3mo
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Reggie Lol, um stacked. Nice review! 3mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella It was more annoying than I expected. 😆 3mo
merelybookish @Reggie Yes! I would love it hear your review!! 3mo
merelybookish @BarbaraBB Thank you! 3mo
Ruthiella I loved Om. He was surprisingly competent in many ways. “I am a sex therapist, Greta.” @Reggie Read it! Consider it a Ruthamendation! 😂 (edited) 3mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella yes, Om came through in the end. His therapeutic approach was actually pretty good. 🙂 Also, love the term 'Ruthamendation' Feels like a hashtag. 😉 3mo
Ruthiella @merelybookish It is! I‘m trying to make #Reggimendation a thing. 😆 Only problem is Reggie reads a lot of horror and romance, maybe my two least favorite genres. 3mo
BkClubCare I am loving Big Swiss! #Ruthamendation?! 2mo
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