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msford88

msford88

Joined January 2018

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msford88
Blood and Thunder | Hampton Sides
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Pickpick

I can't recommend this book highly enough. The minute I finished it, I went online and immediately bought two more books by Hampton Sides. This book covers a TON of information, from the legend of Kit Carson to the displacement of the American Indians to the various wars that took place during westward expansion in the U.S. Yet it flows effortlessly. Truly one of my top nonfiction reads ever.

Kaye Great review ! 5y
91 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

Simply written, yet quite powerful. While it will only take you a couple hours to read, Heather Morris's account of Lale Sokolov will remain with you long after you turn the last page. It's a story of triumph, tragedy, and what it means to find love even in the darkest places.

Bindrosbookshelf It was a hard read but I really liked it. The sequel is coming out - Cilka‘s Journey 5y
125 likes9 stack adds1 comment
blurb
msford88
The Sea Queen: A Novel | Linnea Hartsuyker
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Picked up a few new books today. A mix of fiction and nonfiction. I really liked The Half-Drowned King so I'm looking forward to its sequel, The Sea Queen.

Scochrane26 Killers of the flower moon was one of my favorites last year. 5y
rmaclean4 @Scochrane26 such a great read! 5y
104 likes4 stack adds2 comments
blurb
msford88
Blood and Thunder | Hampton Sides
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Just grabbed this book today. I've heard great things and can't wait to dive in.

cariashley I love Hampton Sides! I haven‘t read this one yet but it‘s on my list. 5y
77 likes1 stack add1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

This is one of my favorite books ever. It's about a nineteen-year-old girl, Sugar, who is a brothel worker in 1870s London. After meeting William Rackham, she begins an improbable ascent though the strata of Victorian society. This is a remarkable book that is Dickensian in scope and tells one the richest stories I've had the privilege of reading. Yes, it could be used as a doorstop (clocking in at ~900 pages), but it reads quite quickly.

AmyG I loved this book. 5y
Alfoster I loved it too! @AmyG 5y
juliegumdrop One of my all time favorites too! 5y
BookBridget Loved this book! 5y
75 likes7 stack adds4 comments
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msford88
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Pickpick

The story of the Pilgrims does not end with the First Thanksgiving; instead, it is a fifty-five-year epic that is at once tragic and heroic. Philbrick is an absolute master of his craft, and this book is no exception. The story related in Mayflower is an electrifying account that answers a supremely loaded question: How did it all begin?

Bradleygirl Ooh, I remember listening to this one! 5y
70 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
The Well and the Mine | Gin Phillips
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Pickpick

A tight-knit miner‘s family struggles against poverty and racism in Depression-era Alabama. In her first novel, Gin Phillips alternates between four points of view, and she does it skillfully. The family in the book is wonderful to meet, and the book relates their tale in a quiet, unobtrusive manner. Highly recommended!

66 likes4 stack adds
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msford88
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Pickpick


King of Heists is a spellbinding and unprecedented account of the greatest bank robbery in American history, which took place on October 27, 1878, when thieves broke into the Manhattan Savings Institution and stole nearly $3 million. This book was an engrossing tale of the Gilded Age, unforgettable personalities, and one of the most audacious crimes in history.

56 likes3 stack adds
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msford88
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Pickpick

This is a unique story of many layers. It's a book within a book within a book that reveals itself in minute fragments. It's a risky strategy, but Williams pulls it off gloriously. This seems to be one of those "love it" or "hate it books." But I'd recommend it.

70 likes1 stack add
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msford88
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Pickpick

This is the classic exposé of the Federal Reserve. Sound boring? It's anything but. It reads like a detective story - which it really is, but it's all true. This book is about the most blatant scam in history. And it all starts with the secretive creation of one of the most powerful institutions in the world today.

Lea I loooooooove Jekyll Island! 5y
64 likes1 comment
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msford88
Buried Giant | Kazuo Ishiguro
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Pickpick

The Buried Giant is set in a misty, primordial England populated by feuding Saxons and Britons and haunted by traces of a great age just gone by: the ruins of the collapsing Roman Empire and the shadow of the late King Arthur, a few of whose sworn knights still roam the landscape in rusty armor. This story is yet further proof that Ishiguro is a master. For me, this was an instant classic.

CaroPi I also like it this book. I know many people didn't but for me was quite magical. I am happy to see that I am not the only one who likes it! 5y
Lcsmcat Sounds good. Stacked! 5y
BibliOphelia You made my hairs prickle! Stacked 😬 5y
Becker Really loved this book. 5y
99 likes8 stack adds4 comments
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msford88
The Tsar's Dwarf | Peter Fogtdal
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Pickpick

Soerine, a deformed female dwarf from Denmark, is given as a gift to the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great because he is taken by her freakishness and intellect. This is a sneakily complex book which explores a variety of topics, the most prominent being the endurance of the human condition. It is superbly written and is a tough book to put down.

Laura317 This sounds fascinating and horrifying at the same time. Stacked. 5y
Reagan Stacked! 5y
HeathHof This sounds good! I ordered it a few days ago now just inpaitently waiting for it to arrive. 5y
72 likes6 stack adds3 comments
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msford88
The Last Crossing | Guy Vanderhaeghe
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Pickpick

The Last Crossing is a sweeping tale of breathtaking quests, adventurous detours, and hard-won redemption. Englishmen Charles and Addington Gaunt are ordered by their tyrannical industrialist father to find their brother Simon, who has gone missing in the wilds of the American West. And so begins a tale unlike any other. The prose is beautiful, the characters are incredible, and the storytelling is extraordinary.

58 likes1 stack add
review
msford88
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Pickpick

Egan tells an extraordinary tale in this visceral account of how America's great, grassy plains turned to dust, and how the ferocious plains winds stirred up an endless series of "black blizzards" that were like a biblical plague. A truly eye-opening book. I was blown away by the intensity of this time period and the persistence of those living through it.

Bookwormjillk I loved this book. 5y
67 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

A riveting narrative look at one of the most colorful, dangerous, and peculiar places in America's historical landscape: the strange, wonderful, and mysterious Mississippi River of the 19th century. This was an absolutely enthralling read. From river pirates to war battles to natural disasters, this book is a captivating account of one of the world's most famous rivers and the people that tried to tame it.

77 likes8 stack adds
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msford88
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Pickpick

Rinker Buck‘s The Oregon Trail is an epic account of traveling the 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way—in a covered wagon with a team of mules. It's a must-read for any fan of history. The book is by turns hilarious, tragic, and illuminating.

BookNAround I missed this book club meeting and have never gotten to this one as a result. Sounds like I should pick it up sooner rather than later. 5y
79 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
The Half-Drowned King: A Novel | Linnea Hartsuyker
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Pickpick

A rollicking tale of monarchs, murder, and mayhem in long-ago Norway. The book is an emotional historical fiction that centers on revenge. The story is entertaining and vivid, though the characters could have used a bit more work in my opinion. Still, it was certainly a worthwhile read.

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Ive been curious about this one! 5y
75 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
Grass Kings Vol. 1 | Matt Kindt
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Pickpick

A rural mystery series chronicling the tragic lives of the Grass Kings, three brothers and rulers of a community living off the grid and outside of the law.

I was really pleased with this book. The watercolor art is beautiful. And the storyline is great. Highly recommended if you like the graphic novel format.

56 likes2 stack adds
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msford88
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Pickpick

History comes alive in this textured account of the rivalry between Harry Houdini and the so-called Witch of Lime Street, whose iconic lives intersected at a time when science was on the verge of embracing the paranormal. This is a wonderful account of a truly bizarre time in history. I couldn't put this book down once I started it.

74 likes8 stack adds
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msford88
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Pickpick

A very thorough history of one of the most famous streets in American history. More happened on this three-block stretch in New York's East Village than almost anywhere else in the city. It's also about the continual death of the street and its culture, though it's soldiered on for generations. A remarkable read.

71 likes6 stack adds
blurb
msford88
The Golden Bough | James George Frazer
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Hit the thrift store today, and I found some cool old copies of a few books. The Golden Bough is high on my list of intriguing books, so I can't wait to get into it. That's is, after I start running through my stack a bit.

review
msford88
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Pickpick

This was an excellent read. Joyce Johnson delves into the beat generation and the personal relationships she shared with several writers from that time (Kerouac primarily). I've always been a fan of the beat writers, and Johnson sheds new and fascinating light on them as she unravels her story. A highly recommended memoir.

55 likes2 stack adds
blurb
msford88
Secret of the Cards | Sonia Craddock
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What can I say? I'm a sucker for magic tricks. And for my birthday, my wife has encouraged me to up my game for future get-togethers. She thinks my tricks are great. I don't have the heart to tell her I stink 😊

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msford88
Redwall | Brian Jacques
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Pickpick

This was one of my favorite books as a kid. And I enjoyed it again, albeit in a much different way. It's inarguably one of the classics in the fantasy genre, and it's stood the test of time. So if you've been on the fence about rereading this gem or haven't yet given it a read, there's no time like the present.

Reviewsbylola My husband loved this one as a kid and bought it for my stepdaughter but as far as I know she never read it. 5y
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

I've been on a nonfiction kick, and this was one of my recent reads. It's a fast, interesting book that sheds light on the darker side of one of America's most heralded architects, Stanford White. From a chance encounter to cold-blooded murder, Baatz details a largely forgotten saga of lust and lunacy.

OrangeMooseReads I just loaded this one for my next audio read 5y
Reviewsbylola I read a different book on this case but it‘s been awhile. 5y
Clare-Dragonfly The podcast Criminal did an interesting multi-part episode on the murder story. 5y
62 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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msford88
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Pickpick

I laughed. I yelled. I cried. This book brought out almost every one of my emotions as I devoured Kate Moore's masterfully told story of one of the most important groups of women in U.S. history. Through their ups and downs, their anguish and their triumphs, Moore reports on a tale of courage and fortitude that should impact anyone who reads it. A compelling read that's written at a breakneck pace. One of my favorite recent non-fictions.

EKonrad Agreed! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y
65 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

Amazing book! This is the absolutely impressive narrative biography of Grace Humiston, one of the most prolific female detectives in history. She broke ground in so many different ways, and Brad Ricca truly does her justice. From her humble beginnings as a nighttime law student to her game changing career in the NYC spotlight, this book covers it all. Plus, there's the added mystery of her tackling one of the most riveting cases of all time.

lynneamch Oooh! Sounds like a great companion read with this one about Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective. 5y
64 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
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Pickpick

Fascinating. If you're a fan of true crime, pick this book up. This story is a touch different in that the author reveals her own detective work alongside that of those involved in the actual case. The narrative style is reminiscent of Erik Larson and every bit as intriguing.

RainyDayReading I‘ve read a couple of books about the black dahlia murder but this was definitely the most engrossing and well written. 6y
PirateJenny oooooo 6y
73 likes9 stack adds2 comments
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msford88
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Pickpick

Doing a few reviews at once here. Been lazy about posting lately.

This was a real page-turner. It took me a couple chapters to get into it, but once I did I was hooked. Really a solid book overall, and I wasn't disappointed after liking Everything I Never Told You. This is another great beach read.

The book explores quite a few avenues, and it handles them all quite well. Coming of age, motherhood, and our greatest secrets and fears.

85 likes1 stack add
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msford88
The Great Alone | Kristin Hannah
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Pickpick

This was the first Kristin Hannah book I've truly enjoyed. As unpopular as it is, I wasn't a huge fan of The Nightingale. But this book I found quite compelling. It's a good story with characters I rather liked. Hannah did a really nice job with the sub-stories while not losing sight of the story at large. This is a light, fun read overall and would make for an ideal beach book.

Skeebies05 I llllloooove Kristen‘s books but I did not like The Nightingale. I loved her for her beach reads. 6y
80 likes1 comment
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msford88
Watership Down | Richard Adams
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How is this book not in the Litsy library? Anyhow, I found this at a used book shop in Baltimore. One of my favorites from my middle school years. If you're a fan of Watership Down (which is what I tagged), I highly suggest checking out Wood Magic.

Tamra Oh, will do! 6y
91 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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msford88
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My wife was on a business trip, so I had to wait until tonight to give her these. We don't really do Valentine's Day, but I can't resist getting her a little gift each year. We ate some Korean BBQ and learned about evil bugs (and some amazing plants).

MiyakoBunny This is awesome 😍😍😍😍 6y
pdever I loved the Drunken Botanist and hope some of your Valentine's dinner chat revolved around a delicious cocktail! 5y
129 likes2 comments
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msford88
Gathering Storm | Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson
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Well, this was serendipitous. I'm almost finished with book 11 in the Wheel of Time series, and my local thrift shop had books 12, 13, and 14 just sitting there. All for $3. It's like someone dropped them off just for me 😂

ReviewsbytheMrs Lucky you 💜 6y
knittedgnome It was meant to be!! 6y
Jennick2004 Love when the timing is just right 😬 6y
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AmyG Serendipity ❤️ 6y
2BR02B Thrift kismet is the best! ❤ 6y
Eyelit Serendipity! 6y
105 likes1 stack add6 comments
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msford88
Hiddensee: A Novel | Gregory Maguire
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Picked up a signed copy of Hiddensee today. Love when I find these hiding on the shelves.

Christine11 It‘s a gorgeous looking book and it sounds really interesting! Great that you got it signed too ! 😊 6y
rather_be_reading lucky! 😍 6y
104 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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msford88
Idaho | Emily Ruskovich
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How come I every time I get a gift card, it ends up costing ME money? 😆

myers85 Haha I know that feeling! 6y
Ingerella Happens to me too! 6y
Reviewsbylola Lol I can relate!! 6y
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cathysaid Because science. 6y
rather_be_reading 😂😂 6y
Shibbyfruitfly That in one of the Universe‘s unanswerable questions. 6y
LunaSaintClaire Not many people know about The Bone People. It was a favorite book of mine and I just found a hardcover first edition, it's on my nightstand now for a reread 💜 6y
126 likes7 comments
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msford88
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Pickpick

This book has gotten several less-than-great reviews on here, but I have to disagree with them. Is this the best book ever? No. But it's certainly a worthwhile read. I loved the poetic bent of the writing, and the story was quite compelling. I can understand why some say the author overindulged in description of minutae, but I can't say it hindered my reading experience. If you've been on the fence with Elmet, I say go for it. I give it a 3/5.

106 likes1 stack add
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msford88
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Pickpick

I didn't know the first thing about stamp collecting when I dug into this book. It didn't matter. It was incredibly interesting, and there's very little "fat." It's very well written, and you're given only what you really want to know. It's a fast read, and I definitely recommend. You'll surely lose yourself among the interesting characters who've made it their ultimate goal to own the most valuable stamp in the world.

Lynnsoprano I‘m definitely going to have to read this, but for a very different reason. The summer after I graduated from high school, I worked for Crayola, packing the old big flat boxes of 72 crayons. You were known by the name of one of the 4 crayons you put in each box as it came down the conveyor belt, and I was “magenta.”😄 6y
msford88 @Lynnsoprano Haha. That's a great story. Love it. 6y
123 likes11 stack adds2 comments
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msford88
Essential Gwendolyn Brooks | Gwendolyn Brooks
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Brooks is one of the most powerful voices in poetry. I've been a fan for years, so I was thrilled to get my hands on a signed copy of Riot. As you can see the book was well-loved before it hit my collection 😊

Natasha.C.Barnes !!!!!!! That is so cool!! I have her on my list for #poetrychallenge2018 6y
GirlChandler 🤩 6y
LASluvesbooks @msford88 I'm curious about the name Donaldson written on there. That's my maiden name 6y
msford88 @LASluvesbooks The full name is Jeff Donaldson. He did the frontispiece. 6y
115 likes1 stack add4 comments
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msford88
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Always excited to add some Murakami to my shelf.

tracyrowanreads Such a strange book. But I liked it. 6y
MiyakoBunny This is on my TBR for the popsugar challenge 😁 6y
msford88 @MiyakoBunny Nice. I'm new around here, so I need to get hip these challenges. 6y
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Vbrrgirl I loved this book. It was strange but a great story. 6y
mellissimo This one is one of the few Murakami books that are still missing in my collection. It sounds kinda weird 🙈 6y
KathyWheeler This is the only Murakami book I‘ve ever read. I loved it. I own others; I just haven‘t read them yet. 6y
108 likes8 stack adds6 comments
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msford88
Selection Day | Aravind Adiga
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Pickpick

It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did... I was hooked.

On the surface, this book is about Selection Day - perhaps the most important day in the life of a hopeful, young cricket player. But underneath, it's a book about choices. Both those we make for ourselves and those that are made for us. And the outcomes of these choices often differ from what we've ever imagined.

105 likes2 stack adds
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msford88
Kangaroo | D. H. Lawrence
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Added this to my small (but growing) orange Penguin collection. The cover has a piece missing, but I can't complain for less than a buck.

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msford88
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Pickpick

Some truly fascinating tales from the botanical dark side. I read this book over time, digesting a new evil plant story every few days.

JillPill She has another one called Wicked Bugs that is really cool too. I read this while I was getting a tattoo last year! 6y
MiyakoBunny Yay!!! This is on my TBR 😃 6y
msford88 @JillPill Awesome! I'll have to check it out. 6y
Godmotherx5 I gave this to my mom & my brother stole it. I heard it‘s very good. 😉 6y
134 likes14 stack adds5 comments
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msford88
Gormenghast Novels | Mervyn Peake
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Found these gems at an estate sale today.

IMO, some of the most underrated fantasy writing out there.

tournevis Agreed! 6y
britt_brooke Nice!! 6y
quirkyreader Those are the editions that I had. Around the time I got them a new edition was out with all three. 6y
Karkar I am interested in reading these. One of the people I follow on Goodreads loves these, I had never heard of them until a few months ago. 6y
minkyb These titles are new to me. Thank you for posting. 6y
101 likes1 stack add5 comments
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msford88
Audubon, on the Wings of the World | Fabien Grolleau, Jrmie Royer
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Two of my favorite things. This book is beautiful and couldn't have made a better present. I can't wait to read it!

Tamra How beautiful! 6y
ladym30 Looks very interesting. 6y
112 likes7 stack adds2 comments
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msford88
IQ84 | Haruki Murakami
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I've read most but not all. Need to tackle the "unreads" this year.

Lcsmcat Welcome to Litsy! 6y
msford88 @Lcsmcat Thanks! 6y
tpixie Welcome! And a great goal 🥅! 6y
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tammysue Welcome to Litsy!! 👋🏻 6y
ladym30 Gorgeous shelves! 6y
CaitlinR Freestanding? 6y
msford88 @CaitlinR Yes, freestanding. 6y
138 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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msford88
Thief's Journal | Jean Genet
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Some of my favorites.

BookwormAHN Welcome to Litsy 😸 6y
CWilson I love wicked too! 6y
CWilson Welcome! 6y
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YouReadMyEyes That is a cool looking boxed set edition of 2666. Never seen that before. 6y
msford88 @YouReadMyEyes Thanks. It's one of my favorite box sets. Found it on eBay. 6y
castijoh83 Love Bukowski!! 6y
jamie_in_the_library I ❤️ Wool! 6y
msford88 @jamie_in_the_library Unfortunately I'm missing one of the books. I let someone borrow it, and it never came home. 6y
jamie_in_the_library @msford88 Ah I hate that! Hopefully you‘re reunited with Shift soon ;) (edited) 6y
monalyisha Cool Pomegranate! 6y
SandyW I too have a hole in my bookshelf. I recently lent a friend an old hardcover that I love. Months ago she told me she loved it too. Alas, out had still not made it back to me. 😢 6y
Smrloomis I‘ve been thinking of reading 2666 but I don‘t know when I‘d finish it! 6y
stolenseconds 2666 is on my list to read this year! 6y
msford88 @stolenseconds Great one to have on there. It's one of those you truly won't forget. 6y
ptkpepe98 Oh! All those Maquires. Such fun! 6y
bitterbear @YouReadMyEyes we should do a buddy read... that's been on my the for years... 6y
YouReadMyEyes @bitterbear that would be awesome 6y
bitterbear @YouReadMyEyes I have some netgally reads I need to finish but when would you like to do It? 6y
bitterbear @stolenseconds buddy read? 6y
YouReadMyEyes @bitterbear @stolenseconds I can do buddy read anytime, just let me know. 6y
72 likes20 comments
blurb
msford88
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Picked this up today. I'm a huge fan of The Atavist, so I'm excited to dive in.

28 likes2 stack adds
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msford88
American Rust: A Novel | Philipp Meyer
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Pickpick

Just finished this one. Excellent read. Can't recommend it highly enough. Though its SOC style has turned some people off (as seen in other reviews)

Rcoco What does SOC stand for? 6y
msford88 @Rcoco Stream-of-conciousness. I was being lazy :) 6y
34 likes4 stack adds2 comments
review
msford88
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Pickpick

A wonderful - and incredibly readable - day-by-day expose on one of the most important cholera attacks in world history. What sounds like "dry" material is brought to life in a way that made it almost impossible for me to put this book down.

RaimeyGallant Nice review. :) Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you're interested. :) 6y
msford88 @RaimeyGallant Thanks so much. Very helpful! 6y
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Purrfectpages Welcome to Litsy! 6y
jfalkens Welcome to Litsy and happy reading 😊🎊📚🎉📖🤓 6y
Cinfhen Book sounds great!! First post has me intrigued😀welcome ❣️ 6y
Bookladylinda Welcome to Litsy! 6y
msford88 @Cinfhen It was an excellent read. Highly recommend. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Welcome to Litsy! 6y
tpixie This book sounds great! I just told my sister about it and she downloaded it on her Kindle. Now I need to get it! 6y
PurpleyPumpkin Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a great community and I hope you enjoy it here. 😉 6y
DebReads4fun Welcome to Litsy! 6y
41 likes14 stack adds14 comments