Mailbox Monday,
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
and WWW Wednesdays
click on the covers to know more about them
BOOKS RECEIVED THIS PAST WEEK
Trace:
US release date: April 2
“Haunted by flashbacks of the accident that killed his parents, the best he can do is try to distract himself from memories of the past. But the past isn’t done with him. When Trace takes a wrong turn in the New York Public Library, he finds someone else lost in the stacks with him: a crying little boy, wearing old, tattered clothes.”.
Not sure why I received this. I may have entered and won the contest, for a woman in my book club who has several grandchildren who devour books. No note was with the book. That’s Middle Grade fiction, but the story could be interesting. I’ll give it a try before giving it to her.
The Republic:
Received for review. US release date: April 30
“With a playful mix of literary and pop culture references, this novel immerses us in the world of the global intelligentsia, where the truth counts for less than what is said about it. Joost de Vries has written a biting academic satire, an absurd and exceptionally intelligent tale.”
Sounds like my cup of tea, especially as this was presented as similar to The Seventh Function of Language, by Binet, which I enjoyed a lot.
And Other Press often offers great books.
BOOKS JUST READ
FICTION
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POETRY
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CLASSIC
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La vie mode d’emploi:
For classics club.
Just finished this fascinating work pertaining to the Oulipo movement.
Available in English as Life: A User’s Manual.
I’ll try to write my review soon.
Cocktails for a Dead Man:
Poetry, for review.
It was ok.
The Moonstone:
For classics club, audio.
Interesting structure. Good, but I preferred The Woman in White.
CURRENTLY READING
FICTION
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CLASSIC
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AUDIO
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The Goose Fritz:
For review.
Russian literature. Interesting novel on the themes of personal and national history and identity.
Don Quixote:
For classics club – read-along
Thoroughly enjoying it, a chapter a day
HHhH
OMG, I’m so much enjoying Binet’s book! It’s related to Reinhard Heydrich, “the most dangerous man in Hitler’s cabinet”, but it’s also a book about writing, about writing historical fiction. The author inserts his reflections in the midst of the book, which is structured in very little chapters. So well done!
“A seemingly effortlessly blend of historical truth, personal memory, and Laurent Binet’s remarkable imagination, HHhH—an international bestseller and winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman—is a work at once thrilling and intellectually engrossing, a fast-paced novel of the Second World War that is also a profound meditation on the nature of writing and the debt we owe to history.”
BOOKS UP NEXT
FICTION
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MIDDLE GRADE
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AUDIO
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Library of Lost and Found
Really looking forward to this, because of the author.
Trace:
Won.
“In a debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Erin Entrada Kelly, award-winning author/illustrator and educator Pat Cummings tells a poignant story about grief, love, and the untold stories that echo across time.”
I’m going to give it a try. See more above.
Walden:
For classics club.
GIVEAWAYS
2 giveaways listed on the Homepage
Words And Peace 
I hope you enjoy Don Quijote! Can’t wait to see what you think of it (if is the first time you read it).
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I kind of think I read it, or most of it, when I was in my early teens. This time, I so enjoy the humor, and the structure, of stories within the story
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Is a really “hard” to understand book but is a piece of art (I think that).
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I don’t really find it difficult to understand. I recently had to DNF a REALLY hard book to understand, for most readers, that’s Berlin Alexanderplatz by Doblin. The very beginning was great, when the hero is leaving prison, but then I quickly got totally confused.
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For me is just knowing how to use your imagination (with Don Quijote) but I know people that can’t understand it and find it really hard and confusing to read.
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Interesting!
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Great assortment of books. I’ve never tackled the Classics despite being a life-long reader. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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What’s neat with The Classics Club, is that yo make your own list of Classics you want to read
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I have The Library of Lost and Found too to read but have not heard of the author before. So looking forward to it.
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oh, you have to read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26722820-the-curious-charms-of-arthur-pepper?ac=1&from_search=true, so so good
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Looks like a very interesting mix of books.
ENJOY!!
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yes, as always, lol
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Love the look of The Library Lost and Found! And The Republic sounds interesting too! Hope you have a wonderful reading week.
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Two very different books I’m sure. I hope both hold to their promises. Enjoy your week!
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Trace sounds good. I’m adding it to my wishlist. My weekly updates
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I hope it’s as it looks
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Your books look really good. You have a nice list to look forward to reading. Have a great week!
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Yes, always too many great new books coming out every week, lol
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Both of your new books are new to me but I like the sound of both of them. Enjoy!
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Thanks, you too!
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You’ve got me real curious about HHhH. Enjoy your reading week!
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OMG, HHhH is so well done! You have to try it
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I love your different group of books. Although I do know Walden and have heard of The Library of Lost and Found. I know about Don Quixote but can’t recall if I read that back in my college years. (Too long ago!)
Enjoy your reading!
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My experience in revisiting classics as an older woman is that I realize I often missed the level of humor or irony that’s in them
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Looking forward to your review of Trace. I love reviewing Middle Grade Fiction. There are some fantastic books around for young readers
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Having no children, I rarely read those, but I usually enjoy them when I do. Which reminds me, I need to go on with the Alex series, by Anthony Horowitz, just as good as his mysteries for adults
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My son read this series when he was younger and loved it. I’ve been meaning to read it myself for so long.
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You have to, it’s so good. I have read 3 so far
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All of the books you mentioned look good! Glad you are enjoying HHhH! Only one book came in last week, such restraint I know. LOL. It was a used copy of a collection of poetry by Gwendolyn Brooks. I continue to read a poem a day. Currently I am reading The Old Man and Me by Elaine Dundy from my 1964 list. It is hilarious and racy! Next up is The Address by Fiona Davis for a reading group. Someday I will get to Wilkie Collins.
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I think you should try HHhH!
Some time ago, I visited this new museum in Chicago, of American writers, and I learned a bit about Brooks there.
Shame on me, I had never heard of Dundy!
Wilkie Collins is great, but start with The Woman in White. You will love it!
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I have not read Wilkie Collins yet, but own both The Woman in White and Moonstone. Based on your opinion, I think I’ll try The Woman in White first. How far are you in Don Quixote? I only made it halfway through that one. I’ll try to get back to it some day. Here’s my WWW: https://greatmorrisonmigration.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/www-wednesdays-february-13-2019/
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The Woman in White is definitely better. I’m in chap 37 pf DQ, so about 10 days late! But enjoying it a lot so far, and planning to persevere
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I’ve been eyeing Library of Lost and Found. Enjoy all of your books, and thanks for visiting my blog.
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Same to you!
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I never read poetry books. That’s awesome that you do, even if it was only okay. I need to branch out more.
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I used to read many more, in French. Indeed, its always good to try something outside one’s comfort zone
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Wow. I’m even more impressed.
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no need, I’m French!!
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I haven’t read or heard of most of these but it’s so cool that you read books in French as well as English! French was my chosen foreign language from middle school to high school and I loved it, I even used to conduct French classes for my fellow students in college a few years ago! I’ve forgotten some of it now but I really want to get back to it and get to a level where I can read a novel written entirely in French someday. 😍
Also, I’ve wanted to check out The Woman In White for a while now. 🙂
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well, I’m French, so it makes sense I would read and listen to books in French. If you are interested, I give French classes online (through skype). And we can work on French for reading specifically, from book excerpts for instance, to get you to that level. Reading French is really quite easy – listening and speaking is another story.
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Oh, I remember! I never felt confident when speaking in French so I stick to short phrases and simple sentences usually. Haven’t had much practice listening to it either. But, the reading comprehensions used to be my favorite part of the exams and writing letters and etc. I need to go through my notes and brush up on what I already know. I just can’t seem to make time these days. 🙈
But it’s wonderful that you give classes and I’ll keep that in mind if I need any help in the future. 🙂
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you could use something like Duolingo to brush up, it’s free, with an app, and you can do just 5 minutes a day
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I’ve been interested in picking up The Moonstone for a while (mostly to see how it compares to modern mystery novels) but maybe I’ll read The Woman in White first now… 😊
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I would definitely recommend that, and you can make all kinds of comparisons, with Gothic novels as well
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Thanks!
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I tried HHhH but didn’t get far with it. I think it was just that I wasn’t in the mood for it at that time because I was so intrigued with the premise of the novel, I’ll try again another day
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As you like well written books, I do believe you would enjoy Binet’s books, this one and his second one, The 7th Function of Language
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