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Fresh Complaint
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
The first collection of short fiction from Jeffrey Eugenides, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex and The Marriage Plot.
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review
Julsmarshall
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Panpan

Not good. I have a signed hardback copy of this one and I really wanted to like it. I couldn‘t get into it so I tried it on #audio since Cynthia Nixon is one of the narrators but still no. A couple of the essays feature characters that are so misogynistic it was hard to even finish. Eugenides has fallen a couple of pegs for me with this book. At least it is off my #TBR #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #marvellousmarch @Andrew65

Andrew65 A shame it wasn‘t better. 2y
KathyWheeler The only book of his I‘ve ever read is The Marriage Plot; I thought there was a good deal of misogyny in that book, so I never read anything else. Middlesex is on my tbr, but I‘m not rushing to read it. 2y
lynneamch @KathyWheeler I haven't read this one yet, but don't let this discourage you from reading Middlesex. 2y
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KathyWheeler @lynneamch I will probably eventually read it. 2y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2y
Julsmarshall @KathyWheeler @lynneamch I too loved Middlesex! An amazing book. That is part of why I‘m so disappointed in this one. Middlesex and the Marriage Plot were both strong stories, beautifully written that made me think. 2y
55 likes6 comments
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vivastory
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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I've got no complaint having to stop by Dollar Tree on a busy Saturday morning when it involves picking up a book. I dig the cover.

Megabooks I enjoyed this! (And payed full price when it came out four years ago.) Dollar tree rocks! 3y
jdiehr I heart Dollar Tree books! 3y
vivastory @Megabooks I know that you are quite the short story aficionado, so I'm looking forward to it even more now with your endorsement! 3y
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vivastory @jdiehr Pre-pandemic I would swing by every couple of months bc I never knew what I'd find. I would often be pleasantly surprised! 3y
BarbaraBB Great cover indeed. And I like most of his books. 3y
KVanRead Haven‘t read this but I love Eugenides. Looking forward to your review and going ahead and stacking cuz if you‘re reading it and @Megabooks enjoyed it, then that‘s good enough for me😊 3y
Megabooks @KVanRead thanks Kristine! I hope you can find it and enjoy it! 3y
68 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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jmofo
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Mehso-so

#doublespin
Welp, I guess I am glad I‘ve read this book, although I am overwhelmingly ambivalent about it. I loved Middlesex but I haven‘t read anything else by him until now. There were moments when the writing snuck up on me.
I felt something deeply but it was usually anxiety or shame. (Whether the writing is responsible for this, I cannot know.) That‘s all of April #bookspin read just in time.
Thank you @TheAromaofBooks for organizing it!

TheAromaofBooks Sorry this one wasn't a stellar read, but it's always good to get one off the shelf!! 4y
jmofo @TheAromaofBooks I‘m okay with books that aren‘t my favorite because I learn more about writing by reading them. I‘m just bummed because I had suggested a buddy of mine read this book with me (witness the markdown!). It evens us out, though, as he suggested I read The Boys comics some years ago and I wasn‘t into those 💁🏻‍♂️ 4y
23 likes2 comments
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jmofo
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Making my way through #doublespin book for April...I am not yet sure how I feel about this collection of short stories. I got distracted by the last slice of Flaugnarde I made earlier this week with fresh blueberries. (I like to make the traditional version with cherries with pits but my roommate doesn‘t like having to eat around the pits and, besides, it‘s too early for cherries.) @TheAromaofBooks

Blueberry Looks yummy. Blueberries are my favorite. 4y
jmofo @Blueberry makes sense! 😃 they are lovely! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Books & dessert are always the perfect combo! 4y
29 likes3 comments
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sarahjane1077
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Up next! #amreading

Megabooks I enjoyed this! 5y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
TheAnitaAlvarez
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

So many of Eugenides themes appear throughout these short stories: loneliness, the desire for transcendence, solipsism, the paradoxes of human relationships. He‘s a very subtle writer, and I loved reading these stories. However, the last one (“Fresh Complaint”) just felt a bit tone deaf in this #metoo climate. It showed a teenage girl “seducing” an older English professor to accuse him of rape to save herself from an arranged marriage.

TheAnitaAlvarez I should probably write a longer review in Goodreads. Let‘s see how this day goes. 6y
Richryan52 If you are an aspiring writer I wish you luck. Just keep writing and don‘t let anyone tell you you can‘t! 6y
TheAnitaAlvarez @Richryan52 thanks! Those are really lovely words! (I‘m indeed an aspiring writer) 6y
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Richryan52 I aspired for a long, long time. My third novel is due out in September. It‘s a lonely business so stay strong! 6y
RidgewayGirl Yeah, that last story was very bad. Between that and the supposedly humorous one set in Ireland, this book really changed how I view the author. 6y
TheAnitaAlvarez @RidgewayGirl his novels have so much more nuance. To be honest, these stories didn‘t change how I see him (after all, the themes are still there), but I do think that last story was particularly ill conceived and no one told him 6y
RidgewayGirl Yeah, that last story was very bad. Between that and the supposedly humorous one set in Ireland, this book really changed how I view the author. 6y
87 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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TheAnitaAlvarez
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Morning coffee (first cup of many) and my current read.

Andrea4 Damn that cuppa looooks good! 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 I only do morning coffee bc for some reason, every other cup is not as good. Can‘t wait to hear your review on this one. I loved Middlesex, but have never read another book by him (edited) 6y
TheAnitaAlvarez @JanuarieTimewalker13 I try to limit myself because I have a lot of sleep issues, but some days call for lots of coffee. If you loved Middlesex (me too! How awesome is it?), you can go for his other novels: The Virgin Suicides (I did my undergrad dissertation on it) or The Marriage Plot. Very different from Middlesex, but so good (edited) 6y
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TheAnitaAlvarez @Andrea4 gotta drink good coffee 6y
Andrea4 @TheAnitaAlvarez oh yea, nothing more disappointing than a bad cup. 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Ooh, very good to know!! Thank you! 6y
MommyWantsToReadHerBook @TheAnitaAlvarez I completely forgot The Marriage Plot was called that, was trying to recall the title the other day. It was so good, a tie for me with Middlesex as my favourite book of his. 6y
TheAnitaAlvarez @MommyWantsToReadHerBook I want to reread it. It‘s the only of his books I‘ve read in translation, I need an English edition 6y
jveezer Middlesex and The Marriage Plot have been on my shelf waiting to be read forever. Need to get to them soon, especially Middlesex. 6y
78 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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peacegypsy
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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One of my favorite, go-to authors. Hope he does it again; I haven‘t heard much about this, however.

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KellyHunsakerReads
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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I hate the cover. Hopefully the story is much better.

Elsje It should, it‘s Eugenides! 6y
13 likes1 comment
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DocBrown
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Mehso-so

Meh. So apparently the short story isn‘t Eugenides‘s medium. Flat characters, static plots. A few mildly interesting tales here, but mostly forgettable vignettes. I absolutely adore Middlesex, and The Marriage Plot was solid, so this was a disappointment. No offense taken, though. All forgiven.

RidgewayGirl That was my conclusion, too. And that final story about the middle-aged dude tricked by a teen-ager into a sexual relationship left me liking the author quite a bit less. 6y
Spiderfelt I've put off writing a review because I couldn't decide what to say. Now you've done it for me. There was nothing that moved me in this collection. 6y
DocBrown @Spiderfelt I feel we read on a similar wavelength. 6y
DocBrown @RidgewayGirl I found that to be one of the less forgettable entries in this collection. 6y
13 likes4 comments
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Augustdana
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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“Dementia isn‘t a nice word. It sounds violent, invasive, like having a demon scooping out pieces of your brain, which, in fact, is just what it is.” - I‘m on the first story, hope I can finish this one from the library. It‘s been so busy, I ran out of time with my last two library books and had to put myself back on the wait list. 😩

7 likes3 stack adds
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shendrix413
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Squeeeeeeeeee!!! @Jas16 Its so amazing!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you! So many books I wanted and tagged book is autographed!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍 and the hot cocoa and the mug and the journals and the gorgeous bookmark!!! And the tote from San Francisco! Squeeeeeeeeee!! I'm so happy! Now to decide which to read first while I sip cocoa in my new mug 😁😁😁🎉🎉🎉🎉🎄🎄🎄🎄🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎄🎄🎄🎉🎉❤️❤️❤️❤️

shendrix413 Oh and the incredibly beautiful magnet from the most gorgeous Dublin Trinity College library ❤️❤️📚📚🎁🎁 6y
jbhops Very nice!! 👏 6y
Jas16 Yay! So glad that you like it. Hope you have a wonderful holiday. 6y
78 likes3 comments
review
Redwritinghood
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

While the first few stories in this collection were a bit iffy, overall this is a pick. I‘m always impressed with the way he can make such disparate characters all seem so real, and the situations they face both familiar and unsettling. While I think I prefer his novels over this short story collection, this is still a great read.

mrozzz This is reassuring. I should get it from the library. 6y
77 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RidgewayGirl
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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This collection of short stories is really uneven so far.

BarbaraBB Looking forward to your review - as ever. I haven‘t read any about this book yet. 6y
9 likes1 comment
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Brooke_H
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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I found this today when I got home from my trip! Thank you, @Liberty !!! ❤️❤️❤️

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Nitpickyabouttrains
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

These short stories grew on me as I read them. They were very readable, very easy to just start the next one. I liked them as I was reading them, but I keep forgetting now. Good, but did not stick in my mind.

BooksForEmpathy I‘m seeing him tonight! 6y
Nitpickyabouttrains @BooksForEmpathy enjoy! I saw him when he came to dc! He speaks very well! 6y
14 likes2 comments
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Julsmarshall
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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#texasbookfestival #bookhaul day 2! Another great day of literature fun 😄

Texreader So wonderful that you got to go and had great book hauls!! 6y
Julsmarshall It was lovely @Texreader I have such a great time every year! So fun to go with my sister and kiddos this year too! 6y
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Yournewfriendsams
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

What a slow burn and VERY dark collection! Every story packs a unique punch; so much so, I would put Fresh Complaint down after each story and read entire books in-between.

This collection was mostly good but I'm more excited for another novel from Eugenides- that's where he really shines.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

53 likes2 stack adds
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sweetpealsd
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
Pickpick

This book was pretty good! I enjoyed all of the short stories. Reading this was kind of strange for me. I needed motivation to pick it up each time but it drew me instantly each time and I couldn‘t put it down. I read it in two separate days. I really enjoyed it though some of the story backgrounds I didn‘t know much about. However, that didn‘t take away from the book.

whatsthEStorey I was looking at this in the library. I like Jeffrey Eugenides, but sometimes I feel cheated by short stories! When I find one I love, I want another 150 pages! 6y
59 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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KaiKai
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

Jeffery Eugenides collection of short stories is the perfect cozy read for a rainy, cold Sunday

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MrBook
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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#TBRtemptation post 4! Recently released. The first collection of short stories from the Pulitzer Prize-winner. This collection presents characters in the midst of personal and national crises. We meet: a failed poet-cum-embezzler, a parental clavichordist, a young traveler searching for enlightenment, a sexually confused college freshman who meets a stranger on a train, and more. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Reviewsbylola I thought I would read anything Eugenides wrote, but I‘m just not down with short stories. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y
67 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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Liberty
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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GIVEAWAY TIME #4: Next up: the new story collection from Jeffrey Eugenides and a collection of essays for Joni Mitchell fans! To win, make a new post about a story collection you love, use the hashtag #GIVEAWAYSTORIES, and tag me in the photo. Do this by 9pm EST today (October 28), and I'll randomly select one winner. (Open to everyone.) Good luck! ❤️🤘🏻📚

Liberty The winner is @Brooke_H 🎉 6y
Brooke_H YAY!!! ❤️ 6y
DivaDiane Oh! Just checking out what Litsy users say about the Eugenides collection. Sorry I missed the giveaway. I also adore Joni! 6y
100 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Fridayfilms
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Woo!

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ApoptyGina69
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Good morning! I‘m setting up my outdoor reading situation for the day. We‘re having a heatwave of sorts, so it‘s off the couch and back to the porch rocker. I did very well last weekend during the ‘thon, so I went to the bookstore and I thought, you know, why not? #bookhaul #CantStopWontStop

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Jbakesmcgee3
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
Mehso-so

I felt that the stories were pretty long, and while socially inclusive, the prose was pretty intellectually exclusive if you don‘t have knowledge about certain topics. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Jbakesmcgee3
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Trying to finish this today!

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Pen_Meets_Paper
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

This story collection, a greatest hits over the last 30 years, depicts its characters in states of urgency. Eugenides uses these stories to cut to the heart of the human condition. An excellent collection of stories outside of the last one, which covers some questionable content.

5 likes1 stack add
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Darth_Kaders
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

Eugenides is a notoriously slow writer, and these short stories are so perfectly crafted and contemplative that it‘s easy to imagine the author spending hours on single sentences. While not as engaging as his novels, I found this collection lovely and impeccably written. And it‘s definitely not a spooky book, but I‘m decorating for Halloween and couldn‘t resist some spooky flair in the photo!

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Darth_Kaders
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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I‘m back and feeling better! I will admit Mr. Eugenides has a lot to do with it! He‘s one of my favorites and this collection has been great so far. 😊 I missed you all and I‘m glad to be back on Litsy. Thanks to all of you for your support during my hard time.

Bklover Glad you‘re back and glad you‘re feeling better! 6y
Shvonne Yay! Glad you are back 6y
DivineDiana Good news! 👏🏻 6y
28 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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LadyBrik
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Got to meet one of my favorite authors today. He did not disappoint.

Megabooks Jealous! 6y
13 likes1 comment
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Megabooks
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pickpick

Loved this collection! I only skipped one story, just because it was too freaky. In spoiler tag.

Two of the stories were new for this collection. The remainder have been published but mainly in the 90s, so even if you watch for him, you may not remember these.

4.5⭐️ #CheerwineAndABook

Now, I‘m getting reading for the Charlotte Litsy meetup!! 🎉🎉🎉

Megabooks Children in a remote tribe giving blow jobs because they believe semen builds their strength. Too freaky for me!! 6y
Tamra @Booksandcooks oh just yuck. 6y
NCNY How is your tooth? If you're going to the meetup hopefully that means it's all better. 6y
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Reviewsbylola Have fun! I love Eugenides but you know how I feel about short stories. 😆 6y
L_auren @Reviewsbylola I share that distaste but like this one 😀 6y
L_auren @Booksandcooks Yay so glad you liked it!! Which were you favorites? Mine were (1) first story (2) the travelers in the house (3) title story 6y
Megabooks I‘ll need to look back at titles, but the two that have stuck with me are the one where the guy on vacation goes down to the ocean to die and the first. I agree the title story was good, but it pissed me off/made me sad, so I‘m still not sure how I feel about it. @L_auren (edited) 6y
89 likes1 stack add7 comments
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lindsaycree
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Up next

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balletbookworm
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
Mehso-so

Pretty underwhelming. This is a collection of stories written over nearly 30 years and it shows. The best story in the collection is “Air Mail”, the worst is probably “Fresh Complaint”. In between, just a batch stories about aging, ego and sexual customs, middle aged guys trying to make it, and a chlavicordist trying to outrun the debt collectors. I didn‘t particularly care for any of the characters or plots. Eugenidies‘s novels are better.

mrozzz Thanks, now I know I can pass on this one and just wait for his next novel! 6y
20 likes1 comment
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Yournewfriendsams
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Have been waiting years for this! Yeah, yah, yay!

📷: with jacket/without jacket

britt_brooke Oh wow, very cool! 6y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Great cover!! I loved Middlesex! 6y
BooksForEmpathy I‘m seeing him very soon here in SF!!! Hiiii by the way 😍. 6y
49 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Megabooks
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Has anyone posted about the gorgeous under cover on Fresh Complaint yet? Love it! I‘ve read the first story, and it‘s good, too. Going to spend some time on Litsy now though. 💜💜💜

L_auren Really liked this collection. The first story was my favorite!! 6y
112 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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BrooklynBookGirl
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Super cool! Front row, and I got to ask a question! The Greenlight Bookstore is also making a podcast of this talk too if you're interested in hearing him speak! #onehourofculture #jeffreyeugenides #freshcomplaint #greenlightbookstore

mrozzz Awesome!! 6y
20 likes1 comment
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BrooklynBookGirl
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Getting ready to see Jeffrey Eugenides (my favorite author!!) speak about his new book Fresh Complaint!!! #brooklyn #brooklynbookgirl #dreams

19 likes1 stack add
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JGadz11
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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My #Octobermostanticipated: short stories by Jeffrey Eugenides. Love his work, and have come around to short stories in the past few years. #uncannyoctober #litsyreads @RealLifeReading #FreshComplaint

3 likes1 stack add
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Liberty
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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This is what happens when I am left unsupervised with Sharpies. ☺️

Maike 😂😂😂 7y
RealBooks4ever 💜💜💜 7y
KarenUK 🙌🙌😂💕 7y
123 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Jess
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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I truly love this man's writing. Ticket purchased and am counting the days till I can hear him speak. So. Damn. Excited.

Megabooks 🎉🎉🎉 7y
BrooklynBookGirl Omg!! I'm at his Brooklyn talk right now!!! It was great!! 6y
Jess @BrooklynBookGirl I cannot wait until Thursday. I hope to at least read the first chapter before then. Have you started the book? 6y
BrooklynBookGirl No! It's not officially released until tomorrow, but I purchased a copy to get signed tonight! It was a really great talk, and he seemed very personable. Super excited to jump into it! 6y
14 likes4 comments
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Liberty
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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Well, hello there. 💙

Mc_cart_ny Oh, I bet it's a good one! 7y
TheKidUpstairs New Eugenides?! Sign me up! 7y
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MicheleinPhilly 😮 GIMME! 7y
anrobe OMG I cannot WAIT! 📚 7y
Jess Thanks. I needed that today. Can't wait for this one. 7y
Verity Oooooooooooh. 7y
JenP I need this!! Exciting 7y
147 likes23 stack adds10 comments
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Yournewfriendsams
Fresh Complaint | Jeffrey Eugenides
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What would I do without you, Amazon Prime?

Pre-ordering books, forgetting about them and then the surprise of their arrival, is what unadulterated joy looks like.

ErikasMindfulShelf Just make sure you don't preorder them twice and get two copies on the release day like I do 😜😂 7y
saresmoore The best! 7y
60 likes1 stack add2 comments