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Desperate Characters
Desperate Characters | Paula Fox
27 posts | 21 read | 39 to read
Otto and Sophie Bentwood live childless in a renovated Brooklyn brownstone. The complete works of Goethe line their bookshelf, their stainless-steel kitchen is newly installed, and their Mercedes is parked curbside. But after Sophie is bitten on the hand while trying to feed a half-starved neighborhood cat, a series of small and ominous disasters begin to plague their lives. The fault lines of their marriage are revealed echoing the fractures of society around them, slowly wrenching itself apart. First published in 1970 to wide acclaim, Desperate Characters stands as one of the most dazzling and rigorous examples of the storyteller's craft in postwar American literature a novel that, according to Irving Howe, ranks with "Billy Budd, The Great Gatsby, Miss Lonelyhearts, and Seize the Day."
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ManyWordsLater
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This book is so low key dark. It affected my sleep last night. Oh the foreboding!

54 likes3 stack adds
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CogsOfEncouragement
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Day 26 of #scarathlondailyprompts is black cat. I read this a few months ago and it was too melancholy for my taste. #TeamSlaughter #scarathlon

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DivineDiana
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Pickpick

A weekend in the lives of Otto Bentwood, a successful lawyer and his sophisticated wife Sophie. They own both a brownstone in Brooklyn and a small country home on Long Island. They are struggling with direction in their lives. Although it was written in #1970, it feels very current. The writing is exquisite. At times,I wanted to jot down certain sentences whose beauty left me in awe. A slim book. Tense. Serious. Atmospheric. #192025

Librarybelle Great review! 2y
DivineDiana Painting- Room in New York- Edward Hopper 2y
DivineDiana @Librarybelle Thank you! 🙂 2y
See All 12 Comments
Leftcoastzen Love Hopper! 2y
DivineDiana @Leftcoastzen So do I! 🙂 2y
BarbaraBB And I! 2y
Cathythoughts This one sounds good! I‘m off to investigate 👍🏻❤️ 2y
batsy Great review! It's been on my TBR. And can't ever go wrong with Hopper 💚 2y
youneverarrived Sounds great! Stacked ♥️ 2y
DivineDiana @Cathythoughts Happy researching! ❤️ 2y
DivineDiana @batsy Thank you. This book simmers! Hopper‘s work is magnetic! ❤️ 2y
DivineDiana @youneverarrived Looking forward to your thoughts when you read it. ❤️ (edited) 2y
70 likes8 stack adds12 comments
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DivineDiana
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“You haven‘t explained about not answering the phone,” she said accusingly.

“Because I never hear anything on it that I want to hear any more.”

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DivineDiana
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When I received an email from the New York Times, suggesting that I join their T Book Club, I responded “Yes”! Reserved the book at the Library,.

When it finally arrived, I couldn‘t remember which challenge/book group matched it! The Librarian cautioned me that it could not be renewed, as there were four holds on it. I questioned, “Isn‘t that strange? It‘s such an old book.” Then my mind jumped to the New York Times Book Club!

Leftcoastzen Looks interesting! 2y
CogsOfEncouragement I read this because of its tie in with Netflix‘s You. I also borrowed it from the library. 2y
DivineDiana @Leftcoastzen I think so too! 2y
See All 6 Comments
DivineDiana @CogsOfEncouragement I did not know about that! Watched only one episode of that series, and made a quick decision that it wasn‘t for me.🤷🏼‍♀️ Did the connection happen in season 1? If it was a particular episode, I would love to watch it. 2y
CogsOfEncouragement It is the first episode that Beck comes into the bookstore. She ends up buying it. It is seen in her apartment later (not sure which episode) and mentioned again then. 2y
DivineDiana Thank you! I do remember him coming into the bookstore! Thank you. Will have to fast forward to that part! 🙂 2y
57 likes1 stack add6 comments
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CogsOfEncouragement
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Pickpick

Should have known by the title what I was in for. I hold out more hope in life than this story and characters. I don‘t accept “quiet desperation” to be inevitable. I prefer to read dry wit rather than malaise to examine life. 3 out of 5 stars

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CogsOfEncouragement
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Mr. and Mrs. Otto Bentwood drew out their chairs simultaneously. #FirstLineFridays

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rachelk
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Such good writing ✍️

UwannaPublishme 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
29 likes1 comment
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rachelk
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Pickpick

This slim novel looks into the lives of a less than happily married couple in the pre-gentrified days of New York, 1968. Looming personal and societal changes lead to a feeling of anticipation and malaise. This is not a plot driven book but it is an interesting time and place with phenomenal prose. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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KadeLexical
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"I have tried to dissuade him of this delusion, but my knowledge is no match for his ignorance”

3 likes1 stack add
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TheBookStacker
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Rainy Tuesday calls for lattes and new books! Finishing up the first Grishaverse book and then either starting the second or taking a break for one of these. It rained all day yesterday and all day today and rain tomorrow and Thursday! I‘m so happy!

TEArificbooks I love this weather too! I am going to read all afternoon until I have to pick up kids from school. 5y
TheBookStacker @mdm139 hopefully you‘re not in the areas that are flooding! (edited) 5y
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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brandybear22
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My sister has convinced me that for bonding I need to watch this crazy stocker TV show that is so so good, you, and while I‘m willing to bond, so far the best of it is this potential book recommendation.

And I can appreciate the irony of my cat in the way. 🐈

7 likes1 stack add
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Whimsical.Curiosity
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This! This is why we need book clubs. I need to keep my character love alive by talking about them FOREVER. #charactersneverdie #bookclub

BBooks YAS! 📚📚📚📚 6y
108 likes1 comment
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Caroline2
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Panpan

Hmm, I‘m not keen on books about social musings! I find them judgmental, opinionated and down right boring! The characters just come across as puppets for the author to get her views across! This was not my cup of tea!!

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CocoReads
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My focus is shot. Maybe I can regain some in the pages of my own creation. I‘ve got a minor, but important, character trying to take over my current work. Clearly he‘s going to need his own story somewhere down the line.

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mgallo1968
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Pickpick

Intense short read. Intro by Jonathan Franzen - if you like Franzen then you will like this book. It is right up his alley. Franzen is a love/hate kind of author IMO and I loved FREEDOM and THE CORRECTIONS and this book has that kind of feel. Not for everyone maybe but I gave it 4/5.

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LibrarianRyan
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Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. We had a tie for the grand prize of #characters17 photo challenge. @Jas16 and @mrp27 each had 9 points. That means we need a tie breaker! Okay ladies, since you are both in sunny CA, and it's independence weekend, let's see your best BBQ picture tied to an appropriate book. Then we let the Littens decide. Make sure to use the #characters17 and tag me. The picture with the most likes by mail time wins.

LibrarianRyan BTW @bklo we guessed the theme of the prize correctly so there will be a little something extra in your small prize. 🤓 7y
LibrarianRyan Had a great time everyone. I'll be back with another character challenge in Sep or Oct. 7y
LeahBergen Well this will be exciting!! 👏🏻👏🏻 7y
See All 8 Comments
mrp27 Ohhhh.... The pressure is on! When is the deadline to post? 7y
LibrarianRyan @mrp27 I couldn't make it easy on you. The dead line is when I post the wrapped box on Litsy. I hope to get it done tonight but with family drama and house problems it may be tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. 👹 7y
Jas16 Oh wow. Glad I checked Litsy while working today! This was such a fun challenge and I am just happy to make it to the final two in such great company. Good luck @mrp27 !! 7y
mrp27 Ha ha! Thanks! 7y
Smangela Oooh fun! Good luck ladies 😀 7y
44 likes8 comments
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LibrarianRyan

Thoughts? I am ordering the last things for my #characters2017 prize box. What do you think would be better a graphic novel or a cook book? (Dang small screen. It was a cook book not a cool book.)

Lizpixie A cool book! 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess Graphic novel 7y
LibrarianRyan @Lizpixie it's what I get for not reading my post. It's supposed to say Cook Book. 7y
See All 14 Comments
sprainedbrain I vote cook book! 7y
Lizpixie Cook book! I have the same problem at the moment, major vision issues. Problem is my glasses cost 4times the usual amount coz I need to get special lenses. I could buy a new laptop for what I pay for my glasses! 7y
night_shift Graphic novel! 7y
jfalkens Cookbook 7y
TheLibrarian Graphic novel! 7y
unreal Graphic novel! 7y
Simona Cook book is cool 😘 7y
Kalalalatja Graphic novel! 👏 7y
Bookzombie Graphic novel! 7y
Seshat Graphic novel! :) 7y
Bklover Oooh! Cookbook! 7y
35 likes14 comments
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LibrarianRyan
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Today starts our Character Photo challenge. Remember, it's about the characters, not the books. As always there will be prizes. The grand prize is a fandom box. No, it is not Star Wars. Think green. It is unisex with one more girlish item. Appropriate for fans of all ages. Last time @LeahBergen won the Star Wars box. Will you win this time? #characters2017.

Remember you have to tag me for prizes!

42 likes1 stack add
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LibrarianRyan

Okay everyone, I am working on a line up for another CHARACTER photo challenge. I need some help. I am looking for euphemisms. Ex: scream queen, king of the world, etc. I'm about 10 short.

Bookzombie Um, like blonde bombshell (or just bombshell) or sex kitten? 7y
Jas16 Jack of all trades? Drama queen? 7y
josie281 Cream of the crop? Room temperature? Sharp as a handful of marbles? 7y
Cinfhen SmartAss? 7y
Soubhiville One-man-band, dumb as a box of rocks, complete psycho, hippy-dippy. 7y
31 likes5 comments
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shawnmooney
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DeborahSmall ❤️ 7y
rachellayown I've never read any of her books. Perhaps it's time to remedy that! 7y
35 likes4 comments
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StephanieY
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Reading buddy award goes to Floof! #dogsoflitsy (this was before it started raining...)

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StephanieY
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"She had only recently realized that one was old for a long time."
#readersworkshop

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StephanieY
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Starting this book that writers are all crazy about, apparently. Franzen says it's superior to any novel by her contemporaries Roth, Updike and Bellow. Ok, let's do this. #readersworkshop

lynneamch Looking forward to seeing what you think. I didn't finish, but might try it again to see what I missed. 7y
StephanieY @lynneamch I'll let you know! I HAVE to finish it since it's for the book club I host. 😋 7y
10 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Britafish
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My "Better Book Title" for this would be "Love in the Time of Gentrification."

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TNbooklover66
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Starting this one for my in person book group. A blurb by DFW makes me happy.

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squarepeginroundhole
Panpan

Even with Franzen's raving introduction, I failed to enjoy this book.

squarepeginroundhole I was only able to grab one good line from this. It has nothing to do with the story and a character says it in passing but I like the sentiment. "How pleasant to read, uncompromised by purpose." 8y
12 likes1 comment