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The Grammarians
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
An enchanting, comic love letter to sibling rivalry and the English language. From the author compared to Nora Ephron and Nancy Mitford, not to mention Jane Austen, comes a new novel celebrating the beauty, mischief, and occasional treachery of language. The Grammarians are Laurel and Daphne Wolfe, identical, inseparable redheaded twins who share an obsession with words. They speak a secret twin tongue of their own as toddlers; as adults making their way in 1980s Manhattan, their verbal infatuation continues, but this love, which has always bound them together, begins instead to push them apart. Daphne, copy editor and grammar columnist, devotes herself to preserving the dignity and elegance of Standard English. Laurel, who gives up teaching kindergarten to write poetry, is drawn, instead, to the polymorphous, chameleon nature of the written and spoken word. Their fraying twinship finally shreds completely when the sisters go to war, absurdly but passionately, over custody of their most prized family heirloom: Merriam Websters New International Dictionary, Second Edition. Cathleen Schine has written a playful and joyful celebration of the interplay of language and life. A dazzling comedy of sisterly and linguistic manners, a revelation of the delights and stresses of intimacy, The Grammarians is the work of one of our great comic novelists at her very best.
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review
Megabooks
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

Why did I wait so long to read this book? This light family dramedy is built around identical twins who become obsessed with language. Their father gets them a dictionary when they are young, and as they grow, language affects each stage in their lives - from first loves to careers to motherhood. Such wonderful details make this book a true gem! Fabulous #audiobook narration, too!

Cinfhen This has been on my TBR forever!!! So glad to hear it‘s a pick 💕 3y
MicheleinPhilly I was JUST looking at this book today as I was going through my Kindle #vault. I will bump it up the list. 3y
Bookboss I loved it! 3y
See All 10 Comments
Megabooks @Cinfhen I think you‘d like the audiobook! Hilary Huber narrates. I‘m sorry I forgot to tag you! 💜 3y
Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly perfect read when you‘re looking for something light but NOT mindless. 3y
Megabooks @Bookboss yessss!! 3y
BarbaraJean I read your review and thought “I need to stack that!” And then I scrolled down to see I already had. 😆 3y
Megabooks @BarbaraJean lol!! I hope you are able to read and enjoy it sometime! 3y
Reviewsbylola Ooooh lucky me, my library has this one available now! 3y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola enjoy! I think you‘ll like this one! 3y
96 likes6 stack adds10 comments
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jdiehr
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Mehso-so

As a grammar nerd, the premise of this book really drew me in - identical twins obsessed with words beginning when they spoke their own private language as toddlers.

I was all in at the beginning, but then I just wanted to hurry up and finish so I could move on to something else.

They can't all be winners.

PS - I love when I finish a book and it coincides with a fresh mani 😄💅🏻

DivineDiana I also love grammar and a fresh mani! Pretty! 💅🏻 3y
jdiehr @DivineDiana 👊🏻 3y
22 likes2 comments
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Cydster61
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

Wonderful

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Suet624
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Panpan

I‘m not sure exactly why I ended up being really annoyed by this book. But I was. It superficially covered too many topics and I never really cared about any of the characters.

marleed Oh that kitchen-sink genre of social is one of my least favorite books to read. 4y
Suet624 @marleed I think I‘ve been spoiled by reading so many good books. I just don‘t have patience for this kind of thing anymore. 😀 4y
57 likes2 comments
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Suet624
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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So far I‘m appreciating the descriptions of what it‘s like to be a twin. I‘ve watched my sons navigate similar situations. Not sure about the story itself though.

#audiowalk

Megabooks Beautiful butterfly! 4y
Suet624 @Megabooks Thank you! They are just starting to appear and it's always a delight to see the first few flitting about. (edited) 4y
AmyG I have this on my tbr. Because...twins. 4y
Suet624 @AmyG 😀😀💕 4y
45 likes4 comments
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Bookboss
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

The Grammarians is a lovely, amusing story of twin sisters who are in love with the English language. The story follows them from infancy to old age, and it details their fascination with words, while describing the flows and eddies of their relationship. I have been reading some very dark books during lockdown, and I was grateful to find this one that made me smile.

Leftcoastzen 😻Cute! 4y
48 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Tameeka
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

Identical twins obsessed with the English language, so much so that they use “Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition” as their guiding light in life. We read along as the inseparable Wolfe girls grow into their independent selves. What happens when the sibling who was once so much like you becomes a different person?

Texreader Great review 4y
Tameeka @Texreader 😊 thank you! 4y
9 likes1 stack add2 comments
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samrinamm
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
Mehso-so

This was not as good as i hoped it would be.

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monalyisha
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

This book may not be for everyone (though it was for me). It‘s a bit light on main character development; much heavier on wordplay, mythology, & technical, linguistic arguments.

Still, there are some truly gorgeous passages & a few absurdly delightful side-characters (I‘m looking at you, Mr. & Miranda Gravit).

I‘d read it all again just for the moment of grief when Sally goes to throw a dish only to realize that it needs to be washed, instead.

73 likes2 stack adds
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mcctrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

I LOVE this book!!!!!!

Tamra 😂 4y
Read-y_Picker A true #classic! 🍷😭 4y
Cathythoughts 😁🤣 4y
mcctrish @Tamra @Read-y_Picker @Cathythoughts it‘s one good thing about our current state of affairs. Books are a given 🤣 4y
35 likes4 comments
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mcctrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Started this last night and I love it already

32 likes1 stack add
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monalyisha
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Thank goodness there‘s no evidence of pets as carriers of coronavirus. Someone decided to get a bit too friendly with my book...

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awwwww too adorable ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
Mishu94 OMG SO ADORABLE!!!! 😍❤️❤️❤️ 4y
wanderinglynn So cute! ❤️🐰 4y
See All 9 Comments
MaleficentBookDragon 😍 😍Sooooooo cute!!! 😍 4y
Soubhiville Mmmmm, tasty! I‘ve always thought bunnies have the cutest tongues. 💕 4y
Reign_5.0 OMG. I was just about to ask was the bunny real... 🤩 4y
Simona Great picture❣️ 4y
Read-y_Picker Great timing! 4y
Grace_Reads Awwwww! So cute 4y
100 likes1 stack add9 comments
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monalyisha
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Finally starting my book club book for March. Somehow, I thought this was nonfiction until the moment I cracked open the cover. 🤦‍♀️

I didn‘t sleep well last night. Allergies are in high-gear (which obviously makes it feel like The End) & there‘s so much to think about. I‘ve got a lot of Taurus tendencies, so working from home is kind of a (twisted) dream. But my Capricorn nature means it‘s hard to put projects down when the work day is done.

Hooked_on_books That cover makes me think NF, too. 4y
DaveGreen7777 I totally understand, I have really bad seasonal allergies too, and this whole week every single throat tickle is spiking my anxiety! 😔 4y
75 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BookishTrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

A very well told tell of two sisters - twins - separated by grammar. Will definitely reread. Highly recommended. Thanks @cleoh #jolabokaflodswap

68 likes3 stack adds
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BookishTrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Happy Christmas Eve, Littens!

AlaMich What do you think of The Grammarians so far? 4y
BookishTrish @AlaMich it‘s funny and smart and well-paced 4y
AlaMich @BookishTrish oh good, because it‘s on my TBR. 😊 4y
53 likes3 comments
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BookishTrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Every Litten needs one! Thanks @cleoh

julesG 😍😍😍 4y
AmyG That‘s great ❤️ 4y
BookNAround Love it! 4y
cleoh Booksleeves are my favourite! 4y
58 likes4 comments
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BookishTrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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@cleoh Thank you so much for the #jolabokaflodswap gifts. They are perfect for me! The book is exactly what I want 😘 and the book bag will be cherished for Christmases to come! Thanks for organizing @MaleficentBookDragon

cleoh Yay I‘m so glad! I had to hunt the book down- Indigo was very determined to hide it from me 😂 so happy you love everything! 4y
70 likes2 comments
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AlaMich
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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I just discovered this banana-pants-awesome sounding book on the NPR Book Concierge...how did I not know about it?!? Identical twins obsessed with language who find themselves holding opposing views on what language is and should be.

Butterfinger Interesting topic. 4y
LauraBeth This book sounds 🔥 4y
34 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BookishTrish
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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I set aside time to cull my Litsy TBR this morning only to find that it‘s a pretty solid TBR - just long. How about your Litsy TBR? #bettergetreading

Eggs Sooo looong. I need to do this too😜😜 4y
ljuliel Mine is completely empty except for an upcoming read along ( to remind me) . I keep a list on Amazon of upcoming books I‘d like to get. 4y
TheAromaofBooks I keep my main TBR on a spreadsheet and spent FOREVER last winter culling it down from over a thousand to a “more manageable“ 450+ :-D 4y
42 likes3 comments
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Bookish.SAM
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

This book had me all over the place!

For one, it reminded me of when I was a kid and, too, read a big old dictionary. (I should look into having it repaired, it‘s in pretty rough shape!)

But I found it a little hard to fully connect with the main characters, the twins, as it was a short book and it covered their entire lifetime as well as various family members. At times I was ready to move on, yet found myself tearing up towards the end.

39 likes1 stack add
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Bookish.SAM
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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My current read (tagged) most definitely influenced my latest mini #bookhaul.

#wordnerd 🤓

34 likes1 stack add
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cjk
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine
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Pickpick

Schine‘s novel chronicles the lives of language-obsessed identical twins, Laurel and Daphne, from early childhood to adulthood, and how the once close sisters grow apart. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

49 likes1 stack add
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DoubleLane
The Grammarians: A Novel | Cathleen Schine

I really liked the writing in this, it was almost enchanting to read. Like this is how you imagine yourself feeling when reading. It was so well written I did not mind the two idiot sisters who shared the stage for main characters.