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The Sleeping Car Porter
The Sleeping Car Porter | Suzette Mayr
When a mudslide strands a train, Baxter, a gay Black sleeping car porter, must contend with the perils of white passengers, ghosts, and his secret love affair The Sleeping Car Porter brings to life an important part of Black history in North America, from the perspective of a gay man living in a culture that renders him invisible in two ways. Affecting, imaginative, and visceral enough that you'll feel the rocking of the train, The Sleeping Car Porter is a stunning accomplishment. Baxter's name isn't George. But it's 1929, and Baxter is lucky enough, as a Black man, to have a job as a sleeping car porter on a train that crisscrosses the country. So when the passengers call him George, he has to just smile and nod and act invisible. What he really wants is to go to dentistry school, but he'll have to save up a lot of nickel and dime tips to get there, so he puts up with "George." On this particular trip out west, the passengers are more unruly than usual, especially when the train is stalled for two extra days; their secrets start to leak out and blur with the sleep-deprivation hallucinations Baxter is having. When he finds a naughty postcard of two gay men, Baxter's memories and longings are reawakened; keeping it puts his job in peril, but he can't part with the postcard or his thoughts of Edwin Drew, Porter Instructor.
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review
Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

A character study of a sleeping car porter named Baxter, who is gay and black. He‘s desperate to learn more about his favorite subject, dentistry, and considered lucky to hold the position he does on “the fastest train in the land” across Canada. Baxter has a rich inner life he must keep separate from his passengers who he must wait on hand and foot. A varied cast of passengers is introduced. Tensions build in this claustrophobic environment.⬇️

Chelsea.Poole #audlangspine pick from @TheKidUpstairs and I‘m so happy I finally prioritized this one. Baxter is such a singular character, I doubt I‘ll forget him. I truly loved this and now I‘ll be stalking your list every year!! 😆 I never would have picked this up on my own and that‘s why #alspine is the gift that keeps giving @monalyisha 1mo
TheKidUpstairs I'm so glad you loved it! This was my number one pick last year, I just thought it was so brilliant. I felt such tension for Baxter reading it, just urging the train to go, and nothing to go wrong for him. And the rhythm of the writing mimicking the rhythm of the train, chugging along until the train stops and it all fractures. And such a beautiful ending! It makes me giddy when someone else loves this book, too! 1mo
monalyisha Well, okay. Stacked from your review & from your ensuing discussion, @Chelsea.Poole & @TheKidUpstairs! 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole @TheKidUpstairs oh yeah, all that chaos. So claustrophobic and tense. I‘ve been beholden to others in service jobs though nothing to the extent that Baxter goes (through on that train)but the part about pretending to be an automaton was oh so relatable! 1mo
Suet624 I purchased this one a few years ago and just as it comes up to the top of the pile to read a library hold comes in. Can‘t wait to read it! 2w
Suet624 I should also add that time is wonky for me and I could have purchased it a year ago or three years ago. 😳 2w
86 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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A nice, quite morning at home with a new book and a cup of coffee. ✨
Finally getting to this #auldlangspine pick from @TheKidUpstairs
I also noticed it‘s a pick for the new #carolshieldsprize I heard about thanks to @shawnmooney

TheKidUpstairs I'm so excited to hear what you think! 1mo
76 likes1 comment
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cdreincarnate
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Pickpick

This book doesn‘t have much of a plot. It‘s more of an exploration of what it was like to be a gay black man working in the service industry in the 1920s. Turns out it was pretty rough, but it had its bright spots.

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shawnmooney
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Pickpick
Chelsea.Poole You make me want to prioritize this one. It‘s on my #auldlangspine list from @TheKidUpstairs 2mo
31 likes1 comment
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Tonton
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Here‘s the short list for the Carole Shields Awards and glad to see one of my favorites -tagged- is on the list!

https://lithub.com/here-is-the-shortlist-for-the-2023-carol-shields-prize/

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shawnmooney
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Sapphire
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Lori Feathers is a bookseller at Interabang in Dallas. Every book she has ever recommended to me has been astoundingly good. She is now a founding member of a new literary prize. Tagged is the final title on the list but I couldn‘t get the photo to cover all 5 titles.

12 likes1 comment
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Kazzie
Pickpick

Well written book - went inside a world I was not familiar with. The profound impacts of sleep deprivation, forbidden sexuality, and racism. Glad that Baxter got a happy ending, albeit from an unexpected source

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shawnmooney
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Suet624 Gee, I purchased this book months ago after a review by @Lindy (I think?) totally forgot about my desire to read it until just now. Thanks for the reminder. 4mo
Lindy @Suet624 It‘s a wonderful novel. Enjoy! 4mo
30 likes2 comments
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xicanti
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On to the latest Giller winner, with Wesley‘s help. I know people who found it amazing and people who found it weirdly boring. I‘m fifty pages in and I feel like it could go either way.

Catsandbooks Such a cute doggie!! 😍 4mo
xicanti @Catsandbooks he‘s a big, lovely boy! I‘m so glad I met him. 4mo
BkClubCare Aw, Wesley is adorable 4mo
xicanti @BkClubCare he‘s an enormous sweetheart. I love him. 4mo
45 likes4 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Mehso-so

I am bummed to report this was an underwhelming, kind of boring read. It's very different from Mayr's other books that I've read, which are very weird and eccentric, like about lesbian vegetarian vampires. This is straight historical fiction, very details focused, obviously very well researched. I just... didn't care, despite my initial interest in this slice of 1920s queer Black Canadian life. Partially it might have been the audiobook narration?

CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian I'm baffled that this won the Giller, Canada's top literary award. Not that Suzette Mayr did, but that this book in particular did. 5mo
43 likes1 comment
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TheKidUpstairs
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#12Booksof2022 On the tenth day of Christmas, my reading gave to me... a Giller Prize winning masterpiece.

October was also a great month for fun reads (I see you, Killers of a Certain Age and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches), but this one topped everything. It was my number one read of 2022, so deserving of all its accolades!

Chelsea.Poole Eeek! I can‘t wait to read this! It‘ll be a minute because I have several due back before it that I need to get through and it‘s a physical book which always takes me longer! 🐌 If not this month, hopefully next. Also, I‘m about to start the tagged from your #auldlangspine 5mo
TheKidUpstairs @Chelsea.Poole it's SO good, but I get it, sometimes library deadlines determine my reading order too! I hope you like The Colony. I didn't know much going on, and wasn't too interested, I was just reading it because it was on the Booker longlist and available when I was going on holidays. But then I absolutely loved it, totally engaging, great blend of history, atmosphere, and character. 5mo
49 likes2 comments
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melissajayne
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#jolabokaflodswap Thank you for the lovely package and thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting

mcctrish Happy Reading 5mo
CuriousG Is that a Mint Smoothie from Rheo Thompson's? Or am I just seeing that because I'm craving one? 😄 5mo
CuriousG @melissajayne my favourite! I've got a few mint smoothie hot chocolates from there waiting for me to drink them, but sadly the actual chocolates have long since been eaten. Lol 5mo
35 likes4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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@TheKidUpstairs ‘s #AuldLangSpine list is 🔥 I‘m so so excited to dig into these titles!
Here‘s the list in original form, hopefully readable. Next I‘ll post my plans for it, which is less-than-readable.
Again, excellent matchmaking from @monalyisha

Megabooks Great list @TheKidUpstairs ! The Mandel was on mine too! 6mo
Chelsea.Poole @Megabooks I loved it too…it could have easily made my list! Nearly did. I spied To Paradise on yours. I loved that one. So epic. 6mo
48 likes2 comments
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MysticFaerie
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Pickpick

4⭐️/5⭐️

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Lindy
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Suzette Mayr wins the Giller prize!!!

Suzze Oh, darn, I DVRd it. Should have watched it. 7mo
Suzze Darn. I DVRd it. I should have watched it. 7mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders We picked the winner!! We‘re 2 out of 3! Loved her reaction! 7mo
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Lindy @Suzze It‘s worth watching Mayr‘s tearful reaction and impassioned speech about gay people around the world who continue to live in fear and secrecy. 👍 7mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy 💕💕❤️ yes!! Beautiful winner! 7mo
Suzze @Lindy I just finished watching. What a fabulous speech. I can‘t wait to read her book. I hope it‘s available here in the States. 7mo
Lindy @Suzze I‘m sure it‘s available in the USA, or else it wouldn‘t have been included on Publishers Weekly best of 2022 list. 😊 7mo
Suzze @Lindy You‘re right! I downloaded it yesterday! 7mo
Lindy @Suzze 😊👍 7mo
Suet624 It took forever but my bookstore finally got this special order for me. 💕 6mo
Lindy @Suet624 🎉🎉🎉 6mo
45 likes1 stack add12 comments
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
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Pickpick

My choice for the Giller 2022. However I would not be disappointed to see We Measure the Earth With Our Bodies or Lesser Known Monsters win either. We‘ll see how it shakes out with my #ShadowJury members!

Lindy Woohoo! This is my top pick too. 🥇 8mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy yay!! 😍😍 8mo
34 likes2 comments
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
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So I just downloaded this from the library for my Kobo and my Kobo chose this moment to blow up. 🥴 So I ran to the bookstore and just bought a copy. Which is fine because I do love this cover. I read a complaint by someone saying they don‘t like the paper Coach House uses for their books. Personally, I love it. It‘s like card stock. #ShadowGiller

Lindy I love the paper stock too. It‘s a beautifully designed book. 8mo
26 likes1 comment
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Tonton
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Pickpick

1929: Baxter is a sleeping car porter, saving his tips for his dream to become a dentist. Sleep deprived, under pressure to keep his job threatened by privileged spoiled passengers, constant racism, and the absolute fear to keep his queerness undercover has him exhausted and hallucinating. The long trip across Canada is made longer with the train stalling…absolutely brilliant. Exhausted just reading his travails. Photo: 20th Century Liner.

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Lindy
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Well, I only predicted 2 out of 5 correctly. I‘m so pleased to see the Sleeping Car Porter made the shortlist. And I‘ve just started If an Egyptian: loving it so far.
#ShadowGiller2022

Penny_LiteraryHoarders I figured 2 as well. But Hage over Belcourt. How disappointing!!! 8mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders I have to read every single one of these! 😚 8mo
Lindy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders You can do it! The longest one is only about 360 pages: 8mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Lindy that‘s the one I‘m starting with! 😚😚 8mo
30 likes4 comments
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Lindy
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The Giller shortlist will be announced tomorrow morning. I‘ve circled my favourites, the ones I hope to see chosen. Three are by Indigenous authors, at least two are by queer authors and three authors are from my home province, Alberta. Am I biased? There are four that I haven‘t yet read, so I put a ? on those covers.
#ShadowGiller

Penny_LiteraryHoarders Your Shortlist hopefuls look very, very similar to mine. 8mo
Penny_LiteraryHoarders I‘m thinking A Minor Chorus over All the Quiet Places and Avenue of Champions. It has lasting impact (for me at least) and definitely more impact then Quiet Places. * my opinion * 8mo
Lindy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders Yes, Minor Chorus makes quite an impact. Oof! I think All the Quiet Places has more general appeal, despite its quietness, but of the three Indigenous books, Minor Chorus is most deserving of literary recognition. 8mo
33 likes1 stack add4 comments