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Under the Wide and Starry Sky
Under the Wide and Starry Sky: A Novel | Nancy Horan
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCHLook for special features inside. Join the Random House Readers Circle for author chats and more.From Nancy Horan, New York Times bestselling author of Loving Frank, comes her much-anticipated second novel, which tells the improbable love story of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his tempestuous American wife, Fanny. At the age of thirty-five, Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne has left her philandering husband in San Francisco to set sail for Belgiumwith her three children and nanny in towto study art. It is a chance for this adventurous woman to start over, to make a better life for all of them, and to pursue her own desires. Not long after her arrival, however, tragedy strikes, and Fanny and her children repair to a quiet artists colony in France where she can recuperate. Emerging from a deep sorrow, she meets a lively Scot, Robert Louis Stevenson, ten years her junior, who falls instantly in love with the earthy, independent, and opinionated belle Americaine. Fanny does not immediately take to the slender young lawyer who longs to devote his life to writingand who would eventually pen such classics as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In time, though, she succumbs to Stevensons charms, and the two begin a fierce love affairmarked by intense joy and harrowing darknessthat spans the decades and the globe. The shared life of these two strong-willed individuals unfolds into an adventure as impassioned and unpredictable as any of Stevensons own unforgettable tales.Praise for Under the Wide and Starry Sky A richly imagined [novel] of love, laughter, pain and sacrifice . . . Under the Wide and Starry Sky is a dual portrait, with Louis and Fanny sharing the limelight in the best spirit of teamworka romantic partnership.USA Today Powerful . . . flawless . . . a perfect example of what a man and a woman will do for love, and what they can accomplish when its meant to be.Fort Worth Star-Telegram Spectacular . . . an exhilarating epic about a free-spirited couple who traveled the world yet found home only in one another.Booklist (starred review) Horans prose is gorgeous enough to keep a reader transfixed, even if the story itself werent so compelling. I kept re-reading passages just to savor the exquisite wordplay. . . . Few writers are as masterful as she is at blending carefully researched history with the novelists art.The Dallas Morning News A classic artistic bildungsroman and a retort to the genre, a novel that shows how love and marriage can simultaneously offer inspiration and encumbrance.The New York Times Book Review Nancy Horan has done it again, capturing the entwined lives of Fanny Osbourne and Robert Louis Stevenson so uncannily, it reads like truth.Sarah Blake, author of The Postmistress Horan has a distinct knack for evoking the rich, complicated lives of long-gone artists and the women who inspired them.Entertainment WeeklyFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
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Texreader
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Pickpick

This book is a fictional account of the lives of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny, told from her perspective. I‘ve tried unsuccessfully to read Treasure Island, and really don‘t have any great desire to read his books. Even so, this book was fascinating! It explored his very sickly life and his very independent wife who quite literally saved him by taking to the high seas despite her awful sea sickness. And it‘s a story of Fanny‘s own ⬇️

Texreader traumatic life experiences and frightening health scare. Ultimately, moving again and again to find a place where RLS will not just survive but thrive, they build a home in #Samoa. This was a well-written and very interesting novel that I highly recommend even for those who are not RLS fans. #readingOceania #litsyAtoZ #letterU 3mo
Librarybelle Nice! I have friends who tell me I have to read this one! 3mo
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Texreader
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Big News! I finished this book, which means I completed the #LitsyAtoZ challenge!! I‘ve read books that start with every letter of the alphabet this year for the seventh year in a row! This book was for #Samoa #ReadingOceania, a challenge I finished much earlier this year but for which I still have more books I found and want to read. Review to come.

@Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Ruthiella Congratulations! 👏👏👏 3mo
MaureenMc 🎉🎉🎉 3mo
Librarybelle Congratulations! 3mo
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wanderinglynn Fantastic! 🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Congratulations 🎊🎉🎈 3mo
TheBookgeekFrau Congratulations!!🎊📖👏🏼 3mo
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Texreader
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When Louis tried to stop a man from beating his dog, Louis‘s response to the man justifying himself was priceless: “He‘s not your dog. He‘s God‘s dog.“

#LitsyAtoZ #letterU #readingOceania #Samoa @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Librarybelle I‘ve heard good things about this book! 5mo
29 likes1 comment
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Texreader
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#motivationalmonday Thanks @TheSpineView for the tag!

1) crafting this weekend with girlfriends ❤️🩷💙
2) my little love
3) I love cats and bees (an animal?) but I think I‘d either want to be a songbird or a clumsy panda (because I have “clumsy” down already)
4) tagged

TheSpineView You're welcome! 8mo
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Texreader
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The opening quote of the tagged book

The book is a fictional take on Stevenson and Fannie and their crazy travels. I‘m looking forward to it!

#Samoa #readingOceania @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

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Texreader
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Librarybelle I‘ve heard good things about this one! 8mo
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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Happy Friday!!

This is next up in the #Sharreadathon giveaway 🥳📚🎊

What are you reading today?!

#LitsyLove

Read4life The Neighbor Favor, You Can‘t Ruin Christmas & In a Holidaze (BR with my daughter). Have a great weekend, Misty! 10mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Read4life you too Lynn ❤️🫶🏻 10mo
CoffeeNBooks Cassandra in Reverse 10mo
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CoffeeNBooks @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It's... interesting. I'm not sure if I really like it, but I'm sticking with it. The premise is interesting, but I feel like the storyline keeps derailing. 10mo
PageShifter Starting These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi 10mo
50 likes6 comments
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margoge@hotmail.com
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Pickpick

Open this book and be transported back in time to a place that was wild and different and full of life. Sink into a great, real love story. Get a glimpse into what it was like to be a part of history in the making. Enjoyable from start to end.

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JGadz11
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EadieB
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Day 29 - #Sky #ForeverNovember
#UnderTheWideAndStarrySky #NancyHoran

The passionate and turbulent story of RobertLouis Stevenson and his tempestuous American Wife, Fanny.

I read and enjoyed this in 2016.

OriginalCyn620 📚👍🏻📚 4y
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RhianJMartin
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BooknerdsLife Beautiful books & beautiful photo 💙 5y
RhianJMartin @BooknerdsLife Thank you! 🙂 5y
22 likes2 comments
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Laura317
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Pickpick

A new take on Robert Louis Stephenson for me. Thoroughly enjoyed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CouronneDhiver Agree! 6y
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Laura317
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I love this sentence. I love the collection of characters I‘ve come to know thru books! My favorites so far - Anne of Green Gables, Armand Gamache (of the Louise Penny novels), and Sam Vimes of the Night Watch. Who are your favorite characters you‘ve collected?

TK-421 Anne Shirley & Sam Vines ❤️ 6y
Laura317 @TK-421 I might have a crush on Vimes. 6y
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Laura317
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My son picked this out of my tbr pile to read. It‘s autographed, but I wish the author had signed her FULL name - Nancy Drew Horan.

mabell Ha! Nancy Drew? That‘s fun! 6y
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Cinfhen
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#MarchIntoOz @Reviewsbylola beat me to my first book choice earlier today so I‘m going with a bookclub pick from a few years back... a fiery love story of writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his tempestuous American wife, Fanny, a strong and passionate woman. I didn‘t love this book but the bookclub ladies did 😉

Reviewsbylola Gorgeous cover. I didn‘t love this either, which was disappointing because I was a huge fan of Loving Frank. 7y
BarbaraBB Oh, like @Reviewsbylola I was a big fan of Loving Frank. Too bad this one didn‘t live up to that one. 7y
KarenUK Same, read for a book club.... didn‘t love it! 7y
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Cinfhen Loving Frank was a winner so high hopes for this one @Reviewsbylola @BarbaraBB @KarenUK which never materialized...this book was a bit of a slog.....😜 (edited) 7y
SilversReviews I “think” I have this book. It might stay on the shelf longer. :) 7y
SilversReviews @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen @reviewsbylola @KarenUK Oh yes..I really enjoyed Loving Frank. I didn‘t like what I knew about Frank after reading the book, though. (edited) 7y
Reviewsbylola Yeah, that was unfortunate. It was hard to like him at all. @SilversReviews 7y
BarbaraBB @SilversReviews @Cinfhen @Reviewsbylola He was so unlikable, yet somehow intriguing. I‘ve got this thing for bad men... and that‘s why I bought the tagged book afterwards but somehow never read it. Did you? 7y
SilversReviews @BarbaraBB LOL on your bad men thing. No on THE WOMEN. Will take a look. Thanks. 7y
SilversReviews @BarbaraBB I love T C Boyle. Thanks. 7y
Reviewsbylola I read it, it‘s very good! @BarbaraBB @SilversReviews 7y
SilversReviews @Reviewsbylola Great to hear...thanks. 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful cover!! Sounds good to me!! ✅ 7y
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Christine11
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This is a novel based on the story of Robert Louis Stevenson and his American wife ☀️🌙⭐️
#SunMoonStars #NEWYEARREADS

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ⭐️🌙🌞 7y
Wife Pretty border!😍 7y
Christine11 @Wife Thank you 😊 7y
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Skyrimir
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Yay! Got a late Christmas present and got to go to the store and spend it all on books!

Lyn-Mara Pretty Baby was one of my fave reads from last year! 7y
14 likes1 comment
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JoeStalksBeck
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#connecttonature #scenesfromabook The sun came into the window, patterned the room, went away. The night passed as the previous one had and the next one would

Christine11 I‘ve got this one but haven‘t read it yet ! Have you ? Is it good ? 😊 7y
JoeStalksBeck @Christine11 I have only read the first 2 chapters. It feels very classic to me ❤️ 7y
JaclynW I loved this book!! 7y
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Christine11 I‘m glad you‘re liking it so far ! I need to try and read it soon - I‘ve had it sitting on my shelf for years ! 😊💕 7y
[DELETED] 206653737 Great cover! 7y
Wilkie Nice picture🌟✨💫💥 7y
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MorbidAi
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Worked on choosing and obtaining half of my #PassportLitsy selections! Feeling rather productive. 🤣👍 #AmericanSamoa #SriLanka #Rwanda #Zambia #Montenegro Don't mind my typo on my image, I saw it too late. 😖

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Laura317
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@emily_m_tubb tagged me to give my #five starprediction I picked this because it sounded so good! I am tagging @Kaye to see what she predicts.

Kaye @Emily_m_tubb Thank you for the tag. Let's see what I can come up with. 7y
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thereadingwomen
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Pickpick

Full of historic details, this novel imagines the full story of the impassioned marriage between the legendary Scottish author and his spirited American wife. Horan explores both the joy and despair of a marriage that gives and requires everything in return. Love historical fiction? You‘ll love this book AND you‘ll never again underestimate the complexity of the relationship between authors and their significant others. - Guest Review by Sarah

BarbaraBB I read a book by her about Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife. Why would she write about a famous man and his wife again?! 7y
thereadingwomen @BarbaraBB 🤷🏻‍♀️ maybe she's just interested in the topic. I wonder if there's an interview somewhere where she discusses that. 7y
BarbaraBB https://bookpage.com/interviews/16068-nancy-horan I found this! I did really like Loving Frank by the way! 7y
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Cspen113
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Pickpick

I listened to this one every day on the way to and from work. It walks through the life of Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I so enjoyed it!! And the end? All the feels!!

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Cspen113
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Found this one at the library last night. Excited to get started on my way to work this morning!!

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raelaschoenherr
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Pickpick

This was a really interesting listen! I knew nothing about Fanny or her husband, Robert Louis Stevenson, except for the titles of his books. They led quite the life, and this presentation of their relationship felt inspiring and honest. Highly recommended for fans of The Paris Wife. #audiobook

Mamashep Think I might have enjoyed this one more an audio. In print, it dragged for me. 7y
raelaschoenherr @Mamashep I could see that! I actually had it at 1.75 speed. 7y
34 likes2 comments
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raelaschoenherr
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It's an amazingly beautiful 88° MN summer day and I get half days on Fridays in the summer, so I was super excited to take my brand-new bike out for its first ride! Obvs there was some audiobook action on the ride too ??‍♀️?

organizedmomreads Hey fellow Minnesotan! I'm loving this weather too! 8y
raelaschoenherr @organizedmomreads Yay, love finding fellow state-mates! I don't think you can beat MN summers 😎 8y
36 likes2 comments
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saholmes
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book. I liked the way Horan combined the story of Fanny with Louis. She expertly wove the tales together while separating them to give individual perspectives. This was an excellent read.

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Joanne1
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One of the highlights of our recent trip to Samoa was a visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson museum. I have become quite intrigued by RLS and his family, especially his step-daughter. I found this book based on RLS and his wife. It's fiction but I'm looking forward to getting some more insight into their lives in Samoa in the late 1800s. The picture is the house he had built for the family. Isn't it beautiful!

CrowCAH Neat; love RLS Treasure Island!!! 8y
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Read66
Mehso-so

This novel about the relationship between Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny is a little slow moving. My favourite parts were the creative moments when RLS was coming up with the ideas (with suggestions from his wife) that would lead to Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and his other stories.

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Sydsavvy
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"Writers should find out where joy resides and give it a voice. Every bright word or picture is a piece of pleasure set afloat. The reader catches it, and he goes on his way rejoicing. It's the business of art to send him that way as often as possible."

Just needed something a little kinder. Having a feeling kind will be a good turn to over the next few years.
Nancy Horan, Under the Wide and Starry Sky

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syasutake
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Pickpick

It took me a while to get into this book. If it hadn't been my book club's pick, I probably would have bailed. I'm so glad I didn't. It's a gorgeous, detailed look at Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife, Fanny, and the life they had together. I especially loved reading about R.L.S.'s writing process. Pictured here with a painting of Lanikai Beach, Oahu.

[DELETED] 2232195534 Nice to hear. My book group liked another Horan book, Loving Frank. 8y
annahenke Loved this one! I listened to it on audio and it was narrated so well. 😊 8y
syasutake @kaysreadinglife @ahenke My book club members had mixed reactions--a couple of people bailed early on, but those of us who read the whole thing enjoyed it. 8y
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whatsapia
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When your to be read #tbr pile is out of control...

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ReadingRailroader
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Pickpick

This was a Litsy find and Frasier and I are loving it! RLS was one of the greatest story tellers and he lived his life accordingly. It is wonderful to be able to be there with Franny and him. So thankful for this great recommendation! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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CharissaWeaksAuthor
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Yet another buy this morning. Book Bub is a bad thing to see every morning! Ok. Not really. I just lack self control in this department. $1.99 by the way.

Johanna414 I tried making a list of all the books on my kindle I haven't read, as a deterrent to buying more. I gave up after I got to 100... Sometimes it's better not to know... 8y
Cpb I just joined BookBub this morning & have already added to my TBR list! 8y
Suzze I sometimes look at a book available cheap on Book Bub and think, "is it really a deal if you're never going to get to reading it?" And then I buy it anyway. 8y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage I had to stop subscribing to so many deal emails. I have over 200 books waiting in my Kindle account. 😜 8y
Haweller I do believe you are in good company. 8y
Suzze @Johanna414 I just looked at my Goodreads lists. My Kindle list has 37. My Nook list has 255. Not to mention my physical books owned and not read that has 255. 8y
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jessberk13
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$1.99 today!

ReadingRailroader Just ordered it! I am a huge RLS fan and have written a ridiculous number of papers on him and Fanny! 8y
annahenke This is a great book! 8y
Bookchipmunk Downloaded this one! 8y
49 likes6 stack adds3 comments
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sheilaghcolleen

In the end, what really matters? Only kindness. Only making somebody a little happier for your presence

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jessicabrazeal
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LOVED 'Loving Frank.' Can't wait for this one.

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LaurenBusser
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Pickpick

Good book about a famous writer and his wife! Really well written! At times it was sad but by the end of the book I really missed these characters. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a 19th Century novel!

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LaurenBusser

"He wondered if they started as social outcasts who found the artists life an acceptable way to be in the world; or if their passions for painting or sculpting or writing had shaped them into outsiders."

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LaurenBusser
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Loving Fanny! The man character of this book! So artistic and relatable!