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#DECEMBERCHILL
review
MatchlessMarie
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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Mehso-so

Late posting but I did actually finish it. I listened to this one on audio which I now think wasn‘t a wise choice for someone coming into this story blind. I may attempt again on another medium. But reading this book did make me want to read more about Pasternak himself. #WinterGames #WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers #Adventathon #WrapItUpReadathon 506 words for #WGWordSearch #BookSpinBingo #DecemberChill

BarbaraBB Great review. And kudos for finishing after reading so little encouraging reviews on Litsy. 2y
Cinfhen I tried audio and it was wayyyyyy too difficult to keep track of everyone!! Super impressive that you were able to get through the whole audio….must have been 20+ hours!!! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
BookmarkTavern Very impressive! 👍🏻 2y
52 likes4 comments
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Cinfhen
Summerheat | Charleen Hunter
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After a weekend filled with #DecemberChill It‘s time to thaw out with our next BuddyRead weekend! @BarbaraBB and I would like to bring on some #SummerHeat ☀️🍉👙

Let‘s celebrate and read a STEAMY novel 😉Weekend of June 17-19. All suggestions are very welcomed and encouraged!! So please share your ideas. Open to all♥️

And thanks to all who participated in #DrZ #DecemberChill - we loved seeing your pics and hearing your tunes💕🎶🤩

Cinfhen We‘ve already got some great suggestions on @BarbaraBB page!!!! 2y
Cathythoughts Sounds like fun ❤️👍🏻 2y
55 likes2 comments
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Morr_Books
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Mehso-so

Two Christmas novellas, which were a bit thrilling and fun, but I just didn't feel much for the characters, so this may be my last holiday novella. I need to read more developed storylines. #wintergames2021 #teamgamesleighers #wintercosy #decemberchill #averymerrybingo #averymerryreadathon #bfc21 #littenlisten

TheSpineView Excellant 📖📚🎄 2y
39 likes1 comment
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BarbaraBB
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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#DecemberChill

Question 5 of 5: Did the book teach you a lot about communism and its rise in Russia?

See All 40 Comments
TrishB Didn‘t read enough to benefit from the story! 2y
BookwormAHN Yes, it did but I'm still a little confused by what exactly happened. Seems terrifying though. 2y
Billypar In a weird way, the same parts that make me fascinated about the history are the reason I'm not liking the novel as a whole more. The extended sequences with side characters reacting to the general upheaval really make you feel like you're in a time machine watching the aftermath of the revolution unfold. But they slow the main story down to a slow crawl. 2y
Librarybelle I think it gives a perspective of those who lived through this transition, one that those who did not live in Russia would not understand. It sounds terrifying, to say the least. 2y
BarbaraBB @Billypar I agree that the historical parts are partly what make the story so unique and partly slow it down indeed. 2y
BarbaraBB @Librarybelle I‘m sure you‘re right that there is a lot below the surface that non- Russians don‘t get completely. 2y
Simona Nothing I wouldn't know already 😘 2y
TheBookHippie I studied Russian History and Literature in high school and college and still do to this day. I think that definitely helps my reading of this. I think it touches on it to show what is going on but to understand the whole story you would have to read some Russian back story and history I would think. Not sure. I am however glad it is in the story woven quite lyrically. 2y
BarbaraBB @Simona You learned lot about it at school probably too. I know I did, Communism was an important subject during my high school years. 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie That is very interesting. Like I pointed out above, I learned a lot about Russia and communism too but not in college. Which novel do you think represents that phase of Russia best? 2y
TheBookHippie @BarbaraBB That and the duck and cover under your desk for when they bomb us!! 2y
TheBookHippie @BarbaraBB OH GOSH. Now I'll have to go to my Russian bookshelf and think on that!! I'll get back to you!! 2y
vlwelser It was interesting. I didn't realize there were 4 factions fighting and that 2 of them were Ukrainian. But that may have been from the translation notes in my edition and not the text itself. 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie I‘d love to hear your recommendation but don‘t feel obliged to research your Russian shelf again! 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie We didn‘t duck in school, but I was in Europe, things felt maybe a bit further away for us although the Cold War was always on our mind. 2y
TheBookHippie @BarbaraBB I do think THE GENTLEMEN OF MOSCOW was really done well. And funnily enough Danielle Steel Zoya the back story Russia is accurate. Learning about the Tzars is really helpful I think. Especially Nicholas and Alexandra and the Romanov and then of course Stalin. Oy. It is so very VAST. 2y
Cinfhen Totally agree @Billypar @BarbaraBB Mother Russia is a unique character all her own in this novel but I was definitely confused and unclear as to all the different factions @vlwelser Reds, Whites, peasants etc 2y
Simona @TheBookHippie I couldn‘t agree with you more! It pissed me off every time when I see that Ana Karenina is love story. It is much, much more than that … the same with Dr. Zhivago. 2y
TheBookHippie OOO This one is 'newer' and I thought a good read. YA book 2y
Cinfhen Agreed @BookwormAHN @Librarybelle the citizens really suffered and this novel describes the hardships so we‘ll much better than A Gentleman in Moscow ( which I loved!!!!) but did not sympathize with nearly the same way. My problem with this book was the ENDLESS DESCRIPTIONS and drudgery it was brutal 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie Yes, I loved that one too! 2y
Simona @BarbaraBB Yes, but my learning was from different perspective than yours, I assume. We have to learn how to defend ourselves from western thinking 😘 2y
TheBookHippie @Simona OMG do not get me started on Anna is a love story!! No. just NO. I love it but NO THAT IS NOT THE STORY. UGH. 2y
TheBookHippie @Simona I get that some of the western thinking is actually awful. Ha. 2y
BarbaraBB Yes, your perspective was completely different. I‘m not sure how old you are but did you go the school in communist times?? 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie @Simona I completely agree on Anna Karenina. A book I loved but for many reasons. 2y
BarbaraBB @TheBookHippie I‘m surprised about the Steel! I don‘t think I‘ll read it but I WILL follow your thoughts on your January challenge. Sounds intriguing! 2y
Simona I‘m 50 @BarbaraBB and I‘m child of the communism, but in ex-Yugoslavia wasn‘t so hard as it was in some others countries. 2y
BarbaraBB @Simona Yugoslavia felt more like Europe to me than other satellites of the USSR but I was rather naïve since I never saw the war coming. You grew up in such a turbulent time! 2y
Cinfhen You are NOT 50 @Simona !!!!! No way!!! I swear, I thought you were in your 30 years!!! It MUST be THOSE face masks you use. I‘m completely blown away xxxxx 2y
Simona @BarbaraBB Yugoslavia was more open than others countries, that is true, and emphasis was more on the socialism than hardcore communism … yes, historically very interesting times. 2y
Simona Well thank you @Cinfhen I can send you some of those 😘😘😘 2y
AnneCecilie For me if personifies history and makes it easier to relate to than reading the numbers in a history book. I was reading this at the same time that I was reading The Whisperers so this hit me hard. 2y
Vansa Not a part of this but adding my 2 cents- I read this book after I had read multiple others that were a lot clearer about the Revolution,so I can't really say I learnt about it from this.We the living,all of Solzhenitsyn's books,Bulgakov's White Guard,Devils by Dostoyevksy (for the buildup to the revolution)were books I learnt about it from!Catherine Merridale's works on this are absolutely spectacular too,Red Fortress and Lenin on the train. 2y
BarbaraBB @Vansa Thanks so much, you have read a lot and your suggestions are very inspiring! 2y
40 likes40 comments
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BarbaraBB
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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#DecemberChill

Question 4 of 5: How do you feel regarding Yuri‘s love for Lara? Would you call Doctor Zhivago the “greatest love story ever written”?

See All 19 Comments
BarbaraBB I would definitely not call it that but the lovestory is what stuck with me since I read it decennia ago. 2y
BookwormAHN I enjoyed the fact that his love for her wasn't just physical but intellectual. I don't know if I'd call it the greatest love story. 2y
Librarybelle From what I have read so far, I wouldn‘t say it‘s the greatest love story of all time. But, it‘s a complicated love story filled with tragedy. 2y
Billypar I haven't read the last third, so a little tough for me to judge, but I've never been a big fan of romantic love affair storylines. The parts where he goes on about how much he loves his wife, even as he's pursuing Lar 2y
Billypar Lara made me roll my eyes a little. 2y
TheBookHippie I think the love story is what stuck with me for four decades -WOW- but in reality I think It's because it wasn't smoltzy or physical or romcom. Intellectual love is the right wording @BookwormAHN . When I was 17 I called it 'grownup love' BAHAHAHAHAHA. Oy. Vey. It is my kind of love story in a book for sure. 2y
vlwelser Maybe not the greatest. But there is something very natural about it. It makes sense that these 2 end up together however briefly. 2y
Cinfhen I think I was expecting an EPIC love story but when I bailed at around 450 pages I still had yet to see a “love story” I totally agree with @BookwormAHN what a Yuri & Lara shared was not physical but intellectual. Yes @Billypar Yuri was so inflated with himself 🙄I haven‘t seen the film @Librarybelle but I‘m told it‘s emphasis is more about Yuri & Lara & less about the revolution really creating a GREAT LOVE. Truth @TheBookHippie ??? 2y
Hooked_on_books @TheBookHippie 😂 Our teenage selves had such wisdom, eh? 2y
TheBookHippie @Cinfhen That is accurate. The movie is all “luv“. 2y
TheBookHippie @Hooked_on_books Yes we were- so very wise.........ha. I was so weird in my love of Shakespeare and Classical Literature while dancing in clubs across cities and even state lines (like footloose) what a character.......OY. Grateful I'm too old for social media and cell phones et all.... 2y
Cinfhen Hahaha @TheBookHippie anyone who references Footloose is my kind of people 2y
AnneCecilie For me this isn‘t a love story at all and definitely not the greatest ever. 2y
rubyslippersreads I‘ve only seen the movie (in which they share more than “intellectual” love), and I felt sorry for his wife. 2y
35 likes19 comments
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BarbaraBB
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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#DecemberChill

Question 3 of 5: The book was refused publication in the former Soviet Union, can you see why?

See All 20 Comments
vlwelser 100% yes! He's pretty brutal in his description of what it was like there at the time. And I'm not sure that's something I would want the world to know. If that was my country and I was in charge. 2y
TrishB Indicative of the control of the government at the time. 2y
Librarybelle From what I have read so far, Pasternak‘s view of Russia/USSR would anger anyone in the government. Bad depictions of a country, even questioning things happening, would not be good. 2y
BookwormAHN Definitely, I bet they hated him. 2y
BarbaraBB I agree, @vlwelser @TrishB @Librarybelle @BookwormAHN Pasternak was very critical of his government. Much more so than many of his famous colleagues 2y
TheBookHippie @vlwelser I agree with all you said. For sure. 2y
Simona @BarbaraBB He was critical only in his books, but in real life he didn‘t do nothing to save Olga Ivinskaya (she was his longtime mistress and Lara is based on her) from gulag - twice! 2y
BarbaraBB @Simona Really? That‘s so harsh. You know why he didn‘t? Did you know that, @TheBookHippie ? 2y
BarbaraBB @Susanita Thanks! That sounds so interesting! 2y
Cinfhen Agreed @vlwelser @Librarybelle @TrishB @BookwormAHN @Simona He played it both ways. In a fictional book about the writing of Dr Z , it alludes that Pasternak was a national treasure. Well respected and admired by those in charge. It was my love for the fictional book that made me want to read DrZ 2y
Simona @BarbaraBB He was afraid to divorce his wife, because of his moral reputation and the government did take revenge on her to punish him. That is very simplifying explanation, but well explained in 2y
BarbaraBB @Simona I can‘t judge him. Maybe I should read Lara. 2y
BookwormAHN Now I need to read The Secrets We Keep and Lara. They both sound fascinating. 2y
AnneCecilie Yes, the situation at the time and the communists are not portrayed in a positive light. 2y
34 likes20 comments
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BarbaraBB
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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#DecemberChill

Question 2 of 5: Why do you think this book is so universally applauded?

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vlwelser It is sort of beautifully written but I think a lot of the hype comes from the big stink the government made about publishing it. 2y
Librarybelle I think @vlwelser touches on a key aspect of its popularity - the government banned it, which made people want to read it. There is that sense of tragedy too in the narrative (I‘m not even halfway through, but I get the feeling of it), and almost too like a darker sense of love and romance, which I know I‘m not describing well, but I have felt similarly with other Russian novels (Anna Karenina, for example). 2y
TrishB Agree, when something gets banned it adds a mystery and a hype to it. 2y
BookwormAHN I agree about it became more because of the banning but I also think the movie played a bunch in its popularity. 2y
Simona Because of the big drama behind it. It‘s well written, with well captured big moments in history and small moments in the people‘s hearts … and of course, big drama behind this book doesn‘t hurt … 2y
TheBookHippie I think the banning and remember back then and even now, people really don't know that much about Russia other than to fear them, depending on when you grew up. To hear a love story-movie helps here-and a love for Russia as a character beautifully written in prose I think helped as well. The mystery of it all I think. The history is written into the storyline very well. 2y
Cinfhen I love your responses @vlwelser @Librarybelle @TrishB @BookwormAHN @Simona @TheBookHippie I think people came to see Pasternak as the hero / the symbol of a new era and yes, he really did blow the lid off the kettle that no one outside of the Soviet Union was ever exposed to. 2y
Cinfhen And his prose and descriptions are quite poetic. I did not read his poems - did you @TheBookHippie @BookwormAHN @vlwelser ?? 2y
vlwelser @Cinfhen I skipped the poems. My brain was just done with it at that point. 2y
Cinfhen I wonder if the poems add anything more to the story @vlwelser ?? But I hear ya!! 2y
BookwormAHN @Cinfhen I read them. They were good but some were extremely religious. 2y
Cinfhen Are they part of his manifesto @BookwormAHN ?? Why were they included in the book?? Do they add to the story?? 2y
Bookwormjillk I agree with many here that the banning added to the popularity. 2y
BookwormAHN @Cinfhen They are supposed to be a continuation of Yuri's writing, I guess kind of an afterward, but I didn't think that they added much. 2y
i.besteph I support the comments suggesting the banning leading to the book‘s popularity 2y
30 likes19 comments
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BarbaraBB
Doctor Zhivago | Boris Pasternak
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We‘re starting out #DrZ discussion as the final part of our #DecemberChill weekend. Let‘s see how far we get with discussing this book, that turned out to be a tough one for many of us.

Question 1 of 5: Did you read the book? Did you enjoy it?

Leftcoastzen I didn‘t get to it.😔 2y
See All 39 Comments
jenniferw88 I got to chapter 3 and bailed! 2y
BarbaraBB @Leftcoastzen I preferred School for Love too 😉 2y
Kimberlone I made it about 30% 2y
MatchlessMarie I did finish it this morning. I found myself enjoying parts of it but it felt disjointed but that‘s probably my fault. I think this one is probably hard to follow without taking notes. (edited) 2y
vlwelser I finished. And I'm wavering back and forth about whether I actually liked it or not. 2y
Simona I didn‘t finished it, but I really did try. Twice in English with different translators … I thought that my huge non interest is consequence of translation, and for my third attempt I was reading Slovenian translation. I finally gave up around page 300. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y
TheKidUpstairs I'm still reading it. I find I enjoy it in small bits, so it will likely take me months. But I'd rather continue that way and enjoy it, rather than force myself to plow through and dislike it! 2y
Librarybelle I‘m still reading! It‘s stark, dark, and the abruptness of some of the language seems like the usual Russian literature translated into English prose. I‘m liking it so far, but I still have quite a bit to go! One thing - I forgot that it‘s best to read books like these with breaks. 2y
Deblovestoread I bailed early. I probably didn‘t give it a fair shot but it wasn‘t holding my attention. 2y
TrishB I‘m stuck at about 15%- not sure I will go back! 2y
BookwormAHN I finished it. I liked the parts with Yury and Lara but felt rather lost with the Revolution. 2y
BarbaraBB I read it a long time ago and really enjoyed it back then. Looking back I think I read it without knowing too much about its context, I mostly enjoyed the romance parts! 2y
Billypar I'm 2/3 of the way through it. I've appreciated the writing and historical detail, but there is too much description for my taste without the narrative advancing quickly enough as it went. 2y
TheBookHippie Yes. I still LOVE it. Me, Myself and I. ❤ 2y
Mirazzles I‘m about over half way through. So far I am enjoying it. It just took a while to get into it because I kept confusing the character names. 2y
peaKnit I bailed, too heavy for me as it starts getting so dark and cold in the Midwest. Light reads only for me it seems. 2y
Cinfhen Congrats to you for reading this one @MatchlessMarie @vlwelser @BookwormAHN I kind of wish I stuck with it but it was REALLY DIFFICULT to stay motivated & invested. 2y
Cinfhen Big kudos to you @TheBookHippie a re-read!!!! 2y
vlwelser @TheBookHippie 😂 You can have this one all to yourself. I liked it but it's not my fav. 2y
Cinfhen I‘m so happy to hear you‘re all still motivated to keep going @Librarybelle @AWildMandaPanda @Billypar @TheKidUpstairs 2y
Cinfhen I‘m in your camp @jenniferw88 @Kimberlone @Simona @Kdgordon88 @TrishB @peaknit I got to page 450 and I just said EFF it!! I couldn‘t go on any longer 🤪It was SO BLEAK 2y
TheBookHippie @vlwelser I‘m so dark 🖤 the book is soothing to me 😂 2y
LeahBergen I never started it as I was so turned off by everyone‘s initial impressions. 🤣 2y
BarbaraBB @LeahBergen I actual think YOU might have enjoyed it! 2y
vlwelser @TheBookHippie I get that. It's soothing because you realize your own life isn't so bad. I may be projecting there. I maybe was in a cheerful place and not ready for this. 2y
Hooked_on_books Nope! 😂 I think I would have tried it if my hold had come in midway through November when I expected it, but I finally got the book after seeing lots of bail posts, so I ended up not even trying. Maybe I‘ll try it someday now that the idea of reading it has been planted. 2y
Bookwormjillk I was trying to read the audiobook, but the voice was so soothing I kept falling asleep 🤦‍♀️ I want to try again in print. 2y
TheBookHippie @vlwelser I've been dark my whole life. Probably the most peaceful dark person, people sing hello darkness my old friend to me -a lot. BAHAHAHA. 2y
LeahBergen @BarbaraBB I‘ve had it on my shelves for years! 2y
wanderinglynn No, I wasn‘t in the mindset for it. I may try again after the new year. 2y
rubyslippersreads I have to confess, I didn‘t read it. Maybe someday … 😏 2y
erzascarletbookgasm I knew I wouldn‘t be able to finish it on time, if I started it. I can‘t do thick classics at this time if the year. 🤷‍♀️ 2y
i.besteph Nope! I bailed after reaching 25% 😅 2y
batsy Sorry for the lack of participation this time around. Didn't read the book but I hope that those who did it found it worthwhile 🙂 2y
35 likes39 comments
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Vansa
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#DecemberChill @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen
That's me on my couch in my favourite reading position!The other photos are of #chill times pre-Covid:the best bookshop(arguably)still functioning in India,the excellent museum in Bombay,a retrospective of SH Raza's works,birthday dinner at a blues cafe,a concert at NCPA.India is still not safe enough,covid-wise,to resume any of these for the near future,apart from ultimately my favorite thing-read on my couch!

BarbaraBB Lovely pictures. I hope you will be back to doing those things soon. Until then that couch is a wonderful place to be and read 🥰🥰 2y
Cinfhen Lovely photos 😍I hope life will return to “normal l” as quickly also possible / it‘s hard to look back and think about all the simple things we took for granted. 2y
SRWCF Your hairstyle is so cute! 2y
Vansa @SRWCF thank you so much!! 😀😀 2y
16 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
kimmypete1
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Pickpick

An in depth look at Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. It was a wild ride, especially once they start in Guyana.

#WinterGames2021 #TeamGameSleighers

#AVeryMerryReadathon #Wintercosy #WrapItUpReadathon @TheSpineView @puddlejumper @keys_on_fire #DecemberChill @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

TheSpineView Excellant 2y
20 likes1 comment