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ReadZenRites

ReadZenRites

Joined March 2018

Reader, writer, recovering lawyer, migraineur, mom of a teen🙄 & chronic insomniac. Books keep it all in perspective 📚💖
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ReadZenRites
Fish Stick Fridays | Rhys Ford
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1. Sixth Grade. That was still considered elementary school way back when I attended.
2. One.
3. Birdwell Island. So I could hang out with Clifford the Big Red Dog.

ReadZenRites Well, it seems I can‘t follow instructions even when they are right before my eyes. I skipped #2! My answer is Speech & debate Team. I was a bit of a dork back then. Or still am, according to my daughter. 5y
Trashcanman I'm going to keep drawing you back to Litsy if it's the last think I do. How's your Pops Dani? 5y
Bklover Oh Clifford! I want to come to your island! 5y
See All 36 Comments
ReadZenRites I meant to post that HERE. Consider yourself invited to My magical island, @Bklover Now, the folks reading @Trashcanman ‘s Friyay post will be totally confused. 😂 5y
ReadZenRites Thanks for dragging me back to Litsy @Trashcanman It‘s much better than reading the news. My Dad‘s hanging in there. Just finished round 5 of chemo & he‘s grumpy as a bear. 5y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites I hope he kicks it ass and soon! 5y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites and I like having you around. 5y
JaclynW Clifford! 5y
ReadZenRites @Jaclyn Yay! Another Big Red Dog fan!😊 5y
Trashcanman Where you at? 5y
ReadZenRites Hi @Trashcanman Didn‘t mean to disappear again. My life went to complete shit, tho. Thx for asking after me. How you be? 5y
Bklover Saw your comment to George. I hope you come back as well. So many people here who will lift you up. I hope things are getting better for you. ❤️❤️ 5y
ReadZenRites Thank you so much @Bklover Your comment really meant a lot! The folks here on Litsy truly are good! ♥️ As to life, I need to document all that‘s happened in my journal, because it‘s so much even I can‘t believe it‘s all happening at once IRL. 😊 5y
Trashcanman I hope you are well, I hope life is being kind to you. 🤗 5y
Bklover Journaling has always helped me, although most of the time I don‘t like to look back on what I wrote. Just getting it out helps. Litsy folks have made me feel better countless times. I always have such a hard time describing Litsy to people. It‘s has its own magic. Much love to you! ❤️ 5y
Trashcanman What it is! 5y
Trashcanman Well, I'm here partly because of you and now you're underground again. What it is! Where you be? 5y
Trashcanman Hey you! Surface again for christ sakes! 5y
Trashcanman Live a little! 5y
Trashcanman How ya been! 5y
ReadZenRites Tryin to cope. Just a bit down and lacking motivation 5y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites well I'm down a lot too, but I'd like it if you stayed and posted and stuff. So I'm going to bug you. 5y
ReadZenRites That‘s nice ☺️ 5y
ReadZenRites Damn wrong emoji and I forgot to tag you. I‘m out of practice at this stuff @Trashcanman 😊 5y
Trashcanman With you mean by that's nice? Don't you go underground again! 5y
ReadZenRites It‘s very nice of you to say @Trashcanman and I‘ll try not to! How‘re you? 5y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites I'm OK, I think. I've been doing so well but yesterday and Today have been hard. My uncle passed away, my aunt isn't well and my mom is in shambles. How's Pops doing? 5y
ReadZenRites So sorry to hear about your uncle! My dad is slowly regaining strength & is on less chemo bc his numbers r improving. Hugs to you. 🤗💕 5y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites don't be a stranger Dani 5y
Trashcanman Post something new damn it. 5y
Trashcanman Bump to the top! I hope you are well Dani I miss you. So glad you responded! 5y
Trashcanman Hugs I hope you are well my friend 5y
Trashcanman Miss ya Dani, hope you're well and your pops too 5y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Trashcanman miss you too. My dad just started hospice, but otherwise I‘m okay. 4y
Trashcanman Hey you! I miss you. How are you doing? How's your pops? Don't be a turd and reply. 🤗🤗🤗 3y
44 likes36 comments
review
ReadZenRites
Zeroes: A Novel | Chuck Wendig
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Panpan

I enjoyed the first 2/3 of this book. Then it took a turn beyond which it could not recover.

Up until the story became grotesquely bizarre, the dialogue was snappy, the plot was rolling along, and the hacking was understandable. I‘m willing to suspend my power of disbelief for a good narrative, but not when it‘s beyond all reason and literally makes me roll my eyes and mutter aloud, “Oh, please!”

Zeroes earns zero ⭐️s in my book.

RamsFan1963 OH NO!! I've got this on my TBR shelves. I really liked Wendig's Star Wars Aftermath trilogy, I'm sorry to hear this wasn't good. 6y
ReadZenRites Don‘t dispair @RamsFan1963 I‘d say keep it on your TBR. I‘d still give it props for pure entertainment value. It‘s a good thrill ride, and maybe I would have liked it better if I had thought of it as sci-fi instead of a mainstream thriller. I enjoyed the first two-thirds, and the last part I just wanted to throw across the room...BUT I kept reading! That itself is telling. 😬 6y
RaimeyGallant Not stacked! ;) 6y
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ReadZenRites Another Litten reminded me that I could use a Spoiler Alert to fully answer what bugged me about Zeroes, and it‘s up to you @RamsFan1963 if you want to have the big twist (but not the ending) revealed in the comment below.... 6y
ReadZenRites So... @RamsFan1963 the whole “the brain is a computer” thing struck me as too unrealistic to qualify for a thriller, even if you pushed the era to the near future or shoved it into the speculative fiction genre, but he rest of the book too realistic for it to be scifi . I don‘t know enough about hacking to know if the the tech details are possible NOW, but they felt 2015ish-current to me (?). (edited) 6y
ReadZenRites @RamsFan1963 Somehow, that twist, with it being so out-of-genre and beyond credulity, it then seemed almost a short-cut to get to the end & I was mightily disappointed. The sophisticated tech details were what had made the plot unique up to there. After that it was just staying off the grid. I‘ve read that before. But the author also lost credibility. 6y
RamsFan1963 I read the spoiler, and I agree with your comment. If its contemporary, then that is pretty ludicrous. I'll still read it at some point. 6y
ReadZenRites I‘d like to know your thoughts if you do. 6y
Trashcanman Where the hell ya been? Smoking doobies with my brothers? What it is? 6y
ReadZenRites Hey @Trashcanman!! my dad had more chemo & his red blood cells crashed. Then my daughter got suspended from school, my husband landed a new job and I caught a 3 week sinus infection. Could use a doobie or 2. 6y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites oh I'm sorry about those things, now I feel like an asshole. I hope pops is improving at least. And that your stress level drops. 🤗 6y
ReadZenRites Naw, don‘t feel bad at all @Trashcanman !! It‘s nice you noticed I was gone. My dad had a blood transfusion and is better. I have to stay away from him tho until I‘m not contagious. Sucks. 6y
ReadZenRites It‘s good to be reminded that Litsy is here @Trashcanman !! It‘s one media option that lowers my stress instead of raising it. 👍🏻 6y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites 🤗💗 well don't be a stranger 6y
51 likes16 comments
review
ReadZenRites
Tomorrow: A Novel | Damian Dibben
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Bailedbailed

Don‘t bother. Really. ⭐️ out of 5.

I wanted to like this book; the concept— a loyal dog gifted immortality by his magical human companion from whom he is then separated and searches for across battlefields and ballrooms— was great, but I read 120+ pages & nothing happened. Don‘t waste your time or money. DNF

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ReadZenRites
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Pickpick

Bloody Sunday was SO BLOODY GOOD!

This book picks up from where the last one in the series left off. Our reluctant hero, Dewy Andreas, has some retribution to inflict before he retires. But then he is needed for just one more mission...

The pages flew and the action kept building. Terrific read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. This is how a it‘s done.

#spythriller #millitarythriller #thriller #bencoes #dewyandreas

49 likes2 stack adds
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ReadZenRites
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Pickpick

SO GOOD. SO TIMELY. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Russia sets in motion a long-planned attack against Europe to retake Soviet-era territory, occupy and invade Europe, destroy all NATO defenses, and invade America. By first assassinating key NATO personnel & spreading misinformation, the Russians have laid a perfect chessboard. Will our allies and defense partners be invaded before they even know it?

#BradThor #SpyThriller #MillitaryThriller #SpyNovel
#ScotHarvarh

Trashcanman 👁️👁️ 6y
49 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ReadZenRites
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These short stories are clever and had me laughing aloud. I typically don‘t go for short stories, but these were refreshingly different. The book is definitely YA, not for young teens & has a preponderance of f-bombs. I‘m glad I‘m reading it before my 15-year-old daughter; but maybe tempting her with a funny book with mature-ish content will get her to actually READ. #YAWednesday

TheFunkyBookworm Oh I‘ll def be checking this one out! 6y
Trashcanman 👁️👁️ 6y
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ReadZenRites
Penpals | Lana Sundman
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This sounds like fun! Please add me @TheReadingMermaid #PenPalExchange 😊💕

I‘m from Colorado, USA
Thank you for organizing this.

BeansPage You are very welcome! Please shoot me an e-mail with the following information: 1. Your Litsy handle 2. Are you open to post internationally? 3. Are you looking for long-term or short-term penpal? 4. What is your favorite color? Email: straberryshortcake777@yahoo.com 6y
Trashcanman How's your pop's doing? 6y
ReadZenRites He‘s hanging tough. He is tired all the time, but otherwise says he feels fine. Of course he never complains about anything so it‘s hard to tell. Thanks for asking. 😊💕 How‘re you @Trashcanman ? (edited) 6y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites I am not well at all. 😊 6y
32 likes4 comments
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ReadZenRites
Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller
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Pickpick

I‘ve read many accounts of the Trojan War, but this is the first time I‘ve actually been present to feel the sting of sweat in my eyes, smell the blood, and weather the consuming rivalries between warrior-princes determined only to win fame.

The story of Achilles‘ formative years was new to me, and the part of the book that stole my heart. 4.5/5⭐️

CoverToCoverGirl Great review.. I loved it too! 😎 6y
Trashcanman Where ya been! 6y
Trashcanman How's your father doing? 6y
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ReadZenRites Hi @Trashcanman Thanks for asking. I‘ve been spending time with my dad. He did his first 7 day round of chemo, & like the former airman he is, he was a total trooper (even though he has a fear of needles). It really stole his energy, however. He has 21 days until his next round. 6y
Trashcanman @ReadZenRites ok, I wish him and you and the whole farm the best. Just want to say hi and wish see how you and him were doing. 😊 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you so very much @Trashcanman 🤗 I never thought my absence might be noticed. That‘s rather nice, really!!😊💕 I hope all is well in your corner of the world 6y
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ReadZenRites
1000 Yards | Mark Dawson
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this military thriller about a former British spy infiltrating North Korea following cyberattacks by the Hermit Kingdom. It was a great introduction to John Milton, and the first in the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @Andrew65 for the recommendation! Now to convince Nook to carry more of them— Number 12 was the only full-length novel on offer.

Andrew65 Great to hear you enjoyed it. If you register for the newsletter on Mark Dawson‘s website he sends links to download 1000 yards and tarantula, and 2 other books from his other series. I also took out a free 30 day trial for Kindle Unlimited which had some of his books available for free on there and then cancelled before the first subscription was due after 30 days. 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Andrew65 I‘ll definitely check that out! 6y
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ReadZenRites
The Beast of Aros Castle | Heather McCollum
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My dad was diagnosed with leukemia a week ago, and I have not been able to sleep at night since. Thankfully, I learned about free (library) #audiobooks on #Hoopla from you wonderful Littens.

These Scottish romances have been the perfect escape.

#romance

Reviewsbylola I‘m so sorry to hear about your dad. Prayers for be two of you and the rest of your family. 6y
cobwebmoth Huge hugs to you! 6y
Leftcoastzen So sorry about your dad. I‘ll be hoping for the best for you and your family. 6y
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Airforcesister I am so sorry to hear about your Father. Hang in there. I have been where you are. 6y
TheBookKeepers ❤️ hugs! Books always help! 6y
DGRachel I‘m so sorry about your dad. {{hugs}} 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Reviewsbylola @cobwebmoth @Leftcoastzen @Airforcesister @TheBookKeepers and @DGRachel for all your kind words. They mean more than I can say. 💕💕 6y
ravenlee 💗💗💗💗💗💗 6y
Aimeesue So sorry to hear about you dad. I hope things go well for him. ❤️ 6y
tammysue I‘m so sorry to hear about your dad. Hang in there. Sending prayers for your dad and your family. ❤️🙏🏻 6y
CoverToCoverGirl So sorry to hear about your Dad..{{{{hugs}}}} sending positive vibes to you and yours. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage I hope the romances give you some moments of escape from the stress. Thinking of you! 😘 6y
arubabookwoman I‘m so sorry to hear about your Dad. From personal experience I know that there are new and miracle medications available for many types of leukemia, and I hope that is the case for your Dad. 6y
tournevis *hugs* 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @ravenlee @Aimeesue @whatshereadingnow @CoverToCoverGirl @BarbaraTheBibliophage @arubabookwoman and @tournevis for the thoughts and words of support. 💕They mean more than I can express. 6y
JennyM Sending much love to you and your family x 6y
BookNAround We‘ve gotten so much better at treating leukemia. Prayers for your dad and your whole family as you navigate this. 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @JennyM and @BookNAround for your words of support. They mean a great deal to me. 💕💕 6y
Trashcanman Hugs to you, your father and your whole family. I hope he gets the best treatment, recovers fully and soon! 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Trashcanman for the kind words and support. It is truly appreciated. 💕💕 6y
UwannaPublishme Sending prayers and healing hugs to your Dad and you. 🙏🏻💖 6y
51 likes21 comments
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ReadZenRites
Atonement | Ian McEwan
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I know Atonement was a favorite for a lot of people, but it felt to me like pompous impenetrable verbiage slowed the plot‘s forward movement to an intolerable degree. In other words, too darn slow. #unpopularopinion

Libby1 I haven‘t read it, but I‘ve had both good and awful experiences with McEwan. 6y
Literary_Siren I love this book. 😔 6y
Caroline2 This is soooo long and blahhhhhhh!!!! 6y
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ReadZenRites @Caroline2 So glad I‘m not the only one who felt that way! 😊💕 6y
ReadZenRites No need for the sad emoji, @Literary_Siren your opinion is shared by many—that‘s what made it a bestseller and a Hollywood movie!😊 6y
ReadZenRites Ahh, good to know, @CoverToCoverGirl I haven‘t read that one. I‘ll keep your opinion in mind. 😁 6y
Trashcanman I think you know mine.. Or at least the author 6y
43 likes8 comments
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ReadZenRites
Secrets of a Charmed Life | Susan Meissner
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Pickpick

OH MY. THIS BOOK!! It is beyond good. FANTASTIC! I listened to it on #audiobook & I‘m so glad I was home at the near-end because I hate anyone to see me cry. An ugly cry, it was, too.

Sisters are separated during the London Blitz (WWII), but really, it examines: How do you move forward after making a mistake you believe is unforgivable?

A beautiful story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Yep, that‘s all of ‘em, 5 of 5

#historicalnovel #womenauthors

Lkm I‘ll check it out. Thanks 6y
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ReadZenRites
Need to Know | Karen Cleveland
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Pickpick

Terrific #triller from a new #femaleauthor who is, herself, a former CIA agent.

Compellingly fast-paced, and thoroughly character-driven, I was glued to the pages as they flew by. This is not a spy thriller in the traditional sense, as the MC is a desk-bound CIA analyst who happens upon the duplicity of someone close to her. No “Mission Impossible” heroics or gunfights, but psychological suspense that hooked me until the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5

MuddyPuddle Sounds good!! 6y
ReadZenRites It‘s very good! If I had written the review right away, I‘d have given it 5 stars. But I have to be completely blown away by a book for that top rating... it probably earned 4.5, though 😊 6y
54 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bront
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#OldCoolBooks #Bibliosmia @Linsy

Please forgive the repeat. A photo challenge is no fun with no photo! 😁

Linsy Beautiful! Those look like they smell good! 💝 (edited) 6y
ReadZenRites They do! @Linsy 😊💕 Such a fun photo challenge! I‘m so happy to have had a reason to rescue all my old cool books from storage. Thanks for hosting! 💗 6y
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ReadZenRites
Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bront
ReadZenRites Wait, where‘s my photo? 🙁 6y
Linsy I hate when that happens! 🤨 6y
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The Bugatti Story | L'Eb Bugatti
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A #monograph is a detailed study of a single specialized subject or an aspect of it. The above book is a 1967 monograph of my grandfather‘s second-favorite subject (after my grandmother of course 😊), and beneath is a picture of him racing his vintage 1926 Bugatti Type 35.

#OldCoolBooks #Monograph

ReadZenRites Oops forgot to tag you, @Linsy 6y
Linsy That‘s so awesome! 👏 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Linsy 😊💕 6y
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DivineDiana What an exciting grandfather! 6y
CoverToCoverGirl Amazing! 😊 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @DivineDiana I always thought he was rather unique 😊 6y
Trashcanman That's very cool, hopefully the car stayed in the family. 😊 6y
ReadZenRites I wish... my grandad had to give up racing in the late 1990s after a stroke and he gave the car to another racer. 6y
45 likes9 comments
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ReadZenRites
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This 1917 edition of Mark Twain‘s “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur‘s Court” is a #novel. This copy is barely being held together by its binding, the “limp leather” cover having deteriorated to flakes.

#OldCoolBooks #novel

tammysue Wow! Very nice! 6y
Slajaunie Love old books! 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Slajaunie & @whatshereadingnow 😊💕I chuckle every time I see that “limp leather” description!😁 6y
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Linsy Love that illustration! 🙌 6y
Linsy @ReadZenRites 😆 It is a great description! 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Linsy 😊💕 6y
45 likes6 comments
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ReadZenRites
Billy Whiskers | Frances Trego Montgomery
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I‘m calling this 1930 edition of the 1903 story “Billy Whiskers” a #novella, as it‘s only 143 pages, including large print and illustrations. Likely intended for children, it‘s a darling tale, told by Billy, a very naughty goat who‘s gone on the lam. Quite an adventure he has while trying to reunite with his one true love, Nanny Goat. Will he get his happily ever-after?

#OldCoolBooks #Novella

LeahBergen It sounds delightful 😄 6y
Linsy Look at that B! This is the best name ever!! Now, if only I could convince my husband to name our next boy after him ... 🤔 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @LeahBergen 😊💕 6y
ReadZenRites 😂😂 @Linsy It may be easier to convince you husband if he doesn‘t know about the goat. 😁 Maybe suggest it stands for greatest of all time? 😂 6y
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A #Bildungsroman is a coming-of-age story, in which character change is extremely important. The 1923 copy of Toby Tyler above is just such a book. Originally printed in serial form in Harper‘s Bazaar in 1877, I‘m pretty sure this story is the genesis of my parents‘ oft asked question, “What are you going to do about it, join the circus?”

As I suspected & poor Toby found out, the circus is no place for a kid!

#OldCoolBooks #bildungsroman

CoverToCoverGirl Great choice! 😍 6y
DebinHawaii Great pick! I remember watching the old Disney movie growing up. Nostalgia! 🤗 6y
Linsy Love it! 🙌 6y
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ReadZenRites
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I couldn‘t find a #historiography for today‘s #OldCoolBooks prompt, but this cocktail napkin fell from between two books with disintegrating covers, circa 1920 & 1959. The napkin is likely newer, as it is intact at the creases. It‘s got to be at least 15 years old I would think (judging by the bit of subtle sexism).
Fav:
The lightning bug is brilliant
Tho he has a backward mind;
He flies throughout the blackist night
With his headlight on behind

Leftcoastzen Way cool! 6y
LeahBergen 😂😂 6y
Linsy 😆😆 Finding old things in books is the best! 6y
ReadZenRites Yes, this was quite a surprise & really fun to find! 😊 @Linsy Thanks 💕 6y
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ReadZenRites
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“I hope that you have met good parents and that you will have a good life. I wish for you a beautiful life, with a beautiful face and a beautiful heart....” —Your loving [birth] mother.

It isn‘t very old, but “I Wish for You a Beautiful Life” is an #epistolary book of letters from Korean birth mothers to their adopted children. It tells of heartbreak and loss, but it is also full of beauty, love, and hope.

#OldCoolBooks #Epistolary

Linsy How beautiful! 😭 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy 😊💕 6y
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ReadZenRites
Tale of Peter Rabbit | Beatrix Potter
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Look what I found in the storage area of our basement! I loved all of the Beatrix Potter stories as a girl, especially Peter Rabbit, but I know these are not the books my mother read from! These #hardcovers came from my grandparents‘ home. They don‘t have a publication date and bear little resemblance to the single thick book of stories Mom had.

#OldCoolBooks #Hardcovers #Lostbooks

Bronte_Chintz Stunning! 😍😍😍 6y
kezzlou85 My brother and I had these versions. We had half each growing up then when I had my girls he gave me his ones as well. They loved the stories. 6y
ReadZenRites Oh, now that‘s a sweet brother! 😊💕 @kezzlou85 👍🏻 6y
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ReadZenRites Thank you @Bronte_Chintz 😊💕 6y
kezzlou85 @ReadZenRites yeah bless him. He loves his nieces 6y
LeahBergen I love these. 😍 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @LeahBergen 😊💕 6y
Linsy What an incredible find! 🙌 These are some books I need to get to read to my little boy! I loved them as a kid as well. 6y
ReadZenRites I‘m so glad to have rescued them from the dusty basement! Somehow, being one of three daughters I‘ve been really lucky in the books passed down to me. 💕 (edited) 6y
PatriciaS Awesome 👍 I wish I had that collection for my students, wonderful books 📚 3y
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ReadZenRites
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This 1870 four-volume edition of “the Complete Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow” includes, among many others, the epic poem “Evangeline,” which was considered a #masterpiece at the time. Perhaps it still is. This set was passed down to me by my grandfather in 2000; it appears to have been purchased new and lived in the family library for the preceding 130 years.

#OldCoolBooks #Masterpiece #VintageBooks

Lcsmcat Wow! I remember reading Evangeline the summer after 8th grade. My mother would send me out of the house to try to make me socialize at the neighborhood pool, and I‘d stick my (paperback) copy in my bag and just read. Happy memories. 6y
CoverToCoverGirl A beautiful family treasure! 6y
merelybookish 😍😍 6y
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ReadZenRites Thank you @Lcsmcat @CoverToCoverGirl and @merelybookish 😊💕 Some fun trivia: Evangeline was used in Disney‘s “the Princess and the Frog” movie as the basis for the fireflies‘ love story. ✨ 6y
Leftcoastzen lovely post! 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Leftcoastzen 😊💕 6y
Linsy That‘s INCREDIBLE!!! What an amazing family treasure. 💕 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy ! 😊 6y
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ReadZenRites
Boy Scout Handbook | Boy Scouts of America
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This 1935 Handbook for Patrol Leaders by the Boy Scouts of America is just about the only one of my #OldCoolBooks that is a #paperback. It actually belongs to my husband, who collects Boy Scout gear from pre-WWII.

#OldCoolBooks #paperbacks

Linsy “The passive boy needs boosting” 😂😂😂 6y
ReadZenRites Isn‘t that funny? @Linsy 😁The advice about different types of boys is pretty amusing (and dated). First you label each of them...😂 6y
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The Call of the Wild | Jack London
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This 1910 edition of Jack London‘s Call of the Wild may not be a #spinefreezer in the customary sense, but it sure kept me awake at night when I first read it as an 11-year-old. (That might have had something to do with illustrations like the one above...of course, just the thought of a beloved family pet being mistreated would have given me nightmares as a child!)

#oldcoolbooks #spinefreezers

Linsy Some things that scare us as kids stick with us the most. Beautiful copy! 6y
ReadZenRites So true @Linsy 😊 Thanks! 6y
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ReadZenRites
A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens
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I‘m inexcusably late with this post due to migraine.☹️

Anyway... I think this 1942 copy of Dickens‘ A Christmas Carol that my husband found at a used book store a few years ago qualifies as a #collectorsedition of #oldcoolbooks .

cobwebmoth Hope you feel better soon! 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @cobwebmoth I can finally tolerate looking at my phone screen, so I must be getting better!😊 6y
Linsy Not inexcusable, but I‘m sorry about the migraine! Also, I‘m seriously crushing on your book. That illustration! 😍 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy ! 😊 6y
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Untilted | Autechre
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Hugs to you

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MAY 15 PROMPT: #DeckledEdges

My grandfather bought this book in France in 1931 while visiting Mont Saint Michel during his “grand tour” between college and law school. Each page has that wonderful heavy cotton feel of #CoolOldBooks and of course #decklededges The illustration above is from the Tree of Jesse Window at Chartres Cathedral. The sculpture pictured behind the book was sculpted by my grandmother in Italian marble, called “Baby Whale.”

Susanbones I had to reread the final sentence to make sure I read it right. That was sculpted by your grandma?? Beautiful!!! 6y
ReadZenRites Yes, thank you. She was incredibly talented, although she hadn‘t started her art education until all her children were grown. She was nearly 70 and still using hand-chisel on stone! 💕💕 6y
DebinHawaii Amazing! What treasures! 💜 6y
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ReadZenRites Thank you so much @DebinHawaii 😊 6y
ReadZenRites Oops 😬 should be #OldCoolBooks Do I have to make at least one mistake in every post? 🙁🙈 6y
CoverToCoverGirl Beautiful! 😍❤️ 6y
Slajaunie That is so cool! I wish my family were so interesting! 6y
ReadZenRites That‘s very nice of you to say, @Slajaunie 😊 Interesting has it‘s drawbacks, too, of course!😬😁 6y
Linsy How cool!!! I‘m jealous of your detailed family story connected to the book. And that whale! 💙💙💙 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Linsy It really has been fun doing this challenge...I‘m rediscovering books I forgot about and talking to my family about where they came from. 😊🌸💕 6y
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Unbekannte Gott, Roman | Julia Koppel, Laurids Bruun
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MAY 14 PROMPT: #Whodunnit

I borrowed today‘s selection of #OldCoolBooks from my mom. She‘s been carrying it in a Ziplock bag because so many pages have come loose. It‘s a 1938 German translation by M.R. Rinehart of Julia Koppel‘s book “Miss Pinkerton,” called “KEINE SPUR!Kriminalroman.” Loosely translated, “WITHOUT A TRACE! Whodunnit.” 😳 Really! It was made into a Hollywood movie in 1932 (but I‘m sure the book is better—in both languages!)

merelybookish Cool! 6y
ReadZenRites Since I seem to have misspelled #whodunit ....what only 3 times? Not bad. 😊 6y
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tammysue That‘s very precious! 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you for saying so, @whatshesreadingnow !! I think so too. 😊💕 6y
Linsy I can‘t believe I forgot to comment the other day! This is so amazing!!! 😍😍😍 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Linsy 😊 6y
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Hell's Gate: A Thriller | Bill Schutt, J. R. Finch
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#Manicmonday ....

🌸 Current book is tagged. It‘s good but not great, and I should be loving it—it combines my favorite genre of military/spy thriller with my fav time for historical fiction: WWII.
🌸 My family. They‘d all bring books to a restaurant and I had no one to talk to.🙁 Now I love books too.😊💕
🌸 Anytime! Especially when I really should be doing something else.
🌸 A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

🌸 HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYONE! 🌸

Kaye A Fine Balance was a fine book. A plus, 6 Golden stars ✨✨✨✨✨✨ (edited) 6y
JoScho 📚😊❤️ 6y
ReadZenRites @Kaye Thanks. 😊I agree!💕 6y
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MAY 13 PROMPT: #Saga

Give Me Thy Vineyard is not as much of a #saga as some of the longer works that I have in newer copies, but for #coololdbooks, this book seemed the best fit. It‘s a family drama, a love story, a coming of age story, and a work of religious devotion all wrapped together. This copy was printed in 1949, and given to my Father-in-Law in 1953. Still in remarkable condition!

#CoolOldBooks #Saga #dustjackets

ReadZenRites The Author, Guy Howard, won $10,000 in prize money for this book, which had to be a huge amount at the time. 6y
ReadZenRites I‘m an idiot. This should say #OldCoolBooks 6y
Linsy Yes it is! That cover makes me smile. 😁 6y
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MAY 12 PROMPT: Rare Books

This 1885 Allegheny Edition of Theodore Roosevelt‘s Hunting Trips of a Ranchman: Sketches of Sport on the Northern Cattle Plains I think qualifies as a rare book. It was originally my great-grandfather‘s, I believe. My grandfather told me his father had hunted with Teddy a time or two, but “a bit of a bigot, he is(Teddy).” Continued 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

#oldcoolbooks #rarebooks #princeps #firsteditions#theodoreroosevelt

ReadZenRites While that‘s not what a kid wants to hear about a US President and one of the “great men” at Mount Rushmore, as an adult I realize he was right. Grandfather also implied that Teddy was not very politic when it came to the rise of the Nazis in Germany, which my grandfather enlisted in the Marines to fight in WWII. History has a very different look as an adult. 😊 6y
Linsy Nice! 🖤 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy 😊💕 6y
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101 Dalmatians | Dodie Smith
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MAY 11 PROMPT: Lost Books

This 1957 Edition of the Hundred and One Dalmatians had been hidden from me as a child because my mother could not trust me to keep from coloring the illustrations (yes, that‘s my handiwork above) #lostbook. Although this is considered a first edition, the story appeared in serial form in Woman‘s Day Magazine as “The Great Dog Robbery” in 1956 & 1957.

#coololdbooks #lostbooks #oldchildrensbooks

tammysue Ooh very nice!! 😍 6y
DebinHawaii Very cool! One of my favorites growing up! 💜 6y
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ReadZenRites Thank you @DebinHawaii It is was a favorite of mine, too... even after I was forced to switch to the Disney version with already-colored illustrations. 😬 6y
DebinHawaii For what it's worth I think you have great coloring talent! 😆👍 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @DebinHawaii 😂 I was mightily provoked that I never got to color the lady‘s skirt. It‘s so half finished that way🙁 6y
Linsy This is so great! 💜 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @Linsy 😊💕 6y
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The Furies | John Jakes
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I‘m using this for both today and yesterday‘s prompts. It‘s not exactly a #PennyDreadful nor does it have traditional #Swashbucklers, and it‘s even not terribly old. Published in 1976, it‘s fly leaf declares, “Without blood there is no remission of sin!” introducing an epic tale of family, vengeance, gold, Clipper Ships, and the Alamo. My mom kept very few paperbacks, so it clearly made an impression.

#OldCoolBooks #swashbucklers #pennydreadful

Samplergal I remember that book. Well reading it. I can‘t remember what the heck it was about but we all passed those around. 6y
CoverToCoverGirl I read the entire series in the early 80‘s when it was fairly new, my how times flies. The first book in the series had a very scandalous title, for the time, back in 1974. 6y
ReadZenRites Oh my 😱😂My mother read such salacious material! 😂 6y
Linsy 😆 Love these comments! 6y
GarthRanzz I read these back when, another series taken from my mom‘s shelf. I enjoyed the (now cheesy) TV miniseries adaptations too. 6y
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I‘ve missed a couple of posts for #OldCoolBooks, but here‘s my contribution for #bookspines. This Fourteenth Edition of Encyclopedia Britannica from 1932 has 24 volumes and was my great-grandfather‘s. I especially love looking at the old maps and pre-WWII Geo-political entries. So much has changed!

#oldcoolbooks #bookspines #spines #oldbookspines

Linsy LOVE these! ♥️ 6y
Slajaunie Gorgeous! 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy and @Slajaunie 😊 6y
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Incunabulum | W. N. France
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MAY 5 PROMPT: INCUNABULUM

Here‘s my offering of #incunabulum for today‘s prompt in the #OldCoolBooks photo #challenge. These are photos I purloined (Shhhhh!!) 😬 from the Web of the newly-discovered Dead Sea Scrolls that are currently on exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science #dmns. Oh HOW I wish I were up to going in person; the museum is just over an hour from my home! Alas, we can obsess over the pics together.

Linsy I missed it when it came here, but I so wanted to go as well!! 😍 6y
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MAY 4 PROMPT: DUST JACKETS

The great thing about this #OldCoolBooks challenge is that I‘m being reintroduced to all of the books I‘d forgotten I had. I came across my grandfather‘s The Bugatti Story (1967), and discovered he‘d actually gotten the Sir Walter (1959) from his father, all whist looking for the Shell Seekers (rather young at 1987)! The Fox Hunting with Meadowbrook isn‘t very old (2016), but it‘s subject is, so I included it for fun.

JulAnna I loved The Shell Seekers! 😊 6y
ReadZenRites Me tooo! @JulAnna 😊👍🏻 6y
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MrsMalaprop Me too @JulAnna & @ReadZenRites. In fact I might have to hunt out my hard cover copy for this prompt 👏. 6y
SilversReviews The Shellseekers is a favorite. Loved it. 6y
Linsy Me too! I‘ve loved pulling old books off my shelves I‘d started to just regard as decorations. I‘m glad you‘re enjoying yourself! 6y
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Pickpick

This time America‘s security is threatened by cyberattacks, and the still newly-sworn-in President knows she has nearly as much to fear from those inside government as any would-be terrorists. She turns to the one man she‘s certain she can trust: Luke Stone, and begs him back to work. The pages turn themselves in this 4th installment, even as the threats feel uncomfortably real. It‘s a wild ride & a solid 4⭐️s.

#spythriller #thriller #espionage

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Return of the Native | Thomas Hardy
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MAY 3 PROMPT: Naked Books

This edition of #OldCoolBooks is a 1928 copy of Thomas Hardy‘s Return of the Native. It‘s spine is barely hanging together by a few stitches in the back, and as you can see from the wear, it‘s been removed and re-shelved a number of times. I love the fancy title page, but the story is not quite to my tastes (and from the few pencil notes I can still make out, it wasn‘t my great-aunt‘s favorite either)!❤️ #nakedbooks

Linsy I love that! Still connecting through books. 💗 6y
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May 2 #OldCoolBooks PROMPT: TOME

I think this is the thickest book in my collection, measuring in just under 4 & 1/2 inches wide. It‘s the briefs, transcripts, and even exhibits (like the warehouse receipt above) from an appeals case my grandfather argued in 1943. It even has some of his handwriting in it and it smells a little like the cigars many of the other old guys smoked.

TheBookgeekFrau Very cool! 6y
Linsy Beautiful book, and filled with your family‘s history. That‘s a treasure!!! 💛 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @C.Perone and @Linsy 😊 6y
BookNAround Very cool! 6y
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This is my treasured seven volume set of Legendary and Narrative Poems by John Greenleaf Whittier, first published in 1848. This Edition of #OldCoolBooks was published in 1892 by Riverside Press and purchased second-hand by my great-grandmother in 1912. It lived in the family home (circa 1834) until being passed to me by my grandfather in 2000.

ReadZenRites Wait a minute, what happened to my photo?? 6y
ReadZenRites Sorry @Linsy the tag got separated from the photo. I‘m a Litsy klutz apparently! 6y
Linsy No worries. I got to see the photo in the other post! Such a great story. 💖 6y
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This is my treasured seven volume set of Legendary and Narrative Poems by John Greenleaf Whittier, first published in 1848. This Edition of #OldCoolBooks was published in 1892 by Riverside Press and purchased second-hand by my great-grandmother in 1912. It lived in the family home (circa 1834) until being passed to me by my grandfather in 2000.

wanderinglynn Beautiful! What a lovely set! 6y
rubyslippersreads 😍📚😍 6y
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ReadZenRites @Linsy Here‘s my post with the photo. Sorry I‘m a bit of a klutz today! 😬 6y
GripLitGrl 😍😍😍 6y
charl08 Lovely. Books with a family history are so interesting. 6y
Linsy This is AMAZING! Family history and beautiful books!!! 😍 6y
ReadZenRites Thank you @Linsy and thanks for the great photo challenge idea. It‘s so fun to see everyone‘s amazing old books! 6y
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Pickpick

This was a fast-paced spy #thriller that I found hard to put down. Stone & his team are hot on the trail of terrorists who‘ve stolen and weaponized a BSL-4 virus. With a female Intelligence Analyst and US President, the author avoids the latent misogyny often found in this genre. It‘s the 2nd in the Luke Stone series. I liked it just a bit more than the first, although both are quite good and I recommend reading them in order. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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Pickpick

A scrumptious debut novel about three women adjusting to life, loss & hardship after WWII. Poverty is a stark new reality for sisters Jeanne & Peggy when the war derails marriage plans. Orphaned, and Peggy pregnant, they‘re reliant on Peggy ‘s Mother-in-Law Thelma for a home. Thelma can ill-afford more mouths to feed, but won‘t a baby fill the hole left by her dead son? Will they find a way to happiness & prosperity, or will secrets destroy them?

ReadZenRites ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6y
Richryan52 Thanks so much for the like. If you are a Holmes fan I think you‘ll enjoy it 6y
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The Time Between | Karen White
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I‘m not ashamed to say that I woke my husband up by first laughing and later bawling 😭 over this book. It‘s, perhaps, more embarrassing to admit that I shook off his words of comfort so I could get back to the story. Poor guy! Great Book!! It‘s about the relationship between sisters, love, loss, jealousy and guilt. Mostly, it‘s about finding purpose in your own life, living in the present, forgiving yourself, and choosing to be happy. 4.5⭐️s!

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The Time Between | Karen White
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FINALLY have some time to read! My two reading buddies are glad I‘m sitting for a bit, too. They usually don‘t tolerate each other except to wrestle, but the dog is actually letting the cat sit on top of her. 😂 I‘m really enjoying The Time Between. I didn‘t mean to start reading it, but got so intrigued when I bought it on discount that I took a peak at the first chapter, and, well...Now I‘ll just have to finish!

wanderinglynn How sweet! ❤️🐱❤️🐶 My dog & cat are the same way - normally they ignore each other, but every once in a while, they‘ll snuggle together. 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @wanderinglynn 😊 I was lucky to get a picture while they were peaceful. They were up chasing each other around the coffee table only seconds later. 6y
DebinHawaii Adorable! 🐱❤️🐶 6y
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ReadZenRites Thank you! @DebinHawaii 😊 6y
radhikeey Aww, they be so cute! 6y
ReadZenRites Thanks @radhikey 😊🐶😻 6y
tammysue Sweeties! 🐶🐱💕 6y
Leftcoastzen Super cute reading buddies!😀 6y
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Pickpick

The first book I‘ve read by this author, it was a bit more staid than I typically choose for fiction. Nevertheless I was thoroughly captivated. Although it deals unflinchingly with death, torture, terrorism, race, religion & first love, it is in the end a story of hope and the resilience of the human spirit. I rate it a full 5 stars, but with a warning that it is not for those triggered by violence.👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

ReadZenRites The protagonist, following the violent death of his true love, joins a terrorist cell, is apprehended and brutally tortured. I couldn‘t help but empathize with him, even though he was in the role of traditional bad guy. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage I read his 2011 book, The Last Werewolf. It was the most literary werewolf book I‘ve ever read, and I gave it four stars. Thanks for reminding me about him. p.s. Then I saw his GR author profile image. Swoon. 6y
ReadZenRites Haha! I didn‘t know about the swoon worthy image. 😁 This, likewise, was the most literary spy/mystery novel I‘ve ever encountered. It was an interesting approach. 6y
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The above gem follows: “...(T)he guards put down their cards and get to their feet. Everything goes from Augustus except the knowledge that he won‘t be able to stand anymore.” 😱😱 P. 54

This is turning out to be a very provocative book. I‘m much further along than this quote, but I still don‘t know who‘s good & who‘s bad!
#suspense #upallnightrrading #glenduncan

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I‘m about 2/3 into this extraordinary novel that takes place in 2006, during the height of the US‘s black-site rendition program. The beauty of Glen Duncan‘s writing and the protagonist‘s memories are a stark contrast to the interrogation, torture, and then bleak existence on a remote island where the main character has taken refuge. It is not a spy thriller in the ordinary sense, but I‘m hooked.... compelled to find all the answers!

ReadZenRites Anyone with a chronic pain condition, or a family member with one, knows the truth of this statement. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage I can relate to this one, as I have a bunch of chronic pain conditions. Sigh. 6y
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This is a FREE download on Kindle & Nook. The 1st in a series of spy/military thrillers. This is my favorite genre, so I have a bias if it‘s a page-turner (and this was!). The broad strokes of the plot were imaginative & engaging and left more to be resolved in the series. A couple tiny plot errors are excusable, given the overall quality (The Late, Great Vince Flynn, Mars is not.) A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

asiriusreader Welcome to Litsy! 6y
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