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Anette Pieper's avatar

Thank you, Kolina, for all these recommendations! They encourage me to finally read "Copperhead" (it has been on my stack of books for quite a while!) and to delve into poetry once more, after a long time.

...

As for Elena Ferrante: I love her books. They surely deserve to be read again!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

You love Ferrante?! She's the greatest. I will definitely be buying that giant book, even though I own the Quartet already.

Let me know what you think of Demon Copperhead! It's definitely not an easy read. Enjoy the poetry, too!

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Michelle Martin's avatar

You had such a good month Kolina! I’m looking forward to the new Monaghan and I’m happy to see you enjoyed it!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

It really was a good month! It’s A Love Story is fun and delightful. I want to hear your thoughts when you read it!

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Deedi Brown's avatar

Demon is so good, and I love it even more after meeting Barbara Kingsolver at the National book awards!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

YOU MET HER?! Was she lovely?!

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Deedi Brown's avatar

Not only was she lovely, she was also hilarious! She even tipsily let my friend wear her medal on the dance floor LOL

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

STOP IT, I am obsessed with this. Demon was (somewhat embarrassingly) my first Barbara book! I have three more on my bookshelf just waiting for me to pick up though 🥹

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Anette Pieper's avatar

Thank you, Kolina! David Copperhead will have to wait a little while longer, because I need to go over some of the books again that I would like to recommend next in my "Across the page"...

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

I get it! My TBR pile (it’s actually an entire shelf) is enormous and steadily growing. It’s hard to prioritize sometimes!

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Anette Pieper's avatar

That sound like me! I am addicted to books, and when I see one that I think would be interesting, I have to buy it. A little crazy ...

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David Nash's avatar

I had a good month of reading and underlying. I started keeping a common place book. This might have been my favorite quote from Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick.

"It was a given that the more uncertain we were the more self-righteous we would become. It was necessary for each of us to feel special, different, destined to superior end. Divided against ourselves we withheld sympathy for one another."

The author is writing in the 1980s about her time with her mother and neighbor in the working class Bronx of the 1950s, but I feel this is especially relevant today and has helped me understand people with different perspectives than mine.

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

That's an amazing quote. I love what you said about how this book has helped you understand different perspectives. That's a huge reason to read!

Are you enjoying keeping the common place book? I'm behind on mine!!

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David Nash's avatar

Yes, I try to do at least 15 minutes before I go to sleep. I get in what I can.

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Jasmine Graber's avatar

I am also reading Greta & Valdin at the moment!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

Are you loving it?!

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Jasmine Graber's avatar

I do like it so far. However, I’m also reading Death of the Author for book club and the sprawling family between the two books keep getting me confused so I think I may return to Greta & Valdin once I’m done with book club pick this month.

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

Sounds like a good idea! I'm a little lost with the connection of some of the G&V characters. I'm listening to it, and I usually don't listen to fiction, so I feel like that's part of my issue. I love it though!

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Abigail Cerquitella's avatar

greta and valdin yay!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

Love it already!

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Amanda Karch's avatar

I’m SO glad you loved the Maggie Smith rec!!!

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Kolina Cicero's avatar

LOVED! Thank you so much!

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