We Love You, Charlie Freeman | 
pickI had so many reactions to this book about a family that signs up to live with and teach sign language to a chimpanzee. Early on, I kind of thought I would bail, and I definitely recoiled at some bits, but ultimately I think the social commentary here is brilliant. This would be a great book club pick—there‘s so much to talk about.
#bookspin
pickThis was interesting. I read it because I REALLY want to read her new book. It's about a family that agrees to participate in a study about language. But it's also about racism. And I thought the #audiobook was really well done.
#BookSpinBingo square 8
@TheAromaofBooks
This book is pulling me out of my reading slump. Thank you.
I have grabbed this book off the shelf twice so I finally bought it. I'm interested in how this book will turn out as I have read mixed reviews. If you've read it, let me know what you thought!
#SignLanguage #Chimp #Family #TBR #Thoughts
so-soThis book was OK. It would be a good book club pick. There‘s some good ethical and racial discussions that can come from it. I wanted more from the mom‘s point of view!
I‘ve been mulling over this fun new work project and finally made some progress with it both in decision-making and in execution today... here‘s a sneak peek 🤓😊📚 #BHM
Too sick to knit, too sick to take care of the kids who have a snow day, but after 18 hours in bed I‘m finally not too sick to read!
[Racism is] a metaphor “that can only be fought metaphorically, not with actual actions.”
“That doesn‘t make any sense.”
“Of course it doesn‘t make sense. Nothing about racism makes sense. If it made sense, it would mean it was real.”
I‘m not sure this is making any sense, but I‘m feeling compelled to see what happens next.
#LitsyPartyOfOne
📚🎉📚 this was one of my favorite reads last year and it's excellent at its regular price and is currently the ridiculous $1.99 ebook price so go go go!
pickWeird, off putting and yet so good. I knew I was going to have to finish it because the plot was so intriguing but I didn't anticipate enjoying it so much by the end. A successful e-reading experience for once! #riotgrams #day22 #lgbtqreads
"Courtland County bowed to Marie's demands because the people there, like well-meaning decent and caring people anywhere, were loath to think of themselves as racists but also loath to think of race at all."
"Because I do not wish my own skin was white. What I envy is not their skin but their insouciance. I envy the freedom to sin with only a little bit of consequence, to commit one selfish act and not have it mean the downfall of my entire people."
I don't want this book to end but also I must know what happens!
Just started this. Have heard so many good things.
bailed100 page rule won. I'll never know why they loved Charlie the sign reading chimp! I tried
@housingworksbks had "blind date with a book" deals today. I saw a book with "monkey = human?" and I had a strong feeling it was We Love You, Charlie Freeman and I was right! Great score for $5. #IndependentBookStoreDay
My Sunday was cleaning, but at least I cleared off a new book where my library books can live!
I actually have some books that #startwithuvw#marchintoreading I loved both The Ukrainian and Russian notebooks as well as The Women in the Castle. Haven't read the others yet but this reminds me I need to get to them!
Next up! I'm about fifty pages in and I think I'm going to really like this.
Today's #libraryhaul in my brand new tote bag! A friend picked this up for me while she was traveling for a conference at Oxford. It has the oath a librarian used to take printed on it in English and Latin. My favorite part (not pictured) includes a statement promising not to light the library on fire. 😂
Starting, 'cause the Tournament of Books is right around the corner!
so-soThis was so close to a pick because I really liked both storylines but I kind of want either a whole book about Nymphadora in 1929 or a whole book about Charlotte in 1990. The attempt to cram them into the same novel just never quite fit and neither had enough time to develop. There is though an undercurrent of loneliness, and desire to be special, among all the characters that almost ties the novel together. Just not quite. #ToB2017
so-soLots of interesting and challenging ideas and characters here, but it just didn't come together for me. Overall it felt like many of the story lines incomplete or underdeveloped and the overall effect was unsatisfying.
#ToB2017 #ToB17
#lovetitles #feistyfeb
pickLoved it! Started with a slow burn but by halfway through I couldn't wait to learn the whole story. Such a unique and exquisite story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
so-soI'm embarrassed by the amount of time it took me to read this book - just never really swayed me even though there are lots of interesting themes and topics of discussion. It's part of the #TournamentofBooks this year and if it weren't I probably would've bailed. #ToB2017 #ToB
Back to partying! 🎉 #litsypartyofone
My first author event of 2017! A wonderful evening with A.J. Verdelle, 'The Good Negress' & @kkgreenidge, 'We Love You, Charlie Freeman'
#aboutlastnight #spinesvines #blackhistorymonth
I was surprised to find several errors in this book.
Moving from a heavy memoir to a Tournament of Books novel. What a 180 degree turn. I had no idea what it was about -a family raising a young chimp as part of a research project?? !!! And yet it's so much more than that. So far I can't put it down.
pickWhat I thought was going to be somewhat of an easy read turned out to be quite heavy and thought-provoking. There's a lot to process from this one... Excellent book!
"I am not beautiful and I am sarcastic and I believe I am better than most in this town and that is why I am a thirty-six-year-old orphan with no husband..."
---Kaitlyn Greenidge: We Love You, Charlie Freeman
Kinda sounds a bit like me... LOL
🔔📚🔔 one of 2016's best books is on sale for $1.99!!! Gooooooooooooo!
Just done with the treetop walk at Oatway rainforest. Look at the giant ferns below us. It was scary but fun. Back to catching up with Charlie Freeman on my Kindle.
pickThis book was so much deeper than I had expected--to be honest I didn't know what to expect when I began to read it. An interesting take on race, racism and its lasting effects.
oh boy! this was an absolute mess in the best way possible. i read some lukewarm reviews on goodreads after i finished...some people missed the memo: this book isn't about a monkey. at all! i really recommend this one.
The elevator pitch is "family adopts chimpanzee as member of the family," but this book is so much more: it's a powerful inquiry of how we talk about race (or more often don't) in America. A phenomenal read, and a must-read at this political moment. You'll be hooked by page 2, I promise.
Assorted #reading snacks for #booktober Day 21 - I'll be making use of many of these tomorrow, plus a mega fresh veggie platter. 😍
pickI love this more for what it made me think about than the actual characters. It's fascinating and thought-provoking.
pickI really liked this book. The writing flowed really well and I especially liked the Nymphadora chapters. I think she could have written a book just about her. My only disappointment was I wished we got more insight into Laurel's thoughts but overall I think it was a great debut novel.
Hmmmm.... this was just really strange...even though I did understand the symbolism. I think the characters could have been more developed and the connection between the past and the present been a little more cohesive.
Finally have frames for the two posters I picked up at the Decatur Book Festival! Aren't these two lovely? 😍 Now I just have to figure out where to put them. 🤔
It is finally a teeny bit cooler so I can read on the porch 😀Just started this one!
http://readthissummer.com/
I'm a sucker for a good reading list. This one was put together by Mailchimp and the Decatur Book Festival. Looking forward to picking up a few of these and seeing the authors next weekend! #dbf2016
