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Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give
Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give | Ada Calhoun
35 posts | 32 read | 50 to read
Poignant and witty essays on the beautiful complexity of marriage.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
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Kristin_Reads
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Mehso-so

🎧 7-24-22 || This was just okay for me. Somewhat oversimplified but realistic (for some) thoughts on marriage, and also witty (The first 20 years of marriage are the hardest…) It took me just two hours to listen to this and I wouldn‘t have wanted to spend much longer on it.

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sidherinn
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Denisereads75
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Pickpick

This is a charming and clever memoir about marriage. Ada Calhoun writes very honestly about her own marriage and provides examples & advice from other long time married couples. The old adage on how to stay married is to 'not get divorced' is both true and over simplified in the examples. I enjoyed listening to Ms. Calhoun read the various stories about her marriage.

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AutumnRLS
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This is actually really great. Really thoughtful writing on marriage and extremely well written.

5 likes1 stack add
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arlenefinnigan
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Yirrss.

julesG 👏👏👏 6y
merelybookish Nice! 🎉🎉 6y
CrowCAH Congrats 🎉 6y
See All 7 Comments
GripLitGrl 🎉🎉🎉 6y
JoScho 🥳💜🥳💜🥳 6y
Birdsong28 Congrats 🎉🎊📚📖 6y
Reggie Woohoo!! Congrats!! 6y
27 likes7 comments
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arlenefinnigan
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Pickpick

This is a great, honest reflection on the realities of marriage. A lot of it will strike a chord and bring a wry smile, but a lot of good advice too.

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arlenefinnigan
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Next up

Cathythoughts Sounds interesting 👍🏻♥️ 6y
19 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Amaryie
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June Reading

1730 pages read
2 audio books
6 from the library
1 borrowed

Favorite: The Hunger
Least favorite : hard to choose, all were worth reading

Now to tackle some of my own collection for the month of July

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Ashley_Nicoletto
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Pickpick

I come from a family with a shocking history of "perfect marriages". These people believe in soul mates. I've seen my parents fight less than five times in 30 years.

And I think that's why I find this so relieving. Marriage is not perfect. It's messy and sometimes hard and occasionally disappointing for some. I enjoy hearing that not all parts of marriage are perfect and this book does that well.

KatieB I thought this book was great when I read it but 6 months later I'm still thinking about it! Definitely the sign of a great book! 6y
64 likes1 comment
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Lauren_reading
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We‘ve now been married 2 weeks - my amazing photographer just sent me our pictures and I‘m in love with them. I‘ve also spent everyday of our marriage reading and my awesome husband doesn‘t complain 😂

Tanisha_A Congratulations! 😀 6y
Tiyas7 Congrats!!!! 6y
sprainedbrain Lovely! Congrats 😃 6y
See All 28 Comments
Trashcanman Congratulations! I wish you two a lifetime of happiness! 6y
Birdsong28 Lovely. Wishing you all the best 🎉🎊📚📖 6y
cariashley Beautiful! Congrats, he‘s a keeper 😊 6y
julesG Congratulations! 6y
robinb Congratulations and best wishes!!! 🎉🎉🎉 6y
CouronneDhiver 😍😍😍 6y
AnneCecilie Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Grrlbrarian Best wishes!!! 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Dragon Lovely photo! Congratulations 🥂🍾 6y
goodbyefrancie Congratulations! 6y
Smrloomis Congratulations! 😁🧡🧡🧡 6y
youneverarrived Beautiful 💛 6y
Prairiegirl_reading Gorgeous photo! 🥂 6y
MaureenMc Congratulations! 🍾 6y
JoScho ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
JessClark78 ❤️❤️ 6y
RebelReader Adorable photo! ❤️ 6y
TNbookworm Congratulations! Beautiful photo❤ 6y
JacqMac Congratulations! I‘ve been married 22 years and my husband complains about it all the time. 😂 6y
Redwritinghood 💕💕 6y
megt Congratulations! 6y
Ddzmini Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊 6y
mrozzz Lovely! Congrats 🥂💗 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Congratulations! 🎊💖💖 6y
Reggie Wow, congratulations!!! Your awesome photo looks straight out of a magazine. So beautiful the pic. 6y
119 likes28 comments
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Lauren_reading
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Pickpick

I get married in 10 days!!! I enjoyed this book about marriage - it‘s realistic, not that I‘m ready to be realistic yet, we haven‘t even gotten to the honeymoon. But it gave me a lot to think about. #nonfiction #audiobook

JoScho Yay!!! So exciting! 6y
Jemgirl2014 Congratulations! 6y
Suet624 Congrats!❤️❤️ 6y
See All 8 Comments
readordierachel Congratulations 🎉 6y
LeahBergen Congrats!! 🎉🎉 6y
CouronneDhiver Enjoy it! 👰🏽💍 6y
Eggs Congratulations 💞👏🏻 6y
ScientistSam Early congrats!! 6y
77 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Liberty
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Another @DeweysReadathon has come and gone. I read so many great books! Finishing up the #readathon with a little nonfiction (and pudding for breakfast because I‘m a grownass adult.) I hope everyone got to enjoy their time reading. ♥️📚🎉

LauraBrook Thanks for doing such a great job hosting!!! Hope you and Steinbeck can squeeze in a nap today! 🤘🏼🤘🏼 7y
157 likes11 stack adds1 comment
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SarahSaysRead
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"To hitch your rickety wagon to the flickering star of another fallible human being - what an insane thing to do. What a burden, and what a gift."

I'm about halfway through this, my first #readathon pick, and kind of loving it. ??☄

#currentlyreading #nonfiction #marriage #rahrahreadathon

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Lea
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Pickpick

I think this is excellent. It‘s real. I could relate to something in ever toast (section). I recommend it to everyone who is married or plans to. #readwomen #readharder —> celebrity memoir

BooksForEmpathy So good!!! 7y
12 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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UrsulaMonarch
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Mehso-so

I felt like there were a few amazing lines ?like the one pictured!!!) in this collection, and definitely some thought-provoking passages, but overall a fair amount of filler. I wouldn't really recommend it, but also did mostly enjoy it myself.

KarenUK That‘s how I felt too.... 7y
laurieluna Yep. I agree. I have so many ideas but I spend so much time picking up lego and jigsaws. 😣 7y
Libby1 Doing laundry is exhibit number 2 in the 3,649 reasons why... 🤪👕👖🧦 7y
30 likes3 comments
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

A nice set of essays about weddings and being married. A lot of advice the author has been given and a lot of stories about her own history.

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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

While the title suggests a humor book about weddings, this is really a meditation on marriage. The good, bad, and boring moments are all touched upon as well as the fundamental concept of commitment. A quick read and timely for me, as I contemplate this institution for myself. (Gunther, on the other hand, is uninterested.)

Librariana I've been part of the institution myself for 9.4 years and I dig it 😁 He sat beside me pretty much all day yesterday while I readathon-ed. He put on his headphones, played video games (no complaints from him!), took care of cooking/tidying up, and I got to just read. He's a good egg. And I get that's just one day, but he's consistent and committed. I hope your reflections on joining will lead to a decision that adds to your happiness 💖 7y
Hooked_on_books @Librariana He IS a good egg! That‘s wonderful. I‘ve been with my BF for over 2 years and he‘s very supportive, especially when I need it most, and so thoughtful. He isn‘t perfect, but no one is. I actually don‘t care about being married, but it‘s important to him, so we‘ll see. I liked this book—solid stuff. 7y
63 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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rdkate
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Pickpick

Loved this book! Really insightful regarding what it takes to keep a relationship going, great book to give and to read no matter whether you are dating, newly married or have been for years. My daughter got married last week and loved it, too!

6 likes1 stack add
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theshrinkette
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Mehso-so

I was expecting it to be funnier. But I probably wasn't the intended audience.

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theshrinkette
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"Dating is poetry. Marriage is a novel."

I've never experienced either (and have no intention to) but this weirdly makes sense.

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theshrinkette
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Friday evening plans. 📖

34 likes4 stack adds
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CuriousG
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Pickpick

So I liked this, but didn't love it like I was hoping. Maybe I've just always be a pragmatist in this and known that 'love' isn't enough on its own, but I found this all to be 'yeah - no shit' kind of territory. Since I like being reminded, still a good book . That being said I think this should be required reading for the romantics of the world. #TBRchallenge

CuriousG I should amend my review slightly. 10 years ago this would have completely blown my hair back. I feel like more major/adverse life events happened in the first 10 years of my marriage than many people experience in a lifetime. Therefore, I often feel like my relationship falls squarely in the married 25+ zone in terms of how we relate to each other, instead of the 11 years it has been.... 7y
CuriousG Actually wish I had read this before all that shit went down. For all you early relationshipers out there - read the hell out of this one! 7y
7 likes2 comments
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MaureenMc
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Pickpick

Engaging and thoughtful series of essays about the ups and downs of long-term marriage. The author did some interesting research and interviews for the book.

(We're celebrating our tenth anniversary later this year. I think that counts as long-term. 😊)

Cathythoughts Congratulations & yes that's definitely long term 👍 7y
RealLifeReading Ten! That's fantastic! 7y
EvieBee Happy anniversary! 🎉 7y
22 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MaureenMc
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Completed my Goodreads challenge! Woot!

BooksForYears Congrats!🎉 7y
britt_brooke Yay!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 7y
Jess7 Congrats!! 7y
See All 6 Comments
Pamwurtzler Congratulations!!! 🎉🎉🎉 7y
emilyhaldi 👏🏻👏🏻 7y
sprainedbrain Woohoo! 🎊🎉🎈 7y
17 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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lauralovesbooks1
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Pickpick

Most wedding toasts are full of platitudes and sunshine and roses. Calhoun's essays dig into the tougher parts of marriage -- when it's not easy or fun and you are no longer giddy with the excitement of new love. While I didn't necessarily agree with all of her perspectives, I loved this look at both the grace and challenge of love that lasts (often by a choice in the tough moments.) She pulled together a lot of great quotes that I liked.

25 likes1 stack add
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lauralovesbooks1
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"When young lovers say life isn't worth living without the other, what do they know? They haven't lived life yet. When old couples say it, that means something."

18 likes1 stack add
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Laughterhp
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Pickpick

This book was so great and so real! It made me think about marriage in different ways. I got this from the library, but I may have to go out and purchase it for my shelves to always come back on, if I hit a marriage bump on the road.

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Cberbs
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Ignore the toys on the floor in the background. I want to read this book so badly I'm ignoring the mess.

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CatchMyBookBreath
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Pickpick

This is my favorite kind of book to read: realistic and humorous essays all tied together under a common theme. I wasn't familiar with Calhoun's writing prior to this book but I'm a big fan now. She doesn't sugarcoat relationships and marriage and with chapter titles called "Toast 5: Fighting in Rental Cars" she wears the scars of experience like a pro.

Highly recommended for anyone who has ever been/would like to be in a long-term relationship!

31 likes1 stack add
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BooksForEmpathy
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Pickpick

"...Being happy with the same person forever requires finding ways to be happy with different versions of that person, and avoiding panic when the person you're with becomes someone you dislike. Maybe you'll enjoy the next person they become. Maybe the person you're on your way to becoming might like that person better."

Meditations on marriage exploring boredom, open marriages, mistakes, & more. What's your secret to a happy marriage or LTR?

emilyhaldi Love that quote ❤️ 7y
haileybean I have this book on my kindle, it's one I want to get to soon! 7y
Laalaleighh We have so much that we love in common that it forms a touchstone during difficult times. Also we practice compassion for each other. And I read once that paying attention when the other person tries to share something with you instead of turning them away is the secret to a happy relationship so we always make the other person out too priority and if we can't we tell them why and ask them about it later. 7y
Laalaleighh Also we basically have our own language and are rarely ever serious. 7y
minkyb I keep meaning to pick this up! Glad you reminded me! 7y
81 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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Bookquilter
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Love this book...

Texreader Speaking the truth 7y
julesG Just a remote control?😁 7y
55 likes1 stack add2 comments
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kiminreverse
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Currently reading.

9 likes1 stack add
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tholmz
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Pickpick

As a person who is not married and is unsure if she ever would like to be, I still highly recommend this incredible little book. Full of realism, heart, honesty, and advice, I loved every single word.

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princess_dennie_pants
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After finding out yesterday I'd won this book it arrived today. Started reading it immediately.

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princess_dennie_pants
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Yay, i heard about this book on the modern love podcast and now I've won a copy!
#goodreads #winning