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South Pole Station
South Pole Station: A Novel | Ashley Shelby
Do you have digestion problems due to stress? Do you have problems with authority? How many alcoholic drinks do you consume a week? Would you rather be a florist or a truck driver? These are the questions that decide who has what it takes to live at South Pole Station, a place with an average temperature of -54F and no sunlight for six months a year. Cooper Gosling is adrift at thirty, unmoored by a family tragedy and floundering in her career as a painter. So she applies to the National Science Foundation Artists & Writers Program and flees to Antarcticathe bottom of the Earthwhere she encounters a group of misfits motivated by desires as ambiguous as her own. Theres Pearl, the cook whose Carrot Mushroom Loaf becomes means toward her Machiavellian ambitions; the oxymoronic Sal (he is an attractive astrophysicist); and Tucker, the only gay black man on the continent who, as station manager, casts a watchful eye on all. The only thing they have in common is the conviction that they dont belong anywhere else. Enter Frank Pavanoa climatologist with unorthodox beliefs. His presence will rattle this already unbalanced community, bringing Cooper and the Polies to the center of a global controversy and threatening the 800-million-year-old ice chip they call home. In the tradition of And Then We Came to the End and Whered You Go Bernadette?, South Pole Station is a warmhearted comedy of errors set in the worlds harshest place.
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kissmehardy
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Pickpick

I didn't understand a lick of the science in this book, but I fully understood all these weird little misfits and their home at Pole. #historicalfiction #isithistoricalifitssetin2004? #realisticfiction

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Sharpeipup
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Struggling with this one despite the interesting premise. #festiveflicks #snowoncover @Traci1

Traci1 I read this one earlier this year and was disappointed. It sounded like something I would love, but I ended up giving it 2 stars. 4y
Sharpeipup @Traci1 I‘m thinking of bailing now that I know it doesn‘t get better. 4y
24 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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RealLifeReading
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I reckon you don‘t get mangoes at the South Pole. I‘m enjoying my juicy breakfast with a side of freezing temps wafting from my read.

91 likes4 stack adds
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Cooper travels to South Pole Station on an Artists‘ Fellowship soon after her brother‘s suicide. However, rather than being a novel of finding oneself and healing after tragedy (those these components are there), the book slyly morphs into a political novel about climate change and warring scientific/political factions. I enjoyed it but it definitely made me NOT want to sign up to spend time at the South Pole (too much neurosis!).

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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

I‘ve been interested in reading this since I gave a copy to @Hooked_on_books last Christmas. I finally got around to borrowing the audio from the library.

I can‘t imagine wanting to go spend time at the South Pole. I like warm weather too much. But I enjoyed this story mostly about an artist who received a grant to go there for 6 months for painting inspiration. Of course there are also scientists there, and interesting global warming ideas. 4⭐️

54 likes1 stack add
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wallacereads
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Furiously trying to finish this in time for bookclub meeting which starts in 1.5 hours. #procrastinator

janeycanuck Did you finish in time?? 6y
wallacereads @janeycanuck - my husband drove me and I was reading at all the stop lights. I finished the last page about 2 minutes before meeting! I do not recommend this book and no one in bookclub was a fan. 6y
janeycanuck @Phancatherine that‘s commitment! Sucks you didn‘t like the book - and I will definitely steer clear of anything that NO ONE in a book club liked! 6y
AlaMich I‘m sorry to hear that. I‘m a little obsessed with North Pole/South Pole books and this one sounded interesting. 6y
33 likes4 comments
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wallacereads
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The bookclub read this month and seems fitting given the weather.

43 likes2 stack adds
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Viji
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Not your typical summer read but there‘s something refreshing about a setting that‘s -50F when here it‘s 90+. And it‘s touted as character-driven , which always appeals to me.

Soubhiville I have this on my audio TBR list. I hope it‘s good! 6y
Viji @Soubhiville , it seems like one that would be good on audio with the right narrator. 6y
108 likes8 stack adds2 comments
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AshleyS
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So I was going to finish this today, but I started watching Black Mirror and I cannot stop.

23 likes1 stack add
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

Don't read this book for the story, read it for the background stories of the people who are crazy enough to overwinter at the South Pole.

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Bookwormjillk
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It's ridiculous that I had to turn the lamps on to read at 3:30, but at least I'm not at the South Pole!

20 likes1 stack add
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Hooked_on_books
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I had a spectacularly bad day last week and thus opened one of my gifts from @Soubhiville . Then I gradually opened the other because I couldn‘t wait (I had permission). Thank you so much! I‘m just delighted by these. Gunther is busy trying to destroy the dog toy, so it didn‘t make the picture. Happy holidays/Merry Christmas!

Soubhiville Yay! I hope you‘ll enjoy everything! We do our best to start by destroying the dog toy as well, whenever possible, so I hope Gunther has fun. Happy holidays. ❤️ (edited) 7y
Soubhiville Ps, I really hope this week is better! 7y
68 likes1 stack add2 comments
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VirginiaRevel
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Pickpick

A really enjoyable read. Shelby's story and prose really immerse you into the kooky South Pole research station. As others have said, the plot meanders a bit, but overall a success. Excellent with tater tots ;)

28 likes2 stack adds
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VirginiaRevel
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A good way to start a morning!

Sace A delicious way! 7y
MrBook Looks good! 7y
21 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Chelsibeau
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Fun book so far! #currentlyreading

56 likes2 stack adds
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Redwritinghood
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Mehso-so

Enjoyed this late summer afternoon with a cold drink and finished up this cold weather book. While I enjoyed the core story line and the writing, this book was just too cluttered with tangential material. There are long sections detailing backstory of certain characters that distracted from the main story. Without this, the book would have been a pick for me. It was a great look at life at South Pole and a critique of the politicization of science

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Redwritinghood
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Starting these two tonight! Most of the essays in Abandon Me are short so I can read one a day. #currentlyreading

48 likes1 stack add
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Hoopiefoot
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Book 2 of the staycation.

Booksnchill Loved this one as well- chose it to read this summer to stay cool in the heat!! 7y
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Karen.reads
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Pickpick

Strong writing, and the depiction of life at the South Pole is interesting. Lots of info dumping, though, and it can be hard to keep all the characters straight.

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Booksnchill
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book full of characters who are misfits-as those who go to the south pole to work must be to pass the psychological exam! Main character Cooper goes on an artist grant after the suicide of her brother. The characters are quirky and I enjoyed spending time with the "polies". Some odd choices in pacing and flashbacks and lots of digressions into scientific discussions that slowed me down but overall enjoyable!

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Karen.reads
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Afternoon hammock time 🇨🇷 🌴☀️#vacation

valeriegeary Perfection 7y
19 likes1 comment
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My_novel_obsession
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I don't know why I am so obsessed with Antarctica but my #wildestdreams are about going to the South Pole! #augustgrrrl

Cinfhen That does sound like an awesome trip! 7y
Pruzy I'm looking forward to picking up South Pole Station. Have you read it yet? 7y
My_novel_obsession @pruzy I haven't read it yet - first I have to get through the 800 page next to it! It's taking me forever! (edited) 7y
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Dogearedcopy LOL, I've been thinking about going to the South Pole ever since I listened to 'Endurance: Shackleford's Incredible Journey' (by Alfred Lansing; narrated by Simon Prebble.) I keep watching documentaries about the South Pole! (edited) 7y
ReadingEnvy If you read South Pole Station, track down the recent Antarctica episode of Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown because it's the same location, and I felt like I was seeing the people in the novel, so cool. 7y
batsy Me too! Would love to go someday #goals 7y
50 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Karen.reads
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Started this one last night even though I'm only 35% finished with The Wanderers. But The Wanderers is a bit slow and I need something that's more of a beach read for vacation! 🌊 ☀️ 🌴

10 likes2 stack adds
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KnittingBookworm
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The Insulating snow, lack of distinct horizon, and the cold solitude is captivating. -77 with a "real feel" of -100 though is no joke. I've been on cold, isolated climate kick lately so any recs would be awesome. Really enjoying the atmosphere and characters in this book.

2 likes1 stack add
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Gramworth
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"...the fake Minnesota accents in Fargo were the blackface of regional phonology." This book is sooooo funny; I love it! ?

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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 1! #BEA17 edition! Scheduled for a July release. Cooper has become a 30-something painter accepted into the National Science Foundation's Artists & Writers Program for Antarctica. She'll be joining: Pearl, a Machiavellian Pollyanna chef; Sal, an enigmatic world-changing astrophysicist; a fringe climate scientist; & Tucker, the weary station chief. A comedy of errors awaits in this debut novel! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

ReadingEnvy This one was fun. 7y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 7y
92 likes10 stack adds2 comments
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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

This is a first novel and it shows somewhat - one weird pacing decision, too much infodumping with science at times, needed to be shorter - but overall I enjoyed this story about Polies working at Pole. It starts out focused on Cooper, an artist planning to over-winter in hopes it will inspire her art after the death of her brother, but it's also full of interesting character studies (who is drawn there?) and about science!

TheLondonBookworm How cool! This sounds really interesting :) 7y
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BethFishReads
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My final BEA round-up highlights 12 books from the big publishing houses. As always, short descriptions on my blog, or look the books up here on Litsy. http://www.bethfishreads.com/2017/06/12-books-from-big-publishers-bookexpo.html?...

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I can't wait for The Address ❤️ 7y
AmyG Thanks for blogging these. I need MORE books for my TBR pile. ;) (edited) 7y
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BethFishReads @AmyG don't we all? 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @BethFishReads I loved The Dollhouse by her! One of my favorite books 😊 7y
BethFishReads @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I always meant to read that. I'll add it to my list 7y
64 likes1 stack add6 comments