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Fifth Business
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
The first book in Robertson Davies celebrated Deptford Trilogy, Fifth Business stands alone as the story of a rational man who discovers that the marvelous is only another aspect of the real. Published as an eBook for the first time. Fifth Business, which one critic said was as masterfully executed as anything in the history of the novel, might be described simply as the life of a schoolteacher named Dunstan Ramsay. But such a description would not even suggest the dark currents of love, ambition, vengeance, and death that flow through this powerful work, cast in the form of Ramsays memoirs. An enigmatic novel, elegantly written and driven by irresistible narrative force. The New York Times
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TimSpalding
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Rediscovering this favorite of my 20s.

Amiable Great cover 1y
Dragon I once wrote him a fan letter and got a nice reply from his secretary. Brings back memories 💚🐉 1y
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kwmg40
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

A reread of a classic by one of my favourite authors. Our book club at work is reading the Deptford trilogy together over the year.

I had the great fortune to attend one of Robertson Davies's readings many years ago, before he passed away.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#192025 #1970 @Librarybelle
#1001

rabbitprincess Wow! That reading must have been amazing. I should pull out Deptford this year… 2y
Librarybelle That‘s awesome you got to attend one of his presentations! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
See All 8 Comments
CarolynM That would have been amazing! I found Deptfod a bit dark for my taste, but I loved the Cornish Trilogy, especially 2y
kwmg40 @rabbitprincess @Librarybelle @TheAromaofBooks @CarolynM Yes, I'm so glad I had that opportunity. I probably didn't appreciate it enough at the time. 😄 2y
kwmg40 @CarolynM I also love The Cornish Trilogy. What's Bred in the Bone is excellent, but The Rebel Angels remains my favourite. Parlabane is such a memorable character! 2y
Sapphire I am pretty sure I have this on my shelf somewhere. Will add it to the challenge to get me moving toward reading my own tomes too! 2y
kwmg40 @Sapphire I hope you enjoy it! As I'm sure you could tell by my comments, I'm a huge Robertson Davies fan. 2y
31 likes8 comments
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suvata
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

FIFTH BUSINESS is a fictional memoir. Told from the perspective of Dunston Ramsay, ex-headmaster of a school in Deptford, Canada. Ramsay is writing a letter to the “board“ because he is upset about what was said about him during his retirement banquet. He did not feel they focused on all of his intellectual endeavors/accomplishments. Bordering on magical realism, this book takes on the subjects of capitalism, guilt, magic, Saints and miracles.

runswithscissors007 Fond fond memories of these characters! Thanks for posting! 4y
Cathythoughts Sounds excellent! Stacked 4y
suvata @Cathythoughts I loved it—hope you do too 4y
CarolynM Have you read any of his other books? I found Deptford interesting but I really like Cornish, especially What's Bred in the Bone. 4y
suvata @CarolynM I definitely want to read more from this author 4y
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suvata
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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ChaoticMissAdventures
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Ahahaha so my memory. I have bookcases for books I read and books I have not and it looks like this one migrated
My review of my #doublebookspin on Goodreads above. I guess it doesn't count as a read but good to put it in the done pile 😂
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks haha That was super fast work!! 😂 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures @TheAromaofBooks wow, my memory. If it wasn't for my reviews I would never have remembered! I know I am not the only one with this challenge but it is always a bit embarrassing. 4y
TheAromaofBooks I literally started my book blog to help me remember what books I've read and what I thought about them at the time! 4y
CarolynM I thought the Deptford Trilogy was rather nasty all round. I like the Cornish Trilogy a lot, especially 4y
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Swing13
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
This post contains spoilers
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It seemed an odd remark, but in the emotional stress of the situation I paid no heed to it. Indeed, it was not until after the news of Boy's death reached me the next morning that I noticed my paperweight was gone.

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Waynegjr
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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I feel like people don‘t have this stereotype of Canadians any more.

Megabooks Certainly not how I think of them... 5y
LeahBergen Nope. 😆😆 5y
22 likes2 comments
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Waynegjr
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Reading at the park. Loving this book. Can‘t wait to talk about it at Classics Book Club

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Aimeesue
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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The ebook's on sale in US stores.
I read it in the last year or so and it is very, very good. Recommended.
#KindleDeals

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Aimeesue
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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My hobby is doodling appropriate marginalia in books, for the mirth and amusement of future generations of readers.
Or maybe just for my own. 😁

Crazeedi A saint for every situation , that is pretty cool! I have a book I haven't read yet(of course) on the lives of saints. Keep meaning to read, may someday! 6y
Aimeesue @Crazeedi The whole Three Miracles to Make a Saint thing is mind-boggling to me. The lives those people led! And the horrible things that were done to them!😱 6y
Aimeesue That said, parts of this book remind me of Louise Erdich's (edited) 6y
Crazeedi @Aimeesue just incredible😬 6y
28 likes4 comments
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Aimeesue
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Autumnlong
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

Yikes, I‘m terrible at social media-ing! But I just finished Fifth Business tonight & enjoyed it tremendously and am v excited to read the next book in the series. Anyone have any other Robertson Davies recommendations?

Andronicus I love the works of Robertson Davies, both fiction and non-fiction. The Cornish Trilogy is also excellent - especially The Rebel Angels. The Salterton Trilogy is more of a rambling affair but still pleasant, clever writing. The Papers Of Samuel Marchbanks is a favorite but it's probably best for inveterate readers and fans of Mr. Davies. 6y
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LonerDude33
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book more this time. When I read this in school I felt like a lot of the emotions and meanings were forced down my throat. This time I got to experience the novel for myself and I loved it. A different style to the usual story telling from other books. This is all about emotions and life in the most melancholic and unforgivingly real portrayal of the human experience. More than worthy to be a central presence on my shelf.

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TheKidUpstairs
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Seshat
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Fifth Business by Robertson Davies is mostly #setinasmalltown #canlit It also boasts a kicking first line. #photoadaynov16 @RealLifeReading #day4

merelybookish I haven't read him since my early twenties. Probably time to go back and revisit his work. 8y
Seshat @merelybookish Indeed. I glance over High Spirits every October but need to revisit the others, especially Fifth Business and What's Bred in the Bone. 8y
Kirstin I loved this book! 8y
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GoneFishing
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies

If you don't hurry up and let life know what you want, life will damned soon show you what you'll get.

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BookShark
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

This is a slim book filled with meaty discussion topics. Very tight writing pulls together every thread of a life story that has surprising impact. Set in Canada around WWI and afterward it includes just enough magic in the mix of realistic fiction and history to be thought provoking.

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LittleBowBook
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
Pickpick

I had to read this book years ago in high school. For some reason that year, the smart kids didn't get to read the classics. This was so weird and intriguing. Filled with innuendos; for example, one characters name is "Libby Doe"...like libido. The teacher was the one who chose it, but at least it kept us entertained.

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BookHermit
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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“I had schooled myself since the war-days never to speak of my enthusiasms; when other people did not share them, which was usual, I was hurt and my pleasure diminished; why was I always excited about things other people did not care about? But I could not hold in.”

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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Pickpick

The lives of 3 men from small town Ontario are forever entwined because of a snowball. Witty, engaging style was enough to call this a pick, but just barely. The condescending misogynistic voice of the narrator echoes the author's own views that women are intellectually inferior to men.

Penny_LiteraryHoarders I've never read Davies, but my high school English teacher would rave about him. Now I can't seem to understand why she would? 8y
Lindy @Penny_LiteraryHoarders His storytelling and prose are excellent. I can see why this book is considered a modern classic. Outdated views, though - it's a shame. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Re-read an assigned book you hated in school: This one was for a Canadian literature class in college and it's the only assigned book I ever remember disliking. Appreciated it much more upon rereading, but the negative portrayal of female characters hasn't changed. 😟

Well-ReadNeck OMG! Only one left!!! 8y
Lindy @Well-ReadNeck Yes, and I'm looking forward to it: 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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The whole notion of saints was repugnant to her, and in her eyes I was on a level with tea cup readers and Social Credit.

Soubhiville Wow what a bizarre piece of art! I like it! 8y
Titania I may have nightmares now... Picture perfection with the quote! 8y
Lindy @Soubhiville @Titania Thanks. It's taken at De Rode Hoed in Amsterdam. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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At that time every Canadian had to adhere, nominally, to some church; the officials of the Census utterly refused to accept such terms as 'agnostic' or 'none' for inclusion in the column marked 'Religion,' and flattering statistics were compiled on the basis of Census reports that gave a false idea of the forces all the principal faiths could command.

Lindy I saw this painting at the Musee des Beaux Arts in Montreal. It's from Florence, about 1460, and by the Master of the Castello Nativity. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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The Scots, I believed until I was aged at least 25, were the salt of the earth, for although this was never said in our household it was one of those accepted truths which do not need to be laboured.

Liberty I am wearing this very pattern today. 😳 8y
Lindy @Liberty Yay! And folks also look to you "for common sense, prudence & right opinions on virtually everything." ? 8y
[DELETED] 2232195534 Do you know which clan this plaid belongs to? Just curious. 😀 8y
Lindy @kaysreadinglife I think it's the Royal Stewart. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies

The Scots, I believed until I was aged at least 25, were the salt of the earth, for although this was never said in our household it was one of those accepted truths which do not need to be laboured.

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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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And of course I saw corpses, and grew used to their unimportant look, for a dead man without any of the panoply of death is a desperately insignificant object.

BookBabe 😳 8y
Lizpixie The horror of war. My great great uncle was there on that day. Researching my family history I came across his accounts of what it was like to be at the Gallipoli landings and to be at the Somme. So desperately sad. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Commanders & historians are the people to discuss wars; I was in the infantry & most of the time I did not know where I was or what I was doing except that I was obeying orders & trying not to be killed in any of the variety of horrible ways open to me.

SusanInTiburon This picture floors me. 8y
Lindy @SusanInTiburon Joe Sacco's art is meticulous. I must review Great War separately, now that I've shown an example. 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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I knew enough about farming to be sure it was not a life for amateurs or wounded men.

BethFishReads Oh I really like Davies but I haven't read this one. Will track down a copy 8y
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Lindy
Fifth Business | Robertson Davies
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Our village was so small that you came on it at once; it lacked the dignity of outskirts.

RealLifeReading What is this curious place in your photo? 8y
Lindy @RealLifeReading It's a lovely & bizarre tea shop and art gallery at L'etang-du-nord in the Magdalene Islands of Quebec. 8y
SusanInTiburon Love it! 8y
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