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Sparsholt Affair
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
From the internationally acclaimed winner of the Man Booker Prize, a masterly new novel that spans seven transformative decades in England--from the 1940s to the present--as it plumbs the richly complex relationships of a remarkable family. In 1940, David Sparsholt arrives at Oxford to study engineering, though his sights are set on joining the Royal Air Force. Handsome, athletic, charismatic, he is unaware of his effect on others--especially on Evert Dax, the lonely son of a celebrated novelist who is destined to become a writer himself. With the world at war, and the Blitz raging in London, Oxford nevertheless exists at a strange remove: a place of fleeting beauty--and secret liaisons. A friendship develops between these two young men that will have unexpected consequences as the novel unfolds. Alan Hollinghurst's new novel explores the legacy of David Sparsholt across three generations, on friends and family alike; we experience through its characters changes in taste, morality, and private life in a sequence of vividly rendered episodes: a Sparsholt holiday in Cornwall; eccentric social gatherings at the Dax family home; the adventures of David's son Johnny, a painter in 1970s London; the push and pull in a group of friends brought together by art, literature, and love. And evoking the increasing openness of gay life, The Sparsholt Affair becomes a meditation on human transience, even as it poignantly expresses the longing for permanence and continuity. Witty, tender, epic in scope yet rich in observation, this is a dazzling novel of fathers and sons; of family and home by a writer hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "one of the best novelists at work today."
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review
BarbaraBB
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Bailedbailed

I loved The Line of Beauty but I feel like ever since Alan Hollinghurst‘s books have less plot and more sex, as if he needs a bit of a plot just to have something in between sex scenes. It gets boring to keep reading about men just staring at each other's crotch and waiting for the moment to go for it. After half the book and nothing much else happening I still don't know what happened to Sparsholt during the war but I don't even bother anymore.

LeahBergen 😆 I love this bail review! 9mo
BarbaraBB @LeahBergen Thank you 😊 9mo
Tkimsal I feel like this author is waaayyyyy overrated but heaven forbid anyone suggest that. I forced myself to finish one of his books, then thought I‘d at least try another one and I bailed about 100 pages in. 9mo
See All 13 Comments
BarbaraBB @Tkimsal I won‘t try him again. I bailed on another one by him too and that‘s quite enough! 9mo
TrishB Wholeheartedly agree! 9mo
dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩🤩🤩 9mo
BarbaraBB @TrishB Glad to hear that! 9mo
batsy The staring at the crotch part waiting to go for it made me snort 😂 Haven't read him yet, but if and when I do I'll remember your review and be prepared 😁 9mo
BarbaraBB @batsy 🤣🤣 9mo
Aimeesue Oh dear! Great review, though! 😂 9mo
sarahbarnes This review 😂😂 I haven‘t read anything of his since Line of Beauty. 9mo
BarbaraBB @sarahbarnes Don‘t bother 😉 9mo
BarbaraBB @Aimeesue Thanks 😊 9mo
64 likes13 comments
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TheIntrovertedDodoBird
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

Yet another masterpiece spun by Hollinghurst and his beauteous, engrossing prose.
Spanning across decades each as bewitching as the last, we follow the famous sex scandal with intimate detail from various captivating narratives, leaving the reader ravenous and, more often than not, holding one's breath out of fear of frightening away the happenings on those scarcely lit London streets.
Truly worthy of the adoration its earned.
Utter perfection.

CarolynM I liked this a lot too and I loved The Line of Beauty. I intend to read more of his work. 3y
TheIntrovertedDodoBird I'm planning on reading The Line of Beauty next. I've heard so many incredible things about it ♡. I'm reading The Swimming-Pool Library at the minute and enjoying it immensely already. I'm hoping to read all of his work. He's my favourite novelist. I'm so glad you like him too ♡ X 3y
28 likes2 comments
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emmaturi
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Bailedbailed

I gave it until 200 pages, but I wasn't really interested in it. It sounded really interesting though.

Cathythoughts I also bailed on this ( with the intention of going back , but I never did ... 3y
emmaturi Ah ok, I won't be going back to this one. After 200 pages it's not for me @Cathythoughts 3y
27 likes2 comments
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Cuilin
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

This is one of those books that feels like sitting down chatting with a good friend. The humor is understood and there‘s also a slight nod to gossip. I loved Evert and Johnny so much that ending the book was a bittersweet affair. 5 ⭐️

CarolynM I loved this one too. 4y
77 likes1 stack add1 comment
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rwmg
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
Pickpick

Although I enjoy the author's writing, I do wish sometimes that he would expand his range beyond the rarified social circles his beautiful gay men live in. Having said that, I still give it a pick because it so good at what he does.

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rwmg
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Eric1313 Hi 5y
rwmg @Eric1313 hello (edited) 5y
CarolynM Hollinghurst is quite a wit. I liked this one a lot. 5y
TheIntrovertedDodoBird Loved this ♡. 3y
18 likes4 comments
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rwmg
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Samplergal
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Mehso-so

This is my current progress with October goals. This is mainly to keep me on track. The tagged book was so well written, but simply lost my interest about 300 pages in. It was a Man Booker longlist last year. #booker2018

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Samplergal
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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I‘m way behind on posting October goals. These are what is on my bedside table. I‘ve actually finished two already (😂) and have several in the works. Im likely not to read half of these, but I really need to make a concerted effort to pare some stacks down. #october2019

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Samplergal
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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I‘m having a procedure Friday and likely not doing any reading, but I‘ll see what I can do.

BeansPage Good luck with the procedure honey. I hope everything goes well ❤️ 5y
TheLibrarian Hope everything goes well. 5y
Jas16 I hope the procedure goes smoothly. Will keep you in my thoughts. 5y
Andrew65 Good luck with the procedure. Fully sympathise, spent my last two Saturdays with procedures. 😔 5y
74 likes4 comments
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Samplergal
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Sunday‘s read. I didn‘t get it finished in August.

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MicheleinPhilly
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Cindy, you are so kind and thoughtful. Thank you, friend. Book haul pic coming up next!

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Cinfhen
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

I hadn‘t planned on starting and finishing a 454 page book today, yet I did. Some parts dragged and I skimmed occasionally but overall this was an immersive tale of friends from Oxford beginning in 1940 culminating in late 1990‘s. Divided into 5 parts each section is its own little slice of life story following the characters & their next generation of offspring. It also traces the experiences of Queer life in Britain through the decades. 3.5 🌟

MicheleinPhilly Sounds fantastic! #stacked 5y
Cinfhen I‘ll send you my copy @MicheleinPhilly 😘😘 5y
MicheleinPhilly 😮 You‘re the best. 😘 5y
See All 13 Comments
Cinfhen For you @micheleinphilly anything 💖 5y
Crazeedi So what else can you do when you start a book, except to finish it that day!😉💞 5y
Cathythoughts That was fast reading 👍🏻♥️♥️ 5y
BarbaraBB 454 pages in one day? That is sooo fast! 🙌💜 5y
erzascarletbookgasm That was fast, must be very immersive! 5y
Cinfhen I did mention there was some skimming 😉 @Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB @erzascarletbookgasm But I definitely read “most” of the book!! It wasn‘t even that good @Crazeedi I was just in the reading zone‼️ 5y
TrishB 👍🏻 good going 5y
Cinfhen I felt a bit like you @TrishB 😘😘 5y
TrishB 😁 not today!! Charlotte‘s 18th....party last night, family meal out later....🎉🎉🥂 5y
Cinfhen That‘s a wonderful occasion not to be reading!!! Many many many more 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕 @trishb please send love to the birthday girl (edited) 5y
108 likes13 comments
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Cinfhen
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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#PrideMonth dictated my current read ~ after a shaky start it‘s turning out to be quite a pleasing read. It‘s an interconnecting story following the lives of 4 friends who meet at Oxford University in 1940. My first Hollinghurst ( reminds me a bit of Boyne)

erzascarletbookgasm I love Boyne, look forward to your review:) 5y
CarolynM I liked Sparsholt a lot. Co-incidentally I started one of Hollinghurst's earlier novels today 5y
Cinfhen I‘ve heard mixed reviews about your tagged book @CarolynM I think @TrishB recently bailed ?!??! Im liking Sparsholt but it‘s draggy in parts @erzascarletbookgasm 😝 5y
See All 7 Comments
TrishB I haven‘t started The Line of Beauty yet, keeping my fingers crossed it‘s going to be good 🤞🏻 @CarolynM 5y
BarbaraBB The Line of Beauty is my favorite Hollinghurst! I recently bailed on The Stranger‘s Child and am now a bit scared to read this one. Glad that you are liking it 💕 (edited) 5y
Cinfhen Hmmmm, someone recently bailed and I thought it was you😜 sorry @TrishB it was probably @shawnmooney ( safer bet 😉😂😂😂) 5y
TrishB I have bailed on a few recently 😁 5y
107 likes7 comments
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REPollock
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Bailedbailed

I‘m not going to finish this. I‘m accepting that and moving on.

Crazeedi I just did same to a book I started... 5y
REPollock @Crazeedi life is too short to read books that don‘t keep your attention. ✊ 5y
BarbaraBB I have heard that before about this book. I have it on my tbr shelves where it‘ll probably stay forever. 5y
Cinfhen Ugh! I‘m at 100 pages and not really liking it either... I‘m not ready to bail but I know I‘m gonna be pissed because the book probably won‘t improve #BookNerdProblems 😫 5y
20 likes4 comments
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REPollock
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Next ebook! I sat next to a man on a plane reading this and when we landed, he recommended it to me. We hadn‘t spoken the whole flight. I‘ve remembered that ever since so since it‘s a kindle deal I bought it.

BarbaraBB Great anecdote. I hope you‘ll love it! 5y
22 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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KarenUK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

Loved this one! It‘s not for everyone - the plot is almost non existent, but the characters and the lovely prose more than makes up for it.
This story is in 5 parts, a tale of gay life in the UK from 1940‘s to today, each part almost like a novella. The first half is definitely more successful than the latter half, but it‘s still 4.5⭐️for the gorgeous writing, and making me immediately pick up 2 more from this author!
#pop19 #setonacollegecampus

Samplergal Next month. I bought it in Daunt Books in October! 🤪 6y
CarolynM I liked this a lot too. 6y
Cinfhen I‘ve reached 100 pages and I don‘t think I‘m really liking it!! I can‘t decide if I should continue on..... 5y
KarenUK @cinfhen .... 🤔..... Hmmmm..... I preferred the first half to the last, so maybe a bail for you? But then again each section is like a novella, so maybe you‘ll like the next part better! 🤷‍♀️😊 5y
54 likes4 comments
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KarenUK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Another evening reading on the patio with some very welcome creatures..... these beauties have made a home on the lake recently... and despite my noisy dog Wally, seem to like our back yard..... #lakelife 😎🌴🦢🦢💕

JennyM So beautiful. 🦢 6y
Suet624 Gorgeous! 6y
Cathythoughts Love swans 😍 6y
Centique 😍😍😍 6y
58 likes4 comments
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KarenUK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Reading on my patio, and spotted this cool-looking fellow hanging out on my fence! I think he‘s a Cuban Anole 😎🦎#lakelife

JoScho Great picture! 💚 6y
rockpools He‘s quite amazing! Not sure I‘d still be reading if he was on my patio though... 6y
batsy Wow! 6y
See All 11 Comments
LaraReads Beautiful! 🦎 That eye! 🖤💚 6y
Simona He/she looks beautiful .... but my reaction would be 😱🏃‍♀️ 6y
tammysue How neat! 💚 6y
BarbaraBB Scary 🤢 6y
KarenUK @BarbaraBB @whatshesreadingnow @Simona @LaraReads @rachelo @batsy @joscho I‘m pretty sure he eats bugs, so he‘s fine by me! He can hang out all he wants! .... and he‘s little compared to the iguanas... only about 18 inches maybe... 6y
Aimeesue So handsome! 6y
Nute Wow! 6y
DivineDiana Great shot! 💚 6y
59 likes1 stack add11 comments
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KarenUK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Just realized that all my #currentreads are color themed in my favorite color..... 💙💙💙

Samplergal Oh I have all three of those as well....just in a stack ready to read. Too many books to read. I‘ll never live long enough. 6y
Macnjen I listened to IAm IAm IAm and really was enthralled. 6y
69 likes2 comments
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KarenUK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
1. The Island of Sea Women for B&N bookclub, The Sparsholt Affair on kindle and I am, I am, I am on audio.
2. The Hand that first held Mine by Maggie O‘Farrell (5⭐️read)
3. I‘m a total morning person.... I love the quiet of an early morning when no one else is up, a FL sunrise and the lake life in my yard....

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Cinfhen
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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#MarchIntoThe70s #LondonCalling something about this cover caught my eye on my recent trip to London and I bought this book( along with 9 others😉) Of course, I haven‘t read it yet😝The blurb gave me Hearts Invisible Furies vibes, a young man good looking & charismatic develops a lifelong friendship with another young man when they both attend Oxford University in the Fall of 1940. Book spans 5 decades. #NeedToRead

CarolynM I liked this one a lot. Hope you do when you get there.🙂 6y
LeahBergen I‘ve been eyeing this one, too. 6y
Cinfhen I‘ll let you know @LeahBergen Was I correct that it has a Boyne vibe @CarolynM ???? 6y
See All 12 Comments
CarolynM I've never read John Boyne so I don't know, sorry. 6y
Cinfhen What????? You have too @CarolynM 6y
TrishB Not read this one, read a couple of his others and enjoyed. 6y
Cathythoughts My copy is in #hibernation I liked what I read though. Maybe when the winter is really over I‘ll take it out again 6y
saresmoore I absolutely loved The Line of Beauty. When I was reading Heart‘s Invisible Furies, I kept mentally comparing Boyne to Hollinghurst. The verdict was decidedly not in Boyne‘s favor... 6y
Cinfhen Good to know! Now I‘m excited to really get to this book 😁thanks @saresmoore 6y
Lizpixie I‘ve heard great things about this. Let me know what you think❤️ 6y
Cinfhen Will do @Lizpixie if it‘s really good I‘ll send it to you 😘 6y
104 likes5 stack adds12 comments
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Vicki22
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

This was a very Alan Hollinghurst book :) Beautiful prose and interesting characters. In my opinion, not as good as The Line of Beauty or The Strangers Child, but I think fans of Hollinghurst will enjoy it all the same. 4.5 ⭐️

CarolynM I really enjoyed this one too. I tried to read The Line of Beauty years ago but couldn't get into it. I should try again. 6y
Vicki22 @CarolynM Yes, give it another go! I studied it at uni, so I probably overthought it way too much, but the part with Margaret Thatcher is one that has stuck with me...and that was over 10 years ago now 😄 6y
Cinfhen I bought this book based on the blurb but never read the author before. I should probably pick it up and give it a go. 6y
34 likes3 comments
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Ray_bipasha95
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Congratulations @Nessavamusic !! Thank you for doing this! I would love The Sparsholt Affair in my bookshelf. #20K1KGIVEAWAY

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thebeercolonel
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
Pickpick

Big and brilliant beautiful of prose and fantastic in its gayness and mix of love ,heartbreaks and the progression of British 20th CENTURY life. My hat how I adore Alan Hollinghurst and his novels .

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Samplergal
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Only two, but theyve been on my library wait list for months. So now I own them. Beautiful day at a beautiful bookstore. If you are in London, a must see.

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andrew61
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

1 of the gr8 scenes of fiction is in the authors booker winner when the hero dances with Maggie thatcher. So i looked fwd to his latest and was absorbed by the story of how the gay experience changes from the early 40's to modern day through David and Johnny sparsholt (f+ son). A story which was absorbing , with gr8 characters but given the scope perhaps cd have been longer, &seemed to avoid whether deliberately the impact of aids. But worth rdg.

Samplergal It‘s on my library holds. It‘s been a few months... I do wish they would buy more copies. 6y
HardcoverHearts I am so glad you mentioned the omission of anything to do with the AIDS epidemic. That was my difficulty with the book and I couldn‘t get past it in the end. 6y
Cathythoughts Great review! I started this on Audible but never finished... I think maybe I‘ll get the book 👍🏻it might be one to read 6y
Samplergal Great review! I just purchased this today because of your review! Thank you. 6y
andrew61 @Samplergal hope you enjoy it. Look forward to seeing your comments. 6y
33 likes5 comments
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J3ff95
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
Pickpick

This is Hollinghurst‘s sixth novel & in terms of structure is very similar to his previous one ‘The Stranger‘s Child‘. It is divided into five sections, spanning wartime Oxford to modern day London. It reminded me a bit of ‘A Dance To The Music of Time‘ in that the characters fade in and out of the action over the course of the book - for example the ‘star‘ of the first section is barely seen or heard of in the other 4 sections.

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JenP
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book and the way the author captures the lives, relationships, and experiences of gay men in Britain over a 70+ year span. The writing is amazing and while the plot does drag in a few places, I still loved it.

Book is decided into 5 sections (section 1 is by far the best) and each section jumps ahead about 10 years to follow the Sparsholt family.

JenP @BarbaraBB I did really like it but I haven‘t read any of his other books so I had no comparison. I do get some of the critiques but overall a really enjoyable read for me 6y
rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 6y
BarbaraBB Thanks for this review. It moves up my tbr now despite my friend‘s opinion. I‘ve loved two other books by him, so I csb‘t go really wrong I think! 😘 6y
Cinfhen Oh God! If section one is the best I don‘t think I‘m going to like this book. It‘s already dragging for me at page 78 5y
Cinfhen Hi Jen!!!!! Miss u!!!!! 5y
61 likes1 stack add5 comments
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JenP
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Trying to cram in a few more books before I make my 2018 Man Booker longlist predictions. Each year on the blog our panel of judges reads and reviews the entire longlist. But before we begin we make predictions on which books will make it.

Do you think this one will make the longlist? I‘m only a few chapters in. Monday we post our predictions

Samplergal I will look forward to the predictions. I usually read a few of them. 6y
ReadingEnvy I always love seeing your thoughts! 6y
ReadingEnvy This particular one, I thought the first section was strongest. 6y
See All 20 Comments
JenP @ReadingEnvy I love following your thoughts too. Which is your top pick for the longlist? 6y
JenP @Samplergal I look forward to discussing the list with you! 6y
JenP @ReadingEnvy my list of predictions is mostly done but I am reading a few more to try and see which ones will snag my last few prediction spots 6y
ReadingEnvy @JenP I have a much harder time now that it includes USA now. Is there a master list somewhere? I wonder if Circe by Madeleine Miller might make a showing. 6y
JenP @ReadingEnvy no, no master list. It can be any book published in UK between oct 2017-sept 2018. There is a goodreads list for voting but it‘s not a comprehensive list and based on the books nominated by members of that group. 6y
JenP @ReadingEnvy what do you think of overstory? 6y
ReadingEnvy Well if Overstory counts it's a definite yes for me. It's gorgeous so far and helpful that it's a previously nominated author. Ooh maybe Winter by Ali Smith or maybe that was on last year. 6y
JenP @ReadingEnvy I‘m trying to read that one next -overstory. Here‘s the list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/115479.Man_Booker_Prize_Eligible_2018 (edited) 6y
ReadingEnvy I have this on my shelf but hear consistent good things 6y
ReadingEnvy I hope this one isn't selected because I would hate to see it take a spot from someone else - 6y
BarbaraBB Interesting predictions on the GoodReads list. I always look forward to the Man Booker Longlist. I don‘t think the Hollinghurst will make it there, but my predictions are mostly wrong😊 6y
JenP @BarbaraBB have you read this one? Didn‘t like it? I‘m loving it so far but only a little way in. Yeah the goodreads list is interesting and I don‘t agree with many of the top ones. And Pullman‘s book is high up on the list which is bizarre to me. 6y
BarbaraBB @JenP no I haven‘t read it yet, so I don‘t really know but I heard little about it. On the GoodReads list I see many I don‘t agree with too. But there are a lot there too that I haven‘t even heard of! 6y
BarbaraBB A good friend of fine was disappointed by this Hollinghurst (while she is a big fan) so I have postponed reading it. I hope you‘ll like it, then I am motivated to pick it up too! 6y
Liz_M I love the bookmark! ♥ 6y
JenP @Liz_M one of my favorites! 6y
67 likes2 stack adds20 comments
review
ablachly
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

A glorious sprawling tale in 5 sections, The Sparsholt Affair follows a father and then his son from Oxford in 1940 through to modern day London—and how life for gay men in Britain changed over that 70 year period. This is a sweeping saga of family and a group of friends, quiet and romantic and patient as it moves along.

18 likes2 stack adds
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ablachly
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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“Each person, if he was lucky, found the place where he could shine, and the person to shine on.“

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Emilymdxn
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Yes I broke my book buying ban. No I don‘t feel bad...

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Lauren.Archer
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Next read...I heard this is a good saga. That is so my jam.

emmaturi It does sound very interesting! 6y
emtobiasz Ooh, they were just talking about this on the podcast The Librarian is In! 6y
94 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Redheadrambles
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have never read anything quite so beautifully written about the varieties of lust and desire and how changes in society impact these things but also how scandal from the past can overshadow the future . It is quite an exquisite feat of writing, ambitious in scope and yet ultimately a little bit of a disappointment in terms of a satisfying novel.

Hollinghurst is a sublime prose stylist and I think of this more as a beautiful failure.

jhod Lovely review. I think a beautiful failure is a great way to describe it - although I think I ended up giving it a high rating because of the writing. 7y
Redheadrambles @jhod thanks ! Yes it is just exceptional writing and I now want to read more of his books. 7y
ClairesReads An excellent review as always 7y
See All 6 Comments
Neale Beautiful failure, hmmmmm, don‘t know whether to stack it or not. 🤔 7y
Redheadrambles @Neale hard to say my feeling is The Line of Beauty is his book to start with even though I have not read that one myself yet. 7y
Cinfhen This is such a spot on review!! I want to bail but then I don‘t because there is something that keeps pulling me in. 5y
22 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Redheadrambles
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Hollinghurst is such a master wordsmith. Such brilliant and sly observations this one just seemed so astute and unusual

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MrBook
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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#TBRtemptation post 3! In 1940, Evert Dax and David Sparsholt meet at Oxford U. With military call-ups, the students sense futility with their studies cut short. What the two do this year will set a great deal in motion among a many people. You'll witness several generations, up through the present, love through uncertainty and change. Also, you'll see the evolution of the Modern, in art, architecture, etc. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

CarolynM Great book 7y
77 likes1 stack add1 comment
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CharlotteK
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Met the man himself today. Very interesting and intelligent, fabulous dry sense of humour.

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HardcoverHearts
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Next up- I am already enchanted by this book set in Oxford. First impressions of this book are giving me The Virgin Suicide vibes with a group of young men fancying the new young man they see across the way from one of their rooms. While I know it won‘t mirror that novel, I do love when one book (knowingly or unknowingly) reflects another. And I am loving hearing the descriptions of all the places in Oxford that I adore. I have high hopes...

mrozzz Oxford! 😍 7y
31 likes1 comment
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RobinGustafson
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Saturday postal delivery

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LauraBeth
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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👯‍♀️

saresmoore Fun! 7y
LeahBergen Ooo, that‘s cool. 7y
LauraBeth @saresmoore and @LeahBergen this is the only thing that my brain does well 😂 7y
102 likes3 comments
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kbuggle
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

Although the story of The Sparsholt Affair at times felt like it dragged on a bit longer than necessary, Hollinghurt‘s writing is so beautiful, especially when describing quiet, almost ‘nothing‘ moments, in such a fascinating way.

Thank you to Knopf and Goodreads for an advanced copy to enjoy! Happy pub week

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kbuggle
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Big thank you to AAKnopf and Goodreads for an advanced copy of the new Alan Hollinghurst- I think this is exactly what my lackluster January needs.

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Cathythoughts
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Later in the day. Now some bookish activity can begin. Same beach. The tide is going out. ✨✨✨

robinb Beautiful! ❤️❤️ 7y
GripLitGrl 💞 7y
LeahBergen 😍😍😍 7y
51 likes4 comments
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Cathythoughts
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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The Sparsholt Affair is my next Audible book. Another #blameitonlitsy Im going in blind. This is the beach outside our hotel in Inchydoney - so I may start this Audible- or I may just have to listen to the sea....

Lizpixie Oh that looks heavenly! I‘d just listen to the sea 🌊 7y
eanderson Oh my!!!! 😍❤️❤️❤️❤️ this looks so peaceful! Love it!!! 7y
batsy Oh yes.. The sound of the sea, for sure 🌊💙 7y
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Cinfhen So peaceful 💙💙💙 7y
TrishB Beautiful 💜 7y
youneverarrived Looks beautiful 💙💙 7y
readordierachel Lovely view! 7y
CarolynM Looks very relaxing. Hope you enjoy Sparsholt. 7y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM thanks 🙏. Did you enjoy Sparsholt ? I haven‘t started the audible yet ! Hopefully today as it‘s raining. Good book weather 👍 7y
CarolynM Yes, I liked it a lot. He took a different approach to an intergenerational story and it worked for me. 7y
Cathythoughts @CarolynM thanks! That‘s good to hear. 👍 7y
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review
JamesChatham
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Pickpick

Alan Hollinghurst‘s new novel, The Sparsholt Affair, is an impressive portrait of the titular character, David Sparsholt, through the eyes of various people surrounding him. Beautifully and sensually written, it follows three generations, showing change in time both in Sparsholt‘s character as well as public perception of gay people in society. This was my first Hollinghurst, and it definitely won‘t be my last.

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JamesChatham
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Having a nice evening in with a mug of tea, finishing up Alan Hollinghurst‘s wonderful The Sparsholt Affair. Hope everyone‘s been great and reading something fantastic!

review
shawnmooney
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Mehso-so

BookTube review here: https://youtu.be/Sn-SYlBbKb0
I feel a peculiar kind of sadness, devastation even, that this novel—which started out so brilliantly I expected it‘d end up being among my top reads of the year—slipped out of Hollinghurst‘s grasp in the second half, evoking the quote about a painter losing a painting from Guare‘s Six Degrees of Separation. The first section would have been a masterpiece as a stand-alone novella.

athorne Subbed! I‘m looking forward to starting my own soon! 7y
TrishB Awww....disappointing. 7y
Lindy Great face! (Too bad the book was disappointing, however. Hate when that happens.) 7y
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LeahBergen Nooo! ☹️ 7y
minkyb Sorry... 7y
saresmoore Bummer. 7y
HardcoverHearts I couldn‘t agree more. And ultimately, how was I supposed to buy into a novel with a large portion in modern day with no mention of the AIDS crisis? I honestly am baffled by that decision and don‘t know what to say about it other than it really upset me. Very disappointed. Given how many loved ones I have lost, it felt like an erasure. Any ideas on that? 7y
64 likes1 stack add7 comments
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ScorpioBookDreams
Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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Treated myself to two signed books at Foyles today.

RealBooks4ever Cool covers! 😻 7y
80 likes1 comment
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shawnmooney
The Sparsholt Affair | Alan Hollinghurst
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saresmoore Perfect picture pairing! 7y
LeahBergen This is great. 7y
TrishB ❤️ 7y
Christine11 Lovely quote 😊 7y
44 likes4 comments