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The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel
The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel | Brady Udall
A New York Times bestseller: "Udall masterfully portrays the hapless foibles and tragic yearnings of our fellow humans." San Francisco Chronicle Golden Richards, husband to four wives, father to twenty-eight children, is having the mother of all midlife crises. His construction business is failing, his family has grown into an overpopulated mini-dukedom beset with insurrection and rivalry, and he is done in with grief: due to the accidental death of a daughter and the stillbirth of a son, he has come to doubt the capacity of his own heart. Brady Udall, one of our finest American fiction writers, tells a tragicomic story of a deeply faithful man who, crippled by grief and the demands of work and family, becomes entangled in an affair that threatens to destroy his familys future. Like John Irving and Richard Yates, Udall creates characters that engage us to the fullest as they grapple with the nature of need, love, and belonging. Beautifully written, keenly observed, and ultimately redemptive, The Lonely Polygamist is an unforgettable story of an American familywith its inevitable dysfunctionality, heartbreak, and comedypushed to its outer limits.
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Rachel.Rencher
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Anyone else feel like they have so much time to read today? Daylight savings is good for something, I guess. 😂

vivastory I love it 📚📚 3y
Aims42 Yes!! 3y
quietjenn The best thing about it 🙂 3y
87 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Leftcoastzen
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My #24B42019 was a bit of a dud.Between a project that took hold of me, social obligations popping up,& a book sale , across all those days I got about 9 hours in. Finished Ms. Obama‘s book, & the magical The Faces in the Crowd. Thanks to @Andrew65 & @TheReadingMermaid for hosting, maybe in 2019 I will master the #readathon 😂 & proof to @Cinfhen that not only has Udall‘s book been on my TBR since publication, it‘s signed! 😂

BeansPage You are most welcome sweetheart! Hope you'll join us again for our next readathon the last weekend of January 🤗 6y
Cinfhen Hahaha!!! The ink still looks fresh ❣️❣️❣️ 6y
arubabookwoman Coincidence: I just finished The Lonely Polygamist a few weeks ago, after it had languished several years on the TBR shelf. It was v. good. 6y
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Andrew65 Well done on the reading you did get in, sounds a very busy schedule. 👏👏😊 6y
Leftcoastzen @arubabookwoman It‘s odd though, looked Udall up on the inter web thingy . Udall hasn‘t been writing.I just thought in 8 years he would have written something else. (edited) 6y
jenreads7 Sounds like you did an awesome job on the readathon, especially with your other obligations! 🙌🏻 6y
Suet624 I really liked this book. 6y
53 likes7 comments
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Cinfhen
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#MusicalNewYear I saw Book of Mormon for the first time on my recent trip to London. It was hilarious‼️‼️‼️
I read the tagged book years ago and it had the same outrageous humor and biting writing as the musical. Sooo funny. It‘s a story about contemporary polygamy. Poor Golden Richards, his 4 wives and 28 children are driving him nuts...he‘s having a mother load of a midlife crisis & if he can‘t pull it together he‘s going to lose everything.

vivastory 28 children?! 😬😬😂 6y
Cinfhen What about the 4 wives???? @vivastory 😂😂this book was really sharp and poignant despite the outrageous premise. I really enjoyed it. 6y
merelybookish Love.thst musical! Loved that book too, when I read it! But now I don't remember much about it. 6y
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Cathythoughts I don‘t know this one ... but it sounds like a great choice for prompt 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
Cinfhen Thanks @Cathythoughts it‘s funny @merelybookish because I don‘t remember much of what I read but for some reason this book was so different and entertaining that Golden‘s story stayed with me. Even his name is hilarious 😂 6y
Kaye Haven‘t read this but I really liked his first 6y
TrishB Sounds fun 😁 6y
Cinfhen I‘m going to see if I can find any of his other books @kaye because I did enjoy his writing @TrishB @Kalalalatja 6y
Reggie Aww, Cinfhen, this is one of my first #blameitonlitsy books because of you. I really liked this book. 6y
Cinfhen I wanted to add that this was an @Reggie pick too but I felt it wasn‘t my place to speak for you 😊💜 we‘re going back to the early days of Litsy with this book, Reggie 😘 6y
Reggie Um, did you see my average rating of 4.5 stars on my Goodreads for the year post? Lol it would have been alright.💜 6y
Cinfhen YOU my friend are a #StarSlut 😂😂😂 @Reggie 😘😇 6y
Leftcoastzen That‘s been on my TBR since it came out! 😂Just call me easily distracted. 6y
Cinfhen So about 6 years @Leftcoastzen 😂😂 6y
Leftcoastzen Look, over there, it‘s a unicorn! 😂 6y
emilyhaldi Why haven't I heard of this book!!! #stacked 6y
emilyhaldi WOW @Reggie 4.5 Average?! Maybe you're just REALLY good at choosing books... Or youre a #starslut 😆 6y
Cinfhen 🦄🦄🦄 @Leftcoastzen ❤️💚🧡💙💜💛 6y
britt_brooke I think I own this book ... 🤔 6y
Cinfhen I think you‘ll like this book @britt_brooke 🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y
108 likes6 stack adds21 comments
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DebbieGrillo
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Here's a NYT review for my under the radar book.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/books/review/Weinberger-t.html

I loved this story but dont know another soul who has read it. #24in48 @24in48

Hoopiefoot I loved this too! I still can‘t remember how or why I heard about it but it was the 1st book I ever bought for my Kindle. 6y
Susan It‘s been a while since I read it, but I loved it. 6y
carriepaige I️ read this one, too! Wouldn‘t say that I loved it but I really enjoyed it. 6y
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MicheleinPhilly I loved this one too! I posted about it eons ago and there are a few other folks here who were similarly enamored! 6y
Jeannineth I loved it too. 6y
PaperbackPirate I loved this book so much but I loved The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint even more! 6y
102 likes7 stack adds6 comments
review
Vulco1
Lonely Polygamist | Brady Udall
Pickpick

Good read. Great characterization and interesting story. It's literature so it's very slice of life. We watch as the lonely polygamist makes his way through life the best way he can.

RaimeyGallant Great review. :) And welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon Some of us put together Litsy tips to help new Littens navigate the site. It's the link in my bio on my page in case you need it. Or if you prefer how-to videos, @chelleo just put some together. 7y
Vulco1 Oh thanks! I'll be sure to check it out. I appreciate it 7y
5 likes2 comments
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

This book was just the right mix of funny and melancholy. I never thought a polygamist could be so sympathetic. (Cat photobomb pic in honor of #nationalcatday)

RadicalReader @Bookwormjillk cat‘s have curious and creative tastes when it comes to photobombs 6y
20 likes1 comment
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Bookwormjillk
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Every day of the week I have to deal with such a lineup of knuckleheads you wouldn't believe, so you'll have to forgive me for presuming the worst, which is the only way to manage things around here.

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Bookwormjillk
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Starting this tonight in my tent. I hope it's good since I weirdly brought only one book.

DebbieGrillo I loved this! 7y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment
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saguarosally
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#BLUEDABADE @Liberty It is blue...now to finish it...

Cinfhen This was such a quirky read! Are you enjoying it?!? 8y
saguarosally @Cinfhen Actually it bored me and I'm close to sticking it on the DNF pile. It's on hold for a bit while I read other books. 8y
Cinfhen Oh no 😞I really found Golden and his extended family entertaining 💕 8y
34 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Reggie
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Pickpick

This book is a about a man named Golden, his 4 wives, and their 27 children. It reads as if you are looking at snapshots of people who belong to a lifestyle you've heard of, maybe judged a little, but never really knew much about. These snapshots capture funny moments, lonely moments, a family in crisis, and before you know it, they've woven themselves together to deliver a punch to the gut you never saw coming. Great book.

Cinfhen Great review @reggie 💙I knew you would be able to articulate why this book is uniquely special! 8y
minkyb Sounds fascinating! 8y
RadicalReader @Reggie what books have delivered the biggest punch to the gut moment for you? 6y
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Reggie @RadicalReader Recently, The Cabin at the End of the World. As far as books having the strongest emotional, I ugly cried moments, The Notebook, The Night Circus, Call Me By Your Name, All the Rivers, The Tin Man, Tell the Wolves I‘m Home. 6y
Reggie @RadicalReader and yours? What have been your most emotional gut punch reads? (edited) 6y
RadicalReader @Reggie Midwives by Chris Bohjalian and The One by John Marrs 6y
21 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Reggie
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shawnmooney I am not sure if this book is for me but the title sure makes me laugh! 😂 8y
saguarosally I'm reading it now! 8y
Reggie @saguarosally I hope you like it as much as I did. 8y
13 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Reggie
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Only a 1/4th into it, but its pretty good so far. I wanna judge the husband, Golden, but I can't, cause he just didn't have the best start in life. How do you parcel out your time outside of work between your 4 wives and 27 children? There's a chapter where one of the kids speaks to him in robot because he doesn't have the heart to tell him he needs his dad and not just when he's in trouble. His dad just tells him to stop being weird and leaves.

Reggie Thanks @Cinfhen for throwing this out in one of your posts. Never heard of it before. 8y
Cinfhen I'm glad you're giving it a try! This book is quirky and sad and funny too! Poor Golden, even his name is full of contradictions! 8y
14 likes2 comments
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Cinfhen
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#SpringFlingReading Here are 3 books I don't think I've mentioned before which I found totally endearing and REALLY #funny
Tina Fey is hilarious and so universally appealing, the other two are very quirky reads. Trust me, even though you shouldn't be rooting for a guy with 4 wives, 28 kids and a mistress you will....and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man is a bit out there, but Ruddy is lovable and he has a dog he'll do anything for❤️ #takeachance

meltedsquirrel I've had a copy of the lonely polygamist for... Literally years and I still haven't read it. Maybe soon now that I've seen a recommendation for it 8y
Cinfhen @meltedsquirrel I read it awhile ago but I remember thinking how does someone find themselves in such a predicament...it was funny but also a bit sad. Hope you get to it! 8y
merelybookish I loved Lonely Polygamist and passed it along to lots of friends! 8y
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KarenUK Loved the Tina Fey.... but never even heard of the other two... Sound intriguing 😊👍 (edited) 8y
Mdargusch I'm intrigued by the Lonely Polygamist. Big Love was one of my favorite tv shows so I will be adding this to my stack! 8y
Reviewsbylola I read The Lonely Polygamist years ago. I had a hard time not picturing Kody Brown from Sister Wives. 😂 8y
Cinfhen Hahaha 😂 yes!!! Exactly @Reviewsbylola I was obsessed with Sister Wives, never watched Big Love @Mdargusch although I heard it was great! This book is different in a good way @KarenUK 8y
Suet624 Loved the lonely polygamist too. Read it years ago but his dilemma is still with me. 8y
Cinfhen I'm not familiar with that book @LornaDH I need to check it out, thanks 💚 8y
94 likes7 stack adds10 comments
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Born.A.Reader
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Enjoying this beautiful morning with my tiny human, continuing this while she plays in her playhouse. 💕💕

RadicalReader @Born.A.Reader love the phrase tiny human best one ever 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 6y
21 likes1 comment
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Born.A.Reader
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Starting this today. Picked up a bit of a cold from my lovely coworkers *note heavy sarcasm* so I'll be snuggling with a blanket and some hot cocoa tonight and continuing this. Hoping not to pass it to my tiny human.
@BookishMarginalia

RadicalReader @Born.A.Reader absolutely wonderful looking book. Read the incredible description of the book and so happy my local library has had nearly everything I have searched 8y
Suet624 I read this book years ago. I still feel for the main character. The book was great. 8y
Mc_cart_ny This is a good one! 8y
RadicalReader @Born.A.Reader having a wonderful mug of hot cocoa should be the miraculous medicine for all illnesses 6y
17 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Born.A.Reader
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#libraryhaul. A couple for my challenges and a couple just for fun. ❤📚😊✔✔

monkeygirlsmama I just read Marry Me at Christmas 🎄 last week. Sweet book. Enjoy!!! 😃 8y
Born.A.Reader Thank you @monkeygirlsmama! It might have been your post that I stacked this from! 8y
Mc_cart_ny Lonely Polygamist is great! 8y
16 likes3 comments
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MicheleinPhilly
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Pickpick

#FunFridayPhoto My HC copy clocks in at 599 pages. It takes a wickedly talented writer to make me feel sympathetic towards a man with 4 wives and a buttload of children who is having an affair and lying to his wives about where he goes to work every day. But Brady Udall did. J'adore!

Cinfhen I LOVED this book and it never seemed like a long read! I felt for the poor guy 8y
Smrloomis @Cinfhen me, too! I was surprised by how much I loved the characters in this. 8y
MicheleinPhilly @cinfhen @Smrloomis ?? I was always trying to get people to read this but when I would describe the plot or characters, they were always like, "Um, no thanks." Their loss! 8y
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britt_brooke This sounds like something I'd like. #stacked 8y
Smrloomis @MicheleinPhilly yup, same here except for a Mormon friend of mine who said Udall is a well known name and that he was definitely interested in reading it. No one else would believe me, but it's GREAT 👍🏽 (edited) 8y
ReadosaurusText I agree with all the above! This book was a great read by a talented author. 📚 8y
45 likes6 stack adds6 comments
review
antvanzyl
Lonely Polygamist | Brady Udall
Pickpick

Wow, what an eye opening look into a world I've never really thought about. Very interesting read.