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A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian | Marina Lewycka
With this wise, tender, and deeply funny novel, Marina Lewycka takes her place alongside Zadie Smith and Monica Ali as a writer who can capture the unchanging verities of family. When an elderly and newly widowed Ukrainian immigrant announces his intention to remarry, his daughters must set aside their longtime feud to thwart him. For their fathers intended is a voluptuous old-country gold digger with a proclivity for green satin underwear and an appetite for the good life of the West. As the hostilities mount and family secrets spill out, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian combines sex, bitchiness, wit, and genuine warmth in its celebration of the pleasure of growing old disgracefully.
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Lunakay
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Mehso-so

I have rarely been so misled by reviews and marketing. Absolutely nothing about this book ist funny. It's a rather tragic family story, the family scarred by several conflicts and ideologies of both East and West. The loss of home and connection, the devide between generations as a result and the cost of survival are portrayed realistically without being too explicit. But hilarious? What about this would be? Also super weird bra-seize obsession 😒

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Soubhiville
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@julieclair you #book2book arrived a few days ago. Thank you! And I got your card and stickers @KadaGul , thank you! Another fun book exchange 🙂📚.

MaleficentBookDragon That title. Stacked! 2mo
julieclair Yay! Glad it arrived safe and sound. Enjoy! 2mo
59 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Blueberry
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Eggs ❤️🛞❤️ Great!! 4mo
52 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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julieclair
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Pickpick

I chuckled my way all the way through this book, which captured so well the exasperation that adult children often feel when dealing with each other and with aging parents. These characters all felt so real! But despite the lighthearted tone, this book deals with some very emotional and poignant subjects, including the turbulent history of Ukraine. Written in 2005, but very timely for our world today.
This was my #ReadOrDonate selection for May.

Daisey I enjoyed this one as well. 5mo
julieclair @Daisey 🙂 I thought the humor was wonderfully done. 5mo
28 likes2 comments
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Daisey
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This morning‘s word is from A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. I might have to share another one tonight from my Tolkien reading.

perspicacious: (adjective) having a ready insight into and understanding of things

#WeirdWords #WeirdWordWednesday

Amiable That‘s a fun one to say, too! 9mo
Daisey @Amiable Yes it is! 9mo
48 likes2 comments
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Daisey
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Pickpick

This book is an interesting mix of an older parent trying to find new happiness in the face of loss, family dynamics, immigration (to England), and Ukrainian history. It‘s definitely got some dark humor while also delving into realistic family issues. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

#1001books #Ukraine #ReadAroundTheWorld #ReadTheWorld #ReadingTheWorld

quietlycuriouskate Fabulous book! 9mo
BarbaraBB What a great edition you have! I enjoyed this one too 9mo
64 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Daisey
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Sourdough pan pizza and broccoli salad for supper tonight! Now to enjoy a few more pages of this book.

#ReadAndEat

Ladygodiva7 That‘s a good book and a #1001Books ! (edited) 9mo
Daisey @Ladygodiva7 I‘m really enjoying it so far! 9mo
62 likes2 comments
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Blueberry
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Blueberry Anybody else having trouble with the images not loading? 1y
zezeki @Blueberry Yes, they're not loading to me as well. 1y
rwmg Yes, I'm having the same problem
1y
IndoorDame Yes. I‘m having the same issue. I tried reloading the app to see if that would fix it and now it won‘t let me sign in! I‘m on the website with no images…? 1y
Eggs Perfect 🤩 1y
33 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Michael_Gee
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Mehso-so

Like a 90 Day Fiancée storyline but I found it surprisingly weighty: 2 estranged sisters come together to unentangle their father from a younger woman‘s clutches. Their frustration with their horny, hapless, selfish father is palpable. Running beneath this deceptively madcap plot (the prose is airy but the events touch on grim) is a story about grief and reckoning with your family‘s past and own immigrant journey.

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JillR
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Pickpick

Vera and Nadezhda face a battle of wills against their elderly father‘s young new wife Valentina. What follows is a story that is in turns darkly funny, a little bit crazy, terribly sad, and then also hopeful. The history of Ukraine and issues of immigration and memory weave through what is at heart a family story (confession: I skipped the excerpts about the tractors).

TrishB I enjoyed this one 👍🏻 3y
JillR @trishb I did but our book group really didn‘t! 3y
TrishB Always the way! 3y
41 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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jenniferw88
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Not the usual type of #conveyances, but they do convey hay!

#200pnpcovers #standwithukraine @CrowCAH @mabell

CrowCAH Hey it‘s a machine that moves one thing to another place. 👍🏻 3y
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Andrew65
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Eggs ❤️🚜 🖤 3y
61 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Lcsmcat
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Pickpick

I loved this book! Comic-tragedy, dark farce, however you want to categorize it, I felt the MC‘s frustration, and yet loved her father. Hated what Valentina was doing to Nikolai and yet could laugh at her expectations (“not-peasant-cooking not-electric cooker”!) Highly recommended! #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lcsmcat
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Enjoying my #doublespin book while my husband plays “red dot” with Amélie. @TheAromaofBooks

Leftcoastzen Cuteness !😻 3y
43 likes2 comments
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JenDR
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My two latest thrift store finds. Loving both of them.

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quietlycuriouskate
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Pickpick

Octogenarian widower Nikolai informs his estranged daughters he plans to marry Valentina, a divorcée 50 years his junior with superior Botticellian breasts. They must put a stop to this madness! Tragedy? Comedy? Farce? Let's call it a tragi-comic farce. It's funny on top but serious beneath. There is backstory but she doesn't make a three course (boil-in-bag!) dinner of it. The tone is bang-on and the prose moves at quite a clip. Much to enjoy!

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keepingupwiththepenguins
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Pickpick

I‘m not sure I found it champagne-and-books-and-a-pig funny (the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, which it won in 2005) but it was a fairly entertaining read. I‘d recommend A Short History Of Tractors In Ukrainian for when you want your multi-generational epic compacted, and served with a spoonful of sugar. My full review here: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/a-short-history-of-tractors-in-ukrainian-ma...

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ValerieAndBooks
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Pickpick

Initially picked this up because it‘s on the #1001Books list. I might not have otherwise but glad I did! It seems deceptively simple— a dark comedy about a younger woman bamboozling an elderly man into marriage, and his two adult daughters try to step in. But also looks at issues such as elder abuse, immigrants wanting better lives at any cost, and family dynamics that feel familiar to many. Quite a book. Great #buddyread w/ @Lynnsoprano .

Lynnsoprano Glad we could keep the tradition going! I love the apples, but Toshiba apples didn‘t sound too appetizing 😂 We still need to do our Ukrainian cooking. 5y
ValerieAndBooks @Lynnsoprano in my case they‘d have to be called Kenmore apples 😂. Perhaps with some sugar and cinnamon they‘d be better? I‘ve started looking up Ukrainian recipes and trying to find something that doesn‘t involve an assembly line 😊 5y
79 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
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This made me chuckle...but also reminded me one reason why I haven‘t finished War and Peace (So many names!) 😆.

This novel was really good. Review coming soon!

Lynnsoprano At least you started War and Peace. I‘ve never worked up the nerve 😂 5y
61 likes1 comment
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Lynnsoprano
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Pickpick

How to describe this book? Comic, but with dark undertones. Delightfully drawn characters. A study in family dynamics, and how family history varies by who is telling the tale. Relevant in light of current immigration discussions. Absolutely fascinating. Hard to put down. I can‘t wait to see @ValerieAndBooks review of our #buddyread. No pictures of Ukraine or tractors, but since most of the book is set in England, some English countryside.

kspenmoll Wonderful review & beautiful photo! 5y
ValerieAndBooks This is a pick from me too! I‘ll review soon. This was a faster read than I expected. 5y
ValerieAndBooks And, yes, it‘s a good example of how different lives and perspectives can be between siblings such as these two sisters, one growing up in war times and the other not. I‘ll add more to this in a spoiler below 5y
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ValerieAndBooks It made me think that Stanislav and his baby sister would go through differing perspectives as well. I certainly hope Valentina would improve as a person and parent. It left me thinking there should be a sequel. I see the author has written additional novels, will have to look into them. 5y
Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks I feel the same about a sequel. I‘m definitely going to investigate her other books. (edited) 5y
Dragon I enjoyed this one 😀🐉 5y
80 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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“...in her new three-roomed concrete-built apartment on the other side of the city.”

This brings back so many memories. When we lived in Prague, we were on the 6th floor of a Communist era concrete high rise, with an elevator that worked maybe 50% of the time. The kids shared a bedroom with twin beds head to foot. And when the person who ran the boiler went on holiday, we had no hot water. I can relate. #buddyread

ValerieAndBooks Wow, what year(s) did you live there? I wonder if it‘s still standing. The hot water unpredictablity must have been frustrating! 5y
Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks It was 1993. We were back in 2001, and it was still there. Our son tried to find it about five years ago when he was there, but got confused coming out of the metro station. Even in 2001 it looked different. The area was much nicer. And fortunately, it was only one week that we were without hot water 😄 5y
ValerieAndBooks Glad it was only one week without hot water 😅. I‘m already almost done! I haven‘t been able to put this down. 5y
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Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks I‘ve purposely put it down a couple times because I‘m going so fast. What a compelling story! I was laughing this afternoon at the men and the cars😂 5y
muscogulus Really enjoyed this book, which never seemed to get much traction (no pun intended) here in the US. Reviewed it for LibraryThing: ‪ https://www.librarything.com/work/book/30243016 5y
Lynnsoprano @muscogulus Interesting point. The reason I own this is because I was in a bookstore in Cambridge while visiting friends in England. My friend had read it and recommended it. I had never heard of it to that point. 5y
57 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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Nobody else would think it‘s cool, but by South Florida standards we have a bit of a break in the heat and humidity. Taking advantage after a crazy morning of running errands to bring my #buddyread out to the patio. @ValerieAndBooks I am laughing at the insults and names Valentina keeps coming up with. And I hear it in an Eastern European accent in my head. It‘s taking me back to listening to Czech friends speak English.

Crazeedi I love it when I'm reading books from other countries and hear them speaking with their accents, it's the best! ❤ have a lovely day! 5y
ValerieAndBooks Yes! Such as “crap car”, my favorite so far 😂 5y
ValerieAndBooks And I am not one to swear, but it just strikes me as funny. 5y
63 likes3 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
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Page 106. This is exactly what I was thinking as I got to this point. It‘s kind of obvious that things won‘t go well if an 84 year old is conned into marriage by a 36 year old wanting permanent residency — but it‘s turning into darker tones now. What do you think @Lynnsoprano ?

Lynnsoprano I read that a little while ago, and thought the same thing. At least at this point, it‘s darker than I expected. And the dad trying to play the daughters against each other hits close to home. My mom tried to do the same thing to my brother and me after our dad died, until we called her on it. Interesting that they are starting to unite in their efforts. 5y
CafeMom I hope you all are enjoying the chapter titles, they get more absurd as the book goes on. 5y
rwmg I want to re-read this. My brother got it me for Christmas when it first came out and I read it but I have no memory of it. 5y
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Lynnsoprano @cafemom I see what you mean. I looked at “a half-eaten ham sandwich “ and went, what?? 😂 5y
ValerieAndBooks Right?! And now I will never forget the “squishy squashy” chapter title . 🙈🙊 @CafeMom @Lynnsoprano 5y
ValerieAndBooks @rwmg it is really something! Yeah, looks like it first came out in 2005, long ago enough to forget details. 5y
Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks squishy squashy and flippy floppy will never be the same 🤣 5y
ValerieAndBooks @Lynnsoprano re: your earlier comment, I think a lot of readers can identify with the family dynamics— I‘m lucky that my parents don‘t/didn‘t play those games but I‘ve seen it done by their parents and also my hubby‘s mom. 5y
60 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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“Into the soup, when it was simmering, she followed teaspoons of halushki-a paste of raw egg and semolina, beaten together with salt and herbs -which fluffed up into dumplings that crumbled on your tongue.”

Hubby‘s family background is Ukranian, and my MIL made halushki, but hers included grated raw potato and were definitely not fluffy. They were incredibly heavy, but very filling, and delicious. #buddyread

Emilymdxn Love this book and LOVE Ukrainian food! 5y
ValerieAndBooks I am just starting this section (chapter 5). We should try making some Ukrainian dishes!! That would be new to me. The closest thing to an Ukrainian relative that I have is my aunt‘s husband, Uncle Arnie, whose parents emigrated from there to Canada 😊 5y
Lynnsoprano @ValerieAndBooks That would be fun! There are so many similarities among Eastern European cuisines, with subtle differences in the names. I have a Slovak cookbook that my MIL gave me and I make stuffed cabbage (halupki) regularly. I have also made pierogies from scratch, but that‘s a project 😄 It‘s fun to do together with friends-something to think about 😊 5y
49 likes3 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
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Oh, those are apples! So much for my plan to use tomatoes as a prop 😂. @Lynnsoprano ‘s cover is much more eye-catching. We‘re embarking on our third annual #buddyread with this novel.

Lynnsoprano My goodness, that cover is so different! Already enjoying this. I only had a little reading time today, and I‘m already through four chapters. 5y
cathipink This book randomly showed up in my Little Free Library this week 🙂 5y
ValerieAndBooks @cathipink oh, that‘s cool! Same cover? 5y
See All 8 Comments
cathipink Yes 🙂🙂 5y
CafeMom I loved this book. Enjoy. 5y
LauraBeth I've had this on my mental TBR forever! I'm officially stacking it so hopefully, I can remember it! 5y
Suet624 Ooohhh, already stacked. 5y
ValerieAndBooks @CafeMom @LauraBeth @Suet624 I‘m enjoying it so far! 5y
78 likes6 stack adds8 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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It took us a while to get it together this time, but @ValerieAndBooks and I are about to embark on our third annual #buddyread. I‘ve been meaning to read this for a while; I bought it for @Alisnazzy two years ago at Heffers in Cambridge. It also has one of the most intriguing covers I‘ve seen. I here I go!

MommyWantsToReadHerBook I really enjoyed this one and the other books of hers I've read 5y
ValerieAndBooks Ooh, a different cover! I‘ll post mine real soon, and respond to your email 😊. Looking forward to reading and discussing with you. 5y
68 likes2 comments
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callielafleur
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Pickpick

What to do when your recently-widowed, 84-year old father takes up with a voluptuous, much younger woman? Oh, the hijinks that take place. I really enjoyed this. It was sweet, light, and told a story that was interesting and at times very funny. It was never super sad, which is what I needed right now.

callielafleur 4.5⭐ 5y
PurpleyPumpkin Sounds like this was a light, fun read. Stacked!📚👍🏽 5y
70 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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Lynnsoprano
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I retrieved this from @Ambrosnazzy ‘s library. The friend who recommended it and was with me when I bought it has asked me several times if I‘ve read it. Hopefully I will soon be able to answer “yes.”

bedandabook It‘s brilliant! I read it a few years ago. Really hope you enjoy 😊 5y
zezeki I read it a year ago, it's a fun read! 5y
66 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Caroline2
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There‘s nothing like Litsy mail to cheer you up when you‘re ill! Thank you so much @TrishB for the letter & book! I‘m really looking forward to reading it! My mum came round to help out and asked to borrow a book and choose your one! Before I had chance to get a photo! don‘t worry, I know where she lives and she always gives books back! She‘s loving it so far!! I hope you don‘t mind! 😬

Kaye Have a great weekend ! 6y
TrishB Don‘t mind at all! Hope she enjoys it and you‘re on the mend! 6y
rockpools Hope you‘re feeling better soon 🌷 6y
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AmyG Feel better. 6y
LoveToReadLiveToRead Great book! Hope you feel better x 6y
Caroline2 @TrishB thanks Trish! I‘ve been in agony but I‘ve managed to get out of bed today so think the antibiotics are kicking in and I‘m turning the corner now at last! 😅 xxx 6y
92 likes7 comments
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Berryfan
Pickpick

Quite an interesting book. It dealt with the issues adult children have in dealing with aged parents making foolish decisions. Certainly has some humour but more serious than comic.

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Emilymdxn
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Pickpick

This book had so much heart and tenderness, and was also really funny, and taught me a lot about immigration law, and tractors. Small and perfectly formed

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Emilymdxn
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I don‘t know much about this one but I saw it on the #1001books list and was intrigued!

JennyM I stumbled across this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Enjoy! 6y
julesG I'm wondering whether I just read about this, or actually read it. 6y
zsuzsanna_reads I remember when this was a bestseller. It's good even though I probably wouldn't add it to my lifetime reading list. Might add it to my reread list on Goodreads, thanks for reminding me! 6y
rwmg I read this about 10 years ago but don't really remember it. Perhaps I should put it on the re-read list like @zsuzsanna_reads 6y
43 likes1 stack add4 comments
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trickyricky
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Pickpick

A hilarious account of clash between two different set of immigrant families, coveting unrequited desires and the chasm between the east and west Europe. I wish the characters were a bit less stereotypical but it is a fabulous debut nonetheless.

RaimeyGallant Sounds interesting. 6y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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HannahKate
Pickpick

Hilarious.

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jfount
Pickpick

As promised on the cover, very funny!

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jfount
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Starting honeymoon book #2 on the way to Ancona...

trickyricky I am reading this right now. 6y
3 likes1 comment
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Ardachy
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An #bookcrossing release at St Michael‘s church in Framlingham, #Suffolk. http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/14768364/

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 💗 6y
11 likes1 comment
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WanderingBookaneer
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Alisnazzy
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So this “thanks post” is about a week late, but I had a very intense trial this week that took all my time and energy. But... @Lynnsoprano and my dad got me a book while on their England trip AND a legit keyboard for my apartment so I can stay home and get all my anxieties out. I‘m so happy!!! I needed this so badly! #BestParents 💖

Scurvygirl Great present!! 7y
PenguinInFlight Yay! That's awesome!! ☺️❤️ 7y
Nuwanda Awesome! 7y
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!!! 😊😊 7y
LauraBrook 💖💖💖💖💖 7y
Bookzombie That's awesome! 7y
readinginthedark ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
106 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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teaandcake
Panpan

I read this for my book club but didn't find it funny or enjoyable. Didn't like any of the characters and it felt like it dragged on.

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neet_reads
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Time for @Cinfhen 's #RockinMay
Day 1. Immigrant Song.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, & find it strange that I've never taken to any of Lewycka's other books

Cinfhen This was such a funny whacky quirky story! Such an awesome pick 😍😍😍 8y
Night_Reader Sounds like a fun book. Love the title. 8y
12 likes2 comments
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DeborahSmall
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#riotgrams #coolspines I love the spines on all of my old leather bound dickens collection and any other old book. But these always stand out from their friends and neighbours 📚💞

74 likes1 stack add
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shawnmooney
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The $5 book sale of English books at the Tokyo book store is almost over!

ramyasbookshelf I've heard so many awesome things about this book! You got quite a haul in this $5 sale. Is it a yearly thing? 8y
shawnmooney @ramyasbookshelf Good question, but I don't know. I sure hope so! :) 8y
MyBookLife I don't know if I read this at the wrong time, but I really didn't like this one.. 8y
See All 8 Comments
Joanne1 Loved this book, though her second novel, two caravans, wasn't nearly as strong. 8y
GuiltyFeat This was OK. Reminded me why I don't read as many British novels. 8y
Bibliogeekery I liked this one 8y
LaurenSovarabia I didn't like it either... I was in Barcelona when I read it and hungrily grabbed at copy of The Glass Menagerie that was in our apartment to read instead. 8y
trickyricky I am reading this book right now. I have bought it for 65/- (less than an American dollar) and so far it has been nice but a bit flat and forgettable. I hope it picks up because the premise is interesting. 6y
41 likes11 stack adds8 comments
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schauermom
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A selection from the TBR pile which is otherwise known as my house. 😂😂

3 likes2 stack adds