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The Book of Lost Friends
The Book of Lost Friends: A Novel | Lisa Wingate
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new novel inspired by little-known historical events: a dramatic story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its vital connection to her own students' lives. In her distinctive voice, Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual "Lost Friends" advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off. Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia's former slave. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery's end, the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope. Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt--until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, seems suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything.
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DHill
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I liked this one so much more than I thought I would. There is a lot going on in both narratives and much is unresolved but it was an interesting and emotional historical telling in dual-narrative format that held my interest to the end.

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Judybskt
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Pickpick

Took forever to read because I‘ve been gardening! I enjoyed it!

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Judybskt
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I Flowers from my garden!
II Tagged - only book for April
III Our youngest graduates from Penn State on Friday! 💙🤍

@Eggs #wondrouswednesday

dabbe Congrats for #3! 🤩🤩🤩 7mo
kspenmoll Happy graduation!!!! 7mo
19 likes2 comments
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Judybskt
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1. I‘m still reading it - only book this past month. 😊
2. West with Giraffes for bookclub.

Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView #two4tuesday

TheSpineView I have not read either of these and they both sound good. Thanks for playing! 7mo
10 likes1 comment
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Judybskt
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1. Longwood Gardens today. Work in my gardens the rest of the week.
2. My Viburnum in full bloom and birds on our bird feeders.
3. SE Pennsylvania - sunny and warm!
4. Tagged

@Cupcake12 #motivationalmonday

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Judybskt
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Up next…

17 likes1 stack add
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Martta
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Mehso-so

This book is so bizarre! It reads like something between Roots and a high school drama. It is so full of themes and topics that just fly by quickly without deserved focus. The idea of the book is so intriguing but the execution is not what I hoped for. I feel like somehow this book manages accidentally romantice both slavery and it's consequences to the later generations without meaning to. I'm just not sure how I feel about this.

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Martta
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Started reading this

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Blueberry
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Catching up, I was away for New Year's.

#12Booksof2023 June
@Andrew65

Andrew65 A good looking book. 11mo
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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julieclair
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#12BooksOf2023 @Andrew65

My favorite book in February was The Book of Lost Friends, which I read with my IRL book club.

Andrew65 Another good choice. 11mo
29 likes1 comment
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Blueberry
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1. The Silent Patient and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers
2. The Book of Lost Friends 5⭐
3. The Way of the Bear 3⭐

#WonderousWednesday
@Eggs
@TheSpineView Thanks for the tag. 😊

TheSpineView You're welcome! 1y
Eggs #1 Loved The Patient!! 1y
41 likes2 comments
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Blueberry
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Pickpick

5 ⭐. Historical fiction. The book is true, a compilation of names of loved ones lost to each other thru slavery in the hopes of being reunited.

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Blueberry
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Blueberry
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rachelsbrittain Thanks for sharing! 1y
42 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Saph

I love books that transport me to another time and place, books with characters that I want to meet in person and never forget, books that fill my soul with hope and ignite inspiration...this one does all of that and more. Every emotion is brought to the surface and my vision is changed or at least brought into question. This is what the best books can do and this one leads the way!

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Djspens
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I highly recommend this book! A very captivating historical fiction story about slavery, friendship and family.

Crazeedi Yes an excellent read! 2y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
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Pickpick

Good read! A little dragged out with very abrupt ending for both characters Hannie and Benny in the two different timelines. But a great piece of history to read about.

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
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“Books built my identity.”

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Lcsmcat
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Pickpick

Another dual-timeline book, where each chapter is a cliffhanger, got in the way of the story a bit for me. But the story is worth It. I love genealogy but never knew about these lost friends advertisements. A pick for my in-real-life book club.

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Lcsmcat
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I started this today for my irl book club and discovered it had a pretty bookmark inside. #foundinbooks

Tamra That book looks like it‘s been well loved by readers! It‘s fun to think about. (edited) 3y
Lcsmcat @Tamra The torn bottom corner is trompe l‘œil- the dust jacket is fine except for too many stickers! 3y
55 likes1 stack add2 comments
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mollymullins
Mehso-so

The story was beautiful, however the pacing was a bit off for me. Very lengthy exposition with a rushed resolution but worth reading in my opinion.

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peacegypsy
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Pickpick

This was a wonderful book that showcased even more of the pain of slavery. Highly recommended.

26 likes2 stack adds
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HazeltheDog
Mehso-so

A story of two women living in different time periods of the same geographical area of the South trying to connect others with family lost along the way.
The story line set in 1875 is much more cohesive than the modern day story. The ending for both feels hurried.

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Yahui07
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Pickpick

A lovely book!! 4 stars out of 5.

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sleepy.ash87
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Pickpick

5/5

I would recommend this historical novel to anyone, especially those who have grown up in the south. Wingate's writing encapsulates two stories, the first of Hannie, a freed slave embarking on a life changing quest to find her people in the year 1875; the second of Miss Silva, a teacher seeking to educate and empower students in a low-income school system in 1987. Both stories link beautifully at the end. I was so moved!

sleepy.ash87 Also, my experience of this book in audio form was largely positive. I thought the narrator for the 1875 storyline did a beautiful job with both southern Black and Creole accents. Her attempt at an old Irishman accent was not very strong, though it was not a large part of the story, so I could overlook it. The narrator for the 1987 storyline was fine enough, though I occasionally felt they could have chosen a different voice to suit her character. 3y
7 likes1 comment
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suvata
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Pickpick

Louisiana, 1875: The dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students‘ lives. Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” ads that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as newly freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold away.

DivineDiana This was a fascinating book! 3y
Tamra Stacked! 3y
suvata @DivineDiana Yes it was, I learned so many new things from it 3y
suvata @Tamra good choice 3y
54 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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sleepy.ash87
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"Sad thing when stories die for the lack of listening ears."

This book has touched me so far. I have been going through items that belonged to my great grandmother. I've been typing, scanning, and preserving her 100 year old letters... I've been learning what to do with old tintype photos of family from the 19th century. They are unmarked! Who are they? Hidden mysteries, lost stories.

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Ericalambbrown
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Pickpick

This book. Oooffff. It started me off with an ugly cry and I almost didn‘t know if I could go on. But I kept with it and could scarcely put it down two chapters later. Two stories - one in 1875 and one in 1987 - are juxtaposed , leapfrogging over one another chapter to chapter until finally they meet at the end. And culminate in what was for me yet other ugly cry. 😂 Seriously, this is a wonderful book about surviving trauma to hope another day.

Shamzi Your review sold it to me, great review, adding this to my stack!!! 4y
Ericalambbrown @Shamzi I hope you enjoy it as much I did! 4y
Crazeedi Agree!!❤❤ 4y
82 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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OutAndAbout
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Pickpick

Engaging story of freed slaves trying to find lost family. Told in two timeframes, I enjoyed both plot lines and how they weaves together by the end. On the modern timeline, the character development felt light but the plot moved more swiftly. The older timeline had more character development but a much slower plot. Strange combination but overall a rich read.

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OutAndAbout

Books made me believe that smart girls who didn‘t necessarily fit in with the popular crowd could be the ones to solve mysteries, rescue people in distress, ferret out international criminals, fly spaceships to distant planets, take up arms and fight battles. Books showed me that not all fathers understand their daughters or even seek to... Books made me feel beautiful when I wasn‘t. Capable when I couldn‘t be. Books built my identity.

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OutAndAbout
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Watched this movie last night which was a great warm up for the tagged book. Finished half of it out on the boat today and am really enjoying both parts, post Civil War and 1987. Both main characters are intriguing. Back to work tomorrow so probably won‘t finish until next weekend.

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OutAndAbout
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Couldn‘t figure out what to read this weekend and then this happened! I don‘t understand how these work and I always feel a little guilty for cutting in line, but I love when it happens!!🍀🍀looking forward to settling in with it on this cold wet weekend.
#lovemylibrary

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Hollie
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I should be reading the tagged book, or any number of my BOTM TBR pile, or to prep for upcoming lectures. Instead, the second dose of vaccine has knocked my on my ass and I‘m going to watch Dances With Wolves with some hot tea.

LiteraryinPA Congrats on getting the second shot! Hope that the symptoms pass quickly. 💗 4y
JackOBotts Feel better soon! 4y
38 likes2 comments
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Judybskt
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I‘ve been wishing for this book! Thanks @Gissy for the book and yummy chocolate. I can‘t wait to dive into both. 💘📖🍫 #bookcupidswap

@candority

candority Happy Valentine‘s Day! 💖 4y
Gissy I bought that book for me too! 🤗It sounds so good! I‘m glad you liked it! 4y
35 likes2 comments
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sharread
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Pickpick

Well at least my reading has started 2021 with a bang! Another 5 stars. An amazing book with two different timelines about historical slavery. The two timelines take place in Louisiana and Texas. This novel covers friendships during a difficult time in our history. My eyes were wide open and my heart hurt. Pulled on my emotions in so many ways. A must read.

Crazeedi Oh I really loved this book 4y
40 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jackilynn
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Pickpick
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jackilynn
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Last book of 2020, am I going to get it finished before the new year starts?! We shall see. Seeing as my New Years plans have been cancelled because everyone went home early due to weather (wanted them safe instead of sorry) I would say the odds are in my favor. 🤔🤓🤷‍♀️

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Beatlefan129
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Mehso-so

Wingate is known for taking a little-known aspect of history and bringing it to life. In this book, the story centers around a newspaper column in the 1870s where former slaves could write to in hopes of finding their loved ones. I enjoyed the story of Hannie and her adventures while trying to find her mother and siblings. I did not find the modern portion of the story to be as strong. In particular, the reveal at the end felt very rushed.

64 likes2 stack adds
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JacintaMCarter
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Pickpick

#2020Book47
This novel does two of my favorite things: 1. Jumps back and forth between two time periods/characters, and 2. Explores a part of history that I didn't know much about.

48 likes1 stack add
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Beccacraft
Mehso-so

This book alternates time periods, following the life of a freed slave and her journey to find her lost family members, as well as a young teacher in Louisiana in 1975. It was captivating and enjoyable, but often felt a bit over-the-top and unrealistic to me. 3/5 stars.

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FeatherV
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My newest novel to listen to #thebookoflostfriends #lisawingate my heart is already aching for the characters in the book, and I‘ve barely started, I guess that‘s a good sign, it means I‘ll be emotionally invested and really enjoy the book.
#bookworm #readeverything #itsacoffeekindofweek
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heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com

Sleepswithbooks Your coffee looks beautifully delicious 🥰☕️ 4y
FeatherV @Stacypatrice thank you! ☕️ 4y
9 likes2 comments
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Very sweet story.

63 likes1 stack add
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SW-T
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We had some thunderstorms today and our lights flickered, but we didn‘t lose power. Happy about that since I started a new book! (See tagged.) Sometimes it‘s the little things that mean the most. 😊📚

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Yes it is! Now whenever I know big storms are expected, I charge my kindle with the reading light....just in case. 4y
Annie1215 I hope you don‘t lose power! That‘s the worst feeling 4y
SW-T @Annie1215 @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Luckliy the lights stayed on. I have a small portable lamp that puts out some serious light, but hubby moved it from its usual location and doesn‘t remember where it‘s at. Need to look for it.... 🙄 4y
37 likes3 comments
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Currey
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Pickpick

Worthy historical fiction with new learnings for me regarding freed slaves searching for the families they had been stolen or sold away from. Wingates‘s two story line formula worked for me. The ending of the modern storyline was a touch forced but overall I enjoyed it.

13 likes1 stack add
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Revenge4bess
Pickpick

Is this worth reading

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candc320
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Pickpick

This novel was AMAZING! It has everything I love about historical fiction: a compelling and unique view of history, characters that you can‘t help but fall in love with, and twists that leave you gasping. I listened to the audiobook at work and had to stop multiple times to keep from sobbing and embarrassing myself. Just beautifully written! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Cathy_J
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Pickpick

Excellent historic fiction! Inspired by the "Lost Friends" advertisements posted by freed slaves, desperate to reunite with family members following the Civil war. I experienced so many emotions reading this, it was so thought provoking - for both time periods actually (1875 and 1987). ⭐⭐⭐⭐

73 likes3 stack adds
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a.bookish.byrd
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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AmyK1
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1. I read a lot of good books this month so I couldn‘t pick between the tagged, The Book Woman if Troublesome Creek, Just Mercy and Sing, Unburied Sing.
2. Just #bookspinbingo and #heycarrots

#two4tuesday @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 🌞📚 4y
23 likes1 comment