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The Autograph Man
The Autograph Man: A Novel | Zadie Smith
Alex-Li Tandem sells autographs. His business is to hunt for names on paper, collect them, sell them, and occasionally fake themall to give the people what they want: a little piece of Fame. But what does Alex want? Only the return of his father, the end of religion, something for his headache, three different girls, infinite grace, and the rare autograph of forties movie actress Kitty Alexander. With fries.The Autograph Man is a deeply funny existential tour around the hollow trappings of modernity: celebrity, cinema, and the ugly triumph of symbol over experience. It offers further proof that Zadie Smith is one of the most staggeringly talented writers of her generation.From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Melismatic
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Panpan

Her writing style is witty and vibrant - but this just didn‘t go *anywhere* plot-wise. The protagonist was also so unlikable & a supreme gaslighter.

#AuthorAMonth

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Curiouser_and_curiouser
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Pickpick

Score!
I worked recently at a community center about an hour from home and I noticed a little free library by the front door. I thought I'd browse it on my way out, well I found some gems in there!

I have the first two of the Outlander Series so these 3 will leave me with only 2 more to collect.

The White Queen!!! Slowly, slowly I am building Phillipa Gregory's English Royal Dynasty collection

and, The Autograph Man looks intriguing....

MrsMalaprop I have a copy of The Autograph Man that has day on my #TBR shelf for many years. I loved White Teeth, so should really get to it some day... 5y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @MrsMalaprop oh cool, I've just popped White Teeth on my TBR, thanks 😃 5y
33 likes2 comments
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readordierachel
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Mehso-so

This is the 4th book by Smith I've read in the last 5 months & is by far my least favorite. She can really turn a phrase, but this one just didn't ring my bell. The characters were interesting sketches but because that's all they were, I never felt connected to any of them & thus didn't care about the plot (which was a bit odd). I powered through where I might have bailed on another book because I'm a fan & was hoping she would come thru. Alas...

TheKidUpstairs I bailed on this one several times. Smith is one of my favourite authors, but I just couldn't get into this one. 6y
LiteraryinPA She‘s a very hit or miss author for me. Sometimes I feel like I appreciate her writing more than I like it. 6y
readordierachel @TheKidUpstairs Yeah, it never clicked for me either. I think you made the right decision :) 6y
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readordierachel @LiteraryinLititz I know exactly what you mean! 6y
merelybookish I have this and have never read it. No one seems to like it. 6y
readordierachel @merelybookish I really wanted to like it. It's not bad per se, but it fell really flat for me. 6y
85 likes1 stack add6 comments
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BooksCatsMaine
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Mehso-so

Ok I almost never do this but I think I'm #bailing on this....
I usually LOVE Zadie Smith, but I just can't get into this at all. I really wanted to love it! But I don't care about the characters, or their weird autograph fixations. I'll give it another go in a month or so (I'm so far in! But I just can't keep reading it)

Book 27 of #52Booksin2018

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Spiderfelt
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Surprised to find hipsters mentioned in a book published in 2002. Have they been a subculture for so many years? Zadie Smith portrays them with an astute eye for nuance.

17 likes1 stack add
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Sarah83
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Got this today for a pretty low price and it's definitely a #blameitonlitsy 😉 @scripturient

scripturient Yay on the bargain! But please don't let this be your first Zadie Smith as it's by far her worst book. 🙁 I suggest starting with White Teeth or, my favorite, On Beauty! 7y
Sarah83 @scripturient I would be my first one. Yes. I thought, this theme would be interesting 7y
scripturient Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you. 😋🙂😁 7y
Sarah83 @scripturient hopefully everybody loves something else. 😍 7y
scripturient @Sarah83 True. 😊😍 7y
49 likes5 comments
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readordierachel
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I have one book with #cursive. Still #tbr.

#fallintobooks @RealLifeReading

51 likes1 stack add
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TheKidUpstairs
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Sometimes #sophomorenovels unfortunately fall flat. I ❤ Zadie Smith, but this was the first book I can remember bailing on. Ugh.

#jubilantjuly @RealLifeReading

MrsMalaprop Have had this on my TBR shelf for ever. 7y
scripturient Yes, definitely her weakest, by far. Love her other books but this one was just horrible. 7y
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
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CareBear
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Planning my #thebookcon. These are my top choices to meet Saturday and I can only choose 4. Anyone have any suggestions? Meet any of these people before? (My husband wants to meet Jeffrey Tambor and although he says it's not a big deal it's the only thing he's been really interested in).

CareBear Also, if anyone else is going, maybe we can put together a Litsy meetup? 7y
LauraBrook I'd say Mayim, Rainbow, Jeffrey, and Margaret. But I've not really read any books by any of them, so 🤷🏻‍♀️. Just seems like you could see authors that aren't typically doing many signings this way, and w people like Nicola, she seems to be more bookishly available in future, of that makes sense. 7y
AThousandLives87 You HAVE to meet Margaret Atwood!!!! Please, do it for me!!! 7y
See All 13 Comments
Beachesnbooks So jealous!! I hope you have a great time. I've not seen any of those authors before live but Margaret Atwood would be at the top of my list 7y
Daisydo I'd do Rainbow, Nicola, and Margret. I'm so jealous. 7y
CareBear Thanks @Daisydo @Beachesnbooks @AThousandLives87 and @laurabrook. You've convinced me to try to get Atwood tickets! I think I'm going to try for Mayim, Rainbow, Jeffrey and Margaret as my top choices. 7y
CareBear Then will put the others in some semblance of order in case tickets are sold out! 7y
NovelGirl82 I've met Maggie, and she's lovely!! I would definitely add Mayim to my list. 7y
tpixie Jeffery Tambor may have a lifetime of interesting stories. Mayim ( although I'm a vaccine gal and she's not). And Margaret- she's now in demand 7y
LeahBergen You NEED to see Margaret Atwood. Definitely. 7y
LisaJo Margaret because she's Margaret. And I would need to see Mayim because of Blossom. I do not care how shallow that sounds. Can I just say how lucky you are to have these tough decisions. (edited) 7y
MaleficentBookDragon Jeffrey and Mayim. And Margaret. I know, I'm not helping. 😸 7y
tpixie Keep us up to date!! Have a blast!! Also if you find out when it's going to be next year let us know!! Maybe we can have a #LitsyMeetUp ❤️📚❤️ 7y
40 likes1 stack add13 comments
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Peaceful_Reader
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In the plane Alex is relieved to find he has been seated on his own. He is in an aisle seat with Esther's absence next to him. Illegally reclining, he opens his plastic bag, a gift from the plane. The plane is a famous brand of plane, part of a worldwide brand that reaches as low as cola and as high as a jumbo jet.

14 likes2 stack adds
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Sleepy_hypster
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I read and loved White Teeth--now my book club of two is trying The Autograph Man 😊

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rachellayown
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The countdown to Zadie Smith's reading continues. Less than 3 weeks!

54 likes4 stack adds
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razmanda
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#minimalisticcovers #augustphotochallenge There's nothing minimalistic about this beauty of a book except its cover!

TheSpinecrackersBookClub Lovely cover. 8y
28 likes1 stack add1 comment