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review
squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

This was a well-written family saga and I did enjoy it. I just felt it was curiously dispassionate on the Japanese occupation of the #philippines and could, therefore, have been set anywhere. I think it was because the story was told by different narrators, telling their history to the MC, which made it feel rather distant.

A good read, nevertheless. Thanks for sending it to me Cindy! Would anyone else like this? #swapme

#readingasia2021

BarbaraBB Gorgeous cover! 3y
Cinfhen Great review!! I learnt a lot about the Philippines from this book/ the culture, traditions and foods 3y
Cinfhen Hope you‘re having fun on your vacation 3y
squirrelbrain We are thank you @Cinfhen - it‘s been a bit hot to do anything but sit and read though! 3y
Librarybelle I like this cover! 3y
69 likes5 comments
review
squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

The author goes to #thailand from Canada on a Rotary exchange programme at the age of 17, in the mid 1980s. To begin with I thought she would be a typical whiny teenager but actually this diary is very honest about her feelings and insightful about Thailand, particularly when looking at the lives of Thai women at that time. The author is a poet and you can see that throughout the book.

Does anyone need this for #readingasia2021? #swapme

BarbaraBB I am glad you have a pick for an Asian read, it‘s been awhile I think 🤦🏻‍♀️ 3y
squirrelbrain The last few have been good @BarbaraBB, but I did have a #readingasiaslump a little while ago! 🤣 3y
Librarybelle Love the hashtag #readingasiaslump ! 😂 3y
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LeahBergen I sent you a book ages ago … you haven‘t happened to receive it yet, have you? I DID try to save money and sent it the cheapest way, though. 😆😆 3y
squirrelbrain No, sorry @LeahBergen, nothing as yet..... I‘ll definitely let you know when it arrives - you‘re very kind! 😁 3y
LeahBergen @squirrelbrain I didn‘t think it had arrived but I had to check. If it doesn‘t show up, I‘ll resend something! 😘 3y
squirrelbrain Ooh no @LeahBergen please don‘t think you have to do that. I looked at the economy option previously for shipping to US / Canada and it said allow 2 months! 😬 3y
LeahBergen I‘m pretty sure it should show up soon. 🤞 I cheaped out on postage because the next faster method was like $35 extra which is so stupid. It‘s just a tiny parcel! 😆😆 3y
squirrelbrain How much?! That is ridiculous! I thought ours was bad at about (cd! @LeahBergen 3y
79 likes1 stack add9 comments
review
BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

Its independence war leaves #Bangladesh torn apart - the country and its people. Maya and her brother Sohail have become estranged during the years. He has become a devote Muslim, she a fighter for justice and freedom. Their mother tries to keep the family together.

I enjoyed the glimpses into the Bangladeshi way of life and I learned a bit about the country. Like you said @squirrelbrain a book to #likenotlove.

#ReadingAsia2021 🇧🇩

squirrelbrain Glad you liked it too. I think the cover is lovely though! 4y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Absolutely. And I am glad that I read it, I felt much sympathy for Maya. Thanks again for sending it to me. My #swapme Bhutan read will come your way soon, my friend has almost finished it! 😘 4y
squirrelbrain No rush Barbara - I hope your friend is enjoying the book. 4y
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Librarybelle It is a very nice cover! 4y
alisiakae Beautiful cover! I just started my pick for Bangladesh: 4y
BarbaraBB @4thhouseontheleft Yours sounds good!! 4y
60 likes6 comments
blurb
squirrelbrain
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I ordered this (used) book way before Christmas so I‘d completely forgotten about it by the time it arrived today. I‘m not surprised it took so long though - it came from America by way of France. 🤔

It‘s an ex-library book from Lake Tahoe Community College - I love it when my books have history!

This is for #readingasia2021 #brunei and is NF about an American girl in a harem - should be interesting! Another of my random finds Barbara! 🤪

Caroline2 Ohhh this does sound interesting. 😯 4y
BarbaraBB Another one. Very cool! You have already discovered some real gems this way! 4y
Librarybelle I‘m very interested! 4y
squirrelbrain I‘ll let you know how I get on @Librarybelle - it gets mixed reviews.... If it‘s any good I can always send it you #swapme 😘 4y
Librarybelle I look forward to your thoughts! 😁 4y
68 likes2 stack adds5 comments
blurb
BarbaraBB
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Dear Helen, your book arrived today and it looks totally new! Are you sure you and Mum Squirrel both read it?! It looks intriguing though and I am interested in finding out more about this country- that I never have considered a destination for myself either 😀😉. Thank you so much! I‘ll make it up to you! ❤️#swapme #readingasia2021

Crazeedi So special!💞 4y
squirrelbrain Glad it arrived - that didn‘t take long either, I only posted it on Friday! It was a used library book but with one of those horrid plastic covers on so I took that off, and it does look brand new doesn‘t it?! I hope you find it interesting... it will certainly tick a box if nothing else! 😘 4y
BarbaraBB A library book well taken care of! I am really curious about the book and will keep you posted. Thanks for all 💝 (edited) 4y
58 likes3 comments
review
squirrelbrain
Hearing Birds Fly | Louisa Waugh
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Pickpick

A fascinating account of the author‘s year-long stay as an English teacher in one of the remotest villages of #mongolia, including a few months as a nomad.

Life there is incredibly tough and the author writes vividly of the privations but also of the friends that she makes and the positives that she can take away from her time there.

Available for #swapme once #mummysquirrel has read it too.

#readingasia2021

BarbaraBB Lovely review. Seems a good one as you expected 💚 4y
Crazeedi Sounds like a great read 4y
Suet624 Love books like this. 4y
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Librarybelle This sounds really good! 4y
rockpools Sounds great! 4y
Hooked_on_books Sounds fascinating! I‘ll have to keep this in mind for Mongolia. 4y
Hooked_on_books That‘s so nice of you! My library has it, so I‘m all set, but thanks for the generous offer nonetheless. 🤗 4y
Caroline2 Oh sounds fascinating, I‘d be up for a swap. 👍 4y
squirrelbrain I‘ll send it to you @Caroline2 when my Mum has read it in a few weeks.... doesn‘t need to be a swap, I‘ll just send it. (Unless I take a fancy to something that you‘re reading! 😁) 4y
Caroline2 Thanks Helen! 😀 yeah, there‘s no rush and I‘ll see if i can find something you fancy. 👍 4y
77 likes2 stack adds11 comments
review
squirrelbrain
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Mehso-so

This one was hard work - partly a memoir of life in #Iran and partly literary criticism of a number of books, I found it very dense. I did learn about life during the Iran / Iraq war and the strict regime under Khomeini. What irked me most was the author claimed to be all about ‘her girls‘ (those who joined her book club) but it felt very me, me,me.

Having said all that this is available for #swapme if you‘re not completely put off! ⬇️

squirrelbrain This is also my #doublespin for #bookspinbingo. 4y
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rockpools Congratulations on finishing it - you‘re storming through these! I might pass though 😉 4y
ephemeralwaltz Yeah, I ended up DNFing this one even though I thought it was so interesing. 4y
vlwelser This one is really dense. It took me forever to read the entire thing. 4y
Lcsmcat I agree that there was a lot of “me” in this, but I found it fascinating. We think of these areas of the world as somehow backward, but within my lifetime they were anything but. And our alliances has shifted so much that when my brother was in a military college he had Iranian classmates. I think we need to remember that. Just my 2 cents. 4y
BarbaraBB Great review nevertheless! 4y
PurpleTulipGirl I found the literary criticism less interesting and was prone to skimming it, but I did appreciate the way it offered a different understanding of books. 4y
squirrelbrain Yeah, I‘d skip it too if I was you Rachel! @rockpools 🤣 4y
squirrelbrain It‘s weird isn‘t it, how it was so interesting but so difficult to plough through? And I did skim some bits of it too.... @ephemeralwaltz @vlwelser @PurpleTulipGirl 4y
squirrelbrain @Lcsmcat - I was amazed at how much these ‘ordinary‘ women fought against the regime, and how they still found escape and solace in literature. As you say, it was fascinating. (Just hard work! ) 😁 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
youneverarrived I bailed on this but wanted to go back to it. It was just too much for me at the time but I know some people really love it! 4y
Centique This one makes me laugh because when I mentioned to my IRL book club that I was going to read it, they wanted to read it too. I told them it was going to have a lot of literary analysis in it - but I guess they didn‘t believe me. They all bailed. 😂😂 I liked it because it was like being in English lectures again. But it‘s not quite what people expect from the blurbs I think. 4y
squirrelbrain Yes, it‘s not really what I expected at all @Centique - even though my Mum had read it before me and found it hard work. (I just didn‘t believe her!) 4y
Librarybelle Great review! 4y
86 likes17 comments
review
squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

This was my #bookspin for January and also book number 3 for #readingasia2021.

The author travelled primarily to the non-resort islands of the #maldives in 2013 looking at history, politics, religion and environment. I liked the writing style and learned a lot and, although there was nothing truly groundbreaking about this book, it was a pleasant, interesting read.

Interesting fact: the highest natural ‘hill‘ on the Maldives is 7ft 10 inches!

squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB - this will come to you soon; #mummysquirrel would like to read it first! #swapme 4y
squirrelbrain The author also mentions this book, an adventure thriller set on the Maldivian island of Gan 4y
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squirrelbrain Apparently this one also features the Maldives 4y
BarbaraBB Of course! Let mummy Squirrel spend as much time with it as she wants 🤍 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
Hooked_on_books I love the idea of looking past the tourist areas to see what a place truly is. My personal preference is to go places in the off season and stay at non traditional accommodation to try to get a different flavor of a place. Though resorts have their appeal as well! I don‘t think I have anything in my personal library for the Maldives, so I‘ll have to see if my library has this one. 4y
Hooked_on_books And now you have me thinking of a book I read kind of along these lines about the Galapagos. It obviously doesn‘t work for the Asia challenge, but I found it a really interesting read (plus I read it while visiting there, which added a nice layer to the experience). 4y
Librarybelle Stacking this! 4y
squirrelbrain You never know Holly @Hooked_on_books - wait long enough and this one might make it‘s way to you... I can see it being a well-travelled book! The other book you mentioned sounds interesting too - I‘m going to stack it as both my Mum and I would like it I‘m sure. 4y
85 likes1 stack add10 comments
blurb
squirrelbrain
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#bookreport

I just finished reading Piranesi and loved it. Listened to another couple of hours on the Obama, but it‘s mainly been too icy to go audiowalking.

About halfway through the two physical books and, like @rockpools said earlier, I‘m really enjoying both of them when I do read them but somehow just not inspired to actually pick them up - an odd feeling for me. I think perhaps it‘s the big bad world out there, rather than the books.

Cinfhen I‘m excited to try this one 4y
rockpools Oh that‘s a shame. Congratulations on finding ANYTHING for the Maldives though! I have to admit I bought Reading Lolita from a charity shop. And returned it to the same shop a couple of years later. Very little reading happened in between 😐 4y
TrishB That big bad world has got a lot to answer to! 4y
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TrishB @Cinfhen just started it! 4y
Cinfhen Ahhhh @TrishB I‘ll be awaiting your opinion 😘 4y
squirrelbrain I‘m actually really liking the Maldives one Rachel @rockpools - once I make myself read it. Reading Lolita is very dense; hard work so that‘s why it‘s a bit of a struggle. 4y
Caroline2 Oh good! So glad to hear you liked Piranesi. 😀 4y
BarbaraBB I‘m glad you liked Piranesi too! And I‘ll probably end up with the same book for Maldives! 4y
squirrelbrain Well you can have my copy of the Maldives book when I‘m done if you wish @BarbaraBB 😘 4y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain Well thanks 💚, that would be a good #swapme! Let me know if and when you are interested in one of my #ReadingAsia2021 books!! 4y
78 likes10 comments
review
Cinfhen
Everything Inside | Edwidge Danticat
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Pickpick

As far as a ss collection goes this is VERY READABLE ♥️Every story was full bodied and offered something meaningful and insightful about human nature as well as life in Haiti or as a Haitian immigrant. I‘m generally not a fan of short stories but I appreciated what the author created. Still #BorrowNotBuy #ImpromptuBuddyRead #Pop21 #SomethingAboutForgetting #SwapMe

Kalalalatja I live the cover 👌 4y
Cathythoughts Great review...❤️ So far I agree , very readable 👍🏻 I‘ll hopefully finish later today ... 4y
Cinfhen Don‘t feel rushed or pressured @Cathythoughts it was just a very quick read for me 4y
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Cinfhen I agree @Kalalalatja the cover is gorgeous 4y
Megabooks This was my favorite short story collection last year, and you know I read a lot of them, so I‘d venture to say it‘s worth owning if you‘re a fan of short stories, but I realize there are quite a few readers that aren‘t as into them as I am. 4y
TrishB Lovely pic ❤️ 4y
Megabooks But I‘m glad you liked it. 💕💕 4y
Cathythoughts Thanks ! I won‘t rush... read first 2 & really enjoyed... 👍🏻 4y
alisiakae I‘m stuck on what to read for this prompt, maybe I‘ll consider this , even though I‘m not usually a fan of short stories 4y
Cinfhen Agreed @Megabooks if you‘re a fan of short stories this one is probably worth owning....I really ENJOYED the last two stories @Cathythoughts there really wasn‘t a dud in the entire collection @4thhouseontheleft I just prefer interconnected short stories and this one wasn‘t linked through characters although it was shared through the eyes of Haitians 4y
Cinfhen The cover is very photo-friendly @TrishB 😄😉💕 4y
BarbaraBB I already wanted to read it but now it‘s supposedly set in Haïti I definitely must! 4y
Cinfhen Consider it yours @BarbaraBB when I send the Boyne I‘ll send this one too ❤️😘 4y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Oh wow, I didn‘t say it for that reason, you know that don‘t you? It‘s just that I‘ve been in Haiti once for work and have been super interested in it ever since. But thanks!!! I‘d love to receive it! 💚💚 PS: our media says all of Israel will be vaccinated before April. That true? Soooo jealous 💚💚 4y
Cinfhen I‘m not 💯 that‘s true @BarbaraBB about the vaccine but we shall see...Many friends here have already received their first dose ❤️and I know you have a soft spot for Haiti & the book isn‘t something I‘d read again....I‘m happy to share it with you 🥰 4y
BarbaraBB Thank so much ❤️. Have you already received the first dose or do you know when it‘s your turn? 4y
Cinfhen It all depends on your health provider and the criteria of your age and health history @BarbaraBB so far I don‘t qualify but my health provider said my age bracket may be able to start receiving the vaccine in February. 🤞🏽🤞🏽 4y
BarbaraBB That would be wonderful. One of the advantages of our age 😂👵🏼 4y
Cinfhen Hehehe 🤪 exactly @BarbaraBB xx 4y
103 likes19 comments