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Katschu's avatar

Whew! When I started reading the list I thought it was your list for one year! I was impressed and still am. I especially liked seeing the books you have recommended to me and also since I am starting (really continuing) my vacation and always seem to ask you for recommendations at the end of vacation when I run out of books, now I have plenty of ideas. And Larissa!!!

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

Oh my gosh, a year would be insane. It's interesting, though, I definitely read more books than I did 20 years ago...but I had more children in my way back then.

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Kristi Webb's avatar

I loved Arcadia twice, as with Station 11, but I was surprised to see that you did, too. You told me about Filth, I think - which I loved - and of course The Known World. There are others on the list I also loved, some I just couldn’t, and you are way cooler than I am. But you were the person who gave me permission to stop reading books I don’t like. (So I quit Demon Copperhead).

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

It may very well be that giving people permission to quit books is my purpose in life!

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Marlissa's avatar

❤️ Please do this every June, so we can plan our summer

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

This is 20 years worth! But I will try.

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Elisabeth Gruner's avatar

Also I did quite like both The Friend and, especially, Demon Copperhead. But, as we both so often say, not every book is for everyone. And not all the time, either.

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

I met someone last week who was making his way through Demon Copperhead because his wife loved it and wanted him to read it but finding it so painful. I said I felt him. It was clearly excellent but I just couldn’t.

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Elisabeth Gruner's avatar

There are definitely some overlaps in our lists, most likely books you recommended to me! But I’ll have to save this now so I can find new things when I run out…

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

Yes, I was thinking that now when people ask for recommendations, I can just send them here!

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robin's avatar

I've read maybe only 1/4-1/3 of these, at least some on your recommendation (Daisy Jones, I'm pretty sure). Special Topics did take me back, though I remember nothing beyond the title. I remember being stunned by Known World.

I am most intrigued by your list of dropped books, especially the ones with such positive notes. I have not yet reached the enlightened plane of being able to put down a book (or anything) I've started reading. (Two pages from the end of a bad translation of Crime and Punishment from which I am very excited to be able to move on.)

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

I am a zealot for abandoning books you don’t like!! Life is too short! And unfortunately there are books that I like but clearly not enough to keep reading. I think I might have started the abandoned book list to do honor to those. And also to register my disgust at truly bad books - which you probably don’t start as many of as I do, but much as I love a good trashy book, a badly written book is an abomination to my soul, whatever its genre or status.

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robin's avatar

I get all the good reasons. But still.

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Margaret's avatar

So many books! Thanks

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Rebecca Steinitz's avatar

Maybe you can get some ideas for book club!

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