What's the best book you've read this year?
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Your next favorite book
is waiting.
Created: 08/16/11
Replies: 9
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Join Date: 05/27/11
Posts: 7
When the Men Are Gone by Sibhon(?) Fallon. I am very patriotic and this book reminds us how important our soldiers are and the struggles that their families go through everyday while their men and women are gone to fight to protect us. It is a series of short stories that passionately remind us of their sacrifices.
SDZ
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Join Date: 10/15/10
Posts: 3442
I agree with Suzanne, When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon (pronounced Sh-vawn) is excellent. More about the book and author at http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/2519/you-know-when-the-men-are-gone
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Join Date: 04/15/11
Posts: 2
Glad to have that recommendation--will check it out.
I am also glad to have this place where I can tell someone about the great books I've been reading. I was not aware of Bookmarked at BookBrowse until this morning.
This year, I have stumbled upon some TERRIFIC translated books:
*The Last Brother, by Nathacha Appanah, about a little-known incident during WWII when Jewish refugees were kept in a camp on the island of Mauritius. The story is seen through the eyes of a little native boy there.
*Purge, by Sofi Oksanen, about Estonia under different occupying governments from WWII through the early '90's, and how the lives of two women are very affected by their circumstances. Could not put this down.
*Agaat, by Marlene Van Niekerk, about South Africa from the 1940's to present time, and the relationship between a black servant and the woman she works for.
The Last Brother and Purge have both won book awards. Cannot remember if Agaat has won awards. All I know is I am currently reading it and hate to put this down.
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Join Date: 10/15/10
Posts: 3442
Hi Mij, Thanks for the recommendations! This is such a great topic that I've opened a new thread for suggestions about books in translation... http://www.bookbrowse.com/booktalk/messages.cfm?threadid=DE228C0B-FFAC-581F-C879689620C9EA9A
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Join Date: 04/14/11
Posts: 222
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Join Date: 04/11/11
Posts: 37
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Join Date: 11/17/11
Posts: 4
When I retired from work a few years ago I had but one ambition: to catch up on my favorite activity, reading…! I still have not gone thru all the piles I have accumulated + favorite books my mother left me and most of all, classics from both French and English literature and from other cultures of course, if I find the time!
Some of my favorite readings this year include «The Man who Laughs (L’homme qui rit)», the less known 1868 novel from Victor Hugo which moved me deeply; from my mother’s library, I read the magnificent «…And Ladies of the Club» from Helen Hooven Santmeyer, a wonderful and unforgettable read; I also treated myself to the full collection (6 books) of Anthony Trollope’s Chronicles of Barsetshire, Trollope is one of my favorite Victorian novelist; and from my personal inexhaustible collection of books, I read John Fowles’ less known novel «Daniel Martin», an ageless most underrated masterful work of fiction; my last but not least favorite read of the year is «Barney’s Version» from Montreal born Canadian famous author, Mordecai Richler: certainly the funniest, most intelligent, entertaining read ever, my only regret was it took me so long to get around to reading what I feel is one of his best books.
Those are a few of my favorite reads this year…
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Join Date: 10/15/10
Posts: 3442
Hi Francoise, that's quite a list - thanks for sharing!
It must be wonderful to be bilingual and be able to pick up books in both languages without a second thought. Trollope is moving up my "to read" list. One of my favorite books this year, perhaps because my enjoyment was so unexpected, was "Silas Marner" by George Eliot - a book that I purportedly studied in high school but in reality I suspect I only ever read the Brodie's Notes version. Anyhow, having spent the last 30 years believing myself adverse to George Eliot and in particular to "Silas Marner" I found it to be an excellent read. What a difference 30 years can make!
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