alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

I heard about this one through Anne Bogel's podcast (I say that about at least one book a month, which I love!) and was fascinated by the premise, since it's the account of Doerr's year spent in Italy writing, which led to All the Light We Cannot See (a book I'm still raving about to everyone I know). It was a beautifully written journal of his time there with twin baby boys and his wife, balancing the magic of Italy with the hard work of writing and the even more challenging work of parenting newborns in a foreign country with a language barrier. It was just as beautifully written as his fiction, and such a fun peek behind the scenes of the life of authors. Loved this one!

I'm on a mission to read more classics, because they've stood the test of time and proven their worth, and I want to experience all they have to offer. This one was a quick weekend read, with a storyline that kept me guessing and dialogue that was engaging. I think I could read it again and find more meaning in it, but it was an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to grabbing more Salinger soon!

This book was my all-time favorite book as a kid, and when I found this gorgeous copy at my favorite Richmond used bookstore, I bought it without hesitation. I remembered much more of it than I was expecting to, but I was surprised when I came to the end and none of the sisters had gotten married and all of them were still alive...until I realized this old version was only just part one of what eventually became two parts joined together as one novel in more recent editions. So, I found my other copy on my bookshelf and finished part two, which concluded much more like I remembered! This book is such a classic and it's just so good. If you haven't ever read it, you need to.

I've been trying to make an effort to read more classic literature and major award-winning books, because they're rich and good and so worth reading. This was one of them-- I've heard of and loved quotes from Plath for a while, but had never really read any of her work. I didn't know what to expect with this one. It took a while for the story to really get going and I wasn't really satisfied with the ending, but there was a lot in the middle about the breakdown of the main character that was fascinating and horrifying and gripping. It wasn't a favorite of mine, but I'm glad I read it.

I couldn't do it, people. It might be me and audiobooks, I really don't know, but I could not stay engaged in this one. Tell me: was the paper book better?