Acquired through BookMooch. Different cover art. Ex-library book.

I was a bit annoyed when I saw the state it was in when it arrived :-(
I did know it was ex-library, but not that the first 25 pages were falling out! I tried to fix this with tape. Well, at least there were no pages missing.

Blur:
The Book of Ruth is a virtuoso performance and that's precisely why it can be excruciating to read. Author Jane Hamilton leads us through the arid life of Ruth Grey, who extracts what small pleasures and graces she can from a tiny Illinois town and the broken people who inhabit it. Ruth's prime tormentor is her mother May, whose husband died in World War II and took her future with him. More poor familial luck has given Ruth a brother who is a math prodigy; Matt sucks up any stray attention like a black hole. Ruth is left to survive on her own resources, which are meager. She struggles along, subsisting on crumbs of affection meted out by her Aunt Sid and, later, her screwed-up husband Ruby. Hamilton has perfect pitch. So perfect that you wince with pain for confused but fundamentally good Ruth as she walks a dead-end path. The book ends with the prospect of redemption, thank goodness--but the tale is nevertheless much more bitter than sweet.

I enjoyed 'A Map of Love' by the same author a lot, so that's why I put this title on both my Bookmooch and my Bookcrossing wishlist.

It has been lying next to my bed ever since I received it from a fellow Bookmoocher. I started and restarted reading it several times, but never got any further than about half-way, only to put it aside again for something I thought I'd like better at the time.

I have given up I will ever finish reading it now. I don't know why exactly - the main character did have my sympathy - but the story was too slow and just wasn't interesting enough to draw me inside and keep my attention. Lots of other books to read, so I will try to find a new reader for it soon, who can hopefully appreciate it more.

On its way by mail to a fellow bookcrosser in Belgium.

Enjoy!

thank you very much for this wishlistbook :-) will go on the tbr but after the rings, this one will come first.

I've tried to read this... But wasn't my thing.
I has been collecting to much dust with me. Will go to Bloedengel when we meet.

gaat mee naar de meeting voor Bloedengel

Let's see if it's my cup of tea, allright. It was very nice seeing Rodespringbal again, and she was wearing the prettiest dress of the meeting !

Well written. Hard to write something about the story without giving it away.😎 Free to travel now.

Goeie reis !

Dit boek is via BLOEDENGEL bij me terechtgekomen. Binnenkort mag het boek zijn reis verderzetten.

Doorgegeven aan kwatje voor een meeting.

thank you anneke 15

Goede reis, boek! En laat je nog iets van je horen?
Veel leesplezier voor de gelukkige vinder.

Farewell, book! Find pastures new! And please tell me about your travels...

Adieu, cher livre! Bon voyage! N'oublie pas de me raconter où tu vas!

Machs gut, liebes Buch, und melde Dich mal wieder!

Was still on the table at the end of the meeting, so took it along to let it travel to Utrecht Centraal, where a lot of people come on their train travels :) It will find a nice reader there I hope :)

English below the Dutch version

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Hallo daar, vinder! Als je dit leest, heb je een boek gevonden.

Gefeliciteerd! Hopelijk is het iets dat je leuk vindt; zo niet, dan heeft het je toch tenminste hier gebracht en dat is ook wat waard. Je mag het boek gerust doorgeven aan iemand anders, of zomaar ergens achterlaten.

Ondertussen was je toch maar mooi nieuwsgierig genoeg om op deze site te
komen kijken en dat vind ik erg leuk. Kijk gerust wat rond. Veel plezier!

Als je het boek verder wilt volgen geef je dan op bij www.bookcrossing.com (engelse site).

Oh ja, er is ook een Nederlandse website (www.bookcrossing.nl) waar veel van je mogelijke vragen beantwoord kunnen worden

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Hey! You found my book, congratulations. I hope it is something you like, if not, at least you where curious what it was all about. And that count for something as well. Don't worry if you don't like the book, you can just give it to somebody elso or leave it behind.

Now you're on the site, take a look around :). If you want to follow the journey of this or you're own books, please become a member.

Have fun!