Journal Entry 1 by mitziyah from Seattle, Washington USA on Wednesday, May 05, 2004

I'm so excited. My sister read this in a "Chicano Women's Literature" course and she gave it to me. It's relatively short so I'm going to try and read all of it tonight, in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

The book is a series of letters between two women, but here's the really great part. You don't read the book front to back...the sequence is determined by how you want your story...the proposed choices are "the conformist" "the cynic" or "the quixotic." How great is that? I still haven't decided. I started reading it as the quixotic a month ago, but now I think I want to try one of the other options first. Apparently Julio Cortazar wrote a novel called HOPSCOTCH that was meant to be read in a similar manner. Pretty cool 

Journal Entry 2 by mitziyah from Seattle, Washington USA on Friday, May 07, 2004

Oh, I loved this book. I was feeling sort of depressed on Cinco de Mayo so rather than read it as "cynic" I read it as a "conformist" with the hopes that that might be a little bit happier. Then, I ended up going out with friends so didn't finish it until later, but it's a beautiful book. I am totally going to read it again from the "cynic" point of view. However, I don't know if I'll be able to remove what I've just read from my brain just yet. As 75% of the entries are the same, just in a slightly different order, I think I'll get all muddled...now wait, has she met that guy yet, had that baby, went to that place yet, etc. SO, I think I will shelve this for a few weeks at least and then read it again. I can't wait.

Both of the women are artists (visual and literary) and the book is incredibly poetic. It's a beautiful book, even when discussing ugliness. I stayed up ridiculously late last night because I just HAD TO finish it. Man I'm tired, but it was so worth it. These images keep marinating in my brain. 

Journal Entry 3 by mitziyah from Seattle, Washington USA on Thursday, June 24, 2004

Okay, so calicocollie has asked to swap for this book. THAT means I'm going to have to read it from the cynic's point of view soon. I told her (him?) that it may be a few weeks until I can get to it, but I'll definitely do my best. *smile* 

Journal Entry 4 by mitziyah at Sent to another BookCrosser in Postal Trade, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Release planned for Wednesday, June 30, 2004 at Sent to another BookCrosser in Postal Trade, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

Well, I just can't bring myself to re-read this book in one of the other formats. I was really interested about the "cynic" version but it has been so unrelentingly (and uncharacteristically) gorgeous in Seattle these past few weeks, I just can't make myself be cynical. I enjoyed this immensely as a "conformist" and I'm scared to ruin that. So, off it goes...Weeeeeeee 

Journal Entry 5 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Received in trade from Mitziyah -- thank you so much! I am really looking forward to reading this (in the quixotic order I think). I'll set it free again when I'm done. 

Journal Entry 6 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Wednesday, July 21, 2004

I finished reading this 2 days ago while on vacation. I chose the quixotic version and loved it. I was going to release it in the wild while out of town (and actually set it down on a shelf in a coffee shop), but then worried that the right person might not find it and appreciate it, so I picked it back up and brought it home. I'll pass it on to a friend of mine and ask her to return it to me for release or release it herself when she's done.

I have to admit that I peeked at the letters from the other versions of the story. 

Journal Entry 7 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Thursday, August 05, 2004

I've decided to send this out on a book ring. Thanks to mitziyah for sharing it with me! I'll track participants here.

Megi53 (Virginia, can ship anywhere)
MaryZee (Maryland, prefer shipping within U.S.)
labmomnm (New Mexico, can ship anywhere)
vibrant-art (Ontario, Canada)
back to calicocollie in New York
calicocollie's local friend Sharon 

Journal Entry 8 by calicocollie at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, August 13, 2004

Released on Thursday, August 12, 2004 at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

Sent to Megi53, first stop on the ring -- enjoy! 

Journal Entry 9 by Megi53 from Danville, Virginia USA on Monday, August 16, 2004

Wow, this looks great! And it's not very long. I hope I can read all three of the story lines, starting with "For the Cynic". 

Journal Entry 10 by Megi53 from Danville, Virginia USA on Monday, August 23, 2004

I read all three versions: first cynic (and it was indeed cynical); then quixotic (fun!) and finally conformist. The women have all sorts of experiences in Mexico, Chicago, New York and L.A., with all sorts of men.

On the back cover it seems that the women's story will follow them until middle age, but I think it takes them from age 20 to age 30! (Maybe 30 is middle-aged to the blurb-writer!)

If you read the conformist version, you will not get the full story of Alexis the flamenco virtuoso, but you WILL get to read about Vittorio, and he's not to be missed!

Even though I read everything, I still couldn't figure out where Eric and Jesus came in. I also couldn't follow how Teresa's relatives moved to Mexico from Chicago. Somebody on the ring after me, please explain that!

As I've visited Mexico countless times, the descriptions were so evocative of beaches, late dinners, tours and sites. And of course, men are the same the world over. The dates Teresa and Alica had and the relationships that evolved from them reminded me so much of profound yet ultimately humorous experiences of my own.

All three versions have the story of Sr. Salazar and the ride from Veracruz to Mexico City via Puebla! That was a highlight for me.

Mailing to MaryZee this afternoon.


 

Journal Entry 11 by MaryZee from Taneytown, Maryland USA on Sunday, August 29, 2004

Arrived safely in the mail today, along with one other bookring (both small, fortunately). I'll start on this one as soon as I finish my current read. 

Journal Entry 12 by MaryZee from Taneytown, Maryland USA on Friday, September 10, 2004

Finished this book this evening. Not sure quite what to make of it - it's definitely something different from my normal reads. I can certainly understand how this would make a good book for a women's studies course.
I read the quixotic version, but it took me about half the book to really get into it. I found the epistolary (sp?) style a bit daunting. I think if I ever run into this book again, I would like to re-read it; perhaps it's the type of book that would improve from a second read.

Thanks for sharing, all. Sending off to Labmomnm on Monday 9/13. 

Journal Entry 13 by labmomnm from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Friday, September 17, 2004

Received in the mail from MaryZee - thanks! I've decided to go with the 4th option - to read it as a collection of short stories, randomly. We'll see how it goes - I may cave and switch to "cynic".

9/21/04 - I ended up reading all of the letters in a random order - what an excellent book! I've read one of her other novels ("Peel My Love Like An Onion") and it was beautiful, too. I wish it had been longer - I'd like to know more about Theresa & Alicia in their later lives.

9/25/04 - mailed to vibrant-art. 

Journal Entry 14 by vibrant-art on Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Just received and will journal soon.... 

Journal Entry 15 by vibrant-art on Sunday, October 10, 2004

I read the Quixotic version and enjoyed the book. There were a few times I was confused about the timeline, but in the end this doesn't seem to be important. I love the idea of readers choosing the pattern themselves (maybe I read too many "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories when I was a kid!)
Beautiful writing, edgy and evocative. 

Journal Entry 16 by vibrant-art on Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Sent this off on its return journey home over a week ago. Sorry I didn't journal closer to the mailing date! Thanks again for offering this as a ring. 

Journal Entry 17 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Saturday, October 23, 2004

Arrived safely back here. It's going to Sharon next, then it will be available for trade / RABCK / etc.

Thank you so much for the beautiful card, vibrant-art!

Updated 10/25/04: Sharon's TBR pile is too big, so she has passed on this. This is going to Deb. 

Journal Entry 18 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Friday, October 29, 2004

Mailed to Deb this afternoon. Not sure if she will join BX or journal anonymously. 

Journal Entry 19 by calicocollie from Irondequoit, New York USA on Friday, November 12, 2004

This book came back to me again :)

Now available. 

Journal Entry 20 by calicocollie at on Friday, November 26, 2004

Released on Saturday, November 27, 2004 at about 11:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at MarciNYC's Trash or Treasure Bookbox in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

Adding to MarciNYC's Trash or Treasure book box. DC #0304 1560 0000 3438 2629 

Journal Entry 21 by barker-tx from Katy, Texas USA on Monday, January 10, 2005

selected from a bookbox - this is a 'different' type book
think I'll release it in the wild tomorrow 

Journal Entry 22 by barker-tx at 2500 City West Blvd, in the parking garage in Houston, Texas USA on Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Released on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 at about 7:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at 2500 City West Blvd, in the parking garage in Houston, Texas USA.

RELEASE NOTES:

left this on a bench at 7:00 am but by 9:00 am it had been picked up.