Middlesex - (Bookray)

by Jeffrey Eugenides | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0312422156 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingSqueakyChuwing of Rockville, Maryland USA on 4/4/2005
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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18 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingSqueakyChuwing from Rockville, Maryland USA on Monday, April 4, 2005
I bought this trade paperback (529 pages) from The Friends of the Library used bookstore in Rockville, Maryland. My husband read this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and told me I'd like it as well. This week it is #1 on Cliff's Hot Titles to read. It is destined to become a bookray.

From the back of the book:
"Middlesex tells the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as Motor City, and the race riots of 1967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret, and the astonishing genetic history that turns Calliope into Cal, one of the most audacious and wondrous narrators in contemporary fiction."

This bookray will remain open at all times. To join, please PM me with your mailing preferences. Please be aware that the mailing order of this list is subject to change at any time due to mailing preferences, geography, or originator's whim. Enjoy the book!

Begin International Bookray (04/04/05)
SqueakyChu (Maryland, USA) done
sfbookgirl (California, USA) done
MizzSmile (California, USA) done
fizzfred (California, USA) done
ldpaulson (California, USA) done
miriam2 (Texas, USA) done
SillySilhouette (Ohio, USA) done -- 1 year of travel
stubee (UK) done
Tintti (Finland) done
KT-J (UK) done -- Stop # 10
pam99 (UK) done
paulainen (Finland) done -- 2 years of travel
Hengameh (Iran) done
livrecache (Australia) done
Wirigerie (Australia) done
kitten70 (Australia) done
L1nda (Australia) done -- 3 years of travel
GateGypsy (Canada) -- 5 years of travel
End International Bookray (10/09/10)

This bookray was ended as I've had no response to PMs to its last reader x 5 months. This book traveled over a period of 5 years to 6 countries, including 4 states in the USA. Thanks to all participants.

Please note: I am unable at this time to notify Rustyreader2 that this bookray was ended as I have no PM access to this Bookcrosser.

Journal Entry 2 by wingSqueakyChuwing from Rockville, Maryland USA on Monday, May 9, 2005
Oh, my! I finally finished it!! Phew!!!

Although most other people raved about this book, I found it particuarly hard to get through. About 2/3 of the book seemed impossibly long. It was only when I got to the part about Calliope, that the book engaged my interest. Perhaps that was because I am no fan of historical fiction nor particularly like family sagas.

The reason I finished this book is because it is a Pulitzer Prize winner and the author is a good writer. Had that not been the case, I'd have more quickly moved on to something else.

I found it curious that both Cal of this book and Arty of Geek Love found work by swimming before an audience. Strange that both of these "freak characters" did this. Arty was the stronger of the two characters, though.

This book left me feeling very sad. The choice that Cal made after he was seen by the doctor (no spoilers here) seemed so wrong.

This book is now in the mail to sfbookgirl.

Journal Entry 3 by sfbookgirl from Moraga, California USA on Thursday, May 26, 2005
I just received this book from SqueakyChu and started it on the bus home last night. Very good so far, a bit strange with the incest bit, but I'm into it! Will finish journalling once I'm done.

Journal Entry 4 by sfbookgirl from Moraga, California USA on Friday, June 10, 2005
*SPOILER ALERT*
I really enjoyed this book, the moreso as I read further into it. As I said in my first notes, the incest bit gave me the heebie jeebies, but as the story began with the grandparents as young adults and we didn't see them raised together, that made it a bit more palatable.
I felt that after the surgery bit, as SqueakyChu pointed out, Cal made a bad decision. After that, the story just became more and more depressing as I read on. I wasn't expecting a happy ending, but the part with Milton was a little over the top. Not to mention the entire San Francisco episode. With everything that had already happened in this novel, the San Francisco part seemed tacked on as an afterthought, or at best, a speedy way to force the character of Cal to grow up and into his body.
This is definitely a powerful read and not for the faint of heart. I'll be sending it on it's way!

Journal Entry 5 by MizzSmile from San Jose, California USA on Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Received the book at the office today. 2nd bookray/ring in my current possession. Thank goodness I'm going on some long weekend trips this month and hope to finish this book sometime by the end of this month.

10/18 Update: After starting MBA school this fall, reality has taught me that I don't have time to read for fun anymore :( Rather than holding up this book for others, I will need to pass it on and wait for winter/spring/summer breaks to read for pleasure. I'll try to get a library copy and when I read it, I'll update this journal entry with my review.

Journal Entry 6 by MizzSmile at --Controlled Release in Santa Clara, California USA on Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (12/27/2005 UTC) at --Controlled Release in Santa Clara, California USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Oh my goodness...I finally mailed the book to fizzfred via media mail. Since we're both in California, hopefully it'll arrive sometime in early January. Thank you everyone for your patience. Hopefully, you had some other fun reading to occupy your time. Thanks SqueakyChu for the bookring. Happy Reading in 2006!

Journal Entry 7 by fizzfred from Sacramento, California USA on Friday, December 30, 2005
This book arrived yesterday, thank you MizzSmile. I read it as soon as possible and move it on. :)

Journal Entry 8 by fizzfred from Sacramento, California USA on Monday, January 16, 2006
I really enjoyed getting to know Cal/Callie. I was worried this book would be more serious, more of a downer. But it really was not too depressing, for me at least. I liked learning about a family of stong people who lived though a lot of interesting things. :) I even understood Cal's decision to an extent. I would have like it better (as a parent) for him to have not ended up where he was. But it did make him stronger. I liked the hopeful ending too. What I loved most though is how it was written. I really felt like Cal was personally telling me a story. And I think this story will stay with me for awhile! Thanks so much, SqueakyChu for letting me read it.

xallroyx has already read it for a book club so I am now waiting for Idpaulson's address.

Journal Entry 9 by fizzfred from Sacramento, California USA on Friday, January 27, 2006
I am so sorry for the delay. I've been sick, my daughter has been sick, my son has been sick, I'm sure my husband will soon be sick. :) I did finally get this in the mail to Idpaulson yesterday (1/26/06). Enjoy!

Journal Entry 10 by ldpaulson from Ventura, California USA on Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Ack! I got this book several days ago and have been trying to see what my postal options are. Why? Another Book Crossing member passed along the book for me to read. I hadn't remembered this ring in time to see that fizzfred sent this to the next in line. The USPS won't forward Media Mail.

On to the next participant.

Apologies all!

Journal Entry 11 by miriam2 from Ann Arbor, Michigan USA on Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Arrived today - thanks! I hope to read it this weekend.

Journal Entry 12 by miriam2 from Ann Arbor, Michigan USA on Monday, March 20, 2006
Wow. When I started reading this I'd already heard a lot about it and had high expectations - but I was not disappointed. The writing is amazing - lyrical, and the detail is so precise that I could see the streets being described. Honestly, I kept being amazed that someone other than the protagonist him/herself could have written this book, in all its detail and with such careful, touching attention to the settings as well as the emotions. I loved it for being frank and straightforward about race and racism, as well as about immigration and family experience. Strangely, given the main topic of hermaphrodism, I felt like the book was less about gender than about nation, class, race... but I suppose that's part of what Cal tells us, that sometimes (not always) gender isn't as important as you think it is, and that he is living a life that is in some ways outside of gender as we're mostly used to conceiving it.

***SPOILER ALERT***
Unlike some of the previous readers, I didn't think Cal made the wrong choice in running away. After all, the doctor's decision was based on an entirely fictional narrative Callie concocted to make herself look like the perfect all-American girl, and there's no way I'd believe that a decision made on that kind of completely wrong information would be right, either. I think Cal made the right decision in the end; understanding the history and the various cultural permutations of hermaphrodism, s/he decided to be just that. Mostly a man, but still his mother's daughter, elements of everything that both Callie was and Cal is. And Julie Kikuchi accepts that, too. Part of what I loved about it is that it had so many of the elements of (Greek) tragedy, but in the end, Cal says he's too American to go in for that. The time in SF was sordid, yes, but also allowed him to become comfortable with all of him- and herself, explore being not just male, but actually a hermaphrodite, which is a better description, in the end, for Cal than either "she" or "he."

My two cents, anyway!

The only criticism I have was that it seemed a bit slow in the middle, but that may also have been my state of mind at the time, which kind of lacked focus.

So, yeah. I loved it. I loved the narrative voice, and I loved the narrator, and I am in awe of Eugenides's imagination - and research skills.

On to the next person... (just pm'ed for the address)

Journal Entry 13 by SillySilhouette from Akron, Ohio USA on Saturday, April 29, 2006

Thanks bunches! This book arrived safely yesterday. I wish that I could have made a journal entry then; however, we are having trouble with our internet access. :(

Journal Entry 14 by SillySilhouette from Akron, Ohio USA on Sunday, June 4, 2006

Triumphant! The end of this book left me with an appreciation for our ability to overcome the "built-in" adversities of life.

I found it to be well-written and to be well-researched. The characters were very real. Watching them progress throughout their lives was a highlight for me.

I did find the story to be a little drawn out. Although, admittedly, history makes me bleary-eyed. But, overall, I'm glad I read it. My interest was maintained and my awareness was expanded.

6/15/06 On a slow boat headed to stubee.

Journal Entry 15 by stubee from Bury, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Thursday, August 3, 2006
received today - In the middle of reading another book at the moment but I'm going on holiday in a few weeks so probably get through it then. Cheers to SqueakyChu for starting this! :o)

Journal Entry 16 by stubee from Bury, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Friday, August 25, 2006
Just finished this today, it took longer than expected but must say after the first couple of chapters which I found hard going ”Is anyone interested in Silk Worms?” I found myself getting really engaged in the history of the Stephanides family. I was thrilled by Cal’s narrative, I felt at times that Cal was reading the story to me rather than reading it myself (I think that’s part of Jeffrey Eugenides genius here), and in the last few days as we (that’s Cal and I) reached the climax to the story I just couldn’t put it down.

An enjoyable thought provoking novel of one person’s discovery of how their past effects who they develop into in later life. The amount of detailed research Eugenides must have put into this work is phenomenal: - The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, the foundation of The Nation of Islam and The Detroit Riot of 1967 along with extensive research in to hermaphroditism is remarkable.

I’ll be sending this on to Tintti shortly as moomin22 asked to be skipped.

Journal Entry 17 by Tintti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Wednesday, September 6, 2006
The book arrived yesterday. Thanks! I'll start reading it soon.

Edit Oct 3, 2006: I have to give up. I just can't get into the story. Like SqueakyChu, I don't care much for historical fiction or family sagas, so this story just wasn't for me. I'm also having a kind of reader's block and it seems that I'm not able to enjoy any kind of book at the moment.

Sobergirl asked to be skipped, so I PM'd KT-J. I'll send the book as soon as I get the address.

Journal Entry 18 by KT-J on Monday, October 23, 2006
This arrived at the weekend, thanks Tintti! I'll start reading this when I've finished my current book, hopefully sometime this week.

Thanks SqueakyChu for adding me to the bookray.

Journal Entry 19 by KT-J on Wednesday, November 22, 2006
I really enjoyed this book. I really liked the way the book was written through the narrative of Cal and yet still with all the insights about the people the story was following.

I enjoy books about people and the times they live in so this book which followed 3 generations of a family I found interesting. It was also very interesting with the topics being discussed which had been well researched. I thought the ending was a bit rushed (the San Fransisco bit seemed a bit skipped over to get to the end) but as it was a fairly long book anyway I suppose you can't cover everything.

All in all a really good read. I've PMd Pam99 so will send this on when I get an address.

Edit 7/12/06: This was put in the post to pam99 today. Hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 20 by wingpam99wing from Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, December 17, 2006
Apologies - this arrived last week and I only just realised I hadn't journalled it. I'm halfway through it already and enjoying it so far.

Journal Entry 21 by wingpam99wing from Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, January 26, 2007
I read this and really enjoyed it, apologies for the delay in sending it on - a combination of being very skint and very busy. I'm pm'ing paulainen now for an address.

Journal Entry 22 by paulainen from Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax Finland on Monday, March 5, 2007
Sorry for the late journaling but I was out of town and just got back. However, now that I'm back in business I hope to get the ray moving relatively swiftly.

26.6.07
I completely miscalculated the amount of my spare time and hence the outcome, a very delayed forwarding of the book to the next reader. TheWhiteLion asked to be skipped and thus the book goes straight to Hengameh; I hope it travels speedily!

The book itself seemed a bit longish and as I am a bigger friend of action rather than historical narrations I was slightly put off by the book. Eventhough history does define us in some way we still, nevertheless, are independent and capable individuals. The book sure was touching but something is wrong with the execution. Cal wasn't too troubled for my taste, weirdly enough. However, I never consider a read a waste of my time and this one is worth reading, too.

Thank you, SqeakyChu, for including me in your ring and happy reading to the rest of you!

Journal Entry 23 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Wednesday, August 29, 2007
the book is here and i started it yesterday. thanks for sharing

Journal Entry 24 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Wednesday, September 12, 2007
it was one of the most great books that i've read.thanks for sharing.i'll contact the next person.

Journal Entry 25 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Thursday, November 15, 2007
I caught this book at the post office. It came registered post. Thank you so much for sending it to me, Hengameh, and thanks to SqueakyChu for sharing this book, and to everyone else for sharing their thoughts. It's such a privilege getting such a well-travelled book. I look forward to reading it.

It's a sign of the times we live in that Australia Post had opened this package and then resealed it! I wonder what they expected to find . . .

Did the other three Australians listed before me wish to be skipped? There doesn't seem to be any reference to them in the JEs.

Update 17 November

Funkybamboozle is no longer an active BCer and therefore asks that any bookrings she's on be skipped.

Checked with Gunzel412 -- he now has his own copy and wishes to be skipped.

Journal Entry 26 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, December 15, 2007
I can't claim to have read this book yet. I've found that I actually have another copy and to keep the ring moving, I'm passing it on to wirigerie. I'm likely to be bogged down for the next little while in unexpectedly having to move house, as well as deal with demands of my new job. I'll read others' comments with interest so that I can take them with me to when I eventually get to my own copy!

Thanks to all who have participated in this ring, particularly its host SqueakyChu, and the person who sent it to me, Hengameh.

Journal Entry 27 by livrecache at By post in Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Sunday, December 16, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (12/16/2007 UTC) at By post in Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to the next participant in this ring . . .

Journal Entry 28 by Wirigerie from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Saturday, March 1, 2008
Sorry everyone. This book arrive quite sometime ago. I had already read it from another ring but my girlfriend wanted to read it so I passed it to her.

Read my thoughts on the book here http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1013366

Am pming L1nda for her details and will try to get kitten70 to register her opinions.

Journal Entry 29 by kitten70 from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Saturday, March 1, 2008
An incredibly insightful book on the difficulties of life most "normal" people could never understand. It shows everybody is normal but they are always different to your eye as they are individuals.
It has definitely changed my perspective on life and people's different experiences.
Truly loved it.

Have pm'd next person in list.

Journal Entry 30 by L1nda from Newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 29, 2008
Arrived safe and sound, thank you!

Journal Entry 31 by L1nda from Newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Monday, April 28, 2008
Loved it, loved it, loved it!! I was totally caught up in the life of Cal/Calliope. I enjoyed the narrator (generally narratives annoy me) Jeffery Eugenides is a wonderful story teller.

I've pm'd the next person to send it on.

taniazed and fuzzywuzzy have asked to be skipped so I've pm'd GateGypsy for her address.

Journal Entry 32 by L1nda at on Thursday, May 1, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (4/30/2008 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to GateGypsy in Canada.

Journal Entry 33 by GateGypsy from Ladysmith, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, May 22, 2008
This arrived safely in the mail today. I had no idea how massive it is!

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Sept 24/08
Updating as per Squeakychu's request! My apologies for holding on to this for so long. I do still have the book, and no, I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I can move it along right away, if you like, though.

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July 12/09 PMed Hethr, awaiting addy.

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Nov 20/09 Hethr asked to be skipped, PM'd GorgeousGlo, awaiting addy.

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Nov 23/09 GorgeousGlo has asked to be skipped. Have addy from Neuilly. Will post when mailed.

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