Journal Entry 1 by labmomnm from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Friday, September 09, 2005

Bought to replace saldragski's lost/stalled ring. I haven't been able to get in touch with saldragski, and none of the remaining people on the original ring have responded to PM's....so I'm going to read this and then send it off as a ray (I'll add any of the original people if/when I hear from them!).

Participants:

heartsong2 (NE) prefers USA shipping
BooksandJava (FL) international OK
Navig8r (UK) prefers to ship w/in Europe
PinkManager (Greece)
Hellie (UK)
16stepper (AZ) Hellie could not reach 16stepper  

Journal Entry 2 by heartsong2 on Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Received in mail today. Very excited to give this a try! It's my very first time being part of a book ray. Will begin reading very soon! 

Journal Entry 3 by AnonymousFinder on Monday, September 26, 2005

I read the book feeling like I was on the edge of bursting into tears for most of the whole thing. Thinking about
mothers, family, home...
Those scenes that describe how she was touched by the caring Mrs. Behrani showed her made me so sad...
It was a very good book, capturing the similarities and differences between people and families of different cultures.
A story I won't forget for a long time.
Much better than the movie!  

Journal Entry 4 by heartsong2 on Monday, September 26, 2005

The previous entry by anonymous finder is me. I couldn't figure out how to change it to my screen name. I think it's because I was using my laptop and wasn't logged in correctly. Sorry about that.

Putting in mail to BooksandJave over my lunch break tomorrow.

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 5 by BooksAndJava from Knoxville, Tennessee USA on Saturday, October 01, 2005

Just arrived in my mailbox! I will be starting it as soon as I finish my current read. (Thanks heartsong2 for the postcard! I collect them.) 

Journal Entry 6 by BooksAndJava from Knoxville, Tennessee USA on Monday, October 24, 2005

Wow. When I went to bed last night, I thought this book was going in a completely different direction. And that was my experience throughout reading House. 

Journal Entry 7 by BooksAndJava at Bookray! in Jacksonville, Florida USA on Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (11/1/2005 UTC) at Bookray! in Jacksonville, Florida USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This book is finally on its way to Navig8r (Hellie asked to be moved down the list due to four books arriving at her door within a couple days).

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 8 by Navig8r from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Book arrived safely this morning, thank you! I will try to read it as soon as possible - I'm half way through a book at the moment but I shouldn't take too long. This one will be next up. 

Journal Entry 9 by Navig8r from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, November 28, 2005

A really great read. I got into the story in no time, and it held my attention until the end. Somehow I expected the ending to be different, but I wasn't disappointed by what happened. Saddened, but not disappointed.
Although I could empathise with each main character, I found that I didn't really like any of them. Once Behrani hit his wife, that was kind of it for me, culture or no culture. Even the fact that towards the end he was actually quite kind towards Kathy couldn't make me feel too much sympathy for him. I felt Kathy was just a really sad character caught in the wrong place and time, but *why* didn't she open her post before it got to the point it did? And why pick a big battle with the one set of people not to blame? Behrani was right about that; her fight was with the county. As for Lester, I thought he was a singular waste of space... as a police officer I find it difficult to imagine that his love for Kathy (who he'd known for all of 3 days or whatever) was so overwhelming he would take such rash action. For me, it just wasn't believable.
I think what the book did show was how difficult life is for immigrants: they wait so long to be able to get a foothold on the ladder, working really hard, trying to assimilate into a new and very different way of life, and get very little help from anyone. The cultural differences are obviously huge.
Anyway, a good read, and thanks for sharing this book :-)

PMing the next reader for their address. 

Journal Entry 10 by Navig8r from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Book sent to next reader today. 

Journal Entry 11 by PinkManager from Athens, Attica Greece on Saturday, December 10, 2005

I received the book today and it was a pleasant surprise!I'll start reading it,after finishing my current reading!Navi8r thanks for the tea! 

Journal Entry 12 by PinkManager from Athens, Attica Greece on Tuesday, January 24, 2006

I'm just about to finish it..Sorry to be late,but I had some bookrings before this one and exams in school! 

Journal Entry 13 by PinkManager from Athens, Attica Greece on Monday, March 06, 2006

Today was a kind of national holiday and everything was closed.So,I didn't have school and went to my village to get some rest.That's why I couldn't neither journal Friday night that I finally finished the book nor send the book to Hellie.But I have her addy from another ring and I'm going to send the book tomorrow.
About the book:As a Greek Imust admit that the end reminded me of the ancient Greek tragedies..In the majority,the descriptions are great although sometimes it was tiring..The characters are so well depicted that I fell that I knew them..Anyway,thanks to everyone who made it possible for me to read! 

Journal Entry 14 by Hellie from South Shields, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Saturday, March 11, 2006

arrived today will read soon...thanks 

Journal Entry 15 by Hellie at Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (4/13/2006 UTC) at Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

PASSING ON VIA MEET SO RAY CAN CONTINUE AS GOT NO REPLY TO 4 PMS TO NEXT PARTICIPANT
QUITE HAUNTING MIGHT WATCH FILM NOW.....

AT MEET 

Journal Entry 16 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Thursday, April 13, 2006

Picked up at the Newcastle meet this evening. Have had this on my wishlist for some time. Will read and possibly start a new ray for it. 

Journal Entry 17 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, June 19, 2006

I read this over a weekend away and found it completely engrossing, a pageturner where I wanted to keep my eyes open as long as possible each night to see what happened next.

The characters were believable if not likeable, in fact I detested Lester and found Kathy to play the victim far too many times, why didn't she open the post?! I found myself drawn to the Behranis, particularly the wife, and was saddened by the ending, hoping it would turn out differently. 

Journal Entry 18 by perfect-circle at Unconvention 2006 in Birmingham, West Midlands -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, June 29, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (7/1/2006 UTC) at Unconvention 2006 in Birmingham, West Midlands -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

To be taken to the UK Unconvention 2006 

Journal Entry 19 by Heaven-Ali from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, July 01, 2006

Picked up today at the Uncon, I'm sure I'll get to it eventually : ) 

Journal Entry 20 by Heaven-Ali from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Friday, December 22, 2006

I found this an engrossing read, and I think the characters will remain with me for a while. However I can't say I found any of the characters (except perhaps Behrani's wife) likeable, Behrani is a man shaped by his culture and expierences and is inflexible and his stubborness makes things harder for everyone - although in much of what he says he is right. Kathy is on a collision course of self destruction, I think you sense that right away, she has made a series of bad choices, including of course Lester, who is a disater for everyone. Ultimately I found this rather sad, and a little depressing, but extremely well written. 

Journal Entry 21 by Heaven-Ali at Hudsons Coffee shop Colmore Row in Birmingham, Birmingham's OBCZ - Hudsons Coffee Shop -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, December 30, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (12/30/2006 UTC) at Hudsons Coffee shop Colmore Row in Birmingham, Birmingham's OBCZ - Hudsons Coffee Shop -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

at meet up 

Journal Entry 22 by Hudsons-Bham from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, December 30, 2006

Now available in the Official BookCrossing Zone to the right of the back section of Hudsons Coffee House, Colmore Row.

If you have picked up this book, thank you for visiting the website. Please take a moment to let us know you have the book - then everyone who has had it previously will know where it is! Then post a review when you've read it, and pass it on to someone else when you've finished it. If you join BookCrossing, you, too, can see where it goes next...
 

Journal Entry 23 by ann163125 from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, January 27, 2007

Caught in Hudson's on Colmore Row. I've been meaning to read this for ages, but just not got round to it.