Journal Entry 1 by lolamarie from Klamath Falls, Oregon USA on Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Bought this at a library book sale.

Synopsis:

The Hours tells the story of three women: Virginia Woolf, beginning to write Mrs. Dalloway as she recuperates in a London suburb with her husband in 1923; Clarissa Vaughan, beloved friend of an acclaimed poet dying from AIDS, who in modern-day New York is planning a party in his honor; and Laura Brown, in a 1949 Los Angeles suburb, who slowly begins to feel the constraints of a perfect family and home. By the end of the novel, these three stories intertwine in remarkable ways, and finally come together in an act of subtle and haunting grace.
 

Journal Entry 2 by lolamarie from Klamath Falls, Oregon USA on Thursday, December 01, 2005

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful. I especially liked how the stories overlapped and reflected upon eachother.

I'm planning on releasing this as a bookray. 

Journal Entry 3 by lolamarie from Klamath Falls, Oregon USA on Sunday, December 11, 2005

The usual bookray "rules" apply. Please make a journal entry when you receive the book and then again when you send it on. Please PM me if you run into any problems (such as finishing the book in a timely manner, which means 4-6 weeks). Check back here before sending the book on, as the shipping order may have changed since this ray will remain open. Enjoy!

Ibis3 - Ottawa, Canada (done)
Breeze144 - Ontario, Canada (done)
Suzy26 - Netherlands (done)
cloggy - UK (done)
angel1509 - UK (done)
TracyR - UK (done)
hshah - India <=== here!
gussy916 - India
 

Journal Entry 4 by Ibis3 from Newcastle, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Received it today in the mail. Looking forward to reading it since Mrs Dalloway is still fresh in my mind. It's shorter than I thought it was going to be. 

Journal Entry 5 by Ibis3 from Newcastle, Ontario Canada on Thursday, December 29, 2005

I found this book to be quite a good follow-up to Mrs Dalloway, which I had read during the summer. There were similarites in style, echoes of incidents (especially between Clarissa's day and that depicted in Mrs Dalloway--lots of material for comparative analysis if you're into that kind of thing). A very clever concept rather competently executed. I'm not sure if the connection between the stories was supposed to be some kind of surprise at the end, but if it was I wasn't surprised. In any case, I'd be interested to see the movie.

I'll send it out to Breeze144 on my next trip to the post office. 

Journal Entry 6 by Ibis3 from Newcastle, Ontario Canada on Friday, January 06, 2006

Finally got to the post office & the book is on it's way. Should be there in Windsor in a couple of days. 

Journal Entry 7 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Arrived here today! 

Journal Entry 8 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Friday, February 03, 2006

When I started reading this book I didn't think I'd finish it. It is so heavy with detail that I felt like the story was being slowed down. I think that I was expecting it to be too much like the movie. This book made me realize that reading a book after seeing a movie can be disappointing in the same way that it usually goes the other way. (Love the book, hate the movie.)

I ended up getting into it because they rich detail does draw you into the characters. I can see why this received such high praise from critics, it is impressive writing! I heard somewhere that this author was highly praised for being able to write women so well, despite the fact he's male, but I don't think I agree with that. He might have written his few women characters well, but I don't think he represented women in general well.

Oh, and, I thought it was a good surprise ending!

Will be sending this along this week!

 

Journal Entry 9 by Breeze144 at Bookray in , --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, February 04, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (2/4/2006 UTC) at Bookray in , --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

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Sent on to Suzy26! Hope everyone else enjoys! 

Journal Entry 10 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, March 10, 2006

Book arrived here yesterday. Thanks for sending it, Breeze144. 

Journal Entry 11 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, March 18, 2006

Beautiful story. It is quite masterful the way Michael Cunningham intertwines the original story of Mrs Dalloway, the life of Virginia Woolf and the stories of Clarissa Vaughan and Laura Brown. There is so much symmetry between this book and Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, which I read last November. The atmosphere is quite the same. Both books describe just one day in the lives of their protagonists. I seem to remember from the Introduction to Mrs Dalloway that The Hours was the title Ms Woolf had first thought up for her novel, but later she changed it into Mrs Dalloway.

p.225: Yes, Clarissa thinks, it's time for the day to be over. We throw our parties; we abandon our families to live alone in Canada; we struggle to write books that do not change the world, despite our gifts and our unstinting efforts, our most extravagant hopes. We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows, or drown themselves or take pills; more die by accident; and most of us, the vast majority, are slowly devoured by some disease, or if we're very fortunate, by time itself. There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give us everything we've ever imagined, though everyone but children (and perhaps even they) knows these hours will inevitably be followed by others, far darker and more difficult. Still we cherish the city, the morning; we hope, more than anything, for more. Heaven only knows why we love it so. 

Journal Entry 12 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Book is on its way to cloggy. 

Journal Entry 13 by cloggy from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 29, 2006

The book arrived this morning. Thanks Lolamarie & Suzy26 

Journal Entry 14 by cloggy from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Wonderful, the way the strands weave together. Very touching as well.
Cunningham manages to make the three voices of the three women very different, which makes the book rich and diverse.

I've got angel1509's addy, will post on Friday 

Journal Entry 15 by angel1509 from Nottingham, not specified not specified on Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Waiting for me when I got home last night, thank you cloggy and also lolamarie, and now top of the TBR pile, just got to finish one more.....

A moving story that depicted the hopelessness that can invade us all whatever age, sex or circumstance. I particularly enjoyed the three very distinct voices and feel that Michael Cunningham is very much in tune with the female pysche.

Ready to send on, just waiting for an address. 06/05/06 

Journal Entry 16 by angel1509 at Royal Mail, UK in Postal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, May 11, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (5/11/2006 UTC) at Royal Mail, UK in Postal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Journal Entry 17 by TracyR on Monday, May 15, 2006

Book arrived with me this morning and i am looking forward to starting on it. I am reading another bookring book at the moment but will get on to this one as soon as i can. 

Journal Entry 18 by TracyR on Friday, May 19, 2006

Oh, i'm sorry to say i didn't enjoy this book at all. I nearly gave up a couple of times but kept reading in the hope i would enjoy it.
Anyway, i managed to finish it and whilst i didn't like it, i'm sure plenty of others will.
Thank you so much for sharing and giving me the chance to give an opinion.
I have pm'd the next person on the list and am just waiting for a reply. 

Journal Entry 19 by TracyR on Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Eventually managed to get to the post office today and this book is now on its journey to hshah.
Thanks again to lolamarie for giving me the chance to read this book. 

Journal Entry 20 by hshah from Mumbai, Maharashtra India on Monday, June 25, 2007

Well Well, the book has been found in the TBR pile, in my bookshelf cleaning last weekend. Sorry about this late JE.
Am not gonna waste anymore time since it been travelling to me for over a year, honestly dont know when it came in.......... PMing gussy916 for her address. I know she is travelling, but the book shall go to her as soon as she is in Mumbai by the end of the month.

 

Journal Entry 21 by hshah at St Luke's Hospice, Kenton Road in London , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, January 22, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (1/10/2009 UTC) at St Luke's Hospice, Kenton Road in London , Greater London United Kingdom

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Since i have loads of books just lying around in the house, and i need room for more books ...............so a few go to charity.