Middlesex: A Novel
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
10 journalers for this copy...
Inside Flap Description
Spanning eight decades and chronicling the wild ride of a Greek-American family through the vicissitudes of the twentieth century, Jeffrey Eugenides’ witty, exuberant novel on one level tells a traditional story about three generations of a fantastic, absurd, lovable immigrant family -- blessed and cursed with generous doses of tragedy and high comedy.
But there’s a provocative twist. Cal, the narrator -- also Callie -- is a hermaphrodite. And the explanation for this takes us spooling back in time, through a breathtaking review of the twentieth century, to 1922, when the Turks sacked Smyrna and Callie’s grandparents fled for their lives. Back to a tiny village in Asia Minor where two lovers, and one rare genetic mutation, set our narrator’s life in motion.
Middlesex is a grand, utterly original fable of crossed bloodlines, the intricacies of gender, and the deep, untidy promptings of desire. It’s a brilliant exploration of divided people, divided families, divided cities and nations -- the connected halves that make up ourselves and our world. Justly acclaimed when it was released in Fall 2002, it announces the arrival of a major writer for our times.
Spanning eight decades and chronicling the wild ride of a Greek-American family through the vicissitudes of the twentieth century, Jeffrey Eugenides’ witty, exuberant novel on one level tells a traditional story about three generations of a fantastic, absurd, lovable immigrant family -- blessed and cursed with generous doses of tragedy and high comedy.
But there’s a provocative twist. Cal, the narrator -- also Callie -- is a hermaphrodite. And the explanation for this takes us spooling back in time, through a breathtaking review of the twentieth century, to 1922, when the Turks sacked Smyrna and Callie’s grandparents fled for their lives. Back to a tiny village in Asia Minor where two lovers, and one rare genetic mutation, set our narrator’s life in motion.
Middlesex is a grand, utterly original fable of crossed bloodlines, the intricacies of gender, and the deep, untidy promptings of desire. It’s a brilliant exploration of divided people, divided families, divided cities and nations -- the connected halves that make up ourselves and our world. Justly acclaimed when it was released in Fall 2002, it announces the arrival of a major writer for our times.
Bookring final order:
1. stagecrafty - Washington, USA
2. literarylover - Florida, USA
3. hobbit - New York, USA
4. cloggy - London, UK
5. kiwiwonder - Auckland, NZ skipped by request
6. monkecatcher - Christchurch, NZ skipped by request
7. dg7500 - Pennsylvania, USA
8. wolfprincess - Ohio, USA skipped by request
9. feralreader - California, USA
10. booksnbeer, Virginia, USA
11. back to taaza, Wisconsin, USA
Just a few Bookring Guidelines:
-- Journal the book as soon as you receive it, and contact the next person for their mailing address.
-- Please try to read within 4 weeks so the ring keeps moving along.
-- Take a moment to journal your thoughts on the book when finished. It's interesting to read other's feelings on the book, too!
-- I realize sometimes “life happens” and if you find yourself running behind, or need to be skipped, etc., just PM me letting me know what’s up and we can work it out. I’m pretty flexible, as long as we communicate!
1. stagecrafty - Washington, USA
2. literarylover - Florida, USA
3. hobbit - New York, USA
4. cloggy - London, UK
7. dg7500 - Pennsylvania, USA
9. feralreader - California, USA
10. booksnbeer, Virginia, USA
11. back to taaza, Wisconsin, USA
Just a few Bookring Guidelines:
-- Journal the book as soon as you receive it, and contact the next person for their mailing address.
-- Please try to read within 4 weeks so the ring keeps moving along.
-- Take a moment to journal your thoughts on the book when finished. It's interesting to read other's feelings on the book, too!
-- I realize sometimes “life happens” and if you find yourself running behind, or need to be skipped, etc., just PM me letting me know what’s up and we can work it out. I’m pretty flexible, as long as we communicate!
On its way to stagecrafty for start of bookring.
"Caught" this in the mailbox! I'll read it right away.
I just finished this beautiful book. I so sorry it took me so loooong! Between Christmas and New Year's...Well, let's just say I should not have been first on the ray. However, I am very grateful to have had the chance to read this.
I was hooked from the first chapter! This story wove together three generations of love, loss and secrets. I fell in love with the characters. Their worlds and their times became real for a me. I learned a bit of history too.
It did drag a bit in a few places. So, I gave it 9 stars out of 10.
I was hooked from the first chapter! This story wove together three generations of love, loss and secrets. I fell in love with the characters. Their worlds and their times became real for a me. I learned a bit of history too.
It did drag a bit in a few places. So, I gave it 9 stars out of 10.
Journal Entry 6 by stagecrafty at in a letter in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 27, 2006
Released 18 yrs ago (1/26/2006 UTC) at in a letter in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed this morning! Sorry it took so long but I had to wait for payday to roll around so I could mail my stack of RABCK, Relay and Ray books.
Mailed this morning! Sorry it took so long but I had to wait for payday to roll around so I could mail my stack of RABCK, Relay and Ray books.
thanks for sending- will read as soon as I can-
I won't have time to read this, so I'm sending it along to the next person on the list. Contacting "hobbit" for their address.
I got this in the mail today, and am very much looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing!
I thought this had a bit of a slow start - I kept waiting for the narrator to get to the interesting, more personal part rather than the history of grandparents and parents. And I wish more of the book had been spent on his feelings as an adult. But overall, I enjoyed it very much. I found it both entertaining and thought provoking.
And a very nice change from some of the war-torn, angst-ridden stuff I've read lately! Thanks so much for sharing it in this bookring!
I put it in the mail to cloggy today. It's going surface, so may take 4-6 weeks to arrive.
And a very nice change from some of the war-torn, angst-ridden stuff I've read lately! Thanks so much for sharing it in this bookring!
I put it in the mail to cloggy today. It's going surface, so may take 4-6 weeks to arrive.
Journal Entry 11 by cloggy from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 2, 2006
turned up this morning, thanks Hobbit and taaza for sharing.
I'm in the middle of a large 700 pager at the moment, but this one is next.
I'm in the middle of a large 700 pager at the moment, but this one is next.
Journal Entry 12 by cloggy from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, September 14, 2006
I didn't get on with this book at all. I gave it a couple of goes - honestly - but somehow the story just didn't grip me.
I PM-ed Kiwiwonder, before reading her bookshelf properly (she asked to be skipped) and have now PM-ed Monkecatcher. Hope to get it moving soon, have held on to it for far too long already.
I PM-ed Kiwiwonder, before reading her bookshelf properly (she asked to be skipped) and have now PM-ed Monkecatcher. Hope to get it moving soon, have held on to it for far too long already.
Journal Entry 13 by cloggy from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, September 15, 2006
monkecatcher asked to be skipped as well, so I've PMed dg7500
9/26 - Arrived safely! I've just begun another bookring, so this one will be next on the reading list, and I hope to get to it by the end of the weekend.
10/16 - After hearing so much about this book, I really wanted to enjoy it, but from the start I had a hard time getting into the storyline. I skimmed through a bit of the beginning, and did find the plotline about the grandparents rather interesting, but the book as a whole just didn't hold my attention. After dragging my feet for several weeks (and only making it about half-way through), I finally decided to just call it quits and move it along so someone else can have a chance at it. Too many great books to be read to spend anymore time forcing myself to try to finish it.
10/16 - After hearing so much about this book, I really wanted to enjoy it, but from the start I had a hard time getting into the storyline. I skimmed through a bit of the beginning, and did find the plotline about the grandparents rather interesting, but the book as a whole just didn't hold my attention. After dragging my feet for several weeks (and only making it about half-way through), I finally decided to just call it quits and move it along so someone else can have a chance at it. Too many great books to be read to spend anymore time forcing myself to try to finish it.
Journal Entry 15 by 
dg7500
at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 17, 2006
dg7500 at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (10/17/2006 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Wolfprincess asked to be skipped, so the book is on it's way to FeralReader. Enjoy!
Wolfprincess asked to be skipped, so the book is on it's way to FeralReader. Enjoy!
Middlesex arrived in my mailbox today. Looking forward to reading it; thanks, taaza and dg7500!
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, with its unique premise, excellent writing, and far-ranging sociological, historical, and cultural exploration. A great balance of tragedy, comedy, private and public joy and anguish. One of the best novels I've read in a long time. I'm so glad I had the chance to read it through this book ring. Thanks again!
Packaged up to go to its next reader this week. Bon Voyage!
Packaged up to go to its next reader this week. Bon Voyage!
Received this in the mail yesterday. Unfortunately, I have two other bookring in front of this but, fortunately it looks like I’m last on the list before it returns home. I will read and return it home as soon as possible.
Just starting reading this one. Very interesting and a different twist from what I have been reading. I'll write more after I have finished the book.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style – 1st/3rd person. The twist of the 3rd person (all knowing) made it not feel like a diary. I liked the sprinkling of history throughout this book. I kept looking at the back cover to see if it was a biography, because the characters came to life to for me, and the story seemed plausible. I would recommend this book for something a little different.
It will be on it’s way back home in tomorrow’s mail.
It will be on it’s way back home in tomorrow’s mail.
My first bookring is back from its year long journey (and in better shape than I thought!) I may start another bookring with this soon. Thank you to all who have participated!
Available for the asking . . .
This will be my third time entering this book. Not this specific one, but Middlesex. I will release this one, since I love this book.
that was fast,See this was originaly registered in my home state.Ah Madison,will be there again soon for a visit.
Heard a lot about this before reading.Did not live up to the expectations.A good read,just not a great one;Enjoyed the virgin suicides more.
Journal Entry 27 by oldreader at Kaiser Radiation onocology center behind Galleris in Roseville, California USA on Thursday, March 26, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (3/26/2009 UTC) at Kaiser Radiation onocology center behind Galleris in Roseville, California USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
you have found a bookcrossing book.This is a free site that tracks the books as they travel.Please journal this when you find it and after reading.
You may remain anonymous.
left on table in lobby
you have found a bookcrossing book.This is a free site that tracks the books as they travel.Please journal this when you find it and after reading.
You may remain anonymous.
left on table in lobby
