The Inheritance of Loss
Registered by Miss-Owl on 1/4/2007
17 journalers for this copy...
As my birthday & Christmas are close together, with the resultant accumulated TBR pile, my copy might as well go round the world & come back: )
In other words, this is off on an international ring.
My cover is different but if I put in my real isbn then no cover shows up :( and I like cover pictures on my bookshelf :)
From the blurb:
"In the north-eastern Himalayas, at the foot of Mt Kanchenjunga, in a crumbling isolated house, there lives a cantankerous old judge, who wants nothing more than to retire in peace. But with the arrival of his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, & the son of his chatty cook trying to make his way in the US and stay a step ahead of the immigration services, this is far from easy.
...
"A story of such depth and emotion, hilarity and imagination, rich, beautiful and infinitely wise, The Inheritance of Loss is a glorious second novel from the author of the universally praised Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard."
In other words, this is off on an international ring.
My cover is different but if I put in my real isbn then no cover shows up :( and I like cover pictures on my bookshelf :)
From the blurb:
"In the north-eastern Himalayas, at the foot of Mt Kanchenjunga, in a crumbling isolated house, there lives a cantankerous old judge, who wants nothing more than to retire in peace. But with the arrival of his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, & the son of his chatty cook trying to make his way in the US and stay a step ahead of the immigration services, this is far from easy.
...
"A story of such depth and emotion, hilarity and imagination, rich, beautiful and infinitely wise, The Inheritance of Loss is a glorious second novel from the author of the universally praised Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard."
Here is the mailing order for the bookring:
indygo88 (US --> US)
PaulsBooks (US --> US)
Bug2004 (Omaha, US --> US)
rrrcaron (New Hampshire, US --> international)
ajsmom (Canada --> Canada)
lauraloo29 (Canada --> international)
malagan (The Netherlands --> Europe)
rapturina (The Netherlands --> international)
arturogrande (UK --> international)
RDWirral (UK --> international) - skipped
katayoun (Iran --> international) - skipped
crimson-tide (Aust --> Aust)
BellaMack (Tassie, Aust --> Aust)
MooMoo1977 (Aust --> Aust)
Please journal when you receive the book, when you finish it & after you've sent it. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
The journey begins: 16th January, 2007
indygo88 (US --> US)
PaulsBooks (US --> US)
Bug2004 (Omaha, US --> US)
rrrcaron (New Hampshire, US --> international)
ajsmom (Canada --> Canada)
lauraloo29 (Canada --> international)
malagan (The Netherlands --> Europe)
rapturina (The Netherlands --> international)
arturogrande (UK --> international)
RDWirral (UK --> international) - skipped
katayoun (Iran --> international) - skipped
crimson-tide (Aust --> Aust)
BellaMack (Tassie, Aust --> Aust)
MooMoo1977 (Aust --> Aust)
Please journal when you receive the book, when you finish it & after you've sent it. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
The journey begins: 16th January, 2007
Wow -- that was fast! I've got one bookring book before this one, following my current read, and then I'll dive in. I've heard this is good, so I'm anxious to start!
I tried to like this book -- I really did. And being one of those people who feel that they have to finish a book no matter what, I plodded through until the end. I feel a bit like I'm out of the loop somehow because this book just didn't do it for me, even though it's had many excellent reviews. Many have raved over the beautiful writing....I thought it was okay. But in the end, the story just didn't grip me & I found it just depressing for the most part. I think I wanted the story to go off in a different direction and when it didn't, I was disappointed. The point of view changes frequently in this book, and while I find that refreshing in a lot of cases, it was confusing at times. I do feel as though I learned some political history, but a little more background would've been helpful for a better understanding, I think.
Thank you for including me, Miss-Owl! I already have PaulsBooks' address, so it will be off in the mail tomorrow!
Thank you for including me, Miss-Owl! I already have PaulsBooks' address, so it will be off in the mail tomorrow!
(aka PaulsBooks)
I received ths book! Thanks Miss-Owl and indygo88!
I received ths book! Thanks Miss-Owl and indygo88!
This is an interesting and disturbing story. I found the language poetic but sad. Thanks for sharing this book.
I'm sending this book to Bug2004!
I'm sending this book to Bug2004!
Re'cvd today. Looking forward to reading!! Have 2 in front, but will get to it asap. Thanks for sharing!!!
I really liked this one. The language was lovely and I just really enjoyed the story!! Had me from word one!! ;)
Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Mailed off to rrrcaron on Friday, June 15th.
DC# 0306 2400 0000 2629 9861
Thanks again for sharing!
DC# 0306 2400 0000 2629 9861
Thanks again for sharing!
I received this in the mail today. I have a few to read beforehand, but it won't take long. Ruth
I liked the book, but it wasn't one that I had a hard time putting down. I could only read bits and pieces at a time. I kept hoping that something good would have to happen, yet it never did. I guess the title of the book says it all. Maybe I just haven't been in the right frame of mind for a book like this right now. Anyways, sending it off to the next reader! Thanks for sharing....
Ruth
Ruth
Caught today, thank you!
I think I may need a break from India and region - various fictional titles that I have read over the past year have all been 'good' reads, but depressing. I may have had enough poverty in my fiction for a bit. I thought this book was good, although I'm not sure it merited the Booker Prize, and was extremely puzzled upon finishing to read the critics reviews on the back: one Francisco Goldman claimed it to be "the best, sweetest, most delightful novel I've read in ages". Huh? I found it sad, tragic and a little challenging.
Anyway - I'm glad I read it, if only to learn a little more history. I will PM lauraloo now for an address and have this book on its' way again soon.
Anyway - I'm glad I read it, if only to learn a little more history. I will PM lauraloo now for an address and have this book on its' way again soon.
Journal Entry 14 by ajsmom at controlled release in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (8/28/2007 UTC) at controlled release in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to lauraloo29 this morning.
Sent to lauraloo29 this morning.
Arrived safe and sound today. Thank you.
I have been struggling all weekend with this book. I've managed to read 30 pages. I'm giving up. Not sure what the problem is. I keep re-reading sections. Maybe its jumping around too much for me. Not to worry. I have the next address and it will be on its way next week. :)
Received in the mail today, I am looking forward to reading it!
This book has been with me way to long, it is time for it to go on to the next one on the list. Next week I will put it in the mail
It's here! Thanks for sending it, Malagan! I have a few other bookrings here at the moment (when it rains, it pours!), but I'm a quick reader so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to pass the book on within a reasonable amount of time.
I'm *really* looking forward to starting this book, I've been wanting to read it for a long time. Lets just hope it's as good as I expect it to be! :D
I'm *really* looking forward to starting this book, I've been wanting to read it for a long time. Lets just hope it's as good as I expect it to be! :D
Finished reading this on the train back from work about an hour ago, and I'm not sure whether I liked it as much as I had expected. :D I liked the writing and the way the story was set up and evolved throughout the book, but I just couldn't really connect with any of the characters. So in that respect the story didn't grab me as much as I had expected it would, but I still enjoyed the book.
This book is on the new edition of the "1001 books you must read before you die" list, so now I'm wondering if I should switch to the new edition so I can cross off one more book?! Ah, the dilemmas one faces in life! ;D
Anyway, I have arturogrande's address and will send this book on this weekend.
ETA: Sent a bit later than I planned, on July 8th.
This book is on the new edition of the "1001 books you must read before you die" list, so now I'm wondering if I should switch to the new edition so I can cross off one more book?! Ah, the dilemmas one faces in life! ;D
Anyway, I have arturogrande's address and will send this book on this weekend.
ETA: Sent a bit later than I planned, on July 8th.
Journal Entry 21 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 12, 2008
Arrived safe and sound - thanks very much. I've got a couple of rings ahead of this one, but I'll try to get to it as soon as possible.
Journal Entry 22 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Friday, August 29, 2008
I'm in a bit of a minority of people on this ring who have read the book so far, as I really enjoyed it. The language was beautiful and really evoked the Himalayan landscape and political unrest and I learned quite a bit about that (not too long ago) period in Indian history.
I liked the separate stories, and the fact that none of them resolved themselves in the obvious way.
I'm glad I read this - thanks for sharing, Miss-Owl. It's now on its way to crimson-tide.
I liked the separate stories, and the fact that none of them resolved themselves in the obvious way.
I'm glad I read this - thanks for sharing, Miss-Owl. It's now on its way to crimson-tide.
Journal Entry 23 by 
crimson-tide
from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Friday, September 5, 2008
crimson-tide from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Friday, September 5, 2008
Arrived safely today. Thanks arturogrande for sending it so far back to the land of oz. Shouldn't take me too long to get onto it, I think it's second or third on the list.
Journal Entry 24 by crimson-tide from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
crimson-tide from Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, September 17, 2008
I think this is a great book, and a worthy Booker winner. It's intelligent, interesting, insightful and well written. Also pretty easy to read with the different story lines flowing along and meshing together well. No, it's not an altogether pleasant read; it is depressing in places and sad in places, but I guess life is sorta like that for many who live in or come from a 'third world' country. But the book is not all like that.
I can't say that I 'connected' with (or really liked) any of the characters: in fact I thought the Judge was a totally despicable man, but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating what a great book it is.
Thanks Miss-Owl. BellaMack has asked to be skipped, so I'm just waiting on an address from MooMoo1977.
Update 18th September:
MooMoo1977 already has a copy so is also passing on this one. I'll ask and wait to see if anyone else wants to read it before sending it back home.
Update 5th October:
No further interest, so it's off back home tomorrow.
I can't say that I 'connected' with (or really liked) any of the characters: in fact I thought the Judge was a totally despicable man, but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating what a great book it is.
Thanks Miss-Owl. BellaMack has asked to be skipped, so I'm just waiting on an address from MooMoo1977.
Update 18th September:
MooMoo1977 already has a copy so is also passing on this one. I'll ask and wait to see if anyone else wants to read it before sending it back home.
Update 5th October:
No further interest, so it's off back home tomorrow.
Journal Entry 25 by crimson-tide at Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Monday, October 6, 2008
crimson-tide at Balingup, Western Australia Australia on Monday, October 6, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (10/5/2008 UTC) at Balingup, Western Australia Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posted off back home to Miss-Owl in Sydney; thanks for organising the ring.
Posted off back home to Miss-Owl in Sydney; thanks for organising the ring.
The book's back home now! Thank you to everyone for journalling, sending on, & returning it to me in such a beautiful condition. It is just in time to collide with my usual birthday/Christmas stash again, so perhaps I'll be sending some more books out shortly :)
Reserved for Christmas holiday reading.
Reserved for Christmas holiday reading.
Well, this book had a number of very varied reviews from its bookringers, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Feelgood novel it wasn't, but an intriguing and, at times, captivating read all the same. I think what I liked best were the characterisations - each character rang true to me, from Sai with her naive, tenative first-love passions and fears, to Biju, with the claustrophobic pressure of family and nation able to leap across continents, to the Judge, with his cantankerous old and scabbery memories. I was a little less convinced by Gyan's sudden transitions, in love as well as in war, and some of the writing - cumulation appearing to be a favourite technique) - but Desai's evocation of the realities of life under political instability was a poignant compensation.
Not quite sure where this book will go next. I think I'll offer it up as a bookring again - it's on the 1001 list.
Bookring participants:
Ashleigh4985 (UK)
angelamurdoch (UK)
LittleSuz (UK)
shnedwards (UK)
Caroley (UK)
jellyfish67 (UK)
tqd (Australia)
Usual guidelines apply - please journal when you receive, finish reading & send on, and do please keep the book moving within six weeks so the wait for others is not too long. If there's a delay, please let me know - thank you & happy reading!
Not quite sure where this book will go next. I think I'll offer it up as a bookring again - it's on the 1001 list.
Bookring participants:
Ashleigh4985 (UK)
angelamurdoch (UK)
LittleSuz (UK)
shnedwards (UK)
Caroley (UK)
jellyfish67 (UK)
tqd (Australia)
Usual guidelines apply - please journal when you receive, finish reading & send on, and do please keep the book moving within six weeks so the wait for others is not too long. If there's a delay, please let me know - thank you & happy reading!
Journal Entry 28 by Miss-Owl at bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, February 9, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (2/8/2009 UTC) at bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off on its journey to start ring the second! Happy reading, everyone!
Off on its journey to start ring the second! Happy reading, everyone!
Recieved this morning in the post. I was beginning to get worried that it had got lost but aclly quite like the idea of it coming all the way from australia by boat.
I have just finished my last book so will get started on it soon, hopefully as its a bank holiday weekend i can get stuck into it this weekend.
Thanks a lot Miss Owl!
I have just finished my last book so will get started on it soon, hopefully as its a bank holiday weekend i can get stuck into it this weekend.
Thanks a lot Miss Owl!
That's funny, Ashleigh4985 :)
Another book of mine just arrived in the UK as well - http://bookcrossing.com/journal/6441538
... and Caroley said:
"Is it just me that gets excited to receive a book from the other side of the world?"
... I guess not! Happy reading :)
Another book of mine just arrived in the UK as well - http://bookcrossing.com/journal/6441538
... and Caroley said:
"Is it just me that gets excited to receive a book from the other side of the world?"
... I guess not! Happy reading :)
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Finished this just before the weekend. Not really sure what I thought about it. It kept me interested but didn't seem to have any
proper story. I don't think it would be one I would read again but i liked finding out about a different culture.
Apparently AngelaMurdoch has changed her name to Lidelkiwi but still Couldn't find herso have sent in the post today to LittleSuz.
Happy Reading
xox
Finished this just before the weekend. Not really sure what I thought about it. It kept me interested but didn't seem to have any
proper story. I don't think it would be one I would read again but i liked finding out about a different culture.
Apparently AngelaMurdoch has changed her name to Lidelkiwi but still Couldn't find herso have sent in the post today to LittleSuz.
Happy Reading
xox
Received today - thanks to Ashleigh4985 for sending it on, and to Miss-Owl for starting the ring!
Like others in this ring, I found the language beautiful and the story depressing. I still can't decide whether I really liked it or not. I've read a lot of fun, easygoing books recently so appreciated this more solid novel. However, I struggled to identify with the lead characters. Bijou was the only one who really captured my imagination. I didn't know what to make of Sai. My opinion of her fluctuated from sympathy to irritation.
I will be sending this off to lidlekiwi (angelamurdoch as was) tomorrow.
I will be sending this off to lidlekiwi (angelamurdoch as was) tomorrow.
Hi, the book arrived today thanks!
I havea few bookring books to read.... so it might take a little longer than normal to get to it!
I havea few bookring books to read.... so it might take a little longer than normal to get to it!
I found this book really hard to get into! But I managed to read 100 pages.
I have had this book way to long and I just can't see myself getting the book finished at all! So I am sending it on.
Thank you for sharing this book! But I just don't think this book is my type of book!
Thanks again, sending onto the next reader today.
I have had this book way to long and I just can't see myself getting the book finished at all! So I am sending it on.
Thank you for sharing this book! But I just don't think this book is my type of book!
Thanks again, sending onto the next reader today.
Journal Entry 36 by lidlekiwi at Hammersmith, Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, August 24, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (8/24/2009 UTC) at Hammersmith, Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Will post this book today on my way to the doctor!
Will post this book today on my way to the doctor!
Journal Entry 37 by 
shnedwards
from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 26, 2009
shnedwards from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 26, 2009
It's here! Thanks lidlekiwi for sending on and Miss-Owl for organising the bookring.
I'm in the middle of a fat book at the moment but will start this one as soon as I've finished.
I'm in the middle of a fat book at the moment but will start this one as soon as I've finished.
Journal Entry 38 by shnedwards from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, September 19, 2009
shnedwards from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, September 19, 2009
Finished! I liked the writing very much. Beautiful, evocative stuff. Nice metaphors (the one that stuck in my mind was people in a wedding photo standing "X-ray stiff", but the book is packed with observations like this). But the bigger picture was almost unbearably sad, brutalisation begetting brutalisation, and I was kind of relieved to get to the end. I will be reading something light and comic next.
Thanks again Miss-Owl for sharing. Will contact the next in line and send the book on its way again as soon as I can.
Thanks again Miss-Owl for sharing. Will contact the next in line and send the book on its way again as soon as I can.
Journal Entry 39 by shnedwards from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 29, 2009
shnedwards from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 29, 2009
On its way to Caroley...
Journal Entry 40 by Caroley from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, October 1, 2009
Received today thanks.
I'm just in the middle of a rather chunky book at the moment but will be reading this next.
I'm just in the middle of a rather chunky book at the moment but will be reading this next.
Journal Entry 41 by Caroley from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Monday, October 5, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. It was so descriptive that I could easily visualise the places in the story as I read.
While I found the US part of the book easier to read than the Indian part, I liked the overall atmosphere of the Indian section better so it balanced out.
There were a couple of characters that I felt needed a good shaking and if I had to pick a favourite character it would undoubtedly be Mutt.
Smashing book. Thanks very much for sharing it Miss-Owl.
I have Jellyfish67's address so will get it in the post to her asap.
While I found the US part of the book easier to read than the Indian part, I liked the overall atmosphere of the Indian section better so it balanced out.
There were a couple of characters that I felt needed a good shaking and if I had to pick a favourite character it would undoubtedly be Mutt.
Smashing book. Thanks very much for sharing it Miss-Owl.
I have Jellyfish67's address so will get it in the post to her asap.
Released 14 yrs ago (10/5/2009 UTC) at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posted 2nd class to Jellyfish67
Posted 2nd class to Jellyfish67
Arrived safely on Sat
