Journal Entry 1 by gategrl from Wallingford, Connecticut USA on Wednesday, April 16, 2003

To Be Read. 

Journal Entry 2 by gategrl from Wallingford, Connecticut USA on Monday, April 28, 2003

I was ready to ship this out to AnitaNovel and decided to start reading it as I sat with my mother in the nursing home. When I left for awhile my sister picked it up and she started reading it. She finished it the same day and I finished it the next day. My sister and I loved the book and I enjoyed discussing it with her. Not something we usually do , even though we both love books. ( No mention of the little red shoes on the cover, tho.) I only wish my sister had a computer so she could journal her reading of it. I will be mailing this to AnitaNovel May 5,2003 

Journal Entry 3 by AnitaNovel from Chicago, Illinois USA on Monday, May 12, 2003

Received on 5/12/03 in a kind act of RABCK from gategrl!  

Journal Entry 4 by AnitaNovel from Chicago, Illinois USA on Sunday, June 01, 2003

What an amazing book. Two teenagers from professional families are shipped off for re-education to a primative village during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. I had expected this book to be a bitter recollection of wasted youth and promise. Instead it was like the male version of Lucy and Ethel go off for re-education. The humor and devotion to making the best of the short end of the stick in the worst conditions makes me love this book. The miserable flavor of what it might have been like to be these two fellows comes through, but the youthful bravery and comic approach is what stays with me. According to the blurb on the book about the author he too was swept off for re-education. The tone he takes in this book makes me want to adopt his attitude and shining humor toward my own (WAY less challenging than re-education in a Communist country) painful episodes. Beautiful book.  

Journal Entry 5 by hootnoodle from Olympia, Washington USA on Monday, June 09, 2003

The book arrived today. I'm really looking forward to reading it, probably this next weekend. Thanks so much, AnitaNovel!

(Good thing you used a lot of packing tape for mailing. The corners of the package were ripped up to the tape, but the book didn't get damaged at all). 

Journal Entry 6 by hootnoodle from Olympia, Washington USA on Thursday, July 24, 2003

I lent this book to my mother who read and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll read it soon, then pass it along to Kernow8. 

Journal Entry 7 by hootnoodle from Olympia, Washington USA on Sunday, August 03, 2003

I read the book in one sitting last night. Wonderful! Thank you so much, gategrl and AnitaNovel. It is going out in the mail tomorrow to Kernow8 in Virginia. 

Journal Entry 8 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, August 10, 2003

I just returned from vacation and found this waiting for me. It looks wonderful - I will certainly pass it on when I've finished with it! Thanks hootnoodle! 

Journal Entry 9 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 02, 2003

No, I haven't read it yet, but when I have I will be passing it on to illinicheme... 

Journal Entry 10 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 23, 2003

I loved this book! The ending was very surprising though and took away most of the affection I'd developed for the narrator. (I won't give it away, but it would upset most BookCrossers!) However, the book will probably stay in my mind even longer because of this shocking ending!

I now want to read all of those books they found - especially the Count of Monte Cristo (which I've never read but have watched several episodes of a superb Gerard Depardieu TV serialisation, which I must also acquire in full to watch *after* reading the book) so I'm going to do some work on my wish list before sending the book on to illinicheme.

Thanks everyone for sharing this book - and hootnoodle, Bel Canto (my part of the trade we did for this book) is at last in the mail to you! Thanks for being so patient! 

Journal Entry 11 by Kernow8 from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Thursday, September 25, 2003

Mailed to illinicheme today. The postcard inside came from hootnoodle when I received the book from her - I would have added one myself but haven't got round to getting a supply of postcards of local scenes yet! Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 12 by illinicheme from Novato, California USA on Saturday, September 27, 2003

Arrived today. Thanks Kernow8! Looking forward to reading and then passing on. 

Journal Entry 13 by illinicheme from Novato, California USA on Wednesday, December 10, 2003

This was a delightful little book, though the ending took me by surprise. I felt that it was out of character, but when I remembered that the main characters were only 18-ish, it seemed more realistic.

I'm sending this out as a bookray.

Mailing order: (red = currently has book, blue = read and passed on)
amymehta (Texas)
Enidq (Illinois)
sejent (Kentucky)
prplpec (Georgia) - skipped
smiely (Florida)
lucycat (UK)
xanapeq (Portugal) - skipped
trygvasson (Germany) - skipped (found another copy)
apapsa (Greece)
Zarylia (Poland)
Secotyne (Switzerland)
symphonicca (Canada) - needs US/Canada shipping only 

Journal Entry 14 by amymehta from Torrance, California USA on Tuesday, December 16, 2003

I just finished this book. It was cute and informative, but I was a bit disappointed. From all the great things I heard about it, I was expecting more. I hope the next person enjoys it more...I sent it out on 12/30/03.

Amy 

Journal Entry 15 by Enidq on Saturday, January 03, 2004

Journal Entry 16 by Enidq on Saturday, January 24, 2004

Journal Entry 17 by sejent from Louisville, Kentucky USA on Thursday, February 05, 2004

Received in today's mail...will start reading soon and will journal again when I have finished. 

Journal Entry 18 by sejent from Louisville, Kentucky USA on Friday, April 02, 2004

A touching tale.

prplpec wants to be skipped, so I am sending to smiely in Gainesville, FL. 

Journal Entry 19 by smiely from Gainesville, Florida USA on Monday, April 12, 2004

Received as part of a book ray.

 

Journal Entry 20 by lucycat from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Thanks so much for sending this my way - it arrived on Thursday last week, but I've had extremely limited internet access since then! Never let it be said that I'll let a good book stand idle, though - as it was such a very fast read, Olliebear (a fellow bookcrosser and my partner-in-crime) has also used the opportunity to sneak in a quick read. :O)

We both absolutely loved it! For one of my most eagerly-anticipated reads, I half-expected it to be a bit of a let down, but it was just gorgeous - a beautifully detailed and quietly-told story of a world and a time that I know very little about. Completely absorbing, and Zoo and I both commented on how much we *thought* about the book afterwards (and particularly about the little note on p. 111 - anyone know who the author is?)

I sent Xanapeq a PM when the book arrived, but have still not heard anything back, so have PM'd the next reader on the list today - with a bit of luck the book will be on the road (or in the air!) again in the next couple of days.

Thanks again for the opportunity to read such an enjoyable story, and to all those who have gone before for passing it along. :O)

Update 1/7/04

This morning Trygvasson got in touch to say they already have a copy of this, so I'll start trying the next name on the list... 

Journal Entry 21 by apapsa from Athens, Attica Greece on Thursday, July 08, 2004

Just received the book from lucycat and I'm looking forward to reading it. I'll start right away and hopefully the book will move on really soon.
Thanks gategrl for first sharing the book, illinecheme for starting the bookray and lucycat for sending it to me -by the way, I *loved* the beaded bookmark and the postcard :) 

Journal Entry 22 by apapsa from Athens, Attica Greece on Wednesday, July 14, 2004

It really is a great little book. Sweet at times and hard in others... I kept reminding myself that the story takes place in 1971, because it seemed like that province of China was stuck in another century.
It made me wish I could narrate as well as the two main characters. And it *is* a story you want to narrate after you've read it...
There was something I didn't get about the structure of the book (the 3 chapters where 3 different characters spoke in first person). I didn't see why the writer used that "trick" in that particular point of the narration... Was there something I missed? Anyone has any idea?
The book goes to zarylia now... I hope you'll enjoy it :) 

Journal Entry 23 by Zarylia from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Saturday, July 24, 2004

Paynesville/MN/USA - Just got this in the mail from apapsa with a beautiful postcard and an adorable pencil. Thanks so much! Anyway, I've got a couple other books in front of this one but it looks great and I'll try to get to it as soon as I can. :-D 

Journal Entry 24 by Zarylia from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Warsaw/Poland - I just finished the book yesterday. I was one of those lovely 24-hour books that just sucks you into the story right up until the, rather surprising, end. :-D The book was wonderful in that I learned not only the story of the narrators, but about China during the 1970's as well. I'm with apapsa about the 3 chapters that were in 1st person by peopel other than the main narrator. I didn't really think it was a brilliant technique and just found myself wondering why it was there. I actually really enjoyed the ending. I think it sort of made the book, completed the transformation you could say. I could definitely see where others would find it dissapointing though. My one problem with the book was that I just couldn't seem to get at all intersested in Luo. He just seemed a bit shallow to me. Maybe it's because I'm aroung 17/18 year old guys all the time and I'm sick of them. ;-P Anyway, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I thank everyone who passed the book my direction. I've PMed Secotyne and will send the book on once I receive an address. By the way, even though I'm the 12th person to have this book, it looks like it's only been through about 3 people! Very impressive. :-D 

Journal Entry 25 by Zarylia from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Friday, September 17, 2004

Warsaw/Poland - Sent on to Secotyne in Switzerland today. Enjoy! :-D 

Journal Entry 26 by Secotyne from Carouge, Genève Switzerland on Saturday, September 25, 2004

In my mailbox today. Will start it asap.

October 2nd.
I liked this little magic story. I’m also convinced that books can change people.