Runaway
This book is in a Controlled Release!
2 journalers for this copy...
Lurking in the back of one of my cupboards was this second copy (actually first - I had forgotten I had it) of this book. From a sticker that I pulled off I see that I bought it at one of Borders' 3-for-2 sales.
My review of the other copy:
What a treasure chest! I hope that the only reason others have given this specific book a miss is that they already read it [the first copy was registered by someone else and passed over by yet another bookcrosser].
Munro's characters, all women, inhabit different parts of Canada and the U.S. at varying times of their lives. One specific character is the subject of several of these stand-alone short stories, each story offering a different time for her, different events, different perceptions.
One character, now elderly, says her children hope that she has not taken to Living in the Past.
But what she believes she is doing, what she wants to do if she can get the time to do it, is not so much to live in the past as to open it up and get one good look at it.
This may in fact be the overarching theme of the book. Different women, different times of their lives, trying to make sense. In the stories' one-word titles there do appear to be other themes as well: Runaway, Chance, Soon, Silence, Passion, Trespasses, Tricks, Powers.
In these glimpses at these lives we gain so much. It is like eating a beautifully-prepared meal, healthy as well as delicious, so delicious it is difficult to stop eating. Munro is able to convey how it feels to be the odd one out, the one who is loved and the ones who are not, the one who steals a bit of passion at the wrong time, the one who is the victim of ironic fate, the one who keeps grasping for the right thing to do. They are all strong women, all women whose inner lives are at least the equal of the outer. And while they may harbor feelings of guilt at times they are generally unapologetic.
I had some particular favorites. "Tricks" is a jewel, brightly polished, straightforward in its way, yet also brimming over with sidelights. The series of stories about Juliet were like a full-length novel, everything in place. "Passion" simply made me gasp.
Most of all, I connected with these women in one way or another. At times the connection was so strong it hit me in the stomach. Other times I simply delighted in them and their actions and thoughts.
Munro is a master of the short story, the equal or superior, as others have said, of Chekhov, of Joyce, of one of my other favorites, Margaret Atwood, also Canadian. I look forward to reading more of her work.
My review of the other copy:
What a treasure chest! I hope that the only reason others have given this specific book a miss is that they already read it [the first copy was registered by someone else and passed over by yet another bookcrosser].
Munro's characters, all women, inhabit different parts of Canada and the U.S. at varying times of their lives. One specific character is the subject of several of these stand-alone short stories, each story offering a different time for her, different events, different perceptions.
One character, now elderly, says her children hope that she has not taken to Living in the Past.
But what she believes she is doing, what she wants to do if she can get the time to do it, is not so much to live in the past as to open it up and get one good look at it.
This may in fact be the overarching theme of the book. Different women, different times of their lives, trying to make sense. In the stories' one-word titles there do appear to be other themes as well: Runaway, Chance, Soon, Silence, Passion, Trespasses, Tricks, Powers.
In these glimpses at these lives we gain so much. It is like eating a beautifully-prepared meal, healthy as well as delicious, so delicious it is difficult to stop eating. Munro is able to convey how it feels to be the odd one out, the one who is loved and the ones who are not, the one who steals a bit of passion at the wrong time, the one who is the victim of ironic fate, the one who keeps grasping for the right thing to do. They are all strong women, all women whose inner lives are at least the equal of the outer. And while they may harbor feelings of guilt at times they are generally unapologetic.
I had some particular favorites. "Tricks" is a jewel, brightly polished, straightforward in its way, yet also brimming over with sidelights. The series of stories about Juliet were like a full-length novel, everything in place. "Passion" simply made me gasp.
Most of all, I connected with these women in one way or another. At times the connection was so strong it hit me in the stomach. Other times I simply delighted in them and their actions and thoughts.
Munro is a master of the short story, the equal or superior, as others have said, of Chekhov, of Joyce, of one of my other favorites, Margaret Atwood, also Canadian. I look forward to reading more of her work.
Reserved for possible paperbackswap trade.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
It's going to a local bookcrossing meeting.
It's going to a local bookcrossing meeting.
I picked this up at a mini meetup, love short stories and Munro is a master storyteller, should be a good read!
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
If you found this book while in the area of San Luis Obispo, CA. feel free to come by and check out Joe Mommas which houses our bookshelf! We also hold our local meetups on the first Tuesday of each month at 5pm there, please come join the fun! The books on the shelf are free to for you to read, enjoy and pass along to another!
I had a huge amount of books I wanted to pass along so I invited a couple of local bookcrossers over to browse my available books...glad to see they are going to someone else to read and enjoy...happy travels little book!
"A book is a mysterious object, I said, and once it floats out into the world, anything can happen. All kinds of mischief can be caused, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. For better or worse, it's completely out of your control."
Paul Auster
If you found this book while in the area of San Luis Obispo, CA. feel free to come by and check out Joe Mommas which houses our bookshelf! We also hold our local meetups on the first Tuesday of each month at 5pm there, please come join the fun! The books on the shelf are free to for you to read, enjoy and pass along to another!
I had a huge amount of books I wanted to pass along so I invited a couple of local bookcrossers over to browse my available books...glad to see they are going to someone else to read and enjoy...happy travels little book!
"A book is a mysterious object, I said, and once it floats out into the world, anything can happen. All kinds of mischief can be caused, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. For better or worse, it's completely out of your control."
Paul Auster
