Breath

by Tim Winton | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: Global Overview for this book
Registered by Laui of Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on 6/9/2009
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Laui from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, June 9, 2009
From the cover:
"Bruce Pike can hear the sea at night and longs to go to the shore. When he befriends Loonie, his small town's wild boy, that dream is realized. Together, intoxicated by the treacherous power of the waves and by the immortality of youth, the two boys defy all limits and rules. Pikelet learns what it is to be extraordinary, feels exhiliration for the very first time, and -caught up in love and friendship and an erotic current he cannot resist- he understands the true meaning of fear. These are experiences that will far outlast his adolescence. How, then, to mask the emptiness of leaving such intensity behind?"

"An absorbing, powerful and deeply beautiful novel"- Observer
"A love letter to the sea and a moving coming-of-age story... Rapturous" Sunday Telegraph
"Breath has the sensibility and reach of an epic" Scotland on Sunday
"Full of fizz and a vital poetry of sun, sand, sea and air" Independent on Sunday
"Breath has the urgent clarity of a story that needed to be told" Guardian
"If you read one book this summer make it Breath" Mariella Frostrup (this is the one that made me buy it)

My opinion: a very good and gripping read. I was drawn to every next word, sentence and page. It felt as if a big black storm cloud was hovering over the story, and I just really had to find out if it would rain, hail or snow. My gut feeling wasn't really right, but not really far off either. It was a joy to read and I will definitely look out for more books by Tim Winton. It's breath taking...

My favorite quote: 'Being afraid, said Sando. Proves you're alive and awake.' (page 132)

(author's website)

Journal Entry 2 by Laui from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, June 9, 2009
International bookring:
Tsjara NL (prefers EU shipping)
kizmiaz PT (prefers EU shipping)
conto PT (int'l shipping ok)
Jonniboi UK (prefers UK shipping)
deludeddaydream UK (int'l shipping ok) *skip*
arturogrande UK (int'l shipping ok)
DeeKay57 AU (int'l shipping ok)
Davis59 AU (int'l shipping ok)
Rrrcaron US (US shipping)
easterngirl71 US (prefers US shipping) <-- now here!
Oldbroad US (int'l shipping ok)
MmeClinton US (int'l shipping ok)
...
Back to me!

Some rules:
1. When you receive the book please ensure that you journal it.
2. Read it as soon as you can, if you take longer than 1 month, please keep us all informed by posting a new entry or sending me a PM to inform me (either way I get an e-mail and I know what's up with the book).
3. When you've finished reading it, make a journal entry and contact the next person on the list.
4. If no response is received after two attempts, contact me and the next person on the list.
5. When you send the book on please make a journal entry or release note.

Journal Entry 3 by Laui at Bookring, Book Ring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, June 19, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (6/19/2009 UTC) at Bookring, Book Ring -- Controlled Releases

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Handing it over to the first reader today.

Journal Entry 4 by Tsjara from Zaandam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, June 19, 2009
Thank you Laui! I look forward to reading this one. I've only read Cloudstreet (bookring) by Tim Winton, which was really good.

Het was leuk je te ontmoeten :)

Journal Entry 5 by Tsjara from Zaandam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, July 2, 2009
I finished it a few days ago and enjoyed it very much. It's a powerful story and a great read. I just couldn't put it down and finished it in a few days (when I was supposed to be studying for exams :p).
It was also easier to read than Cloudstreet, I think, which had a lot of Australian slang in it (or maybe it's because I'm already used to the writing style?).

Thanks Laui for sharing!

Journal Entry 6 by Tsjara at Heiloo, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, July 2, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (7/2/2009 UTC) at Heiloo, Noord-Holland Netherlands

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Now on it's way to Kizmiaz.

Happy reading!

Journal Entry 7 by kizmiaz from Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Monday, July 6, 2009
Just got it, thanks Tsjara.
I'll get to it as soon as I finish my current reading.

Journal Entry 8 by kizmiaz from Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Friday, July 17, 2009
This book made it official for me, Tim Winton is one hell of a writer!
The way the story unravels, the characters, the plot, the writing style and so on and so forth, it’s just amazing, a really exhilarating experience, like riding Old Smoky I guess.
I was hooked from the start and just couldn’t put it down.
That sadness that hovers above the story and the way it keeps building in the background just waiting for a break to jump up makes the whole reading experience even better; at least it did so for me.
Pikelet is a sad and brave character and this story is a brilliant take on that old, used and abused coming-of-age theme. It isn’t all roses, but then again it never is.
This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I’ll be making sure I find my way to the rest of them.
I’ll be sending it along to conto soon.

Journal Entry 9 by conto from Lisboa (city), Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Sunday, July 26, 2009
It's with me now. Thanks a lot Laui, for the chance to read this one and thank you too K, for passing it along. ;-)

Journal Entry 10 by conto from Lisboa (city), Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A great book and a page turner.
But all was said in the previous JEs and I agree with them all in every detail. What more can be said?
I'll be reading more from Tim Winton no doubt.

Thanks a lot Laui, for taking me in.
It'll be heading soon to Jonniboi, who's out till late August but left a message at the profile page asking that whoever wants to send a ring/ray to get the address from rabck.com and so it'll be done.

27/08/2009 - Sent only today to match the dates on Jonniboi's profile.

Journal Entry 11 by JonniC from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, September 3, 2009
Thank you Conto, it came unexpectably today, so I enjoyed the surprise, I have a few bookrings/rays to get through, but I'll get to this soon and read it, I'm a quick reader so shouldn't take me long. Thank you Laui for including me!

Journal Entry 12 by JonniC from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Monday, October 5, 2009
2 things...

1st: I'm sorry but I'm going to have to keep this for a while longer, I'll try my best to finish it as soon as I can. I know I've had it for a month now, and I know that is a really long time, but I haven't had much time, but don't worry, I will come to finishing it soon!

2nd: Deludeddaydream has decided she wanted to be skipped, so I'm going to have to get in contact with the next person in line which I shall do later on!

Journal Entry 13 by JonniC from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I enjoyed this book, it's really gripping and a page-turner! I had a problem with the fact that speech marks was missing, but I got used to it after a while!

Will send off sometime, but not sure when sorry for keeping it so long, but my college work put me behind!

Journal Entry 14 by JonniC at Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/4/2009 UTC) at Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom

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Sent off to next person in line, sorry about the wait! And thank you to everyone who was patient with me!

Journal Entry 15 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, November 14, 2009
Thanks very much - I've been inundated with rings, but I'll try not to hold this one up for too long.

Journal Entry 16 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, January 23, 2010
First let me apologise for stalling this ring for so long. I had a lot of ring and ray books come all at once, and then Christmas and New Year got in the way... It's no excuse, I know, and I'm very sorry.
I've been sending some rings and rays on without having read them so as not to hold things up for too long, but I'm so glad I didn't do that with Breath.
It must be one of the best books I've read for a long time, and much better than Cloudstreet, which baffled me somewhat.
I too was absolutely gripped by it and could not put it down.
I agree about the sense of something dreadful hanging over the story, just waiting to break over Pikelet and the rest of the characters.
Thanks for sharing - I'm just waiting for an address from DeeKay57 before sending it on its way to - very fittingly - Australia.

Journal Entry 17 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, January 31, 2010
On its way to DeeKay57. Apologies again for having held it up for so long.

Journal Entry 18 by DeeKay57 from Tweed Heads, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 10, 2010
arrived safe and sound today....thanx heaps!

Journal Entry 19 by DeeKay57 from Tweed Heads, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, March 18, 2010
thoroughly enjoyed this book, took it on a journey with me to Vanuatu, Santo and Vila, which it entertained me as I rested and checked the view of the Pacific Ocean.....

living on the eastern coast and knowing a few surfers and listening to their experiences it was great to understand their enjoyment of the fear of 'The Wave'

now on its way .......have tried the next two recipients but due to either being away or not replying I am trying easterngirl71

Journal Entry 20 by DeeKay57 at Banora Point, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, April 15, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (4/10/2010 UTC) at Banora Point, New South Wales Australia

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off to America to Easterngirl71.....enjoy!

Journal Entry 21 by easterngirl71 from Alton, Illinois USA on Friday, April 23, 2010
Got this book! It will be a short bit before I can reed it as I have other ring/rays to read and get sent on as they showed up first. I will read this book as soon as I possibly can and get it moving! Will probably be taking it on vacation with me. I always go to my hometown for my summer vacation and will be leaving May 11th and returning to IL. July 15th this book will go with me on vacation and I will get it sent to the next person as soon as I can. Thanks for letting me join this ring:)

Journal Entry 22 by wingAnonymousFinderwing at Grapeview, Washington USA on Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Received the book today and will read as soon as I can. Thanks for including me!

Journal Entry 23 by Oldbroad at Grapeview, Washington USA on Friday, October 29, 2010
I agree with others that this is a compelling, very well written novel. I found myself thinking about the characters when I stopped reading, and couldn't wait to get back to them.

I'm disturbed by the book''s over all message, though, if I've understood it correctly. It seems to me to be saying that striving to be extraordinary is a form of hubris, for which mortals will be punished by tawdry death or madness. I don't think Pikelet deserved the fate the author has given him; instead, I would have given him points for trying.

I've PMd the next person on the list and will mail the book off as soon as I hear back from her.

Still, a great read and I will look for other books by Tim Winton.

Journal Entry 24 by wingMmeClintonwing at South Berwick, Maine USA on Wednesday, November 3, 2010
THis book has just arrived in the mail; I have two books to finish before I can get to it, but still I should be able to finish it sometime in November! I had forgotten all about it, so it is a nice surprise! Will pm Laui to see if she truly wants it mailed back afterwards!

Journal Entry 25 by wingMmeClintonwing at South Berwick, Maine USA on Monday, December 13, 2010
I knew I was the last one in the ring, but still I didn't mean to keep it so long; I think my workplace is requiring twice as much as it used to; my total number of books read this year is way below my norm! At any rate, nothing was going to stop me finishing it this morning. After working from 8 a.m to 6?30 p.m. at school yesterday, I decided I was just not going to do any more school work until I had time to finish this novel! It truly did grow on me. I had to get used to the Australian slang, as well as lots of surfing specific descriptions, but of course, the tale is much more than a young boy's introduction and obsession with surfing.... it was intriguing to have it start out the way it did, tantalizing the reader to figure out why this guy (now older) knows that the young boy's death was not a suicide (he has become an emergency responder)... but I certainly didn't expect the answer which came later in the book. I felt the descriptions of being left out and ordinary were very heart-warming; the hints that this is the human condition for most people is right on, as well as the acknowledgment that every life can be extreme if you allow yourself to really feel (i.e., you don't have to tempt death to feel beauty). ****spoiler alert**** I do wonder how widespread is the phenomenon of risking strangulation for heightened sexual response.... I first encountered this in the beginning of one of my favorite films of all time (Peter O'Toole in THe Ruling Class) and thought it was proof of an imbalanced mind! Now I wonder how much urge we all have to be lost from the sensation of being alive so that we don't fear the reality of death. I will now send this lovely book home to the Netherlands and hope it can be read by others; it is amazing what relatively good shape it is in after travelling the world for the past 18 months.

Journal Entry 26 by Laui at Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Friday, December 31, 2010
It's back home (actually it arrived somewhere last week...)! Thank you all for participating and keeping the ring going. And thank you Mme Clinton for the lovely Christmas card!

Regarding the strangulation sex: it does happen. In my profession you do see strange things, including this. I have no idea how often it occurs, but it's more common place than I initially thought.

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