Journal Entry 1 by ApoloniaX from Bremen, Bremen Germany on Thursday, August 06, 2009

On the heels of his critically acclaimed Cloud Atlas (2004), frequent Booker Prize nominee Mitchell has left behind complicated literary constructions for this beautiful, stripped-down coming-of-age story. Our 13-year-old narrator, Jason Taylor, lives in Worcestershire's Black Swan Green with his sister and his parents. Jason suffers from a stammer, and in order to keep above the bottom rung of the social ladder, he must go to extravagant lengths to avoid using stammer words (some days those that start with n; other days, s). And he must live in the wake of his brilliant sister and mediate between his parents. The anxieties and excitements of boyhood are captured extraordinarily well here. Some will argue that Jason doesn't sound 13 (he certainly has, per day, a lot more arrestingly beautiful thoughts than does your average 13-year-old), but the narrative voice is consistent, and readers will come to believe it. Indeed, it is Mitchell's brilliant ability to reproduce internal monologue that makes this story so mesmerizing. He reproduces Jason's inner life with such astonishing verisimilitude that readers will find themselves haunted by him long after turning the last page. (from Booklist) 

Journal Entry 2 by ApoloniaX from Bremen, Bremen Germany on Thursday, August 06, 2009

Journal Entry 3 by ApoloniaX at sent by mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (8/26/2009 UTC) at sent by mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

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Journal Entry 4 by raeliz64 from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Received today, thanks very much. (And thank you for the labels too.) 

Journal Entry 5 by raeliz64 from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, September 19, 2009

Oh I really enjoyed this one! Beautifully written, although I found some of the bits about bullying very painful to read. David Mitchell has early adolescence exactly right, this is how it is/was. My only criticism, if that is the right word, is that very occasionally I was reminded of Adrian Mole which didn't sit very well.
I will be posting on to Mafarrimond some time next week. 

Journal Entry 6 by raeliz64 from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Posted to mafarrimond today. 

Journal Entry 7 by mafarrimond from Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Monday, September 28, 2009

Received today. Really looking forward to reading this. 

Journal Entry 8 by mafarrimond from Hawarden, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 06, 2009

I became engrossed in this book from the outset. There were a couple of times I felt a little disppointed - I thought the old lady in the woods and also the interaction with the gypsies were going to develop into something more. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

PM sent to hyper7 to confirm the address befor posting. 

Journal Entry 9 by mafarrimond at Secunda, Mpumalanga South Africa on Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (10/6/2009 UTC) at Secunda, Mpumalanga South Africa

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Posting on to hyper7. Hope you enjoy the book. 

Journal Entry 10 by hyper7 from Secunda, Mpumalanga South Africa on Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Got it, I have 1 book in the queue ahead of this one.
Cloud Atlas was pretty good, so I am looking forward to this one.
Thanks for sharing!
 

Journal Entry 11 by hyper7 from Secunda, Mpumalanga South Africa on Saturday, November 21, 2009

Well, that was ace! No really, I very much enjoyed this book. Better than Cloud Atlas, I think.
Thank you very much for sharing! Off to the next person, as soon as I have her address.

"The world never stops unmaking what the world never stops making. But who says the world has to make sense?"
 

Journal Entry 12 by hyper7 at Waikiki, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (11/24/2009 UTC) at Waikiki, Western Australia Australia

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Off it goes. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 13 by Karli from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Friday, December 04, 2009

Thanks hyper7, I was very happy to receive this book today. I look forward to getting stuck into it! 

Journal Entry 14 by Karli from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Sunday, January 03, 2010

This is the best novel I have read by David Mitchell. I really enjoyed the main character, and I like that I got to follow the same story through for the whole length of the novel (unlike other novels where David Mitchell chops and changes).

I will be posting this book to the US as soon as I receive the next postal address. 

Journal Entry 15 by Karli at Brooklyn, a postal release -- Controlled Releases on Monday, January 04, 2010

Released 3 yrs ago (1/5/2010 UTC) at Brooklyn, a postal release -- Controlled Releases

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I'm posting this to elissamay, because trojanpotato has already got hold of a copy of Black Swan Green. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 16 by elissamay from Brooklyn, New York USA on Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Got this in the mail today all the way from Australia! Thank you! 

Journal Entry 17 by elissamay at Brooklyn, New York USA on Thursday, June 24, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (6/23/2010 UTC) at Brooklyn, New York USA

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LOVED THIS! What a fantastic read! Thanks so much for the chance to read it... put in the mail for sarradee today. 

Journal Entry 18 by sarradee at Dallas, Texas USA on Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Arrived safely today. 

Journal Entry 19 by sarradee at Dallas, Texas USA on Tuesday, July 20, 2010

This book reminded me a lot of the Adrian Mole series even though it wasn't in diary form, it was paced similarly. I think David Mitchell captured the angst of adolescence very believably, even if his protagonist Jason seems somewhat old for his years.

I've sent a pm to Nancynova to see if she's still interested in reading and will get it passed on as soon as I can.


 

Journal Entry 20 by sarradee at Dallas, Texas USA on Friday, July 23, 2010

Will be mailing to Nancynova in tomorrow's post. 

Journal Entry 21 by NancyNova at Lansdale, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, July 30, 2010

rec'd today and added to the TBR first shelf. Not much ahead of it, but will probably delay starting it until after the California wedding, so it doesn't get lost in THAT transit. Will j/e again when I start - and I just sent leodog a ray, so I already have her addy - but will check that she didn't get her own copy first! 

Journal Entry 22 by NancyNova at Lansdale, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, August 12, 2010

Starting today on the commute home 

Journal Entry 23 by NancyNova at Lansdale, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, August 14, 2010

I tried on 3 train rides, but couldn't get past the Brit diction, to really enjoy the book. Sending along to leoDog tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 24 by NancyNova at Haymarket, Virginia USA on Saturday, August 14, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (8/14/2010 UTC) at Haymarket, Virginia USA

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Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 25 by leodog58 at Haymarket, Virginia USA on Tuesday, August 17, 2010

just got this in the mail today... 

Journal Entry 26 by leodog58 at Haymarket, Virginia USA on Monday, August 30, 2010

I thought this book was just fabulous. As I am the last on the Ray list, I will wild release it soon... 

Journal Entry 27 by leodog58 at Haymarket, Virginia USA on Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Mailing this out to judygreeneyes today. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 28 by judygreeneyes at San Diego, California USA on Monday, September 27, 2010

I caught this book by mail, thanks so much!! I can't wait to read it, having already read "Cloud Atlas" and "Ghostwritten".