Journal Entry 1 by kinedi from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, May 23, 2011

Families are not simply made up of blood relations; this Ann Patchett understands better than most. John Nickel used to be a jazz drummer, but now runs a bar in Memphis, Tennessee; the mother of his son has taken the boy away, to unimaginable Florida; Nickel is left to find family where he can. What he finds are the Tafts: Fay and Carl, sister and brother, adrift in Memphis after the death of their father, the Taft of the title. Nickel gives Fay a job as a waitress; twice her age, black when she is white, he is torn by the nature of his feelings for her, drifting uneasily as they do between fatherly and sensual

Christian Aid Book Sale 2011 

Journal Entry 2 by kinedi at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, June 27, 2011

Interestingly written - author, white female - main character, black man. Set in Memphis so lots of recognisable places for me, love the music scene so I could really picture this novel in mind. Good well chosen characters and an interesting storyline 

Journal Entry 3 by kinedi at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, July 21, 2011

Released 10 mos ago (7/23/2011 UTC) at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Nu-Knees. Happy reading :o) 

Journal Entry 4 by Nu-Knees at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Thank you, kinedi. When I read my first Ann Patchett novel last year, she immediately became a new favourite author and I added all her titles to my Wish List. Thank you for spotting and fulfilling this particular wish for me :-) Some books arrive at exactly the right time. I've just finished what I was reading, so I'm going to start this one straightaway - even though there are over a hundred other books hanging around the house waiting for my attention .... 

Journal Entry 5 by Nu-Knees at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 28, 2011

I don't know what to write about this. It's well written and sucks you in and by the end I was totally involved with what was happening and why - but somehow I read the first hundred pages or so rather like an anthropologist studying an alien culture ....
Thank you again, kinedi, for an interesting reading experience! 

Journal Entry 6 by Nu-Knees at York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Released 9 mos ago (8/10/2011 UTC) at York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To be offered to tree-hugger who may well have some thoughts on who might want to read it even if she thinks she has too many books waiting to be read herself 

Journal Entry 7 by tree-hugger at York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, August 21, 2011

Thanks very much for this Kinedi & Nu-Knees. I can't promise I'll get to it straight away. 

Journal Entry 8 by tree-hugger at York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, December 18, 2011

I just read this in a jury waiting room whilst doing my jury service. I didn't get as swept up in it as I expected, but actually I think that says more about my agitated state of mind waiting for trials to come up, rather than about the book. It's pretty good, I think. The characters are interesting, expecially the girl, and the atmosphere of the bar comes across very strongly. 

Journal Entry 9 by tree-hugger at The Old Shades, Whitehall in London , Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, January 28, 2012

Released 3 mos ago (2/4/2012 UTC) at The Old Shades, Whitehall in London , Greater London United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

A bunch of us bookcrossers will be meeting up on Saturday and I'll be taking this book with me. 

Journal Entry 10 by ardachy at City of Westminster, Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, February 05, 2012

Picked up at the meet-up at The Old Shades in Whitehall and added to 'mount to be read'.  

Journal Entry 11 by ardachy at Colchester, Essex United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I very much agree with Nu-Knees on this one. It is well written and sucks you in and does seem to be about an alien culture in parts. Thanks for bringing it along to The Old Shades tree-hugger, I look forward to seeing you again at the convention in Dublin.
 

Journal Entry 12 by ardachy at The Layer Fox Pub in Layer de la Haye, Essex United Kingdom on Thursday, March 15, 2012

Released 2 mos ago (3/15/2012 UTC) at The Layer Fox Pub in Layer de la Haye, Essex United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

On the OBCZ shelf if not taken during monthly meet-up.