A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian
8 journalers for this copy...
324 pages, medium sized paperback
from the back cover:
'Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamourous blonde Ukrainian divorcee. He was eighty-four and she was thirty-six. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water, bringing to the surface a sludge of sloughed-off memories, giving the family ghosts a kick up the backside.'
Sisters Vera and Nadezhda must put aside a lifetime of feuding to save their émigré engineer father from voluptuous gold-digger Valentina. With her proclivity for green satin underwear and boil-in-the-bag cuisine, she will stop at nothing in her pursuit of Western wealth.
But the sisters' campaign to oust Valentina unearths family secrets, uncovers fifty years of Europe's darkest history and sends them back to roots they'd much rather forget...
from the back cover:
'Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamourous blonde Ukrainian divorcee. He was eighty-four and she was thirty-six. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water, bringing to the surface a sludge of sloughed-off memories, giving the family ghosts a kick up the backside.'
Sisters Vera and Nadezhda must put aside a lifetime of feuding to save their émigré engineer father from voluptuous gold-digger Valentina. With her proclivity for green satin underwear and boil-in-the-bag cuisine, she will stop at nothing in her pursuit of Western wealth.
But the sisters' campaign to oust Valentina unearths family secrets, uncovers fifty years of Europe's darkest history and sends them back to roots they'd much rather forget...
I read this in one sitting - a never to-be-repeated mad dash until dawn! I really wanted to read it but wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. It was a little too close to the bone. I thought it might offer me some insight.
I laughed. I squirmed. And I loved it! It is very well written and I'm delighted to see it has been given a spot on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. I'm very glad I read it.
I was falling asleep at the end due to lack of sleep and skimmed a little too much I think, so I'll read this again one day. But I think I'll send it out into the world in the meantime and read it again when it comes back home.
I laughed. I squirmed. And I loved it! It is very well written and I'm delighted to see it has been given a spot on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. I'm very glad I read it.
I was falling asleep at the end due to lack of sleep and skimmed a little too much I think, so I'll read this again one day. But I think I'll send it out into the world in the meantime and read it again when it comes back home.
Journal Entry 3 by Elddau1 at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, October 23, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (10/24/2009 UTC) at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Offering as a bookring amongst the Canberra BookCrossers. When it has reached the last reader please pass back to me.
Happy Reading!
Taken to the October Canberra get-together at King O'Malley's in Civic.
Offering as a bookring amongst the Canberra BookCrossers. When it has reached the last reader please pass back to me.
Happy Reading!
Taken to the October Canberra get-together at King O'Malley's in Civic.
Journal Entry 4 by RosieCanberra from Waramanga, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Saturday, October 24, 2009
Picked up at King O'Malley's at the monthly meet up. Will read and pass on as per bookring.
Journal Entry 5 by RosieCanberra from Waramanga, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wow, what a great book. I thoughly enjoyed it and the characters were extremely well written. Both funny and sad.
Thanks Elddau1
Thanks Elddau1
Bookring:
Taken to Beyond Q bookstore in Curtin, for our extra New Year get-together in January.
Picked up by Iljas to read on his trip to NZ.
Taken to Beyond Q bookstore in Curtin, for our extra New Year get-together in January.
Picked up by Iljas to read on his trip to NZ.
Now back home with me.
Available for more readers as a bookring in Canberra or Auswide.
Available for more readers as a bookring in Canberra or Auswide.
Journal Entry 8 by 
goldenwattle
at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Saturday, June 25, 2011
goldenwattle at Civic, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Saturday, June 25, 2011
Picked up at our monthly BookCrossing meet held this time at King O'Malley's Pub in Civic, ACT. Thank you Elddau1. I was in a Bookray for this book, but now I can remove myself from the list and save the postage.
Journal Entry 9 by goldenwattle at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, July 3, 2011
goldenwattle at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Sunday, July 3, 2011
A funny read. It took a few pages to warm to it though. The father in this story lives in his own little world. He was thoroughly frustrating for his daughters. I liked the writing. It gave the feeling of English spoken by those not born to it. And the observations of human nature were so true.I'll pass it to Needle-n-Thread, and then Kermit58. But it will be returned.
Journal Entry 10 by Needle-n-Thread at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, July 14, 2011
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is a funny story and makes a must read. It is about an elderly gentleman living in Britain, who falls in love with a voluptuous widow with a twelve year old son. He is 84 and the woman is 38. She sees an opportunity to live in England and agrees to marry him. He has a house and some savings. All is well for awhile until she starts spending money and ill treating her husband. His two daughters see through her and do all they can to get her out and save their father. This takes some doing, but they manage it eventually and she is sent packing.
Journal Entry 11 by Elddau1 at Nicholls, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, August 4, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (7/30/2011 UTC) at Nicholls, Australian Capital Territory Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Releasing to goldenwattle
at the July get-together of Canberra BookCrossers at Adore Tea, Federation Square, Nicholls ACT.
Tractors can go on its way out into the wild blue yonder now to spread some tears, laughter and hope. (I'm releasing it from the bookring.)
To the next reader, I hope you enjoy it.
Elddau1
at the July get-together of Canberra BookCrossers at Adore Tea, Federation Square, Nicholls ACT.
Tractors can go on its way out into the wild blue yonder now to spread some tears, laughter and hope. (I'm releasing it from the bookring.)
To the next reader, I hope you enjoy it.
Elddau1
Thank you.
Journal Entry 13 by goldenwattle at Red Cross Blood Bank, Palmer St in Garran, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
goldenwattle at Red Cross Blood Bank, Palmer St in Garran, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (1/11/2012 UTC) at Red Cross Blood Bank, Palmer St in Garran, Australian Capital Territory Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Released in the Red Cross Blood Bank in Garran, ACT.Happy reading, and please write a journal entry so we all can follow its journey.
The book was taken almost as fast as I put it down. I hope you enjoy it and let us know what you thought of it.
This book is released:
In memory of Megi53’s mother
2012 Keep Them Moving Challenge
2012 The Ultimate Challenge
To the finder, enjoy, and I hope you will write a journal entry so that previous readers will know that this book has been found (even anonymously). It is always a joy to find where it has gone. Once you've read this book, pass it on to a friend, or set it out "in the wild" for someone else to find as you did.
You can remain anonymous but if you are interested in joining please consider using - Goldenwattle as your referrer.
When you pass this book along, please make a release note to let others know where you left it. Thank you.
Journal Entry 14 by 
AnonymousFinder
at Phillip, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, January 20, 2012
AnonymousFinder at Phillip, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, January 20, 2012
The main characters are both irritating and funny - a tribute to the writing no doubt. I enjoyed the read.
Journal Entry 15 by Amanda-jean at Phillip, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Monday, December 17, 2012
Just started reading this and i'm really really enjoying it. Looking forward to passing it on when I'm done. Cheers!
I was given "Tractors in Ukrainian" whilst travelling in Norway. I'm reading it at home in Australia. It is an eerily parallel story to that of someone I know.
Journal Entry 17 by nolahughes at Tweed Heads, New South Wales Australia on Monday, October 29, 2018
Funny, moving , sad, - an enjoyable read. Given the book by a friend in Australia in August 2018- read it while travelling and passed it to a friend in Auckland New Zealand in October 2018.
