Middlesex

by Jeffrey Eugenides | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0747561621 Global Overview for this book
Registered by foxygirlACT of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on 12/14/2010
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5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by foxygirlACT from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Amazon.com Review
"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974."

And so begins Middlesex, the mesmerizing saga of a near-mythic Greek American family and the "roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time." The odd but utterly believable story of Cal Stephanides, and how this 41-year-old hermaphrodite was raised as Calliope, is at the tender heart of this long-awaited second novel from Jeffrey Eugenides, whose elegant and haunting 1993 debut, The Virgin Suicides, remains one of the finest first novels of recent memory.

Eugenides weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative spanning 80 years of a stained family history, from a fateful incestuous union in a small town in early 1920s Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit; from the early days of Ford Motors to the heated 1967 race riots; from the tony suburbs of Grosse Pointe and a confusing, aching adolescent love story to modern-day Berlin. Eugenides's command of the narrative is astonishing. He balances Cal/Callie's shifting voices convincingly, spinning this strange and often unsettling story with intelligence, insight, and generous amounts of humor:

Emotions, in my experience aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret." … I'd like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic traincar constructions like, say, "the happiness that attends disaster." Or: "the disappointment of sleeping with one's fantasy." ... I'd like to have a word for "the sadness inspired by failing restaurants" as well as for "the excitement of getting a room with a minibar." I've never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I've entered my story, I need them more than ever.

When you get to the end of this splendorous book, when you suddenly realize that after hundreds of pages you have only a few more left to turn over, you'll experience a quick pang of regret knowing that your time with Cal is coming to a close, and you may even resist finishing it--putting it aside for an hour or two, or maybe overnight--just so that this wondrous, magical novel might never end. --Brad Thomas Parsons --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.


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I really enjoyed this book. Cal's story is so interesting, not because of her/his "sex", but because of the way the story is told, not only of her life, but that of her family members and those around her

Journal Entry 2 by foxygirlACT at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
To be released as an international bookray starting in Australia. Posted in bookcrossing forum for members.

PM me and join the bookray- you will either be added to the end of the reading order or slotted in depending on your location.


Some Guidelines

* When you receive the book, make a quick journal entry so we all know it’s safe in your hands.

* Read the book at your own pace, but try to keep to a maximum of 3 months

* Once you’ve finished it, make a journal entry with your thoughts on the book.

* Continue the ray by sending a Private Message to the person after you on the bookring list and request their postal address. Please check back here for the latest distribution list.

* Post the book off to the next person, noting that you have done so.

ENJOY

The list so far includes:

- fairy-whispers (Australia)
- bookseekerAT (Australia)
- akosikulot (Philippines)
- fee_gee (UK)
- raluka68 (EU)

Journal Entry 3 by foxygirlACT at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Released 13 yrs ago (3/2/2011 UTC) at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

sent off to the first person on the list (well actually, the second, because person number 1 needed to be skipped)

Enjoy!

Journal Entry 4 by bookseekerAT at Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, March 13, 2011
Many apologies for the late journal - book arrived safely over a week ago. Am currently on a long weekend mini-break and started reading the book on my travels. Am loving it! Many thanks foxygirlACT for sharing

Journal Entry 5 by bookseekerAT at Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, April 30, 2011
What an amazing story and so well-told! I was rivetted - the author creates such a strong sense of time and place, I felt like I was there. I usually struggle with cross-generational family sagas, but not this one. Loved it. Must read the Virgin Suicides as well now...Have sent PM to next BCer on the list, then the book will be on it's way.
Thanks again foxygirlACT for sharing.

Journal Entry 6 by bookseekerAT at Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Many apologies for hanging onto this for so long. The next in line - akosikulot (Philippines) - was not available to take it, so need to send to fee_gee (UK), but have not had a chance to get to a post office. Must do better.
Thanks foxygirlACT for sharing - fabulous novel!

Journal Entry 7 by fee_gee at Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Arrived at the post office safe and well a few days ago but only managed to collect yesterday, thanks for sending this on to me... It was good timing as I was trying to choose my next read :)

Journal Entry 8 by fee_gee at Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, November 6, 2011
Unfortunatelt I have been unable to read much of this book due to diabetic compliactions affecting my vision and the print being quite small so I think it's time I admit defeat and pass this on to the next participant, from what I have read it is well written and an interesting story... I willl email the next participant for their address now x

Journal Entry 9 by fee_gee at București, -- Airports & Planes -- Romania on Thursday, February 2, 2012

Released 12 yrs ago (2/1/2012 UTC) at București, -- Airports & Planes -- Romania

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

sorry it took me a while to get round to posting... airmailed to next in line yesterday and on its way to romania now x

Journal Entry 10 by raluk68 at București, Wallachia Romania on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Got it! Thanks :)

Journal Entry 11 by raluk68 at București, Wallachia Romania on Friday, March 2, 2012
Excellent read! I was absorbed by the story, the story teller more precisely :) J.E. is very talented!
I always had a girl's voice in my head, even if I knew the turn out. I wonder how strong the education can be?... :)

Thank you very much for sharing it foxygirlACT!

Journal Entry 12 by raluk68 at București, Wallachia Romania on Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Released 11 yrs ago (8/15/2012 UTC) at București, Wallachia Romania

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Passed on to my first BC-friend ;-)

It seems the book found herself a new eager reader :-)

Happy Saint Maria!


Journal Entry 13 by lamelemon at București, Wallachia Romania on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thanks Raluca for passing this one to me :) I've recently read The Virgin Suicides (which I highly recommend) and would love to try some more of Eugenides' work.

Journal Entry 14 by lamelemon at București, Wallachia Romania on Saturday, April 23, 2016
I have finished this book weeks ago, but its intrigue, style and intensity are as fresh as when I put it down and fell asleep thinking of it. Although fiction, it made me reconsider choices we seem to take for granted. For me, its strongest message was of tolerance, of kindness and of not judging so superficially meanings we fail to grasp. The poetic prose is always a plus for me, and before I knew it I was fully immersed.

To be left at the book buffet. Happy reading!

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