210 ratings | 13 reviews | avg rating:4.26

Paul’s Year In Books

Paul’s 2024 Year in Books

Take a look at Paul’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul’s Bookshelves

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Paul’s Friends (84)

Pam Bachorz

943 books | 976 friends

Jennifer

1,674 books | 47 friends

Jaymie

4,604 books | 347 friends

Brian

21,663 books | 52 friends

Bike

1,344 books | 93 friends

Bookaddict

2,242 books | 247 friends

Jeffrey West

739 books | 1,807 friends

Sandy Green

151 books | 779 friends

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Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

Born

in Bristol, Connecticut , The United States

Website

http://www.paulacampora.com/

Member Since

January 2010

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/paulacampora

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I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH! I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH!) where, thanks to my friend John Costello and his father, Dr. Donald Costello, I earned a degree in American Studies despite the fact that the only American places I’d ever visited were summer vacations on a beach at Rhode Island and occasional day trips around New England to watch jai alia, greyhound racing or the trotters with my grandfather who, with my Uncle Joe, taught me how to ride and drive a sulky behind my very own pony named Misty (that's me and Misty at left). After college, I wandered around the country for a few years. Despite what my mother might say, I did not steal her 1973 Buick Electra. Despite what my friends might say, the car was the color of summer gold. Not piss yellow. I've lived in every state that begins with the letter U or a C. I was a Student Conservation Association volunteer for awhile giving tours at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in southeast Utah. I spent a winter schlepping very expensive bags around the Rocky Mountains for guests of the Snowmass Lodging Company. As a Holy Cross Associate volunteer, I lived with a half-dozen friends in a tiny house in the San Francisco Bay area where we tried to be good people. I stayed in California to teach kindergarten at St. Patrick Elementary school in West Oakland. I got married (yahoo!), and my wife and I lived in “the heart of the bay,” Hayward, California for nearly ten years. When we decided to move, we put names of favorite places in a paper bag and pulled out a slip that said PENNSYLVANIA. So that’s where we live now. These days, I remain married to my best friend. I have a son and a daughter who keep me on my toes. I’ve got a day job and a kayak and tons of books that I love to read. I write early in the morning and late at night. My favorite place in the world is wherever my wife and kids are. I am especially happy when that place is next to a lake or in France. My favorite word in the dictionary is Naugahyde. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 20 years. My favorite non-home-cooked meal is cinnamon-raisin French toast plus black coffee at the Karlton Café in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. For the future, I hope my family and friends are safe, healthy and happy and that I will write dozens and dozens of new stories and novels, each one better than the last. ...more

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Combine Editions
Paul Acampora’s books

Average rating: 3.75 · 5,785 ratings · 1,196 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	I Kill the Mockingbird 3.76 avg rating — 3,973 ratings — published 2014 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Defining Dulcie 3.47 avg rating — 567 ratings — published 2006 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	How to Avoid Extinction 3.87 avg rating — 412 ratings — published 2016 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In Honor of Broken Things 3.94 avg rating — 277 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Confusion Is Nothing New 3.67 avg rating — 237 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face 3.84 avg rating — 207 ratings — published 2011 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First Date 3.94 avg rating — 95 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First (and Maybe Last?) Date 3.17 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'arte di andare in pezzi 3.80 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Acampora, Paul (February 19, 2013) Paperback 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Paul Acampora's Blog

Subject: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD(!)

TO: Friends, family, and book lovers!

(with a special shout-out to fans of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD!)

FROM: Paul Acampora

SUBJECT: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD (!)

Hi everybody!

I’m writing because my new novel – I KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD – will arrive in stores this coming spring. It’s a comedy caper for kids (say that three times fast) about a group of friends who sabotage their school’s summer reading list. It’s also

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Paul’s Recent Updates

Paul Acampora wants to read The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World by Peter Brannen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 31, 2025 05:38PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything by Peter Brannen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything by Peter Brannen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 06:12AM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 06:07AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 05:54AM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 05:16AM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 06, 2025 08:27AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Angel Down by Daniel Kraus (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 29, 2025 07:05PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Angel Down by Daniel Kraus. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Angel Down by Daniel Kraus <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics by Nancy Forbes	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 27, 2025 07:32AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field by Nancy Forbes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field by Nancy Forbes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Small Victories: The Real World of a Teacher, Her Students, and Their High School by Samuel G. Freedman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 24, 2025 01:23PM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read The Making of a Musical : Fiddler on the Roof by Altman Richard & Merrvyn Kaufman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 19, 2025 06:20AM · like

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Quotes by Paul Acampora (?)

“Shelving books incorrectly is as good as stealing them. It's almost worse.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: books, bookstores, libraries, shelving, stealing

24 likes

“We will speak for the books."
...
"Like the Lorax?"
"The Lorax speaks for the trees," I remind her.
"Books are made out of paper. Paper is made out of trees."
"What about e-books?"
"We can speak for them too."
"Audiobooks?"
"Audiobooks speak for themselves." She grins. "Get it?”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: audiobooks, books, e-books, lorax

20 likes

“We are all broken, but sometimes the jagged pieces fit together nicely.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

16 likes

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Polls

What book should we read in August?

You may write in titles, provided the book is a 2023 Newbery contender and already published.

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

36 votes 33.3%

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora

17 votes 15.7%

The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye

12 votes 11.1%

A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

11 votes 10.2%

Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech by Ted Kooser

6 votes 5.6%

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

6 votes 5.6%

Answers in the pages by David Levithan (write-in)

5 votes 4.6%

The Last Mapmaker (write-in)

4 votes 3.7%

Repairing the World by Linda Epstein (write-in)

3 votes 2.8%

Answers in the Pages (write-in)

3 votes 2.8%

How to Build a Human: in Seven Evolutionary Steps by Pamela S Turner (write-in)

2 votes 1.9%

Marshmallow clouds (write-in)

2 votes 1.9%

turtle of michigan (write-in)

1 vote 0.9%

108 total votes

4 comments

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Paul’s Quotes

“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

714 likes

“Grammar is a piano I play by ear.”
― Joan Didion, Joan Didion: Essays & Conversations

tags: grammar

1629 likes

“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

4545 likes

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time...give it, give it all, give it now.”
― Annie Dillard

1313 likes

“Thieves of private property pass their lives in chains; thieves of public property in riches and luxury. CATO THE ELDER1”
― Mike Duncan, The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

1 likes

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Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

rssPaul’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything by Peter Brannen

See a Problem?

Preview — The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley

See a Problem?

Preview — The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

See a Problem?

Preview — Angel Down by Daniel Kraus

See a Problem?

Preview — Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field by Nancy Forbes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Paul’s Recent Updates