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Chris’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Chris’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Chris Bohjalian’s Followers (12,924)
Chris Bohjalian
Goodreads Author
Born
in White Plains, New York, The United States
Website
Twitter
Genre
Member Since
November 2007
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Midwives
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published
1997
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52 editions
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The Flight Attendant
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published
2018
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4 editions
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Hour of the Witch
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published
2021
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17 editions
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The Sandcastle Girls
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published
2012
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24 editions
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The Guest Room
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published
2016
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22 editions
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The Double Bind
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published
2007
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47 editions
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The Light in the Ruins
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published
2013
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19 editions
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Skeletons at the Feast
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published
2008
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37 editions
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The Lioness
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published
2022
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14 editions
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The Red Lotus
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published
2020
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13 editions
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Is there a better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with an outhouse. . .race? (Also? What I'm reading -- and why.)
4 July 2025
Dear Friends Who Read and Readers Who Are Friends,
We can debate what the founders of the United States would have wanted to see on July 4th, 2025, but the only thing we know for certain is this:
They would have loved the annual Bristol, Vermont Outhouse Races that have been occurring on this date for nearly half a century. They were run again this morning, the first heat taking off a lit Read more of this blog post »
Dear Friends Who Read and Readers Who Are Friends,
We can debate what the founders of the United States would have wanted to see on July 4th, 2025, but the only thing we know for certain is this:
They would have loved the annual Bristol, Vermont Outhouse Races that have been occurring on this date for nearly half a century. They were run again this morning, the first heat taking off a lit Read more of this blog post »
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Chris’s Recent Updates
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Chris
rated a book it was amazing
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| In 2023, we all watched the movie, "Oppenheimer," and were reminded of how the world was forever changed in August 1945 when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Now the truly brilliant journalist and historian Garrett Gr ...more | |
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Chris
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Chris
rated a book it was amazing
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| This is the first in a new mystery series from the brilliant Karin Slaughter -- a magnificently dysfunctional family of sheriffs in a rural Georgia county are the center of the story -- and already I'm excited for whatever comes next for the Clifton ...more | |
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Chris
added a status update: I just did something I tell younger writers NEVER to do, and I’m kind of glad I ignored my usual advice: I peeked at the number of stars for one of my books online and found. . .this. So, I want to thank you, my readers: I am so glad you’re enjoying THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS, my Civil War Romeo and Juliet! You’ve helped make my weekend!
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"The Jackal's Mistress is a gripping and beautifully written historical novel that captures the harsh realities of the Civil War. Inspired by a true story, it centers on Libby Steadman, her niece and two freed slaves managing her family's gristmill in"
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"Union Captain Jonathan Weybridge was seriously injured during an 1864 Civil War battle. After surgery he was left in a vacant house in Confederate Virginia when the Union troops had to retreat quickly.
Libby Steadman was running the family farm with h" Read more of this review » |
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"A favorite author, historical fiction & civil war- hit some spots!
This book takes place in the latter stages of the Civil War in Virginia. Libby, her niece & her 2 freed slaves run a grist mill & supply flour to the Confederacy. Her husband is away f" Read more of this review » |
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Chris
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Chris
rated a book it was amazing
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| I'm a tremendous fan of S.A. Cosby's novels. His thrillers have so much heart and deep character development, and the writing is always -- sentence for sentence -- both beautiful and precise. RAZORBLADE TEARS is the deeply moving thriller about two h ...more | |
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Chris
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“Food is a gift and should be treated reverentially--romanced and ritualized and seasoned with memory.”
― Secrets of Eden
― Secrets of Eden
“We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.”
― Secrets of Eden
― Secrets of Eden
“But history does matter. There is a line connecting the Armenians and the Jews and the Cambodians and the Bosnians and the Rwandans. There are obviously more, but, really, how much genocide can one sentence handle?”
― The Sandcastle Girls
― The Sandcastle Girls
Polls
Topics Mentioning This Author
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Next Best Boo...: Jodi Picoult | 43 | 443 | Apr 16, 2009 08:11AM | |
| Pick-a-Shelf: 2009-07 - Realistic Fiction - Post July Reviews Here | 65 | 119 | Aug 13, 2009 10:12AM | |
| Challenge: 50 Books: Mandy's 50 in 2009 | 34 | 361 | Aug 21, 2009 09:01PM | |
| The Next Best Boo...: September 's Groups Reads Are..... | 149 | 741 | Sep 10, 2009 04:32PM |
“And though some days it is very hard, I try not to live for the future. And I try not to dream of the past.”
― The Law of Similars
― The Law of Similars
“As Jeremy Bentham had asked about animals well over two hundred years ago, the question was not whether they could reason or talk, but could they suffer? And yet, somehow, it seemed to take more imagination for humans to identify with animal suffering than it did to conceive of space flight or cloning or nuclear fusion. Yes, she was a fanatic in the eyes of most of the country. . .Mostly, however, she just lacked patience for people who wouldn't accept her belief that humans inflicted needless agony on the animals around them, and they did so in numbers that were absolutely staggering.”
― Before You Know Kindness
― Before You Know Kindness
“Though angels were easy to finds in cemeteries, she said that she didn't especially care for funereal angels and tombstone cherubs -- she wanted her angels among the living, not watching over the already dead -- and thus she scoured parks and gardens for the angels with whom, on some level, she wanted to commune.”
― Secrets of Eden
― Secrets of Eden
“Sara knew that behind its locked front door no home was routine. Not the house of her childhood, not the apartment of her husband's. not the world they were building together with Willow and Patrick. All households had their mysteries, their particular forms of dysfunction.”
― Before You Know Kindness
― Before You Know Kindness
“He moved quickly away from her through the ring, his whole body starting forward with the big animal in two-point and then -- the horse's legs extended before and behind her, a carousel pony but real, the immense thrust invisible to anyone but the boy on the creature's back -- he was rising, rising, rising. . .
And aloft.”
― The Buffalo Soldier
And aloft.”
― The Buffalo Soldier
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Comments (showing 1-17)
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What an honor it is to be your friend on Goodreads. I love your books, and I am looking forward to reading "The Guest Room." I have been following your writing for years, and you are one of my very favorite authors.
I started reading your books with Midwives and have read everything I could get my hands on since. To list my favorites would not be a very exclusive list, but my favorite of favorites is Skeletons at the Feast. I just discovered Trans-Sister Radio, and was, once again, blown away by your extraordinary talent. When are you coming to Nashville again? When I was at Parnassus Books recently, I made a special request for you to come to Salon@615. They pointed out that you had been here before (which I missed out of ignorance), but might come again with your next book. So, write fast!
And, thank you for all the pleasant hours of reading you have given us.
Dear Mr Bohjalian,I just wanted to tell you that I love reading your work. The Double Bind rocked me back on my (mental) heels. Skeletons at the Feast kicked off what would grow to be morbid fascination/disgust/rabid researching of the Holocaust, which had previously been just a small history fact gleaned from a required class in high school.
I just finished The Sandcastle Girls. I note the day I start and finish each book (because I eventually log them on goodreads, you see), and didn't realize until I read your author's note that the day I had begun reading said book on April 24, 2015, coincided with the Armenian genocide's centennial.
I don't believe in coincidences, so do with that what you will.
Thank you for taking the time to read my message, and thank you even more for diligently sharing the fruits of your craft with us readers.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Engh
Chris, How fun to see you here. I'm not terribly active on GoodReads, but I try to stay a bit connected.
Chris, I sooo wanted to see you when you come to Minneapolis July 12 but I checked with the bookstore and I can't afford the cost of the lunch etc. I hope you come again sometime when I'm more able to swing it. I really would love to meet you.
I had a dream the other night that you were doing a reading at the Taco Bell in Janesville, WI. Please don't take this as an insult. I think I just so want to go to one of your readings my mind created one. However, if you should want to come to WI I will be the first in line.
Dan wrote: "Chrisi am almost finished reading the electronic edition advance of LIGHT IN THE RUINS. Once again an example of your masterful storytelling. I love the separation of timelines and the added narra..."
Thanks so much, Dan. I really appreciate your kind words.
Looking forward to seeing you three weeks and three hours from right now!
Chrisi am almost finished reading the electronic edition advance of LIGHT IN THE RUINS. Once again an example of your masterful storytelling. I love the separation of timelines and the added narrative from the killer, a good touch. The scenes in Florence bring back memories from my trip there, even the smell of the Arno; you make me long to go back.
IT IS MY VERY DISTINCT PLEASURE BECOMING YOUR FRIEND INDEED APPRECIATED !!! WISHING YOU MUCH SUCCESS & HAPPINESS BUT ABOVE ALL GOOD HEALTH !!! Your True Friend
Edik
Chris because, I saw your recommendation of Baker's Daughter, reading and loving, and savoring every page.
Theresa wrote: "Just wanted to say I am a big fan! Hangman was one of the scariest and most suspenseful books I've ever read! Water Witches was a great one too. I own them all and as soon as I finish the book I..."Theresa, I found Hangman to be scary too, and I thought I had gotten to the point that things in books couldn't scare me anymore! I loved The Double Bind! I liked it even more than Secrets of Eden, & I thought it was great too!
Hoping you can make it to Nonesuch for your new book tour! Would be a huge success :D
It was wonderful meeting you yesterday here at Nonesuch! Lots of people saw your interview on '207' and have come in to buy your books.Excited to have you here for your next release! We've got a pretty literary crowd - in fact, when you were here, one woman recognized you and was pretty starstruck! She came in again today and was gushing. haha.
Anyway, hope you're well and best of luck with your writing/touring! Enjoy your time at home (assuming you've finished the tour!)
Best,
Matty
Thanks so much for the friendship! I'm such a fan!
I was so happy to find you on here! I just got Midwives and can't wait to start- it looks great! Thanks for everything you do!
Just wanted to say I am a big fan! Hangman was one of the scariest and most suspenseful books I've ever read! Water Witches was a great one too. I own them all and as soon as I finish the book I'm currently reading I'll start The Double Bind. I actually chose it for my bookclub pick, I am excited to see what everyone thinks of it.
