Play Book Tag discussion

My Name is Lucy Barton – Elizabeth Strout
Book on CD performed by Kimberly Farr
5*****

Excerpt from the book jacket: Lucy Barton is recovering from what should have been a simple operation. Her mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken for many years, comes to see her. Gentle gossip about people from Lucy’s childhood seems to reconnect them, but just below the surface lie the tension and longing that have informed every aspect ofr Lucy’s life.

My Reaction:
I love character-driven novels such as this one. Strout writes beautifully, with prose that reveals her characters to the reader with nuance and grace. Lucy’s recollections and probing questions lead her mother to reveal some of the “why” behind how Lucy came to be the woman she is; by exploring her family life as a child she comes to understand her desire to become a writer and her own relationship with her two daughters and her husband. But mostly Lucy reflects on mothers and daughters, the ways they communicate – both with and without words – and the love they feel even when they cannot openly express it.

When I finished listening to the audio, I picked up the text and read it again from the beginning.

Kimberly Farr does a fine job performing the audio book. Her tone and timber were perfect for this contemplative novel. I felt as if Lucy, herself, was confiding in me.


LINK to my review

Wow, you really enjoyed this one! I knew when I read it and didn't love it that there was definitely a group of readers who would really enjoy this.

You loved it as much as I did. Yay!

I did not have the same reaction but I always love seeing someone fall in love with a book. Glad you enjoyed it so much.

I didn't expect to like this one but I read it in December when I was trying to reach my yearly goal because I saw the audio available and it was short (how terrible is that!?!) and then I ended up loving it like you! So it was a happy accident for me. Now I'm really looking forward to the sequel/continuation coming out in May.

Jennifer P. wrote: "I didn't expect to like this one but I read it in December when I was trying to reach my yearly goal because I saw the audio available and it was short (how terrible is that!?!) and then I ended up..."

Anything Is Possible was released this Tuesday, Apr 25. Strout is coming to Milwaukee for the Friends of the Library Spring Literary Luncheon on May 5. I've got my ticket!

Oh nice! I'm looking forward to reading it. Enjoy the event!

That's exciting Book Concierge!

I'm actually taking a day of vacation ... so I can enjoy a glass of wine at lunch without worrying about going back to the office!

Hit the nail on the head with that one. I went 5 for this one too. Its good showing not telling even if most of her drama is in conversation.

And this is one of the few books for me that could get me voted off the island. I guess for me, I like books to have some sort of transformation and insight at the end. I am disappointed without growth occurring. I have absolutely loved about half of her books.

O M G!
So I went to the Spring Literary Luncheon today ... Elizabeth Strout was the speaker. I got a signed first edition of her latest book: Anything Is Possible. And I entered the raffle for "lunch with the author" (i.e. you get to sit at the head table)

And I WON!

She couldn't be more gracious and interesting. Lovely conversation about mothers & daughters, about writing, about life in New York, about opera, about immigrant experience, about Agatha Christie ....

After she gave her presentation, she came back to our table. There was one final drawing ... the person at each table whose program had a blue sticker on the back won the centerpiece. Elizabeth Strout won ... and gave the flowering plant to me. Then she gave me a hug!

How wonderful Book Concierge!

What a terrific day!

Wow! What an amazing series of events. How totally cool. I am so jealous!

What a wonderful day. So glad you shared it. How I would love an afternoon like that with Alice Hoffman.