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The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx
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The Shipping News

by E. Annie Proulx

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5,88189260 (3.86)136
Recently added byprivate library, sandipan11, rlk41, annettesf, antihero, Lurmo, dshultz7, azizah
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English (85)  Dutch (2)  Finnish (1)  Spanish (1)  All languages (89)
Showing 1-5 of 85 (next | show all)
loved this novel. Very atmospheric and surprisingly soothing to read. Rich characters and setting. ( )
plettie2 | Jul 8, 2009 |  
Fabulous style, but eventually tiresome since there is no particular story to enthrall. ( )
gorgeousglenda | Jul 7, 2009 |  
I picked up this book because I remembered multiple family members raving about it. I was expecting to be blown away by Quoyle's problematic life, and maybe I went into it hoping for too much, I don't know. Either way, I was left wanting more.

Quoyle, unlucky in life and love, marries Petal, a woman who continuously cheats on him - in his own house, with him there! Maybe there are some self-loathing people out there who l would tolerate something like that, but I am sure not one of them! After Petal is out of the picture, Quoyle moves to Newfound land with his aunt and his daughters, Bunny and Sunshine (poor girls), where all of a sudden his life gets better, like magic. Before, his friend Partridge had to rewrite all of his stories, and now he is a decent journalist, maybe I am supposed to believe that Newfoundlanders have low expectations? From there, Quoyle goes on to live his life, etc, blah blah blah.

Basically, my problem with this book was two things. One - the book was very anti-climactic, when I was done reading, I was confused, I felt like I just read The Life of a Self-Loathing Journalist With Two Little Brats. My second problem was that it seemed like this book was written purely to be made into a movie, which it was, with Kevin Spacey as Quoyle (I have a whole other problem with that, but I won't get into it.) I know I am supposed to suspend my belief in reality when reading a novel, but I don't. And there was one part (I won't say because I don't want to ruin it for anyone) that just would NOT happen. Actually, there was more than just one part, but this one was the icing on the cake.

So overall, I'm not saying it was awful and nobody should read it, I just would have liked a reality check every once in a while. But from a designer's standpoint, I really liked the fact that there was a different knot shown at the beginning of each chapter from The Ashley Book of Knots, I do love a good visual! ( )
SeriousEmily | May 21, 2009 |  
Not sure what to say about this one. The main charcter, Quoyle, draws you in and you wait and wait for things to go his way. The story of his life and everyday survival include details of life in a Newfoundland fishing community and work at a small town newspaper. I honestly considered putting this one down several times, but kept going and was glad I did. ( )
melissavenable | May 10, 2009 |  
Unbelievable that such a dark, miserable life could be so charming! Worth all the misery for a modicum of joy and a picture of someplace no one has been...Newfoundland.
quynies_mom | Apr 10, 2009 |  
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Series (with order)
Canonical Title
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Awards and honors
Epigraph
"In a knot of eight crossings, which is about the average-size knit. there are 256 different 'over-and-under' arrangements possible. . . Make only one change in this 'over and under' sequence and either an entirely different knot is made or no knot at all may result."

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS
Quoyle: A coil of rope

"A Flemish flake is a spiral coil of one layer only. It is made on deck so that it may be walked on if necessary."


THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS
In the old days a love-sick sailor might send the object of his affections a length of fishline loosely tied in a true-lover's knot. If the knot as sent back as it came the relationship was static. If the knot returned home snugly drawn up the passion was reciprocated. But if the knot was capsized - tacit advice to ship out.
"The strangle knot will hold a coil well . . . It is first tied loosely and then worked snug."

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS
"Cast Away, to be forced from a ship by a disaster."

THE MARINER'S DICTIONARY
Dedication
For Jon, Gillis and Morgan
First words
Here is an account of a few years in the life of Quoyle, born in Brooklyn and raised in a shuffle of dreary upstate towns.
Quotations
Walking keeps you smart.
fried bologna isn't bad.
Desire reversed to detestation like a rubber glove turned inside out.
We run a car wreck photo every week, whether we have a car wreck or not. That's our golden rule.
In Wyoming they name girls Skye, in Newfoundland it's Wavey.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Book description

Amazon.com (ISBN 0671510053, Paperback)

In this touching and atmospheric novel set among the fishermen of Newfoundland, Proulx tells the story of Quoyle. From all outward appearances, Quoyle has gone through his first 36 years on earth as a big schlump of a loser. He's not attractive, he's not brilliant or witty or talented, and he's not the kind of person who typically assumes the central position in a novel. But Proulx creates a simple and compelling tale of Quoyle's psychological and spiritual growth. Along the way, we get to look in on the maritime beauty of what is probably a disappearing way of life.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:55 -0400)

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