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1010 Category Challenge : mathgirl40's 1010 challenge		56	mathgirl40, Yesterday 10:36pm
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50 Book Challenge : On the way to 50		237	Louanne, Wednesday 6:34am
Kindley Book Club : Whatcha reading part two		80	katieinseattle, Wednesday 3:05am
75 Books Challenge for 2009 : ProfilerSR's 75 Book Challenge		255	alcottacre, Tuesday 11:38pm
50 Book Challenge : wisewoman's 50+!		86	countrylife, Tuesday 11:21pm
75 Books Challenge for 2009 : Norabelle's books for 2009		95	norabelle414, Saturday 9:08pm
1010 Category Challenge : Remusly's 101010 List		39	missylc, November 24
Taggers! : Unusual tags you use		75	countrylife, November 23
999 Challenge : avatiakh's 999 challenge		139	avatiakh, November 23
75 Books Challenge for 2009 : marise's 2009 reading log		200	alcottacre, November 22
50 Book Challenge : myquillisquick tests her sanity		97	myquillisquick, November 16
San Diego Bibliophiles : What are you reading now?		181	bardsfingertips, November 13
50 Book Challenge : CompSki's Books!		110	compskibook, November 4
Alphabet Challenges : dreamlikecheese needs to reduce her TBR pile ABC-style		17	clfisha, November 4
50 Book Challenge : Jalinda 2009		46	jalinda, November 3
Book talk : A Silly Book Game - Part 8		319	SqueakyChu, October 28
999 Challenge : judylou's 999 challenge		115	judylou, October 23
40-Something Library Thingers : Books you were "supposed" to like but didn't , and alternate recommendations		12	avanta7, October 18
What Are You Reading Now? : Your Best Reads of the Second Quarter (April - June 2009)		54	dchaikin, October 5
What Are You Reading Now? : Book Brought Home - September 2009		215	jdthloue, October 2
Girlybooks : GIRLYBOOKS MESSAGE BOARD		148	avaland, October 1
50 Book Challenge : alalba		133	alalba, September 28
75 Books Challenge for 2009 : lycomayflower's 2009 75 Challenge		261	lycomayflower, September 28
What Are You Reading Now? : What You're Reading the Week of 5 May 2007		124	usnmm2, September 27
100 Books Challenge for 2009 : teelgee tackles 125 in 2009		275	teelgee, September 18
40-Something Library Thingers : What are you currently reading/recommending?		151	anna_in_pdx, September 10
Club Read 2009 : Kimb Read Thread :-) - Eat into Mount TBR		37	KimB, September 4
2009 Genre Challenge : May Genre -- Literary Fiction		16	readeron, September 1
What Are You Reading Now? : Book Brought Home - August 2009		165	Bridget770, September 1
Art is Life : What are you currently reading?		262	Naren559, August 21
Book Nudgers : An Orange July Nudge Please		21	Minthe, August 21
BookCrossing Australia! : Group reading log: July 2009		123	Miss-Owl, August 21
999 Challenge : englishrose60's		233	englishrose60, August 20
50 Book Challenge : merry10's 2008 challenge		222	merry10, August 17
100 Books Challenge for 2009 : englishrose60 goes for 100 in 2009		224	englishrose60, August 16
Book talk : Life of Pi and other similar books		14	omaca, August 12
Girlybooks : "Women's Book" Reading for July 2009		104	wookiebender, August 8
List Five Books Parlour Game : Music, music, music		24	CD1am, August 4
Reading Globally : JUNE 2009 Theme Read: The Arts -- Discussion		15	streamsong, August 3
999 Challenge : Loociepurl's		13	loociepurl, August 1
What Are You Reading Now? : What are you reading the week of July 18, 2009?		274	morriss003, July 31
Girlybooks : ORANGE JULY 2009		171	mrstreme, July 30
The Literati : What books came into your home today?		70	babyblues47, July 15
Club Read 2009 : dchaikin's 2009 reading log		227	dchaikin, July 10
BookCrossing Australia! : Group reading log: June 2009		165	wookiebender, June 30
999 Challenge : elbakerone's 999 challenge		54	elbakerone, June 22
What Are You Reading Now? : What You Are Reading the Week of 6-12 June 2009		228	bookymouse, June 14
Reading Globally : JUNE 2009 Theme Read: The Arts -- sugestions		27	streamsong, June 13
999 Challenge : tracyfox's 999 challenge		78	tracyfox, June 8
Girlybooks : What Women's Books Are You Reading - May 2009 ?		106	lindsacl, June 3
What Are You Reading Now? : What You Are Reading the Week of 16 May 2009		208	teelgee, June 2
What Are You Reading Now? : Another Meme--please forgive me		57	jnwelch, May 19
Reading Globally : Where in the World Are you Now? - April 2009		149	ddelmoni, May 15
Hogwarts Express : What are you reading in April?		186	cmbohn, May 5
The Green Dragon : OK, let's try this new adjective book game. SUBLIME.		14	clamairy, May 5
What Are You Reading Now? : Books that I think deserve some "hype"		18	AquariusNat, May 1
What Are You Reading Now? : What books are next on your reading list? Part 2		155	pologal, April 29
Girlybooks : What Books by Women are you Reading Now? April 2009		94	avaland, April 28
What Are You Reading Now? : Author/Character Crushes		77	imanivrn, April 26
999 Challenge : HannahJo's 999 list		35	cmbohn, April 18
50 Book Challenge : ChocolateMuse's Challenge		85	ChocolateMuse, April 2
Book Nudgers : Proserpine dusty shelves needing nudge!		16	Proserpinegreen, March 22
Girlybooks : Orange January		93	sussabmax, March 18
50 Book Challenge : 2009 reading of walk2work (goal and actual)		13	walk2work, March 16
The Prizes : The Orange		91	Nickelini, March 6
Club Read 2009 : If everybody's reading it, can it be that good?		103	Nickelini, March 1
BookMooching : Pimp your inventory		299	karenmarie, February 28
The Prizes : The PEN/Faulkner Award		19	VisibleGhost, February 28
ARC Junkies : Two pennies for your thoughts...		225	TooFondOfBooks, February 26
Book Listers UNITE! : The EW 100 New Classics List		18	trinah, February 26
What Are You Reading Now? : Share a line or passage from your current book, part 2		309	ophlia, February 21
Reading Globally : Where in the World Are You Now - January 2009		174	MrAndrew, February 9
75 Books Challenge for 2009 : AlcottAcre's 2009 Reads		509	jade605, February 3
999 Challenge : Kuroh's		24	Elee, January 20
75 Books Challenge for 2008 : Porch Reader's 2008 Reading		210	porch_reader, January 19
List Five Books Parlour Game : Musical instruments		15	abbottthomas, January 7
75 Books Challenge for 2008 : The Best of Books, the Worst of Books		19	Whisper1, January 3
50 Book Challenge : britbrit 2008 books....		43	britbrit, January 1
50 Book Challenge : jbeast has started late...		39	jbeast, January 1
75 Books Challenge for 2008 : AlcottAcre's 2008 Reads		576	Oklahoma, January 1
50 Book Challenge : legxleg's new years resolution for 2008		122	legxleg, January 1
75 Books Challenge for 2008 : lenereadsnok joins the challenge		59	dihiba, January 1
List Five Books Parlour Game : ABCs		122	mamalaz, January 1
50 Book Challenge : i.should.b.reading 2008 challenge		137	i.should.b.reading, December 2008
75 Books Challenge for 2008 : Hemlokgang's 75 Book Challenge		170	FlossieT, December 2008
Book talk : Buying/Receiving books for Christmas?		13	xicanti, December 2008
Book talk : Books I've Read This Year		21	SilverSummer, December 2008
50 Book Challenge : kristen's 50 books to read		13	kgramer, December 2008
Book Nudgers : dylanwolf open to nudges		24	Booksloth, November 2008
888 Challenge : Sky34's		62	sky34, November 2008
Hogwarts Express : What are you reading in October?		190	Espeon200, November 2008
888 Challenge : Can valerie2 do 888?		22	valerie2, October 2008
What Are You Reading Now? : What are you reading the week of October 11?		207	beebowallace, October 2008
What Are You Reading Now? : What are you reading the week of October 4		201	thioviolight, October 2008
What Are You Reading Now? : What are you reading the Week of 27 September 2008		232	koalamom, October 2008
Hogwarts Express : Book shopping!		40	Kerian, September 2008
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... to read, not only shorter ones such as The Maltese Falcon, Scenes of Clerical Life, Murder on the Orient Express and Bel Canto, but also a couple of larger tomes—Quo Vadis and Wives and Daughters. I've also been wanting to reread Les Misérables and Middlemarch; I recently ...

bel canto by Ann Patchett

OK, that list was way too long! I've deleted it. If anyone wants the alphabetized list, tell me and I'll send it to you.

Thanks Chocolate! I'm glad you waved a flag over Bel Canto, though; I probably would never have read it otherwise. I avoid most modern fiction unless it's specifically recommended, and I did enjoy the book. And no, I didn't physically hit the man with my thesis. Having to read it was ...

I agree ENTIRELY about Bel Canto, in that it blows one away while reading it, and then, after a while, the flaws start occurring to one, and one starts wishing one didn't wave quite so many flags over it in the first place. I also felt the same about the ending, didn't quite know what to ...

I finished Bel Canto last night and enjoyed it very much. But I think it's the sort of book that wows you when you first read it, but whose flaws only become more apparent after a little time away from it. I was originally planning on giving it four stars, but couldn't quite bring myself to it ...

#219: Bel Canto is probably my favorite of Patchett's work, with Run coming in a close second.

... at church who wanted to read it, but he insisted, so I hit him with the whole thing. It's his own fault :-P I noticed Bel Canto by Ann Patchett being highly praised on ChocolateMuse's profile page awhile back, so I picked up the next copy that came to hand and started it yesterday. So far ...

A8. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Fiction. Audiobook. The rich and powerful are collected in the vice president's house of a South American country to hear the world-famous soprano Roxanne Coss. Terrorists burst in and, not finding the country's president in attendance, take the guests ...

#82 & 85 I agree with your assessments of both Bel Canto and The Poisonwood Bible both of which I read last year.

... of Strangers by Ian McEwan N - Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky O - The Famished Road by Ben Okri P - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Q - R - The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe S - The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon T - Monster Love by Carol Topolski U - The Ruby ...

... for me to borrow/steal/beg before the rest hit our shelves. Plus, having heard such good things recently on LT, I bought Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, which was still ON the shelf, but the lovely manager Angela chucked it in for £1 for me!

... and On Chesil Beach Portugal Alentejo Blue China Snow Flower and the Secret Fan somewhere in S. America (Peru?) Bel Canto all over Europe People of the Book Ethiopia Sweetness in the Belly Netherlands Girl in Hyacinth Blue and now Ireland The Lace Makers of Glenmara I ...

... it...I wouldn't say I loved it. The characters were interesting, and the family dynamics were well-written, but I preferred Bel Canto.

>148 Rebeki You would probably enjoy Bel Canto. A friend of mine who is a teacher, not a translator, but who does speak 5 languages, is reading Bel Canto right now. (I made her read it!) She is also finding Gen's character to be most interesting, and loving the book. I think you should add ...

#145 - Ha ha - that quotation could apply to a number of people I know! I haven't read Bel Canto, but have heard good things about it. Is it based on the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis in Peru? Anyway, it looks interesting, so I'll add it my 'list'. (You'll be pleased to know I don't ...

>143 Rebeki So you have been liberated as well??? Nice feeling, isn't it? You are a translator??? Have you read Bel Canto? I loved the character in the novel who is a translator. His name is Gen, and he spoke numerous languages. A fave line went as follows: "Gen, in his genius for ...

>82 will you be looking out for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters then :-)? I had really mixed feelings about Bel Canto - it's one of those books I wanted to love from the premise, but didn't. Haven't quite been able to get rid of it yet though.

Book #41 Run by Ann Patchett I truly enjoyed her charming novel Bel Canto, so I am looking forward to reading this one.

... books 1. Schooled by Gordon Korman (22/10/09) 2. The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (31/10/09) Candidates: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Coma by Robin Cook Dave Cooks ...

... Adiga 5. Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann 6. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen 7. Atonement by Ian McEwan 8. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 9. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 10. The Fixer by Bernard Malamud

... Looking Glass, but not Alice in Wonderland. It was a lot less detailed, and a lot shorter, than I had expected. Book 42: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett She's a much better fiction writer than non-fiction, but I still wasn't pleased with the second half of the book. The middle was boring, ...

BOOK #37 will be People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. Bel Canto might be a tough act to follow....now that was a great book. Still, I've heard a lot of good things about this one too, so we'll see.

Finally Finished BOOK #36 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. I enjoyed this book. Bad timing though, as I would have finished it sooner, and more importantly, savored it more, but I must confess being extremely tired every time I picked it up. The writing/language was beautiful and expressive. I ...

We seem to have similar reading tastes. I really loved Bel Canto but was a bit underwhelmed by On Chesil Beach. I'll have to check out those ones that I haven't read yet from your list of favs. I've just finished Blood of Flowers which reminded me a bit of The Lady and the unicorn ...

... read a Brother Caedfel novel and thought her competent, so here it is. This is one of the two from ABE Books vendors. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A retired minister at our church said that he was thinking of me as he had read this book. I had noticed this book once upon a time, but I ...

You have some interesting titles for July! I am currently reading and enjoying Bel Canto. I am also going to keep watch for Small Island and Purple Hibiscus. I also want to read her other work Half of a Yellow Sun. Did you read that one? Thanks for recommending Eucalyptus. I have ...

... that time in China. This was my first Lisa See novel, and I will read more of her work. I am currently reading Book # 36 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and LOVING IT!

... r 56.Small Island by Andrea Levy 57.The Colour by Rose Tremain 58.Purple Hibiscus by Chimamada Ngozi Adichie 59.Bel Canto by Anne Patchett 60.To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Another amazing month of reading. I was reading mainly from those books listed for the Orange Priz ...

... and I thought I would just sum up what I read. Small Island was a wonderful book and the best read of the month. Bel Canto was also very good a very unusual story. Purple Hibiscus I couldnt put it down, my 3rd favourite. The Colour was well written an engaging story but the ...

31/50 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett I actually started this when I was on vacation about a month ago, finally finished it. Bel Canto has very luscious writing which is great when there's not a heck of a lot of action in the story with the exception of the very beginning and the very end. It ...

Just finished Bel Canto the 2002 winner. Loved it! It comes in at number 2 on my list of favourites after Small Island. Such an unlikely story. Very original and told very well. One of those books that just make you glow from the inside at the end. :-) Not that I wanted it to end, like the ...

... young. Still treasure them. It's fun taking a trip down memory lane :-) Back to the present and I've just finished Bel Canto, Orange winner for 2002. An unlikely story, but so enjoyable. I didn't want it to end.

... A reasonable story, not a great story. Read Purple Hibiscus and couldn't put it down 'till I'd finished. Now reading Bel Canto, so far so good.

... and she is a writer that I respect. I think Grenville's The Secret River was so much better. I've just started reading Bel Canto so I can't rate it as yet. >149 thx! I knew it! edited to get my numbers right!

... this English writer have got the two countries colloquialisms confused?! I think I'll read either Purple Hibiscus or Bel Canto next, decisions, decisions.....

... my way around the globe. I've selected the following regions, and will read 1 or 2 books from each area: S.America ~ Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and/or Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Europe ~ People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and/or Coventry by Helen Hump ...

... Nudges - I think I have everyones. Small Island 4 an' a bit The Colour 5 Purple Hibiscus 4 White Teeth 4 Bel Canto 3 -1/2 The Hundred Secret Senses 2- 1/2 Brick Lane 2 Gilgamesh 2 The Stone Diaries 1 The Accidental 1 Inheritance of Loss 1/2 Everyman's Rules ...

I have finished Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - really enjoyed it :) Now I am reading City of Masks by Daniel Hecht.

I am currently reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - I am enjoying it

... might actually happen somewhere. Hah. I should have gone with my gut instinct and given up at 50 pages. And *DO* read Bel Canto. One of those easy-to-read books that is quite simple and straightforward, but beautiful and has a lot to say behind the basic story. (Oh dear, I hope I'm not ...

... talk about it. I loved the last three of the other five books you mentioned. I'll have to look out for The Great Fire and Bel Canto. I have been reading the Orange shortlisted books for some time: I just hadn't realised that there was a BC group devoted to it. But of course there would be. ...

... magnificent, I couldn't put it down even when I knew it was going to end horribly. And so many others were great reads - Bel Canto, The Great Fire, Fingersmith, White Teeth, The Time Traveller's Wife - all five star reads for me, and I'm quite happy to push them onto anyone and ...

Another nudge for Small Island - I loved it. I liked Bel Canto but didn't love it. And I have lots of your stack of Orange books sitting here waiting for me!

... - but loved the story. Very good if you have 10,11,12 year old girls. is the first of a series of 4. Now reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett for Orange July.

"It seems that no one is going to get what they want." Bel Canto by Ann Patchett "Who is to say we are reasonable?"

... What I Loved, The Dream Life of Sukhanov (in the New Writers list) and Round Rock. Interesting that Bel Canto is so popular - I didn't enjoy it at all. The Blue Flower is also on my personal 'most disliked' list. I'll be reading Purple Hibiscus as it fits nicely ...

The winners I have on my shelf are Fugitive Pieces and Bel Canto. I'll be reading both of them during Orange July (as long as all my other reading commitments don't overtake them). ;-)

Out of the winners, I've read On Beauty, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Bel Canto. Bel Canto was my favourite, but that's not to say Kevin wasn't one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I just don't think I'll go back to re-read it (not without a lot of therapy first), ...

... awhile (I'm such a slow reader). I think I've only read 3 actual Orange Prize winners and of those 3 my favorites were Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. Not having read many of the winners I wouldn't know which was the Orange of Oranges but ...

OK, I guess I'm finally ready to list my favorites for the quarter: In no particular order: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett East of Eden by John Steinbeck The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse** by Louise Erdrich Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Crow Lake ...

... writing definitely matured in her next book (Half of a Yellow Sun), but PH was quite moving. I liked Small Island, Bel Canto, and The Stone Diaries, too. Read Brick Lane and White Teeth several years back and recall liking them but they haven't stuck with me as much as the others. ...

Attempting to tally Nudges so far.... Small Island 4 an' a bit The Colour 4 White Teeth 4 Bel Canto 3 -1/2 The Hundred Secret Senses 2- 1/2 Brick Lane 2 Purple Hibiscus 1 The Stone Diaries 1 Gilgamesh 1 The Accidental 1 Inheritance of Loss 1/2 Everyman's Rul ...

I've got Bel Canto on my TBR pile - will be up fairly soon as is a library book and has to go back. I am reading it for Orange July - but as July isn't until Wednesday I am holding off on it.

KimB, I've nudged you for Bel Canto and White Teeth, I really enjoyed both of those very much. First for me for Orange July will be Joan London's Gilgamesh, because *someone* (wish I could remember who) just raved so much about it. livrecache, I liked Fight Club too, although Palahniu ...

KimB, I did like Bel Canto and White Teeth very much, my nudge goes to both of those. We've got a few matching TBR books for Orange July, and I was hoping to read Purple Hibiscus, Brick Lane and Gilgamesh (plus some others, Everyman's Rules looks mighty interesting too, but the others ...

My favourites are Bel Canto and The Colour. Happy reading!

... which would definitely be the pick of the bunch. Must admit, I couldn't really see what all the fuss was about regarding Bel Canto, but I wouldn't go so far as to de-nudge it - it's a perfectly okay book - just doesn't really live up to its hype IMO.

Hi, Kim--I've read Small Island, Purple Hibiscus, Brick Lane, White Teeth, The Inheritance of Loss, Bel Canto, The Colour, and The Stone Diaries from your list. Honestly, I liked all of them very much (including The Inheritance of Loss, although I've heard more people who feel as Ji ...

... Everymans Rules for Scientific Living by Carrie Tiffany 2006 short-list The Accidental by Ali Smith 2006 short-list Bel Canto - 2002 Winner. Gilgamesh by Joan London 2004 long-list The Colour by Rose Tremain 2004 short-list The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields turns out this wasnt ...

... got pretty intense in the last third of the book. Not bad - but not as good as other Orange Prize winners I've read - like Bel Canto and We Need to Talk About Kevin. I'm currently about halfway through Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris.

... third of the book when it really took off. It wasn't bad. Not up to the standards of We Need to Talk About Kevin or Bel Canto but, still, o.k. I gave it 4 stars. I recently made a list, to take with me to the bookstore, of the Orange winners, shortlisted books, and longlisted books. ...

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Bonus book After reading the back of the book, one might think Ann Patchett's Bel Canto is an action-packed thriller. A group of wealthy industrialists and politicians gather in an unnamed South American country gather to hear a private recital by world-renowne ...

Ann Patchett's Bel Canto had been sitting on my shelf unread for a long time. I'm glad to have finally read it in conjunction with this month's theme. After reading the back of the book, one might think Bel Canto is an action-packed thriller. A group of wealthy industrialists and politicians ...

... to try to fit in some other reading during the month. Small Island - The Orange of the Oranges ;-) and 2004 Winner. Bel Canto - 2002 Winner. Short-listed The Inheritance of Loss 2007 Everymans Rules for Scientific Living 2006 Purple Hibiscus 2004 White Teeth 2000 The Hun ...

... books! I agree with almost all your ratings, (only would have rated The Leopard higher) especially such favorites as Bel Canto, A Mercy, Three Junes, Oryx and Crake and The Last Report on the Miracles of Little No Horse. Besides the fact that Beloved is my favorite book and A ...

... months. Some of us devote the whole month to the Orange ! Some of my favorites: The Road Home, Half of a Yellow Sun, Bel Canto, The Secret River, Small Island, The Lizard Cage (new writer award) -- and those are just the winners! I've rarely rated any Orange Prize book below 4 ...

... 1999. I am suddenly obsessed with finding and reading books that either won the Orange prize or were nominated. I loved Bel Canto by Ann Patchett which won in (oops, I don't know the year) and We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver which won in 2005. The one I'm reading now - it ...

Just finished Bel Canto and am still digesting it. I'll have to look for discussions here. Received my ER book, The Night Watchman, and started it last night.

Bel Canto

... Doria Russell, Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle, Before and After by Rosellen Brown, Cast of Shadows by Kevin Guilfoile, Open House by Elizabe ...

... that won the Booker prize was considered literary fiction. The short list that I found was: Atonement by Ian McEwan Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Charming Billy by Alice McDermott The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides A T ...

oh, lush lists! I think I must make a year-long challenge with a dozen of these… A couple more come to mind: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett -- an opera soprano is among a group of international diplomats held hostage when terrorists break into a dinner at a South American Vice President’s ...

I also did not like Bel Canto. I felt that no one would behave the way they did and they just never felt 'real' to me. I am going to try another Patchett though. I picked up The Magician's Assistant at a thrift store.

Marise, I too avoided Bel Canto because of the hype, and read it only because a friend gave it to me. I ended up loving it. And kiwidoc, I'm a fan of The Radetzky Waltz too -- one of my favorite books of last year.

We read Bel Canto for one of my book groups a couple years ago. It was my first and last Patchett. I HATED reading the book. It was dull, slow and just awful. The odd thing was once the book was done and I had absorbed the whole story, I really liked the story (which was based on the ...

... The Magician's Assistant. The next book of Ann Patchett's that I found was The Patron Saint of Liars (while looking for Bel Canto, I believe). I really liked that quite a lot, as well. So maybe you should try that next? :) I just finished Let Me Eat Cake and enjoyed it quite a lot. It ...

Every time I think back to reading Bel Canto, I feel like it was all a dream.

So many of the books you have been reading are on my shelves waiting patiently. I will be moving Bel Canto and What the Body Remembers up to the top after hearing what you have to say about them.

I have just read Bel Canto too and I thought it was very good.

... src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060934417.01._SX140_SY225_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg"> 28. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett I loved this book! Unusual, so well written, great characters. This was my first Patchett book, but I'll be adding more of hers to my ...

Good morning enlishrose60; Bel Canto actually sounds pretty intense. That's why I never go to birthday parties. One just never knows what might occur. Hey -- Congratulations on meeting (and beating) the 100 count mark. And look at all the months left in the year. You will most likely make 2 ...

Finished Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Thoroughly enjoyed this book set in South America, about a group of people who are taken hostage while attending a birthday party. The house is under seige by the government forces and a Swiss Red Cross worker mediates between them and the kidnappers. The story ...

Sorry to interfere with your good intentions FlossieT. It happens to us all! Here's another one :-) 51. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Thoroughly enjoyed this book set in South America, about a group of people who are taken hostage while attending a birthday party. The house is under seige by the ...

31. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Thoroughly enjoyed this book set in South America, about a group of people who are taken hostage while attending a birthday party. The house is under seige by the government forces and a Swiss Red Cross worker mediates between them and the kidnappers. The story ...

I just finished Bel Canto and I did like it a lot. Without spoiling anything, the ending was weird for me. I pretty much knew what would happen but it was so quick with so little denouement that I think I stared at the final page for a full minute before I realized the book was over. Definitely ...

Bel Canto is really, really good. I am about half way through now and enjoying it immensely. Thanks to all who recommended this one.

... to get through in the meantime, but I'll be back soon... And may I also just add my voice to the chorus of approval of Bel Canto? A wonderful book.

My feet are in South America enjoying Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and in Ecuador experiencing Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel and my head is in England with The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy.

Last night I started Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Many Ltrs like this one and I am finding it very good so far.

LG, Bel Canto is on of my all time favorites. I am glad you liked it. Now that I have finally seen the movie for Twilight I am breaking down and reading the online version of Midnight Sun. I like it so far.

I had a response avaland posted here, but rereading ... I've decided to delete. I don't think anyone will miss the post. It's recoverable, if anyone wants it back.

Talbin/jhedlund - thanks for recommendation for Bel Canto. I shall start it as soon as I have finished Murdoch's A Fairly Honourable Defeat.

... for when I have a lot of (hopefully) uninterrupted time. teelgee and englishrose - I'll second jhedlund's endorsement of Bel Canto.

New Library Trip!!! Here's what I checked out last weekend: The Importance of Being Earnest (just finished) Bel Canto (currently reading) Animal Farm Krik? Krak! The Girl With No Shadow

... couldn't picture Algernon as anyone other than Rupert Everett but that wasn't entirely a bad thing. :) Now I'm reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A good friend recommended it and so far it's pretty good!

... and Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (good but not her best). teelgee and englishrose, I'm sure you'll like Bel Canto. It's a beautifully written book.

... New York are also featured in this novel. Enjoyed this and would like to read more by this author. I shall be reading Bel Canto this month too.

... All the Pretty Horses for my F to F book group, but I'm struggling to get into it. So I'm going to supplement it with Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

I started Bel Canto last week and decided after a chapter or so not to continue. Maybe I should pick it up again with all these nudges. I've read A Gathering Light and it was ok, but I wouldn't nudge it ahead of other books on your list, I haven't read any of them and they are probably more ...

Yup, Bel Canto's my choice too. I don't think Fingersmith is Sarah Waters' best book by a long way - try The Night Watch or Tipping the Velvet first ;-). And I'll also un-nudge The Namesake - I thought it would have made an excellent short story, but couldn't carry itself the length ...

The only one I've read is Bel Canto, which I enjoyed. It's different. Most people I know who have read it really like it.

I'll nudge Bel Canto. I really enjoyed it. I'll also un-nudge Cold Sassy Tree. I did not like it at all. I'll nudge-ish The Namesake and The Secret History. Both are on my TBR list.

I haven't read any of these but Bel Canto and Angle of Repose are on my TBR so I will give them each a mini-nudge.

... Light, which I read several years ago and enjoyed. Though I haven't read it, I've heard a lot of good things about Bel Canto, so a half-nudge to that one too, if you'll take a second. :-)

... by Sarah Waters 4.The Secret History by Donna Tartt 5.The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim 6.Bel Canto by Anne Patchett 7.Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner 8.The Brothers K by David James Duncan 9.Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns 10.Cry ...

I've just started reading Bel Canto and came across your review, I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed by the plotline so far - so glad to read your thoughts and I might ditch the book in favour of something more substantial. This is my first attempt at reading Ann Patchett.

5. Bel Canto by Anne Patchett Another book that I have heard so much about yet for some reason thought I would find it a slog. I loved this book. Hostage stories can be very tedious but this one flew (even though it took me far too long to read it), I liked most of the characters. A ...

#33 rnyc - I agree regarding Bel Canto - although I didn't see it as super-hyped. Maybe I'm just clueless, I found it via LT suggestions. For me, it's The Time Traveler's Wife stands out as a really nice book which I held off on despite the recommendations, and then later gave in. It's a ...

Two books that I really enjoyed and that had to be forced on me because I had avoided them because of the hype were Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and Empire Falls by Richard Russo.

... love A Room of One's Own. Glad to see that you enjoyed it. I have not read Taft yet by Patchett, whose book Bel Canto I really enjoyed. From your review however, it does not look like a book I would like, so I think I will give it a pass, at least for a while. There are just ...

... going to offer some fiction titles this time: Cast of Shadows by Kevin Guilfoile The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Bel Canto by Ann Patchett We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks There are so many more but I'll just start with these 5 ...

#12- Bel Canto by Ann Patchett This was for my musical reads category. Terrorists in a South American country hold a diverse international group hostage, including a famous opera singer. One blurb on the dust jacket said that instead of Lord of the Flies this was like Lord of the Butterflies, ...

... some South American country, kidnapped by rebels. Luckily, there is a famous opera singer with us to entertain us a bit, in Bel Canto

... July) 57.The Colour by Rose Tremain (Read July) 58.Purple Hibiscus by Chimamada Ngozi Adichie (Read July) 59.Bel Canto by Anne Patchett (Read July) 60.To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Read July) 61.The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad (Read Aug) 62.Life a User's Ma ...

2. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. I read this book for my monthly book club. It is outside my normal genre, and I am pretty confident that I would not have finished it, were it not for the book club. I would not have stuck with it long enough to get interested. First of all, the book asks a ...

... Inheritance of Loss I admired but couldn't engage with the characters in the way that makes a book special for me. I think Bel Canto, might have also fallen into this category but like you it's a while since I read it and I don't have strong memories of the book. Edited to add a bit missed ...

... I really enjoyed When I lived in Modern Times and it made me want to read more about Israel. I didn't love Bel Canto but can't remember why - it was ages ago - and I really couldn't see what the fuss was over On Beauty, so I'm not rushing to read White Teeth, but I know both ...

Oh, Alcottacre, I loved Shadow of the Wind. Bel Canto is right on the edge of excellence. I liked Water for Elephants, but not quite on that level. Please let me know your opinion of The Things They Carried. My husband didn't like it at all. On your 2009 list, I can highly recommend ...

Alcottacre - This is a great list! Several of these - Bel Canto, The Shadow of the Wind - are favorites of mine, and many of the rest of them are going on my TBR list. Thanks for the wonderful summary of your 2008 highlights.

... reads from this past year, in the order in which I read them: Fiction Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Saturday by Ian McEwan The Last Six Million Seconds by John Burdett The Terror by Dan Simmons People of the Book by G ...

... reads for the year, in the order in which I read them: Fiction Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Saturday by Ian McEwan The Last Six Million Seconds by John Burdett The Terror by Dan Simmons People of the Book by G ...

... books in your categories, quite a few I've already read and enjoyed and a couple that are on my 999 challenge too - Bel Canto & One Hundred Years of Solitude. Sherman Alexie's book is really good.

... Let Me Go—Kazou Ishiguru 5. The Road—Cormac McCarthy 6. The Year of Magical Thinking—Joan Didion 7. Bel Canto—Anne Patchett

... I had not reviewed the Orange Prize lists before. It is an interesting mix of works I loved, such as Poisonwood Bible, Bel Canto, Amy and Isabelle, Larry's Party and others. However, I see a number of books I recently tried to read and abandoned, including Small Island, History of Lov ...

... I had not reviewed the Orange Prize lists before. It is an interesting mix of works I loved, such as Poisonwood Bible, Bel Canto, Amy and Isabelle, Larry's Party and others. However, I see a number of books I recently tried to read and abandoned, Small Island, History of Love, and I ...

... a Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates January 4. The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith 5. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 6. Brick Lane by Monica Ali 7. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters 8. What the Body Remembers by Shauna Singh Baldwin ...

... We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson – 214p. Good story, very heartwarming towards the end. 151. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 318p. Everyone on LT was right, it is the best Ann Patchett I have read so far. 152, The story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski ...

... it or loved it. I got the book for myself instead.) For his wife (who likes things a little more literary) I bought: Bel Canto and In Persuasion Nation For my niece (my favorite person to shop for) I got: City of Ember, The Last Unicorn and Down the Rabbit Hole (I'd also ...

... - Matilde Asensi (4) 2/26/09 2. A Mango-Shaped Space - Wendy Mass (9) 3/26/09 3. Bel Canto - Anne Patchett (4) 4/6/09 4. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant (4, 8) 5/1/09 5. The Other Boleyn Girl - ...

... (in no particular order): 1. Dreams from my father, Barack Obama 2. Dispatches from the edge, Anderson Cooper 3. Bel Canto, Ann Patchett 4. 2BR02B, Kurt Vonnegut 5. 1776, David McCullough 6. Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela 7. The Color of Water, James McBride 8. ...

#51 rebeccanyc: I read Run, but to my mind, it is not as good as Bel Canto, which I absolutely love. I have not read the other 2 by her that you mentioned, but I probably will in time. Have you read her nonfiction book Truth and Beauty? You might give that one a try.

... getting to this thread -- lots of great books. About Ann Patchett (#22, 24, etc): the first book I read by her was Bel Canto and I loved it so much I ran out to get her other books. Although I liked The Patron Saint of Liars and The Magician's Assistant, they just weren't in the ...

... to be variable. I loved The Magician's Assistant, The Patron Saint of Liars and Taft but couldn't finish either Bel Canto or Run even though I tried several times.

Just finished reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on my Kindle. Enjoyed it very much and just wondering what to read next. I don't think her earlier ones are available for the kindle. Do I want fiction or nonfiction? I just don't know.... k4k

... others. Alice Hoffman is another in that category for me. Oddly, I agree about Ann Patchett but I liked Run and Bel Canto but didn't like Magician's Assistant. Interesting. As to books I was "supposed" to like: I'll mention The Kite Runner. I'm sorry books about pedophilia ...

... trilogy, I've decided to change to Regeneration and have Bk2&3 as Bonus reads. After failing to finish Patchett's Bel Canto, I've substituted Charming Billy and now after having Charming Billy totally de-nudged in the Book nudging group I've decided to go for The Secret History ...

After enjoying Run, I reviewed other works by Ann Patchett. I read many positive reviews of her Bel Canto, so I looked forward to reading it as well. I was very disappointed in how it ended. Fortunately, it didn't put me off from reading The Magician's Assistant but I'm wary of delving ...

... for a Baby is especially sweet. My children's books are always two for one! I also added some adult fiction, including Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and Swimming by Joanna Hershon http://www.bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jhedlund

... Fitch The Red Tent by Anita Diamant The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger ****1/2 completed 8/5 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

... books to my leaders: Fiction Three Soldiers by John Dos Passos Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Saturday by Ian McEwan The Last Six Million Seconds by John Burdett The Brontes Went to Woolworth's by Rachel Ferguson T ...

... and witty, with a macho-sensitive complexity. Character: French ambassador Simon Thibault, a minor character in Bel Canto -- his love and unrelenting longing for his wife during captivity has stayed with me as much as anything in the novel.

Continue from last title listed, or create your own alphabet quintet. Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell by Janet Wallach Eventide by Kent Haruf ETA clarification

... make any reference in my notes to her writing style (good or bad) so I will probably give Ann Patchett another try and Bel Canto sounds good. Thanks for your post.

I missed Bel Canto the first time I looked at your stack (I've only ever seen the book with a blue cover, and yours is red. I didn't know it came in red flavour). Anyway, it's an excellent book and not a difficult read (you really have to be UP for Midnight's Children).

... If you haven't read him, be ready for a grim atmospheric read. He is authentic so I would definitely nudge him. I loved Bel Canto, it is a light fast read, so why not. The Eye in the Door - yes, but read the Trilogy. I agree with almigwin, about Damage And Midnight's Children! What ...

... daily. What did you think of The Patron Saint of Liars? I discovered Ann Patchett at the end of last year, and her Bel Canto is one of my favorite books.

Hi Kevin, I'm Cushla and Karen invited me in - great idea! I've read Bel Canto and The Eye in the Door in your pile. I liked, but didn't love, Bel Canto. It was about 7 years ago and I can't remember why exactly. The writing was beautiful, but I think the plot annoyed me somewhere ...

#64 valleymom - I also enjoyed The Magician's Assistant but struggled with both Run and Bel Canto. If you haven't read Patchett's Patron Saint of Liars, I would recommend that as well. #69 I keep hearing both really good and really bad things about Edgar Sawtelle. I'm next on the ...

... my review of Run by Ann Patchett this week. I struggled/avoided it for a long time because I couldn't "detach" from Bel Canto and review Run fro, a neutral position. I finally realized that I shouldn't be neutral, that being able compare/contrast other works by the same author makes it ...

43 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Just finished this one, and can't describe how much it irritated the hell out of me! I found it so implausible in every imaginable way. Disappointed because I've been loving everything I've been reading. Ah well, I finished it, which it least says something for ...

... Legend of the Forger Who Swindled the Nazis Musical Reads 1. Ground Beneath her Feet 2. Dancing With Cuba 3. Bel Canto 4. The Story of the Trapp Family Singers 5. The Cellist of Sarajevo 6. The Soloist by Steve Lopez 7. Canone Inverso 8. An Equal Music by Vikram Seth ...

#50jhedlund: I loved Bel Canto - a four-star book IMO. Finished Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh which was thoroughly enjoyable. Then I read Snakes and Earrings by Hitomi Kanehara - sex, violence, body piercings and tattoos. I've now moved on to The Final Solution by Michael Chabo ...

I just finished Bel Canto, which took longer than I thought due to a busy work schedule. Sigh. Never enough time to read. In a way, I loved the book but I only gave it 3.5 stars. The writing alone was beautiful enough to make you weep, but somehow the story never rose to the level of the ...

... by Suzanne Berne 02/01/2009 2. The Remedy by Michelle Lovric 30/01/2009 3. Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman 06/03/2009 4. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 07/04/2009 5. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney 03/05/2009 6. The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve 05/05/2009 7. The Little Friend ...

... come back yet. Unintentionally I've read a handful of Orange Prize winners and shortlist books and really enjoyed them (Bel Canto, Half of a Yellow Sun). This was the first time I picked up a book only because it was an Orange Prize winner. Next up I plan to give Terry Pratchett another ...

Not a new book, but I read/reviewed Bel Canto here after re-reading it: http://www.sheistoofondofbooks.com/2008/10/05/book-review-bel-canto-by-ann-patchett/ I mention it because several people read Ann Patchett's Run recently and posted wildly disparate reviews. Very strong, some loved ...

October 2008 101. Bel canto - Ann Patchett (book club) 102. The chocolate lovers' club - Carole Matthews 103. The blood of flowers - Anita Amirrezvani 104. The 19th wife - David Ebershoff (book club) 105. The breakup club - Melissa Senate

Just added Bel Canto, The Namesake, and Son of a Witch. Here's my inventory. http://www.bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jhedlund http://www.bookmooch.com/m/wishlist/jhedlund

I just finished Run and I liked it. It was not as good as Bel Canto but there are some great characters in it and it is an interesting story. After reading the upcoming chapters for Fellowship of the Ring I am going to read Three Cups of Tea. Also, I just got Brisingr from the library. ...

... Run by Ann Patchett. She created lots of strong, interesting characters for this book. It is not nearly as good as Bel Canto, but I liked it far better than The Patron Saint of Liars and The Magician's Assistant. Book Count: 5 First Reads: 4 Rereads: 1

#142 -Rather than telling her to hush, I'm simply not going to talk to her again until I finish the book (Bel Canto). She won't be able to help herself. She can't stand surprises. She'll tell what she got you for Christmas while you're in the process of opening the gift. She reads the ...

>133 I, too, really loved Bel Canto. And even if you might know something of the ending, the journey is oh-so wonderful. (I personally did NOT like the ending, yet this is still one of my favorite books. I'll be interested to hear what you think when you're done.)

>133: jhedlund, oooh.. I really enjoyed Bel Canto. I think that's one of her best books. You should tell your mother-in-law to just hush and let you come to the little surprises in your own time. I got started on Eleven on Top and Hotel Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones .. the latter is an ...

I finished Twilight yesterday. It's almost embarrassing how much I liked it. I've now started Bel Canto by Ann Patchett as a request from my mother-in-law, who's already dropped huge hints about the ending (GRRRRRRRRRR!). I'm also working on Your Money or Your Life and flipping through ...

I loved The Book Thief. I was charmed by The Magician's Assistant. Bel Canto wasn't the "great book" that so many others recommended. On the other hand, I rather enjoyed Run. Now I'm on to Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen. It's slow going. I'll give it another day or so to ...

I just finished Consolation by Michael Redhill; what a good story (or stories). Next up is Bel Canto by Anne Patchett.

Gideon's Trumpet by Anthony Lewis For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Drums Along the Mohawk by James Fenimore Cooper The Piano Lesson by August Wilson

... Patchett, but I still plan on reading both books. I will probably not read Truth and Beauty for a few months. Bel Canto is one of my all time favorites! I would recommend it to anyone.

... a lot to Lucy's story. Again, both books will rip your heart right out of your chest. Stunning. eta: I also loved Bel Canto. If you haven't read it, you should check it out.

If you like Ann Patchett I recommend her memoir Truth and Beauty; it is beautifully written book about her relationship with fellow writer and cancer victim Lucy Grealy; it is a powerful work on the limits of friendship. I haven't read Bel Canto, but it is on my list. I, too, liked Life ...

... know once I have read it. Up until recently I had not read any of Ann Patchett's books. Having now read both Run and Bel Canto I am definitely going to be on the lookout for her books in the future. I completely agree with you about Bel Canto and some of the prose she uses is lyrical ...

... though I have a funny feeling I read it when the hardcover came out last year, and sensational socks Listening: bel canto

... Inside Music, The Perfect Wrong Note, and Edith Hamilton's The Roman Way. I think I'll start Bel Canto soon. Seeing the announcements at the B&N around the corner for Ann Patchett's signing reminded me that BC has sat on my shelf unread for a year now.

... awesome! I already had her new book Run, but I bought Truth and Beauty while I was there. I really recommend her book Bel Canto. It is one of my all time favorites.

... a very Orange July: Fugitive Pieces, Anne Michaels - most powerful; Unless, Carol Shields - sentimental favourite; Bel Canto, Ann Patchett -surprising and good. Best light read from a series; A Cure for all Diseases, Reginald Hill.

... provoking 251. Carnal Innocence by Nora Roberts - audiobook 252. The Child in Time by Ian McEwan 253. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - audiobook; I love this book, so I bought it on audio to enjoy as I work 254. Not a Girl Detective by Susan Kandel - I am enjoying ...

Song Yet Sung by James McBride Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow Bel Canto by Ann Patchett the Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich

... up 3 at my local used bookstore: Blue Latitudes, The Lost Continent, and The Farfarers. Also received in the mail Bel Canto CD and All The Rage. Not a bad haul for the day.

... - this is the first book I read by him and I loved it. VERy funny, very emotional, so well put together. #37 - Bel Canto (Ann Patchett)

... if you liked Horse Heaven, and then go to some of her earlier novels. #133, merry10, I also (to my surprise) loved Bel Canto, and it set me to reading Ann Patchett's earlier work -- they're good, but not up to Bel Canto. #128, mrstreme, and #130 cabegley, I'm one of those who ...

Bel Canto, Ann Patchett, Orange Prize winner 2002 Wonderful read. A party including an important Japanese industrialist, his interpreter, an opera singer, her accompanist and many guests are taken hostage by a South American terrorist group. What happens after the first torrid days in the long ...

>247: KinnicChick imo, Ann Patchett's reputation was earned with Bel Canto, though I haven't been disappointed in anything else of hers. >257: 0bazooka0 haha, if you had the fortitude to get through The Corrections, you'll have no problem with Everything is Illuminated, which has just ...

99. Bel Canto, Ann Patchett, 2001 Orange Prize winner 2002, Pen/Faulkner award winner Wonderful read. A party including an important Japanese industrialist, his interpreter, an opera singer, her accompanist and many guests are taken hostage by a South American terrorist group. What happens ...

... & Lonesome Dove most of Larry McMurtry's stuff Mrs. Mike Breathing lessons & St. Maybe & All Anne Tyler Bel Canto Louis Bromfield's The Rains Came & also about India The God of Small Things Raintree County Ross Lockridge Jr. should be near the top of the list ...

... Together, Fall Apart. Still have a couple of more to finish reading. There's also an interesting essay by Ann Patchett Bel Canto and Run on writing tours. So pick up a copy--great for the plane, beach, or any time you want some quick reads.

Just home from the post office with A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett in hand.

... to go through avalands jpegs to see what else I have in my unread pile that qualifies. Do rereads count? I'm sure I have Bel Canto.

... how I finished book #40 - Run - Ann Patchett 0 finished June 20, 2008. I've read two of her other fiction books - Bel Canto and The Magician's Assistant - and loved them both. With high expectations, I wasn't disappointed. Run describes the events of a 24-hour period in the life of ...

... 1989) 26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984) 27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990) 28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997) 29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001) 30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004) 31. The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien (1990) 32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988 ...

I thought Bel Canto by Ann Patchett was great.

52. Bel Canto by A.Prattcher A group of international bussiness man and diplomats are kidnapped in the house of the vicepresident of an unknown latinamerican country while celebrating the birthday of a Japaneese opera lover. The situation lasts for several months and in the meantime the ...

Bel Canto!

... of my favorites of Margaret Atwood's The Great Fire -- loved it; Shirley Hazzard is one of my favorite authors Bel Canto -- to my surprise, I loved it Horse Heaven -- loved this; one of my favorites by Jane Smiley The Poisonwood Bible -- a little heavy-handed, but I really ...

I've finished two more since my last post: 5. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. First I liked it, then I really liked it, then suddenly the epilogue killed it all. Well, not quite, but you get the idea. I would have torn out the last chapter if it was my copy, but its a bit out of order to do that ...

49 - Shame by Salman Rushdie 50 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I just finished listening to Survival of the Fittest by Jonathan Kellerman and have started listening to Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

... Sara Gruen The Executioner's Song, Norman Mailer Dark Hearts of Chicago, William Horwood and Helen Rappaport Bel Canto, Ann Patchett Boy A, Jonathan Trigell Clear, Nicola Barker Whew! My reread for this month was The Experiment, a book I read many years ago and ...

... Christie novel is exactly like an Agatha Christie novel'. It was surreal. So that's 4 this month (unless I can finish Bel Canto by the end of the day which seems unlikely). If that's the standard, I will make 48 by the end of the year, and bearing in mind that The Blind Assassin took ...

... le A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - tradition, I have to read it every Christmas even on a desert island Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hug ...

... Cities The touchstone worked when I spelled Tale.. Tail. LOL 55.Hamlet 63.MacBeth 67.Sense and Sensibility 71.Bel Canto 74.Beloved 78.A Clockwork Orange 79.American Gods 80.The Russian Debutante's Handbook 83.Persuasion 88.Pinnochio 96.Jungle Book 104.The Prin ...

... thing, I enjoyed this rather a lot when I read it, but when I look back on it I think "Meh, average at best." 2.5/5 Bel Canto--This one had an interesting premise and was quite well done. 4/5 Oryx and Crake--thought this was great . . . not so much when I read it, but it has really ...

... A fun read as are her other books about pioneering, but not great literature. Secret life of Bees Overrated IMO Bel Canto I was disappointed. Caramelo A peek into another culture, but not great art. The lovely Bones Amazing attempt to speak in the voice of the dead without ...

... Ahab's Wife (I liked this one, although I know reactions are mixed) Niagara Falls All Over Again (good, quirky book) Bel Canto (lovely and shocking) Fingersmith (I love Sarah Waters, and I think this is her best--a long book, but tightly plotted) When the Emperor Was Divine (a book ...

I'm seeing a trend here in my own reading -- I've read 2-3 from each year so far. From the 2002 list I've read Bel Canto, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Dark Room. I liked them all; "Bees" somewhat more than the others. I also recommended "Bees" to my 15yo daughter who liked it quite a ...

... Secret Life of Bees Joyce Carol Oates, Middle Age Kathy Page, The Story of My Face Ann Patchett, Bel Canto - winner Nani Power, Crawling at Night Lily Prior, La Cucina Anita Rau Badami, The Hero's Walk Emma Richler, Sister Crazy ...

George Eliot Graham Greene Jane Austen Anne Tyler Alice McDermott Ann Patchett Sue Miller Ian McEwan Barbara Pym Richard Russo and Harper Lee (Too bad there is only one!)

... eights Lonesome Dove A prayer for owen meany I was Amelia Earhart We speak no treason (I'm a Richard III freak Bel Canto A Game of Thrones (1st that started me on the series) The agony and the ecstacy Pride and Prejudice The Far Pavillions And one bonus for mainstream ...

... Pursuit of Alice Thrift Peter Mayle - A Year in Provence Walter Mosley - Little Scarlet Ann Patchett - Bel Canto David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day Anita Shreve - The Last Time They Met edited to add titles

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett!! I thrill every time I see it on imdb, but as of now it's "on hold indefinitely." I'd also like to see The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. (Woohoo, just looked it up and it's a 2009 possibility!)

... the voice of the narrator (which I actully didn't find very realistic), it lacked the language style I fell in love with in Bel Canto and I couldn't keep going with it. But I will try more books by Patchett when I can. That comment of Eco's makes me thankful I abandoned his book. I have a ...

Ginny, Yes, Bel Canto is available on the Kindle. I've decided to only post things here that are available in an ebook format that works on the Kindle. Thank you for the nice compliment, I've never considered myself much of a writer. Garry

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. It's a novel about a terrorist group that takes over an embassy. They wanted to kidnap the president of the country, but the president wasn't there. Instead, they capture a group of party goers and an opera singer. The book explores the dynamics between the captors, ...

... just three, but here we go: Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat This is a really great collection of short stories. Bel Canto by Anne Patchett I got this from the library because I saw the title cropping up on LibraryThing, and it was great; I ignored everything else I had to do and ...

... Soldiers by John Dos Passos Looking for Alaska by John Green Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Saturday by Ian McEwan February: An Ordinary Man by Paul Russabagina The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert ...

I really liked Carol Shields' Unless A mother struggles to understand her daughter. Ann Patchett Bel Canto A group of terrorists invade a birthday party and take hostages. Glen Duncan I Lucifer Satan is made human for a period of time and experiences life as you've never seen it. If ...

Bel Canto? Not sure if I'm right or not but if I am I won't be back at the compouter until around 12pm EST. So just in case here is my line: "A new lens passed over everything she saw, the shadows moved on the wall like skeletons handing things to each other."

... 2. The god of small things by Arundhati Roy (1668/5117) 3. The shipping news by Annie Proulx (1258/3838) 4. Bel canto : a novel by Ann Patchett (1138/3276) 5. Snow falling on cedars by David Guterson (1120/3457) Books with similar tags 1. The inheritance of loss ...

... pursuing Patchett's whole list. (I'm on to The Patron Saint of Liars soon, and then Run). It was an easier read than Bel Canto but nowhere near as stunning.

... weekend! As for what I'm looking forward to, I have Charles de Lint's Memory and Dream on loan from the library and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on loan from a friend. Plus a massive TBR pile. Oh well. :)

... have to look them up. I was also interested to hear that you're inclined toward Ann Patchett: the first I read of hers was Bel Canto, which I absolutely loved (the writing is beautiful) - I see you have it tagged as a favourite also; late last year I read Run: while I didn't feel it was ...

#20 - Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, was utterly engrossing. I was a little unsatisfied with the last chapter, but overall it was fantastic.

... by Edith Wharton, and The Bostonians by Henry James. I also got The Blue Sky by Galsan Tsuchinag and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett from the library yesterday - both books that I discovered through LibraryThing.

What a sensual (lush) list!! I think you'll love the language (almost poetry) in Bel Canto and Life of Pi. I hesitate to distract you from your list :) but with your interest in nature/animals (and your name!), you might like the Norfolk Botanical Garden’s tracyfox in 888 Challenge : tracyfox's 888 (Feb 7, 2008, 1:08am)

... Acts of Faith by Philip Caputo 2. The Problem with Murmur Lee by Connie May Fowler 3. Ghosts by John Banville 4. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel 6. Unless by Carol Shields 7. The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany 8. The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason ...

11. Bel Canto by Anne Patchett What a gorgeous novel. The language just sings - effortless and beautiful. Sheer poetry. I was a whole lot less concerned about the plot than the language, just sat back and let the words glide over me like silk. But then I started getting attached to the ...

... be about my top ten for the year just in January, here are my top 3: 1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen 2. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 3. Saturday by Ian McEwan (Touchstone for this book does not appear to be working)

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay was amazing; by Michael Chabon Bel Canto by Ann Patchett was just as "bel" the second time around Reluctant Genius by Charlotte Gray

... Urban Centres is Reshaping the Nation by John Lorinc for my book club on public policy issues. Just finished Bel Canto for the second time and loved it, again.

#163 ChocolateMuse: I read Bel Canto recently and loved it. I thought some of the passages, like the one you quoted, are pure poetry.

From Bel Canto. Everyone has been held hostage for a long time now (not a spoiler, trust me) and Kato is playing the piano: "Every note was distinct. It was the measurement of the time which had gotten away from them. It was the interpretation of their lives in the very moment they were being ...

I've started Bel Canto for a book club. I read it a few years ago, but need to read it again in order to refresh my memory for the discussion.

16. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett I really enjoyed this book. Normally I am not surprised what happens in a book, but this one surprised me.

... Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors -- she delves deeply into emotion and I'm making my way through her entire list. Bel Canto is one of my favorite books of all time. Let me look through my library re: inspirational books and books-to-film...

... in her opinion too much description. She and I don't necessarily mesh though, when it comes to reading. She hated Bel Canto, for example, and I thought it was brilliant - though I did need to spend time thinking about it to come to that assessment. I can't do depressing these days - ...

... Gregory - not sorry I read it, just not sure what the big deal is about it. 18. Run by Ann Patchett 19. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - of the 2 books I read by her back-to-back, I prefer this one. Some of the prose was pure poetry 20. Evans to Betsy by Rhys Bowen - ...

... on. Yes, this was a long book, but it was worth the read. I'm working on New England White and will probably start Bel Canto today.

Best: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Worst: No clear bad book. The Discovery of France by Graham Robb was a book I legitimately did not like (sorry JPB) but, it wasn't a bad book so much as it was the wrong book for me.

... entions Cloud Atlas The Time Traveler's Wife TIED with 7 mentions Honorable mentions with 5 mentions each are: Bel Canto Nineteen Minutes Out Stealing Horses The Glass Castle

... sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 2. Children of God by Mary Doria Russell 3. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 4. How they met, and other stories by David Levithan 5. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain 6. The ...

Not in order The Time Traveler's wife Bel Canto Possession The Road Truth & Beauty

... Trollope When the Astors Owned New York by Justin Kaplan An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusesabagina Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Looking for Alaska by John Green The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory Sovereign by C.J. Ransom The Savage D ...

Go ahead and gush! Bel Canto is also in my top 10 list of all-time favorites. I recommend it to anyone who will listen to me rant and rave about it. Such beautifully drawn characters and fluid writing style. It has drama, humor; everything a good book needs.

Just finished Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on the first. Now I'm reading Age of Consent by Howard Mittelmark. Just ordered Three Junes by Julia Glass. Sara, tell me what you think of The Kite Runner (touchstone still isn't working, huh?). I've been meaning to pick that up for ...

Finished Bel Canto today. One of the best books I'd read in a long, long time. I managed to post a review. Hopefully it isn't too syrupy.

... this as most of my reads came in with strong recommendations from LTers or via award lists. In no particular order... Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver Atonement by Ian McEwan ...

... Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling Bel Canto by Ann Patchett The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card A Breath ...

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (2) The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (2) The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (2) Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (3) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (3) Honorable mentions: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ...

Oh man, I'm currently working my way through Bel Canto. I've made a policy of late to write an LT review of every book I read. So far it has been easy, but I'm not so sure how I'm going to write a review for this one without coming off as a gushing fanboy.

... just finished Run and I wouldn't say I was disappointed, it was a good story but I had such high expectations. It was no Bel Canto. #76 The Dark Tower series was great. I read them as they came out, anxiously waiting for the next installment. I am now just starting Into the Wild ...

1.) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 2.) We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 3.) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 4.) Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 5.) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

172. Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett Every single rough edge has been sanded from the novel, which is composed of sleek planes and good will toward man. 173. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke A whiz-bang concept with entirely dull execution. 174. And Be A Villain by Rex Stout Nero Wolfe ...

... intense, but so slow that I needed to take a break. I'll try again sometime. Ok, my list so far: Fiction 1. Bel Canto - Ann Patchett (2001) 2. Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder (1994) 3. To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts (2002) 4. The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman (199 ...

... 33 books, which is a personal record for me. The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11-Lawrence Wright Bel Canto-Ann Patchett Mort-Terry Pratchett Your Two-Year-Old : Terrible or Tender-Louise Bates Ames The Glass Castle: A Memoir-Jeannette Walls St ...

... enjoyed very much! I will probably read the rest of this series very soon! Now I am reading The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett I just didn't buy it. The language was so flowery and overwrought yet the characters didn't respond with the appropriate amount of fear or dread. The situation and the responses of both the terrorists and the partygoers absolutely did not resonate for me. And I ...

I'm churning through the last book of the Emperor series. After that I may read some mainstream fiction. Bel Canto since I've always been fascinated by Stockholm Syndrome. But I have been curious to start Age of Consent or The Hollower (Mary Sangiovanni? Touchstone for The Hollower ...

... Measures): A True Story from Hell on Earth by Kenneth Cain Life of Pi by Yann Martel Honorable Mentions: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje The Passion by Jeanette Winterson

... Laura Hillenbrand Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy, Frances Hodgson Burnett Bel Canto, Ann Patchett Last Days of Summer, Steve Kluger The Book Thief, Markus Zusak Edited because I hit Submit to early *wacks forehead*

>82 I just finished Bel Canto. It was such a beautiful book.

Bel Canto-Ann Patchet "All the love and the longing a body could contain was spun into not more than two and a half minutes of song, and when she came to the highest notes it seemed that all they had been given in their lives and all they had lost came together and made a weight that was ...

... it IMPF's? that have messy desks? I have notes on that, also, but they are still buried. Meanwhile...the Books: 1. Bel Canto 2. Home before Dark 3. The Curious incident of the dog in the Night-Time 4. Eva Luna 5. The Winds of Change, Climate, weather & the ...

I had a great month with only one book I didn't like at all (Bel Canto), two that I enjoyed (Sunshine and Midnighters 3), two that I really liked a lot (Heartsick and The Devil in the White City) and one that I adored and is definitely my favorite for the month - American Gods.

... books I haven't read. I love being reintroduced to old characters I love. I'm also still reading East of Eden and Bel Canto. The former has been one I've really been savoring because I love how it's written. I'm nearing the end, but am kind of dreading being done with it.

36. BelCanto by Ann Patchett - another one I read because of the author. A group is held hostage in what seems like South America. 37. Madam of the House by Donna Birdsell - I read because of a recommendation, but really not worth it.

... (I know it's wrong, but it sounds so funny!). Today I got Epicure by H.R. Howland (a cheesy horror book) and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. The whole Stockholm Syndrome thing is fascinating.

Besides the obvious classics pride and prejudice and wuthering heights, I also plan to re-read: bel canto by ann patchett lonesome dove by larry mcmurtry i was amelia earhart by jane mendolsohn I've also re-read George RR Martin's series at least once and will do so again ...

After about 150 pages, I abandoned Bel Canto which I hated for 22. Sunshine by Robin McKinley I enjoyed this. I especially liked how the writer slowly wove in details to indicate that this was not our world but a future(?) dystopia. Currently reading The Devil in the White City ...

... but at the same time I just fell in love with the characters. I can't believe I've never read it before. Just starting Bel Canto.

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 2. Surprise Me, God by Terry Esau 3. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott 4. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt 5. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan *Can't get touchstone for #2 to load*

Bit behind, but here I go... 1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 2. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott 3. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt 4. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan 5. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

... or Jacob. All of that being said, since these do read so fast, I'm sure I'll stick with the series. Currently reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Since Saturday Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - borrowed from a friend Midnighters 3 by Scott Westerfeld - When I finished the second book, I promised myself I was not going to run out and buy this. Two days later, I bought it. See how much self-control I have? The Body of David Hayes ...

... . 19. City of Darkness, City of Light by Marge Piercy 20. Wait Until Spring, Bandini, by John Fante 21. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Good book and kept my attention, although I didn't feel that the siege scenario and the relationships that develop were entirely believable. ...

I just started Bel Canto by Ann patchett, & just finished Nemesis, the last days of the American Republic by Chalmers Johnson. Before that, I read The Secret of Hurricanes by Theresa Williams. I like to alternate reading fiction with non-fiction as I tend to get lost in the fiction world & ...

... to be a heavy read of Image. I am a bit surprised Ann Patchett didnt make the list. She is an Image favorite, and Bel Canto was an exquisite read.

#76 dihiba - i really enjoyed Bel Canto, although the ending was sort of abrupt and not what i was expecting, but i guess that's a good thing!

... because it was so popular (yes, I can be a snob!), but it was highly recommended to me by the same person who recommended Bel Canto (which I also was snobbishly skeptical about, but loved) so I gave it a try and really enjoyed it.

... a few times in favor of lighter fare, perhaps I'll zip through it next week. And I too, am a fan of Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. I have a memoir of hers Truth and Beauty which I must get to.

#81 and #62, A Suitable Boy and Bel Canto are two of my favorite books; hope you enjoy/enjoyed them! I've been on a nonfiction kick and finished Travels with Herodotus (interesting, but I agree with whoever said it made you want to read Herodotus instead) and an LT recommendation, Ever ...

#62 heatherlynn85, how did you like Bel Canto?

I'm nearly finished with Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and then I will be starting Never Let Me Go.

#24: I was able to get my hands on Run a few months ago, and I did like it, but not as much as Bel Canto, which I think is her masterpiece. I'm still looking forward to the next book by Ingrid Hill. I think there's one in the works, but no official word yet. I thought her first book, ...

Bel Canto The Finishing School Leonardo and the Mona Lisa Story Girl with a Pearl Earring The Birth of Venus

... by Kirsten Bakis I loved the premise, but everything fell apart for me by page 100. I did finish it though. 11. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a hostage situation in a South American country. Gripping and beautiful. 12. The Lucky Shopping Manu ...

Rough Music Bel Canto Lullabies for Little Criminals The Song of Kahunsha The Song of Sliver Frond

#145, Thanks for the news that there's a new Ann Patchett novel coming out. I loved Bel Canto (to my surprise) and went back and read her earlier novels, which were charming but not as good as Bel Canto. So I'll look forward to this one.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie Shadow Baby byAlison McGhee A Woman in Jerusalem by A. B. Yehoshua

I've flipped my first two from the first quarter. All these got 4 stars. 1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (1) - 2001 2. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (1) - 2005 3. The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori (2) - 1949, warning: difficult read 4. The Swamp: The Everglade ...

... Trezza Azzopardi A LITTLE GEM The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville Digging to America by Anne Tyler Bel Canto by Anne Patchett The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek FASCINATING STYLE

#38--Rebecca, how did I leave Bel Canto off of my (too long) list? I drowned in that book. Came up for air and pressed it on everyone I knew. I know we're celebrating female authors, but what about male authors with strong female characters?

... Barry The Testament of Yves Gundron and Brookland by Emily Barton The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard Bel Canto by Ann Patchett The Last of Her Kind by Sigrid Nunez

Bel Canto Roxane: "It's easier to love a woman when you can't understand a word she's saying," Pg 223.

From Bel Canto: SPeaker: Stranger, what do you seek or ask from us? Tamino: Friendship and Love. Speaker: And are you prepared even if it costs you your life? Tamino: I am. The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart I liked this epigraph, it is very similar to this excerpt from a ...

... and I got a lot of books that I'm excited about, including The Year of Magical Thinking, A Confederacy of Dunces, Bel Canto, Straight Man, Mandala, The Book Thief, Howl, Swann's Way, The Trial, and about a dozen others. I also got a gift card to Half Priced Books and a new ...

Finished Ann Patchett's Bel Canto last night - exquisite book; best I've read this year. As I needed to savor Bel Canto for a little while before launching into the next book, I will be starting The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt today at lunch.

I just finished Bel Canto and wrote my first review on Revish.com. Now I'm listening to A Dirty Job (Christopher Moore just makes me laugh). I aslo picked up a $1.99 book at Borders over the weekend, Been There, Done That by Carol Snow; sometimes you need an easy read.

#103, I liked The Patron Saint of Liars better than The Magician's Assistant, but Bel Canto is definitely better than both. I haven't read Truth & Beauty: A Friendship (touchstone not loading) because I read an excerpt in a magazine and it annoyed me.

... at that time. I found Taipan to be only so-so, good for a light read. I'm not sure how I would find them now. Bel Canto is still fresh... I loved it as well!

#101 & #102, I am thoroughly enjoying Bel Canto and fortunately (maybe unfortunately?) my life is forcing me to move through it somewhat slowly, so I am able to savor it. I was actually at the bookstore yesterday evening trying to decide on another work by Ann Patchett - any recommendations?

#101, I too put off reading Bel Canto because I thought it might be sappy, and I too loved it. And then went on to read everything else by Ann Patchett.

... going to be taking breaks between as an attempt to tackle my staggering TBR pile. Hence, I have started Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, which is simply marvelous thus far! I am also slowly enjoying Anne Lamott's Grace (Eventually) as my evening reading.

... The Secret Life of Bees, Gilead, The Kite Runner, Middlesex, The Time traveler's Wife, The Blind Assassin, Bel Canto. I've tagged them "Explores Aspects of Love." because they are all kind of suffused with some kind of overriding "love". Sounds a bit cheesey, unfortunately. A ...

... is: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett The Toyenbee Convector by Ray Bradbury Bel Canto by Ann Patchett White Oleander by Janet Fitch. ...for less than $10, but still. It's not the cash, it's the space and the time that I'm concerned about. WE ...

... Pride and Prejudice comes in a close second. Lonesome Dove is also a favorite (Shakespeare of the old west). Bel Canto made me laugh and cry... Far Pavillions was beautifully written. George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series takes me far away from this world. Yes, it ...

... well, I forget his name. 'Twas a gift. Could be a hit, or could be a miss. To add to the present conversation, I adored Bel Canto (well, except for the last ten pages, or so). I have heard good things about the rest of her books. I also read Michael Chabon's Amazing Adventures of Kavalie ...

#1 bookishy and #2 avaland I read Bel Canto when it came out in paperback and loved it (even though I didn't think I was going to -- it was recommended by a friend). So I went out and bought Ann Patchett's earlier books, specifically The Patron Saints of Liars (touchstone not loading) ...

I've just begun The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. Really liked Bel Canto (her last book?) . Hope this one is good, too. Cover looks a bit trashy, however.

... like a great quarter for me, but I have come across some good books. 1. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls 2. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 3. The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise by Michael Grunwald 4. The Mustangs by J. Frank Dobie 5. R ...

... books I can't wait to get my hands on: * A new novel by Ann Patchett should be out in the fall called RUN. I loved Bel Canto, but haven't read any of her earlier titles. Any good? *The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon , which comes out in May.

The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing. Tragedy into apartheid Rhodesia. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A political hostage drama set in South America where an opera singer captivates her fellow hostages. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us ...

... "singing": Lullabies for Little Criminals Song of Kahunsha Mouthing the Words Being tone-deaf, that's what I do! Bel Canto is about a terrorist kidnapping of several people, including an opera singer whose songs reallly influence the kidnappers and kidnapped The Master Butchers Singi ...

I'm a fan of Bel Canto too, dchaikin, and yes, a wonderfully powerful book. I finished Tyler Knox's Kockroach: A Novel the other day and thought it was just terrific. It's Kafka in reverse, as a common cockroach wakes up one day to discover he's become a human, "some large, vile ...

Finished Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett. I couldn’t keep the end out of my head for a few days; it just kept rerunning backwards and forwards in the background. Thankfully, it’s starting to fade. Powerful little book. Now I’m reading Mort…Terry Pratchett, discworld, certainly seems like ...

Bel Canto - loved it. The Dice Man - after we read it, I remember my friends and I throwing the dice to make decisions,mainly about our social lives. It didn't last long and someone ended up sleeping in the bathtub one night as a result.

Continuing with Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett. (one book at a time for me too. I such a slow reader, if I spread around, I'll never finish anything.). I'm enjoying it a lot. It's a strange set up: rebels in some place like Peru (?) take everyone in a party, who are listening to an opera singer, ...

rebeccancy #86: I like Bel Canto so far. I'm kind of entertained that it opens up with a terrorist-like act... so it's not exactly something completely different. I'm curious to hear your response to A View from Castle Rock. It's on my list of books to get a hold of sometime.

dchaikin #81, I loved Bel Canto (I didn't expect to, but read it because a friend recommended it so strongly), and it led me to read other books by Ann Patchett too -- I liked them, but didn't think they were quite as good. And I too found The Looming Tower very thought-provoking, ...

... to put down. The first half is more thought provoking. And now to something completely different. I'm about to start Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett. I picked it b/c of LT; it's on the "People with this book also have..." list for several of my favorite books, including The Time Traveler's Wif ...

... are reading. *Field trips. Reading The Sweetheart Season? go to a baseball game. Go to an opera if you're reading Bel Canto; an art exhibit after reading Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper and so on... *and one of the funniest I heard: When reading Outlander, members were ...

... 2005 War Trash by Ha Jin 2004 The Early Stories: 1953-1975 by John Updike 2003 The Caprices by Sabina Murray 2002 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 2001 The Human Stain by Philip Roth 2000 Waiting by Ha Jin There are also winners for short story collection (PEN/Malamud Award)

Looking at the winners for the past six years - On Beauty, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Small Island, Property and Bel Canto - I would say that all are accessible. None are what I would describe as 'difficult'. Excellence: all I can offer is my own opinion that they were all very well ...

I love the Orange Prize and I have loved all the winning books that I've read. Two favourites are Bel Canto and We Need to Talk About Kevin and for heaven's sake if you haven't read the second one YOU MUST.