This book has so many interesting characters. Like a story inside a story. ( )

The only reason this doesn't get a full five stars from me is the ending. I loved most of the book, and give her writing a lot of credit for keeping me engaged in the lives of characters I didn't actually care much for as people. However, I thought the end was too deux ex machina to get everyone where they were supposed to end up. It felt as though she ran out of time and had to wrap everything up in a less than natural way. Despite that one flaw, I would still recommend it to others, because it really is a great read. ( )

Julia Glass is a talented writer who crafted a cohesive story by creating a large group of complex, flawed and loveable characters who travel in the same circles but don't necesarily know each other. The first Chapter or so took me a long time to read, its the type of book where you read slowly and pay attention to details. Once I got to know the main characters I fell in love with the story and thourghly enjoyed myself. I was impressed by her depth of imagination...I felt like all her main and axillary characters were complete and unique. I could understand them, especially in their relationships where they often felt one way but reacted in another towards their mates. I found the contrast between characters interesting, For the Govenour hand picked each of his staff and entices them each into coming into his employ and life...While Fenno lets his employees choose him and gently drew them into friendship. I also enjoyed the way Allan recacts to Greenie's Mother, while Greenie loves her whole heartedly and misses her thourghly, Allan say the undermining characteristicis in the Mom's personality. This became more meaningful about Allan and his dedication to his wife when Greenies former boyfriend and lover shares Allan's feelings. This helped me to see Greenie in a more complete light. I would have liked to see an entire book about Saga/Emily, I thought her story could have been explored deeper and look forward to seeing her in a new novel someday. I liked the way Allan and Greenie examined their marriage completely and had the courage to try again after failing each other. They both had made serious mistakes, although I did not feel like either was a villian. Another aspect I enjoyed was the authors inclusion of childrens literature, both famous and obscure. As a former Children's room Library page, I have leafed through most of these books and thought about how creating quality children's reading material is an art and a calling. I knew nothing of the book before I picked it up at the library in place of her earlier book, "Three Junes" which was recommended to me. So the entire time I read it I wondered what the time frame was, prior to 9/11 or after...So when the story lead right up to September 11th and its impact on the characters I found it believeable and respectful. ( )

The title refers to bird migration patterns found on a map in a small rest room in a small book store in New York. In the larger sense, it refers to the travels of this book's main characters, who drag their weak, or noble, or ambitious, or out-of-luck selves around the country from Maine to New York to New Mexico, and back home.

This story revolves around Saga (given name Emily), who has been injured and is not quite all the way back. We also have Alan and Greenie and Greenie's lover Chuck, and their son George. George commits the crime of releasing a herd of horses into the wild and Alan and Greenie have to deal with that; this episode brings up the environmental and animal-rights themes which so prevail in this book. (It's almost Kingsolver-esque.) Our friend Fenno (from Glass's prior "Three Junes") finds happiness at the end of this book. I apologize; my notes on the plot are inadequate. Trust me, however, when I say that when you read Julia Glass, you will get graceful prose in the service of touching stories, told with wisdom. Glass is a polished, satisfying, wonderful author, and I recommend anything by her. ( )

great audiobook. ( )