Jeanne’s Blog

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My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin

March 17th, 2023

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I loved this debut. A campus novel where a young woman has an affair with her professor that has ramifications throughout her life. Isabel, the protagonist is not a perfect girl. She is sympathetic, yes, but makes some bad choices and behaves in ways she regrets. How refreshing to…

By Jeanne|March 17th, 2023

This Other Eden by Paul Harding

March 17th, 2023

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I was looking forward to loving this book. I did find the tale of the fate of Apple Island compelling and terribly sad, however the telling was more opaque and irregularly ordered than necessary. In addition, the old testament references felt heavy handed and a bit forced. Harding's…

By Jeanne|March 17th, 2023

Lessons by Ian McEwan

March 17th, 2023

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I listened to the audiobook thanks to Libro.fm. This medium accentuated the lyrical quality of McEwan’s prose. I could have listened forever. I found the structure, alternating between present and past dreamlike and powerful. Roland is sexually abused as a child and as an adult…

By Jeanne|March 17th, 2023

The Last Chairlift by John Irving

March 17th, 2023

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I listened to the audio of this book for 38 hours, driving through the western US as well as skiing. I am an Irving fan, a big skier with ties to Exeter NH, and love Moby Dick. All those traits probably contributed to my dedication to this book, to keep listening even when I felt…

By Jeanne|March 17th, 2023

A Well Balanced Diet of Story

February 3rd, 2023

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This essay was originally published on Medium.com. Human beings have a primal need for story not only because we desire entertainment but because story is what we use to make sense of the human experience. We are constantly assigning stories to people and situations; we even walk…

By Jeanne|February 3rd, 2023

Look For Me In Overalls

November 13th, 2022

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This essay was originally published on The Disruptive Quarterly. The irony is that a year ago, I hadn’t set foot in the state of Wisconsin. So why, you might ask, am I sporting Carharts on a 420-acre farm outside Madison? The answer has something to do with that angsty, helpless…

By Jeanne|November 13th, 2022

The Nine

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Eden: A Novel

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