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All books
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- Peace And War (40)
- Forever Peace, Forever Free, Forever War: "Forever Peace", "Forever Free", "Forever War" (Gollancz S…
- By Joe Haldeman
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Reading since Nov 19, 2009
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- Grass Dancer Uk (2)
- By Susan Power
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Reading since May 5, 2009
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- California Gold (2)
- By John Jakes
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Finished on Nov 18, 2009
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- A Stone for Danny Fisher (3)
- By Harold Robbins
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Finished on Jul 24, 2009
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- An Imaginary Life (24)
- By David Malouf
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Finished on Jun 20, 2009
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- Out Stealing Horses (48)
- A Novel
- By Per Petterson
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Finished on May 4, 2009
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- Blue Poppies (2)
- By Jonathan Falla
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Finished on Apr 29, 2009
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- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (74)
- A Novel
- By David Wroblewski
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Finished on Feb 12, 2009
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- Dreams from My Father (645)
- A Story of Race and Inheritance
- By Barack Obama
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Finished on Nov 26, 2008
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- One For Sorrow (8)
- By Christopher Barzak
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Finished on Nov 12, 2008
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- Peace Like a River (37)
- By Leif Enger
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Finished on Nov 2, 2008
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- The Dogs of Babel (162)
- A Novel
- By Carolyn Parkhurst
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Finished on Oct 18, 2008
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- Always Running (10)
- La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.
- By Luis J. Rodriguez
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Finished on Oct 11, 2008
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- Close Quarters (2)
- By Larry Heinemann
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Finished on Oct 2, 2008
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- Cold Skin (3)
- A Novel
- By Albert Sánchez Piñol
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Finished on Sep 21, 2008
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California Gold
At over 900 pages, this is the longest novel I've read in many years, but it won't be the last. The delight of becoming immersed in such a long story is unparalleled and I'd forgotten how much I'd missed the experience. This story spans thirty years of Macklin Chance's life, from adolescence onwards ... (continue)
At over 900 pages, this is the longest novel I've read in many years, but it won't be the last. The delight of becoming immersed in such a long story is unparalleled and I'd forgotten how much I'd missed the experience. This story spans thirty years of Macklin Chance's life, from adolescence onwards, and as Mack lives and ages, so does California. It's difficult to say which is the real star of the story, the protagonist or the 31st US state – both are tormented, their future shaped and carved by brutality, injustice, greed, violence, poverty and an endless, undying hope.
I've never been one for reading history books, but this novel combines history with well crafted characters to entertain and inform. It's an entertaining read. Beyond that, I admire the work that went into creating this, especially the years of research and the blending of actual historical personalities with fictional. Well worth reading, just allow a bit of time.
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