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I believe I've admitted to reading all of Anne Tyler's books, several of them more than once. I just reread A Patchwork Planet, and I'm dumbstruck again. Like no other author I know, Tyler is a master of the emotional sandbag. She blindsides you, saps you in the skull when you don't see it coming (e Leggi tutto

A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler is an interesting little character study of a man called Barnaby Gaitlin. Not all the cards have fallen Barnaby’s way, he hasn’t met his rich parents’ expectations, he’s divorced, he works in a dead-end job, he doesn’t conform to some of the norms of society regardin Leggi tutto

I really enjoyed this book, a lot, which surprised me because I have to confess to only having read one other book by Anne Tyler which was A Spool of Blue Thread and, sadly, I was not very taken by it. So when I came upon this well worn copy on a table outside my favorite local Cafe come Bookshop and Leggi tutto

Loved it. I think I say the same thing in every Anne Tyler book review, but I love her attention to detail and how she can craft unique, quirky characters that are not unrealistic. They have their distinct personality traits and flaws but they are still very human. Barnaby was a sometimes unlikeable Leggi tutto

The critics say that Anne Tyler writes novels with quirky characters. I say that we are all quirky characters. Certainly, I grew up with and am a member of a family of quirky characters. I find the characters in Anne Tyler's novels real, they are people one meets everyday. As I began to read this no Leggi tutto

Sometimes I feel like apologizing for liking Anne Tyler but this book in particular is truly wonderful - I'm not terribly great at reviews but it has the hallmarks of things I generally value in a book - wonderful characters who stay with you, and the amazing ability to tightrope-walk between funny

This short novel is probably a good starting place for readers new to Anne Tyler's books. Think of it as Tyler Lite, Barnaby to the rescue again with many of the author's favorite themes on show. A good-hearted underachiever, this time a black-leather-clad 30-something named Barnaby, has a complicated Leggi tutto

not quite 3 stars This book started out just fine. I started reading and found interesting characters, a pleasant writing style, and some very engaging dialogue. All good, right? Well, somewhere it took a turn, because I had to keep pushing myself to finish reading the darn thing. Here’s the problem. Leggi tutto

I enjoyed the main character's quirky job, his "different drummer" approach to life, and the assorted fascinating eccentrics he encountered in his family and profession...but, it was the ending that soured the book for me. While I believe it was meant to be a poignant statement of Barnaby's growth a Leggi tutto

My second Anne Tyler was just wonderful. The main character Barnaby isn't always someone I liked, but he was so real from the first page on. It's a character-driven story, with a lot of snappy dialogue and quite a quick pace. It was almost like watching a comfortable and entertaining TV show, in fac Leggi tutto