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Diana Roffman | 2/19/2014
" this book was going along at a certain pace - and it was an interesting twist on the old family story - but then, boom, the ending came along and i was so thrown. i might even recommend not reading the end. or reading it as an entirely separate piece of (very painfully interesting) writing. "
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Casey | 2/14/2014
" This book was really unexpected. The first 3/4 of the book are fascinating and creative...but the last fourth, I wasn't as enthralled. The way T Cooper switched gears from his old family's life to his present life, it was definitely clever. But it was too angry, too hectic, too vicious, and very teen-angst-too-much-swearing-not-enough-substance for me. I would say that I liked the book, yes. I mean, three stars is still worthy. But I can't say I'm going to run around recommending this book to everyone like I do "The Kite Runner." Hahaha "
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Betsy Housten | 1/29/2014
" As this is mostly a beautifully-written novel about a Russian Jewish family's immigration to New York City, I would have given it five stars, until the last part where the narration changes drastically and shifts from omniscient to first-person and the profanity goes through the roof. I can see why Cooper chose to do this, to show what's happening in the current incarnation of the Lipshitz family and the connections between the older generations and this last one. It's a bold choice, and one I respect for its audacity, though I still haven't decided whether it works with the story or not. But even if it does, it brings my review down to a 4. Too jarring, too different from the rest of the novel, and would have been more believable if the narrator's situation were just a little less vehemently stated. It tried to prove itself a little too much. "
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sylas | 1/25/2014
" Loved it! At least the first section of the story; the part that was historically based. T Cooper lost me at the end with his over-the-top attempts at shock value and too-much irony. I would have enjoyed the book much more if it had not included T Cooper's own story at it's ending. But, then again, maybe I just missed the boat. "
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Donna | 1/22/2014
" This had some interesting parts but it was unclear what was true and what was embellished. I liked the historical part and the basic premise but did not really get much feeling for the characters. "
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Jeff | 1/22/2014
" T Cooper turns biographical fiction on its ear! I'm still pretty flabbergasted by the ending of this book! "
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J.P. Marquardt | 1/20/2014
" can you make yourself believe something? "
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Smith Nickerson | 1/20/2014
" Well written. I look forward to reading more from this author. "
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Jessica | 12/28/2013
" Litshitz was an extremely intriguing book. It starts off describing the an immigrant family's story and processes into how they lost one of their sons. "
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Kathleen | 12/10/2013
" Title tells you nothing about this book, however it was an enjoyable read. "
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Sarahz | 12/4/2013
" Weird but awesome. It jumps around between a Russian Jewish family who come to America in 1903 and a mother who becomes obsessed with Charles Lingberg. It definitely kept me interested. "
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Lollo | 11/30/2013
" i actually couldn't even bring myself to finish this one...i gave it a chance but found the writing style too contrived and was constantly getting annoyed by the efforts at descriptions that are a huge part of why i love fiction so. "
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Elizabeth | 11/19/2013
" Having a tough time getting through this. Interesting story, but it isn't really keeping my attention. Trying to give it a shot. "
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Loreldonaghey Donaghey | 11/13/2013
" I'm a bit bewlldered by this one. I want someone else to read it and tell me what they think. It's definitely an original concept. The majority of it tells a gripping story. Then, it skips 2 generations and focuses on an angry transgendered grandson. Autobiographical? Hmm. "
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Nancy | 7/21/2013
" Fascinating , really enjoyed but quite puzzled. But is really the best book I have read in a long time. "
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Jeanie | 6/3/2013
" I enjoyed the Lipshitz Six story of the Lipshitz family. However, the second part of the book - the author's story - seemed unnecessary and superfluous. I read about six pages of it and then gave up. "
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Julie | 5/13/2012
" Didn't love it, even though it was highly recommended to me. "
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Sarah Sullivan | 3/31/2012
" Fascinating, both in scope & character. I will definitely be thinking about this book a lot. "
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Jennifer | 6/3/2011
" The end was a surprise. "
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Soli | 4/26/2011
" Well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.
"
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Sarahz | 10/26/2010
" Weird but awesome. It jumps around between a Russian Jewish family who come to America in 1903 and a mother who becomes obsessed with Charles Lingberg. It definitely kept me interested.
"
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Gina | 8/27/2010
" Like many other reviewers, I found the first part of this book interesting. The second part was so bad I stopped reading it and have created a new tag on goodreads: unfinished for a reason.
"
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Jessica | 11/21/2009
" Litshitz was an extremely intriguing book. It starts off describing the an immigrant family's story and processes into how they lost one of their sons.
"
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Heather | 8/4/2009
" I read the first couple pages of this book and decided it wasn't for me. I loved this author's story "Swimming" in the New Yorker, but this book just didn't work for me. The strange loss of the child in the opening chapter, with the mother so passive...just seemed unreal and unbelievable.
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Liz | 7/20/2009
" The Lipshitz 6 characters were relentlessly frustratingly depressed, without the ability to self-reflect or the language to communicate their feelings. The two angry blondes really woke me up! I'm grateful to live now and not then.
"
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Katie | 7/8/2009
" I am pretty into this book; I am extremely into the last part. Apparently I am into postmodern literature apparently.
"
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Amy | 2/18/2009
" very different, shocking. starts out a traditional tale of persecution, but twists and turns in unique ways.
"
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Jeanie | 11/14/2008
" I enjoyed the Lipshitz Six story of the Lipshitz family. However, the second part of the book - the author's story - seemed unnecessary and superfluous. I read about six pages of it and then gave up.
"
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Nancy | 10/12/2008
" Fascinating , really enjoyed but quite puzzled. But is really the best book I have read in a long time.
"
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Suzanne | 9/15/2008
" I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Somewhat similar to Everything is Illuminated, both funny and tragic.
"
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Loreldonaghey | 9/8/2008
" I'm a bit bewlldered by this one. I want someone else to read it and tell me what they think. It's definitely an original concept. The majority of it tells a gripping story. Then, it skips 2 generations and focuses on an angry transgendered grandson. Autobiographical? Hmm.
"
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Julie | 9/5/2008
" Didn't love it, even though it was highly recommended to me.
"
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Donna | 5/28/2008
" This had some interesting parts but it was unclear what was true and what was embellished. I liked the historical part and the basic premise but did not really get much feeling for the characters.
"
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Ali6 | 5/11/2008
" Part 2 of the book seems at first like it doesn't really belong in the same book, but it all ties together in the end. Very entertaining book.
"
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