My Interest
I needed a book set in North Dakota to finish my 50-state journey of reading across the United States.
The Story
“From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Louise Erdrich comes this vibrant tale of abandonment and sexual obsession, jealousy, and unstinting love.”
Karl and Mary Adare are dumped by a useless mother and make their way separately in life–meeting up at various moments. Mary stays on in Argos, North Dakota where the pair have been sent with their baby brother to stay with an Aunt. This book covers about the next forty or so years of their life of ordinariness interrupted with things like a chef suffering food poisoning.
My Thoughts
The reviewers must have read a different book. By the middle, I’d rather have harvested beets in the field by hand. The “comedy” in the book was barely worthy of a smirk. This book was simply DULL. I think life in North Dakota is less dull than this. At least in Minot, there’s an Air Force base.
My Verdict
3 Stars at best
Yes, I’m also Reading Around the World. Check the tag cloud in the right sidebar for links to those posts. Need ideas? Check out A Year of Reading the World.
My Journey Across the United States in Books
For many states, it was hard to choose just one for this post. For others such as North Dakota, Rhode Island, Delaware, Nevada, and Wyoming, I had to do some research to find something. Most are novels, but occasionally I’ve used a nonfiction book. When there were multiple titles to choose from, I’ve simply chosen my favorite. I have read these over my lifetime–not just since blogging came into being. I’ve included D.C. and Puerto Rico in my list as well. Are you on this journey? Leave me a comment or a link. I’d love to see your choices!
Note: Hyperlinked titles are linked to my reviews
Titles in bold are all-time favorite books
Memorializing the trip with cover photos would be fun!
Here’s the perfect map to use…
Save copies of book covers from Amazon or elsewhere, print them out in color, and add them to the frame. I might just do this!!
If you are interested in seeing all 50 states in person, this article is for you!
50 Things I Learned From Visiting All 50 States
As you are working your way around the country in person? Then you might want to chart your progress with some of these trackers:
Scratch-off Map
50 States Travel Journal
This Land is Your Land
So neat! Congrats on completion. I have some ideas of some books, specially the Texas one which I haven’t read and seems a good one.
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I have many more for several states (I long, long ago quit tracking the dual centers of the Universe–LA /NY lol. I let it happen naturally until I got desperate. Then I Googled “books set in X [state]” It was really fun that way. I wouldn’t have enjoyed it if I’d said “This year it’s Alabama to Connecticut” or anything strict like that. I do think it would be an excellent 7th to 12th grade homeschool project though.
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Giant? Yes! So is the movie with Elizabeth Taylor!
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Awww. Yes! If there’s a movie with her, it’s meant to be great.
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Rock Hudson, James Dean
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Well done! And what a list. Are you contemplating another literary odyssey?
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I’m working on the world! Lol. It’s been fun–except for North Dakota! Probably finish the EU countries next of something though.
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