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Dec 5
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Thanks, Rachel! I'm so glad to hear that!

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What a great list Mike! You’ve introduced me to 4 titles I’ve never come across before! And to me that’s heaven. Have been wanting to read Trust for a while - so glad you enjoyed it. We were once a family & possession sound right up my street - thank you for sharing!

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Thanks, Martha! Glad you found some books that interest you! Enjoy!

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2 of my favourite reads in "Boulder" and "Trust". I have "The Long Form" on the top of my pile to read

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Thanks, Marc! I’m looking forward to reading The Long Form, too. Hopefully soon!

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Love this, Mike — so good.

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Thanks so much, Sarah!

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Thanks for your list. It’s more meaningful to me that the “best of” lists by committee, like the NYT list. I am going to buy Trust and one of those short novels—I enjoy finding gems lesser known books. Curious if you have read Roberto Bolano. I mentioned him to a young friend last night—maybe he’s not so much known anymore?

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Thanks so much, Brian! I hope you enjoy Trust. I read 2666 by Bolaño many years ago and I've been meaning to return to him. Hopefully soon.

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What a list!!!!!! I’m rereading Possession right now and loving it.

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Thanks, Eve! I'm so glad you're loving Possession!

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I’ll be reading “Free Food for Millionaires” now finally thanks to your roundup. Looking forward to knocking some more off your list too!

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Thanks, friend! I hope you enjoy it.

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I’ve had my eye on Boulder 👀 now I know!

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Thanks, Amani! Boulder is definitely worth checking out. I hope you enjoy it!

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Thanks for your list and thoughts! I have read 4 and they all have stayed with me! I am putting The Bell and Possession on my TBR. Sometimes I worry we have such different taste (and you read much broader and smarter than I do) but I’m glad this list reminds me we do have a Venn Diagram with overlap!! Happy Holidays!!

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Thanks, Kate! I'm so happy that overlap exists, and hope it always will. I also hope you enjoy Possession and The Bell. Thanks for sticking with me over the years, and for your patience when I feature oddball stuff! Happy holidays to you, too!

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I have a “thanks to Mike” TBR stack that I can blame on you now it’s so lovely 😂.

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Ha! Happy to take the blame. Thanks, Natalie!

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I asked for two A.S. Byatt novels for Christmas/Hanukkah! Never read her before

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I hope you get them and that one was Possession! Would love to know your thoughts! Thanks, Leigh!

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Love end of the year lists❤️

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Thanks, Mercè!

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Hi Mike, this is a great list. Some titles are new to me (Boulder and Sweet Days of Discipline) so I need to check them out. Others are like old friends that have somehow been forgotten, so it was lovely to see them again. I read Middlemarch when I was a mere teenager. I loved it then and still remember it fondly today.

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Thanks, Marg! I hope you check out those titles. It took me long enough to get to Middlemarch, but it was worth it. A lovely book!

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I might go back and read it again myself. 😀

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Excellent! This reminds me I have not yet began writing my favourites of the year. Love to see Middlemarch on here which I love. Trust is on my TBR

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Thanks, Resh! I look forward to seeing your favorites and to your thoughts on Trust!

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Free Food For Millionaires is a good novel. It's been, what, 15 years since it came out? And there still hasn't been a true spiritual successor: a contemporary Asian American novel that takes a harshly honest look at 2nd generation gender relations in the community.

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