It's Friday . . . time to share excerpts from one of my current reads with:
- Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.
- The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an ebook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.
This week's selection:
Beginning: Prologue
The New Year of 2004 had come in. It was getting late and I was thinking of leaving -- the party was flat and I was tired -- but someone tapped my shoulder. The stranger was about forty-five and a little tipsy. She told me she was married to the brother of a mutual friend, but she wasn't planning to remain so much longer. I smiled politely. She put her hand on my arm and said she had something that might interest me.
"You're a journalist, aren't you?"
"I used to be."
"You can find things out, can't you?"
"It depends what they are."
"You have to meet my friend. She has a puzzle she needs you to solve."
--------------------
--------------------
When she became pregnant as a
teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to a convent to be
looked after as a “fallen woman.” Then the nuns took her baby from her
and sold him, like thousands of others, to America for adoption. Fifty
years later, Philomena decided to find him.
Meanwhile, on the other side of
the Atlantic, Philomena’s son was trying to find her. Renamed Michael
Hess, he had become a leading lawyer in the first Bush administration,
and he struggled to hide secrets that would jeopardize his career in the
Republican Party and endanger his quest to find his mother.
A gripping exposé told with novelistic intrigue, Philomena
pulls back the curtain on the role of the Catholic Church in forced
adoptions and on the love between a mother and son who endured a
lifelong separation.
Enjoy life with books . . .
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHey there, Book Club Librarian! It's great to stumble upon your blog and dive into your article on "Friday Focus: Friday 56 & Book Beginnings." I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your insights and recommendations. The way you combine the Book Beginnings and Friday 56 prompts to give us a taste of the book's opening and a sneak peek into the middle is such a clever idea. It's like getting the best of both worlds in one post!
ReplyDeleteI particularly appreciate how you bring the excerpts to life with your vivid descriptions and analysis. It's evident that you have a genuine passion for literature, and your enthusiasm shines through your words. Your blog not only offers an enticing glimpse into various books but also serves as a fantastic resource for book lovers like me who are constantly on the lookout for exciting reads. The way you blend your personal thoughts and impressions with the book excerpts creates an engaging and relatable reading experience. Audio Visual Equipment
Thank you for sharing your love of books and your valuable recommendations. Your blog has definitely sparked my interest, and I'll be sure to visit it more often for inspiration and new reading ideas. Keep up the fantastic work, and I look forward to exploring more of your literary adventures in the future! Cheers to a fellow book enthusiast!