In "Astonish Me," author Maggie Shipstead writes a novel about a former ballerina who gets pulled back into her complicated past when her son is revealed to be a ballet prodigy. This discussion with the author took place on a 2014 episode of "Conversations On The Coast with Jim Foster" originating in San Francisco, California. Photo: maggieshipstead.com

Hello everyone and welcome to the end of the week! Am I glad it’s Friday? 😅 Yes. The answer is YES 😂 Here’s the second part of my book haul that I picked up when @keeperofpages and I went book shopping before Christmas. I loved Maggie Shipstead’s novel Great Circle when I read it last year so was delighted to come across this, her short story collection, You Have A Friend In 10A. “Diving into eclectic and vivid settings, from an Olympic village to a deathbed in Paris to a Pacific atoll, and illuminating a cast of unforgettable characters, Shipstead traverses the ordinary and extraordinary with cunning, compassion and wit.” Next up, My Soul Twin. This was a must buy as @keeperofpages and I read and loved The Eighth Life. We’re going to be reading this as a buddy read together. It’s described as “a modern day Wuthering Heights - two families, one devastating secret, and an epic story of forbidden love.” Finally, Our Share Of Night which I have already read as a buddy read with @keeperofpages and absolutely loved. A review will be coming (at some point 😂) but it was a 5 star read for both of us! I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! #bookstagramuk #scottishbookstagrammer #ohlookmorebooks #bookhaulofdreams #bookshoppingwithmyfavorites #youhaveafriendin10a #maggieshipstead #ourshareofnight #marianaenríquez #translatedbooks📚 #buddyreadswithjanel #lovingbookslovinglife #insatiablebookworm https://www.instagram.com/p/CpVnGvFLRwN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Schreiben statt Verschweigen

In den Eruptionen der Gegenwart spiegeln sich meist die Abgründe der Vergangenheit. Dabei führen die Romane des Sommers von Andrea Tompá, Can Xue, Fiston Mwanza Mujila, Maggie Shiptstead und Guillermo Arriaga in fünf Kontinente, durchqueren Zeiten und Welten und überzeugen dank wunderbarer Übersetzungen mit höchster Sprachkunst. Read the full article

Loved the story! #greatcircle #maggieshipstead https://www.instagram.com/p/CW8ZO9RMPwQ/?utm_medium=tumblr

Finalmente a começar um novo 📕 #deslumbrame #maggieshipstead #asescolhasquetemosdefazer #segredosdopassado #bookhaolic #booklovers

For me, a "beach read" is one (or both) of two: 1.Any book you bring to read on the beach, or 2.A book that evokes beachy feelings. These four would fit nicely into both categories, being set in/around the seaside and perfect for reading in that place 📚❤️🏖 #books #read #reading #bookish #booklover #booklife #bibliophile #beachread #beachreads #sagharbor #colsonwhitehead #seatingarrangements #maggieshipstead #thefortnightinseptember #rcsherriff #swimminglessons #clairefuller #bookstagram #booksofinstagram

When they are alone, lying quietly, he holds her the way a child holds a stuffed animal: for comfort, for security, out of a primate's urge to cling, to close one's arms around a warm, soft object.

Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead

Hello everyone and hope you’re having a good week. Today I’m joining in the #bookbootychallenge of books that have really pretty back covers 😂 Can you guess what the books are? Well if you zoom in you probably can 🤣 On the left, I love the bright colours here in Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It’s instantly eye catching and I’m halfway through reading it with my sister @chrissireads at the moment. In the middle, it’s one on my TBR, All That Is Solid Melts Into Air by Darragh McKeon. This has a semi-transparent dust jacket with a beautiful country image underneath. Every time I see it, I want to read it! Finally on the right, we have Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead which I read earlier this year and loved. I adore the colours (pink is my favourite colour) and I love how the clouds look like a very beautiful sunrise/sunset 🌅 What do you think of my choices? Want to play? Consider yourself tagged! 😉 #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammer #carriesotoisback #taylorjenkinsreid #readingwithmysister #allthatissolidmeltsintoair #darraghmckeon #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #beautifulbooks #booksthatlookprettyontheshelf #aestheticallypleasingbookoftheday #prettybookslovers https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl4SMKMruec/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hello everyone and hope your week is going well? Today I’m sharing another shelf of books in my (giant) collection and I’d love to chat to you about them! I organise my shelves alphabetically by author surname and then I also have some favourites shelves, some nonfiction shelves and a TBR shelf! This is the top shelf of one of my bookcases and it holds some hefty hardbacks (the Wolf Hall trilogy), some hardbacks I need to read - Animal and The Dust Never Settles, a book I’ve read and now lives on my favourites shelf (Great Circle), some Bronte special editions and my beautiful monkey bookends which Mr B found for me in an antique shop. You can’t really see because it’s blocked (too many books right? 😂) but I also have a canvas picture of my sweet springer spaniel Mac who is sadly no longer with us but who will always have a special place in my heart. How do you organise your bookshelves? I’d love to know! Let’s have a chat in the comments! #bookstagram #bookstagramuk #scottishbookstagrammer #bookcollector #bookcollection #mybookshelves #wolfhalltrilogy #wolfhall #hilarymantel #bringupthebodies #themirrorandthelight #lisataddeo #animal #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #brontenovels #janeeyre #charlottebronte #villette #agnesgrey #annebrontë #theprofessor #wutheringheights #emilybrontë #thetenantofwildfellhall #shirley https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHZz8mLRAS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Great Circle has been longlisted for the Booker prize 2021 and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize 2022 and now I’ve read it, it’s easy to see why. This is a remarkably compelling tale set across two different time lines with two very unique female leads. ⁣ ⁣ The first, Marian Graves was rescued from an ill-fated ocean liner with her twin Jamie in 1914 and raised by their uncle in Montana. From the beginning, we realise that Marian wants to do something extraordinary and very soon, we learn of her love for daredevil flying. ⁣ ⁣ As Marian’s love of aviation continues, she goes through many difficulties and indeed, harrowing times but maintains a sense of determination and independence that had this reader continually rooting for her. ⁣ ⁣ The second narrative in the story is set in modern day LA and follows a young actress called Hadley who is making a film of Marian’s life, more notably, her last flying adventure where she attempted to circumnavigate the globe flying between the North and South Poles. I have to admit, I didn’t connect as well with this part of the story although it was still a fascinating read - I think I just fell in love too hard with Marian and found Hadley too irritating! 🙈⁣ ⁣ This book is written so beautifully and really comes alive for me with the journey that both our female leads go through. The air of mystery that surrounds Marian’s final adventure and her disappearance in Antarctica was gorgeously told and it almost feels as if this story could sit amidst a variety of genres, it’s a real treat of a reading experience! ⁣ ⁣ I also loved that the author wasn’t afraid to explore the darker side of the human experience and although this made for heartbreaking reading at times, it made the story so much more authentic and believable for me. Marian is a fictional creation that’s true, but I felt as if I could jump on Google, research her life and she’d be there, waiting for me to discover more about her. ⁣ ⁣ Five glorious stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookstagrammer #scottishbookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #womensprizeforfiction #womensprizeshortlist2022 #potentialwomensprizewinner #fivestarread ⁣ https://www.instagram.com/p/CetoPehL71m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hello everyone and happy Saturday! Hope you’re having a great weekend so far. Today for #stacksaturday I’m joining in with the #goodbetterbestchallenge which I was tagged in by the gorgeous @always_need_more_books Rules For Perfect Murders - Peter Swanson A Good Man Is Hard To Find - Flannery O’Connor When Will There Be Good News- Kate Atkinson Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult A More Perfect Union - Tammye Huf Excellent Women - Barbara Pym Good Behaviour - Molly Keane The Good People - Hannah Kent The Great Alone - Kristin Hannah Great Circle - Maggie Shipstead Shamefully out of this stack I’ve only read (and loved) The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, the rest are still on my TBR. As always, I’m hoping to get to a few of them soon 🤣 I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! Have a great weekend everyone 🤗😘 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstack #bookstagramchallenge #tbrpile #favouritebooks #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #thegreatalone #kristinhannah #thegoodpeople #hannahkent #goodbehaviour #mollykeane #excellentwomen #barbarapym #amoreperfectunion #tammyehuf #perfectmatch #jodipicoult #whenwilltherebegoodnews #kateatkinson #agoodmanishardtofind #flanneryoconnor #rulesforperfectmurders #peterswanson https://www.instagram.com/p/CU0RxZDgvmU/?utm_medium=tumblr

Hello everyone and hope your week has got off to a great start! I’m on holiday at the moment and don’t have very good reception where I am but thought I would brighten up your Monday with my regular Monday book haul! 😂 Sarah Hilary is one of my favourite authors, I adore her Marnie Rome series so buying this latest stand alone was a no brainer! I was also tempted by this beautiful copy of How Beautiful We Were which looks like an incredible story. Finally, Great Circle is all the fault 😜 of my bestie @tarheelreader who definitely convinced me to buy it!! I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! Have a great week everyone 🤗😘 Apologies if I’m not around much to comment on your posts, I’ll try to catch up when I get back! #bookstagram #booklover #bookhoarder #bookhaul #bookhaul #hardbackbooks #hardbackheaven #beautifulbooks #fragile #sarahhilary #howbeautifulwewere #imbolombue #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #bookrecommendations #booksimexcitedtoread https://www.instagram.com/p/CQrJAx0rqH2/?utm_medium=tumblr

Shipstead: Seating Arrangements

Hello everyone and hope you’re all well. Today it’s time for some #uppercasetitles which I saw on the lovely Clair’s page @always_need_more_books I decided to go with hardbacks but I might do another one later on with paperbacks, there were quite a lot! I’ve read and loved Stay With Me and The Testaments but the rest of the titles are on my TBR. Alongside you can see my @paperandword Hygge candle which smells delicious! 😊 Can you see anything here you’ve read and loved? Or want to read? Let’s have a chat in the comments! #bookstagram #booksbooksandmorebooks #bookstack #hardbackhoarder #hardbackheaven #prettybooks #staywithme #ayobamiadebayo #dreamland #rosarankingee #animal #lisataddeo #thedustneversettles #karinalickorishquinn #thekingdoms #natashapulley #thetestaments #margaretatwood #greatcircle #maggieshipstead #favouritebooks #favouriteauthors #paperandwordcandle #hygge https://www.instagram.com/p/CYo_c5HghY4/?utm_medium=tumblr