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I loved Beyond That, The Sea. It was so well written - a quiet novel that resonates. I just finished Go As A River by Shelley Read and loved that as well. I am now starting Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard. I join you in your feelings about reading and how childhood summers were even more special with a book in hand. To this day I always have a book with me. Reading simply makes life better.

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Lovely, lovely essay , reflections and recommendations. My heart purrs with contentment and nostalgia when I think of summer reading as a child, my name on a dolphin or a beachball on the library bulletin board. Now I am a retired public librarian with memories of introducing hundreds of children to summer reading club. There are few sweeter experiences in this world, I believe. Going to look up the Hirshfield book right now!

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I just saw you are on the Mark Twain American Voice of Literature Award long list as well as Demon Copperfield! Congratulations!!!

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I love this--thank you so much. And I love that Hirshfield book and have since it was first published; it lives on my bedside table.

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Oh, Alice, you have so returned me to my childhood and early adolescent summer days of losing myself in books (and being chastised for ruining my eyesight). How I loved that, and missed it, once I had to start having summer jobs. I remember, too, in school, being caught by a teacher reading instead of doing whatever assignment I was supposed to be doing, scolded and how she firmly closed and took the book away from me. I wonder now which cadences of good writing and which small moments of insight in crafted words gave me the notion that I, too, could do this? When exactly did that spark get lit and never be extinguished? Thank you for another lovely essay.

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