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@paper.juniper

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🖋️ reading slowly, annotating in pencil, and keeping a personal record of good books
🍃classics, modern classics + lit fic

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The Stranger // Albert Camus

“Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn't much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living - and for thousands of years. In fact, nothing could be clearer. Whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying….Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter.” — Albert Camus, The Stranger

☕️
* People need to have meaning and purpose to live their lives.
* What happens when you walk through the world knowing that nothing means anything? When the world doesn’t provide answers that we are looking for?

🖋️
* The story follows a man named Meursault who is indifferent to everything and thinks life is meaningless.
* When his mom died, he did not perform the grief that’s expected of him by society.
* He didn’t cry. He smoked cigarettes. He drank coffee. The next day he went for a swim and went to the cinema with a girl he liked.
* Is this how he was grieving? Or he just finds everything meaningless?
* He ends up committing a crime later and goes to trial but he was judged not only for the crime he committed but also for not showing any emotions after his mom died.

🍃
* This is my first time reading Camus and the genre of existentialism / absurdism. Wow, I really enjoyed it.
* As soon as I finished reading I wanted to reread it. That doesn’t happen often.
* I am still processing what I read and I have so many questions. I need someone to discuss this with.
* This is the kind of book that makes you question not only the book but everything in your life.

#classicliterature #modernclassic #albertcamus #annotatedbooks #existentialism by @paper.juniper

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3 days ago

My #10beforetheend and honestly I am such a mood reader that it will be hard for me to stick to this plan.

These are some books that are on the very top of my TBR. I also have a couple that I have committed to (book clubs) but not in the pictures. This is way too ambitious for a slow reader like me - more like my end-of-year to early 2027 reads. 📖☕️

The Odyssey, Translated by Emily Wilson
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Sula by Toni Morrison
Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector

Not pictured:
Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
Theo of Golden by Levi Allen
Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang

I started reading Rebecca, The Odyssey and The Stranger. They are all very good so far!

#annotatedbooks #classicliterature #classiclit #books by @paper.juniper

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11 days ago

Stoner // John Williams

“Sometimes, immersed in his books, there would come to him the awareness of all that he did not know, of all that he had not read; and the serenity for which he labored was shattered as he realized the little time he had in life to read so much, to learn what he had to know.” — John Williams, Stoner

I finished Stoner last week and just sat with it for a long time. Everything everyone says about this book is true. It’s a novel where not much happens — just a story about a quiet, unheralded literature professor — yet it leave such a massive impact.

It’s heartbreaking, relatable, and simply perfect. I completely understand the hype now.

#classicliterature #annotatedbooks #slowreading #classiclit #johnwilliamsstoner by @paper.juniper

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16 days ago

“But I’m a million different people.”

Some of my all time favorites. 📚

#bookstagram #books #bookreels #bookreelsofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #book #bookworm #bookish #booklover #booktok #mustreads #whattoread #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #booksta #bookstagrammer #bookaholic by @paper.juniper

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a year ago

A little reading update…

It’s been a busy summer for me so I’m trying to get back on track with my reading. I miss having time to read again!

Just finished…
Cleopatra and Frankenstein (really liked it)

Currently reading…
Pachinko (rereading w my book club - one of my favs)
Alone With You in the Ether (taking me forever to finish for some reason but I do like it)

Next read…
Blue Sisters

Picked up Blue Sisters in Barcelona last month and can’t wait to start reading it! I’m seeing good reviews so far and oh my, this cover! 😍😍

Any good books you read this summer you’d recommend?

#toberead #tbr #reading #books #bookstagram #readthisbook #bluesisters #cocomellors #summerreading #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations by @paper.juniper

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2 years ago

The Unmaking of June Farrow // Adrienne Young

“I couldn’t stop thinking that where we stood was the center of something, a place that created the kind of gravity that made galaxies.”

Adrienne Young’s writing is absolutely beautiful, lyrical and just perfect. When I was reading it I felt like I was floating on a cloud through time and space. It is a whimsical, emotional and unique mystery. Without giving too much away, I love this kind of story that’s somewhat of a mind bender. The author did an amazing job showing the beauty of motherhood which i absolutely loved. This is my first time reading Adrienne’s books and now I’m hooked. Highly recommend. 4.5 stars.
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#books #bookstagram #read #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #lovetoread #readmore #booksofig #bookrec #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #readthis #readthisbook #whattoread #toberead #bookreview by @paper.juniper

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2 years ago

The Heaven Earth Grocery Store // James McBride

“Kindness. Love. Principle. It runs the world.”

Heave and Earth Grocery Store is a heartfelt story about America and diversity, and the human capacity to love and see people for who they are. Although I do have mixed feelings and possibly unpopular opinions about this book. The first half of the book really took a lot of effort to get through. I almost considered DNFing it but since I was reading it with my friend we decided to push through. I’m not sure what the story was about until later on in the book when the pacing started to pick up then I started to enjoy it more. The writing was excellent and sometimes a little too descriptive with fantastic character development. However, so much of the book was spent on introducing new characters and so many back stories were hard to follow. I did like how it all came together at the end and I do love the overall message of the story. I wish I can say I enjoyed the entire book but unfortunately I had to put in a lot of effort to finish. 3 stars.
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#books #bookstagram #read #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #lovetoread #readmore #booksofig #bookrec #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #readthis #readthisbook #whattoread #toberead #bookreview #honestbookreview by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago

Mine would be literary fiction and historical fiction. What about you?
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#books #bookstagram #read #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #lovetoread #readmore #booksofig #bookrec #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #readthis #readthisbook #whattoread #toberead #bookstagramreels #bookstareels by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago

Stay True // Hua Hsu

“Some friends complete us, while others complicate us. Maybe you feel as if there were nothing better in the world than driving in a car, listening to music with friends, looking for an all-night donut shop. Nobody says a thing, and it is perfect. Maybe your lifelong fascination with harmony finally began to make sense in those scenes, packed in your family’s station wagon, singing along to “God Only Knows,” waiting in the parking lot until the song was over.”

I absolutely LOVED this book. Hua Hsu wrote this memoir about his life when he was in college at Berkeley, sharing his story as if he’s an old friend drinking coffee with you at a small cafe. It’s like reading from a time capsule of what it was like to come of age in the early 90s. Such pure, vulnerable storytelling about friendships, grief and moving through the world in search of meaning and belonging. He talks a lot about his friendship with his friend Ken and the grief he experienced. I kept feeling like I somehow know both Hua and Ken. Maybe I’ve met them somewhere before and that Hua is an old friend of mine telling me this story. Not sure if I’ve ever felt this way while reading a book. This was really a special one. I will be rereading it and recommending it again and again. 5 stars.
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#books #bookstagram #read #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #lovetoread #readmore #booksofig #bookrec #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #readthis #readthisbook #whattoread #toberead by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago

The Art Thief // Michael Finkel

“It isn’t action, he suspects, that usually lands a thief in prison. It’s hesitation.”

What a fascinating true crime story about world’s most prolific art thief. This book is well researched and reads like fiction. It is mind boggling how much art Breitwieser stole across Europe all in broad daylight and sometimes in front of security and other patrons in museums. He was able to get away with it for so long. I can’t believe I have never heard of this story. I was completely absorbed from beginning to end. A must read if you love art and not-your-typical true crime stories. 4 stars.
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#books #bookstagram #read #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #lovetoread #readmore #booksofig #bookrec #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #readthis #readthisbook #whattoread #toberead #audiobook #audiobookrecommendation #nonfiction by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago

• h e l l o •

I’ve been posting in this space for a little while now. Thought I should introduce myself + share a few tidbits about me.

• Books make me happy
• I love to read but don’t always have the time so I also listen to some books on audio
• Listening to audiobooks while doing chores is 🙌🏻
• I am a dog mom to two doodles
• One of them is a 10 week old puppy
• Also a mom to three humans
• Two of them are twins (never a dull moment 🤪)
• Walking around bookstores makes me so happy
• I always have a book with me even if I don’t have time to read it
• My favorite place to read would be at a coffee shop but that rarely happens
• I do most of my reading in my car while waiting for kids
• I love books that give me a good cry
• I’ll read anything from lit fic, to historical fic, to memoirs, to thrillers and mysteries, to some fantasy
• The only genre I normally don’t like as much is romance but I’m trying to stay open minded
• Other things I enjoy doing if I have some me time: drawing, hiking, crocheting and gaming

Very grateful to meet new friends in this space. Thanks for reading!
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#meetthebookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookstagrammer by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago

Just recently came back from Paris and one place I really wanted to visit while there was Shakespeare and Company.

I originally planned to buy just one book but ended up picking out two classics - one I love and one I’ve been wanting to read. I love that they offered to stamp the inside of the book with their store stamp to make these books extra special.

It was such a cute little bookstore and there was constantly a line waiting to get inside. They don’t allow any pictures inside but I was able to take one picture of the outside without any people. That was not easy since it was really crowded.

It was a lovely part of my trip and wished I had more time there and more suitcase space to bring home more books. ❤️

#shakespeareandcompany #shakespeareandco #booksandtravel #parisbookstore #parisbookshop #books #bookstagram #read #reading #prideandprejudice #pictureofdoriangray by @paper.juniper

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3 years ago