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A Celibate Season [Mass Market Paperback]

Carol Shields (Author)

4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews) |

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Product Details

Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Coteau Books (1991)
ASIN: B001ALT5X6
Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,146,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Carol Shields Page

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very amusing and insightful for age 35-40 marrieds with kids, August 9, 1999

skoobagirl (Doylestown, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Celibate Season (Mass Market Paperback)

This was one of the most insightful, comic and well-written books I've read in a long time. Perhaps it is the life stage I'm at but no, I think the brand of wry humor intermingled with thought-provoking observations about marriage, middle age, career, sex, and children would be engaging to anyone. I love the idea these two authors corresponded with each other as their characters such that the evolution of the story took place almost in real time with an element of fluidity and spontaneity that only this format could achieve. Many of the characters' observations made me laugh out loud while others left me waxing on a thought for days. Excellent, excellent, excellent, don't miss this one.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I Loved This Book, August 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Celibate Season (Mass Market Paperback)

I did love this book--just finished and was curious to see what others thought. I think the two-author "letters" format worked well, and in some humorous cases, it almost seemed as if the authors were each trying to outdo each other in character. At the same time I found great depth and truth in the letters and the insights they provide into marriage, growth, change, separation, and general observations about gender differences.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must for summer reading!, June 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Celibate Season (Mass Market Paperback)

a unique and fun read! cleverly written in the form of a seperated husband and wife, this book moves the plot along quickly. i loved it! it is a shame it wasn't longer, as it was a private peek into a marriage that showed 'warts and all'. read it this summer...you'll pass it on!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars For everyone in a long-distance relationship ...
... married or not. I think reading this book two+ years ago might have saved a wonderful relationship with a man from South Africa. But we have a second chance ... Read more

Published on October 17, 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars An Ominous Season for this Marriage
This books' entire narration takes the form of correspondence between geographically separated spouses, a perspective both unusual and infrequently utilized . Read more

Published on January 1, 2002 by Dagmarelga

3.0 out of 5 stars Ick
Two of the most self-absorbed characters in a long time...had a lot of potential, but Jock and Chas were too annoying for me to care.

Published on March 22, 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Well-written but forced.
The story of a marriage, told completely through letters the couple exchange, during a year of separation. A really great idea, but it was missing something. Read more

Published on June 14, 2000 by Meg Brunner

› See all 7 customer reviews...

Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
We were, and we are. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sweet Cedar Drive North Vancouver, Old Town Lane Ottawa, Gil Grogan, Austin Grey, Marjorie Finstead, Senator Pierce, Creative Connections, Sun Spot, Capilano Review, Davina Flowering, Fall Fair, Gus Finstead, Sue Landis, Talbot Sanderson, Cap College, Jessica Slattery, Laura Ashley, March Dear Jock, Simon Fraser, Writer's Quarterly, April Dear Jock, Aunt Hilda, Bill Bettner, Canada Council, February Dear Jock

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 8 books:

Small Ceremonies by Carol Shields in Front Matter, page 2, and Back Matter
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields in Front Matter, and Back Matter
The Republic of Love by Carol Shields in Front Matter, and Back Matter
The Orange Fish by Carol Shields in Front Matter, and Back Matter
The Box Garden by Carol Shields in Front Matter, and Back Matter

See all 8 books this book cites

14 books cite this book:

Literary Culture and Female Authorship in Canada, 1760-2000 (Cross/Cultures 63) (Cross/Cultures S.) by Faye Hammill on 9 pages
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Swann by Carol Shields in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
Contemporary American Fiction: An Introduction to American Fiction since 1970 by Kenneth Millard in Back Matter
When Words Deny the World by Stephen Henighan on page 181

See all 14 books citing this book

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