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Powell's Staff:
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Bel Canto
by
Ann Patchett
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Synopses & Reviews
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ISBN13:
9780060934415
ISBN10:
0060934417
Condition:
Standard
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4.7
20
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Average customer rating 4.7 (20 comments)
`
LAB
, January 30, 2013
(view all comments by LAB)
Bel Canto is a great book. The characters are interesting, well developed and unique. The story is easy to get into and stays with you. I'm not sure that the epilogue was necessary (and I think the book would be slightly improved without it), but it did not detract overall from an excellent read.
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Howling Fantods
, January 07, 2013
This is, by far, the best book I read in 2012. Upon reading the last sentence, I wanted to turn back to the first page & start it all over again.
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Jennifer Balke
, January 01, 2013
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Wow, what an incredible story! I've heard people talk about this book for years, and now I know why.
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thomas.susanw
, January 01, 2013
Gave it five stars even though the ending troubled me. I still think back on this book a lot and look forward to reading more of Patchett's work.
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njfb128
, January 01, 2013
(view all comments by njfb128)
Maybe the most unique and certainly one of the most beautifully written books in my experience. The reader is drawn slowly but inexorably into identification with, or recognition of, the characters and a total involvement in the unfolding story.
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techeditor
, September 20, 2012
(view all comments by techeditor)
BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett sounds promising at first. Patchett writes beautifully, leading her reader to believe that her description of a large, formal birthday party held at the home of the vice president of some South American country is the beginning of an engrossing story. When terrorists interrupt the party, though, fantasy begins. It's not so bad being a hostage in Patchett's story. Over the several weeks that the terrorists keep their hostages in the vice president's home, some of them, both terrorists and hostages, even feel they were never happier. What follows, then, are monotonous, unrealistic, even ridiculous descriptions of hostages' friendly relations with terrorists. Patchett's terrorists are sympathetic. They are poor, deprived people who don't want to hurt anyone. Patchett may have been trying to describe a real psychological phenomenon, hostages who end up caring for their captors, a type of Stockholm syndrome (capture-bonding). These feelings are understood to be irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims. There IS risk for these victims; their captors walk around all day with guns. But it's easy to forget with all the soap-opera-like daily life going on in this house. Maybe Patchett wants the reader, as well as the hostages, to mistake a lack of abuse from the captors for an act of kindness. It is hard to tell whether this is Patchett's intention. BEL CANTO was published in 2001. It won many awards. Because I was not impressed with this book, I'm suspicious of how this came to be. I won BEL CANTO from the publisher on World Book Night, an annual happening (every April 23) when a million books, 30 titles donated by publishers and booksellers, are given away.
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Jennifer Balke
, September 19, 2012
(view all comments by Jennifer Balke)
Wow... I had heard people talk about this book for a long time, so I finally bought it a couple of months ago when Powells was offering one of their special deals. I cannot really express how beautiful this story is. Although I like other things by Patchett, I see why people who have read Bel Canto always compare her later works to this one. Not only does it make me want to listen to and learn more about opera, Bel Canto tells such an incredible story about the nature of humanity.
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Bear1767
, January 01, 2012
This stunning work made me fall in love with opera and with the power of art and beauty to transform lives.
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Emily M
, January 01, 2012
I haven't read too many fiction books in 2011; however, this is definitely the best one I read this year.
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crazyshells219
, January 06, 2010
(view all comments by crazyshells219)
The rating of "5" is inaccurate because it means "very good". If there was a number, like, I don't know, 40, that means "stunning", then I would choose that one.
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trish omalley
, January 03, 2010
This is the book I have been judging all others against since 2002 and nothing has matched it so far. Great storytelling, thought-provoking, deeply compassionate, and brilliant. Definitely the best book I read in the last decade.
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rickswift40
, January 01, 2010
Extremely well thought out plot that highlights the power of various art forms, but especially music, to shape our thoughts, emotions and attitudes ... and to elevate each of us to levels that transcend the problems and trappings of our daily lives.
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goldenemma
, January 01, 2010
(view all comments by goldenemma)
A focused, intense story with love thrown into an unusual situation.
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sharon cerasoli
, January 01, 2010
phenomenal book, loved it
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Jacqueline Yerby
, January 01, 2010
"Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett. There were some sentences that I absolutely savored. Reading them was like eating a very fine and complex piece of chocolate. I also really appreciated that the story revealed the humanity of everyone involved. Absolutely beautiful.
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Shoshana
, December 29, 2009
(view all comments by Shoshana)
Grade A beach reading--an interesting story, well-constructed and engaging, that holds one's attention. At the same time, it's a little silly and requires some suspension of disbelief. Still, while reading it I thought "What's going to happen next?" rather than "Why am I reading this rather than something else?" So--better than chick lit, but still a kind of genre fiction. This novel requires one to believe that opera creates an almost magical compulsion toward harmony and connection. I can buy that for purposes of a good beach read.
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Kjirstin
, October 01, 2008
(view all comments by Kjirstin)
Somehow, this book got shoved under my radar, and I didn't read it until this week. What a charming, different, unusually well-crafted book! I haven't finished it yet, so perhaps the ending will be tragic, which I suspect, given the circumstances, but what a study in the arts and human relationships. Ann Patchett's awards for this masterpiece are well deserved. If you've missed it, read it!
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Shawn777
, May 29, 2008
Bel Canto while being based on an absurd idea, an opera singer and terrorists do not seem like they go together. I find the book overall quite good. The story itself my not always jump out at me, personally I think it is a weird that a famous opera singer being taken hostage by South American terrorists. Though the plot of the book may not always jump out at me but Patchett’s witting style does. The way that she writes just entrances even though the event may not be very exciting. I also find it strange that among all of the guests at the party that not one of them dislikes opera that even the terrorist find themselves lost in the music.
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alicepotter
, April 14, 2007
(view all comments by alicepotter)
Absolutely wonderful book. It was so tragic, but left just enough hope at the end to make it so beautiful. Ann Patchett realistically portreys love in all of its many forms, making it very touching and profound. This book makes a person THINK. I would recommend this book to anyone.
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josamaphine
, October 14, 2006
It's a beautiful novel with unexpected twists and turns of events. I love the way that opera was used to keep people of completely ethnicities together!
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Product Details
ISBN:
9780060934415
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
04/01/2002
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers
Pages:
336
Height:
7.98 in.
Width:
5.34 in.
Thickness:
.81 in.
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2001
Series Volume:
537
UPC Code:
2800060934417
Author:
Ann Patchett
Subject:
Victims of terrorism
Subject:
Love stories
Subject:
Embassy buildings
Subject:
Psychological fiction
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Hostages
Subject:
Women singers
$11.95
List Price:
$13.95
Used Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
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More copies of this ISBN
Used, Trade Paperback, $12.95
This title in other editions
New, Hardcover, $27.99
New, Trade Paperback, Starting from $19.00
Used, Hardcover, $10.95
Used, Trade Paperback, Starting from $10.95
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