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San Miguel - T.C. Boyle
San Miguel
by: (author)
3.75 60
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Women, a historical novel about three women’s lives on a California islandOn a tiny, desolate, windswept island off the coast of Southern California, two families, one in the 1880s and one in the 1930s, come to start new lives and pursue dreams of... show more
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Women, a historical novel about three women’s lives on a California islandOn a tiny, desolate, windswept island off the coast of Southern California, two families, one in the 1880s and one in the 1930s, come to start new lives and pursue dreams of self-reliance and freedom. Their extraordinary stories, full of struggle and hope, are the subject of T. C. Boyle’s haunting new novel.Thirty-eight-year-old Marantha Waters arrives on San Miguel on New Year’s Day 1888 to restore her failing health.  Joined by her husband, a stubborn, driven Civil War veteran who will take over the operation of the sheep ranch on the island, Marantha strives  to persevere in the face of the hardships, some anticipated and some not, of living in such brutal isolation. Two years later their adopted teenage daughter, Edith, an aspiring actress, will exploit every opportunity to escape the captivity her father has imposed on her.  Time closes in on them all and as the new century approaches, the ranch stands untenanted. And then in March 1930, Elise Lester, a librarian from New York City, settles on San Miguel with her husband, Herbie, a World War I veteran full of manic energy.  As the years go on they find a measure of fulfillment and serenity; Elise gives birth to two daughters, and the family even achieves a celebrity of sorts. But will the peace and beauty of the island see them through the impending war as it had seen them through the Depression?Rendered in Boyle’s accomplished, assured voice, with great period detail and utterly memorable characters, this is a moving and dramatic work from one of America’s most talented and inventive storytellers.
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Format: hardcover
ISBN: 9780670026241 (0670026247)
Publisher: Viking Adult
Pages no: 367
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
A Book and A Review #2
A Book and A Review #2 rated it
4.0
Read my full review @ http://bit.ly/W2AytHMy opinion: San Miguel is a prime example of why I love being a book reviewer. I have been introduced to so many wonderful new authors that had I not been a reviewer, I would more than likely never have come across. Although, TC Boyle is a famous author, my ...
Maven Books
Maven Books rated it
4.0 San Miguel by T. C. Boyle
Two separate families' experiences on an island off the coast of California, each with aspects that drew my interest. However, I felt like I wanted to hear more about each story, and the segue between the time periods was not that smooth, so the time shift was a bit rough.
Cheryl's books
Cheryl's books rated it
4.0
In the end I quite liked it. But it did take a while to warm to it — that didn't happen until about a quarter of the way through.I didn’t really appreciate until much further along that so much of it is based on historical events on the island of San Miguel, one of the Channel Islands across from S...
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