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Friday, October 9, 2009

Giveaway and Review: A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

Anita Shreve is one of my favorite authors. I have enjoyed reading all of her books for the past ten years or so after discovering her by reading The Pilot’s Wife. She writes riveting tales about relationships in emotional turmoil. Some of her books are set in modern day, while others are compelling historical fiction. I was very happy to receive a review copy of her latest book, A Change in Altitude from Miriam at Hachette Publishing.

A Change in Altitude ranks as one of my all time favorite Anita Shreve novels. I’ll admit, I didn’t like the last few novels as well as her earlier works, but this novel is a tour de force. Margaret and Patrick are a young married couple that has relocated to Kenya for Patrick’s research and work as a doctor. The two are invited by their landlords (a British couple) to join them and a Dutch couple on a hike of Mount Kenya. The hike does not go as planned with disastrous consequences. Afterwards Margaret struggles to find herself and to try to piece back together her marriage when trust has been lost.

My favorite character in this novel was Kenya itself. Shreve once lived in Africa and used it as a local in her novel The Last Time They Met. Learning about the culture and beauty of the country made this a very compelling read. I also liked the details of the hike itself. I can’t imagine just deciding to climb a mountain without any sort of physical preparation, especially after reading Three Cups of Tea. It was very interesting reading about the physical and emotional aspects of the climb.

I really liked the growth of Margaret throughout the novel. The struggle that she goes through was intriguing. I don’t want to give away the ending, but it is a standard Shreve type of ending that has left me pondering.

If you would like to read more Shreve, I highly recommend The Weight of Water and Fortune’s Rocks besides this book. I love all of her novels, but I would pick these as my absolute favorites.

My favorite quote from this novel, "Not for the first time, Margaret reflected that it was impossible to know the truth about the marriage of another couple."

Giveaway Details:

Now for the details you are really looking for . . . Miriam at Hachette Book Group has been kind enough to offer one copy of A Change in Altitude as a giveaway. If you would like to enter this contest do any of the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You must include an email address in at least one of your comments. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway or post about it on your sidebar. Leave a separate comment with a link to your post. (1 entry)

3. Become a follower or leave a comment that you already are a follower of this blog. (1 entry)

There are three ways to enter, but you must LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT for each one or they will not count.I will be using random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to US and Canadian residents (Sorry!). No P.O. Boxes.

The deadline for entry is midnight, Friday October 23rd. Good luck!

39 comments:

  1. I'd like to read about a hiking disaster and its aftermath, especially against the backdrop of Africa. Please enter me into the giveaway!

    Marian - mdperera at hotmail dot com

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  2. I love the sound of this book, especially the setting. I have only read one Anita Shrive book and I loved the author's writing. I hope to read more by her in the future.

    I'd love a chance to enter the giveaway! Thanks for hosting it!

    literaryfeline AT gmail DOT com

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  3. It's me again! I wanted to let you know I follow your blog on Google Reader. Thanks again for the giveaway!

    literaryfeline AT gmail DOT com

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  4. I would LOVE to win this book!

    Suko95(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. I will post about this on my blog's sidebar.

    Suko95.blogspot.com

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  6. I would so very much like to finally read an Anita Shreve book. I have heard so many good things about her work. Count me in please.

    jessica(at)fan(dot)com

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  7. I'm hearing great things about this one. I haven't read a Shreve in a long time; I think it's time to pick up another one!

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  8. This sounds wonderful. Please enter me.
    stacybooks at yahoo

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  9. I have read a few reviews so far about this book and it sounds so good. Count me in please.
    laura(at)laurafabiani(dot)com

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  10. I have posted this giveaway on the right sidebar of my blog.
    http://libraryofcleanreads.blogspot.com

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  11. Pick me! Pick me! I'm a follower.

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  12. A marriage in trouble? I'm soooo into that.
    lula.ogden@gmail.com

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  13. Please enter me in this giveaway.
    ludeluh at yahoo dot com

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  14. I just signed on as a follower.
    ludeluh at yahoo dot com

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  15. I would love to add this to my reading list... thanks

    debbebennett at yahoo dot com

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  16. Is the novel anything like E. M. Forster's novel, A Passage to India?

    I'm a follower
    harvee44 at yahoo.com

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  17. This book sounds AMAZING!! Please enter me into the drawing...

    cardiacnursee(at)msn(dot)com

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  18. Good comment Bird Book Dog! It's been about ten years since I've read A Passage to India. I should really reread that book as I love EM Forster.

    They are similar in that it is the story of an outsider learning about the culture of a new country. There is a tragedy in both novels, but while the tragedy in A Passage to India deals more with the clash of cultures, the tragedy in A Change in Altitude deals more with the fabric of a marriage. I hope this helps. It would be interesting to read both books back to back and compare!

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  19. I used to be a huge Anita Shreve fan and then I think I read too many of her books and became worn out. I'd love to give her another try :)

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  20. I'm also a follower!

    Email: tyule at yuletimereading dot com

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  21. Anita is my favorite writer and I would love to have a chance to get a free copy of this book to read and share. judith313atyahoodotcom

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  22. No need to enter me as I am reading this one now. Thanks much for the review...I hope I enjoy this one as much as you did. I think my favorites so far by Shreve are Sea Glass and Resistance.

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  23. I've really enjoyed all of the books by Anita Shreve that I've read. This looks great as well. Thanks for the giveaway.

    s.mickelson at gmail dot com

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  24. I would love to enter: thereadingjourney[at]gmail[dot]com

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  25. I follow your blog through google reader: thereadingjourney[at]gmail[dot]com

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  26. Enter me!

    hmsgofita at hotmail dot com

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  27. I'm also a follower

    hmsgofita at hotmail dot com

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  28. And I put a link up to this giveaway at the bottom of my blog http://gofita.blogspot.com

    hmsgofita at hotmail dot com

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  29. great giveaway; i'm a follower:

    bibliophilebythesea AT gmail DOT com

    thanks

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  30. I would love to win this book. I am a new follower. My email is Libbysutherland 46 at gmail dot com

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  31. 1. Leave a comment on this post. You must include an email address in at least one of your comments. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner. (1 entry)

    Please enter me in your great giveaway.
    zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  32. 3. Become a follower or leave a comment that you already are a follower of this blog. (1 entry)

    already a follower
    zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  33. I've never read any novels by Anita Shreve, so this would be a completely new introduction... Plus it's about Kenya, a country in a region I adore and am fascinated by (I was born just south of there in Tanzania, but don't remember a thing). Please accept this as my entry.

    Aliya D.
    aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca

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  34. thanks so much for the giveaway:

    bibliophilebythesea AT gmail DOT com

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  35. The Giveaway ended at Midnight on October 23rd. No more entries are allowed.

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  36. Please enter me in this giveaway. walkermisc@primus.ca

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