Thursday, September 2, 2010

RUSSIAN WINTER: REVIEW INFO AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
RUSSIAN WINTER

BY DAPHNE KALOTAY

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In Russian Winter, the beautiful debut novel by critically acclaimed writer Daphne Kalotay, a famed ballerina’s jewelry auction in Boston reveals long-held secrets of love and family, friendship and rivalry, harkening back to Stalinist Russia. Called “tender, passionate, and moving” by Jenna Blum, the New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us, Russian Winter is a perfect choice for fans of the novels of Debra Dean (The Madonnas of Leningrad), Ann Patchett (Bel Canto), and Ian McEwan (Atonement).

“Daphne Kalotay captivates in a soaring debut novel. An elegant, compelling puzzle of family, memory and solitude that brings to life modern-day Boston and postwar Russia through a profound love story. Graceful, moving, and unexpected.”
—Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Daphne Kalotay grew up in New Jersey, where her parents had relocated from Ontario; her mother is Canadian, her father is Hungarian. She attended Vassar College, majoring in psychology, before moving to Boston to attend Boston University's graduate program in fiction writing. She stayed on at BU to study with Saul Bellow as part of the University Professors program, where she earned a PhD in Modern and Contemporary literature, writing her dissertation on one of her favorite writers, Mavis Gallant. Her interview with Mavis Gallant can be found in the Paris Review's Writers-at-work series.

At Boston University, Daphne's stories won the school's Florence Engell Randall Fiction Prize and a Henfield Foundation Award. Her first book, the fiction collection Calamity and Other Stories, includes work first published in Agni, Good Housekeeping, The Literary Review, Missouri Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and Prairie Schooner, and was short-listed for the Story Prize.
Daphne has taught literature and creative writing at Boston University, Skidmore College, and Middlebury College. She lives in the Boston area.

You can find Daphne on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Daphne-Kalotay/113099712053156?ref=ts

BLOG TOUR: The Blog Tour for this Fabulous Book includes the following sites so please visit them to see all they have to say about this WONDERFUL BOOK!

8/30/10 Story Circle Book Reviews Review & Interview
9/2/10 Book Loons Giveaway
9/2/10 Bookin’ With Bingo Review & Giveaway
9/5/10 Lisa’s Other Bookshelf Review
9/6/10 Bookin’ With Bingo Interview
9/7/10 S. Krishna’s Books Review & Giveaway
9/7/10 Book Club Girl Review
9/8/10 Beth Fish Reads Review
9/8/10 Reading Group Guides Guest Post
9/9/10 Reading the Past Review
9/9/10 Booking Mama Guest Post & Review
9/12/10 Sophisticated Dorkiness Review
9/13/10 Lori’s Reading Corner Review
9/14/10 Living Read Girl Review


ABOUT MY REVIEW:
As written in "Oprah" this month, RUSSIAN WINTER is one of the "10 Books to Pick Up in September 2010". The article gives a great group of reading discussion questions and if you are interested, might want to check them out HERE (be careful of spoilers within the questions)

I loved this book and have to be fair and honest with my followers. I JUST finished this on my plane ride home as I have been away as most of you who follow know, and SO rather than scribble my thoughts on a book worthy of a much better treatment than that, I shall continue with my post on RUSSIAN WINTER later tonight/tomorrow so please check back and see "MY Review" AND watch for some Bonus Entries. When added to the Author Interview coming up soon, you will have many chances to get your hands on a copy of this truly amazing book...I couldn't put it down but was forced to as a four-month-old wasn't into reading so my grandson did come first this past week (are you surprised? I bet not!) Check back later...don't forget! Thank you!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO MARK AND MY FRIENDS
AT HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,
I HAVE 3 COPIES OF THIS EXCITING
NEW BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.




--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK AND SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR, DAPHNE KALOTAY

+1 MORE ENTRY: GO TO THE HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE SECTION ON "FUN STUFF" ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE AND AUTHOR AND COMMENT ON ONE THING YOU FIND INTERESTING

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

BONUS ENTRIES: WATCH FOR THE AUTHOR INTERVIEW IN A FEW DAYS AND COMMENT THERE TO GAIN EXTRA BONUS ENTRIES!


GIVEAWAY ENDS
6 PM, EST, SEPTEMBER 19!
GOOD LUCK!

47 comments:

https://booksthoughtsadventures.com said...

Oh my...I think that I would really love to read this book. It is not what I would normally choose but it looks yummy.

traveler said...

I am fascinated by this wonderful novel and this talented author. being Canadian I was interested in learning this aspect about her and now living in the U.S. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

She loves listening to music. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

She drinks plenty of coffee for her writing rituals. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

When I read about this novel I was capivated.It sounds wonderful. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

Ruthie said...

Oprah's right, this would make a great book club pick.
Daphne's facebook page if filled with great reviews for this book.
Please enter me, thanks.

ruthiekb72@yahoo.com

DarcyO said...

Oh, this sounds like a great read with its Russian ties. What an impressive resume Daphne has. I wonder what it was like studying with Saul Bellow. Thanks for the chance to win this one.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I love Daphne's favorite quote: "If you think you're too small to make a difference, consider what it's like to be in bed with a mosquito."

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/darcy1956/status/22845284083

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book because it sounds very interesting.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Unknown said...

Her favorite book is Anna Karenina.

Unknown said...

Tweeted http://twitter.com/amandawk/status/22848442894

Margie said...

The combination of a romance and Russian history sounds intriguing.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

The author earned a PhD in Modern and Contemporary literature.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Her best quality is her patience, her worst quality is her impatience.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

A Musing Mother said...

I want this book! I want this book! I want this book!

How did you get so lucky?

Now I want to grow up and be like you.

ntaylor228@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I would love to read this book. It really sounds good. I love the fact that she tooks psychology. I was always interested in taking that course. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Linda said...

I've recently read other books with Russian settings and have become interested in this genre. The author is truly impressive - a PhD - Wow!
lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

This book sounds really good. I love books about family relationships. Also, I like books set in foreign countries. And the cover is pretty.

Also, I read that the author majored in psychology at Vassar.

monagarg@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I love her favorite quote:

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, consider what it's like to be in bed with a mosquito."

monagarg@yahoo.com

Pamela Keener said...

I love that the past and the present are aspects of this book.
Daphne while attending Boston U won the Florence Engell Randall Fiction prize for her stories.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

Janine Garofalo would be her choice to play her part in a movie of her life.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

justpeachy36 said...

I have seen a lot of buzz about this book and I'd love to read it. I generally like Oprah's picks and the cover is gorgeous.

Please enter me in the giveaway.

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

justpeachy36 said...

I went to Harper Collins and checked out the "Fun Stuff". I got a kick out of the fact that if she wasn't a writer she would be a shoe designer. She and my daughter would have a lot in common.

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

holdenj said...

I always like those family mystery type stories, Russian Winter looks great. I think since Daphne went to Boston University, she's got a great handle on the locale.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Well, Daphne thinks it would be fun to have lunch with Ruth Rendell and you know what? So would I! Maybe someday!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book because I really enjoy ballet and I have been fascinated with Russia since I read a biography of Tsar Nicholas many years ago.

I think it's fantastic that Daphne Kalotay studied under Saul Bellow in the University Professors Program at Boston University and then obtained her PhD in Modern and Contemporary Literature.

Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I think it's great that if Daphne Kalotay wasn't an author and writer she would be a shoe designer! She has also written that tripe is her least favorite food which makes me think she has had it to eat. Poor thing!

Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

DarcyO said...

"I'M YOUR FACEBOOK FAN FOR +5" September bonus

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Colleen Turner said...

Historical fiction is my all-time favorite type of book, so I am so excited about this one! I learned from the author information that she majored in Psychology in college, just like me!
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

+5 swagbucks!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I read from the author's "Fun stuff" that her ideal book is Anna Karenina.
candc320@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I would like to read this because I have not read many books that have to do with Russia. I also think it is impressive that the author won so many awards for her first published stories.
peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I learned from the "Fun Stuff" section of the website that the author's favorite desert-island book would be Anna Karenina.
peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

bison61 said...

I found it interesting that her mother is Canadian & her father is Hungarian. this sounds like a beautiful story of family and their secrets

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I'd like to read this because I also enjoyed Bel Canto and Atonement.
I learned that the author studied with Saul Bellow at BU.

meah56 at gmail dot com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Her least favorite food is tripe

meah56 at gmail dot com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I blogged about the giveaway on my Giveaways page:
http://bookfanmary.wordpress.com/giveaways/

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I blogged on my giveaways page:

http://bookfanmary.wordpress.com/giveaways/

meah56 at gmail dot com


(realized I didn't include my email with the previous comment so I did it again)

Meg said...

I really want to read this book because so many bloggers I love have said they stayed up all night to finish it - and it's been a long time since I've read of those novels.

I also learned that Kalotay went to BU and currently lives in Brookline, Massachusetts - my family is from a town close by!

megmarie412 at gmail dot com

Meg said...

I went to the Harper Collins website and saw that Kalotay is ready Memento Mori - interesting selection!

megmarie412 at gmail dot com

Jo-Jo said...

This book is set in Russia and I love books that give us a taste of other cultures. I also see that the author grew up in New Jersey.
joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com

Jo-Jo said...

I blogged about the contest here for another entry.
joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com

Jolee said...

This book appeals to me, as it is likened to both Bel Canto and Atonement, both which a really enjoyed! Also the author has a PhD in Liteature. Cool! joleehamlin [at] comcast [dot] net

Jolee said...

"The Way We Live Now" in on the author's nightstand (from Harper's website). joleehamlin [at] comcast [dot] net

hendy said...

I want to read this book because I love historical fiction (Those Who Save Us is one of my favorite books of all time). I learned that Daphne Kalotay majored in psychology before going to graduate school for fictional writing.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

I learned that if Daphne Kalotay couldn't be a writer she would be a shoe designer.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

CLICK HERE TO
SEE MY POLICY