Tuesday, March 16, 2021

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, Suleika Jaouad


Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, now hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book ReviewsEach week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read soon.  

I love a good memoir so I'm hoping this one works for me.

                                                 Between Two Kingdoms, Suleika Jaouad
                                                              Random House - 2021

Part One

The Itch

"IT BEGAN WITH AN ITCH.  Not a metaphorical itch to travel the world or some quarter-life crisis, but a literal, physical itch.  A maddening, claw-at-your-skin, keep-you-up-at-night itch that surfaced during my senior year of college, first at the tops of my feet and then moving up my calves and thighs.  I tried to resist scratching, but the itch was relentless, spreading across the surface of my skin like a thousand invisible mosquito bites.  Without realizing what I was doing, my hand began meandering down my legs, my nails raking my jeans in search of relief, before burrowing under the hem to sink directly into flesh.  I itched during my part-time job at the campus film lab.  I itched under the big wooden desk of my library carrel.  I itched while dancing with friends on the beer-slicked floors of basement taprooms.  I itched while I slept.  A scree of oozing nicks, thick scabs, and fresh scars soon marred my legs as if they had been beaten with rose thistles.  Bloody harbingers of a mounting struggle taking place inside of me."

What do you think, read more or pass?

14 comments:

  1. I'm not sure about that one and it doesn't give me the urge to scratch the itch.

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  2. I've seen great praise for this book. I say, definitely keep going!

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  3. In the metaphorical sense, I've felt the itch she's describing, so I would definitely keep reading this one. I was lucky enough to get to spend almost a decade living in other countries and wandering around them as much as I could...but I still regularly feel that itch. If you decide to read this one, I'l look forward to your thoughts.

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  4. I'm really intrigued and want to know more. Can't wait to see what you think.

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  5. Wow! Now I definitely want to read more. I can already feel an itch as I read this! Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.

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  6. The opening paragraph has me very curious--I'd definitely read on.

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  7. I have suffered something similar to what is described here, so, yes, I would definitely keep reading hoping that a solution is found to the problem, as one was found for mine. (It turned out to have been triggered by an iron deficiency.)

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  8. I'm intrigued and very curious about the itching!

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  9. Well, the itching strikes me as a little gross, but I would continue to find out what caused it and what she did.

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  10. I would read on... if only to find out what the itching is all about.

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  11. Very descriptive opening. I'd be intrigued to read more.

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  12. Definitely read on! Adding it to my list. Not because of the physical itching, but because of the implied metaphoric itching.

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  13. I'm not sure on this one! I like the description but it makes me want to reach for the calamine lotion and not travel!

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  14. The cover and that blurb from Westover piqued my interest- yeah I'd keep reading.

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