BACK COVER:

History and fiction merge seamlessly in Tracy Chevalier's luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Through the eyes of sixteen-year-old Greit, the world of 1660s Holland comes dazzlingly alive in this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings.

This book will be offered as an International Book Ring.

The participants for this Book Ring are :

* kz4ufo
* eriko1908
* CaptainJack
* goygirrl
* Georgie-Shaw
* ann-718my
* Silkina


Please return to me, kz4ufo, when the Ring is complete. :)

Very good book ~ I actually had a hard time putting it down. You certainly feel for the young girl and her situation. The symbolism of the pearl earrings and hair cap are very moving. I highly recommend this book.

I saw the movie earlier this year and it was very good. The scenery and acting was wonderful; however, there were some things missing. Somewhat significant characters in the book were nonexsistant and important (symbolic) things were also left out. I feel much more satisfied from reading the book. Although, it rather interesting to see the time period on the big screen - and I'll no doubt, purchase the movie when it comes out on DVD! LOL

This one arrived in the mail this morning...will be starting on it by tomorrow...Thanks for picking up a second copy kz4ufo...that was very generous of you!! :o)

Wow!! What a moving & touching book -- though I can't exactly say why. A guy at work who is aware that I read alot of bookcrossing books, and is always asking where any particuliar book arrived from, asked me today what I was reading...I told him about Girl With a Pearl Earring. I attempted to tell the basic storyline to him, and his words were, "Wow, sounds exciting." You can guess the tone that was said with. All I could tell him was that it was a very wonderful story. He didn't buy it. Though he is right, this is not an exciting book per se...but it kept me turning the pages until the end. It was beautiful, & wonderfully written. The images the book painted in my mind were so very real. I could feel the emotion, the tension, the thoughts, the family/servant dynamics...and also the pain. The descriptions of this time & place were just fascinating. I could feel the change of the seasons & the passage of time. Many a time, while reading this book, I found myself actually holding my breath so that a character in the story would not change their action, or look my way...that is how there I felt I was! I cannot rave about this book enough, though to be honest, I do not quite understand why. Thank you SO very much kz4ufo for starting a second book on it's journey...I truly did not know what I had been missing in not reading this book earlier than I did. I do not believe I could see this movie after reading this book...I just want to leave my mind with the memories of the written word dwelling & mingling with my thoughts!!

I will be mailing this one out to CaptainJack in AZ come Monday, via Media Mail...I just received the address by PM moments ago.

I hope everybody else enjoys this as much as I did, and thank you again, kz4ufo, for sharing!! :o)

I just received this today. I can't believe how fast this book got here! I will stop everything and read it right away. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!!

I read this wonderful book while I was on a business trip to New Jersey. It was really a great read. I highly recommend it! I will send a PM to goygirrl today!

Mailed on 6/12/04.

Came in the mail today, thanks!

7/8 - Once I started this one I read it in a few days (fast for me). This was a wonderful story, very straighforward and beautifully written. Griet is a great literary heroine. I loved the idea of the writer starting with a painting and creating the whole story behind it. Now I'm dying to see a Vermeer exhibition.

7/14 - Sent to Georgie-Shaw in Australia

Received on Friday 17/9 - and finished Saturday the 18th!

I didn't think I was in the mood to read but once I started reading it I couldn't stop - and like some of the other entries have said it wasn't an 'exciting' story but compelling nonetheless.

Part of me disliked the somewhat simple nature of the writing - but had to remind myself that it is from a 16 year old's perspective. The level of descriptive detail really transported me to Delft and it wasn't until the end of the book that it struck me that this was a book inspired by Vermeer's works - it didn't feel like a historic novel that has to push the research done - it just was.

Many thanks kz4ufo for starting this! I'll now go and hire the movie....I've included in the book for you the movie leaflet as a thank-you.

Pming BabyBee now...

Released on Tuesday, November 09, 2004 at about 8:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

As BabyBee declined, I finally got around to popping this one in the mail to ann-718my with an "Australiana" momento.

Hope you enjoy it and thanks to kz4ufo for sharing this one!

received it safe and sound. it's on top of my tbr list, can't wait to start reading it.

thanks so much Georgie-Shaw for the momento. it's very australiana indeed. =)

UPDATE (Dec 10): just finished reading. it was kind of a compelling story for me. i'm glad that i read this. not being good at understanding art as for myself, i find it refreshing to know how the mind of a painter works. the cover of the book bares the painting. at first sight it was just a painting of a girl to me. now i know it has more to it than that and probably i can see it now how a picture worth a thousand words. but i must say i don't like Vermeer in the book. to me he's a coldhearted person.

thanks kz4ufo for sharing! great book! =)

will pm Clawdia...

UPDATE (Dec 13): Clawdia has her own copy. pming Holandes instead...

UPDATE (Dec 14): Holendes' time is quite occupied at the moment and has asked to be skipped. pming silkina...

UPDATE (Dec 16): will mail it to silkina next week.

UPDATE (Dec 27): mailed!

Got this in the mail last week and have added it to my TBR pile!

After traveling the world - United States, Australia, Malaysia and Europe - this book has safely returned home!

I want to thank everyone who held this book in their hands, treated it with respect and passed it on to the next person in a timely manner.

This is by far the best Ring I ever hosted.

Again, thank you for being part of this and giving me and this book, a tour of the world.

'I come from a land down under........' and now, so does this book. What a quick journey too. Thank you kz4ufo for this RABCK. Placing on my TBR pile for now - once read I will ring/ray or RABCK it to keep it travelling. Hugs :o)

A lovely, enjoyable read. Very simple and beautifully written. Thank you for sending it my way kz4ufo. Time to keep it travelling and share with others. Adding this to the OZ VBB organised by freelunch.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On it's way to fairy-whispers - selected from the OZ VBB.

G'day,

Just checking in to let you know I am safe and sound. I am having a nice visit with fairy-whispers before continuing on my travels. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am!

With Great Affection,

Your Book :-)