Cover Image: The Year I Stopped to Notice

The Year I Stopped to Notice

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Member Reviews

Lovely reflective book that gives a great insight into the small things we take for granted that are around us all the time. It has helped me to stop more and give attention to those small things in my life I hadn’t been noticing for a while.

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With thanks to netgalley and the author

Sadly I didn't download this title in time.

So can't really give a review

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Beautiful. Poignant. Phenomenal.
This was a beautiful read and I learnt so much. I cried and I smiled and there was nothing more that I wanted from this book. Truly a gem.

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Life nowadays flashes by like a bullet train. The snippets captured by Miranda Keeling remind us of the joy experienced when sitting still and observing the world around us. Beautiful and poignant at times, it is a must read when you want to keep calm and carry on.

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The Year I stopped to Notice is one author's observations on everyday life. Some bits are funny, others boring, so overall it is a bit of everything. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. I enjoyed some of it and skipped over other bits that did not resonate with me. Overall a bit of a dip in book.

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I'm not looking at "The Year I Stopped to Notice" by Miranda Keeling as a work of literature, as it's a collection of tiny vignettes about everyday life in the places the author goes to.

There's no doubt that Miranda Keeling is a great observer and is crafty with words. However, I don't really see the point of turning what was a Twitter account into an actual book. I don't think the accompanying illustrations are adding that much, either.

Maybe "The Year I Stopped to Notice" would be better as a daily newsletter, even a group course on everyday mindfulness for writers. To be honest I don't see a value in publishing a collection of chosen snippets. I think with this book I was hoping for something else.

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A very quick and cheerful gift book kind of thing, where the author just puts down the snippets of observation and conversation she comes across into a notebook (either that or Tw*tter), and has selected the best for us. Here are Londoners going about their day innocent of being watched – commuting, singing, sleeping, missing their train because they were reading a book on mindfulness... Some of the entries certainly make you laugh or boggle or ponder – simultaneous Tube drunks could be invisible theatre, as could the woman talking to her shopping in the mistaken belief she was pushing a pram with her littl'un in it. Stylistically, the entries can be as plainly done as those little page-filler bits you used to get in Reader's Digest, or can go the full gamut of expressiveness if talking about inanimate objects. Some do make you aware it's aiming for a comedy line; all-told the diverse locations listed make you wonder what the heck our creator's daily pattern was. Charming at its best, but I cannot see this as a book anyone would ever need to buy.

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Really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

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This book was a collection of observations of little pieces of magic Miranda Keeling noticed in everyday life. This includes interactions, nature and just unexpected happenings.

There are some beautiful illustrations from Luci Power.

This is a lovely book that encourages us all to stop and take time to notice what is going on around us.

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What a glorious book full of sweet, quirky and beautiful moments from everyday life. Divided into the months of the year, the author shares snippets of moments she has spotted whilst out and about. Some made me laugh out loud, some intrigued me, some made me feel quite thoughtful. This book is a great reminder of taking things slower and taking the time to notice. I would have loved to have seen portraits or photos of some of the people described in the book but I appreciate fleeting moments come and go so fast. A lovely, heartwarming book which makes me want to carry a notebook everywhere I go now!

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A sweet little book that goes through the months listing the authors random observations. There's a mix of overheard conversations, interesting tableaux and unusual juxtapositions. The tone is light and humorous. It will certainly encourage me to be more creative in the way I observe the things around me.

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