Review
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A NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER
Powell’s Best Books of 2017
Audible Best Books of 2017
“Irresistible...funny and touching....This witty and heartfelt ode to a city, to its infinite variety, to its melting
pot of citizens not only enchants but offers an important lesson: that human connections and work are what give life
meaning.”
―Boston Globe
“Transporting…witty, poignant and sparkling.”
―People (People Picks Book of the Week)
“Prescient and quick....A perfect fusing of subject and writer, idea and ideal.”
―Chicago Tribune
“Lillian’s wide-ranging meditations are reason enough to read this charming novel, but it’s also like taking a
street-level tour through six decades of New York.”
―New York Times
“I love this book....Just wonderful....A picture of a woman who tried and succeeded in making it in what was a man’s
profession." ―Nancy Pearl
“Extraordinary…hilarious…Elegantly written, Rooney creates a glorious paean to a distant literary life and time―and an
unabashed celebration of human connections that bridge past and future.
―Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed)
"Rooney's delectably theatrical fictionalization is laced with strands of tart poetry and emulates the dark sparkle of
Dorothy Parker, E St. Vincent Millay, and Truman Capote. Effervescent with verve, wit, and heart, Rooney’s nimble
novel celebrates insouciance, creativity, chance, and valor."
―Booklist (starred review)
“Effervescent…steeped in humanity and wit.”
―The Christian Science Monitor (10 Best Books of January)
“Needle-sharp....A delightful stroll with a colorful character.”
―Library Journal (starred review)
"If you haven’t read Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, you’ll want to rectify that immediately. It is tart and charming and
might make you miss your Nanna." ―Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Enchanting….[Rooney] is clearly in her element here….Pre-Mad Men, [Lillian] combines the smarts of Peggy Olson, the sex
appeal of Joan Holloway, and a hefty dose of independence that’s all her own.”
―FinancialTimes (UK)
“Illuminating….singular…wonderful.”―The Philippine Star
"Past and present intermingle in Rooney’s novel, distinguished by a careful shift from past to present tense but always
unified by Lillian’s unfailingly witty, reflective voice."
―BookReporter
“Charming.”
―Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“Well written, funny, and wise, Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk is one of those novels that once again remind us of the
power and value of fiction.” ―Smoky ain News
"Rooney courts regret and vulnerability with humor, as only a poet could....Lillian's walk is for anyone who craves a
forgotten past or strains to make sense of the future." ―Edge Media
“Easily the best gadding-around-town novel since Dawn Powell and Dorothy Parker.”
―Daniel Handler, author of Why We Broke Up and We Are Pirates
"There is a little of Lillian Boxfish in all of us. And if there isn’t, there ought to be.”
―Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Be Frank With Me
"A lively, fictionalized version of Fishback's story...[with] plenty of charm."
―Kirkus Reviews
“If you are not charmed by Lillian Boxfish, then there may be no hope for you.”
―Bookpage (Book of the Day)
“This walk will sweep listeners off their feet…seemingly effortless yet so compelling.”
―AudioFile Magazine (Earphones Award winner)
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About the Author
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KATHLEEN ROONEY is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She
has been recognized as one of Newcity Lit's "Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago 2018." Her previous work includes
poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, and has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Allure, Salon, The Rumpus, The Nation,
the New York Times Book Review, the Poetry Foundation website, and the Chicago Tribune. Kathleen was named "Best
Novelist" by the Chicago Reader in 2017. She is married to the novelist Martin Seay.
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