The Solitaire Mystery

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Summary: This book was great . The best out of all her books.
Review: This book was no less than the best. I could not put it down. I thought it was very different and unlike in Sophie's World it did not give to much informaton and concetrated on the story plot.

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Summary: Simple oh so simple
Review: This book is simple. Not interesting enough for adults and not delightful enough for children, I can't imagine who could possibly like it. Using a card for each chapter was the only clever thing about it.

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Summary: This book was captivating!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Unlike Sophie's world, which bored me at times, The Solitaire Mystery captured my attention throughout the book. The amazing plot, topped with a light sprinkling of philosiphy, and a dash of humor, made for a delicious book. After reading it, I developed an interest in cards. I see my myself as a joker. This book was fantastic.

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Summary: A thought-provoking self-examination
Review: _The Solitaire Mystery_ quickly became my "new favorite book" after I finished it. Any book that deals with the tough phiosophical topics of fate, predetermination, and chance that presents itself as an "adult bedtime story" is great in my opinion. It was a good exercise to try to identify myself amongst the pack of cards: I decided I was definitley the joker--the one who looks too deep and thinks too much. I encourage anyone who is looking to define their place in life to read this book.

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Summary: "USER FRIENDLY PHILOSOPHICAL ENQUIRY"
Review: As in Sophies World, the virtues of philosophical enquiry are well packaged in a gripping adventure tale told through the eyes of a twelve year old boy. Using the same formula as his other writings, this novel is a story within a story. The way the author links the two levels is ingenious ("the inner box unpacks the outer box at the same time as the outer box unpacks the inner"). The various themes of the recovering alcoholic, the reunion of a family and the ignorance of society in general are very skillfully knitted together. This book is difficult to categorise, but stands out in creativity and originality, like a joker from a pack of cards.

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Summary: Absolutely wonderful
Review: I read Sophie's World about a year and a half before I read Solitaire Mystery. I had loved Sophie's World, and when I saw this book in the store, I bought it without question. I read it over about two days. The philosophy was not as overwhelming as in Sophie's World, and I think this was much more creative. Gaarder has such an imagination!

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Summary: More than just Philosophy!!
Review: This is the first Jostein Gaarder book I read other than SW, and I prefer this! This book guides me around the world with various interesting phenomenons and concepts, more than just philosophy! It widens your scope of thinking.. some more it leads you to your wonder world!!

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Summary: I'll never forget this book.
Review: 'Solitaire Mystery' is the kind of book that leaps to mind years after reading it, when someone asks for a recommendation. It is fun and imaginative, thought-provoking and intense. Nearly perfect.

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Summary: A real mystery in our real world
Review: Well I've read it a week ago and I still feel, that something in me has changed. Like in Sophie's world, there are so many questions and only few answers. But IT's good - why we try always to have a resolution without a bit of forces? I recommend this book (and all books from J. Gaarder) to everyone, who would became a real philosopher for few hours...

Rating:
Summary: Excellent - I couldn't put it down!
Review: I read Sophie's World about a year before and it really got me interested in philosophy, although the long textbook type sections were a little hard to work through. Here in The Solitare Mystery, it maintains the interest with IMMENSE creativity and it isn't hard to read! Once I got into it there was no way I was putting it down - it raised many interesting questions about existence and it was beautiful how Gaarder could incorporate so much into the pattern of a deck of cards. I thoroughly recommend it.