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Best Fiction Classics

The Lord of the Rings: One Volume
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings takes place in a fantasy world that is not too unlike the English countryside, though it has characters that range from hobbits to Elven creatures. Widely regarded as one of the genre's most loved works, The Lord of the Rings has garnered worldwide acclaim and praise from critics and fans alike. Originally broadcast in 1981 on BBC Radio, this full-cast adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy is justifiably regarded as a classic; unfortunately, in 2008, it faces inevitable comparison with Peter Jackson's films. Ian Holm (who appeared as Bilbo in the films) offers a mature, nuanced portrayal of Frodo that is far truer to the text than Elijah Wood's wide-eyed innocent approach.
Reviews
"I did a ton of research and decided upon this version (ISBN 116-1749849-2513827), illustrated by Alan Lee and published by Harper Collins in June 2014 (I am adding these details because the Amazon.com site does not make it clear what this version is). The only drawback is that the facsimile pages of the Book of Mazarbul was not included, which I found to be surprising and a bit disappointing Also, the ring inscription and the Gandalf "rune" are printed in black rather than silver and red. Probably the main issue is the clear plastic slipcover, which is barely bigger than the book itself, and it is difficult to slip the book back inside it after taking it out."
"The font size seems to be based on the length of the books, the longer the books are, the smaller the font is (I suppose this was in order to keep them pocket-sized as well as consistent with the sizes of the other books throughout the set)."
"I'll keep it brief, this is not a review of the actual story but of this specific edition."
"I have to give this 5 stars as it is a classic despite the Kindle edition suffering from the same defect as in so many other titles, the illustrations are too small to be read."
"My favorite part will always be when Gandalf and the dwarves invade poor Bilbo’s home and ask for various foods and drinks before starting on their big adventure!!"
"Tolkien is genius with his ability to transport you directly to Middle-earth with his writing, so that you feel as if you are on the journey with the Company as well."
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Animal Farm and 1984
Animal Farm is Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution -- an account of the bold struggle, initiated by the animals, that transforms Mr. Jones's Manor Farm into Animal Farm--a wholly democratic society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. 'I continue to find the Readers' Guides indispensable for teaching - they really give students a sense of criticsm having a history' - Professor Rachel Bowlby, University of York 'The series looks really excellent - attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money' - Ronald Knowles, Reader, University of Reading I continue to find the Readers' Guides indispensable for teaching - they really give students a sense of criticsm having a history' - Professor Rachel Bowlby, University of York. 'The series looks really excellent - attractively produced, user friendly; and outstanding value for money' - Ronald Knowles, Reader, University of Reading.
Reviews
"The pigs rewrite history and convince the others that things happened differently to how they remember, and rewrite their '7 Commandments' subtly in their favour and so on. There is plenty of depth if you want to go into the details of the allegory if you are interested, but the main point is pretty obvious really."
"An excellent read which will eternally be applicable to every generation."
"I kept hoping and hoping that the animals would rise up in a second rebellion, or that Snowball would return with some kind of relief force, when I knew very well that this book is based on Russian history and no such thing happened."
"As with any book review, I do not want to spill the plot, but suffice it to say that the (potential future) world Orwell paints in vivid detail is not always a pretty one. At less than 10 bucks for the Kindle edition this set is a true Amazon bargain!"
"My son and I both enjoyed reading this classic George Orwell novel, there are a lot of discussion points to be had at the end of each chapter, and it's a relatively short read - much like this review."
"I loved this, it is one of my all time favorites, and this was a refresher read for next months discussion at the book club I belong to."
"Small print and smaller book than expected."
"Don't waist your time with this printing of such a classic, great the book."
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The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. New Line Cinema will be releasing "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in three separate installments, and Houghton Mifflin Tolkien's U.S. publisher since the release of The Hobbit in 1938 will be re-releasing each volume of the trilogy separately and in a boxed set (ISBN 0-618-15397-7.
Reviews
"I did a ton of research and decided upon this version (ISBN 116-1749849-2513827), illustrated by Alan Lee and published by Harper Collins in June 2014 (I am adding these details because the Amazon.com site does not make it clear what this version is). The only drawback is that the facsimile pages of the Book of Mazarbul was not included, which I found to be surprising and a bit disappointing Also, the ring inscription and the Gandalf "rune" are printed in black rather than silver and red. Probably the main issue is the clear plastic slipcover, which is barely bigger than the book itself, and it is difficult to slip the book back inside it after taking it out."
"The font size seems to be based on the length of the books, the longer the books are, the smaller the font is (I suppose this was in order to keep them pocket-sized as well as consistent with the sizes of the other books throughout the set)."
"I'll keep it brief, this is not a review of the actual story but of this specific edition."
"I have to give this 5 stars as it is a classic despite the Kindle edition suffering from the same defect as in so many other titles, the illustrations are too small to be read."
"My favorite part will always be when Gandalf and the dwarves invade poor Bilbo’s home and ask for various foods and drinks before starting on their big adventure!!"
"Tolkien is genius with his ability to transport you directly to Middle-earth with his writing, so that you feel as if you are on the journey with the Company as well."
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Best Classic American Fiction

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harperperennial Modern Classics)
Harper Lee's Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred, available now for the first time as an e-book. Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them."
Reviews
"Sympathetic , emotional and profoundly moving , To Kill a Mockingbird seethes to the bases of human conduct -to blamelessness and experience, generosity and savagery , love and scorn, puerility and tenderness."
"Not only is Lee's writing filled with beautiful sentences (though often stunningly economical...) the book deals with many critically important issues, even for today's reader. She examines many social issues -- race and economic inequality, sexual inequality, mental illness, child abuse, and the inequity sometimes found in our judicial system."
"It is written from a child's point of view when children were shielded from knowledge by their parents and allowed to run free and become caught up in their imaginations. But it also includes a secondary plot of the racism that is pervasive in America and gives the reader a lot to think about even in 2015 (especially in light of current events)."
"Considering the time frame when this was written, Ms Lee addresses the problem of hate for someone's race as the terrible scar that it is in a unique and gentle but firm way that draws you into the story."
"Told in the first person, Scout, Jean Louise Finch, introduces to life in he small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930's."
"Absolutely delightful book that gives the reader a view of the world in the 1930s through the eyes of children. By using the perspectives of Scout, Jem, and Dill, Harper Lee is able to bring to light serious social issues using the wit only a child character could get away with and still be sincere."
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Best Classic Coming of Age Fiction

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harperperennial Modern Classics)
Harper Lee's Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred, available now for the first time as an e-book. Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them."
Reviews
"Told in the first person, Scout, Jean Louise Finch, introduces to life in he small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930's."
"Set in the days of segregation and racial hatred in America, it was a telling example of how justice was not for black people."
"Where Gone by the Wind elaborates in a dramatic and sentimental manner, To Kill a Mockingbird stays level-headed and down-to-earth, told as it is, in a genuinely naïve and innocent voice."
"I was just a young teen and too wrapped up in myself to. understand that civil rights were only granted to white men. Atticus, a rather distant but loving. father, accepts his children for who they are -- ornery, smart and little left of center."
"...what was wrong with GCHS that didn't make us read these wonderful stories?"
"I somehow managed not to read this as a kid, but I'm glad I was inspired by my current 7th grader to read it now."
"It can be kind of hard to read books that are written with regional slang on every page. It's a must read for Americans to help get our race relations and biases in perspective. It's a must read for anyone who's human and wants to understand what that means just a little bit more."
"Those of us whom want a change or for those of us who have teens that don't want to read it....this performance will turn that around..."
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Best Classic Historical Fiction

All the Light We Cannot See
A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Werner is a German orphan, destined to labour in the same mine that claimed his father’s life, until he discovers a knack for engineering. Yes, there is fear and fighting and disappearance and death, but the author’s focus is on the interior lives of his two characters. Never mind that their paths don’t cross until very late in the novel, this is not a book you read for plot (although there is a wonderful, mysterious subplot about a stolen gem). It is through their individual and intertwined tales that Doerr masterfully and knowledgeably re-creates the deprived civilian conditions of war-torn France and the strictly controlled lives of the military occupiers.High-Demand Backstory: A multipronged marketing campaign will make the author’s many fans aware of his newest book, and extensive review coverage is bound to enlist many new fans.
Reviews
"It has been a while since I have found a book that I wanted to read slowly so that I could soak in every detail in hopes that the last page seems to never come. When reading the synopsis of this novel, I never imagined that I would feel so connected to a book where one of the main characters is blind and the other a brilliant young German orphan who was chosen to attend a brutal military academy under Hitler's power using his innate engineering skills. I was invited into the pages and could not only imagine the atmosphere, but all of my senses were collectively enticed from the very first page until the last. In most well-written books you get of a sense of what the characters look like and follow them throughout the book almost as if you are on a voyage, but with this novel, I could imagine what it was like to be in Marie-Laure's shoes."
"On the other hand, as the author describes it, “It’s also a metaphorical suggestion that there are countless invisible stories still buried within World War II.” Add in a newly blinded French girl who is forced to leave her familiar surroundings, and you’ll soon find yourself in literary heaven. There are lessons about the brain, sitting inside the darkness of our skull, interpreting light; there are lessons about coal having been plants living millions of years ago, absorbing light, now buried in darkness; lessons about light waves that we cannot see—all applicable as the story unfolds. The author also includes connections to the song Clair de Lune, the book 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, and a fictional story about a priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, whose owner “so long as he keeps it, the keeper of the stone will live forever.”. I cannot proclaim loud enough how much this book means to me; I have been left awe-inspired."
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Best Classic Humor Fiction

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
William Goldman's modern fantasy classic is a simple, exceptional story about quests—for riches, revenge, power, and, of course, true love—that's thrilling and timeless. Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out. Is The Princess Bride a critique of classics like Ivanhoe and The Three Musketeers , that smother a ripping yarn under elaborate prose? A wry look at the differences between fairy tales and real life? A 'classic' medieval melodrama that sounds like all the Saturday serials you ever saw feverishly reworked by the Marx Brothers." -- Newsweek "One of the funniest, most original, and deeply moving novels I have read in a long time."
Reviews
"William Goldman's story telling is pure genius, writing from a satirical 1st person perspective of how he created an abridged version of an old non-fictional book from a fictional country written by a fictional author. As you read through the "abridged version" you will frequently stumble across familiar lines you've come to love from the film ("INCONCEIVABLE!"). After reading the book you'll have a newfound appreciation for the movie which you'll see is a fantastic adaptation, and you'll have a fantastic time wrapped around Goldman's hilarious finger as he guides you through a truly wonderful story that feels exactly like the timeless classic we've enjoyed watching for years."
"I ordered the 30th anniversary edition, thinking it would have bonus special features in honor of the anniversary, but as far as I can tell, it's just an earlier DVD version...with a new cover literally attached to the outside of the case."
"kids left home. Vizzini, you simply love to hate him. Billy Crystal, Carol Kane . .this movie is a treasure trove of faces, one liners, and fabulous entertaining family fantasy fun! No filth, no foul language, but romance, adventure, chivalry, honor and a Holocaust Robe!"
"This is my all time favorite movie. It's just a really fun movie for all ages."
"I heard Mandy Patinkn tell the story of Rob Reiner summing up the movie as a boy searches for his true love, and that pretty much sums it up! Rob Reiner loves satire and has filled this film with many of his friends in guest star roles."
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Best Classic Literary Fiction

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harperperennial Modern Classics)
Harper Lee's Pulitzer prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep south—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred, available now for the first time as an e-book. Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. Like the slow-moving occupants of her fictional town, Lee takes her time getting to the heart of her tale; we first meet the Finches the summer before Scout's first year at school. Then Atticus is called on to defend the accused, Tom Robinson, and soon Scout and Jem find themselves caught up in events beyond their understanding. During the trial, the town exhibits its ugly side, but Lee offers plenty of counterbalance as well--in the struggle of an elderly woman to overcome her morphine habit before she dies; in the heroism of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he knows is right; and finally in Scout's hard-won understanding that most people are essentially kind "when you really see them."
Reviews
"Told in the first person, Scout, Jean Louise Finch, introduces to life in he small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930's."
"Set in the days of segregation and racial hatred in America, it was a telling example of how justice was not for black people."
"Where Gone by the Wind elaborates in a dramatic and sentimental manner, To Kill a Mockingbird stays level-headed and down-to-earth, told as it is, in a genuinely naïve and innocent voice."
"I was just a young teen and too wrapped up in myself to. understand that civil rights were only granted to white men. Atticus, a rather distant but loving. father, accepts his children for who they are -- ornery, smart and little left of center."
"...what was wrong with GCHS that didn't make us read these wonderful stories?"
"I somehow managed not to read this as a kid, but I'm glad I was inspired by my current 7th grader to read it now."
"It can be kind of hard to read books that are written with regional slang on every page. It's a must read for Americans to help get our race relations and biases in perspective. It's a must read for anyone who's human and wants to understand what that means just a little bit more."
"Those of us whom want a change or for those of us who have teens that don't want to read it....this performance will turn that around..."
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Best Religious Fiction Classics

Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet
VISION IN WHITE Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera for Vows, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into Carter Maguire—the bride-to-be's brother—in an encounter that has them both seeing stars. “Funny sparks fly...[Roberts’] gentle humor and likable cast will immediately endear this series to readers.”— Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
"2) Rated 5★ Emma & Jack prove that friends can turn into love and even with the misunderstandings, makes for lasting love!"
"This series will take you away on a journey into the lives of the women of “Vows”."
"I enjoyed the Bride Quartet Series immensely."
"This is such a great book, that I look forward to going back and reading these stories again like some that I already have, and I am impatient to read the rest of Nora Roberts' stories right now. Hot, Hot, Hot, love scenes, a well written, creative and intriguing story about family plus inventive, vivid characters, all on top of seriously wonderful love and romance."
"I read this series in paperback and love them though my favorite all time set was time was and time and again."
"After planning my wedding and helping a friend plan hers, this quartet about a wedding business built up with four friends was a nice read to be back in the moment of planning - for others and for myself."
"I have just finished these four wonderful books the only thing that could make them better would be having the other weddings."
"The books are probably the best books I have read in a really long time."
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Best Classic Romance Fiction

Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet
VISION IN WHITE Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera for Vows, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into Carter Maguire—the bride-to-be's brother—in an encounter that has them both seeing stars. “Funny sparks fly...[Roberts’] gentle humor and likable cast will immediately endear this series to readers.”— Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
"2) Rated 5★ Emma & Jack prove that friends can turn into love and even with the misunderstandings, makes for lasting love!"
"This series will take you away on a journey into the lives of the women of “Vows”."
"I enjoyed the Bride Quartet Series immensely."
"This is such a great book, that I look forward to going back and reading these stories again like some that I already have, and I am impatient to read the rest of Nora Roberts' stories right now. Hot, Hot, Hot, love scenes, a well written, creative and intriguing story about family plus inventive, vivid characters, all on top of seriously wonderful love and romance."
"I read this series in paperback and love them though my favorite all time set was time was and time and again."
"After planning my wedding and helping a friend plan hers, this quartet about a wedding business built up with four friends was a nice read to be back in the moment of planning - for others and for myself."
"I have just finished these four wonderful books the only thing that could make them better would be having the other weddings."
"The books are probably the best books I have read in a really long time."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Classic Short Stories

All the Light We Cannot See
A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Werner is a German orphan, destined to labour in the same mine that claimed his father’s life, until he discovers a knack for engineering. Yes, there is fear and fighting and disappearance and death, but the author’s focus is on the interior lives of his two characters. Never mind that their paths don’t cross until very late in the novel, this is not a book you read for plot (although there is a wonderful, mysterious subplot about a stolen gem). It is through their individual and intertwined tales that Doerr masterfully and knowledgeably re-creates the deprived civilian conditions of war-torn France and the strictly controlled lives of the military occupiers.High-Demand Backstory: A multipronged marketing campaign will make the author’s many fans aware of his newest book, and extensive review coverage is bound to enlist many new fans.
Reviews
"It has been a while since I have found a book that I wanted to read slowly so that I could soak in every detail in hopes that the last page seems to never come. When reading the synopsis of this novel, I never imagined that I would feel so connected to a book where one of the main characters is blind and the other a brilliant young German orphan who was chosen to attend a brutal military academy under Hitler's power using his innate engineering skills. I was invited into the pages and could not only imagine the atmosphere, but all of my senses were collectively enticed from the very first page until the last. In most well-written books you get of a sense of what the characters look like and follow them throughout the book almost as if you are on a voyage, but with this novel, I could imagine what it was like to be in Marie-Laure's shoes."
"On the other hand, as the author describes it, “It’s also a metaphorical suggestion that there are countless invisible stories still buried within World War II.” Add in a newly blinded French girl who is forced to leave her familiar surroundings, and you’ll soon find yourself in literary heaven. There are lessons about the brain, sitting inside the darkness of our skull, interpreting light; there are lessons about coal having been plants living millions of years ago, absorbing light, now buried in darkness; lessons about light waves that we cannot see—all applicable as the story unfolds. The author also includes connections to the song Clair de Lune, the book 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, and a fictional story about a priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, whose owner “so long as he keeps it, the keeper of the stone will live forever.”. I cannot proclaim loud enough how much this book means to me; I have been left awe-inspired."
"“All the Light We Cannot See” is a World War II story told from the experiences of two children; each gifted in their own way."
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Best Western Fiction Classics

Grizzly Killer: Under The Blood Moon
Along with his dog Jimbo, Running Wolf his Ute partner and their wives they travel to Rendezvous, where they battle the dreaded Blackfeet and Zach fights for both justice and honor.
Reviews
"This book, the second in the series with "Grizzly Killer: The Making of a Mountain Man" being the first, is a welcome and refreshing change from the modern genre of urban mayhem and street violence."
"There is a little repetition of regiments and duties of safe camping in the wilderness and great humanizing of indian life on the prairie, as well as insight into real mountain man/trapper life in the early western expansion. We need REAL heroes again like in the best westerns of the past, and the author gives one in this series!"
"Really enjoyed this, an excellent continuation of the Grizzly Killer saga."
"Warenski is a very good story teller, much like the Native Americans that are so much a part of his books."
"Great read, both books."
"I didn't post a review of book #1 because I wanted to read #2 asap just finished the second one in the series and it's 12:46 AM."
"I really like the mountain man genre and this book is a real page turner!"
"A particularly good tale, fairly accurate, reasonably predictable, a lot of editing errors (spelling errors, their instead of they're and such) but you can't have everything."
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Best Literature & Fiction in Russian

Доктор Живаго (Russian Edition)
«Доктор Живаго» — итоговое произведение Бориса Пастернака, книга всей его жизни.
Reviews
"Covers one of the most interesting periods in Russian history, the problems, challenges and the mindset of the society."
"Am I to write a review to a Noble Prize winner lol. Strange that its even asked."
"This book was always a horror book for me, the real one, not fake."
"Nobel price novel."
"Long ago, I read in the English version of Zhivago about kvass, a drink fermented from rye bread crusts."
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