Booklovers Never Go To Bed Alone

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Our Favorite Female Characters

This week in our book chat we discussed our favorite female characters. I noticed as I was getting ready for our discussion how many of the books I’ve read have male protagonists and I thought my reading habits were pretty diverse. It just shows you how deeply embedded norms are in our culture and reminds us how we need to be constantly aware of the need to be diverse in our reading habits.

We did get to reminisce about some great female characters and share why we were so taken with them. The following are the characters we love:

Alma Whitaker, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert  

When I first thought of this topic the first character to come to mind was Alma Whittaker. What I love about Alma is how Elizabeth Gilbert allowed her to have sexual desires. Very few female characters, especially ones set in the 19th century, are portrayed as having any sexual needs and if they are plain or homely, as Alma was, then the possibility of them being portrayed as sexual beings is reduced to zero. Alma is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, independent woman with all the needs and desires a woman has.  

Cathy Ames aka Kate Trask, East of Eden by John Steinbeck

The next character that came to mind is one I love to hate, Cathy Trask. I usually like more balanced characters, being that my belief is that no one is all good or all evil but a mix of the two, but Steinbeck makes Cathy sooooo evil from day one that you just can’t forget her. She has to be the evilest woman in fiction.

Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (etal The Millinneum Trilogy) by Stieg Larsson

And of course we had to mention Lisbeth Salander, (the original Girl in the title). The things Larsson does with gender in these books is refreshing. We get to know Lisbeth slowly throughout the trilogy, and begin to see and understand how she became the woman that she is. She is definitely a more balanced and realistic character, than Cathy Ames. These books are great in having both a great plot and great character development.

Aaliya Saleh, An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

Aaliya is a 72 year old woman living a solitary life in Beirut. Divorced at 20 years old she has spent the past 52 years living alone, just her and her books. She translates these books into Arabic for her own pleasure, revealing her hobby to no one. Aaliya is a strong independent woman who knows what she enjoys and lives her life doing it

Lillian Boxfish, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

Lillian (Inspired by the life and work of poet and ad woman Margaret Fishback) was  "the highest paid advertising women in America" Lillian is a survivor. She persisted in the days when being a woman meant being paid less because you didn't "have families to support". She’s a smart, strong and witty woman, who at the age of eighty-five is still full of life.

Janie Mae Crawford, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston  

Janie is a woman that defies gender stereotypes and insists on her independence.She shows a curiosity and confidence and maturity that guide her through the novel to becoming a strong and proud woman.

Addie Moore, Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Addie Moore is a 70ish widow who decides to stop caring about what other people think and live her life doing what makes her happy. A strong, independent woman.

Ruth Jefferson, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Ruth is a strong black woman dealing with racism in her job as a labor and delivery nurse.

The Second Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

We never do get to know the second Mrs. de Winter’s name

Scout aka Jean Loise Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

The female characters from the following books;

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Any female characters from the following authors:

Barbara Kingsolver

Isabelle Allende

Erica Jong

What We’ve been Reading

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout First Dads by Joshua Kendall Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders The Thirst by Jo Nesbo The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger The Heirs by Susan Rieger

Other Books we mentioned:

Other Books we mentioned: The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters The Tender Bar: A Memoir by J. R. Moehringer The Nest by Cynthia de Aprix The Lost City of Z by David Grann Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann  

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Book Discussion - Nineteen Eighty-Four

For our discussion  we will be discussing Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

In my preparation I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's sixth and final novel. It has been translated into more than 65 languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. George Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903 in  Motihari, Bengal Presidency, in British India. He wrote the bulk of the novel between 1947 and 1948 on the Scottish island of Jura, despite being seriously ill with tuberculosis. The novel was published in June of 1949, Orwell died the following January.

The early title of the novel was The Last Man in Europe. The novel was originally set  in 1980, but Orwell later shifted the date to 1982, then to 1984. The title, 1984, is a configuration of 1948, the year of the completion of the novel. Since it's publication 1984 has consistently been among the list of frequently banned or legally challenged books. The cultural impact of this novel is extensive, it's effect on the English language is remarkable and only one of the ways we see Orwell's influence to this day.

Considering our current political climate, the reading and discussion of 1984 will be a scarily relevant and timely one.

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it."  -- George Orwell, Selected Writings

Considering our current political climate, the reading and discussion of 1984 will be a scarily relevant and timely one.

Discussion Questions

1. The world within which Winston lives is replete with contradictions. For example a, major tenet of the Party's philosophy is that War is Peace. Similarly, the Ministry of Love serves as, what we would consider, a department of war. What role do these contradictions serve on a grand scale? Discuss other contradictions inherent in the Party's philosophy. What role does contradiction serve within the framework of Doublethink? How does Doublethink satisfy the needs of The Party?

2. In the afterword, the commentator describes 1984 as "a warning." Indeed, throughout the text, Orwell plants both subtle and overt warnings to the reader. What do you think are some of the larger issues at hand here?

3. Describe the role that O'Brien plays in Winston's life. Why do you think that initially, Winston is drawn to O'Brien? Why does he implicitly trust him, despite the enormous dangers involved?

4. Discuss the significance and nature of Winston's dreams. Deconstruct the dream wherein O'Brien claims that they "shall meet in a place where there is no darkness" (page 22), and the dream in which Winston's mother and sister disappear (page 26). What are the underpinnings of these dreams? What deeper meanings do they hold? Why do you think the author devotes as much time as he does to Winston's dreams?

5. Discuss Winston as a heroic figure. What qualities does he posses that could define him as one?

6. Compare and contrast some of the other characters in Winston's world: Parsons, Syme, O'Brien. How does Winston view each one? How do they differ from Winston? What opinion do you think each one has of Winston?

7. On pages 147-148, Winston reflects on the omnipresence of The Party: "He thought of the telescreen with its never-sleeping ear. They could spy upon you night and day, but if you kept your head you could still outwit them….Facts at any rate, could not be kept hidden. They could be tracked down by inquiry, they could be squeezed out of you by torture. But if the object was not to stay alive, but to stay human, what difference did it ultimately make?" What, in essence, is Winston saying about the lone individual in relation to The State? Does this contention remain true throughout the novel?

8. Early on in the novel, we learn of Winston's belief in the proles as a liberating force. What accounts for Winston's almost blind faith in the proles? What are some of the characteristics of the proles that, in Winston's eyes, make them the ultimate means for overthrowing Big Brother?

9. From her first appearance as "the dark-haired girl," through to the end of the novel, Julia is a key figure in 1984. Trace the path of Julia in relation to Winston's life; in what ways does she influence him? Did you trust her, initially? Overall, do you feel she had a positive or negative impact upon him?

10. After his first formal meeting with O'Brien, Winston receives a book, ostensibly written by Emmanuel Goldberg. In reading passages from this book, Winston is further enlightened as to "how" the current society came into being. Focus on these passages, and in particular, on the theory of the High, Middle and Low classes (page 179). If true, what does this theory hold for the proles? Is Winston's plan for the proles now altered? Why or why not?

11. During Winston's interrogation, O'Brien explains that whereas preceding totalitarian regimes had failed, The Party was truly successful in its consolidation of power (page 226). How, according to O'Brien, does the The Party as an oligarchy differ from Nazism or Russian Communism? How does he define the role of the martyr, both in terms of The Party and the other totalitarian systems?

12. Following his capture in Mr. Charrington's spare room, Winston undergoes a process of "philosophical cleansing" and re-education against which he valiantly, but unsuccessfully fights. Discuss Winston's "capitulation" at the hands of O'Brien. How is Winston brought to "love Big Brother?" In sacrificing Julia, how has Winston, in essence, signaled his own end?

13. How would you describe the author's tone in 1984? Does it add to or detract from the character's discourse?

14. Discuss the role of sex and intimacy in 1984. What specific function does the Party's directive on sexual interaction serve?

15. In the final analysis, how accurate was Orwell in his vision of the future? In what ways does our contemporary society compare to his idea of society in 1984? Are there examples in which he was correct? What is most opposite? Do you see a potential for aspects of Orwell's "vision" to come true?

16. During his final encounter with O'Brien, Winston argues that, if all else fails, the inherent nature of the individual—the "spirit of man"—is strong enough to undermine a society such as that created by The Party. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Is Winston's belief applicable to the world we live in today? Can you cite examples in our own recent history that support or dismiss Winston's belief in the resiliency and righteousness of the human spirit?

17. Prior to meeting her, Winston fantasizes about Julia in violent, humiliating ways. Later, he describes in his diary an encounter with a middle-aged, toothless prostitute. How do you account for these thoughts? How does Winston's understanding of women change after his first liaison with Julia?

18. Given Winston's own acknowledgment that he is under constant surveillance, and that it would only be a matter of time before the Thought Police caught him, no one in his world could be trusted. Prior to his capture, which character or characters did you envision as betraying Winston? How did you foresee his ultimate demise? Did you, on the contrary, feel that by some chance he would overcome the forces aligned against him, and fulfill his wish to conquer The Party?

19. Imagine yourself as Winston Smith at the beginning of 1984. What would you do to undermine The Party? Knowing what you know now, how would you extricate yourself from the fate that awaits you?

20. Refer back to Winston's conversation with the old man at the pub (page 78). Why is Winston so determined in his approach to the old man? What is Winston hoping to learn from him?

(Questions from Penguin Modern Classics.)

"Robert McCrum tells the compelling story of Orwell's torturous stay on the island where the author, close to death and beset by creative demons, was engaged in a feverish race to finish the book"- The Guardian May 9, 2009

The Masterpiece that Killed George Orwell

Why ‘1984’ Is a 2017 Must-Read 

By Michiko Kakutani January 26, 2017, New York Times

Christopher Hitchens on Why Orwell Matters

His 2002 book, Why Orwell Matters, is a book length biographical essay assesses the life, the achievements, and the myth of George Orwell.

George Orwell's '1984' is a best-seller again.

Here's why it resonates now

By Elizabeth Flock January 25, 2017, PBS NewsHour

Great Books: 1984 (George Orwell)

The Politics of 1984 Through the Years

By Hunter Schwarz, CNN, January 26, 2017

Other Works by and about George Orwell 

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Book Review - Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney

This is the story of a life, Lillian's life, but it's also the story of New York City in the Twentieth Century.

On New Years Eve, 1984, Lillian Boxfish heads out for a walk and as we follow her through the city we learn her story and the story of the changing city. Lillian shares her story through alternating chapters between episodes in her adult life and 1984 present day. Lillian's life, like any other, has it's ups and downs. From her days as "the highest paid advertising women in America" to the dissolution of her marriage, Lillian is a survivor. She persisted in the days when being a woman meant being paid less because you didn't "have families to support" but when you did start a family you were automatically let go ("a mother couldn't work ... not to mention that she shouldn't!").

Inspired by the life and work of poet and ad woman Margaret Fishback, Kathleen Rooney gives us Lillian Boxfish, a smart, strong and witty woman,who  at the age of eighty-five is still full of life and through Lillian, a charming love letter to New York City.

(Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

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Book Discussion - Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

   For our discussion  we will be discussing Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

In my preparation I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Our Souls at Night is Kent Haruf's final novel, finished just days before he died in 2014, it was published posthumously. After being diagnosed with an incurable lung disease Haruf decided not to “just sit around waiting” for the end, instead he picked up his pen and Our Souls at Night is the result.

Kent Haruf was born in 1943 in Pueblo, Colorado. He is the author of six novels, all set in the fictional town of Holt, Colorado, the first being The Tie That Binds published in 1984. Before becoming a writer he worked in a variety of places including a chicken farm, a rehabilitation hospital and a presidential library. He went on to publish his most acclaimed novel , Plainsong, his novel about the connected lives of two aging brothers and the pregnant girl they agree to take in.

Faulkner and Hemingway are sited as two of his influences. He had an unusual method of writing, for his first draft he would "write blind" by pulling a wool cap over his eyes so he wouldn’t be distracted by spelling, syntax or punctuation.

Discussion Questions

1. What does the title mean?

2. The novel begins with the word "and": "And then there was the day when Addie Moore made a call on Louis Waters." What do you imagine came before it?

3. Kent Haruf was known for using simple, spare language to create stories of great depth. How does the modest action in Our Souls at Night open onto larger insights about getting older?

4. It takes a considerable amount of courage for a woman of Addie’s generation to invite a man she hardly knows to sleep in her bed. What do you think propelled her to do it?

5. When Louis comes over for the first time, he knocks on her back door in the name of discretion. Addie says, "I made up my mind I’m not going to pay attention to what people think. I’ve done that too long—all my life. I’m not going to live that way anymore. The alley makes it seem we’re doing something wrong or something disgraceful, to be ashamed of" (8). How does her attitude influence Louis’s?

6. Both Louis and Addie have to contend with gossip about their relationship. Who handles it better?

7. What does Addie’s friendship with Ruth show us about Addie’s character?

8. Addie and Louis both had troubled marriages, but stayed married until their partners died. How does that sense of propriety, of loyalty, influence their relationship with each other?

9. In describing his affair, Louis says, "I think I regret hurting Tamara more than I do hurting my wife. I failed my spirit or something" (42). What does he mean by this?

10. Why did Addie refuse to move after Connie’s death? How did this decision color Gene’s reaction to his mother’s late-in-life love affair?

11. On page 52, Louis describes his relationship with Addie to his daughter, "It’s some kind of decision to be free. Even at our ages." Why does he feel freer with Addie than he does alone? How does his behavior become more uninhibited as the novel progresses?

12. How does Jamie’s arrival deepen the connection between Addie and Louis?

13. When Louis confesses that he wanted to be a poet, what effect does it have on Addie’s opinion of him? And on your opinion?

14. Addie and Louis both have regrets about the way they raised their children. How does that influence their relationship with Jamie?

15. Why did Addie buy new clothes for her trips to Denver that she never wears in Holt? What signal does it send to the reader?

16. On page 145, Addie mentions the Denver Center for the Performing Arts production of Benediction, based on the author’s own novel. Addie and Louis discuss the fact that it’s set in Holt, the fictional town in which they live. Why do you think Haruf slipped this into the story?

17. At the end of that conversation, Addie says, "Who would have thought at this time in our lives that we’d still have something like this. That it turns out we’re not finished with changes and excitements. And not all dried up in body and spirit" (147). What point is Haruf making?

18. Jamie’s arrival ultimately leads to grave consequences. What is Gene afraid of?

19. Several times during the novel, Addie is described as being brave, but she gives in to Gene’s demands. Is this a brave act? What is she protecting?

20. How would you describe the ending—as heartbreaking, hopeful, or something else?

21. In his final interview, conducted a few days before his death from interstitial lung disease, Haruf discussed Our Souls at Night: "The idea for the book has been floating around in my mind for quite a while. Now that I know I have, you know—a limited time—it was important to me to try to make good use of that time. So I went out there every day. Typically, I have always had a story pretty well plotted out before I start writing. This time I knew generally where the story was going, but I didn’t know very many of the details. So as it happened, I went out every day trusting myself to be able to add to the story each day. So I essentially wrote a new short chapter of the book every day. I’ve never had that experience before. I don’t want to get too fancy about it, but it was like something else was working to help me get this done. Call it a muse or spiritual guidance, I don’t know. All I know is that the trust I had in being able to write every day was helpful." How does reading this affect your understanding of the book?

22. The question posed by Cathy Haruf, Kent's Widow, to members of book clubs is “Isn’t the whole idea that Kent wrote about just brilliant? There are so many lonely older women and men out there by themselves watching TV every night who may just love having someone to spend that time with and maybe the whole night. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get your feelings hurt or you get embarrassed. Those things aren’t going to kill you. And think if you did find a good person to enjoy your time with. Wow!”

(Questions issued by the publisher.)

New York Times Sunday Book Review of Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Cathy Haruf on Her Husband’s Final Novel, Our Souls at Night: An Exclusive Q&A 

Kent Haruf’s Our Souls at Night: "a book about us" - Interview with Cathy Haruf and the publisher Picador

Kent Haruf: Complete Final Interview. With John Moore, Denver Center for the Performing Arts

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Some Recent Releases You Should Know About

I 'm catching up on releases from February through April that I wanted to make sure you all are aware of. I can highly recommend all of these good reads. This first one blew me away.

Anything Is Possible

By Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout has done it again. In this companion to My Name is Lucy Barton Strout explores the lives of the residents of a small town in Illinois. Like Olive Kitteridge this is done through a series of connected short stories. Through these well written stories she illuminates the interconnectedness of our lives. She shows us that no matter how dysfunctional the family or dark the secrets, Anything Is Possible.

While I had previously read My Name is Lucy Barton, I do not think that is necessary to enjoy this book. This is a companion to Lucy Barton, not a sequel, and being such I believe you could read them in any order or simultaneously. 

(Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

  The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley

by Hannah Tinti

"one part Quentin Tarantino,

one part Scheherazade,

and twelve parts wild innovation"

- Ann Patchett

I had never read anything by Hannah Tinti before and I'm glad I finally found her through this novel. The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley is the story of a father, Samuel and his daughter, Loo and what defines a "good" parent. Through alternating chapters, present and Samuel's past, the story of why the pair have lived a transient lifestyle slowly unfolds and keeps us turning the pages following them from throughout the U.S. to see where they will end up. Samuel and Loo are complex characters with real human faults, living with the choices they've made, good and bad. I really enjoyed this novel. It portrays a father/daughter relationship that we do not often see in fiction. I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

(Thank you to Dial Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

Marlena

by Julie Buntin

Julie Buntin's debut novel, Marlena, is right in my wheelhouse. I am fascinated by stories about adolescent girls and when they are beautifully written, like this one, I'm thrilled. There is something about friendships at that time in our lives that (though the details may be different) conveys a universal experience that we all can relate to. We all have experiences in adolescence that follow us the rest of our lives.

"Tell me what you can't forget, and I'll tell you who you are."  -- first line of Marlena by Julie Butin

Butin explores that with an narrative alternating between Cat at fifteen years old in Michigan and twenty years later with Cat in New York.  We know from the first pages that Marlena died a mysterious death twenty years ago and this knowledge spurns us on looking for answers. Both page-turning mystery and  insightful coming of age story, Marlena  ranks right up there with Cat's Eye, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital, My Brilliant Friend and The Girls. 

(Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

Pachinko

by Min Jin Lee

This well written historical multi-generational family saga follows a strong Korean family beginning in the early 1900s through the Japanese occupation of Korea and subsequently their exile in Japan and concluding in 1989. I really enjoyed the look at the dynamic between the Koreans and Japanese, a cultural and historical insight I knew nothing about.

(Thank you to NetGalley and  Grand Central Publishingfor an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

happy reading!

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Good Books, Small Screen

These days every time you turn around another great book is being adapted to the screen. With all the new streaming services getting into the business of  producing their own TV series the options for viewing have grown immensely and with all of that competition we, the viewing public, benefit by the way of some great entertainment.

Whether you've read the book and didn't know it had been adapted to the screen or watched it and didn't know it was a book first, here are some great stories to check out in both mediums.

(To get the book or watch the show click on the pictures)

 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Now on HBO, the feature length film stars Oprah Winfrey in the role of Henrietta's daughter, Deborah, and Rose Byrne as the author, Rebecca Skloot. Winfrey is also a producer on the project. The book has had great reviews, 4.6 out of 5 stars on amazon.com. The film has received mixed reviews, a 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Now a series on Hulu staring Elizabeth Moss as Offred, Joseph Fiennes as Commander Fred Waterford, and Alexis Bledel as Ofglen. The book is hailed as a classic, 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. The series has received rave reviews, a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is an important book and an important series, especially in our current political climate.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Now a series on Starz starring Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon, Crispin Glover as Mr. World, and Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday, also many great recurring roles by Cloris Leachman, Gillian Anderson, Dane Cook, Kristin Chenoweth, and many more. The book, considered Neil Gaiman's best and most ambitious novel to date, has gotten great reviews, 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. The series has received fantastic reviews with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

A continuing series on Amazon starring Alexa Davalos as Juliana Crain, Luke Kleintank as Joe Blake, and Rupert Evans as Frank Frink. The book, a Hugo award winning alternative history, has received good reviews, 3.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. The series has received good reviews, 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Coming up on it's seventh season on HBO, starring Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, and Kit Harington as Jon Snow. The book, or should I say books, have received rave reviews, an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars for all the books in the series. The series also gets rave reviews, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This seven episode miniseries just finished airing in April (so now you can binge watch the whole thing) on HBO. It stars Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Martha Mackenzie, Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright, Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman, Alexander Skarsgård as Perry Wright, and Adam Scott as Ed Mackenzie. the book, like anything by Liane Moriarty, had rave reviews, 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. The miniseries also had rave reviews, 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

Now in it's third season on HBO, it's ensemble cast stars Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey, Jr., Amy Brenneman as Laurie Garvey, Christopher Eccleston as Matt Jamison, Liv Tyler as Megan "Meg" Abbott, Chris Zylka as Tommy Garvey, Margaret Qualley as Jill Garvey, Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, Ann Dowd as Patti Levin and Regina King as Erika Murphy. The book received good reviews on it's release in 2011, 3.3 stars out of 5 on Amazon.com. The series seems to have gotten a much better reception, 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Son by Philipp Meyer

Now a series on AMC, starring Pierce Brosnan as Eli McCullough, Henry Garrett as Pete McCullough, Zahn McClarnon as Toshaway, Jess Weixler as Sally McCullough and Paola Núñez as María García. The book received good reviews and critical acclaim, 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon.com. The series, not as good, 54% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Heading into it's fifth season on Netflix, starring Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman, Laura Prepon as Alex Vause, Kate Mulgrew as Galina "Red" Reznikov, Jason Biggs as Larry Bloom, Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, Danielle Brooks as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson, Natasha Lyonne as Nicky Nichols, and Taryn Manning as Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett, to name a few. The book received very good reviews, 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. The series has gotten great reviews, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

If you don't have some of these services

check below for a free trial.

happy reading (or viewing)!

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Our Favorite Authors

Our book chat this month was about our favorite authors. I thought I'd share with you the authors and books that were mentioned. I hope you find some new authors and books to check out.

Toni Morrison

Beloved is her masterpiece, but probably not a good one to read as your introduction to her work. I would start with The Bluest Eye and then maybe Sula or Song of Solomon

Haruki Murakami

Norwegian Wood is a good novel to get a feel for Murakami, unless you are already into kind of weird magical realism/scifi then I would check out Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Jonathan Franzen

The Corrections is my favorite, but I enjoyed Freedom and Purity as well

Roxane Gay

I loved Bad Feminist and Difficult Women. I haven't read An Untamed State yet.

Christopher Moore

This was one of Sarah's favorites and she suggested Lamb, Fool and Fluke.

Barbara Kingsolver

This is one of Jane's picks and Janice's (I also really like her). The Poisonwood Bible is my favorite. I also enjoy her earlier work like The Bean Trees.

Tony Horwitz

Another one of Jane's favorites, A Voyage Long and Strange or Confederates in the Attic

Hugh Howey

Another of Jane's, she recommended Wool to our book club and we all really enjoyed it.

Margaret Atwood

Another of Janice's favorites, The Handmaid's Tale is classic Atwood. I really enjoyed Cat's Eye and her take on The Tempest for the Hogarth Shakespeare series, Hagseed, is fantastic.

Anita Shreve

Another of Janice's favorites, She's good at expressing those innner thoughts we all have.

Laurie R. King

Another one of Sarah's favorites, she suggests either of the series, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series or The Kate Martinelli series.

James Michener

Another one of Jane's picks. He is always great. You may want to try Hawaii or Alaska.

Annie Proulx

Another of Jane's favorites, her newest is Barkskins (I really loved this one) or try The Shipping News.

Geraldine Brooks

This is one of Janice's favorites. Caleb's Crossing is one of her books I hear everyone rave about. I really enjoyed People of the Book and Year of Wonders.

David McCullough

Another of Janice's picks, John Adams or The Wright Brothers are two of his bestsellers. You probably can't go wrong with any of his biographies. As far as biographies go he is the master.

Cormac McCarthy

We all agreed that we loved his writing. All the Pretty Horses is a good place to start.

Other books that were mentioned/suggested in our discussion-

Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild

The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently... and Why by Richard Nisbett

The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell

Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism by Kevin Phillips

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer (mentioned on brainpickings.org)

 happy reading!

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James Baldwin

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A Family Novel - Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

  For our discussion of a Family Novel we will be discussing Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.

In my preparation I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Marilynne Robinson was born in 1943 in Sandpoint, Idaho where her family had lived for four generations. Housekeeping, published in 1980, is her debut novel. After a twenty-four year gap she published her second novel, Gilead, she has since written two other novels; Home and Lila, these three are considered the Gilead trilogy. She has also written numerous non-fiction works, as well as essays and articles. She is the recipient of many awards throughout her career. President Obama considers her one of his favorite authors. Housekeeping was adapted to film in a 1987 movie staring Christine Lahti. 

  Discussion Questions

(discussion questions provided by the publisher)

Why might Marilynne Robinson have titled her first novel Housekeeping? What does housekeeping mean in the context of the novel?

Since Housekeeping is narrated by Ruth, everything we know is filtered through her perspective. Do you believe she is a reliable narrator? How might the story be different if told from another character's point of view?

Robinson thinks of the novel as set in the 1950s. What indications are there of this?

How does the town of Fingerbone shape the novel's characters? How does the house itself affect Ruthie and Lucille? Consider the influence of your own hometown and childhood home on the person you've become.

What similarities exist among the three generations of Foster women? What kind of generational patterns can you identify in your own family?

After Nona and Lily leave, Ruthie has frequent nightmares that she and Lucille are taken away from Sylvie. How do these—and her other dreams of trains and bridges—foreshadow the future?

In the beginning of Chapter 6, Ruthie muses, "Perhaps we all awaited a resurrection." What does she mean by this, and how does this suggest a theme of the novel?

How do Sylvie's housekeeping habits compare those of her mother and the great-aunts? How do Lucille's personal habits compare with Ruthie's?

Robinson says that when writing Housekeeping, water was on her mind as "a very good metaphor for consciousness, for the artificial accidental surface of consciousness and then everything behind and beyond it." How does this apply to the novel, especially with respect to Sylvie?

Why does Lucille leave the house to live in her home economics teacher's spare bedroom?

If you were the child-welfare officer or sheriff, what would you have done with Ruthie and Lucille? How would you defend your decision?

At the end of the novel, why do Sylvie and Ruthie take such an extreme step?

Resources

Housekeeping was selected for the NEA Big Read program as such their website has a plethora of resources including discussion questions, historical and literary context and an audio guide. I highly recommend this as a resource.

   In September of 2015 President Obama sat down for a conversation with Marilynne Robinson, it was published in the New York Review of Books in two parts. the transcripts can be read here: 

Part One and Part Two

or you can listen to the audio here:

Audio Part One and Audio Part Two

"To crave and to have are as like as a thing and its shadow. For when does a berry break upon the tongue as sweetly as when one longs to taste it, and when is the taste refracted into so many hues and savors of ripeness and earth, and when do our senses know any thing so utterly as when we lack it?"  -- Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

  The Paris Review's Art of Fiction series is one of my favorite resources, here is Marilynne Robinson from 2008

The New York Times review of Housekeeping from January 7, 1981

 Other Works

by Marilynne Robinson

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Another Satirical Novel - Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

Continuing our April theme of satirical novels, the third discussion is of Maria Semple's novel Where'd You Go Bernadette.

In preparing for the discussion I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Maria Semple was born in Santa Monica, California (the daughter of Lorenzo Semple Jr. the creator of the 60's Batman TV series) After graduating from Barnard she moved to L.A. She wrote for several TV shows, 90210, Mad About You, Arrested Development and others. She then made a switch to writing fiction. Her first novel was published in 2008. She then moved to Seattle, which was the basis for Where'd You Go Bernadette.

 Discussion Questions

(Discussion questions provided by publisher) 

1. Where’d You Go, Bernadette is told from the point of view of a daughter trying to find her missing mother. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from Bee’s perspective? What light does it shed on the bond between Bernadette and Bee?

2. What are your thoughts on Bernadette’s character? Has she become unhinged or has she always been a little crazy? What, if anything, do you think sent her over the edge? Have you ever had a moment in your own life that utterly changed you, or made you call into question your own sanity?

3. When Bernadette relocates from Los Angeles to Seattle, she must cope with being a transplant in a new city. Have you ever moved, or even stayed put but switched jobs, and had to adjust to an entirely different culture? What was it like?

4. The idea of going to Antarctica becomes too much for an already frazzled Bernadette to bear, but the trip itself, surprisingly, turns out to be exactly what she needs to get back on track. How do other characters in the novel experience their own breakthroughs? Which character is most transformed?

5. How are Audrey Griffin and Bernadette Fox more alike than they realize?

6. Bernadette often behaves as if she is an outsider. Do you think she is? If so, do you think her feelings of being an outsider are self-imposed, or is she truly different from the other members of her community? Do you ever feel like an outsider?

7. The book has a very playful structure. Do you think it works? Why do you think the author chose it rather than a more straightforward, traditional structure? Think about other books with unusual structures and how their formats influenced your reading experience.

8. What do you think of Bernadette and Elgie’s marriage? Is it dysfunctional?  Is there real love there? How has their marriage changed over time? Think about romantic relationships you’ve been in that have evolved, positively or negatively, and why.

9. Where’d You Go, Bernadette is, at its core, a story about a woman who disappears, both literally and figuratively. Were you able to relate to the book? How and why? Do you feel Bernadette’s disappearance was unique, or do all women, in a sense, disappear into motherhood and marriage?

Resources

New York Times Book Review - Maria Semple: By the Book

Interview with Maria Semple

 Maria Semple and Nancy Pearl Interview Video

 Author Website Mariasemple.com

 Maria Semple's Other Works

(click on the book cover to purchase through Amazon.com) 

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Another Satirical Novel - The Nix by Nathan Hill

Continuing our April theme of satirical novels, the second discussion is of Nathan Hill's debut novel The Nix.

In preparing for the discussion I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Nathan Hill is a 40 year old author, currently residing in Naples, Florida. He was born and grew up in the Midwest.  He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a writer. He has been compared to the likes of Pynchon, Dickens, John Irving, Donna Tartt, Michael Chabon, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Franzen and David Foster Wallace.

""This book is something special: sage and sad and spectacular. This is a book about how the choices you make, and those made for you, shape the lovely, hopeful tragedy of your life.""  -- Book Riot

The Nix will be adapted into a television series starring and produced by Meryl Streep with JJ Abrams  for Warner Bros Television.

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think that the author chose to call his novel The Nix? What is a Nix according to folklore? How does the Nix function symbolically within the novel and which major themes of the novel does it help to facilitate or uncover? Who in the story believes himself or herself to be a Nix and why? Do you agree with that person? Why or why not?

2. At the beginning of the story, Faye reveals that she believes the things a person loves the most will ultimately hurt them the worst. Which events in her life may have caused her to adopt this point of view? Does the rest of the book seem to support this view of love or overturn it? Does Faye ever change her mind about this? Does her son, Samuel, share her view of love? Discuss.

3. Why does Faye leave her son, Samuel, and her husband? How does Samuel react to her departure, and what impact does this abandonment have on his life and development? What is it like when the two reunite? How does their relationship change over the course of the book, and what causes these changes? Do either of the characters seem to achieve catharsis? If so, how?

4. How do Faye’s parents react when she is accepted at the University of Illinois’s new Chicago Circle campus and tells them that she wants to attend? Why do you think that they have this reaction? How does Faye herself seem to feel about the prospect of leaving home? What helps her to make the final decision to go to Chicago, and why does her father tell her to never come back? Why do you think Faye refrains from addressing the misunderstanding that has caused so much strife between her and her parents?

5. Evaluate the treatment of women in the book. What kinds of experiences do the female characters share? How are they treated by the male? What do the men in the book think women should be like? Do the women meet these expectations or defy them? Explain. In the sections set in the 1960s and ’70s, how does feminism seem to impact the way that the women are perceived by those around them? How do they respond to these expectations and stereotypes? Is Faye’s experience similar to the experiences of the other women or very different? Discuss.

6. Compare and contrast the parent-child relationships in the book. How does Samuel and Faye’s relationship compare to Faye’s own relationship with her father, Frank? How well does each child know his or her parent? What prevents them from knowing this parent better? How do the relationships change over time, and what causes these changes? When considered together, what do these relationships suggest about the nature of the parent-child relationship in generals? Explain.

7. Evaluate the treatment of technology in the book. Is technology portrayed as a positive invention or a negative one? How does the characters’ use of technology affect their communication, their daily lives, and their development as people? Why are Samuel and Pwange especially addicted to Elfscape, and why does Pwange believe that Elfscape is more meaningful than the real world? What function or purpose does the game serve in their lives? What might this relationship reveal about contemporary life?

8. Consider the theme of the relationship between storytelling and point of view. What does the treatment of Faye’s story in the press reveal about this topic? Does the press, as depicted in the novel, provide fair and unbiased accounts of the news they report? What does the book also suggest about the publishing industry? Are the stories that each of the characters tells truthful and reliable? What does this information reveal about how we should approach storytelling as both storytellers and readers/listeners? Does the book ultimately suggest how we can best determine whether or not a source is reliable and a story is true?

9. Explore the motif of secrets. What are some of the secrets that the characters keep? Why do they keep these things secret? Do any of the characters ever reveal their secrets? If so, what is the outcome, and how are these secrets received? What do the responses to these reveals suggest about our fears of being known completely?

10. In the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure portion of the book, what choice does Samuel make when Bethany asks him if he can help her avoid her upcoming nuptials and invites him into her bedroom? Why does he make this choice? Do you believe it was the right choice? Why or why not? After some time passes, how does Samuel come to view his decision in that moment?

11. Evaluate the theme of shame. What causes the various characters in the novel to feel shame? How does the prevalence of this feeling impact their lives, the people they become, and the life choices they make? Do any of the characters overcome their feelings of shame? If so, how do they accomplish this?

12. Consider the portrayal of suburban middle-class living in the novel. How did industry affect and shape American life? What clues can we find in descriptions of the landscape? Does the book suggest whether industry provided a happier or better existence for families? For instance, is Frank living a better life because of his willingness to leave his home in Norway? What would you say the novel ultimately suggests about progress and the American dream?

13. What kinds of stories does Frank share with his daughter, Faye, as she is growing up? What effect do these stories have on her? Why do you think that she chooses to share these tales with her own son? What seems to be the purpose of telling these stories? What lessons or messages do the stories contain?

14. When Faye reaches Norway, how does what she finds compare to what her father had shared with her about his home and his past? Who is Freya, and how does Faye’s knowledge of who Freya is affect the way that she relates to and understands her father? How does the trip to Norway ultimately affect Faye’s relationship with her father and with Samuel?

15. Many of the characters in the book engage in some type of art. What role or purpose does art seem to fulfill in their lives? Why does Samuel decide to become a novelist? What does he hope that his book The Nix will achieve?

16. Evaluate the theme and motif of protest. In addition to the protests that Faye takes part in as a young woman, Samuel attends a protest with Bethany and serves as a witness to other protests. What are some of the causes that the characters protest? What happens at the protests? Are they successful? What do you think Walter Cronkite meant when he observes that maybe the story isn’t the people protesting but the people who are not? Does the book ultimately portray protest as a valuable pursuit or a futile one? What seems to be the purpose of protest? Discuss.

17. Why does Judge Charlie Brown take on the case against Faye? How do the two know each other? Does Judge Brown get the outcome he desires? Why or why not? What does Brown’s character suggest about fairness and justice in the world?

18. Who is Sebastian? How does Faye meet Sebastian, and why is she initially drawn to him? What is her reaction to the revelation of his true identity? What does Faye recognize as their common bond?

19. Consider the collective view of America that the novel offers. What does this America look like? Would you say that is an accurate portrayal? Why or why not? How does the author use comedy and the absurd to pose truths about the cultural and political landscape? Alternatively, how does he employ elements of tragedy to accomplish this? Does one method seem to be more successful in accomplishing this than the other? Explain.

20. In addition to the story of the Nix, another recurring tale in the novel is the parable of the elephant. What is the lesson in this parable, and what does it reveal about the true self? How might this message or way of looking at things shape your own understanding of and response to the characters in the book?

21. At the end of the book, Faye thinks: “Something does not have to happen for it to feel real” (581). What do you think she means by this? What might her statement suggest about the past, memory, imagination, and regret?

A Nix can take many forms. In Norwegian folklore, it is a spirit who sometimes appears as a white horse that steals children away. In this novel it refers to anything you love that one day disappears, taking with it a piece of your heart.

Authors Website - Nathanhill.net

Reviews

'The Nix' Is A Vicious, Sprawling Satire With A Very Human Heart by Jason Sheehan, NPR.org

‘The Nix’ Is the Love Child of Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace by Teddy Wayne, New York Times

Nathan Hill Is Compared to John Irving. Irving Compares Him to Dickens by Alexandra Alter, New York Times

"pwn·age /pōnij/ Pure Ownage, (especially in video gaming) the action or fact of utterly defeating an opponent or rival. "

Interviews

Nathan Hill on The Nix, Satirizing the Media, and Capturing the Absurdity of America in Fiction By Hal Conick, Slate.com

Nathan Hill in Conversation with John Irving,  at the International Festival of Authors

Essays by Nathan Hill

Playing Dungeons & Dragons Alone by Nathan Hill, Powells.com

Havoc & Squirm: Nathan Hill’s Favorite Funny Reading by Nathan Hill, Barnes and Noble Review

Some of Nathan Hill's Favorite Books

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What We're Reading and the Best Books We've Read

A group of us got together to share what we're reading and what are some of our favorites that we've read in the past year. I thought I'd share the books that were mentioned with all of you.

The Nix by Nathan Hill, it's been compared to The Goldfinch, John Irving and Jonathan Franzen. 

Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder by Peter Zeihan, interesting take on the United States and it's place in the world and how it got there.

The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson (as of this writing this is $1.99 on kindle) a lighthearted satirical novel.

Barkskins by Annie Proulx, many of us agreed on the recommendation of this one. an epic tale with the world's forests as the primary character. It's a big book but well worth the read.

Two books dealing with women in paintings; The Woman on the Stairs by Bernhard Schlink, the author of The Reader, and A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, a fictional tale of the women who inspired Andrew Wyeth, and his painting Christina's World 

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, another one that many of us recommended and also another big book. This sparked a discussion of whether a book is depressing or hopeful.

Catherine: Inside the Heart and Mind of a Great Monarch by Sigrid Weidenweber, historical fiction about Catherine the Great

Secrecy by Rupert Thomson, historical fiction in late seventeenth-century Florence

The Little Disturbances of Man by Grace Paley, short stories

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner, historical fiction WWII

There were quite a few books that seemed relevant in our current political climate such as,

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson,

The End of White Christian America by Robert P. Jones,

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg,

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi.

Also, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, this one got us into a discussion about Appalachia and the problems in that area

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, this one we read in book club and was my absolute favorite book from last year.

The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck, present day travel along the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami, quiet, spare novel about a japanese man (said to be reminiscent of Murakami's earlier works)

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli, another one from book club that many of us highly recommended. This lead us into a discussion of other books about Vietnam such as

The Book of Salt by Monique Truong,

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Then there was Isabel Allende's novels The House of the Spirits  and The Japanese Lover we agreed the former is the much better book of the two.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (don't be scared away by the strange format, I feel it's definitely worth sticking with. You might even consider the audiobook with several well known actors narrating.) We did agree that George Saunders is a little quirky and not necessarily everyone's cup of tea.

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, a memoir, was suggested as a good idea for book club

The World Between Two Covers: Reading the Globe by Ann Morgan, reading a book from every country

Two of Ann Patchett's novels were mentioned Commonwealth (which had mixed reviews) and State of Wonder

Also two of Dennis Lehane's novels, Mystic River and The Given Day (which we read in book club and agreed the movie about this series was not worth your time)

These last two books have local connections, both set in Oceanside with authors from Oceanside, although a century apart. Rain of Gold by Victor Villaseñor and The Mothers by Brit Bennett, (this is one some of us had read for book club and enjoyed quite a bit.)

I hope you find some books that interest you. Next month we'll be discussing our favorite authors and I'll be sure to post here and let you know who we like.

Happy Reading!

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A Satirical Novel - The Financial Lives of Poets

For April my book clubs will be reading satirical novels, the first being The Financial Lives of Poets by Jess Walter.

In preparing for the discussion I have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion.

Jess Walter was born in 1965 in Spokane, Washington where he still lives in his childhood home with his wife and three children. He has written six novels, The Financial Lives of Poets being his fifth (we have discussed is sixth, Beautiful Ruins in a prior discussion) The Financial Lives of Poets was adapted for the stage by Book-It repetory Theater in Seattle, Washington in 2013.

Discussion Questions

1. Given their different ages and social worlds, what explains Matt Prior’s willingness to befriend Jamie and Skeet at the local 7-Eleven?

2. How does Lisa Prior’s past experience with financial insecurity impact her feelings about Matt as they weather their current money crisis?

3. What does Matt hope to achieve by seeking out Lisa’s current flirtation, Chuck Stehne, and to what extent does he succeed?

4. What does Matt’s vision for online investment poetry, poetfolio.com, represent to him, and why does he connect its failure to his own personal shortcomings?

5. What does Matt’s decision to keep his nascent drug dealing a secret from Lisa reveal about the state of his marriage?

6. How would you characterize Matt’s feelings about his mostly senile father?

7. How does Matt relate his and Lisa’s obsession with their house to the wider cult of home ownership during the housing bubble?

8. Why does Matt reveal the truth of his identity as a confidential informant to Bea?

9. To what extent do Dave’s and Monte’s reactions to Matt’s becoming a confidential informant for the police seem atypical of most druglords?

10. How did you interpret the final line of the novel: “And Lisa and me --- we’re okay.”? To what extent do you read that line as ambiguous.

Discussion questions provided by the publisher

Other Resources

Interview with Jess Walter on Wordy Evidence of the Fact blog

New York Times review of The Financial Lives of Poets

The Oyster Book club's discussion of The Financial Lives of Poets

Other Works by Jess Walter

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Book Discussion - A Deadly Wandering by Matt Richtel

Discussion Questions

(Discussion questions provided by the publisher) 

-Metcalfe’s Law defines the power of a computer network by the number of people using it. As Matt Richtel paraphrases: “More people, more communication, more value. More pressure.” Would you agree with this assessment? Is there necessarily more pressure and more value involved when more people are engaged in a discussion or are focused on an idea? Or do you think a situation or belief becomes less valuable once a larger number of people have glommed on?  -Are you a fan of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Does keeping in check with daily feeds make you feel better about your life or worse? Do you compare yourself to others more or less since becoming involved with social media?  -Do you think people are better or worse communicators, thanks to inventions like email and social media sites? More or less intimate? If you participate in social media or use technology frequently (for example, keeping your phone on the dinner table while out with a friend or colleague), has easy access made it more or less difficult to communicate effectively with friends or loved ones? Would you say your relationships are deeper now that social media is so popular, or are they more on the surface? -Do you talk on the phone or text while driving? (Be honest!) If so, what do you think about Richtel’s premise—that texting while driving is too distracting and could cause serious damage? Did your habits change at all while reading A Deadly Wandering?  -Think about your life as it stands now. Now strip it of all modern technology—computers, cell phones, flat screen TVs, internet radio, video games, digital cameras,—everything. How well do you think you’d be able to function without these devices? What do you think your first reaction or feeling would be? Fear or peace? Do you have “technology-free” time in your life now? If so, what do you do? -If you were Reggie’s mother and you were the first one he called after his accident, what would you tell your son to do? Tell the truth no matter what the consequences, or keep quiet? What do you make of Reggie’s parents’ actions throughout the ordeal? Should they have pushed Reggie on the texting issue? -Richtel reveals the circumstances and aftermath surrounding Reggie’s car accident fairly neutrally, describing both Reggie’s family’s way of dealing with his potential guilt as well as the victims’ families’ grief over the death of their loved ones. Do you think Richtel was fair in remaining objective, and did he do a good job reporting both sides? Could you sympathize with Reggie and his family’s feelings? -Regarding how technology and our brains have evolved over time, Richtel explains that “technology was evolving by the day, but the human brain was more or less staying put. The brain evolves at a glacial pace, both in actual terms and certainly relative to the pace of technological change.” [p. 68] Given that premise, what do you imagine the world of technology will look like in 100 years? 200 years? Will our brains be able to sufficiently evolve and adapt over time? -What are your thoughts on Google glasses? Cool invention, or yet another technological distraction?   -Terryl’s upbringing in an abusive home with a perennially drunk and violent father and an ill-equipped mother is disheartening. What do you think, if anything, her story adds to the book? When reading books like A Deadly Wandering, do you think these types of personal accounts add to the book’s purpose or serve as a distraction? -It’s nearly impossible not to multitask in today’s fast-paced world. In fact, it’s in most job descriptions, not to mention a requirement at home. Would you say you are good at multitasking, or do you prefer to concentrate on one thing at a time? Can excessive multitasking be detrimental to your health?   -On pages 105-106, Richtel describes an experiment by Dr. Anne Treisman. In it, a subject is made to listen to two different literary passages piped through a set of headphones, one passage per ear. If you are able to try this experiment at home, give it a go! Were you able to filter out the passage in your right ear in order to focus on the one in your left? What does this tell you about your own attention span and ability to focus?  -Why do you think video games, cell phones, social media sites and the like “do such an extraordinary job of capturing our attention”? Do you think it varies culture by culture, or is technology’s effect on people and places around the world universal? -Although the book is mainly about a case involving texting while driving, Richtel discusses the harms of overusing other forms of technology too—television, video games, social media. Do you think some forms of technology are more harmful to the brain than others? Why or why not? If you had to give up one tech obsession, what would it be and why is it the easiest to relinquish? -At the end of 2012, two studies from the Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media reported that most American teachers believe technology is hampering their students’ ability to focus and “persevere through tough challenges.” [p.218] Do you think technology is shrinking young people’s attention spans? Or teaching them that immediate gratification is more important than working toward long-term goals? In what other ways do you see the effects of technology taking hold on today’s youth (i.e. dating, career-planning, creative pursuits)? -During Reggie’s trial, opinions were split down the middle. One side felt the accident was just that—an accident and that the trial was merely a witch hunt. Those who sided with the prosecution felt there was enough scientific and factual evidence to prove Reggie’s undoubted guilt. What side do you fall on and why? Do you think Reggie’s sentence was too lenient? Too tough?  -In 2009, Reggie Shaw did something he had struggled to do for a long time. He confessed to a room full of Utah legislators and citizens that what he had done was wrong and “to see a law passed that would prevent people [from doing] this would mean a lot to [him.]” He later made a similar confession during his trial. In effect, his testimony was the first stepping-stone in the passing of the law against driving while texting in Utah. What do you think about Reggie’s actions? Was he courageous, or was it just a way to get a lesser sentence and a clean record? What would you have done in his shoes? -Susan Forward, the author of Toxic Parents, believes “it is naïve to think that all people can survive trauma, as great as those experienced by, say, Terryl and Linton—or, in a different way, Reggie… [Instead], a lot of it has to do with the way we’re wired.” Do you agree with her assessment? Why is it seemingly easier for some people to pick up and move on from a bad point in their lives, while others just wallow in it and never recover?

 resources

Matt Richtel on The Diane Rehm Show

Matt Richtel's Facebook Page

A Deadly Wandering Webpage

 Related Books and Resources

(click on the book cover to purchase through Amazon.com) 

Other Works by Matt Richtel

(click on the book cover to purchase through Amazon.com) 

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A 20th Century Novel - The Bell Jar

For January, our theme for our book selection was a 20th Century Novel. We chose The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

My first reading of The Bell Jar was in 1974 at the age of fifteen. At that time I was an angst ridden teenager and deeply identified with Esther Greenwood. It was my favorite book for a long time. Reading it again, as a grown woman in her fifties. I found there was so much I missed in my first reading, first and foremost the humor. 

In getting ready for our discussions I, not surprisingly found a plethora of resources on Sylvia Plath and her only published novel. After reading many articles and listening to podcasts I have gathered what I think was helpful and interesting and included the links here so that you can delve deeper into the material as much or as little as you desire.

I have also included discussion questions that I found thought provoking and good points to kick off a discussion of the book.

You'll also find a section with Sylvia Plath's other published works and various biographies and related material.

Finally, I have listed other books you may find to your liking.

The Following podcast is only partly on The Bell Jar (it is the first segment). It is a short piece but I found it interesting.

This is a longer discussion of Sylvia Plath. Carl Rollyson's biography of Plath is the first to use newly available material, including letters between Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath

The following is an article about how The Bell Jar holds up today.

 Why Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar' is Still Relevant 50 Years Later, Especially For Millennials by Sarah Galo

These articles address The Bell Jar as an examination of Mental Illness. 

Upcoming Sylvia Plath film should encourage us to peek inside 'The Bell Jar' of depression by Mac McCann

Descent Into Insanity: Life Under “The Bell Jar” of Sylvia Plath by Brandon Torres

Check out the various covers of The Bell Jar over the years, 

A 50-Year Visual History of Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar'

Looking back at The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar at 40: Sylvia Plath's YA novel reaches middle age. By Emily Gould

A Quick List of Facts about The Bell Jar

10 Facts About Sylvia Plath’s 'The Bell Jar' from Mental Floss

For resources on Themes, Characters, Symbols, etc. Check out Lit Charts The Bell Jar Study Guide

"I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig-tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."  -- Esther Greenwood, from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Discussion Questions

Do you think this book holds uo today? Do young women today identify with Esther as they did at the time of its publication?

The Bell Jar is considered by some people to be sensational and morbid, What are your thoughts?

Are Esther's attitudes toward men, sex, and marriage peculiar to herself? What role do her attitudes play in her breakdown? What are we told about her society's expectations regarding men and women, sexuality, and relationships? Have those expectations changed since that time?

Esther more than once admits to feelings of inadequacy. Is Esther's sense of her own inadequacies consistent with reality? Against what standards does she judge herself?

Knowing some of Sylvia Plath's own backstory, did Esther seem real and believable to you? Can you relate in any way to her predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or anyone you know? What did you like the most about Esther's personality/character? What did you like the least? How did the narrator view herself vs. how you personally viewed her? Did you end up admiring or loathing her?

What instances and images of distortion occur in the novel? What are their contexts and significance? Does Esther achieve a clear, undistorted view of herself?

In a letter while at college, Plath wrote that "I've gone around for most of my life as in the rarefied atmosphere under a bell jar." Is this the primary meaning of the novel's titular bell jar? What other meanings does "the bell jar" have?

Doctor Nolan had said, quite bluntly, that a lot of people would treat me gingerly, or even avoid me, like a leper with a warning bell’ (page 226). How have attitudes towards mental illness changed since the 1950s? How different is Esther’s treatment from the way a breakdown would be treated today?

How would you describe Esther’s relationship with Buddy Willard? What did you think of her assessment of Buddy as a hypocrite? How do her attitudes towards sex and marriage differ from those of the other female characters and from our own preconceptions about 1950s sexual mores?

With what specific setting, event, and person is Esther's first thought of suicide associated? Why? In what circumstances do subsequent thoughts and plans concerning suicide occur?

What do you think about the structure of the novel? Did you like knowing from the beginning that she survives and eventually has a child?

Discuss the Character of Joan

Discuss the Humor. Was there difficulty with the tone of the book?

Discuss the end of the novel.

Can we read this novel without considering the fact that Plath did commit suicide not long after the book was written?

Discuss the U.S. publication. How do you feel about the publication of works posthumously?

After summating the book as a whole, where there any burning questions you would ask Sylvia Plath as the author?

credit for some of the discussion questions should go to Buy It or Burn It book club on meetup.com and the publisher

Some of Sylvia Plath's Other Published Works

Biographies and Other Works

Other Works You May Like

[bookloversnevergotobedalone-blog]

October Releases You Should Know About

I thought I'd share with you some of the books that have come out in October that are on my radar.

This first one is my favorite book that came out this month and one of my favorite books I've read this year.

Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood

I absolutely LOVE the Hogarth Shakespeare Project and Hag-Seed has got to be my favorite so far. This majorly meta retelling of The Tempest is amazing. Margaret Atwood manages to tell the tale on three different levels and if you don't know The Tempest she manages to teach it to you at the same time. It was definitely a five star read for me. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Also check out the other Hogarth Shakespeare titles,

Jeanette Winterson's retelling of The Winter's Tale, The Gap of Time

Howard Jacobsen's retelling of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is My Name 

Anne Tyler's retelling of The Taming of the Shrew, Vinegar Girl

The next title is to come out in February of 2017, Jo Nesbo's retelling of Macbeth.

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

Another favorite of mine this month is the debut novel, The Mothers by Brit Bennett. I was excited to read this because not only does it take place in the hometown of my book club, Oceanside, California but Brit Bennett is from here. I was not disappointed. The Mothers follows 17 year old Nadia Turner through some difficult decisions and the impact of those decisions through the next ten years of her life. Bookriot described it best, “This book is something special: sage and sad and spectacular. This is a book about how the choices you make, and those made for you, shape the lovely, hopeful tragedy of your life.” I'll be on the look out for Brit Bennett's books in the future. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Today will Be Different by Maria Semple

We loved Where'd You Go Bernadette? in book club, so I was looking forward to reading this one. It isn't as good as Bernadette, but I enjoyed it. It was a nice quick read and I laughed alot. I think it's worth a read. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Am I Alone Here: Notes on Living to Read and Reading to Live

by Peter Orner

In the introduction to his collection of essays about reading, writing, and living, Peter Orner tells us to "Think of this as a book of unlearned meditations that stumbles into memoir." This book combines essays on the influence of certain authors on Orner's life with tales of the lives and works of these authors. This is the type of book that makes you want to re-read or read for the first time the works mentioned and also reminds you how literature and reading impact our lives. "Only through reading has the rest of the world, including my own small place in it, begun to make any sense whatsoever." After reading this line I knew this was a book I would savor and go back to again and again. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

The following are books that are on my radar and I am looking forward to reading:

The Angel of History by Rabih Alameddine

I loved An Unnecessary Woman when we read it for book club so I am very much looking forward to reading his newest novel.

"Set over the course of one night in the waiting room of a psych clinic, The Angel of History follows Yemeni-born poet Jacob as he revisits the events of his life, from his maternal upbringing in an Egyptian whorehouse to his adolescence under the aegis of his wealthy father and his life as a gay Arab man in San Francisco at the height of AIDS. Hovered over by the presence of alluring, sassy Satan who taunts Jacob to remember his painful past and dour, frigid Death who urges him to forget and give up on life, Jacob is also attended to by 14 saints. Set in Cairo and Beirut; Sana'a, Stockholm, and San Francisco; Alameddine gives us a charged philosophical portrait of a brilliant mind in crisis. This is a profound, philosophical and hilariously winning story of the war between memory and oblivion we wrestle with every day of our lives." - from the publisher

The Life Writer by David Constantine

I've heard good reviews of this one. From the Back Cover - "Following the final illness and death of her husband Eric, Katrin—a writer of brief lives of minor figures of European Romanticism—decides to fight against his absence by writin"g the story of his life. Desperate to know Eric as he had been before she loved him, to fetch his early years into those that she must now face without him—Think of me then, Katrin, Eric told her on his deathbed, never forget me then, that lad gaily assuming the land and its roads and traffic would never be anything but kind—she begins, through letters and diaries and conversations with his childhood friends, to reconstruct a pivotal period of his life, uncovering an early affair Eric had with a Parisian artist. As the young couple's increasingly impossible love rushes toward its devastating conclusion, past and present intermesh in unexpected ways and Katrin begins to understand how that period of Eric's youth impacted Katrin's love for him and the marriage the two of them shared. Passionate, profoundly moving, and lyrically written, The Life-Writer offers up an unforgettably heartbreaking portrait of a brilliant woman who grieves for her beloved by writing what others wouldn't dare: the story of his first true love."

The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa

The German Girl has been compared to The Nightingale, Schindler’s List, Sarah’s Key and All the Light We Cannot See. 

The story of a twelve-year-old girl’s harrowing experience fleeing Nazi-occupied Germany with her family and best friend, only to discover that the overseas asylum they had been promised is an illusion.

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, master storyteller Madeleine Thien takes us inside an extended family in China, showing us the lives of two successive generations—those who lived through Mao’s Cultural Revolution and their children, who became the students protesting in Tiananmen Square. At the center of this epic story are two young women, Marie and Ai-Ming. Through their relationship Marie strives to piece together the tale of her fractured family in present-day Vancouver, seeking answers in the fragile layers of their collective story. Her quest will unveil how Kai, her enigmatic father, a talented pianist, and Ai-Ming’s father, the shy and brilliant composer, Sparrow, along with the violin prodigy Zhuli were forced to re-imagine their artistic and private selves during China’s political campaigns and how their fates reverberate through the years with lasting consequences. - from the publisher

The following came out in paperback in October:

Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa

Over the course of a day, Yapa spools a narrative of the now infamous World Trade Organization protests that took place along the streets of Seattle in 1990--a day that started peacefully and ended in blood. Yapa’s world introduces you to a kaleidoscope of characters and each is raw, real, driven by their own obligation and role in the protests—from the Chief of Police whose city it is to protect, to an ardent non-violent activist, to a delegate making his way to an important meeting in the hopes of transforming his country. This epic day unravels from every vantage point, and the result is a story empowered with exacting empathy. - Al Woodworth

The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

We enjoyed Melanie Benjamin's previous novel The Aviator's Wife and I'm looking forward to reading this new novel about New York's Swans of the 1950s and the scandalous, headline-making, and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley.

Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise by Oscar Hijuelos

A luminous work of fiction inspired by the real-life, 37-year friendship between two towering figures of the late nineteenth century, famed writer and humorist Mark Twain and legendary explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley.

That's all I've got this month.. I hope you found some books you are interested in. I'll be back next month with my picks for November.

[bookloversnevergotobedalone-blog]

September Releases You Should Know About

I thought I'd share with you some of the books that have come out in September that have peaked my interest.

This first book was originally supposed to be released on September 13th 2016 but the illustrious Oprah chose it for her book club and bumped the release date up to August 2.  Since I didn’t get a chance to tell you about it earlier I’m including it here.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead  

Cora, a slave on a Georgia plantation, escapes via the “Underground Railroad” but in Colson Whitehead’s novel this not a figurative statement, it is a literal Underground Railroad with tracks and stations throughout the South. By taking this step away from reality Whitehead is able to incorporate many of the injustices that have been perpetrated on the African American people throughout history and give us a book that shows us that we still have along way to go to make things right. I am recommending this book to everyone, I think it is a must read for all Americans. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Nine Island by Jane Alison

The protagonist of Nine Island is “J” a women in the second half of her life questioning her solitary life. She brings us in through her observations of her life and her neighbor’s lives in an aging Miami high rise and through her work translating Ovid’s stories of transformations (these are my favorite parts of the book) Nine Island is a meditation on love and aging. It asks the question “Can you be alone and happy?”. While addressing some deep age old questions Alison is able to also incorporate humor into the mix. A quiet introspective book I know I will find myself going back to again. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch

I haven’t finished Dear Mr. M yet but from what I’ve read so far it is a complicated, literary psychological thriller. It’s a story that you learn very slowly who is telling it and where it’s going. It seems to be one that will take time and patience to get through but will be well worth it. I don’t want to put it down. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

I’m really looking forward to reading this one and it’s been suggested to me for book club. “Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together.” from the back cover

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

I loved ROOM and have been looking forward to see what Emma Donoghue puts out next. The Wonder is it and from the reviews it looks like it’s a good one. I haven’t read anything of Emma Donoghue’s other than ROOM, so it will be interesting to see.

Mischling by Affinity Konar

The premise of this book sounds like a horror story too terrible to endure, the story of twins sent to Auschwitz to end up in Mengele's Human Zoo. However, according to Anthony Doerr, author of All The Light We Cannot See, it may be worth reading. "Mischling is a paradox. It's a beautiful novel about the most odious of crimes, it's a deeply-researched act of remembrance that somehow carries the lightness of a fairy tale, and it's a coming-of-age story about children who aren't allowed to come of age. If your soul can survive the journey, you'll be rewarded by one of the most harrowing, powerful, and imaginative books of the year."

The Hours Count by Jillian Cantor

Out in Paperback this month, The Hours Count sounds like a fascinating piece of historical fiction. “On June 19, 1953, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were executed for conspiring to commit espionage. The day Ethel was first arrested in 1950, she left her two young sons with a neighbor, and she never came home to them again. Brilliantly melding fact and fiction, Jillian Cantor reimagines the life of that neighbor, and the life of Ethel and Julius, an ordinary-seeming Jewish couple who became the only Americans put to death for spying during the Cold War. “ - amazon.com

Irena’s Children by Tilar J. Mazzeo

The fascinating true story of how one woman saved more than 2,500 children from the Nazis. 

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

This one sounds delightful and I can’t wait to read it. “A Gentleman in Moscow...skillfully transports us to The Metropol, the famed Moscow hotel where movie stars and Russian royalty hobnob, where Bolsheviks plot revolutions and intellectuals discuss the merits of contemporary Russian writers, where spies spy, thieves thieve and the danger of twentieth century Russia lurks outside its marbled walls. It’s also where wealthy Count Alexander Rostov lives under house arrest for a poem deemed incendiary by the Bolsheviks, and meets Nina. Nina is a precocious and wide-eyed young girl who holds the keys to the entire hotel, wonders what it means to be a princess, and will irrevocably change his life. Despite being confined to the hallway of the hotel, the Count lives an absorbing, adventure-filled existence, filled with capers, conspiracies and culture. Alexander Rostov is a character for the ages--like Kay Thompson’s Eloise and Wes Anderson’s M. Gustav, he is unflinchingly (and hilariously for readers) devoted to his station, even when forced to wait tables, play hide and seek with a young girl, or confront communism. Towles magnificently conjures the grandeur of the Russian hotel and the vibrancy of the characters that call it home. --Al Woodworth, The Amazon Book Review

Shelter in Place by Alexander Maksik

Set in 1990’s Pacific Northwest, this is the story of 21 year old Joseph March,who’s life is going along smoothly when he starts to suffer the symptoms of bipolar disorder and not long after his mother kills a man. A “literary novel about the hereditary nature of mental illness, the fleeting intensity of youth, the obligations of family, and the dramatic consequences of love.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

Those of you who enjoyed the first Kopp Sisters Novel will be excited to hear the second one is out now. Constance is now fighting crime on the streets of New York and New Jersey. She’s making friends with women reporters and lawyers at a hotel for women. And of course a Kopp sisters novel wouldn’t be complete without Norma and her pigeons and Fleurette’s drama.

The Story of a Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam

I’ve heard alot of good things about this tiny little book. At only 208 pages and taking place in the period of one day, the story of Dinesh and Ganga’s arranged marriage, in war torn Sri Lanka, is “a meditation on the fundamental elements of human existence—eating, sleeping, washing, touching, speaking—that give us direction and purpose”. This debut novel may be small physically, but it’s big in truth.

The Nix by Nathan Hill

Another debut novel, this one is a big literary fiction novel about a mother and son reunited after more than twenty years. The last time they saw each other? 1988, when she walked out the door and abandoned him before he was eleven years old. She’s re-appeared having committed a crime that gotten media attention. The woman the media portrays and the mother he remembers are quite different, which version of his mother is true? His search to find out the truth uncovers an epic story.

The Loner by Teddy Wayne

“Loner turns the traditional campus novel on its head as it explores ambition, class, and gender politics. It is a stunning and timely literary achievement from one of the rising stars of American fiction.”- amazon.com

That's all I've got. I hope you found some books you are interested in.