Thursday Teaser

"He was following man's sad tradition of running to God when all else fails. He had done it before, turned his face to the heavens, only to return to new trouble when the current trouble passed.

But this time, when the sun rose, Henry Covington slid the shotgun under his bed and lay down next to his wife and child.

It was Easter Sunday."

excerpt from "have a little faith: a true story" by Mitch Albom

Anne's thoughts - The Scarlett Letter

I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this book. I really enjoyed it. I had a hard time imagining myself as a high schooler reading this, and understanding all of the symbolism in the book. Plus, I think that I would have been too naive to truly appreciate all that Hester went through. I would have probably said something like "Serves her right for messing around before while she was married to someone else." (Yes, I was a bit of a prude back then.) As an adult, I loved Hester. She was strong - and I love stories with strong women characters. She made a mistake and she took her punishment without flinching. She made her life a memorable one by wearing the "A" every day and serving all of those people that were shunning her. When she first stood on the scaffold, I wanted to cry for her. She was so exposed and could do nothing to stop it - and the reverend looked on, suffering silently, without saying anything to take away any of that pain. Did everyone else realize at this point that the reverend was the father?

Pearl was an odd little child. Some of the descriptions about her confused me. I could tell that the author was trying to make a point with her. She was so odd because she came into the world as a result of a "sin." Hester was a wonderful mother and never crushed Pearl's spirit but tried to teach her to not make the same mistakes her mother did. The scene at the brooke where Pearl would not come to her mother without the "A" was a favorite of mine. The "A" didn't mean anything bad to Pearl. It was the symbol of her mother and when that symbol was gone, it was like Pearl was looking at a stranger who sounded like her mother. It reminded me of my boys when I make a little change to the routine or change the furniture around. They get confused, irritable, and just unsure of what to do.

Another symbol in the book was Chillingsworth. He was certainly evil. I don't know why Hester ever married him - although he wasn't as evil when they got married. I wish we knew a little more about the marriage. Was it arranged? Hester clearly stated that she didn't love him, so why did she marry him? I really felt angry with him for making Hester conceal his true identity. He was plotting against her from the very beginning. His relationship with the reverend irritated me. He knew why the reverend was suffering and yet he kept giving him who knows what kind of medicine to keep him in pain. I wonder if the reverend would have died when he did if the doctor hadn't given him so much medicine.

The ending had good closure for me. I'm so glad that the reverend stood and took credit for his share of the "A" but was sad to see him die before he had a chance to be happy with Hester and Pearl. Hester again impressed me by her resolve to continue wearing the "A" through her entire life. I was happy to see that Chillingsworth gave Pearl some inheritance and even happier to believe that she chose not to accept it and live a happy life somewhere else. All in all, I plan on reading this book again - looking for more symbolism - and hope to make it through "The Custom House" without falling asleep. That was the hardest part of the book for me to read. It had too much other background information that I couldn't see was useful to the story. I see the reason now and want to read it again in hopes that I can make it through with a little more clarity.

The Scarlett Letter questions

I'm posting some questions to discuss The Scarlett Letter. I think I might be the only adult on the planet who went to high school and college and still hadn't read this book. I'm not quite finished due to some crazy days in my household but am looking forward to hearing your opinions about the book. Obviously, there are tons of questions for this book. I had a hard time choosing questions because I didn't want our discussion to remind anyone of a high school essay. These questions are just to get you started. You don't have to answer them if you feel like discussing other parts of the book.

1. What is the significance of the 3 scaffold scenes in the book?

2. What punishments would the Puritan women have given Hester Prynne if it were left to them?

3. Did Hester ever love her husband?

4. Why is Chillingsworth a symbol of evil?

5. How would you have acted if you were a woman in the crowd on the day Hester leaves the prison with the Scarlett Letter?

Anne's Answers

Fun idea Jennie! Thanks for sharing!
1. Are there any books you read over and over again?
Yes, definitely! My favorites are An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Miracle in the Andes, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Nefertiti, The Hiding Place. I could keep going. I am a re-reader!

2. Name 3 or 4 fictional characters you would like to be and tell us why.


Scarlett O'Hara: who wouldn't want to be the belle of the ball and have an 18 inch waist. She's reckless and headstrong and oh man, I love her!


Elizabeth Bennett: totally agreeing with Jennie! I'd love to be Elizabeth! Love to be loved by Mr. Darcy!

Nefertiti (she's not technically fictional, but she's fictional in a sense in the book Nefertiti by Michelle Moran): Oh, wow! I'd love to be an ancient Egyptian queen/Pharaoh and rule a country, have plenty of servants, dress like a goddess, have someone do my makeup/hair. (I'd be her as long as I could have all the luxury without being hated by nearly everyone.)

3. Name a book that has had you thinking about (and even talking about it) for a long long time afterward.

Here recently, The Poisonwood Bible - can't imagine the hardships people faced and am wondering how I would have handled a year or longer in the deepest, darkest parts of the Congo in the 1960's.
Always thinking about Three Cups of Tea - what can I do to make a difference in this world?

4. Name one "classic" book that you are afraid to admit you don't like. We're all friends here - be honest.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickins - my only expectation with that book was that eventually it would finish. Too much complaining, confusion, and old English to drudge through. I finished it though.

5. Have you ever wanted to write your own book? You don't have to be specific if you don't want, but you can.

Actually, I've written 3 children's books. My sister in law is illustrating them and I am saving the money to get them published! Here's hoping that someday I can say I am officially an author. I've always wanted to be one since I read Little House on the Prairie and to think that I am close to actually fulfilling this dream is pretty darn cool.

Jennie's Answers

1. Are there any books that you read over and over again? If so (and I'm sure there are), name them.
Anne of Green Gables series, Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, Persuasion and Suck In Your Stomach and Put Some Color On

2. Name 3 or 4 fictional characters you'd like to be and why.

Elizabeth Bennet - you knew I was going to list this one - the why should be obvious, but here are my reasons - she's smart, funny, pretty enough, witty and she gets Mr. Darcy in the end.

Antonia from My Antonia - because in the end, she is happy and she's discovered her happiness lies with her family. At least, that's what I remember getting out of that book.

Sunya from Pastries: A Novel - because she has the life I want - well, the bakery anyway.

3. Name a book that has had you thinking (and even talking) about it for a long, long while afterward.

The Island, Triumph of Hope and A Breath of Fresh Air are three that still cross my mind.

4. Name one "classic" book that you are afraid to admit you don't like. We're all friends here - be honest.

Jane Eyre. Liked it okay, but Jane was just too good to be true for me. Nice story, but not one I'll read again. I know, I've just offended the English-speaking world. Hey, I love Jane Austen. Isn't that enough?

5. Have you ever wanted to write your own book? You don't have to be specific if you don't want, but you can.
Yes. I've actually thought about just writing it as a screenplay these days because that's how I see it in my head, like it's a movie. A cute little fluff take on Cyrano de Bergerac - with roles reversed, so it's the girl trying to get the guy. With food. It would be fun, I think. I don't know. I've thought about taking an online screenwriting class and really trying. But then I'm afraid to. Silly.
And a food memoir. I'd like to travel to the South and explore my culinary heritage. Write a fictional book on that. Or just a cookbook.

Book Group Tag

All right, fellow Bluestockings. I was thinking about the different personalities we all have and thought a little "book group tag" would be fun. So here are the questions I thought of:

1. Are there any books that you read over and over again? If so (and I'm sure there are), name them.

2. Name 3 or 4 fictional characters you'd like to be and why.

3. Name a book that has had you thinking (and even talking) about it for a long, long while afterward.

4. Name one "classic" book that you are afraid to admit you don't like. We're all friends here - be honest.

5. Have you ever wanted to write your own book? You don't have to be specific if you don't want, but you can.

There. Five questions. Now I'll do a seperate post with my answers and I challenge y'all to do yours as well. It could be very enlightening. I can't wait to see what you all have to say!

September and October

Thanks, Anne for the reminder! I changed the reading schedule on the side there to reflect your choice for September and I put mine in for October - something light and fun after a serious classic!
Takers for November and December?

Books??

Do we know what books we are reading for the next couple of months? I am trying to get my life back into order after the crazy summer we just had. I have read most of the books from the summer and have yet to review them. I apologize for my laziness. I will do better. I believe I spoke for September's book so I am hoping that all of you don't mind that I chose a classic. I would like to read The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne if that works for everyone. I will post questions at the end of the month, unless I hear otherwise. I'm flexible.

Reviews

It's almost the end of August and seems to signify the end of summer as well. A good time to wrap up loose ends. I think my reviews are pretty lame when I write them this long after reading the book, but I still feel like I should do it anyway.

"Little Heathens"

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There's something about that old-fashioned work ethic that inspires me to want to be better. As difficult as life was back during the time of the depression, the fight to survive tough times, life almost seemed simpler. Mildred's descriptions portrayed the stern grandparents, yet she didn't speak with bitterness and instead seemed to have a joyful childhood despite the challenges. Every time I picked up the book, I was smiling or laughing at something, and was always intrigued by meal preparations. I appreciated all of the details--it helped my understanding of "the olden days." I was inspired to be more frugal (how appropriate for these economic times!) by things like the way they swiped out the inside of eggshells to make certain they got all the eggwhites. I confess that in all my years of cracking eggs, this has never crossed my mind! In fact, I still might not (fingernails ya know?) but the idea that things weren't wasted, and that they made the most of what little they had, has stuck with me. This will be fun to read parts of it to my kids as they get older to teach them "see what life was like way back when."

The Survivors Club

Another great read! I liked that this book was more than just a compilation of experiences of people who had survived major traumas/accidents/attacks/etc. It used these experiences to point out ways that we can be better prepared to be survivors ourselves, whether it be surviving an accident, or surviving an economic depression, or whatever. There really are things we can do to increase our chances of surviving when faced with adversity. Sherwood (author) doesn't claim to know why some people die while others survive, he simply explores what those survivors did and lets the reader think through it. For example, he studies how some people have a strong will to live, how some people learn to manage fear, some of it is just luck, etc. I found it all quite interesting. The end of the book has a section for taking a test to determine your own survival personality, but since I checked this book out of the library I did not get to do this part (each book contains a single user code for the online test). I'm pretty sure I fall into whatever category includes "fearful" so one of my goals is to work on managing that fear.

Outlander

Gabaldon (author) can really tell a story! It was more than a story it was like some kind of epic romance/adventure. And then I wanted to take a trip to Scotland each time I picked up the book. While I got swept away in the first half of the book, I got annoyed with all the sex scenes in the last half. I mean, a honeymoon is one thing, but seriously I didn't need to read about all the details for EACH passionate encounter! Really wasn't there an editor around prior to publishing? Also I personally thought the evil Capt Randall gay lover bit was pretty icky too. TMI! The book was plenty long enough already, well written, descriptive, exciting, other than these two thumbs-down pieces so it begs the question of whether Gabaldon could have left out some of these details or not? As far as a "time travel" book, she did an amazing job at making it seem realistic and possible rather than fall into the "fantasy" category. (side note: I started to read "The Time Travelers Wife" last year and thought it was obnoxious--couldn't finish it) In doing so, I liked that I couldn't figure out how it was going to end, how everything was going to wrap up in the end, and kept you guessing right till the very end. I was glad that Claire chose to stay with Jamie---now I'm debating on whether or not to continue the series!

Thursday Teaser

"Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull, p. 75

[grandpa speaking] "Assuming you were the right kind of people. Frankly, I don't know you that well. I hoped that the kind of person who would take the trouble to solve my little puzzle would be the kind of person who could handle the notion of a preserve full of magical creatures. Fablehaven would be too much to swallow for most people."

This is a pretty imaginative book. It's targeted for juveniles and so it might not contain enough depth for an adult reader. It still held my interest because I adore creativity in stories!

Thursday Teaser

"The Princess and the Hound" by Mette Ivie Harrison, p. 157

"My father has always thought that I was of no value to him or the kingdom."

George began to speak, to interrupt her, but she put up a hand, and he stopped himself.

"It is no secret that he wished for a son, to follow in his footsteps, to be a warrior as he was. And I could not be that son no matter how I tried." Beatrice stroked Marit.

"But I have done the one thing that he was never able to do. In one swift movement, I have won him all of Kendel. Through marriage to you."

George stared at her. Was that what the marriage was to her, a way to prove that she could succeed at something her father never had? He did not know whether to be affronted or impressed.

Thursday Teaser

The Hollow Hills p. 123

"The mist was lifting, drawing back from a sparkling sky. Faintly, high over the castle promontory, grew a hazy moon of light. Then the last cloud blew clear, billowing before the west wind like a sail blowing towards Brittany, and in its wake, blazing through the sparkle of the lesser stars, grew the great star that had lit the night of Ambrosius' death, and now burned steady in the east for the birth of the Christmas King.
We set spurs to our horses and rode for the ship."

I'm about halfway through this book and I cannot believe it's taken me so many years to read this series. The first book, The Crstyal Cave, is Merlin's story. This second book is Arthur's childhood (Arthur hasn't factored much into the book so far, but that's because Merlin isn't with him). The books are in Merlin's voice and Mary Stewart is a wonderful storyteller.

Thursday Teaser

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke, p. 175

"If Meggie could have hated Capricorn any more, she would have done so now. It was his fault that Mo had never once read aloud to her in all these years. To think of the magic he could have worked in her room with his voice, a voice that gave a different flavor to every word, made every sentence a melody! Even Cockerell had forgotten his knife and the tongues he was supposed to cut out and was listening with a faraway expression on his face. Flatnose was staring into space, enraptured, as if a pirate ship with all sails set were truly cruising in through one of the church windows. The other men were equally entranced. There was not a sound to be heard but Mo's voice bringing the letters and words on the page to life."

I'm about 1/3rd of the way through this one. It was a bit slow to begin, but it's quite creative--it's one of those books where I can't figure out where it's headed!

August book?

And September's while we're at it? I've lost track of whose turn it is, although I know Annette is off the hook for a bit.
I don't mind choosing one of them. I'm currently reading The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart and loving it, but I've got big ol' stack of library books to choose from. Would y'all like me to choose August or September? I'll be stuck in a chair nursing a baby a lot soon, so reading is my salvation!

Thursday Teaser

I saw this from another book blog...each week the members posted a few "teaser" lines from a book they were currently reading. How fun is that! Open to a random page and choose a few lines to share, without giving away any spoilers.

My book this week is "a single thread" by Marie Bostwick.

"Sure, you want to be able to support yourself, but there are about two hundred easier ways to do that than owning a quilt shop, and you know it. Think. When you first walked down that alley and peered into that dirty window, what was it you saw? What was in front of you was a run-down wreck of a storefront that no one had thought to rent in years, but that's not what you saw. You had a vision, a dream of something special, something that gave you the courage to pull up stakes, empty your bank account, and put everything on the line." His voice was urgent. "What was it?"

So far it's a good book!

Annette's pick for the next book

Okay, Jennie I'll pick. I'd like to read Little Heathens if that is Okay with everyone. Its by Mildred Kalish

From Annette on Outlander

1. What kind of characters has Gabladon created? Given that she has created a cross genre novel (historical/fantasy/timetravel) are her characters realistically drawn? Are they emotionally and psychologically complex...or flat, one-dimensional and cartoonish?

I found the characters to be satisfyingly complex. I liked the way she gradually developed them over the course of the novel with some individuals (like Murtagh) turning out to be different than first glance. Capt Randall's character a definitely BAD guy also had more nuances and depths than often given to the bad guy. But those depths were darker and scarier than it looked at first. I also liked how Claire discovered strengths and skills she would have never guessed possible.

2. What are a few of your favorite characters and why? What is there importance to the story?

Claire, Jamie, Murtagh, Geillis. The importance of the first three is kind of obvious the story revolves around them. Geillis I appreciate because she was a "fish out of water" like Claire. And her actions as a woman and as a "witch" is what propelled (unintentionally) Claire (and then Jamie) into flight and danger.

3. What assumptions does Jonathan Randall make regarding Claire upon first encountering her...and why? How does that shape the plot of the story?

He assumes she must be whore. She was rescued by Murtagh because he thought she was in distress. Which began her whole journey to Dougal, Colum, and Jamie


4. In what ways does Clair adjust to her new circumstances, and how does she put 20th-century knowledge to work in an 18-century world?

I think psychologically she adjusts remarkably well. she thinks fast and has a survivors attitude. She uses her medical skill to her advantage and finds a place and a role early on. It helps that she knows her scottish history to make sense of where she is and what is going on.

5 How disorienting (or appealing) would it be for you to be transported back in time? How would cope with the time change? What era would be most appealing to you to travel back to? and Why? If you time-traveled, how much of the future from which you have come would you be tempted to reveal? What might you attempt to change using your knowledge of modern times?

I actually don't like time travel novels, it makes my head feel like its going to explode. So I'm surprised that I like this one. Or because I love anything that has to do with Scotland. Or perhaps because the characters are interesting. I'm pretty sure I'd have a hard time if transported more than a hundred years. I'm pretty independent, outspoken etc and am not sure how well I'd fit in as a woman of another time. If I did "go back" perhaps to the mid 1800s when so much was changing and being created in the U.S. a remarkalbe time in history (but mostly for men).


6. The Outlander series was originally difficult to market because it didn't fit into any "neat" genre of fiction. It eventaully caught on and in HUGE WAY. What do you think is so appealing about the series to readers? what is the fascination?

I think its the characters and their relationship. I also think there are constant surprises that take the story in a slightly different direction or explain why the story went where it did. I like that.

I actually read the 2nd book first (not knowing it was a HUGE series...I justliked that it was about Scotland). I highly recommend it Dragonfly in Amber. I think I may like it best of the two...but I don't know...pretty close.

Next Book

Why don't you pick for us Aunt Annette? I'll pick for August, then who wants September and October?

Next Book?

I've lost track of who selects the next book and I don't know how many of you have finished Outlander and are ready for another book. I'll be finished this weekend. I will be leaving in about 10 days for another trip to Florida and would love to know the next book so I can download to my Kindle if I don't already have it. I made a few suggestions a couple posts ago...but I'm completely open (as always) to whatever anyone picks. Hope you are all enjoying summer and getting some reading time in!

Outlander - Discussion Questions

I've managed to track down some questions on the internet. You would not believe the extent of Outlander series websites, discussion groups, etc. However, it was hard to find a simple set because many of the dicussions groups discussion a couple chapters a week!!! So, I'm not sure the questions are really great. If you want to just discuss your feelings about the book in a more general way, go for it. Or if you have any questions yourself...feel free to add them.

1. What kind of characters has Gabladon created? Given that she has created a cross genre novel (historical/fantasy/timetravel) are her characters realistically drawn? Are they emotionally and psychologically complex...or flat, one-dimensional and cartoonish?

2. What are a few of your favorite characters and why? What is there importance to the story?

3. What assumptions does Jonathan Randall make regarding Claire upon first encountering her...and why? How does that shape the plot of the story?

4. In what ways does Clair adjust to her new circumstances, and how does she put 20th-century knowledge to work in an 18-century world?

5. How does Clair's marriage to Jamie effect her marriage to Frank (and her feelings towards Frank).

6. How disorienting (or appealing) would it be for you to be transported back in time? How would cope with the time change? What era would be most appealing to you to travel back to? and Why?

7. If you time-traveled, how much of the future from which you have come would you be tempted to reveal? What might you attempt to change using your knowledge of modern times?

8. The Outlander series was originally difficult to market because it didn't fit into any "neat" genre of fiction. It eventaully caught on and in HUGE WAY. What do you think is so appealing about the series to readers? what is the fascination?

Outlander

Help! I'm only about 1/2 way through the book but figured others might have finished, so I started looking for discussion questions. I can find websites that have questions by chapter!!! That's a lot of questions! Apparently some people are having online chat groups where they take a certain number of chapters each week. I can find discussion groups where people just post opinions and discuss back and forth. I can find discussion groups about the CAR Outlander. But can't seem to find just a simple set of questions...there may be some on one site...but I need to pay to join the site...its some bookgroup support website. I'll continue looking but I was wondering if any of you have favorite place where you go to look for discussion questions. if you do can you let me know?

Thanks.

June book?

I'm traveling until the end of June. I have a few books on my kindle that might make a good June book...if they don't work..that's fine...I can go to Borders and buy what we pick. But am trying to keep the luggage in check.

Ideas:
French by Heart: An American Famioly's Adventures in La Belle France by Rebecca Ramsey
The Geography of Bliss: One Grumps Search for the Happiest Places... by Eric Weiner
Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish.

Annette's take on Outliers

I am writing this without my book because I'm traveling. I also read it about 4 months ago. But here goes:

1. Which chapter did you most enjoy reading?

I agree with Rebecca about the first two chapters...they really got my attention. I told my tax acountant about it while I was visiting him and he started googling all the famous professional hockey players he could think of...and their birthdates were all exactly where Outliers would predict. creepy. Same thing for the top professional really famous baseball players. I also like the chapter that dealt with the "tribal" culture of the hollars of west viriginia/kentucky etc. I've actually bought the book he references "Albion Seed" I have it on my Kindle to read.

2. Were you surprised to learn about the backgrounds of any of the success stories?

Yes...same as Rebecca for the same reasons.

3. Does his idea, that success is dependent largely on "uncontrollables" like luck, timing, birth month, nationality, etc, change your view of successful people or what it takes to be successful?

I don't think that he says success is LARGELY based on uncontrollables. I believe that he thinks they have a significant effect. It doesn't change my view of usccessful people at worst they are people who knew to take advantage of what is given them be it intelligence, education, or the uncontrollables. It does make me look differently at people who "fail", that not all the failure is of their own making. interesting. Because you don't want people to use these facts as a "cop out" but....


4. This book gets as much criticism as it does acclaim. Were there parts that you questioned or do feel he presented enough information to back up his theories?

I'll have to come back to this question when I have the book in hand. But in general I think he's done (or reviewed) very interesting research that holds up pretty well under scrutiny


5. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not? I definitely would. I did. Its very thought provoking.

Outliers review (Reb)

Outliers

1. Which chapter did you most enjoy reading? I was completely intrigued by the first two chapters--chap 1 explained that success as a Canadian hockey player largely depended on their date of birth--the evidence was quite compelling, and chap 2 which presented the "10,000 hour rule", meaning that a person/group needs ten thousand hours of practice time in order to achieve expertise. Gladwell's claim is that it takes more than just talent or brains to become successful--most often it takes hard work and luck!

2. Were you surprised to learn about the backgrounds of any of the success stories? All of the stories were new to me so I felt surprised at everything I learned! One specific idea I'd like to hear about from an "expert" is the bit about math education differences in Asian vs. Western schools. He begins with suggesting that our English number-naming system is not as logical as the Asian counting system (p227-231) and therefore gives Asian students an early edge on mathematics--it was so interesting I sat there dumbfounded wondering where our English system came from! The Asian system DOES seem to make more sense! 

3. Does his idea, that success is dependent largely on "uncontrollables" like luck, timing, birth month, nationality, etc, change your view of successful people or what it takes to be successful? The frustrating part is that he provides explanations for success, but because there are so many "uncontrollables", except for the hard work on our part, it doesn't offer any tools to help the reader become successful. It could go 2 ways: based on Gladwell's findings, a reader might become discouraged in his/her own quest for success--there are no set rules or steps to follow to guarantee success (duh, but still...) and there's no way anyone could possibly control all the circumstances! or, in a personal quest, one might feel hopeful that even though they can't see all the elements in play, there might be advantages that they don't even recognize at the time, that will help them on their way. In some ways, my view of success is now more "equal opportunity." I think this was what he wanted the reader to get out of his book??

4. This book gets as much criticism as it does acclaim. Were there parts that you questioned or do feel he presented enough information to back up his theories? I feel like he sometimes gets too "wordy" and it takes me awhile to follow his train of thought. At times it feels like he wraps it up too neatly with one simple explanation. My example of this is in the chapter about education--he almost makes it sound like "summer vacation" is the single most important factor in contributing to poor/disadvantaged students' low scores when compared to wealthier/upper class students. Again his argument is compelling, totally worth researching, but I'm not 100% sold on that being the single factor. It's almost like he looks for "new ideas" and makes them fit into his book. What would happen if his ideas were researched in a wider field with more depth?

5. Would you recommend this book to others?  Why or why not? Yes! I enjoyed it and think it offers interesting topics for debate and conversation! I'd also recommend his previous 2 books "Blink" and "The Tipping Point" for an interesting read.

E-mail notices - testing

I think I did it - I changed the settings so we would get notified via e-mail when there is a new post. Let me know if it worked - I'm going to check mine right now!

Jennie

Oh, and we need a book for June! Any ideas? I'm out of school, so I have to catch up with all of you!
Something light and fun and summery? First one to post gets dibs - it should be one that is really accessible so we can get it from the library or order it.

Email Notices

Hello Ladies. I was wondering if I can ask a favor? on the blog that I have with Kelly and Kerry I set it up so that when any of us post on the blog, we all get an email telling us that there has been a new post. I tried to figure out how to do that with BlueStocking but can't figure it out, probably because I'm not an administrator. With all my traveling and sporadic internet access to the blog it would be great to know when someone has posted. I'd be more timely in responding. Is this possible? thanks! Read On!

What happened to OUtlander discussion?

I read Outliers awhile ago, so don't mind discussing it now? but did we decide to skip the april selection? Outlander? I'm half way through it...

Discussion questions: Outliers and TSC

Sometimes I'm a bit muddleheaded when I try to write reviews so I like to have a jumping off point. Here are a few questions you might consider in your reviews, but certainly share thoughts beyond these as well!

Outliers

1. Which chapter did you most enjoy reading?

2. Were you surprised to learn about the backgrounds of any of the success stories? 

3. Does his idea, that success is dependent largely on "uncontrollables" like luck, timing, birth month, nationality, etc, change your view of successful people or what it takes to be successful? 

4. This book gets as much criticism as it does acclaim. Were there parts that you questioned or do feel he presented enough information to back up his theories?

5. Would you recommend this book to others?  Why or why not?

The Survivors Club

1. Who is your favorite survivor in this book and why?  

2. Why do you think people are drawn to survivor stories?

3. Do you agree or disagree with the first rule of The Survivors Club: Everyone is a survivor?

4. Do you believe that a person with a positive mental attitude - or a strong will to live - can overcome any challenge, including a serious medical problem?  Do you agree that 80-90 percent of survival is mental? 

5. After reading this book, have you changed your attitudes or actions?  Do you feel better prepared to survive and thrive in the face of adversity?  

The Pirate Coast and May books--Rebecca

I'm feeling embarrassed to admit that I didn't actually finish reading The Pirate Coast. What happened?! I was so intrigued with it at the beginning--I read the first 1/4 of the book in one evening. But then, it just never grabbed me again. I tried to continue a few times and ended up skimming through. I'm not sure why? While the detail was interesting, sometimes the book got bogged down in too much detail. I didn't understand some of the political maneuvers and there wasn't much warmth in it--not much personality. I'd opt for a condensed version of this historical event. 

For May's reading, I'm going to leave it for either of the two books I mentioned so that everyone can read the one that is available to them. (ie. Anne can get TSC, but still not O). I think it will actually make for interesting reviews--both books are similar in that they are non-fiction, they are made up of a variety of individual stories and accounts that should contain appeal to many different interests.  Also because of this nature, there are no "spoilers" to give away in a review. If you're feeling ambitious, read both! Happy reading!

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood

p.s. I'll try to post questions for each as soon as I can so you can write your reviews as you read, or when you've finished and it's still fresh in your mind (I do much better in my reviews when I don't wait so long to post!)

The Pirate Coast - Anne's thoughts

I was a little disappointed by this book. I had heard lots of good things about the author and the book in particular - and they both fell short in my opinion. The history was fascinating. I always am so amazed at how little I know about the past. I can't imagine having to deal with the irregularity of correspondence/communication as they did. I love that I now know why the line "from the shores of Tripoli" is in the Marines hymn. And I am dying to try writing a letter in lime juice and seeing if I can really read it when the letter is exposed to heat. (If you receive a blank letter from me in the next couple of months, you'll know I have been experimenting.)

The characters in this book were aggravating. At times, I felt so incredibly sorry for William Eaton. Other times, I couldn't believe how irritating he could be. I despised Lear for most of the book. And I was surprised at my feelings toward Thomas Jefferson. Was he really that annoying/manipulative or was that the author's agenda? Or maybe that is just politics in general?

The beginning of the book was really hard for me to get through as I felt that way too much background information was given. Even once the story line picked up, I found myself skimming through the extra stuff to get to the point. It seemed like the author would tell you what was happening and then tell you again what was happening through quotes/letters/personal accounts. At times, things felt a bit redundant.

My favorite part of the book was during the searching for Hamet and the trek to reach Derne. Again, once I dug through the extra info, I enjoyed reading about the struggles of communication, supplies, and money. I found myself wondering where all the money could have possibly come from and was amazed at how many people willingly extended credit to Eaton on just his character alone. (I guess credit companies today extend credit to just about anyone, so it really isn't that different.) As with any treks across a desert, I can't believe the hardship of traveling through endless heat and the stamina that it required.

Overall, it was an okay book. I feel a bit smarter. Plus the irony of reading about pirates in the early years of our country and hearing about pirates on the news last week, attacking in just about the same way made the book a little more interesting.

PIrate Coast by Annette

I wanted to like this book more than I ended up liking it. I'm a big non-fiction buff and love books that tell the story behind the stories we learn, but I found that the book dragged in places and oddly provided even more information than I thought necessary (or perhaps interesting). That being said, I'm glad I read the book and I feel like I learned a lot about the time period, the early years of our naval military (despite the title there really wasn't much about "marines" in the book, was there?) and the parentage so to speak of modern day covert operation policies.

I think one thing about the story was that I didn't care much (personally) for either of the main characters. I could appreciate their intelligence, or their tenacity, or their cleverness but I just couldn't feel ...hmmm..searching for the word....I didn't like them much. I don't know if this was the fault of the author or if they just weren't very likable.

The role of communications (or lack thereof), the media, and public relations (for lack of better word) was very interesting especially compared today's almost instantaneous communications (not just between military and government but between military operations and the rest of the world through media, cell phones, satellite pics, and gosh...now tweeting). You wonder how things would have gone if there hadn't been the long lapses of communications. Who would have "won out"?

The Pirate Coast

There are no book discussion questions out there anywhere for The Pirate Coast so feel free to just discuss your feelings on the book. I am totally slacking and not quite finished with the book but am looking forward to hearing what you all have to say!

Check your libraries

Hi y'all, 

This is another brand-new book (Jan '09) I'd love to share here. I'm a couple chapters in and, pending whether you can get it in time, am already tempted to suggest this one in lieu of Outliers next month (though that would still be a great read and we'll keep it on the list). Anyway, check with your libraries to see what the waiting list is like.

The Survivors Club

by Ben Sherwood

A Woman In Berlin--Rebecca

I'm writing several weeks after finishing the book---shoulda written sooner! This is going to be pretty short due to waiting too long!

Wow. How did Anon have the foresight to keep a record of those 6 weeks? Especially since she said her only previous journal experience was as a young girl. I was amazed by the writing--she was honest and descriptive without being overly detailed. I think she included the right amount of detail--I'm sure there was so much she wanted to forget. It is suprising that there wasn't more anger or frustration in her tone, almost like she was reporting and leaving it to the reader to judge. 

Food. For the past 6 months one of my big goals has been to build up our family's food storage. Each time I read accounts of war, especially as it relates to the common citizen, I'm amazed at how little food people survive on. The quest for food is all encompassing. I hope to never have to experience this in my life! 

Men. War disrupts normal life. Would these men have behaved such had they not been subject to the rigors of life as a soldier? Does that excuse their behavior? I think not. But I needed to have some understanding so as not to glare at the male population in general.

Women. They suffered. They endured. They worked. They supported each other. They were courageous. They cleaned up and moved on. They survived. True they each found their own way of coping, but in short, I was inspired and wanted to be a better woman because of them.

A Woman in Berlin - Anne's thoughts

I agree with Annette in the choice for this book. I probably wouldn't have picked it up on my own but am really glad that I read this. I've always had a weird fascination with World War II and had never heard much from this perspective before. I felt entirely naive as I was reading about this woman's life and all that she was encountering. How is it that in history classes we only hear about the suffering and hardships that happened to the Jews (not to be disrespectful by any means) and not more about what happened to normal citizens who were just trying to live their lives while the world around them was crumbling?

After having her life so torn apart, I am sure that Anonymous was thankful to be able to write it all down. I am prone to venting my frustrations and as I was reading could feel the same tone in her words as when I vent. (Not that I have anything to compare in my life with hers but the idea of venting was the same.)

I wondered as I read how I would have handled this situation had I been in her shoes. I again agree with Annette. I wouldn't have felt compelled to commit suicide, at least I don't think I would have. I might have hid. I might have accepted my fate knowing that I might be safer if I cooperated. I don't know. How awful to have to face the uncertainty of food, rape, war, disease, and pregnancy all at once!

One of the things that Anonymous said that touched me more than others was the following quote. It was found in the beginning of the book, before much of the horrors were taking place, and yet I got the feeling that Anonymous knew what was coming.
"Why are we so appalled at the thought of children being murdered? In three to four years the same children strike us as perfectly fit for shooting and maiming. Where do you draw the line? When their voices break? Because that’s what really gets me the most, thinking about these little boys: their voices, so high, so bright. Up to now being a soldier meant being a man. And being a man means being able to father a child. Wasting these boys before they reach maturity obviously runs against some fundamental law of nature, against our instinct, against every drive to preserve the species." Ugh! That just tears me up inside reading that. I think of my little boys and had we lived in that day and age how they would be soldiers way too soon - killing and possibly dying for a cause they could hardly understand, let alone support.

Overall, this book was touching. I feel more informed after reading this - more aware of the true meaning of "spoils of war." Thanks for recommending Jennie!

A Woman in Berlin - annette's comments

Jennie, I am so glad that you picked this book. I'm not sure I would have voluntarily picked it. But I must admit I'm a little dwarfed at having to write a review because my thoughts are everywhere. I tried to find some "book club" discussion questions on line...to no avail...so here goes. So I'm going to start with a few thoughts and observations and see what you guys say and then write some more.

I love journals, diaries, and memoirs based on diaries. As if you haven't noticed I share a love of the genre (with 3 blogs, facebook, a desk diary, and even now twittering). I find that journaling helps me sort out my feelings, form opinions, gives me a distraction, helps me cement memories, helps me cope with memories, and much more. I can really see how her scribblings, her notes helped her keep sane, gave her life some structure when everything was out of her control. Some hid in the attic...she hid in her words.

The book all too well depicts the horrors of "collateral" damage in war. Both militarily (bombs) and socially/culturally/personally. This was a time before tv, radios were out (mostly), newspapers had stopped, no email, no phones for the most part, AND this was the end of a long hard war that had starved its people (on both sides) physically, mentally, spiritually. These were battered, beaten people even before the Russians got there.

I was fascinated in a macacre way with the many ways that the people dealt with the horrors. From suicide, to hiding in dark, cramped spaces (for weeks without knowing when it would end), to fighting, to being clever, to going along to get along, to becoming informers, and every thing else. Its one of the reasons I think it would be hard to know just exactly what we'd do...

The question of waht would I have done? I think I might have done what Anonymous did. I certainly wouldn't have ever committed suicide to avoid what was coming. I might hide my daughter in an attic. But I'm not sure I could sit in essentially a closet, just waiting, for what? for how long?. And then of course, the only ones that COULD do that were people who had people on the outside who could bring them food and water.

There are so many of things that could be discussed about the rape (or the "forced intercourse"). so many I don't know where to start. It seemed there were many "reasons" for it. From revenge, from pent up exhaustion and rage, from drunkeness, to a bizarre, distorted loneliness (not for the violent rape but the "agreements" that arose out of the whole mess), and others. Many of the soliders viewed these women as "conquered" as "the enemy" as I suppose that loosened what little (if any) sense of propriety remained after the grueling and never ending battles on the Russian/German frontiers. But it isn't always just when the army is the "invading army". Keri, Kelly and I read The Wedding Officer which is about Naples towards the end of the war when the US and its allies have liberated southern italy from the germans. Astonishingly, there was a lot of rape going on BY THE LIBERATORS. That was one of the sub plots in the book...what was the difference between life under the liberators versus under the nazis? AND the US ARMY decided to send whores beyond the German lines to the cities where the German soldiers took their R&R. They sent them up there to join whore houses so the German soldiers would get syphillis. That's right. They inspected women who had become prostitures in Naples (usually because they were starving and had already been raped and had no way to make a living)...if they had syphillis INSTEAD of treating them...they sent them to have sex with the Germans. This is true...not just fiction...the novel was based on a number of memoirs and military documents. So they were using women as ammunition...impersonal ammunition.

Just makes you wonder about men, some men, does it not?

Okay...I've run out of steam...but do have more to say. what have you got to say?

April Book by Annette

now that we have february and march squared away...let's pick Outlander by Diana Gabaldon for April. And we have Outliers for May. So at this point then...once we've finished discussing February...we'll pick June...etc. etc.

A book for March

Well, I think the general consensus was that I should choose a book for March. I went round and round about what to choose because I am reading a fairly long book for one of my other book clubs in March, but I finally decided on "The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the first marines, and the secret mission of 1805" by Richard Zacks. Hopefully, it will be fairly captivating. The following is the book jacket summary.

"The declaration of war by Tripoli in 1801 marked the first foreign policy test of Thomas Jefferson's administration. Then, on Halloween of 1803, the unthinkable happened: The USS Philadelphia accidentally ran aground in Tripoli harbor and the Barbary Pirates captured three hundred U.S. sailors and marines. The Moslem ruler renamed the frigate "The Gift of Allah" and held the Americans as his slaves, to be auctioned at his whim." "Newspapers around the world proclaimed America's shame in headlines. Faced with this hostage crisis and an ongoing war with Tripoli, Jefferson dispatched diplomats and navy squadrons to the Mediterranean, but he also authorized a secret mission to overthrow the government there. This is the story of America's first overseas covert operation, one of the strangest, riskiest, most compelling adventures ever undertaken for love of glory and country." "Jefferson chose an unlikely man to lead the operation. Forty-year-old William Eaton was a failed diplomat, deeply in debt, who had been court-martialed from the Army. He saw this mission as a last chance to redeem himself and resurrect his career. His assignment was to find an exiled prince named Hamet hiding in Egypt and convince him to mount a civil war in Tripoli. But before Eaton even departed, Jefferson grew wary of "intermeddling" in the internal affairs of another nation and withdrew Eaton's supplies, weapons, and troops." "Astoundingly, Eaton - who was forced to beg cash from British merchants - persevered and found Hamet up the Nile and lured him to Alexandria, where he rounded up a ragtag force of European mercenaries and Bedouin fighters; Eaton then borrowed eight U.S. Marines - including fiddle-playing Presley O'Bannon - and led them all on a brutal march across five hundred miles of Libyan desert to surprise attack Tripoli." "After surviving sandstorms, treachery, and near-death from thirst, Eaton achieved a remarkable victory on "the shores of Tripoli" - commemorated to this day in the U.S. Marine Corps hymn. His triumph led to freedom for three hundred Americans and newfound respect for the young United States, but for Eaton the aftermath wasn't so sweet. When he dared to reveal that the president had abandoned him, Thomas Jefferson set out to crush him."--

How about....

How about we move Woman in Berlin to FEbruary (that was Jennie's pick?), move Outliers to April (that should give enough time....maybe to get it from library?...Rebecaa I think you picked Outliers?). so why doesn't Anne pick the March book? If you think we should move Outlier to May just in case...then we'll need an April book...ok now I've lost track...would that be my pick again?

Jennie's Reply

We'll never come to an agreement - I love the sound of everyone else's suggestions. Outlander - read it a few years back and loved it. My mom would jump all over that one! The John and Abigail Adams one sounds good, as does the Thomas Jefferson one.
I have a copy of A Woman in Berlin - read it already and will read it again for the discussion. We could start it now.
As for pointers on getting books for cheap - my favorite way is to find a good used book store in my neighborhood. My old one would let me trade my books in for store credit and I would get new books. Just a thought.
I agree that three months out is where we should be as far as planning and all. So we should choose a new March book (if AWIB is the Feb book?), an April book and a May book.

Anne's book ideas

Thanks everyone for considering my plight in getting books to read. (I hope I am not causing a problem.) Our library system is big but hard to get books that are new. The two local book groups that I am in have the same problem. I appreciate the advice on where to find books online that are cheap. I don't buy much online and so I really don't know where to find the cheapest books. I will look into purchasing some of the books suggested if we decide to read them.

As far as book suggestions go, I am willing to read just about everything. All of your suggestions sound great. Two books that are on my list to read are:
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the first Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805 by Richard Zacks

There are no holds at my Library for March's book "A Woman in Berlin" if we wanted to start there while we work out the books for the next several months.

Annette' Thoughts on Books

First...a book: Out of Jennie's list (that are at Rebecca's library) I'd prefer Pilate's Wife. Out of Rebecca's list...maybe Out Stealing Horses (although it sounds a little darker than I'm in the mood for in the middle of winter). (I'd prefer Pilates' to Horses) I also have a suggestion of a book that should be at a library (or really cheap through Amazon marketplace) but maybe you've already read it: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (I accidentally read the 2nd in the series...want to go back and read the 1st volume).

Second...book getting: Perhaps we should plan 3 months ahead for books to allow everyone to get in line for books at the library? (are you all on the list for the the Woman in Berlin book?) As Jennie knows I buy my books through Amazon (new or used) and then keep them for my library or pass them on...so I hadn't really been thinking about how hard it would be to get popular new books at libraries. I should have. In addition to planning ahead we could do something like only pick books that are in paperback or are at least a year old...should increase the chance of getting them cheap used or at the library. Any other ideas?

Third...buying books cheap. Online, I'd suggest amazon (click on "used" books) or powells book. We buy a lot of our books "lightly used" from dealers with good ratings. I just checked amazon...here are some examples (only from dealers with a "rating" greater than 97% positivie:

Pilate's Wife: $4.75 (.75 for the book, 3.99 for shipping)
Out Stealing Horses: 10.87 (6.87 for book, 3.99 for shipping)
Outlander: 6.89 (2.89 for the book and 3.99 for shipping)

USed book stores: most used book stores now have their inventory catalog on computer. So you could also look for used bookstores in your town and call them when looking for a book to see if they have it (might be cheaper without shipping).

books on my list (Rebecca)

I'm not familiar with any from Jennie's list so those would be a great place to start! Here's also a few on my reading list (waiting for availability at library)

Out Stealing Horses  by Per Petterson

My Dearest Friend: letters of Abigail and John Adams

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Jennie's Suggestions

Here's a few books I can think of to suggest - maybe we should vote on them based on their availability?

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain

Buster Midnight's Cafe by Sandra Dallas

Pilate's Wife by Antionette May

The Virgin's Knot by Holly Payne

Admittedly, I do own several of these books, but I know most of them have been published for quite a while. These are just suggestions.

Postpone our reading list?

Anne commented she's having a hard time getting books from her library in time (as in she's 133rd on the "hold" list for Outliers, and still waitng to get Sugar Beach) Should we postpone these books for a few months and see if there are some others she (all of us) can locate easier/quicker? I know that for me it's not the best time to purchase books either. My library is part of a pretty big system and so luckily I haven't had too much trouble. 

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Since our group is so small I'd feel bad leaving anyone out!

Ideas for other books so we can start checking our libraries? I'll start looking...

Annette's Thoughts - (Now that she's finally home)

Hello ladies...sorry to have been slow on commenting and completely lapsing on providing any questions...as I would expect you've stepped up to the plate with a very interesting set of comments. Here are mine,

I was fascinated with this book and Helene's story and that of her country. I found myself surprised more than a few times. I liked Helene...she wasn't a perfect person but she had the ability to rise to the occasion, learn, and had a good sense of humor in spite of situations.

Although I knew that Liberia had been "founded" by slaves and that it is now a cesspool of corruption and poor living conditions, I had no idea how quickly the fortunes of the country changed and how affluent some segments of the country had been in the not too recent past. And things like there not being electricity in the capital for something like 10 years! How can that be??? I didn't know about the flight of virtually all the educated and well off blacks to foreign countries. And speaking of educated and wealthy blacks....I just never knew that the upper class of Liberia were black and that they were so wealthy. And that they were wealthy in a very "western" way....with their fascination with modern architecture and of things from the US...Nancy Drew, movies, music, dress, and cars....adn Europe. What a loss to this country to lose all that education and experience with their flight out of Liberia.

I agree with jennie that I was fascinated with the fact that some people have remained loyal to Liberia and keep going back. And that some people never left even when they had the choice to leave. It is a testimony to the pull of national roots and sense of community. It seems insane and remarkably admirable at the same time.

Several "cultural" things fascinated me about Helene's upbringing in Liberia. First, I was struck by the fact she didn't view herself as "second class" to any other group or race of people. In not growing up somewhere like the US where blacks are often (and at one time were always) treated as second class citizens with sub par capabilities, she grew up thinking of herself as capable and...well...superior. Her shock of how blacks were viewed and treated in the US when she first moved here was sad testimony to race relations in the US at the time.

I know that the language thing was confusing for some of you...I was captivated by it. I've always had an avid interest in language, dialects, the use of language in culture, how culture shapes language and vice versa, and how language is used to define social groups and classes. The use of multiple accents and dialects to maneuver in different social situations is foreign to many of us in the western US where we always say "we have no accent" ...but it isn't that distant. I have several Boston friends who's accents lighten up when they aren't with their Boston friends. And the desire to speak "proper" (for instance a cockney learning to speak with a Queen's English accent AKA My Fair Lady) is pretty common. And we associate the "good old boy red neck accent" with...well...undereducated red necks!

Although it made a tougher read, I don't think she could have told her story without using the language and dialects to show who she was or who she was trying to be at any given moment.

But beyond the heaviness of the politics and chaos of what happened to her family and her country, there was also a delightful story of a little girl growing up amongst close friends and family. I loved things like the fact that the girls ended up pulling the mattresses all into one room and sleeping their together the entire time they lived there even though there was 4 times the room. I loved the glimpses into her teen years, being boy crazy, fighting the bullies, just "normal" stuff. I thought she described well the heartache and confusion over the divorce.

I wondered too along with Jennie as to why it took Helene so long to contact her sister back in Liberia. I wonder if there was something going on akin to "survivor's guilt"...she was lucky enough to get out and maybe she felt guilty or ashamed? hmmm...I don't know. It may have also just been a certain level of immature self-centeredness going on that she finally grew out of.I agree with Rebecca that when they reunite and Eunice shows no bitterness and instead is mature and greeets Helene with an open heart, I was really impressed by how amazing she was to have survived without bitterness and was able to carve out a life for herself in that chaotic morass of a country.

All in all...the book was a great journey. Now onto Outliers!

The House at Sugar Beach - Jennie's thoughts

Aunt Annette couldn't find any questions she liked for this book, plus she's been travelling, so we're going to just post our thoughts.
I should have done what Rebecca did and write down my thoughts immediately instead of now, but I'll do my best.
Things from this book that have stayed with me:

1. The history of Liberia - had absolutely no idea going into this book. Very interesting.
2. The breakdown in these African countries of all order - I just finished a book on Rwanda this past fall and it truly amazes me the level of atrocity a group can go to.
3. How quickly the "new regime" starts to act like the old one.
4. The impact the divorce had on Helene's family - while it was devastating, it didn't seem all that bad for them. She said she saw her father more once her parents divorced. But it had to have been a problem for her. I wonder if it has been the influence on her relationships as an adult. It would have to have an impact.
5. Helene's mother's choice to let the intruders rape her in order to protect her daughters. Aaron and I have discussed this, especially in light of "The Woman in Berlin" that I chose for March. I would do anything to protect my daughter from something like that. Would I make the same choice? I don't know. What Aaron pointed out, and I agree, is that you couldn't know that those men wouldn't just go ahead and rape the girls after the mother. That's putting a lot of faith in men who aren't really all that trustworthy. But I think I could handle it better than my daughter. Although it still traumatized her daughters, just in a different way. Frankly, I'd just as soon shoot them.
6. I think the family was a little blind to what was going on around them, not protecting themselves, not leaving Sugar Beach before it was too late.
7. The level of loyalty some of her Liberian friends had to Liberia, even after horrible things happened to them, amazed me. If something like that were to happen in America, if my family were killed, no, murdered by the government, I don't think I'd be sticking around. I wouldn't love my country after that. It wouldn't be America if that sort of thing went on. It wouldn't be my country.
8. She went so long without contacting her sister back in Liberia - I never understood why, really. Trying to distance herself from the country is different than distancing herself from family I think.

That's all I can think of now. I'll read what others post and comment.

Sugar Beach--Review--from Rebecca

(I wrote the following right after finishing the book. Now that it's Feb. I'm going to post it b/c my book has to go back to the library this week!) There aren't any questions posted yet, so here I am writing some thoughts down in a very random way.  When I first started reading, it was interesting but a little slow. I got a little bogged down in the introduction of so many relatives and different times in history. Once I got halfway though, I was so caught up in Helene's life that I read all the way through in one evening, just wanting to know the outcome! It's amazing to know that this is her true-life story. 

Helene is so very likable. At the end, one thing I found myself really wanting was to actually hear her voice, and was excited when I found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vbZI3fbTC8.  It was easy to picture her as a friend, a happy child, a "normal" teen.  I liked her honesty--for instance in telling about the way she faced some of her new challenges like attending new schools and hiding in the library.  We've all faced new situations before and I related to that feeling. She was inspiring--she kept moving forward even after her childhood was taken from her and dedicated herself to achieving her dream as a journalist. I think she's a remarkable woman!

Reading this made me feel immenseley stupid in the realm of foreign affairs. I don't think I'd given much thought to the country of Liberia prior to this! Once it was an affluent, up & going society and after the coup, it reverted into a 3rd world country! How so many people survived, and are still living in this manner, with no electricty, no phone lines, etc. is shocking. What then  struck me is how fragile our country is as well. It could be said that we have a false sense of security too. In the end, Philip had stayed behind, saying that despite what had happened,  Liberia was his home. That is some serious allegiance! I was touched at how he had endured a church service in the same congregation with the men who murdered his father, and then been able to let go of the anger & hatred. I would have liked to learn a little more about him. 

While at first it seemed strange that Helene's parents went and adopted 11 year old Eunice from a poor family, I was pleasantly suprised that Eunice really was treated like their own daughter. I think that says a lot about Helene's parents. I loved that although Eunice was shy and stuttered when she spoke, that she was still spunky and courageous. Where did she get her inner strength from? She was the one always comforting Marlene, reassuring Helene, protecting them when she wasn't even that much older than they were. There wasn't very much detail about her life after the Coopers moved to the U.S. I was shocked when Eunice got pregnant in a relationship where the boyfriend took off immediately after. This didn't seem like her. I wonder if she was feeling "lost" during this time of her life, without the Coopers, dreams of college in the U.S. now unattainable, living in a poor shack with her biological mom again, and just longed for some love and security in a boyfriend. I was pretty heartbroken for her.  To sidestep away from Eunice for a minute...I was impressed by the lesson that this taught Helene, Marlene, and their father when he told his girls that they "could always come talk" to their parents. When Eunice reunites with Helene again, she seems to have carried no bitterness. I have to admire this amazing, humble, woman. 

Sugar Beach comment

I'm about 1/3  into this book (so no spoilers or anything here) and this observation keeps coming up so I wanted to post it now prior to our discussion. Hope this is ok! 

So this is pretty minor, but is anyone else having a tough time reconciling that Helene and her family are the wealthy, upper class, almost royalty in their country DUE TO THE WAY THEY TALK? Is it because we Americans are so conditioned to associating wealth and privilege with a proper use of the English language? 

This is not meant to be critical of the family in any way. It's just hard to wrap my head around this! In fact, I think this makes it fascinating because it pushes me beyond what I know. Happy reading!

Reading list

I posted a little list on the side - and I chose (hope no one minds) to list a book for March because I am DYING to discuss this book with women I know a bit better than random people on the internet. So, for March, I chose A Woman in Berlin - here's the blurb:

For eight weeks in 1945, as Berlin fell to the Russian army, a young woman kept a daily record of life in her apartment building and among its residents. Spare, unpredictable, minutely observed, and utterly free of self-pity (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland), the anonymous author depicts her fellow Berliners in all their humanity as well as their cravenness. And with bald honesty and brutal lyricism (Elle), she tells of the shameful indignities to which women in a conquered city are always subject. A Woman in Berlin is, to quote A. S. Byatt, essential, and a classic of war literature.

This is really a powerful book and deserves a good discussion. I would really appreciate some feedback on it! I promise to not dominate it either!