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.