Reservation Blues

We had a shorthanded group at Tim's to discuss Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie. Terry, Cindy and Lexi couldn't make it.

    All present liked the book. Some of the discussion was trying to figure out the references to Armstrong, Sheridan and Wright and what the supernatural

appearances of Big Mom, Robert Johnson, the Gentleman and the magic guitar were supposed to mean. The interactions of the characters with the white world

were described in real time but also in dreams. Why did the guitar refuse to perform at the New York City recording studio? We were uncertain.

    Ed couldn't get into the mystical angle at all and saw the book as a poignant depiction of real life on an Indian reservation. All felt the characters and their

relationships were well developed. They had  been abused as children in one way or another and this was reflected in their adult lives. We were all floored

by Junior's suicide and were sympathetic even toward the flawed Victor and Junior. Mindy pointed out that in the end the only answer to the hopelessness

of the reservation was to leave it.

    An interesting angle picked up by several of us was the seemingly autobiographical aspect of the book. Alexie grew up on the Spokane Reservation playing

basketball and with an alcoholic father, managing like Thomas, Chess and Checkers to escape into the white world. Someone also pointed out that the wordsto blues songs at the beginning of each chapter were co-written by Alexie. A very rich book. 

Next meeting

is January 4 at Chrysanne's. Book is Commonwealth by Ann Patchett.

Thanks,    Ed!

October Everybody's Fool

October found us reading Everybody's fool, a sequel to Nobody's Fool. We we were surprised to find that we had not read the previous book together as a group.  Most of us found the novel completely delightful: funny, engaging and poignant.  Everyone loved Sully, of course.  And Doug Raymer, who was a minor character in Nobody's Fool shared the lime light with Sully.  All of the doom and gloom, death and deception revolve around Doug Raymer.  We almost lose Sully, but he survives and hold out hope for a trilogy.   

After reviewing the different novels we have read over the years as we are wont to do:

1994- Risk Pool; 2001 Empire Falls; and 2008 Bridge of Sighs; one person pointed out that there might have been a bit of a departure in this novel where evil is described and acknowledged.  Whereas in past novels, evil has occurred a bit as a blunder from ignorance or accident. It was fun laughing about all of the characters and eating Lexi's great food.

Next month we meet at Tim's on November 28th for Reservation Blues by  Sherman Alexie.  

The Sympathizer

In July and August, we read the Pulitzer Prize Winning, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.  This book was unusual in that it focused on the Vietnamese perspectives on the Vietnam War rather than the American or French version of the story.    He begins with a quote we talked about in our book group: I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.  Perhaps not surprisingly, I am also a man of two minds.  I am not some misunderstood mutant from a comic book or a horror movie, although some have treated me as such.  I am simply able to see any issue from both sides.  The narrator introduces us to both sides of the issue of the end of the Vietnam War and the ensuing messiness of the end of a war, particularly for the main character who is a spy and has some entangled, dual and complicated relationships.  

We discussed how difficult some of the novel was to read, making some of us uncomfortable about our not knowing about the pain endured by others during the Vietnam conflict.  It was a good discussion covering our own connections with the war.  There were uncomfortable parts involving torture and death which were hard to read and we wondered a bit about the purpose, but supposed it was to bring the narrator to write his 'confession.'  His conclusion about being guilty of 'doing nothing.'  was very powerful.   While it was a difficult book to read, we were all glad to have had the experience together.  

For October, we decided upon Everybody's Fool by Richard Russo.  We planned to meet at Mindy's, hosted by Lexi at 6:45 on October 18th.

A Man Called Ove

June is Peony season at Ed and Louise's house.  We started off a warm and beautiful evening with a tour of Louise and Ed's gardens.  We brought our clippers and buckets and picked huge bursting blossoms to bring home with us.  Thank you, Ed and Louise!  Peony Night is a great tradition.  

We read A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman which we discussed over a Swedish fare of salmon and potatoes (also thanks to Louise).  While I did caution that this may not be a 'bookclub book,'  I was reminded that it probably did not fit the norm, however, it was enjoyed by most.  I am not sure the discussion was all that lively, but we did focus on an interesting question which was whether Ove's love for his wife and her involvement in his life prevented him from developing a wider community.  

Next month we are meeting at Cindy's house on August 15th at 6:45.  We are reading The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Fish Can Sing

In May, we read The Fish Can Sing by Halldór Laxness.  Terrance suggested this Nobel Prize winning author to Chrysanne, who suggested the title to our group.  We had never read anything that we could remember from an Icelandic author.  Reviews were mixed and we had a great discussion.  The Fish Can Sing is a novel of vignettes, which focus on  young Alfgrimur, who is fostered by two older people who he refers to as grandfather and grandmother.  We see their village through his eyes as he learns the Icelandic customs, music, tales and literature.  He meets a diversity of people who come to stay in his house and we meet them through his experience.  There was a good discussion about the juxtaposition of small village life with a more worldly life as depicted by the novel.  I would say that some loved the book, while others appreciated the book.  Definitely a good discussion.  

Next Book Club meeting is at Ed's in time for peony season on June 12, 2016.  We are reading Cindy's choice, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

Norwegian by Night

We chose a novel that everyone liked and one that inspired a great discussion!  We discussed love, parenting and friendhip.  We talked about duty and service.  We discussed aging and death.  We learned about four wars and their impact.  We talked about losing a son and grieving.  And we learned about the 613 commandments and about the Jewish symbolism imbedded in the novel from Mindy and Alan. Such a great book!  Thank you, Mindy!

Next book is The Fish Can Sing by  Halldor Laxness. We are meeting at Chrsanne's at 6:45 on May 9th.

Digging to America

Do children in China ever think about digging 
to America?  This is the question from Digging to America that gives one pause.  I couldn't actually find out the origin of this game except that some wonder if it had to do with teaching children whilst digging in the sandbox that the world was round.  There was no mention of the earth's molten core, but perhaps that came later at a more appropriate developmental stage of play.   

This was all before we could use technology to figure out that if you tried to dig to China from the the United States, you would end up in the Indian Ocean.  So I am not sure you could dig to America unless you were underwater.  How does all this relate to our discussion about Digging in America, you might ask.  It really doesn't.  I just never know how to write these blog posts when one person really likes the book and the rest don't really favor the read.  Mindy liked the novel by Tyler because it was about belonging and not belonging and feeling like you belong when maybe you don't belong and then you think you do, but then you don't.  

The parenting themes hit home for me, with many too many people offering me advice as a single parent about how to best raise my daughter at a time when I wasn't really sure about how my choices and decisions day to day would impact my child's future.  And then there were the themes of boundaries between family and public-what to share, what not to share and all its connections with our greater cultural history.  As usual, we had a great discussion and I was left thinking about how maybe it shouldn't feel so comfortable if there isn't unanimity amongst our opinions about whether we liked a book or not because what is important about reading is finding an experience or a character or a situation that we can relate to that matches our experiences, our thoughts, our truths and leads our ever evolving selves to some place new or reaffirms just where we are.   


Next book is Norwegian by Night which was suggested by Mindy to me for private reading and I prevailed upon the group to read it even though Mindy is concerned that it will not be the most discussable book.  I am counting on everyone to make some connections.  So far I am enjoying it and am making lots of connections for discussions.  We are meeting at Mindy's on March 28th.  See you then.   7PM.

The Spectator Bird

For the new year, we read the Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner.  Terry recommended this book.  He loved it, as did Mindy and Chrysanne.  Ed did as well.  Ed communicated by distance, unable to find our new venue (missed you, Ed).  Lexi, Cindy and Alan were not as in love and not as able to embrace the topic.  For me, I know I am reluctant to start to think about the last third of my life.  I am still hanging on to the second third!

We all agreed that the writing was amazing.  Mindy was great about marking the amazing sentences crafted by Stegner to capture and describe a truths about life.  I think that what we have learned as a group is that the books that connect with what we are doing or thinking about in our lives are the most relevant to us.  And the best discussions are where we talk about those connections.  Terry's description of the kinds of journals he kept throughout his life and his feelings after calling 1-800 Junk to clean out his attic was moving.  We had a great discussion about love and partnership and the twists and turns over a long life time.  The discussion was fueled by Alan's amazing Shepherd's Pie and topped off with Lexi's sweet treats.

Next Month, we are reading Anne Tyler's Digging to America.  We are meeting at Terry's on February 8th at 7 PM.  We also scheduled March for the 28th at Mindy's.  See you next month!