{reading if you don't get to the book}

{This book is wonderful} per Kristin! But if you dont have time to get to starting or finishing this fabulous book! Please go to one of these three sites to get a little knowledge on what the book is about so we can all talk about it! 


http://www.litlovers.com/guide_sarahs_key.html

http://lisamm.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/book-review-sarahs-key-by-tatiana-de-rosnay/

http://lisamm.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/book-club-q-a-with-tatiana-de-rosnay-author-of-sarahs-key/

Jill's Pick {Sarah's Key}

Month six brings us to Jill's Pick! We have made it through one round of wonderful book selections...And this book looks like it is going to be another fabulous read! Can't wait to get started! 


In the summer of 1942, the French police arrested thousands of Jewish families and held them outside of Paris before shipping them off to Auschwitz. On the 60th anniversary of the roundups, an expatriate American journalist covering the atrocities discovers a personal connection—her apartment was formerly occupied by one such family. She resolves to find out what happened to Sarah, the 10-year-old daughter, who was the only family member to survive. The story is heart-wrenching, and Polly Stone gives an excellent performance, keeping a low-key tone through descriptions of horror that would elicit excessive dramatics from a less talented performer. Her characters are easy to differentiate, and her French accent is convincing. 


De Rosnay's novel is captivating, and the powerful narration gives it even greater impact. A St. Martin's hardcover. (June)






{when & where} Cinetopia~Saturday, August 14th, Time TBD....

Madalyn's Pick {A Separate Peace}

We are on Month 5! Can you believe it! I swear I use to roll my eyes when adults proclaimed that time flies by...when I was little time seemed to drag on and on...Now I guess I am a real life adult b/c life just zooms by without me even aware of it! 


Maddy has picked a classic for us this month and I can't wait to jump right in! I love reading books that people have been loving for decades...It brings me right back to high school AP Lit.! A whole year of nothing but reading and sitting in a circle talking about it...It was the perfect class...It was a book club I got a grade in! An A might I add! 


Gr 9 Up-The volatile world of male adolescence provides the backdrop for John Knowles' engrossing tale of love, hate, war, and peace. Sharing a room at Devon, an exclusive New England prep school, in the summer prior to World War II, Gene and Phineas form a complex bond of friendship that draws out both the best and worst characteristics of each boy and leads ultimately to violence, a confession, and the betrayal of trust. Narrator Scott Snively's ability to switch seamlessly from the perspective of a teenager tormented by feelings he doesn't want to understand to the reflective musing of a man looking back at the formative experience of his youth provide both the story and the setting with an immediacy that quickly engages listeners. Not only does Snively give a distinctive voice to each of the main characters, he also delineates the mannerisms and personalities of the other boys and the teachers surrounding them. Intense, mesmerizing, and compelling, this rendition of a classic coming-of-age tale belongs in all public library collections, and will be especially helpful to high school students as an accompaniment to the written text.-Cindy Lombardo, Orrville Public Library, OH Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.


{when & where} Madalyn's Living Room~Saturday, July 10th~2:00pm

{discussion questions}

1. Rhoda’s parents are deeply religious. What are some of the more notable ways their faith manifests itself? What qualities do they possess that you admire? Were you surprised by anything you learned about the Mennonite community?


2. The lover named Bob pops up with an almost incantatory persistence, like a refrain. Do you think it would be harder to be left for a man or a woman? Given that Rhoda returns to the lover’s gender again and again, what do you think Rhoda would say?


3. Consider the marriages portrayed in this book. Rhoda and Nick remain together fifteen years; Mary and Si, more than forty-four years; Hannah and Phil, eleven years. Does the book make any tacit suggestions about what makes a good marriage? Do you know of any marriages that make you say, “I want what they have”?


4. Consider Rhoda’s family gatherings on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Would you describe this as a functional or a dysfunctional family dynamic? Rhoda and her siblings are very different from one another – do they get along better than you would expect, or not?


5. Rhoda does not explicitly state that her parents opposed her marriage to an intellectual atheist, but we may infer that with their deeply held religious convictions, they grieved for Rhoda’s future. Do you think that Rhoda’s parents would have opened their home to Nick, if he had wished to become a part of the family? What should loving parents do when their child chooses unwisely?


6. Rhoda announces early on in the memoir that her husband left her for a man he met on Gay.com; however, as the book progresses, she slowly reveals that her marriage had been troubled for some time, and that she knew Nick was bisexual before they were married. Does this revelation change your perspective? Can we sympathize with a woman who knowingly entered into a marriage with a bisexual man? Do you think Rhoda’s piecemeal revelations mimic the way in which Rhoda comes to terms with the end of her marriage? Why do you think the book is structured this way?


7. To what extent is this a memoir about growing up? Rhoda humorously relates her embarrassment at having to eat “shame-based foods” at school as a child – but admits that as an adult, she enjoys them. Similarly, she looks back fondly on other experiences that were likely not very pleasant at the time – setting off a yard bomb inside the van she was sleeping in on a camping trip, for one. Are there other examples you can think of? Do you think this kind of nostalgia – a willingness to appreciate and poke fun at bad memories – is something that’s indicative of maturity, of adulthood?
Or is it a dodge, a way to avoid facing unpleasant truths?


8. The Mennonites disapprove of dancing and drinking alcohol. Rhoda says that while growing up, radios, eight-track tapes, unsupervised television, Lite-Brites, and Barbies – among other things – were all forbidden. Does her family gain anything positive by limiting “wordly” influences? Did Rhoda and her siblings lose anything in being so sheltered? What “wordly” influences would you try to protect your children from today?


9. Some Mennonites disapprove of higher education. Do you think that a career in academia necessarily precludes one from faith? How does Rhoda reconcile the two?


10. Rhoda’s mother is, as Rhoda puts it, “as buoyant as a lark on a summer’s morn.” Rhoda claims to be not as upbeat as her mother, but do you think that in some ways, she is? Given the seriousness of some of the issues explored in the memoir, did the humorous voice surprise you?


11. Rhoda freely discusses the problems in her marriage, and how poorly her husband sometimes treated her. Looking back on it, however, she thinks that she probably still would have married him regardless. She asks, “Is it ever really a waste of time to love someone, truly and deeply, with everything you have?” What do you think?


12. Does the memoir signal Rhoda’s forgiveness of Nick? Or does the writing of it suggest that in some ways she is still hanging on to her hurt? Forgiveness isn’t often explicitly taught. Some religious institutions fall short in this area, stressing that we should forgive rather than telling us how to forgive. How did you learn to forgive? How can we teach forgiveness to our children?


13. Rhoda and Hannah make a list of men they would refuse to date – it includes, but is not limited to: men named Dwayne or Bruce; men who have the high strange laugh of a distant loon; men who bring index cards with prewritten conversation starters on a first date. What qualities might you assiduously avoid in a romantic partner?


14. Rhoda’s mother tells her, “When you’re young, faith is often a matter of rules…but as you get older, you realize that faith is really a matter of relationship – with God, with the people around you, with members of your community.” Is Rhoda’s own relationship with faith an example of this, in a way?


15. Toward the end of the book, Rhoda remarks that she “suddenly felt destiny as a mighty and perplexing force, an inexorable current that sweeps us off into new channels.” Do you believe in destiny? Can you really ever escape your roots or change your beliefs?

Holly's Pick {Mennonite in a Little Black Dress}

Month four brings us Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, in which I went out last Saturday and promptly started! So far...Wonderful! Here is a brief description:


At first, the worst week of Janzen's life—she gets into a debilitating car wreck right after her husband leaves her for a guy he met on the Internet and saddles her with a mortgage she can't afford—seems to come out of nowhere, but the disaster's long buildup becomes clearer as she opens herself up. Her 15-year relationship with Nick had always been punctuated by manic outbursts and verbally abusive behavior, so recognizing her co-dependent role in their marriage becomes an important part of Janzen's recovery (even as she tweaks the 12 steps just a bit). The healing is further assisted by her decision to move back in with her Mennonite parents, prompting her to look at her childhood religion with fresh, twinkling eyes. (She provides an appendix for those unfamiliar with Mennonite culture, as well as a list of “shame-based foods” from hot potato salad to borscht.) Janzen is always ready to gently turn the humor back on herself, though, and women will immediately warm to the self-deprecating honesty with which she describes the efforts of friends and family to help her re-establish her emotional well-being. 


This month Kristin came up with a Brilliant idea. We will get together by the fire at cinetopia...or outside...depending on the weather for some wine and book/girl talk and then head into the theater to see the Beloved Sex and the City 2...Yeah! So.....


{when & where} Cinetopia ~ Saturday, May 29th ~ Lunch and Drinks@11:30am... Movie@1:00pm

{discussion questions}

1. The novel's setting and strong sense of place seem to echo its mood and themes. What role does the wintry Wisconsin landscape play? And the very different, opulent setting of St. Louis?

2. Ralph and Catherine's story frequently pauses to give brief, often horrific glimpses into the lives of others. Ralph remarks on the violence that surrounds them in Wisconsin, saying, "They hate their lives. They start to hate each other. They lose their minds, wanting things they can't have" (page 205). How do these vignettes of madness and violence contribute to the novel's themes?

3. Catherine imagines herself as an actress playing a series of roles, the one of Ralph's wife being the starring role of a lifetime. Where in the novel might you see a glimpse of the real Catherine Land? Do you feel that you ever get to know this woman, or is she always hidden behind a facade?

4. The encounter between Catherine and her sister, Alice, is one of the pivotal moments of the novel. How do you view these two women after reading the story of their origins? Why do the two sisters wind up on such different paths? Why does Catherine ultimately lose hope in Alice's redemption?

5. The idea of escape runs throughout the novel. Ralph thinks, "Some things you escape...You don't escape the things, mostly bad, that just happen to you" (pages 5-6). What circumstances trap characters permanently? How do  characters attempt to escape their circumstances? When, if ever, do they succeed? How does the bird imagery that runs through the book relate to the idea of imprisonment and escape?

6. "You can live with hopelessness for only so long before you are, in fact, hopeless," reflects Ralph (page 8). Which characters here are truly hopeless? Alice? Antonio? Ralph himself? Do you see any glimmers of hope in the story?

7. Why, in your opinion, does Ralph allow himself to be gradually poisoned, even after he's aware of what's happening to him? What does this decision say about his character?

8. Why does Catherine become obsessed with nurturing and reviving the "secret garden" of Ralph's mansion? What insights does this preoccupation reveal about Catherine's character?

9. Does Catherine live up in any way to the advertisement Ralph places in the newspaper (page 20)? Why or why not?

10. Did you have sympathy for any of the characters? Did this change as time went on?

11. At the onset of A Reliable Wife the characters are not good people. They have done bad things and have lived thoughtlessly. In the end how do they find hope?

12. The author directly or indirectly references several classic novels--by the Bronte sisters, Daphne du Maurier, and Frances Hodgson Burnett, among others. How does A Reliable Wife play with the conventions of these classic Gothic novels? Does the book seem more shocking or provocative as a result? 

Hayley's Pick {A Reliable Wife}

Month Three! Our second get to together was wonderful! The cake was fabulous Kristin! And such a good idea to print out the discussion questions! This book was a very interesting one to correlate to our own lives! Now, we are on month three and its Hayley's Pick:


He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for "a reliable wife." She responded, saying that she was "a simple, honest woman." She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved.

What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love.

Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with color and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder. 




{when & where}Hayley's living room~Saturday, April 24th~2:00pm

{discussion questions}

Here are some discussion questions to think about...If you have finished the book already like Hayley...Goodness you were quick! hehe! May Contain Spoilers!

1. LOOK AGAIN really examines the notion of parenthood. What do you think makes someone a parent? Do you think the bond a child has with a non-biological parent can be as strong as one they would have with a biological parent? Why?

2. Lisa's favorite quote is one from Eleanor Roosevelt, "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she's in hot water." How does Ellen prove that she is a strong woman? Does Ellen remind you of anyone you know? Could you relate to Ellen, and did you like her? Why or why not?

3. As a journalist, Ellen has a heightened need to find the truth. In this circumstance, was this a good thing, or a bad thing? What would you have done in Ellen's place? Would you have looked for the truth, even if it meant losing your son? What do you think were Ellen's motivations?

4. The idea of "letting go" a child helped shape the whole premise of the book for Lisa, which led her to thinking about who really "owns" a child. Who do you think "owns" a child, and what exactly does that mean? If children actually "own" themselves, what then is the role of parents, and what are the limitations on parenthood?

5. If the child you raised and loved with all your heart actually belonged to someone else, and you were the only one who knew, would you give the child up? How do you think those around you would react? Who in your life would agree with your decision, and who would have done the opposite?

6. How would you describe Ellen's relationship with her father and how do you think it changed over the course of the book? Ellen considered her mother her go to parent. Do you think everyone has a go to parent, and what defines them as such?

7. What effect do you think all the drama in Will's life will have on him in the future? Do you think things ultimately worked out to his benefit or detriment and why?

8. How do you feel about single parents adopting children? What kind of, if any, additional requirements do you think should be put on single parents before they can adopt? How do you feel about open adoption? Is it better or worse for children? Is it better or worse for the adoptive parents? The biological parents? At what age do you think a child should be told they are adopted?

Kristin's Pick {Look Again}

Here we are on our second month!...I just want to thank everyone for the amazing time we had at our very first book club event! The spiked tea, cookies, and wonderful conversation was very refreshing! We are all so lucky to have all found each other! 


Kristin picked our second book and it looks like something very interesting and engrossing! Lisa Scottoline's newest novel "Look Again" is about.....

When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a “Have You Seen This Child?” flyer in the mail, she almost throws it away. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops—the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Her every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she’s a journalist and won’t be able to stop thinking about the photo until she figures out the truth. And she can’t shake the question: if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks losing her own life—and that of the son she loves.

Lisa Scottoline breaks new ground in Look Again, a thriller that’s both heart-stopping and heart-breaking, and sure to have new fans and book clubs buzzing.

{when & where}Kristin's living room~Saturday, March 27th~2:00pm

Concluding {A Thousand Splendid Suns}

This book was both hard to read and hard to put down...We all got a new perspective on what has happened in the middle east...I do not think we, as Americans put much thought into the real people who have lived through and are still living through such a horrendous environment. It also really made me think about how lucky we really are...living our entire lives in a world that believes in us as women...I know that it hasn't been forever that we have been able to be so independent...but it absolutely has never been as horrible as the life Mariam and Laila had to endure! 

This story was a story of compassion between women...A story of resilience...During my undergraduate days I took a child psych course on development in which we spent some time discussing several books we read on child resiliency...There were many debates on what causes one child to endure so much and then have the ability to overcome it and be a successful adult and then another child to completely fail later on in life...There is this notion that children are resilient and given certain circumstances can prosper in the face of adversity...This story not only shows the resiliency of Laila's children, but that of herself and Tariq. There is something in all of us that can outshine all the evil in the world and gives us the ability to rise up and go on...


This book crippled me with tears and then gave me an inner strength that feels so beautiful.

{suggestions...}

Now that we have read our first book, it is time to start thinking about what our second will be! Everyone find a book that you think will be perfect for our next book and bring a blurb about it. We will draw straws for who will pick our next book and host the next book club event! 


I will provide the drinks and snacks...Just bring your book {A thousand Splendid Suns}, your suggestion, and yourself!


Jill, Ava is more than welcome to join us ladies for the afternoon...I will make sure there is plenty of things to keep her happy! 


Can't wait to see what you all thought about Mariam Jo and Laila Jo's lives! 

Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains

And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies

Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes

But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust

My song exhalts her dazzling tulips

And at the beauty of her trees, I blush

How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I Bastaan!

May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise

For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven

From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection

Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye

Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs

And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers

Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair

Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs

Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats

And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara

And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures

{discussion questions}

I know our group is all about fun and the wonderful adventure of experiencing books together... And there never will be a script to our get togethers, but I thought I would post some discussion questions {posed by the author} to think about while you are reading!...Enjoy!...If you want to wait to read these...because I only read a few and some may CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!...wait to read after you are finished with the book!


AGAIN POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT!!!!
1. The phrase “a thousand splendid suns,” from the poem by Saib-e-Tabrizi, is quoted twice in the novel – once as Laila’s family prepares to leave Kabul, and again when she decides to return there from Pakistan. It is also echoed in one of the final lines: “Miriam is in Laila’s own heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.” Discuss the thematic significance of this phrase.

2. Mariam’s mother tells her: “Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have.” Discuss how this sentiment informs Mariam’s life and how it relates to the larger themes of the novel.

3. By the time Laila is rescued from the rubble of her home by Rasheed and Mariam, Mariam’s marriage has become a miserable existence of neglect and abuse. Yet when she realizes that Rasheed intends to marry Laila, she reacts with outrage. Given that Laila’s presence actually tempers Rasheed’s abuse, why is Mariam so hostile toward her?

4. Laila’s friendship with Mariam begins when she defends Mariam from a beating by Rasheed. Why does Laila take this action, despite the contempt Mariam has consistently shown her?

5. Growing up, Laila feels that her mother’s love is reserved for her two brothers. “People,” she decides, “shouldn’t be allowed to have new children if they’d already given away all their love to their old ones.” How does this sentiment inform Laila’s reaction to becoming pregnant with Rasheed’s child? What lessons from her childhood does Laila apply in raising her own children?

6. At several points in the story, Mariam and Laila pass themselves off as mother and daughter. What is the symbolic importance of this subterfuge? In what ways is Mariam’s and Laila’s relationship with each other informed by their relationships with their own mothers?

7. One of the Taliban judges at Mariam’s trial tells her, “God has made us different, you women and us men. Our brains are different. You are not able to think like we can. Western doctors and their science have proven this.” What is the irony in this statement? How is irony employed throughout the novel?

8. Laila’s father tells her, “You’re a very, very bright girl. Truly you are. You can be anything that you want.” Discuss Laila’s relationship with her father. What aspects of his character does she inherit? In what ways is she different?

9. Mariam refuses to see visitors while she is imprisoned, and she calls no witnesses at her trial. Why does she make these decisions?

10. The driver who takes Babi, Laila, and Tariq to the giant stone Buddhas above the Bamiyan Valley describes the crumbling fortress of Shahr-e-Zohak as “the story of our country, one invader after another… we’re like those walls up there. Battered, and nothing pretty to look at, but still standing.” Discuss the metaphorical import of this passage as it relates to Miriam and Laila. In what ways does their story reflect the larger story of Afghanistan’s troubled history?

11. Among other things, the Taliban forbid “writing books, watching films, and painting pictures.” Yet despite this edict, the film Titanic becomes a sensation on the black market. Why would people risk the Taliban’s violent reprisals for a taste of popcorn entertainment? What do the Taliban’s restrictions on such material say about the power of artistic expression and the threat it poses to repressive political regimes?

12. While the first three parts of the novel are written in the past tense, the final part is written in present tense. What do you think was the author’s intent in making this shift? How does it change the effect of this final section? 

Krystal's Pick {A Thousand Splendid Suns}

We begin our reading adventure with Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns."

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them.

Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment

 {when & where}Krystal's living room ~ Saturday, February 27th ~ 2:00pm