One member summed it up this way... forgive me for paraphrasing...A friend came to me and said he was reading a really great book...a few days later--he said...well I am not so sure it is so great and a few days later... he came back to say that he now felt that it was a great book.
I give that anecdote because...
Book Group discussion was predominantly about whether or not A Visit From the Goon Squad was a collection of some great and some not so great short stories or a series of creative pieces that built to a connected exploration of the devastating and inexorable passage of time.
I would say that the majority agreed with the latter...the different narrating styles, the power point chapter, the non-chronological story telling may have been disconcerting at first. But they all built to a moving exploration of the terrible toll of time--the squad of goons or thugs who both steal our youth and defile the very music that reflects our youthful passions.
Sounds grim...but the book is filled with darkly funny situations and insights...kleptomania, public relations and a brutal dictator are explored--honestly it is humorous.
Even the members who felt this was not successful as a novel enjoyed some of the chapters. A favorite: The Safari Chapter. One big knock: The writer does not show how characters like Sasha the kleptomaniac evolved--instead she reappears reformed.
BTW: You can't enlarge graphics on the Kindle...just the print making the PowerPoint chapter hard to read. And if you listened to the book on tape...you heard the clicking sound of a PowerPoint advancing frame by frame. Audio vs. visual!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Brooklyn: A Novel--Comments
The blogger admits to having read the book and deciding not to recommend it to the Book Group. Why? She was sure it wasn't a great discussion book. How wrong! Wednesday's discussion was rich and focused on the book. Although most members felt Toibin's book had serious flaws, there was enough in the novel to move readers and provoke some deep thinking and awaken some poignant memories....about family, Brooklyn of the '50s, first loves, mentors, rifts between generations.
Let's get the flaws over with first: The main character seems out of character with her times--the 50's--, culture--Irish Catholic, and youth when she had guilt-free sex. An odd coincidence that moves the plot seem implausible. Some of the characters are one-dimensional.
What was strong about the novel? The author creates a portrait of an impoverished, simple, strong, and loving Irish family faced with a diaspora...its children must emigrate to survive. The relationships among the members are simple and true. Their sacrifices touching. Their bonds feel right to the reader. And the things left unsaid--as in real life--well up in the readers' throat. Other characters add humor and a sense of time and place to the novel.
I accidentally deleted one member's question. If she resends it, we can try to answer it.
Let's get the flaws over with first: The main character seems out of character with her times--the 50's--, culture--Irish Catholic, and youth when she had guilt-free sex. An odd coincidence that moves the plot seem implausible. Some of the characters are one-dimensional.
What was strong about the novel? The author creates a portrait of an impoverished, simple, strong, and loving Irish family faced with a diaspora...its children must emigrate to survive. The relationships among the members are simple and true. Their sacrifices touching. Their bonds feel right to the reader. And the things left unsaid--as in real life--well up in the readers' throat. Other characters add humor and a sense of time and place to the novel.
I accidentally deleted one member's question. If she resends it, we can try to answer it.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Girls Like Us Review
One Sixth Street Book Group rule was broken for this book: GIRLS LIKE US is not available in paperback but we read it anyway. (Paperbacks are more affordable...and thus the rule.) Despite the potential expense, back in September, at least 7 members voted yes to reading it. Or did we not know that it was only in hardcover? And it seems that the majority of attendees were gripped by this nonfiction account of commercially sexually exploited girls in the United States. So, I guess, we can conclude that traditions...even foundational (spell check hates this word...is it looking for fundamental?) ones... can be broken every once in a while, without undermining the book group structure. But we should avoid breaking it in the future. (Consider this, however, we can assume much of the profits of the book go back into supporting the author's work with girls as young as 11.)
Also different... we had a guest...someone on the Board of Directors of GEMS...who is deeply involved in the author's work with sexually exploited girls. Book group members mostly listened and asked questions of our guest who helped create an even more compelling vision of Rachel Lloyd and her accomplishments. There was a chance for members' comments about the book and they include these: Well written. Good structure. Moving stories. Why just snapshots of the girls? We would like to know how their stories ended. (Guest speaker paraphrased: Rachel wants to show that the girls' stories are on-going...and that they do not neatly resolve.) One member was leaving for Europe, but loved the book so much she was compelled to come to the meeting. Another dropped everything she was reading to focus on this book. Some members identified with the girls' vulnerabilities. Other members commented on how there are touches of the author's humor and spirituality throughout the book.
The film: Very Young Girls, based on Rachel Lloyd's work, may be shown at a members' home in mid-November.
Hear an Interview between Rachel Lloyd and Diane Rehm
Also different... we had a guest...someone on the Board of Directors of GEMS...who is deeply involved in the author's work with sexually exploited girls. Book group members mostly listened and asked questions of our guest who helped create an even more compelling vision of Rachel Lloyd and her accomplishments. There was a chance for members' comments about the book and they include these: Well written. Good structure. Moving stories. Why just snapshots of the girls? We would like to know how their stories ended. (Guest speaker paraphrased: Rachel wants to show that the girls' stories are on-going...and that they do not neatly resolve.) One member was leaving for Europe, but loved the book so much she was compelled to come to the meeting. Another dropped everything she was reading to focus on this book. Some members identified with the girls' vulnerabilities. Other members commented on how there are touches of the author's humor and spirituality throughout the book.
The film: Very Young Girls, based on Rachel Lloyd's work, may be shown at a members' home in mid-November.
Hear an Interview between Rachel Lloyd and Diane Rehm
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Book Group Selections for 2011 to 2012
Girls Like Us
Author: Rachel Lloyd
October 26, 2011
Brooklyn
Author: Colm Toibin
November 30, 2011
A Visit From the Goon Squad
Author: Jennifer Egan
December 14, 2011
Fever
Author: Wallace Shawn
January 25, 2012
Best American Short Stories of The Century
Editor: John Updike
Sponsor will 10 stories.
February 29, 2012 Happy Leap Year
Birds Without Wings
Author: Louis de Bernieres
March 28, 2012
Austerlitz
Author: W.G. Sebald
April 25, 2012
Giving up the Ghost
Author: Hilary Mantel
May 23, 2012
Townie
Author: Andre Dubus III
June 20, 2012
and
"Father" by Andre Dubus
Author: Rachel Lloyd
October 26, 2011
Brooklyn
Author: Colm Toibin
November 30, 2011
A Visit From the Goon Squad
Author: Jennifer Egan
December 14, 2011
Fever
Author: Wallace Shawn
January 25, 2012
Best American Short Stories of The Century
Editor: John Updike
Sponsor will 10 stories.
February 29, 2012 Happy Leap Year
Birds Without Wings
Author: Louis de Bernieres
March 28, 2012
Austerlitz
Author: W.G. Sebald
April 25, 2012
Giving up the Ghost
Author: Hilary Mantel
May 23, 2012
Townie
Author: Andre Dubus III
June 20, 2012
and
"Father" by Andre Dubus
Sunday, September 25, 2011
New Rule
Nine new titles have been selected and will be posted shortly.
In addition, proposed titles that did not get selected will be posted as well.
There were so many books recommended that a new rule has been put in effect.
At the September meeting, each member can only propose one book. (Members should bring a back-up in the unlikely event that all members propose the same book.)
In addition, proposed titles that did not get selected will be posted as well.
There were so many books recommended that a new rule has been put in effect.
At the September meeting, each member can only propose one book. (Members should bring a back-up in the unlikely event that all members propose the same book.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)