Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

 

December's (wait... is it really December already?!) book club selection was Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, with Conversations with RBG by Jeffrey Rosen on deck for January. We continue to be enormously fortunate with book club meeting turnout~ please accept our continued thanks for carving out some time, in a quiet place in your homes, to meet and discuss each month's read safely. Some normalcy during these difficult times is o so welcomed!

To the book~

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned--from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren--an enigmatic artist and single mother--who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

This book was very well received by the group. Ng's writing style was complimented, along with a nod being made to her debut novel, Everything I Never Told You. It was said that the characters and the setting were believable and drafted well, while noting the book had a "Stepford Wives" kind of feel to it. 

We discussed several pivotal elements to the book that were tricky to definitively conclude. For example, by surrendering May Ling to the fire station, did Bebe by default surrender her parental rights? Should May Ling/Mirabelle have been returned to Bebe, or stay in the care of the McCulloughs? There were cases made for both outcomes. In addition, was Mia's ultimate decision to keep the surrogate baby she carried acceptable? And if so, did it warrant uprooting and relocating every few months to stay untraceable? Would it have made any difference in the familial tensions between the Richardsons and the Warrens if the truth about Lexie's abortion had been revealed? The answers to these questions and more weren't unanimous, and weren't shared with conviction from those who weighed in on them. Rather, this book, and it's subsequent discussion, was a solid case of being able to fully recognize the circumstances surrounding these different characters, and their plot twists, while empathizing with both sides. It made for really good conversation, as can so often happen with subject matter with no clear constricting black and white lines.

In closing, the Hulu television miniseries "Little Fires Everywhere", based on the current novel, was mentioned as great supplemental material and definitely worth a look! Who's up for a book club movie night when we can be together again? I'll bring the popcorn!

 

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
 3 stars

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

 

 

 

November's pick was Endurance by Alfred Lansing, with Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng on deck for December. It was a great turnout~ thank you to everyone who attended and made the conversation plentiful! 

Looking ahead, a suggestion was made, and widely welcomed, that for the next round/year of voting we reserve 4 or 5 of the twelve selected books to dedicated genre's of our choosing. For example, we may choose to nominate and then select a book from the Mystery, Contemporary, Memoir, MN Author, and Crime categories, while leaving the remaining 7 slots vacant for regular open nominations. After a round/year of trying out dedicated categories, we thought we'd reassess to see how we liked it. At that time, we can make any changes or scrap the idea altogether. In the meantime, please give the idea some thought, and be thinking of any requisite categories you'd like to see included (Young Adult was recommended during the meeting!) on the nomination ballot and either bring those suggestions, along with any questions you might have, to next month's meeting, or leave a comment down below! If you're feeling like this suggested idea isn't a good fit, let us know that too!

Without further ado~

In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica, where he planned to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. In January 1915, after battling its way through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, they attempted a near-impossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization. In Endurance, the definitive account of Ernest Shackleton's fateful trip, Alfred Lansing brilliantly narrates the harrowing and miraculous voyage that has defined heroism for the modern age. 

This book was liked and appreciated by the majority of the group. A small few found it hard to get into and stay invested in, others found it difficult to read about the vast amounts of cold, and wet, and wind, and suffering. It was said that all that cold, and wind, and wet seemed to become a character of it's own midway through the book, much like an earlier book club read, Into Thin Air, by John Krakauer. Unanimously, Ernest Shackleton was decided to be a tremendously admirable leader, even in and especially throughout, the most challenging times of the almost 2 year voyage. We tried to speculate about why there was so much competition to become one of the members of the crew, and why this trip was so important in the first place. Was it a lifelong aspiration of Shackleton's? Something each of them need to do to prove something? A genuine sense of adventure or curiosity? A simple desire to be the first ever to do it? Notoriety?

There were several comments about how incredible it was that not only everyone survived the expedition, but that they did so with very little supplies, training, and gear, and yet without much argument, complaint, and/or strife among the entire crew. It's interesting sometimes how if books such as these weren't undoubtedly nonfiction, based largely on actual journals, letters, and interviews with the original individuals themselves (and we really like it when they are based on these things), no one would believe the tale. "The truth is stranger than fiction."

 

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
 3.5 stars

Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners by Gretchen Anthony

October's read was Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, by Gretchen Anthony, with Endurance, by Alfred Lansing, up next for November. This month we were treated to Mrs. Anthony joining our Zoom discussion, and the entirety of the group found her to be a fantastic speaker and addition to the conversation. Thank you to Susan, for doing all the much needed behind the scenes work to make Mrs. Anthony's appearance happen! And thank you to everyone who joined in via Zoom, and continues to join in month after month, it's wonderful to still be able to hold book club meetings, despite these trying times.

 

Here we go~

Violet Baumgartner has opened her annual holiday letter the same way for the past three decades. And this year she's going to throw her husband, Ed, a truly perfect retirement party, one worthy of memorializing in her upcoming letter. But the event becomes a disaster when, in front of two hundred guests, Violet learns her daughter Cerise has been keeping a shocking secret from her, shattering Violet's carefully constructed world.

In an epic battle of wills, Violet goes to increasing lengths to wrest back control of her family, infuriating Cerise and snaring their family and friends in a very un-Midwestern, un-Baumgartner gyre of dramatics.

With varying degrees of intensity, the protagonist in this book was unanimously considered to be tough to take. A few members were completely puzzled and put off by Violets conduct and ultimately set the book aside a handful of chapters in, unable to bring themselves to finish. Most hung in there to the end of the read, still citing Violet as unpleasant, but hypothesizing that she seemed to need an exhaustive amount of control within both her life and the lives of those in her immediate circle, which drove her to be the challenging character that she was. It was mentioned that at the very end of the book, upon the discovery of some insightful clues, Violet showed some vulnerability that gave her a bit more of a real, multidimensional role, even endearing her to us in a small way. It was said that the cast of characters were relevant and believable, noting that everyone, to some degree or another, knows a Violet. And if you have a Violet, her best friend would have to be an Eldris. And she would have to be married to an Ed, and the two would most likely raise a Cerise... otherwise Violet wouldn't endure.

Mrs. Anthony took all of our conclusions, questions, and comments in stride, sharing that she's had an enormous amount of feedback about the book, Violet in particular, and understands she is a polarizing character. She added that if Violet were a real person, she'd like it that way! She recounted for us that Violet in particular had been a voice in her head for years before finally coming to the page in this novel, and although she considered  "toning her down" many times throughout writing the book, she ultimately decided against it, feeling a nudge of encouragement from her late father, and also a need to be true to who Violet had developed into in her mind... come what may. Mrs. Anthony talked at length about her personal writing process and all that it entails, which was enlightening, if not eye-opening, to learn about. I think we all agreed that being an author isn't at all an easy field of occupation, and came away from the meeting with a lot of common respect, esteem, and affection for Mrs. Anthony.

Food for thought: It was stated that characters are a major contributing factor of any book, and that if the characters aren't quite right and/or agreeable, the general overall like or dislike of the book as a whole suffers for it. One member disagreed, saying instead that one distasteful character couldn't possibly have enough sway to tank an entire books standing. What do you think? Comment down below!

 

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"NO"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"NO"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
 2 stars

The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates

 

September's book club selection was The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates. Unfortunately, the weather didn't end up cooperating, and we needed to meet via Zoom this month. Thankfully, our attendance (and discussions!) don't seem to suffer no matter the weather, or the venue. Now that we're moving into the colder weather months, I think we can confidently assume that our book club meetings will all be held via Zoom going forward~ if that changes we'll get the word out in a hurry!

Next up for October is Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, by Gretchen Anthony. Mrs. Anthony will be joining our Zoom discussion on October 13th~ please join in if you can, she's an excellent speaker! There are 9 copies of this title within the Viking system, one of them being a large print edition and another being an E-book. As always, we'll do our very best to get them out to each of you as quickly and efficiently as possible, but in an effort spread the available copies further, if you ever find that you get the chance to snag this, or any future reads, elsewhere, we encourage you to do so!

Speaking of October, now that the Viking Member Libraries, along with MN Link, are back on line, we've decided to forgo distributing both the current month's book club selection and the following month's read in tandem. Instead, we'll revert back to allocating just the current book~ while encouraging those who prefer to read ahead to continue if they'd like. 

Without further delay~

For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission. Her goal has been to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, invest in women. Convinced that all women should be free to decide whether and when to have children, Gates took her first step onto the global stage to make a stand for family planning. That step launched her into further efforts: to ensure women everywhere have access to every kind of job; to encourage men around the globe to share equally in the burdens of household work; to advocate for paid family leave for everyone; to eliminate gender bias in all its forms. 

This book tells of Gates' journey from a partner working behind the scenes to one of the world's foremost advocates for women, driven by the belief that no one should be excluded, all lives have equal value, and gender equity is the lever that lifts everything.

I think it's altogether accurate to say this book was widely enjoyed and praised by the vast majority of our attending members, with the exception of just two. Those in favor of the book liked Mrs. Gates' passionate, relentless work towards empowering, encouraging, and supporting women around the globe~ in whatever form and context that might mean. Several spoke to how they appreciated Mrs. Gates' time and attention to the issues plaguing those less fortunate, and how thoughtful they found her recourse and aid to those areas to be. Being of the Catholic faith, it was also mentioned how seamlessly she appears to balanced her faith right alongside her work with planned parenthood and contraceptives. On the other hand, it was also specifically pointed out that this was found to be a matter of dissatisfaction and reproach~ how could Mrs. Gates belong to both sets of beliefs? In addition, it was said there is an element of assistance missing from her repertoire, that her work felt somewhat more like a bandaid, rather than a solution to the root cause(s). For example, why was there very little mention, if any, of working within these impoverished communities to cultivate jobs, education, faith, and family unity where the very lack of these things was cited as being directly related to the cause of the demise of the populace? 

It made for an interesting conversation for sure~ let us know your thoughts below!    

 

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
  3.5 stars

October's Book Club Selection Details & More!

We sure didn't have to wait long~ I just heard from Susan that October's book club selection will be Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, by Gretchen Anthony. In addition, Mrs. Anthony has graciously agreed to join us for October's book club meeting and discussion via Zoom! She is simply superb~ you won't want to miss it! Thank you Susan for all the time and effort that went into making this happen! More details to come~

In other news, Susan has reserved the shelter at Paul Miller Park for our September meeting, and unless the weather turns between then and now, that's where we're planning to meet next month to discuss Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates. There are several picnic tables available beneath the shelter, but it might also be a good idea to plan to bring a chair, just in case we should choose to sit outside of the shelter or if extra seating is needed.

See you all very soon~ happy reading!

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

 

On the docket for August was This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger. This month we met in a shady spot under the trees at Krauss Park to discuss the book, and the turnout was fantastic~ so nice to see all of you! For next month, we may plan to again reserve the shelter at Paul Miller Park (it's nice to have a roof over our heads, just in case Minnesota has any last minute idea's about weather conditions), or we may find ourselves back at Krauss Park, or even together again via a Zoom meeting~ we'll check on availability and keep an eye on the weather, but when we know, you'll know! 

Up next for September is The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates with October's read to be determined. Susan is touching base with two local authors to determine who among them is available to join us for the meeting and chime in on the discussion. Once it's been decided, I'll add a posting to this blog to give everyone as much of a heads up as possible~ please check back often! Once October's book has been decided, we'll be collecting copies and getting them out to our members right alongside "Moment of Lift"~ feel free to accept or decline them as they become available. 

Back to This Tender Land~ 

1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

This book was met with a good mix of reviews. There were a small few that really didn't care for the book, and another small few that really loved the book, with the majority falling somewhere in between. Those who felt strongly that this read missed the mark cited a good deal of long, run-on sentences, with a smattering of unbelievable characters and plot lines. Those smitten with the book stated they hardly noticed the run-on sentences, and reminded the group to consider the time and place the novel was set in. It was said several times, and almost unanimously agreed upon, that this wasn't received as a deep, powerful, literary piece of literature, rather, it's more of a cozy, enjoyable read meant more for leisurely entertainment. Krueger's other works were also mentioned, most notably his novel Ordinary Grace. Interestingly, the majority of the attendees had also read Ordinary Grace (his only other stand alone novel apart from the Cork O'Connor series) and while the story line is very different from This Tender Land, the reviews of both titles were largely the same~ it seems, you are either a fan of his work, or his writing just isn't your cup of tea. Of which opinion are you? Let us know below!

A parting thought: It was said in closing that last month's book, A Woman of No Importance, was a book of many, consecutive events and circumstances that could easily be considered coincidental and unbelievable at times. However, with the book being nonfiction and based largely on Ms. Hall's correspondence, and the correspondence of her peers, there were no coincidences after all. "If A Woman of No Importance was a novel, no one would think it was believable either." Truly, an excellent point worth reflecting on.

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
  3 stars

A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

July's reading selection was A Woman of No Importance, by Sonia Purnell. Following a suggestion to host this month's book club meeting outdoors, Susan reserved the picnic shelter at Paul Miller Park (thank you Susan!) just outside of town, and the people came! O, what a joy it was to see so many warm, familiar faces! In fact, it went so well that we have decided to do it again for August's book club meeting on the eleventh~ we hope to see you there!

Speaking of August, the book pick for that month is This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, with Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates to follow in September. As previously mentioned, we will continue to try to get both the current book club selection and the following month's read out to our members in tandem in an effort to cover as many bases as possible. Please continue to feel free to accept or decline as the books become available according to your preferences.

Without further delay~  

In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." This spy was Virginia Hall, a young American woman--rejected from the foreign service because of her gender and her prosthetic leg--who talked her way into the spy organization deemed Churchill's "ministry of ungentlemanly warfare," and, before the United States had even entered the war, became the first woman to deploy to occupied France. At a time when sending female secret agents into enemy territory was still strictly forbidden, Virginia Hall came to be known as the "Madonna of the Resistance," coordinating a network of spies to blow up bridges, report on German troop movements, arrange equipment drops for Resistance agents, and recruit and train guerilla fighters. Even as her face covered WANTED posters throughout Europe, she refused order after order to evacuate. Virginia Hall was one of the greatest spies in American history, yet her story remains untold... until now.

Here again, we found our group of book club members almost exactly divided straight down the middle regarding this read. About half of us thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought quite highly of it. On the other hand, the other half of us weren't nearly as taken with it. The good new is, everyone present agreed that Virginia Hall was an amazing individual. Adjectives like "selfless", "courageous", "determined", "driven", "humble", and "incredible" were all offered on her behalf while the group sat in collective awe of her, and her contributions to the war effort. The trouble for some, was that it was an intense read, on many levels. Some mentioned the disturbing violence depicted as hard to stomach. Others said the regular citing of names and specific dates, times, and places was confusing and hard to keep straight, giving the read a more journalistic, and less personal, feel. Others still commented on it being hard to get into and stay interested in. Interestingly, it was asked by show of hands who in attendance knew of, or had heard of, Virginia Hall before we read this book~ it was unanimous~ not one! It was then briefly discussed how many other historical figures and/or events had been left out of our early education. The Sioux uprising (Abercrombie Trail) comes to mind, along with the establishment of the FBI (Killers of the Flower Moon), and the pioneers of aviation (The Wright Brothers) to name a few. If you're like us, and find yourselves curious about these titles~ they are all available within the Viking system~ thank goodness for libraries!


At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
  3.5 stars

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

June's book club choice was Little Bee by Chris Cleave. We met again this month via Zoom (thank goodness for the options technology offers when pandemics strike~ and even more glad tidings for a large portion of our members being able to use these advances to keep our little book club going, even from afar!) It looks like next month will most likely be hosted much the same, but we'll keep you all in the loop as that time and date draw nearer.

Next up for July is Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell, with August's selection being This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. Due to heavy closings and slow re-openings, we continue to find it more challenging to get our customary supply of copies into the library and available to you in as timely a fashion as we'd like. That being said, going forward, Susan will be gathering copies with both the current and following month's reads in mind, in an effort to cover a few more bases. As a result, you many find you're being contacted more frequently than usual regarding book club selections~ please don't feel obligated to read ahead if you'd rather take the reading schedule as it comes, just know it may take awhile longer to get these books distributed.

Back to Little Bee~

The lives of a sixteen-year-old Nigerian orphan and a well-off British woman collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again... this story, and their friendship, starts there.

It was said in closing during our book club discussion that no other book as of late has divided us more in terms of how it was received, and subsequently scored, among our members. Normally, one would think that meant there were two distinct opinions, one that truly loved and appreciated the book, and the other that didn't care much for the read. In this case, however, the division mentioned referred more to how the plot, and especially the cast of characters, were perceived. It was widely agreed that Little Bee's character was very well developed and her story lines were preferred throughout. In the same way, with the exception of a few, Sarah's character and story lines felt disjointed, disorderly, and a bit unbelievable at times. No one particularly cared for Lawrence, and while Andrew's plight was understandable, we found his outcome excessive and improbable.

All that aside, we generally found that we liked Mr. Cleave's writing style. More specifically, he has an excellent way of crafting a sentence/scene/thought. While the overall score was low, and the majority voted they wouldn't recommend this book to a friend, we also recognized that despite all that, we still had a refreshing, thought-provoking conversation spanning the full hour's allotted time. You just never really know how book club will shake out!

A parting thought (and an incredibly insightful comment from the discussion) to weigh: Up until and outside of Little Bee's haphazard "escape" from the detention center early on in the book, what else of the plot could be considered believable?


At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"NO"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
  2.5 stars

2020-2021 Book Club Reading Schedule

The Night Birds by Thomas Maltman

The book selection for May was The Night Birds by Thomas Maltman, and as an added bonus, an arrangement was made in advance with Mr. Maltman to join us for our book club discussion (thank you Susan!)~ what a treat! With the author making an appearance, this book club played out a bit differently, with the emphasis being less on our members' conversations and reactions and more on a short introduction of the book from Mr. Maltman, followed by a Q and A. 

June's book club pick is "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave. We're hoping that by our next meeting date and time the current gathering restrictions will be lifted, but it's too early to tell just yet. We will keep you all informed about the details of our next discussion as they unfold. In the meantime, we hope you stay safe and healthy~ happy reading!

And we're off~

The Night Birds is the intertwining story of three generations of German immigrants to the    Midwest—their clashes with slaveholders, the Dakota uprising and its aftermath—is seen through the eyes of young Asa Senger, named for an uncle killed by an Indian friend. It is the unexpected appearance of Asa’s aunt Hazel, institutionalized since shortly after the mass hangings of thirty-eight Dakota warriors in Mankato in 1862, that reveals to him that the past is as close as his own heartbeat. 

In opening our discussion, Mr. Maltman introduced himself to the group and then spoke for several minutes about the origins of The Night Birds. He shared that when he first heard of the Dakota uprising, somewhere during or just after his college years, he was shocked to learn that the story was true, but also that he had never heard of it before~ both of which sparked his curiosity and started him on a long journey of research and discovery. He told interesting stories of interviewing ancestors from both sides of the conflict and still finding a thriving divide among them where facts, blame, and the truth were concerned. He added that some parts of the novel pulled from his personal life as well, citing that the idea for Hazel's epilepsy came from his wife's diagnosis, immediately following a terrifying medical emergency just six months after they were married. When asked which of his books is his favorite, he laughed and replied, "That's like asking me which of my children is my favorite.", He added that The Night Birds, his first novel, was published 10 years ago, and yet he still today gets letters with readers' reactions, questions, and comments. In closing, he revealed his new book, The Land, will be coming out this October and is different from any other book he's written... which tends to be his habit. (P.S. I personally peeked at this new novel on goodreads.com and it looks like an excellent read! It may have already been added to my "Want to Read" list... just saying!) Overall, we found Thomas Maltman warm and engaging~ thoroughly pleased to hear our feedback and offer thoughtful answers to our questions. It was truly a fantastic way to spend an hour on a Tuesday afternoon.



At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:
Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"

Would we recommend this to a friend to read? 
"YES"

Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating: 
3 Stars (interestingly, it received a wide range of ratings from 2-stars to 4-stars averaging out to 3-stars)

Thomas Maltman Scheduled to Zoom Meet With Our Book Club!

I just heard some great news from Thomas Maltman, author of The Night Birds which is our May book club read.  He has agreed to participate in our book club in May by Zoom Online/Telephone Meeting Service!  Our book club meeting date is Tuesday, May 12 at 4:00pm and we are planning to hold that meeting distantly again by using Zoom.  Mr. Maltman will be calling into our group meeting to talk a little about his book, The Night Birds and to answer questions from attendees.  So, everyone come prepared with a question for the author!

I will be sending out the instructions for people to dial into the meeting on their telephone or to connect via your computer, tablet or smart phone during the first week of May.  If you do not receive the information by this time, please give us a call at 218-346-4892 and I will make sure that we get that information to you.

We have a few print copies of The Night Birds available at the library that we can get to people through curbside pickup. The book is also available on Hoopla downloadable service which can be accessed through our website at www.perhamlibrary.org.  There was a few days when the title was not available on Hoopla because of an issue on Hoopla's end.  It is back up now, though. So if you tried Hoopla earlier and couldn't find the book, give it a try again!

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone (distantly) on Tuesday, May 12 at 4pm!

Educated by Tara Westover

April's book club selection was Educated, by Tara Westover. It seems the Coronavirus has touched so many and in countless ways~ this month we found our little book club is no exception! So we put on our thinking caps and came up with a method to hold our meeting, just via the comfort and safety of our homes, over the phone lines, and through the mostly trusty World Wide Web. Hip hip hooray for the ability to still host the meeting, and "cheers!" to everyone who joined in the discussion~ we had a great turnout! Just a heads up, it's very possible we may be doing the same meeting format for May's book club rendezvous as well~ stay tuned!

In other news, Susan has collected all the book club ballots for this next year's reading list and will compile them soon into the appropriate timetable. They'll be sent out via e-mail and/or through the mail, as well as posted on the library's website~ let us know if we miss someone! In the meantime, May's book club selection is The Night Birds, by Thomas Maltman (available on hoopla!), and it has been decided that June's selection will be Little Bee, by Chris Cleave. Happy reading!

Here we go~

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. She prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

It's fair to say that our members found this book a heavy read, and thought it very similar to The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls and The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah. The majority of the group found the rife mental illness and subsequent abuse in this book hard to read, and difficult for some to understand how it went on for so long undiscovered and unchecked, especially in the late 1980's~ with so many bystanders looking on. It was frustrating at times to find Tara conflicted about whether or not to reestablish her family ties or to forge ahead on her own and build a new life with a new normal, free from the haunts of her home life. The choice seems so clear, and easy, for those of us who've thankfully never been in her situation. We found it a testament to the unparalleled child/parent bond, a common theme we've uncovered as of late. All that aside, we almost unanimously agreed that we're glad we read the book and considered it extraordinary for Tara to not only have escaped her childhood circumstances, but also to have worked as hard and to have come as far as she did on her own steam with very little support, encouragement, help, or acknowledgment. The group agreed this book was very well written and easy to follow~ two separate members added that they really liked the very last line of the very last chapter of the book... you'll have to give it a look to find out what it is!

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:

Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read?
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating:
  3.5 stars (a lot of 3 and 4 stars were awarded, with a couple 2's mixed in).

Date and Venue Change for the April Book Club Meeting!

I just wanted to drop in and let everyone know that the Perham Library Book Club will be holding their first ever (!) Telephone/Online discussion. Since the Library building is currently closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the need to reduce face-to-face social interaction, we thought that we would try an alternative meeting style. On Thursday, April 9 we will be meeting via telephone and online means to discuss our next book, Educated by Tara Westover.  Email and mail notifications have been sent out to everyone with the details of how to connect with us on April 9. If you didn't receive the information or have a question, please give me a call at the library. 

We will not be voting for our 2020/21 reading list at the April 9 meeting since we don't know how many people will be able to participate.  So, if you haven't already, please either vote online for your list of 12 titles (the ballot is located on our website on the Book Club page) or give me a call at the library to give me your selections over the phone. If possible, I'd like to have all votes in by Tuesday April 7. Stay safe and healthy!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

The book club selection for March 2020 was Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. How lovely to see at least one snow bird has returned (Hi Mary!) to the fold! That must mean spring is upon us, right?

As promised, the nominations for this year's reading list were distributed to the members in attendance with the intention that we will be voting at our next meeting on April 14th. Not to worry if you weren't able to join us for March's meeting. We have some extra copies available at the circulation desk free for the taking, and we are also happy to mail and/or e-mail out copies if you'd prefer. Additionally, within the next week or so, we will have the nominations posted on the Perham Library's website and you are most welcome to peruse them at will and cast your vote there! Happy voting! 

Back to the book~ 
WARNING SPOILER ALERT: The discussion summary contains a major spoiler, so beware!

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So, in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

When the introductory discussion question was asked of how people liked the book, an immediate response from several members was "I absolutely loved it," followed closely with, "I really didn't care for it" from a few additional members. Wow! What excellent fodder for first-rate conversation! Kya was a universally well liked leading lady. Our members found her fascinating and likable, adding that there must have been an internal battle of sorts going on inside of her, the natural instincts and desires of a human soul warring with her wild and turbulent roots. There seems to be a consensus that this book was very well written, especially with it being the author's first novel; however, the ending wasn't unanimously well-received by the group. Several people said they didn't like that Kya was the one who ended up murdering Chase. They thought that since Chase was the undesirable man that he was, it would have been better, and also believable, if someone other than a key character had killed him (no one wanted Tate to have killed him either). On the flip side, it was suggested that Kya, having lived alone in the marsh most of her life, influenced by nature and all it's hard truths, would naturally feel she had no other choice, maybe even that it was the logical choice, for her to permanently remove Chase from her life~ a poetic justice kind of ending. All present were pleased that in the end Kya found happiness and contentment, and while most didn't like that she killed Chase, the group could agree she had a valid reason to do so, and were relieved that she wasn't convicted of the crime. 

Can someone remind me (or chime in) on why they didn't like that Kya was the killer? Was it because we liked her too much to think of her capable of such an act? Or because the timeline itself was possibly improbable? A mix of the two or something altogether different?

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:

Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read?
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating:
  3 stars (alot of 3 stars were awarded, with a couple 4's and 2's mixed in).

In Pieces by Sally Field

This month's book club selection was In Pieces, by Sally Field. Despite the unmistakable absence of our snow bird members during these balmy winter months (we miss you!), we have been consistently pleased to see a fantastic turn out at the monthly meetings~ many thanks to all who attend and support our local book club! 

It was disclosed at this meeting that we'd like to collect all nominations for next year's reading list within the next two weeks. We're planning to get the nominations put together and organized between now and our March meeting, when they will be handed out to our members for review (and also posted on the library's website)~ with voting to follow at April's book club meeting! Please get those nominations in by either calling or stopping into the library, e-mailing either Susan or Amanda, or by commenting down below!

Without further ado...

Sally Field is one of the most celebrated, beloved, and enduring actors of our time. She has an infectious charm that has captivated the nation for more than five decades, beginning with her first TV role at the age of seventeen.

With raw honesty and with all the humility and authenticity her fans have come to expect, Field brings readers behind-the-scenes for not only the highs and lows of her star-studded early career in Hollywood, but deep into the truth of her lifelong relationships--including her complicated love for her own mother. Powerful and unforgettable, In Pieces is an inspiring account of life as a woman in the second half of the twentieth century.

It was the consensus of the group that before reading In Pieces, we were all completely unaware of who the real Sally Field is, her true self landing nowhere near where any of us had placed her in our imaginations. In addition to her dysfunctional relationship with her mother, we were also disappointed to learn of the childhood abuse Ms. Field suffered at the hands of her stepfather, Jack Mahoney. It was noted several times during the discussion that her failed relationships with men throughout her life, most notably her tumultuous relationship with the late Burt Reynolds, could likely have stemmed from the detrimental example given to her from her very early years as a toddler and on throughout her life. It was also discussed that while there is some mention of happy times in her life in the book, she seems to write and focus largely on the hardships and anguish she has experienced. This made the read for several attendee's feel long and drawn out with seemingly repetitive doubt and introspection on her part, but also disjointed and filled with large gaps in her timeline. For example, we would have liked to have heard more about her childhood outside of the abuse, and also a bit more about the details surrounding some of her more famous films outside of the limited handful she examines. 

While in the beginning, her apparent lack of confidence and esteem is understandable in both her personal and professional lives, given her upbringing and chosen industry, however, by the end of the book we are left with a sense that she still hasn't turned the corner where these things are concerned and has yet to come into her own. Being a lady with so much life and experience behind her, and with such respected worldwide success, it comes as quite an unexpected shock to learn she still seems to grapple with insecurity, acceptance, and assurance. 

What were your thoughts on the book?

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:

Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read?
"NO"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating:
  2 stars (mostly 2 stars were awarded, with a couple 1's and 3's sprinkled in).

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Happy New Year to one and all! Thank you to everyone who came in from the cold to share in the warm conversation of January’s book club selection, Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. 

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

It would be fair to say that this book was almost unanimously well liked and enjoyed by the group. There was mention from several attendee’s that the grisly abuse depicted in the novel was hard to read, and unimaginable to consider as common practice in the real-life orphanages this book is based upon. On the other hand, the question of what social services would have thought about the original living conditions of the Foss children on the shantyboat, both in 1939 and today, was also discussed. There was no question among our members that despite their family’s poverty, the children were loved and sufficiently cared for while in the care of their biological parents. However, the question was raised: while the abuse suffered in the children’s home was horrific and cruel, were some of the children better off with their wealthier adoptive parents? And did this somehow offset the practices that brought them there? We found the general consensus was “No.” Regardless of their individual outcomes, it would have been far better had they never had any association with Georgia Tann and/or the Tennessee Children’s Home Society.

As you may imagine, Before We Were Yours made for excellent, thought-provoking conversation! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

At the end of every book club discussion we ask three questions and track the average answers:

Would we recommend this to another book club for discussion?
"YES"
Would we recommend this to a friend to read?
"YES"
Rate the book 1-4 stars with 1 being the lowest rating:
3 stars