Book Club Discussion: All the Light We Cannot See

May 15, 2015

Book Club Discussion: All the Light We Cannot See

Welcome to our virtual book club for May! Our book for this month is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It’s easy to participate: just write a comment in the comment section in response to one of these questions or about anything else you’d like to discuss.

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Truth be told, I wasn’t sure I was in the mood to read a war book this month. And truth #2 be told, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read a World War II book. I just may have binged on them as a teenager, and I thought I’d exceeded my quota. But enough people recommended the book to me that I finally caved. And I’m glad I did—this is unlike any other war book you’ve ever read.

All the Light We Cannot See is about a French girl named Marie Laure, who is blind, and a German soldier, Werner, both of whom are caught in the crossfires of World War II. The chapters alternately tell their stories as their paths come closer together and eventually collide.

I heard it took Anthony Doerr ten years to write this book, and I’m not surprised. His details are luscious—I felt like I was able to see, smell, hear, and feel every scene.

Discussion #1: Can you remain human in war?

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the way it put a human face on both sides of the war. I’d never given in-depth thought to what might lead a person to become a Nazi, and seeing Werner’s story gave me more sympathy for him while still feeling the pain Marie Laure and her family went through. I also appreciated the reminder that in the darkest times, against all odds, there were people who showed courage and generosity and kindness to one another—even their enemies.

Do you tend to like books about war? Why or why not? Which character(s) do you think showed great courage?

Discussion #2: What would it be like to be blind?

Marie-Laure says, “To shut your eyes is to guess nothing of blindness.” I was taken by the author’s ability to describe sensory details so vividly. As my aunt told me after she read the book, Doerr “painted sound.” This palpability made the lovely scenes even more beautiful and the terrifying scenes even more tense (like when Marie-Laure was opening the can when a soldier lurked downstairs!). And while this book gives only a window into what it might be like to be blind, it was fascinating to read how sharp the other senses become when one of them is missing.

What do you think would be the most challenging part of not having sight? What did you think of Marie-Laure’s father’s patience as he taught her to memorize her city?

Discussion #3: What do you think the title means?

The title has so many layers—more with each chapter I read. When Werner and his sister, Jutta, hear the French broadcast on the radio, it concludes with these words: “Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.” Beyond the obvious connection to Marie-Laure’s blindness, this title seems to hint that there’s goodness in people you wouldn’t expect (case in point: Werner). There are some people who are physically blind but can see truth, and there are people with vision who miss the goodness and beauty around them.

Did you like the title? What prompted you to pick up the book?

Discussion #4: What did you think of the book’s structure?

The chapters are very short, and told from shifting perspectives. On top of that, the story jumps in time, unfolding outside of chronological order. The alternating points of view work well to give us empathy for both stories, but the rapid switching felt jarring to me at first. And I often found myself disoriented about the timing and flipping back through pages to check the date. I give credit to the author for his creative approach, and while this definitely serves to build the suspense, it took me out of the story at times.

What did you think of the way the author told the story?

Rating

How many stars would you give this book?

I liked that this book was a fresh take on World War II, and I appreciated the sensory details and nuanced characters. I also appreciated the underlying theme of thriving in adversity, as captured by Madame Manec’s question: “Don’t you want to be alive before you die?”

I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

{Remember: I’ll give away a free book to one lucky commenter!}

March 6, 2015

Virtual Book Club: Wild

Welcome to our virtual book club! This month we’re talking about Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or anything else you’d like to say) in the comment section.

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Wild is Cheryl Strayed’s true story of her one-thousand-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Washington State. On the heels of her mother’s death, her own divorce, and disintegrating relationships with the rest of her family, she threw herself into a quest that brought her to the limits of her body, her resolve, and her will to live. Her journey also forced her to reflect on her grief and her identity, ultimately bringing a measure of healing.

Discussion #1: The Search for Adventure

Cheryl’s thirst for adventure seemed to have been unlocked by the loss and grief she was experiencing. But her adventure turned out to be much more difficult than she’d bargained for.

The Pacific Crest Trail wasn’t a world to me then. It was an idea, vague and outlandish, full of promise and mystery. Something bloomed inside me as I traced its jagged line with my finger on a map.

Do you have an inner drive for adventure? Have you ever jumped into something that turned out to be way bigger than you expected?

Discussion #2: Parallel Journeys

I really liked the author’s writing style and the way she wove together two parallel journeys: her physical trek on the trail and her emotional journey through the flashbacks. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, but I understood what was fueling her decisions, and I appreciated watching her process of self-discovery.

I considered my options. There were only two and they were essentially the same. I could go back in the direction I had come from, or I could go forward in the direction I intended to go.

Were there any parts of Cheryl’s journey (physical or emotional) that you could relate to?

Discussion #3: Extra Baggage

One of the most fascinating parts of the book for me was seeing what Cheryl decided to take on her journey and what she left behind. It made me think about my own priorities and what I would take if I had to carry all my earthly possessions on my back.

What would you have carried that she left behind? Was there anything she brought along that you would have ditched?

Discussion #4: Fear

Cheryl faced just about every fear known to humankind: loneliness, physical exhaustion, pain, scary strangers, severe weather, even bears! Yet she faced her fears with honesty and almost desperate courage.

I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told.

What part of Cheryl’s adventure would have been scariest for you?

Discussion #5: Identity

I enjoyed reading about Cheryl’s process for choosing a new last name—which was, in a sense, a way for her to redefine her identity.

Nothing fit until one day when the word strayed came into my mind. Immediately, I looked it up in the dictionary and knew it was mine . . . : “to wander from the proper path, to deviate from the direct course, to be lost, to become wild, to be without a mother or father, to be without a home, to move about aimlessly in search of something, to diverge or digress.”

Have you ever changed your name? If you were going to change your name, what would you choose?

Discussion #6: Rating

I would give this book 4 stars (out of 5) for the strong writing, the vulnerability, and the insights into human nature. It was a book that handled some tough topics but was still was fun to read, and that’s a feat to pull off.

What would you rate the book? And if you’ve seen the movie, what did you think of it? Should I watch it?

{Remember: I’ll give away a free book to one lucky commenter!}

January 13, 2015

Book Club Discussion: What Alice Forgot

For our virtual book club this month, we’re talking about What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or anything else you’d like to say) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: Seriously Funny

When I read the premise for this novel, I assumed it would be a light read—and something that had been done before. (Really, publishing world? Another mom-lit book? And does the world really need another amnesia story?) But enough people recommended it to me that I finally succumbed.

My friends were right: this book has substance. Although it has light, funny moments, it also tackles some weighty themes (such as infertility, waning love, and complicated friendships). But perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was this haunting question: What would the younger me think of the person I’ve become?

What did you think of the tone of the book? Did it make you laugh? Did it make you think?

Discussion #2: A Form of Time Travel

Here’s what the author says about coming up with the premise for this novel:

I had always wanted to write a story about time travel but I found the logistics made my head explode. Then I read a story about a woman in the UK who lost her memory and behaved like a teenager—she didn’t recognize her husband or children. I realized that memory loss is a form of time travel. Alice loses 10 years of her memory. She thinks she is 29, pregnant with her first child and blissfully in love with her husband. She is horrified to discover she is 39, with 3 children and in the middle of a terrible divorce. It’s like the younger Alice has traveled forward in time.

What would the ten-years-ago you have been surprised to discover about the current you? What would your younger self think about the life you are leading now?

Discussion #3: The Role of Memory

The theme of memory is central to this book. Without a decade of memories, Alice is left to piece together what happened in her relationships. In some ways, this lack of memory leaves her at a distinct disadvantage. But in some ways, forgetting may have also saved her marriage.

Each memory, good and bad, was another invisible thread that bound them together.

How important do you think are memories to a relationship? Is it possible to keep a relationship strong without remembering the history you share with another person?

Discussion #4: A Second Chance

Although this story has the added drama of amnesia, it isn’t so different from what most marriages and other close relationships face. We change and we stagnate; we remember and we forget; we hurt and we forgive; we love until we can’t love anymore, and then we love some more.

Early love is exciting and exhilarating. It’s light and bubbly. Anyone can love like that. But after three children, after a separation and a near-divorce, after you’ve hurt each other and forgiven each other, bored each other and surprised each other, after you’ve seen the worst and the best—well, that sort of love is ineffable. It deserves its own word.

What do you think caused Alice’s relationship with her husband to fall apart? Do you think it’s possible to start over and get another chance when a relationship seems broken beyond repair?

I would give this book four stars (out of five). It was an entertaining read, but what I appreciated most was the way it stuck with me and prompted self-reflection about my own life.

How many stars would you give this book?

{Remember: I’ll give a free book to one lucky commenter!}

October 31, 2014

Book Club Discussion: Glitter and Glue

Kelly Corrigan says in the prologue, “If you had asked me, after I graduated from college, whose voice I would hear in my head for the rest of my life, I’d have said some combination of my dad’s and my roommate Tracy’s and Jackson Browne’s. I would have continued with ten or twenty or two hundred others before I got to my mom.” But in her early twenties, Kelly traveled halfway around the world only to discover that she was more like her mother than she ever dreamed.

Discussion #1: Are You the Glitter or the Glue?

When Kelly was in high school, her mother summarized the difference between her and Kelly’s father with these words: “Your father’s the glitter but I’m the glue.” In other words, her dad might have been the more charming, fun parent, but her mom was the one who held everything together.

In your home growing up, did you have one parent who was the glitter and one who was the glue? In your home now, are you the glitter or the glue?

Discussion #2: Appreciating Your Mother

Kelly didn’t think she was much like her mother and didn’t understand her very well until she became a nanny and found herself quoting her mom and acting just like her as she cared for the children. After a long day full of meeting the needs of people who were dependent on her, she said: “Maybe the reason my mother was so exhausted all the time wasn’t because she was doing so much, but because she was feeling so much.”

Was there a pivotal season or moment in your life when you starting appreciating or understanding your mom in a new way?

Discussion #3: Leaving Home

It took going all the way to Australia for Kelly to discover that she was her mother’s daughter. As she cared for the Tanner children, she realized she was becoming “less smitten with world travelers and their ripping yarns, and more awed by people who have thrown themselves into the one gig that really matters: parenthood.”

Do you think the author would have had the same epiphanies if she’d stayed home? Have you ever had to leave home to find out who you really are?

Rating

I would give this book four stars. Kelly is a born storyteller, and she has a knack for recounting ordinary events in a compelling way. She delves into the complex relationships between mothers and daughters in an authentic, emotive way. I recommend it—whether you’re a daughter or a mother, or both.

How many stars would you give this book?

{Remember: There will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter! Just enter a comment with your thoughts about the book below.}

August 29, 2014

Book Club Discussion: The Invention of Wings

Thanks to everyone who read The Invention of Wings this month (which I introduced here). Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: Multiple perspectives

I liked the use of two narrators (Handful and Sarah). It gives us a perspective we wouldn’t have if we saw the story from only one character’s point of view. It also allows us to get inside their heads and see their real struggles—they feel like real people with complex personalities and challenges.

Did you relate to any of the characters? Did you have a favorite?

Discussion #2: Characters finding their voice

I appreciated the way the author wove in the theme of struggling to find one’s voice. Sarah literally fought to express herself despite her stutter, and she also strove to find her voice as a woman in an era that didn’t give her many outlets to do so. She tried to speak up through the platform of the law and the church, and eventually found her voice by joining the abolitionist movement.

Charlotte, too, struggled to find her voice as a slave and as a woman, and she ultimately found a way to express herself through the story quilt: “Mauma had sewed where she came from, who she was, what she loved, the things she’d suffered, and the things she hoped. She’d found a way to tell it.”

Have you ever struggled to find your voice? What helped you express yourself?

Discussion #3: Passive evil vs. active evil

One of the sobering realities portrayed in this book is that evil isn’t just perpetuated by those who actually inflict the cruelty (like the slave owners who beat the slaves). Evil also grows as a result of those who sit back and allow it to happen. It was heartbreaking to watch Sarah start out with childlike idealism, creating the manumission paper to free Handful, and then gradually become cynical as she grows older: “I was very good at despising slavery in the abstract, in the removed and anonymous masses, but in the concrete, intimate flesh of the girl beside me, I’d lost the ability to be repulsed by it. I’d grown comfortable with the particulars of evil. There’s a frightful muteness that dwells at the center of all unspeakable things, and I had found my way into it.”

What evils in our world today have we become desensitized to as a culture?

Discussion #4: Quest for freedom

The thread of freedom runs deep and rich through these pages, and I was captivated by the author’s lovely turns of phrases to express that longing for freedom of body and soul. In one striking moment, Handful says to Sarah, “My body might be a slave, but not my mind. For you, it’s the other way round.” Then there’s the soaring speech by Lucretia Mott: “God fills us with all sorts of yearnings that go against the grain of the world—but the fact that those yearnings often come to nothing, well, I doubt that’s God’s doing. . . . We’re all yearning for a wedge of sky, aren’t we? I suspect God plants these yearnings in us so we’ll at least try and change the course of things.”

What’s your wedge of sky? What wings have you found to help you find freedom? What’s scary about learning to fly?

Rating

I would give this book 3 stars. The words and sentences are masterfully crafted, the relationships between the characters are well developed, and I enjoyed reading about this topic from dual perspectives. But I thought the plot fell flat, and the ending felt especially anticlimactic. It almost felt like the author was trying so hard to keep true to the historical accounts that the novel itself came up short.

How many stars would you give this book?

Remember: There will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter!

June 27, 2014

Book Discussion: This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

Thanks to everyone who read our book for this month. We’ll be discussing This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: A Glimpse into the Writing Process

Of all the descriptions I’ve read about the writing process, Patchett’s words are among the most profound and relatable. She captures both the magic and the torture of the process, and I continually found myself saying, “What? You too?” I think a lot of writers have this suspicion that writing comes easily for everyone else, so it’s a huge relief to know that not even Ann Patchett has fairy dust sprinkled over her computer. My favorite part is where she describes an idea for a novel as a beautiful butterfly that she allows to fly free in her imagination for a while, until finally she has no choice but to pin it down with words:

I reach up and pluck the butterfly from the air. I take it from the region of my head and I press it down against my desk, and there, with my own hand, I kill it. It’s not that I want to kill it, but it’s the only way I can get something that is so three-dimensional onto the flat page. . . . Imagine running over a butterfly with an SUV. What I’m left with is a dry husk of my friend, a broken body chipped, dismantled, and poorly reassembled. Dead. That’s my book. . . . The journey from the head to the hand is perilous and lined with bodies.

Have you done any writing? If so, was there anything in Ann Patchett’s descriptions about the writing process that resonated with you?

Discussion #2: What Dreams Are Made Of

I appreciated the way the author describes what it takes to achieve the dream of being a writer—or of achieving any dream, for that matter. Dreams need a spark of wonder to get started, but ultimately they require steady determination if they’re going to go anywhere.

Why is it we understand that playing the cello will require work but we relegate writing to the magic of inspiration? . . . If you want to write, practice writing. Practice it for hours a day, not to come up with a story you can publish, but because you long to learn how to write well, because there is something that you alone can say.

Have you found this to be true when pursuing your own dreams? Which comes more easily for you: the inspiration or the hard work?

Discussion #3: Jumping in with Both Feet

People often have the idea that writers hole themselves up in dark rooms and emerge only on rare occasions for interviews or bathroom breaks. With her remarkable gumption, Ann Patchett defies such stereotypes. She’s willing to live out her research—almost to the extent of making her own life an experiment. Cases in point: she joined the LAPD, became a regular at the opera, and took a cross-country trip in an RV—all for the sake of a story. And just when brick-and-mortar bookstores were all shutting their doors, she decided to do her part to buck the trend and opened her own independent store (you can check it out here).

Would you enjoy having a job that allows you to experience alternate lives firsthand? Did this book make you want to visit Ann Patchett’s bookstore?

Discussion #4: Our Friend Ann

I went into this book unsure whether I’d like it or not. I adored Patchett’s Bel Canto, but I wasn’t as taken with her other titles. And not every author is able to pull off writing bothfiction and nonfiction, so I didn’t know what to expect from a collection of essays. But the tone in these pieces won me over immediately. The author comes across as warm, witty, accessible, smart, and above all, very human—like we’d certainly be friends if only we had a chance to meet. I also gained a new insight about her books when I read this. I’d always thought her novels were vastly different from one another (one about a magician, one about an opera singer, and one about a pharmacist in the Amazon jungle), but she explains that all of her books are based on the same premise: people getting thrown together in strange environment. And I have to say, reading this book made me want to read more Ann Patchett.

Did you enjoy the tone of this book? Were you inspired to read more titles by the author?

Rating

I would recommend this book to anyone who writes or anyone who wants to know what goes on inside a writer’s head. It’s like a pleasant chat with an author-friend. (I’d also mention that the title is pretty misleading—there’s one essay about marriage, but that’s not the focus of the book.) I’d give this title five stars (out of five).

How many stars would you give this book?

Remember: There will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter!

April 29, 2014

Book Club Discussion: The Light Between Oceans

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this month’s virtual book club. Today we’re discussing The Light between Oceans by M. L. Stedman.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: Moral Dilemmas

My favorite aspect of this book was the way it posed moral dilemmas and forced me to ponder what I’d do in that situation. I like to think I’m not the kind of person who would keep someone else’s baby, but when I put myself in Isabel’s shoes, I understand why she did what she did. I also appreciated that the book explored what happens when you make one bad choice and everything unravels to the point that it seems like there’s no longer a right choice to make.

Which family did you want Lucy-Grace to end up in? Why? Have you ever found yourself in a spot where it seems like the right thing is no longer possible?

Discussion #2: Justice vs. Mercy

When the baby washes up on Janus Island, Isabel says: “Love’s bigger than rule books. . . . Our prayers have been answered. The baby’s prayers have been answered. Who’d be ungrateful enough to send her away?” (p. 103). She sees the world—and this baby—through the eyes of mercy. Tom, on the other hand, is plagued by his conscience and his desire to do the right thing: “You could kill a bloke with rules, Tom knew that. And yet sometimes they were what stood between man and savagery, between man and monsters” (p. 104).

Did you resonate more with Tom or Isabel in this tension between justice and mercy? Did your perspective change as the book went on? In your own life, do you tend to lean more toward mercy or justice?

Discussion #3: The Book’s Setting

The lighthouse seems to serve as something of a metaphor in the book—a symbol of hope and safety for Isabel and Tom. When they left the lighthouse behind, it was almost as if their family’s light was extinguished. As they left Janus Rock, Tom wished Isabel would “give him one of the old smiles that used to remind him of Janus Light—a fixed, reliable point in the world, which meant he was never lost. But the flame has gone out—her face seems uninhabited now” (p. 214).

Do you think this story would have worked in another setting? Would you be able to live on an isolated place like Janus Island?

Discussion #4: Tense Shifts

Okay, this is a nerdy English major observation. Did you notice that the tense changed between past and present? It bothered me a lot at first, but as the story progressed, I realized the author was doing it for effect to make certain scenes more intense. By the end, I was grudgingly willing to go along with it.

What did you think about the tense changes? Was it distracting, or did you think it worked?

Discussion #5: The Ending

When I got to a certain point in the book, I had this horrifying realization: It’s impossible for this book to have a happy ending. I was right. It was sad for Isabel and Tom, who lost the little girl they loved and the chance to be parents. It was sad for Hannah, who would never truly get back the child she lost. And most of all, it was sad for Lucy-Grace, whose life was irreparably splintered through no fault of her own. I also felt a little emotionally manipulated at the end. Of course, Isabel is dead when Lucy-Grace returns. And of course she died just a week ago. And of course I cried buckets of tears onto my pillow against my will.

What did you think of the ending? Did it seem realistic? Is there an ending you would have liked to see instead?

Rating:

Although the plot was a bit melodramatic at times, I appreciated the evocative themes and the rich writing. The characters felt real, and their internal struggles were palpable. This one is going to stay with me for a while. I would give it three stars (out of five).

How many stars would you give this book?

{Remember: I’ll give away a free book to one lucky commenter! Respond by Friday to be eligible to win.}

January 31, 2014

Virtual Book Discusson: Cooked

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our virtual book club for January. This month we’re discussing Cooked by Michael Pollan.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: Cooking with the Elements
I thought the author’s structure for the book was fascinating. I’d never considered how different types of cooking fit into the categories of fire, water, air, and earth, and it made for an intriguing setup. I also enjoyed the way he showed his own progression from kitchen amateur to apprentice to blossoming cook. I felt like I could relate since he didn’t start out as an expert, and I appreciated his willingness to jump in to various types of cooking with both feet.

Did you have a favorite section? Which of the elements are you most comfortable in when it comes to cooking? Which elements are you least comfortable in?

Discussion #2: Cooking and Community
I really appreciated the author’s observations about how the way we cook and the way we eat effect how communal we are as a society. I was especially intrigued by his theory that the style of the cooking itself impacts the way we consume meals. When people prepared food around a fire, they cooked and ate together as an entire community. Then when people started cooking with an oven in individual households, cooking and eating became family-centric events. Now, as microwaves and fast food become the meal-prepping tools of choice, the focus is on the individual. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing how the author’s various cooking experiments brought his family together and resulted not only in edible rewards but also in intangible gifts, such as bonding and conversations with his wife and teenage son.

As our cooking and eating become more individualized, do you think we’re in danger of losing a sense of community and family? Is there anything we can do to promote these values in our own homes?

Discussion #3: Intentional Food Choices
One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the way it opened my eyes to the underlying ramifications of the choices we make about food, cooking, and eating. When we mindlessly stick something in the microwave, pick up dinner at the drive-thru, or prioritize other activities over “scratch cooking,” there are consequences—both for us as individuals and for us as a culture. Although I haven’t necessarily revamped my approach to cooking after reading this book, it certainly has made me more aware and more thoughtful about the choices I make to get dinner on the table. I wasn’t nearly as ambitious as the author (no whole-hog barbecue or beer brewing for me), and I didn’t try any of his recipes, but this book did inspire a few modest “from scratch” attempts. My biggest success was my bread-baking adventure (the first time I cooked with yeast!). I wasn’t ambitious enough to make a starter and baby it for weeks like the author did, but it felt like a step in the right direction.

Did this book cause you to reevaluate any of your cooking/eating choices? Have you ever attempted any cooking experiments similar to what the author describes in this book?

Rating ★ ★ ★ ★
I’d give this book 4 stars. It made me think about food choices in a new way, and I appreciated the author’s style. He was at once knowledgeable and brilliant (I was impressed with the historical context and scientific background he offered throughout), but he was also accessible and an engaging storyteller.

How many stars would you give this book (out of five)?
As a side note, if you liked this book, I’d recommend Bread and Wine, which we discussed here.

{Remember: there will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter!}

January 3, 2014

Virtual Book Club: Wonder

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our first young adult novel discussion. This month we’re talking about Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or others you’d like to discuss) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: The Best and the Worst in People
In this novel, Augie goes through a more extreme version of what everyone experiences at some point—the agony of being different, the fear of not being accepted, the pain of being excluded. Middle school is a crucible that brings out the best and worst in people, and this is even more obvious with someone like Augie, who has a significant physical deformity.

We see the pain inflicted by Augie’s classmates who bully him and actively avoid him (claiming he has “the plague”), and we also see the pain inflicted in more passive ways by peers who aren’t mean to him but don’t stand up for him either. But on the flip side, we also see the good in humanity, such as when Jack forfeits his popularity to be Augie’s friend and when Summer sits at his lunch table even though it meant the popular kid wouldn’t go out with her.

When you were a kid, where did you fit in the social pecking order? Were you a leader, someone who went with the crowd, or someone who marched to your own drum? How can we encourage kids to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s not popular?

Discussion #2: Everyone Has a Story
I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives on the same story—it was a good reminder that everyone has a story to tell. (Although it did get tedious at times when the content overlapped from one person’s story to the next.) Via, the dutiful big sister, is often overshadowed by everything that’s happening to Augie, but when we hear her story, we realize that she’s dealing with challenges of her own too. And while we may be tempted to judge Miranda at first, after we hear her side, we discover that she’s been struggling with her parents’ divorce.

Did you like the multiple viewpoints format? Did you have a favorite character?

Discussion #3: Loving without Overprotecting
I liked the way the relationships were portrayed in Augie’s family. His parents seemed believable—imperfect but full of love. I imagine that every parent or teacher feels the struggle they felt when they sent Augie off to middle school “like a lamb to the slaughter.” How do you protect your child and still prepare him/her for the real world? How do you know when to let go and allow him fall sometimes?

Do you think you would have sent your child to school, as Augie’s parents did? What would you have handled differently?

Discussion #4: The Ending
I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting for the ending of this book, but I was a little disappointed. It seems like Augie’s award at graduation was supposed to be the climactic moment, but rang somewhat hollow to me. His whole life, Augie has wanted to be a regular kid, like everyone else. He doesn’t want to be different or special or pitied or coddled by adults, so having the principal select him for the award didn’t seem like an apt conclusion. Maybe it would have been more satisfying if the award had been voted on by all his peers—it would have shown how much had changed over the course of the year.

What did you think of the ending? If you were writing an alternate ending, what would happen in your version? What do you think will happen to Augie next year?

Rating: ★ ★ ★
I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It was a little slow at times, and I wanted to skim past some of the tedious fifth grade interactions. ut then again, maybe that’s because I’m not the target audience. This book will spark good conversations—for adults and kids alike—and it rings true as a study of the human condition.

How many stars would you give this book?

{Remember: there will be a free book giveaway for one lucky commenter!}

December 3, 2013

November Book Discussion: The Language of Flowers

Thanks to everyone who participated in our virtual book club this month! The selection for November was The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, which I introduced here.

I’m going to throw out some discussion topics, and you can post your comments—about these topics or other things you want to talk about.

Discussion #1: Storytelling Method
One of my favorite parts of this book was the way the author wove together the two stories—the present-day narrative and the story of Victoria’s childhood. The connections between the past and the present were masterfully pieced together, and I enjoyed the slow reveal of what severed Victoria’s relationship with Elizabeth.

What did you think of the layered story? Did you like the author’s style, or would you have preferred one cohesive story?

Discussion #2: The Theme of Forgiveness
One idea that kept surfacing in this novel was the pain of unforgiveness and the redemptive power of forgiveness. We see this played out in almost every relationship: Elizabeth was able to forgive Victoria for burning down the vineyard, despite the years of hurt and distance between them. Elizabeth finally forgave Catherine for taking the man she loved, although that came too late to restore their relationship. Grant was able to forgive Victoria for leaving him and deserting their baby. Even Baby Hazel, with her innocence and trust, seems to offer forgiveness to Victoria, and she serves as a springboard for the healing of other relationships in Victoria’s life.

Have you ever extended forgiveness to someone who caused you great pain? Did you think the portrayal of forgiveness in the novel is realistic?

Discussion #3: Foster Parenting
Having known several families who have fostered children, I was intrigued by the exploration of what it takes to stitch together a family out of love but no shared genes. When I did some research about the author, I discovered that she is a foster parent herself and has founded a network to support youth transitioning from foster care.

Do you know any foster parents? How does this novel ring true with your experiences? Do you think Victoria will be able to overcome her past and become a good mom?

Discussion #4: Communicating via Flowers
It was fascinating to me the way Victoria was able to communicate her emotions through flowers when words failed her. She didn’t always have the skills to relate to people through the spoken or written word, but flowers gave her a way to express what she was feeling and thinking. I also enjoyed watching her share that gift with others at the flower shop. Some of the symbolism felt over the top to me (her name is Victoria?!), and sometimes the connections with the flower meanings felt a little heavy handed, but overall I enjoyed it.

Did this book make you want to find out more about the language of flowers (or wish you could visit Victoria’s shop)? Have you ever found ways to communicate with others that didn’t involve words?

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
I would give this book 4 stars. Despite the occasional over-the-top symbolism, it was an enjoyable read, and I really liked the characters and the way the story unfolded (bloomed?).

What rating would you give this book?

{Remember: I will give away a free book to one lucky commenter!}