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Book Blogs

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Are there any book blogs that you subscribe to and read regularly?  Besides this one, I mean? 🙂

I read www.bookwormwithaview.com (she just reviewed the Girls from Ames this week!).  It’s amazing how many books she gets through… crazy.

Just found tlcbooktours.com so I’ll explore that a bit more.  They have giveaways every month and this month’s is “the Girls from Ames”!  Would be fun to win and give away copies of the book to friends!

I read author’s websites and publishers websites, listed on the blogroll on the side of this blog, I believe.

How about you?  Any favorites?

Friends

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I just started “The Girls from Ames,” and I’m excited to read it and think about my own friendships.  I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about that lately, anyway, so maybe it’ll give me clarification? or maybe it’ll just confuse and cause melancholia!  or maybe it’ll inspire reconnection and reaching out.  At any rate, I’m excited to read it.  It’s been on my bedside table for months.

I looked up Jeffrey Zaslow’s Wall Street Journal column (might be monthly?) about “Moving On.”  The most recent column was about men’s relationships and their basis in activity rather than sharing details of their lives.  I haven’t read “The Last Lecture,” another of his books, but might have to look for it.

I feel fortunate that I do have a friendship that I’ve had for almost 40 years – goodness!  It was almost 37 years ago when my family moved to Rushford and I met Deadra and her family.  It’s amazing to think about and maybe I’ll write about it more while reading this book!

What do you notice about your friendships as you get older?  And that age old question: Do you think men and women can be friends?

Well, I had better get some reading done if I hope to have the book finished by next Monday!  I’m up for the challenge and found the first 50 pages pretty easy to get through.

Off to read!

Judgments

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A beautiful walk around Silver Lake today for the Rochester Walkie Talkies!  It was mostly a Talkie about things other than “The Glass Castle,” but a little discussion was held.  I just finished the book and am still processing my anger at the parents.  One of the discussion questions below is about her ability to be nonjudgmental about her parents.  Wow! that’s hard for me.  I do have empathy for them – the addiction, the mental illness – and am amazed that the children turned out at all, but I still am mad.  As I said while walking, I didn’t find the book to be depressing at all and I could even compare it to “Angela’s Ashes,” although I LOVED “Angela’s Ashes.”  Frank McCourt was a true character and his voice in that story is so interesting.  Less “matter of fact” and more “colorful.”

Was it as hard for everyone else (!) to be nonjudgmental about the laissez faire way of parenting they practiced?  Is it really laissez faire?

Anyhoo… must read a bit before bed, but wanted to get my Monday night blog in!
Off to read!

“The Glass Castle” discussion questions *** SPOILERS (for me!)

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Caution! It is likely that the following questions will reveal, or at least allude to, key plot details. Therefore, if you haven’t yet read this book, but are planning on doing so, you may wish to proceed with caution to avoid spoiling your later enjoyment.

  1. Though The Glass Castle is brimming with unforgettable stories, which scenes were the most memorable for you? Which were the most shocking, the most inspiring, the funniest?
  2. Discuss the metaphor of a glass castle and what it signifies to Jeannette and her father. Why is it important that, just before leaving for New York, Jeannette tells her father that she doesn’t believe he’ll ever build it? (p. 238).
  3. The first story Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three, and her father dramatically takes her from the hospital: “You’re safe now” (p. 14). Why do you think she opens with that story, and how does it set the stage for the rest of the memoir?
  4. Rex Walls often asked his children, “Have I ever let you down?” Why was this question (and the required “No, Dad” response) so important for him — and for his kids? On what occasions did he actually come through for them?
  5. Jeannette’s mother insists that, no matter what, “life with your father was never boring” (p. 288). What kind of man was Rex Walls? What were his strengths and weaknesses, his flaws and contradictions?
  6. Discuss Rose Mary Walls. What did you think about her description of herself as an “excitement addict”? (p. 93).
  7. Though it portrays an incredibly hardscrabble life, The Glass Castle is never sad or depressing. Discuss the tone of the book, and how do you think that Walls achieved that effect?
  8. Describe Jeannette’s relationship to her siblings and discuss the role they played in one another’s lives.
  9. In college, Jeannette is singled out by a professor for not understanding the plight of homeless people; instead of defending herself, she keeps quiet. Why do you think she does this?
  10. The two major pieces of the memoir — one half set in the desert and one half in West Virginia — feel distinct. What effect did such a big move have on the family — and on your reading of the story? How would you describe the shift in the book’s tone?
  11. Were you surprised to learn that, as adults, Jeannette and her siblings remained close to their parents? Why do you think this is?
  12. What character traits — both good and bad — do you think that Jeannette inherited from her parents? And how do you think those traits shaped Jeannette’s life?
  13. For many reviewers and readers, the most extraordinary thing about The Glass Castle is that, despite everything, Jeannette Walls refuses to condemn her parents. Were you able to be equally nonjudgmental?
  14. Like Mary Karr’s Liars’ Club and Rick Bragg’s All Over But the Shoutin’, Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle tells the story of a wildly original (and wildly dysfunctional) family with humor and compassion. Were there other comparable memoirs that came to mind? What distinguishes this book?

Get-To-Know-You Questions

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One of my favorite books was written by my “friends,” the Satellite Sisters. They had an amazing upbringing and each contributed chapters to the book. Most people know that I have followed the Sisters since I read the book – their radio show, their radio show on podcast, then after the demise of the show, through their blog and now one Sister’s blog and podcast The Chaos Chronicles.

So my close friends, the Satellite Sisters, posted this blog about using these questions to get to know the women in your life a little better. I thought a few were interesting and so I thought I’d post them, as well!

Comment away!
Off to read….

What would you rather win– an Oscar or a Nobel Prize?
What job are you not qualified for?
Did you ever abuse “hold” or “layaway” privileges?
In what fashion trend do you most regret taking part?
If you really wanted to shake up the Supreme Court, who would you nominate?
Do you lie to your doctor?
What great book do you claim to have read, but never really have?
If you could change any part of you with plastic surgery, what part would it be?
Are you intimidated by your hairdresser?
What’s the worst job you ever had?
Where were you when you heard about the death of Princess Diana?
What is you personal theme song?

Must Get Reading!

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It’s been a blur of busy-ness this last week and I finally finished March O Magazine!  But have barely started on “The Glass Castle”!  At least it’s been a fun busy!  Watching the kids, watching Bon Jovi, watching “Whip It,” watching the Des Moines Derby Dames, watching the highway go by under my tires… 🙂

I have been listening to an audiobook during all that car time.  It’s certainly not great literature, but light and breezy.  It takes a lot of time to listen to an audiobook – this one is about 10 hours.  I’m listening to too many great podcasts lately so my book listening has dramatically decreased.  As an ‘uber’ visual person, it really is funny how I have trained my brain to listen to audiobooks.  I’ve listened to a lot of memorable stories, including “Bel Canto,” “The Poisonwood Bible,” “The Red Tent,” “The Life of Pi,” and many books by Bill Bryson.  I was having trouble finding books at the Rushford Public Library that I wanted to listen to, as I’d already read many of those that I was interested in, so it’s fun to download audiobooks to my iPod from the Rochester Public Library.  I haven’t downloaded any great and memorable books yet, but I’ll keep looking!

Any favorite or memorable audiobooks?

Well, off to read!

I want the other ending!

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Another nice night at book club – we grabbed the book (“Friday Night Knitting Club”) off the shelves at B&N for the discussion questions and discussed our likes and dislikes about the book – and then walked! My personal dislike of the book happened when the whole cancer thing happened.  Blah.  I didn’t want the book to end the way it did and we wondered what would have happened if James had never come back into their lives… how would their lives have changed?

It is an interesting time we live in for families.  I know my situation as a single mom is very unlike Georgia’s, in that I had incredible  parental support.  But my daughter has never met her dad.  We started emailing a few times a year about 5 years ago, and it is interesting.  My daughter just doesn’t seem to care.  We talked about it a lot after the flood but she says she is fine with the family she has and isn’t interested in more.  So maybe that’s why I disliked the book so much after the cancer happened.  I am the “only” for my daughter and I don’t want to leave her too soon.   I want the other ending.

We decided to meet in TWO weeks to discuss “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls – a memoir.  I’m going to get it started tonight!   Our next book will be “The Girls from Ames” by Jeffrey Zaslow.

Have you ever re-written the ending to a book?

Off to read!

Books into Movies…

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My book club at work decided to read “The Girls from Ames” next, so let’s latch onto that for April!  It’s available in paperback April 6 through Amazon for $9.36, to be precise.  I also got “The Glass Castle” from the library, so I’ll try to read that in the next few weeks, too.  I also got some fluffy stuff at the library (“Chasing Harry Winston,” “Elegance,”) and a Richard Russo book – “Bridge of Sighs.”  Plenty to keep me busy.

I’m looking forward to getting together to walk and talk about “Friday Night Knitting Club” and “SLAM” – maybe an outside walk on one of these beautiful nights!  When????  🙂  Thursday night?  Monday 4/6?  Friday morning?  Thursday morning?

So as I’m watching “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” I’m wondering if there have been any movies that you feel live up to the books they were based upon.  Gunnar thought that “Harry Potter” movies are pretty true to the books, and I’d have to agree.  I, personally, don’t have a great memory so often the details that might bother others are not as bothersome to me.  I remember that after the movie “Forrest Gump” came out, I found the book it was based on and it was absolutely AWFUL!  Incredibly hard to believe they got one from the other.  I also remember seeing “The Color Purple” after reading the book and feeling so dismayed and also amazed at the differences.

What are your experiences with books into movies?

Well, off to read!

Next!

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It’s Wednesday already – so much for the goal of a Monday night post!  I guess it’s been a crazy week here, with choir schedule changing, a little girl’s birthday to celebrate, and a short-busy week at work!

I visited the library tonight and left with a pile of books, one of which is “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls.  It was hard to find, as it’s a memoir and was in some obscure section on the 2nd floor – and then even though the computer said one was available, someone had to go in the back and find the one ready to be reshelved for me!  So I have it.  I also picked up a book by Richard Russo.  I’ve read two of his books and loved them both.  And a few others… hopefully I’ll read a lot during time off next week!

I guess we’d better pick a date to meet and discuss the “Friday Night” and “SLAM.”  I’m available this Monday (3/29) and the next.  I’ll actually be home early on 3/29, as I’m going to be in Rochester for a meeting at 3:00 that shouldn’t take too long.  What a treat!

Thoughts??

Well, off to read!

“Friday Night Knitting Club” discussion questions **** May be SPOILERS!

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ABOUT KATE JACOBS

Kate JacobsKate Jacobs is a writer and editor who divides her time between New York and Los Angeles. A former staffer at Redbook, Working Woman, and Family Life, she is now a freelance editor at the website for Lifetime Television. The Friday Night Knitting Club is her first novel.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Why does Georgia reject her parents’ offer to house her and Dakota?
  2. The role of friendships among women is a central theme of The Friday Night Knitting Club. Some friendships develop easily, like K.C. and Georgia’s, while others begin on unsure footing, like Darwin and Lucie’s. Cat’s insecurities create conflicted feelings about drawing Georgia closer. Discuss the emotional baggage and issues of class that challenge trust between various women in the knitting club.
  3. Georgia has a history of being burned by the people closest to her. Cat’s decision to attend Dartmouth meant breaking a pact of friendship, and James abandoned her for another woman. Leading up to forgiveness, do you think there are moments when her defenses against intimacy and protectiveness of Dakota are excessive?
  4. What does Anita see in Georgia that gives her the confidence to invest? Why does Georgia trust Anita, given her past relationships that went awry?
  5. Lucie’s decision to become pregnant without telling the man she conceives with is a choice that flies in the face of social convention and her mother’s expectations, to say nothing of her Catholic upbringing. What factors led to her choice? How does the whole of Georgia’s experience as a single mother support or undermine her decision?
  6. Entrepreneurs, single moms, and a seventy-something undergoing a sexual reawakening—the women of the knitting club are hardly traditional, although a highly traditional woman’s craft is what brings them together each Friday. Eventually Darwin decides to write her thesis about the positive impact of knitting in the lives of modern women rather than criticizing it as a “throwback” that prevents women from focusing their energy on professional success. In your opinion, which is the more feminist interpretation?
  7. Georgia gets defensive when James asserts that he has things to teach Dakota about race that Georgia could never teach her. Is her indignation totally justified in light of James’s delinquency as a father, or is there some truth to his claim?
  8. How does Dakota’s major act of rebellion (her attempt to go to Baltimore) alter Georgia and James’s playing field? Do you agree with Georgia’s decision on an initial trip to Scotland over a trip to Baltimore?
  9. Before Georgia gives James a second chance, she claims to harbor “hatred lite” toward him, reasoning that she’d always heard the opposite of love is hate. When Cat’s lawyer informs her that Adam wants to settle and be done with her, she’s unexpectedly hurt because he’s letting her walk away without a fight. Given Cat’s reaction, how does indifference factor into the love/hate equation?
  10. When Cat responds to Georgia’s sincere questions about her college experience at Dartmouth by saying, “It wasn’t like you think,” what does she mean?
  11. Things get interesting in Scotland when Georgia’s Gran offers her loving but firm analysis of the women’s lives. She points out that Cat is capable of handling stress but hasn’t tried, and that Georgia’s spent too much time ruminating on the past. Her advice: mistakes are made; the important thing is to decide how to react to what people offer, because you can’t make them change. How do the women accept this advice in each of their lives?
  12. If Georgia had opened the letters she received from James in a timely fashion, how might things have been different?
  13. While James and Dakota are in Baltimore visiting his parents, Georgia decides to tell the club that she has cancer. Why does she share her news with the knitting club before she tells her immediate family?
  14. When Georgia gets diagnosed, she worries that a show of weakness will be unacceptable to Dakota, James, and others who know and love her as a pillar of strength. How do her loved ones prove her wrong?
  15. In your opinion what is the main lesson of The Friday Night Knitting Club?