IBC #3 (August 20, 2006)

The third meeting of the IBC (Irreverent by Choice) book club convened on a hot, hazy, humid (does that count for alliteration?) Sunday afternoon at Sharla’s house. This was our largest group yet, with charter members Colleen, Bev, Lee and yours truly joined by Darin, Virginia, Brad, Kay, Laura, Sharla, Finnegan and Tucker (Finnegan and Tucker didn’t discuss any books they had read… prolly a good thing, as I’m not sure we would be able to comprehend canine literature. For the record, neither one of them appreciated Marley and Me, both of them feeling that Marley was merely an attention-seeking publicity hound –as evidenced by the fact that when their humans were reading it, they weren’t paying enough attention to them – I’m sure this wasn’t the case, but who am I to question how someone feels about a book?). Sharla was the perfect host(ess), providing a beautiful, comfortable setting for our lively discussions, Fritos (I love Fritos) and making cookies, to boot! Virginia’s hummus (homemade, not store-bought) was terrific, as were Colleen’s berry bars and Bev’s ooeey-gooeey brownies. But enough about the food (and thanks to Laura and Lee for bringing beverages, too!)... Because of the large cast of characters that participated in the book club, it might be helpful to draw up a genealogy chart, much like Virginia did for The Blind Assassin, but I’m nowhere near that ambitious or talented – so without further adieu, I’ll just launch into the summary.

This meeting’s unofficial topic was Historical Fiction – a very loose category, befitting our very loose and informal structure. As Laura put it, all literature occurs in time and space, thereby defining it as historical – although Darin, who tends to read non-fiction and science fiction pointed out that his fiction tends to be future history (a concept I’m still trying to wrap my mind around).
As the official note-taker and chronicler of the book club (or de facto – I wasn’t really elected, but no one else wanted to… so you’re stuck w/ my ramblings), I went first. In past summaries, I’ve included a review or summary that I most often pulled from Amazon.com… for brevity’s sake, I’ll just include a link to the book at Amazon – if you’ve never visited Amazon, then you are in the fine company of my 86 year old grandmother (who has never typed on anything that didn’t require a ribbon) and no one else… but there are generally editorial reviews and comments as you scroll down the page for the book, if you are interested in that sort of thing. The links are attached to the first time I mention the title of the book in the review (if you see blue underline, you should be able to follow the link to the book at Amazon.com). I discussed two books and passed the gavel.
Dave’s Diatribe
The March, by E.L. Doctorow – E.L. Doctorow has written a number of books that would probably be classified as historical fiction. Two of his earlier books were Ragtime and Billy Bathgate. The March chronicles Sherman’s march through Atlanta and up through North Carolina toward the end of the Civil War (or the War Between the States, or the War of Northern Aggression, depending on from where you hail), through the eyes of several different characters. There are a pair of Confederate deserters, an egomaniacal Union Cavalry General, the daughter of a Southern judge, a Union surgeon from Germany, a former slave who was the offspring of a slave mother and her owner, and more… each presents a unique perspective on the events. Prior to reading the book, I only knew of the terrible devastation that this march caused throughout the South – and its impact on creating distrust and resentment during the reconstruction. What I wasn’t aware of was the sheer mass of the march – as Sherman’s divisions progressed through the south, liberating slaves along the way, many of the newly freed slaves joined in the procession. Also adding to the throng were Confederate deserters, prisoners, and people who had lost their homes and property as a result of the march. Part of the devastation was caused by trying to sustain thousands and thousands of people as they traipsed through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. E.L. Doctorow has a minimalist writing style, but uses several ‘little’ events to evoke a larger mood. He also doesn’t take sides on this – Sherman is neither good nor bad, but is human – and there are good and bad on both sides – and often people who are just trying to survive the events and conditions surrounding them. All in all, this is a very enjoyable book –and the events and narrative are such that you read it quickly.

My second offering was even deeper in terms of historical fiction. The Preservationist by David Maine is a fictional recounting of the tale of Noah and the ark (using the old Hebrew spelling, Noe). It is told from several perspectives – certainly by Noe, going into his relationship with Yahweh, his family, and society in general (apparently, a 600 year old man is somewhat of a novelty), but also by Noe’s wife (hereby named, ‘the wife’ – society was a bit misogynistic in those days), Noe’s three sons (Shem, Moe, Larry… no – just kidding… Shem, Cham ((Ham in contemporary bibliology)) and Japheth), as well is his very unique daughters-in-law (Bera, Ilya and Mirn - who are really the heart of the book). This book addresses exactly how Noe got the ark built (did you know that Cham was a ship-builder?), how the animals were collected, how they kept the lions from eating the sheep, and who actually cleaned up after the animals while they were ark-borne for 150 days. There is a lot of humor in this book, and a lot of introspection. The blurb on the front cover compares it to Life of Pi, and for those of you who have read it, it’s a fair comparison. The tone of the two books, plus their similar plot devices – adrift on an ocean, in the presence of wild animals, self-examination of one’s faith, do make them similar reads… (although there are no talking animals in The Preservationist). I loved The Preservationist, and am very much looking forward to the author’s next book, Fallen, where he tackles the tale of Cain and Abel.

Sharla’s Synopsis

Sharla is re-reading one of her favorite series. It begins with Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. Inexplicably, according to Sharla, it can be found in the romance section of your local book store – even though the story has so much more depth, and doesn’t really fit into any one genre. The story centers around a nurse, Claire from the 20th century, post WWII, who while honeymooning with her modern-day husband, ‘falls’ into 18th century Scotland, right before the Scottish Uprising and the time of the Jacobites. While trapped in this time, Claire falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a highlander that Sharla swears any woman will fall in love with (but he’s still a ‘man’s man’) – as he’s such a richly developed character. In keeping with the times, there is a life and death situation seemingly on every other page, further adding to the amazement that people actually survived through all of the hardships and crisis (makes our lives seem easy!). Through Claire’s adventures, Galbadon provides a fresh look at the history of the era, and the subsequent books in the series take them to the ‘colony’ of North Carolina, and the grass roots of the American Revolution. Sharla loves these books (and Kay agrees), and is really enjoying re-reading them. However, she did warn everyone that these were the type of books that cause you to stay up late at night, skip social engagements and miss dentists appointments for more opportunities to read. Highly recommended, and don’t let the romance moniker drive you off! Something tells me that we’ll be hearing about volume 2 (Dragonfly in Amber) at the next gathering of the IBC!

Bev’s Banter

Even after only three meetings, the IBC has developed some traditions… Dave somehow works Lamb into the conversation, someone brings up something that provokes a “Not in my world” response from Colleen, we all talk about how much we hated The Prophet of Yonwood (or as Bev calls it, The Prophet of Not-so-much) and Bev reviews a children’s book. This meeting’s contribution was Running Out of Time, by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The book is about Jessie, a 13 year old living in a frontier village in what she believes is the 1840s. As the villagers one by one are struck with diphtheria, Jessie’s mother confides in her that the year is really 1996, what they live in is actually a tourist attraction/experiment, and sends Jessie on a quest for help. For those of you who have seen M. Night Shameial, Shemazel, hottsentotts incorporated The Village, the idea is similar (but predates M. Night by a few years), without Opie’s blind daughter and the creepy red cloaks. I read this at Bev’s recommendation and preferred it to The Village. Bev teaches 6th grade, for those of you who weren’t paying attention (you can stay after class and clean the chalkboards), and she reads this to her class – they could certainly read it themselves, but this gives her the opportunity to facilitate a lot of discussion on the many concepts and ideas that are presented in the book. As Bev says – ‘If you want a good book, go to the library… and if you want a really good book, go to the Children’s section.’

Bev’s adult contribution was Night, by Elie Wiesel, translated by his wife. (btw, Night does not refer to M. Night Shamalama ding-dong). She first read this as a teenager, because it was assigned to her. However, this newer edition was translated by his wife, and as Wiesel explains in the foreward, this led to a much more in-depth and richer translation. Elie Wiesel is an Auschwitz survivor, and Night is the story of his survival, as well as the guilt he felt and how his faith was shaken as the survivor. Bev warns that this is not (as you may imagine) a light read – in fact, at times is downright horrific – but one that is well worth the time and effort, and once you start, you cannot put it down.

Virginia’s Verisimilitude

Virginia is a newbie to the book club, but in addition to her sweet disposition, lively contribution (not to mention her imposing height), she would be invited back by virtue of her hummus alone! Virginia’s first contribution was Montana 1948, by Larry Watson. This is told from the eyes of 12 year old protagonist about his lawyer father taking over as the town sheriff, after his grandfather retires. As the protagonist’s Sioux caretaker falls ill, and refuses to be treated by the town doctor (the boy’s uncle and sheriff’s brother), secrets are revealed that lead to a conflict between justice and family. Virginia hasn’t really read much that takes place in the West, and was drawn to the descriptions of the big, open spaces, and the characters that inhabit them. She said this reads almost like a memoir, but really delves into whether the secrets that exist within a family should be revealed and the consequences of them.

Virginia then discussed a book that she picked up while stranded for much longer than anticipated in the airport in Bologna, because a) it was one of the few in English, and b) it possessed sufficient heft to provide hours and hours of entertainment for the long wait and flights ahead of them. The book was The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood. The book is about two sisters, one of whom dies within the opening pages. The dead sister wrote a novel (the eponymous Blind Assassin), and her novel is interspersed throughout the book. A reviewer called this ‘a parable within a novella within a journal within a novel’, and as Virginia states, the chapters are drawn from present day for the story, to post WWII, to chapters from the dead sister’s novel, and yet are interwoven gracefully. There are a number of characters, so Virginia took it upon herself to draw a character map and offered it to anyone who wished to borrow the novel. Overall, Virginia liked the book, but said it didn’t knock her socks off. A good read if you’re looking for something to occupy your time on a plane, or stranded with an astronomer in the Bologna airport (even if said astronomer is her husband).

Kay’s Kincob

Kay brought one of her best-loved books to the IBC, although she read it many years ago. God Is an Englishman, by R.F. Delderfield chronicles the life of a British Army Officer who struggles to make his fortune in Victorian society. The story follows him from his days as a young officer in India and Crimea to falling in love with a rich industrialist’s daughter who is betrothed to another. He struggles to establish himself creating a hauling company, competing with the railroads. The love story propels this book (in a ‘non-Nora Roberts’ way, according to Kay) and adds to the beauty of this book. God Is an Englishman is actually the first of three books about this character, the other two being Theirs Was the Kingdom and Give Us This Day. Kay read this long ago, but remembers it as being one of the best books she’s ever read.

Darin’s Dissertation

Darin came to the meeting as a reader of predominantly non-fiction and science fiction (as mentioned previously). His first offering was The Terrible Hours, by Peter Maas. The Terrible Hours is a non-fiction book set in the 1930s about Swede Momsen, developer of the Momsen Lung. Momsen was a submariner in the U.S. Navy and a pioneer in the field of underwater rescue. This book deals with not only Momsen’s work, but also his struggles with the bureaucracy of the Navy, and the first applications of his newly developed technology. The title of the book refers to the hours spent searching for and trying to rescue the crew of the Squalus, a submarine that sank in 1939 off the coast of New England. Darin thought this was a good story, and an enjoyable read, particularly for anyone who was in, or has an interest in the Navy. Overall, pretty good, not great.

Darin then began a lively discussion (for those of you who weren’t there and think book clubs are boring, you didn’t witness the fisticuffs that occurred over the definition of quality… only joking – we have a very pacifist book club. J ) on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (now subtitled as An Inquiry Into Values) by Robert Pirsig. As soon as Darin began discussing it, Laura noted that she was also going to discuss it, and Virginia chimed in that her copy was probably one of the originals, and was being held together by rubber bands. What followed then was kind of a ‘group presentation’ between Darin, Laura, Virginia and Brad, with the adjectives and invectives flying fast and furious (again, no invectives, really – we’re a fun-loving group). Rather than attempt to capture and accredit all of the wisdom that was flying around the room like children on triple sugar hot chocolates, ‘let me ‘splain… no – it will take too long – lemme sum up.’ As an aside, this is one of those books that I’ve been told I should read since I was a freshman in high school and have resisted - it was considered a ‘defining novel’ for the 1970’s, and according to Laura, qualifies as ‘historically relevant’ in that it defines or responds to the time in which it was written. For those that haven’t read it, it’s the biography/journal/travelogue of a protagonist who was a rhetoric teacher and philosopher, who thought too much and drove himself into an asylum, where he received shock therapy. Upon recovery, he embarks on a motorcycle journey with his son in an attempt to bond with him and live a ‘normal life’ Through the narrative the protagonist delves into the issues of Quality (with a capital ‘q’), bringing in ancient philosophies and tempered by the mysterious Phaedrus, the shadow of his former self. According to everyone who read it, this book can be a mental challenge at times, as some of the delvings and dissertations can go on and on, but everyone also agreed that it was well worth reading. The discussion alone may prompt me to seek out an old battered copy (for this seems to be a book that should not be read in a pristine condition), and see what I can learn about maintaining motorcycles.

Laura’s Logodaedaly

After the spirited discussion on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Laura continued with two other books she had brought with her. The first book was Three Weeks With My Brother, by Nicholas Sparks and Micah Sparks. You may recognize Nicholas as the author of The Notebook and Message In a Bottle. This is a work of non-fiction, written as the Sparks brothers take a wandering trip around the world. Along the way, they discuss the events of their life, including tragedies, triumphs and the love of their family. Laura swears this is not a depressing book, and is full of insightful humor and the love that only a family brings. Highly recommended.

I had previously mentioned some traditions within the IBC – there are also books that we have collectively adopted and come up at just about every meeting (and in between), even if not everyone has read them. These include The Time Traveler’s Wife, The City of Ember and The People of Sparks (forget The Prophet of Not-So-Much), and Lamb. Laura and Colleen have made a strong argument for the next book Laura discussed to join – Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides. Middlesex is the story of a hermaphrodite, Cal, who traces her (? His?) family history back to the origins of the condition – incest in a small Greek village a couple of generations prior. Just on the description alone, it sounds like a tough sell, but according to both Laura and Colleen, the author manages to get you invested in the characters, without judgment. As the family history and lore is traced through Greece and Turkey to the present day of the novel, you are swept up in the story. The descriptions that Laura and Colleen used included, ‘Beautifully written’, ‘fun storytelling’, and ‘unbearably human’. This is the 2nd book club in a row that this has come up – Bev has borrowed Laura’s copy, and this is now on my must-read list… could it be that we have a new addition to the IBC Hall of Fame in the works?


Brad’s Bibliognostics

Brad’s offering to his introductory meeting was The King Must Die, by Mary Renault. This book is a retelling of the myth of Theseus, the Greek prince who slayed the minotaur in the labyrinth of Crete (as an aside, Brad felt for sure that he would have the most historical fiction, in that it occurred the longest ago, but Noah trumps Ancient Greece – ha!). For those not interested in spoilers, Brad offered one up, and I’ll reproduce it here – so cover your ears… it all ends in tragedy (as Brad pointed out, that’s what the Greeks tended to do). The book offered not only a logical retelling of the myth, stripping out the supernatural (which was especially appealing to Brad’s scientist’s sensibilities – as he pointed out, a bull and a human could never mate… wrong number of chromosomes. I’ll take Brad’s word for it), yet leaving some of it ambiguous enough to retain the elements of mythology, it also offered kind of a primer on leadership. The title comes from the prevailing attitude toward leadership in that time (especially when there are vengeful gods around) that a leader or king must be willing to sacrifice themselves to the gods for their people. Theseus understood and embraced this, but also showed other elements of leadership, such as recognizing talents and weaknesses of his subordinates and motivation. Overall, Brad enjoyed the book and recommends it for anyone who has studied or is a fan of Greek mythology. It does kind of bog down in the middle, however – as Renault covers every little adventure of Theseus leading up to his defining moments, but worth a read, nonetheless.


Lee’s Lexis

Lee picked up a book called Stones from the River, by Ursula Hegi, without really knowing what it was about. When she found out that it was about a dwarf living in Germany during the Holocaust, she was a little put off, but having two weeks of vacation approaching in Argentina, she tackled it. Lee really liked the book, but warned that it’s not an easy book to read – an Amazon reviewer called it a ‘nightmare journey with an unforgettable guide.’ This has also been favorably compared to The Tin Drum, a disturbing book and even more disturbing movie (that I saw years ago, and some of the imagery still haunts me), yet considered a classic, with a similar subject matter. As she was in Argentina while reading it, the book provided a catalyst for conversations with locals about the link between Argentina and the fleeing Nazis. Lee recommends the book with a warning – it’s not light reading.

Colleen’s Coterie

Colleen wrapped up the third meeting of the IBC with her review of two books. First up was a book Colleen characterized as ‘bubblegum fiction’. The book Younger, by Pamela Redmond Satran is the story of a woman in her mid-40s who quit her career when she had children, whose husband left her, whose daughter blamed her for her husband leaving her and whose life is basically in a downward spiral. But with a new haircut, a new job (in the same place she quit her career, in a more junior position), and a new boyfriend 20 years her junior, she has several new adventures. Colleen really enjoyed Younger, and recommended it as a great beach read.

Colleen’s second choice was not so light-hearted. The Inner Circle, by T.C. Boyle is a fictional telling of the work of Alfred Kinsey, the sex researcher of the 1940s and 50s, told from the point of view of one of his ‘disciples’, a graduate assistant. Boyle presents Kinsey as a somewhat megalomaniacal genius, who develops an almost cultish following amongst his assistants and researchers, and their families. Kinsey’s theories and studies centered around the concept that sexual behavior in humans was merely an animalistic response, and he set about proving this by using and manipulating the histories of his family, his graduate students, their spouses, and so forth. And this is where Colleen had a problem with this book. She felt it was very well written, even if Boyle does have a tendency to be somewhat sesquipedalian (sorry, couldn’t resist!). The storyline was entertaining – but Colleen had a very strong dislike for some of the characters, Kinsey in particular. As she read the book, she found herself becoming angry at some of his machinations, and therefore had a hard time getting through portions of the book. She was glad she read it, however, and does recommend it – so I’m gonna give it a shot. Having seen Liam Neeson’s portrayal of Kinsey in the eponymous movie, I’m curious to see how Boyle’s Kinsey differs.

And with that, we wrapped it up with our usual book exchange, with a twist. Bev had brought along release kits for bookcrossing.com (www.bookcrossing.com). So some of the IBC books are gonna try to make it out there on their own! Also, afterwards, Laura forwarded information on paperbackswap.com (www.paperbackswap.com) – be sure to check out their section on Katrina relief efforts.

The next meeting will be held in early October, shooting for the first or second weekend. The topic for that meeting is Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Again, the topic is a loose one – Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia all qualify. A couple of people had asked for recommendations – for purely sci-fi, anything by Robert Heinlein (A Stranger in a Strange Land, I Will Fear No Evil, Time Enough for Love are some of my favorites) is very accessible and enjoyable – Heinlein not only wrote about scientific and technical advances, but how they impacted future society. Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are a little more hardcore science fiction, and I haven’t read many of the newer authors. In addition to the fantasy compendiums mentioned previously, David Eddings wrote a very enjoyable LOTR knockoff (actually two) called the Belgariad and the Mallorean. Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series is very enjoyable, and for light-hearted fare, pick up anything by Terry Pratchett. If you want something that is more in keeping with this meeting, Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon is an excellent read, jumping between WWII cryptography, and today’s data privacy issues. And along the more literary front (but still qualifying), Michael Cunningham’s Specimen Days is a fascinating novel, actually made up of three novellas using the same characters – one set in the New York during the Industrial Revolution, the second set in present day, and the third in a strange, post-apocalyptic future. But, as always, our topics are very loose, and one could argue that any fiction is someone’s fantasy…

So, until the next meeting, happy reading! It was great to have everyone participate, and hope everyone can make the next one! Looking for a host – it seems to work best at someone’s house. Anyone care to volunteer? The book tracker follows.

Dave


Name Books Borrowed from
Bev Middlesex Laura

Colleen The Blind Assasin Virginia

Darin Marley & Me Bev
Running Out of Time

Kay The Preservationist Dave

Lee Night Bev

Virginia 3 Weeks w/ My Brother Laura
Younger Colleen

Dave God Is an Englishman Kay

An Evening on Joanne's Porch (IBC#2, June 10, 2006)

Saturday eve past (yes – I know it was almost a week ago. Yes - I know that I’m a slacker), Joanne hosted the second gathering of the book club on her porch. In addition to the hostess, Beverly, Colleen, Martin, Kosmo and I attended (although Kosmo was frequently absent, pursuing other interests – like chipmunks, squirrels and field mice in the back yard – Kosmo being a cat. My apologies to Kosmo if I’m spelling his name wrong. I asked him for the correct spelling, but he never really gave me an answer). Before going any further, let me first thank Joanne for being such a wonderful host, and let all of you know that if you were not able to attend, you’ll want to make sure you do make the next event Joanne hosts… she fed us delicious chicken burritos and tacos – with the dips that Bev and Martin brought, as well as Colleen’s desserts, none of us went hungry – so again, thank you Joanne, for hosting. So on to the point of the evening… the books.

Bev’s Choices

When last we met, Bev was in the middle of reading Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, by John Grogan. After finishing it, she warns that it encompasses the entire life of Marley, a yellow lab – implying (but without directly stating) how it ends (thanks, Bev.). This book made her laugh and cry, and laugh and cry, and laugh and cry, over and over again. After giving her summary, Bev then initiated a lively discussion on:

The Prophet of Yonwood, by Jeanne DuPrau
For those of you that were at the first book club meeting, you may recall Bev and Colleen’s recommendation for two of Jeanne DuPrau’s previous books, The City of Ember, and People of Sparks. Although these are children’s (9-12 y.o.) books, they presented a unique take of what a society might look like should the world suffer a disaster that threatens the majority of its population. Along the way, the books present some pretty straightforward life-lessons and some interesting parallels to the development of any society. So it was with great joy and anticipation when we discovered that the third Book of Ember, The Prophet of Yonwood, was released a few weeks ago. The Prophet of Yonwood tells you on the book jacket that it’s a prequel to The City of Ember, taking place 50 years before the founding of Ember. So immediately, I thought that I would discover what the disaster was that led people to Ember. Boy was I wrong. But this is Bev’s story – heavily contributed to by Colleen and I, who both read it (as well as Lee, who wasn’t present at the book club, but would probably concur). There are some very interesting threads throughout Yonwood… it’s set in a seemingly idyllic town with the threat of what you anticipate will be the disaster looming – enough so that I forgot while reading it that there is still another 50 years until Ember is founded. As with Ember and Sparks, the main protagonist is a young teenage girl, with a young teenage boy introduced part way through the story. But neither one of these are anywhere near as fun as the protagonists of Ember and Sparks. Bev (and this was echoed by Colleen and I, as well as Lee) liked the story, and was excited about learning what led people to Ember… however, as the book draws to a close, there are still so many unresolved things, that it first appears as if the author has left room for another book. Well… she hasn’t. 50 years are summarized in about a paragraph and a half, and so many things that were brought up in the story are just ignored. As Bev says, the author was probably happily writing, and then realized that she had an editor’s guideline. The City of Ember and People of Sparks are both fantastic, enjoyable books, for anyone from the age of 9 to 90… if you read them and like them, you have to read The Prophet of Yonwood… but as Wesley (or the Dread Pirate Roberts) says: ‘Get used to disappointment.’ (He also says, ‘Life is pain, your highness – anyone who tells you differently is selling something’, but that has almost nothing to do with the review). Here is an excerpt from the review at commonsense.org (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/reviews/review.php?id=5328&type=Book):

Fans of the Ember series may be in for a disappointment. Despite saying “The
Third Book of Ember” on the cover, this book has absolutely nothing to do with
Ember until the very last, tacked-on chapter connects some of the characters
with Ember some 50 years after the conclusion of the story.

Colleen’s Turn
As Bev did, Colleen provided a ‘finally finished, but really enjoyed’ update to On Celtic Tides by Chris Duff, the travelogue of a former Navy SEAL who circumnavigated Ireland in a sea kayak. In addition to a description of his journey, the author (it amazes Colleen that he’s a former SEAL) discusses not only Irish history, but current events - and his own introspective journey.

Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, by Richard Bach
It’s hard for me to write about this book without tossing my own perspective into it as it’s one of my all-time favorites, so my apologies to Colleen if I do – but I’ll try to limit it to her impressions of the book. Illusions is by the same author as Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and The Bridge Across Forever, and One… so it’s easy to think of it as being a touchy-feely new-agey book. And in a way, it is – it is filled with aphorisms taken from the previously fictional (and now tangible) The Messiah’s Handbook, Reminders for the Advanced Soul. But it’s also a very fun (most of the time) story. It follows the story of a barnstorming protagonist as he meets up with another barnstormer who seems to have life a little more figured out. As Colleen pointed out, this Messiah’s Handbook was a book that the protagonist could just open and discover what it was they needed to hear, and there are a lot of things that you’ll take away from it. Illusions is a very quick, fun and fulfilling read, and if Colleen hadn’t have liked it, I might never have spoken to her again. ;-) From amazon.com:

In the cloud-washed airspace between the cornfields of Illinois and blue
infinity, a man puts his faith in the propeller of his biplane. For
disillusioned writer and itinerant barnstormer Richard Bach, belief is as real
as a full tank of gas and sparks firing in the cylinders...until he meets Donald
Shimoda--former mechanic and self-described messiah who can make wrenches fly
and Richard's imagination soar....

In the Company of a Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant
Colleen also had listened to In the Company of a Courtesan after hearing an interview with the author on IT Conversations (http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail1019.html) The book is set in 16th century Venice, and the focus of the interview was more in what technology or industry existed at that time, but it piqued her interest enough to check out the book. In the Company of the Courtesan is told from the perspective of the Courtesan’s dwarf and business partner, and is interesting in its depiction of Venetian society. Colleen enjoyed the audio-book – said it was good, if not great (compared to some of the later selections). From The New Yorker (by way of Amazon):

Dunant’s latest historical romp follows the fortunes of a beautiful,
flame-haired courtesan, Fiammetta Bianchini, who, after escaping from the 1527
pillage of Rome, sets up shop in Venice. The novel, narrated by Fiammetta’s
servant, a dwarf, chronicles the pair’s horrific scrapes and their dizzying
triumphs, which include Fiammetta’s becoming Titian’s model for his "Venus of
Urbino." Along the way, Dunant presents a lively and detailed acccount of the
glimmering palaces and murky alleys of Renaissance Venice, and examines the way
the city’s clerics and prostitutes alike are bound by its peculiar dynamic of
opulence and restraint.

Martin’s Selections

Lamb: the Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore
So first we had the adventures of a reluctant messiah, and now we have the Gospel according to Biff. Do we sense a theme here? The first book Martin discussed was Lamb by Christopher Moore. In Lamb, the author provides a irreverent, although very humorous account of Jesus’ missing years. Martin has read a number of Moore’s books, and thinks this is by far his best (I’d have to agree). This book will keep you laughing, and wanting more. Booklist (again, via amazon.com) says:

If Jesus was fully human, then of course he must have farted, but never has
messianic flatulence been used to greater comic effect. Jesus' best pal, Biff,
has been reincarnated by the Angel Raziel to write a true gospel--the real
story, in which Jesus and Biff set out to find the three magi after the
betrothal of Mary Magdalene (Maggie) to Jakan the jerk. Jesus (or Josh, as Biff
calls him) and Biff head east, meeting immortality-obsessed Balthasar and then
brothers Gaspar and Melchior, from whom they learn of Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Yoga, which Josh teaches to his pet elephant. Absurd? Of course, and as in
Moore's other books, the jokes, ranging from the sublime to the sophisticated to
the utterly sophomoric, make the book. What Lamb lacks in theological
sophistication it more than compensates with mirth. Although many will find
something offensive in this novel, which pokes fun at every major religious
tradition that existed in the first century, they will find it simply impossible
not to laugh. John Green

Don’t Stop the Carnival, by Herman Wouk
Martin then introduced another theme – the traditional ex-pat, fish out of water. The first book he brought was written several years ago by Herman Wouk (yes, the same author who wrote The Caine Mutiny and The Winds of War… what a great movie and a lousy mini-series, respectively – oops… sorry… Dave’s editorial). Don’t Stop the Carnival chronicles a man who wishes to get away from it all and buys a hotel in the Caribbean. Naturally, he’s not prepared for the cultural change, and the trials that ensue. This is one of Martin’s favorite books –go figure that Jimmy Buffet made it into a musical. Amazon offers the following synopsis:

Don’t Stop the Carnival is Herman Wouk's comedy about living out your fantasies
on an exotic Caribbean island. Norman Paperman, a successful Broadway publicity
agent, has long dreamed of escaping his high-pressure Manhattan life. In a fit
of bravado, he chucks it all and buys an old hotel on tiny, primitive, lush
Amerigo island.

Hotel Patsis, by Peter Mayle
In keeping with the fish out of water theme, Martin also recommended this book, a work of fiction by the author of A Year in Provence. Rather than an Englishman in New York (apologies to Sting, and whomever he stole that from), it’s a Englishman in France… This book is also set in Provence, and like Martin’s previous selection, deals with an ex-pat running a hotel (any guesses on what Martin aspires to do?). Publisher’s Weekly (by way of amazon.com – are we sensing another trend here?) has this to say:

As fans of A Year in Provence and Toujours Provence may have suspected, Mayle's
skills as a writer translate well into fiction. His first novel is as adroit,
funny and charming as his previous works, and again it is set in his favorite
region of France. Newly divorced, disenchanted and bored with his job as a
director of a prestigious British ad agency, Simon Shaw is delighted when
beautiful Frenchwoman Nicole Bouvier suggests that he rescue from bankruptcy a
half-finished hotel in the drolly named town of Brassiere-les-Deux-Eglises.
Taking a huge risk, Simon resigns from his agency and becomes patron of the new
establishment in the picturesque Luberon region. In counterpoint, Mayle
crosscuts to the escapades of a lovable band of criminals who are conspiring to
break into the vault of a bank in the neighboring village of Isle-sur-Sorges. As
the threads of the plot begin to converge, Mayle displays his satiric eye for
social foibles by skewering advertising execs in England and the U.S.; he is
equally adept at evoking typical Provencal villagers. Wickedly sharp and
sympathetic at the same time, his characterizations are accurate down to nuances
of class differences, voice, accent and vocabulary. The novel is as smooth as a
sip of pastis, and one hopes that Mayle will find his segue into fiction equally
addictive.

Dave’s Sharings

The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Just so it’s clear, I loved this book. While listening to it (and before even finishing it), I recommended it to my sister, my brother-in-law, several friends, two co-workers, and the cashier at my dry cleaners (ok… just kidding about that last one)... I loved it that much. I had a recent driving trip to Illinois, and was looking for a good audio book. Colleen recommended this, and it accompanied me all the way to Illinois and back, and the to and from work (and anywhere else I could think of to drive to) while I finished it. The Time Traveler’s Wife is the story of Henry and Clare, who first meet when Henry is 36 and Clare is 6. When they get married 14 years later, Clare is 20 and Henry is 28. Don’t even try it – the math doesn’t work (I know – I did try it). The central premise of the story (time travel), although completely outlandish, is set up in such a way that you accept and embrace it. And the author does more to address the ramifications and consequences than the explanation – but you don’t need it. The Time Traveler’s Wife is one of those books that you wrap yourself up in, and don’t ever want to leave. Here’s an excerpt from the Publisher’s Weekly review (http://reviews.publishersweekly.com/bd.aspx?isbn=193156146X&pub=pw):

Niffenegger has written a soaring love story illuminated by dozens of finely
observed details and scenes, and one that skates nimbly around a huge conundrum
at the heart of the book: Henry De Tamble, a rather dashing librarian at the
famous Newberry Library in Chicago, finds himself unavoidably whisked around in
time. He disappears from a scene in, say, 1998 to find himself suddenly, usually
without his clothes, which mysteriously disappear in transit, at an entirely
different place 10 years earlier-or later. During one of these migrations, he
drops in on beautiful teenage Clare Abshire, an heiress in a large house on the
nearby Michigan peninsula, and a lifelong passion is born.

The Stolen Child, by Keith Donohue
It’s hard to talk about another book after reading (or listening to) a book as good as The Time Traveler’s Wife. But when I wasn’t able to find excuses to drive around listening to the previous book, I was reading The Stolen Child. One evening, I was telling Joanne about the book, when she mentioned that was the title of a Yeats poem. I was completely unaware of this, not having read much Yeats. Joanne later sent me the poem, and it’s easy to see how it inspired the author. And then, on Saturday night, I happened to read the liner – and the first words were ‘Inspired by the classic poem by W.B. Yeats’… so obviously, I’m not very observant. This was one of those recommendations that Amazon gives you (and, interestingly, one of the books Amazon recommends to those who enjoy this is The Time Traveler’s Wife… there… I managed to work it in TWICE when discussing another book… did I mention that I loved it?). The premise sounds like a kid’s tale, but it really isn’t. A 7 year old boy goes missing in the woods, and is found, but actually, it’s an imposter… one of a troupe of changelings who live in the forest, never age, and have near-magical powers. Yeah, yeah, yeah – sounds awful, right? It’s actually really good – the narrator alternates between the imposter changeling trying to fit into a life with the 7 year old’s former family, and the 7 year old adapting to his new environment, life and friends. This book was hard to put down, because it often illustrated the same events from the two different perspectives – but was a very satisfying read. Some random amazon.com customer posted the following:

The Stolen Child is an incredible deep character driven fantasy that focuses on
the nature vs. nurture concept. The paranormal elements serve as support
components to a strong story line that rotates what is happening with the Henrys
over time; thus the audience observes two "identical twins" separated at seven
growing up feeling apart from their families and friends leading to discontent
in their respective lives. Keith Donohue writes a great novel that will have
readers debating the impact of nurturing and naturing as both Henrys adapt and
adjust, but never feel whole. This is a fantastic fantasy that readers will
enjoy immensely.

Joanne’s Finale

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
Joanne presented this book that she read last summer, but still thinks about. Life of Pi is about a 16 year old boy (Pi) from India, whose father, a zookeeper, decides to move them and their animals to Canada. En route, because of a shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in a lifeboat with a hyena, a wounded zebra, a seasick orangutan and a tiger. The group forms an uneasy alliance, but quickly dwindles to just Pi and the tiger. Joanne noted that the character not only faces survival, but also his concept of self and god. It’s funny, heartbreaking and hard to put down. Those of us who read it agreed that if all of us did, we would each come up with our own individual perceptions of what occurred. The New Yorker (by way of amazon.com, of course) has this to say:

An impassioned defense of zoos, a death-defying trans-Pacific sea adventure à la
"Kon-Tiki," and a hilarious shaggy-dog story starring a
four-hundred-and-fifty-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker: this audacious
novel manages to be all of these as it tells the improbable survivor's tale of
Pi Patel, a young Indian fellow named for a swimming pool (his full first name
is Piscine) who endures seven months in a lifeboat with only a hungry, outsized
feline for company. This breezily aphoristic, unapologetically twee saga of man
and cat is a convincing hands-on, how-to guide for dealing with what Pi calls,
with typically understated brio, "major lifeboat pests."

The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler
Joanne then discussed this book… and I think her reaction to it could best be summed up by ‘WTF?’ (my acronym, not Joanne’s… oh and ‘Sorry, Maureen’*) Someone recommended this book to her, so Joanne gave it a shot. According to her it has very little to do with book clubs, even less to do with Jane Austen, and is filled with characters that aren’t even likable. She was perfectly willing to accept that she might have missed the point of the book (if there was one), but as none of us had read it, we could not help her. I can say that when she offered it up for someone to borrow, everyone mysteriously disappeared. Can any of you out there in radioland who weren’t there Saturday provide any further illumination? Booklist, via amazon.com presented a much more glowing review of this than Joanne did – but I’m still not gonna read it:

Fowler, a captivating and good-hearted satirist, exuberantly pays homage to and
matches wits with Jane Austen in her most pleasurable novel to date by
portraying six irresistible Californians who meet once a month to discuss
Austen's six novels. Coyly shifting points of view, Fowler subtly uses her
characters' responses to Austen as entree into their poignant and often
hilarious life stories. The book club is Jocelyn's idea, a fiftysomething gal
who seems to prefer the company of her show dogs to men. She has known Sylvia
since grade school, and even used to date Sylvia's husband, who has abruptly
moved out, inspiring their beautiful, accident-prone, lesbian artist daughter,
Allegra, to move back in and join the book club along with her mother. Also on
board are disheveled and loquacious Bernadette; Prudie, a high-school French
teacher; and Grigg, the only man. Fowler shares Austen's fascination with the
power of stories, and explores the same timeless aspects of human behavior that
Austen so masterfully dramatizes, while capturing with anthropological acuity
and electrifying humor the oddities of our harried world. Fellow Austenites will
love Fowler's fluency in the great novelist's work; every reader will relish
Fowler's own ebullient comedy of manners, and who knows how many book clubs will be inspired by this charming paean to books and readers.

That and about 3000 calories apiece wrapped up our wonderful evening discussing books on Joanne’s porch. For those of you who were not able to attend, we hope that you can attend the next one. I’ve gotten lots of great recommendations, and have enjoyed discussing books (even Yonwood) with everyone. We’re probably looking at sometime in August – I’ll be sending out an eVite with a poll so we can see what the best time for everyone is. If anyone wants to volunteer to host, that would be great - I think our overall experience was greatly enhanced by being in Joanne’s home… and hey, if Martin can drive down from Walkersville, MD, then no place is too far. One other thing that we’re considering is having a loose theme of books to present, and I’ll include that in the poll, too. What several of us have discussed as a potential theme is Historical Fiction – yeah – I did say ‘loose’. Happy reading!

Dave



* My obscure reference to A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby that I just finished… you see, there’s this character named Maureen… oh, never mind – you’d have to read it. Great book, I’m willing to loan to anyone interested.

Book Tracker

This list is by no means comprehensive, and since it is based largely on my memory, has no guarantees of percentage of accuracy… An actuary would probably put it at 87%, but then they would be foolish, as they would not be accounting for the excessive amounts of caffeine I’ve been consuming and it’s impact on my memory. Oh – and this is only if the actual transaction occurred at the book club meeting (but that doesn’t mean that I’ll forget who has my Seven Types of Ambiguity, Joanne. ;-) )

Name Books Borrowed from
Bev On Celtic Tides Colleen

Colleen Lamb Martin
The Time Traveler’s
Wife (audio) Dave

Martin The Stolen Child Dave
Life of Pi Joanne

Dave Where Is my Father? Joanne
In the Company of
The Couresan (audio) Colleen

Joanne Don’t Stop the
Carnival Martin
Hotel Patsis Martin

Things We Learned at the Book Club (first meeting - April 22, 2006)

The first ever IBC (Irreverant Book Club) book discussion club met this morning at Starbucks in Fairfax. Colleen, Dave, Bev, Lee and Tammy got together to discuss books they liked, share stories of reading, and be charmed by Allie, Tammy’s four (four?) year old daughter who meticulously licks the icing off of her cupcakes. Before going into the books, here are some things we learned:

1) Don’t talk about scary books around Colleen (I’d already learned that, but it was reinforced at the group)
2) Bev is the kind of 6th grade teacher I wish I had when I was in 6th grade (to catch up and
generate interest on History and Social Studies, she has them reading cool historical fiction like ‘Mr. Revere and I’)
3) Tammy’s activity schedule between her and her kids is so complex she turned Saturday into Sunday and vice versa
4) Lee will not read a book in a series until all of them are out (funny, she doesn’t seem like the
impatient type)
5) Dave has a love affair with little yellow post-it notes (can you say ‘anal-retentive’?)

But enough frivolity, we met to discuss books, and that we did.

This being Colleen’s inspiration, it was only fitting that she kick off the discussion. Colleen actually brought two books.

To Have and To Hold, by Jane Green
Colleen described this as ‘chick-lit’, which immediately made me think of those little yellow boxes of square, candy-coated gum that lost it’s flavor by the time you crunched away the candied exterior, but I don’t think that’s what she meant. Colleen didn’t review this book very favorably, although quickly pointed out that she enjoyed other books by the same author – especially Jemima J… I personally think she was hoping to loan the book out never to see it again, but after such a glowing review, there were no takers. Audiolist has the following description of the book:

Alice Chambers is trapped in a life she doesn't know she hates, with a wealthy
but wandering husband, a slightly crazy best friend, and no real self to
speak of. When husband Joe is transferred to New York because of an
infidelity with a co-worker, Alice is less than thrilled about making the
move. The change ultimately transforms her life and those in her circle

On Celtic Tides: One Man’s Journey Around Ireland by Sea Kayak, by Chris Duff
Colleen had a much more favorable review of this book, a travel journal of sorts. For those who don’t know Colleen well yet, she is a self-described, flat-water kayaker, and her description of the peace she finds on a lake or sound in her kayak will make you want to try it. The journey undertaken in this book is difficult, due to the nature of the seas around Ireland, but Colleen points out that in addition to the travel journal aspect of the book, the author also delves into Irish lore. Amazon.com has this to say:

"Every time I thought I had reached the peak, that the passion for the journey
must certainly begin to wane, I would stumble on another experience that
pulled me onward," writes Chris Duff, recounting his solo circumnavigation
of Ireland by sea kayak in the summer of 1996. "Stroke by stroke, four miles
an hour, Ireland was filling me with its life blood." Beginning and ending
in Dublin, Duff paddled 1,200 miles over the course of three months.
Sometimes he piloted his frail craft through waters too tumultuous even for
hardy local fisherman; other times he sought refuge in sixth-century
monastic ruins on coastal islands or waited out storms for days on end in
his tent.

Next, Bev discussed the book she is currently reading and then brought up another book that she didn’t bring along, but that a couple of us had read and also recommend:

Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, by John Grogan
Bev, a dog owner, was attracted to the book initially by the cute picture of a dog, presumably Marley on the cover. Little did she know she would be starting a trend. While stranded on the tarmac in a plane in Chicago, Bev discovered two more people also reading the book. According to Bev, this book will make you laugh out loud and will make you cry. She read a hilarious excerpt regarding the devastation that Marley’s ‘wildly wagging weapon’ wreaked throughout the house. Naturally, as a dog owner, Bev can relate (as could Tammy – but for Marley being a Labrador, the book probably could have been written about Tammy’s Dalmatian, Tuesday), but one of those that she encountered on the plane was not a dog owner, and was enjoying the book immensely. The following description is from Booklist:

“Oh my. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so cute in my life.” Thus author
Grogan’s wife sealed their fate when they “just went to look” at a litter of
Labrador retriever puppies and ended up picking out Marley. Maybe their
first clue should have been that the breeder had discounted the price on
their puppy, or when they saw his father charging out of the woods covered
in mud with a crazed but joyous look in his eye. Despite these portents,
Marley entered their lives, and nothing was ever the same again.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
Bev’s work as a teacher has led her to have some experience with autistic children, and believes that experience enriched her enjoyment of this book told in the first person by an autistic teenager who witnesses an event out of the ordinary, and sets about investigating the event. Dave and Colleen had also read the book, and it’s very enjoyable without having experience with autism as well – as the protagonist’s perspective is very strictly defined in literal terms and unassailable logic. Amazon.com says this about Mark Haddon’s novel:

Mark Haddon’s bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night-Time, is a murder mystery of sorts—one told by an autistic version of
Adrian Mole. Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically
gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can
barely cope with their child’s quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is
told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behavior of his
elders and peers.

Lee then told us about the book she had brought to share:

The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd
Lee loved Sue Monk Kidd’s first novel, The Secret Life of Bees, describing it as ´delicious’. After further discussion, all agreed but Colleen – and that’s only because she hasn’t yet read it (it’s next on her list!). Lee described The Mermaid Chair as the ‘book you want to have in your hands when you are lying on the beach’. And having just returned not too long ago from two weeks in Argentina, she should be an expert. According to Lee the book is full of strong women characters, much like Bees was, and she highly recommended it. Amazon.com’s review of the book starts this way:

Sue Monk Kidd's The Mermaid Chair is the soulful tale of Jessie Sullivan, a
middle-aged woman whose stifled dreams and desires take shape during an extended
stay on Egret Island, where she is caring for her troubled mother, Nelle. Like
Kidd's stunning debut novel, The Secret Life of Bees,
her highly anticipated follow up evokes the same magical sense of whimsy and
poignancy.

Dave recommended anything by Christopher Moore, but then discussed the book he had brought:

Seven Types of Ambiguity, by Elliot Perlman
Dave read this book about two months ago, and went back to review it, thus attempting to poorly justify the reason it was flagged with more post-it notes than a 3M convention. While not his favorite book of the last six months (that has to be reserved for Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by the aforementioned Christopher Moore), it may have been the most interesting. The story is told from the perspective of seven different characters in the book, each divided in it’s own section. Each character’s narrative moves the story forward, giving a different view of the preceding events. Overall, the book has a slightly sinister undertone to it, but Dave found himself devouring it to a) find out what happens next, and b) find out who the next narrator will be. The New Yorker had this to say about it:

Cheekily swiping the title of William Empson's seminal work of literary
criticism, this second novel by Perlman, an Australian writer, presents
seven first-person narrators—whose lives are all nudged off course by a
man's abduction of his ex-girlfriend's young son—in a compulsively readable
tangle. At the center is a psychiatrist who treats several of the
characters, and whose narrative provides some basis for assessing the
partial perspectives of the six others. The abductor's self-justifying rants
about truth, literature, and poststructuralist theory win over his shrink
and, it seems, everyone else.

Tammy’s book was an activity book that she diligently utilized to help keep Allie entertained, as her life is full with her six year old son and four year old daughter. However, she vowed to read not just one, but possibly two books before our next meeting… which will be (drum roll, please)…

Next Meeting: Friday, June 9 at 7:30pm, location to be determined later… we’re hoping that those of you who couldn’t make it today can make it then – the more the merrier. Bring a book that you enjoyed (or one you hated), and tell us why you did… our meeting was very casual (save for Dave’s post-it notes), and a good time was had by all! Thanks to everyone for showing up today!