Abbey’s Comments (group member since May 28, 2020)

Abbey’s comments from the HDL Books on Tap group.

Greetings Everyone!
Given the state of the world and current events, I agree with some of our members who feel it's time to read of substance about people of color. I realize as I try to write this initial post that I am already struggling: should I say the author is a woman of color? Or a black woman? How many missteps can I make in a book discussion?

I want to try to make this a good discussion of learning for all of us, so I am going to start with page one of the book tonight and read it relatively at pace with the group. I'm Still Here has gotten consistently positive reviews for its thought-provoking nature. I'm jumping into this ready to think!

Since it is a book of essays, we could open threads on each one, but what are your thoughts? I'd love insight from anyone who has read it already! As always, feel free to email me at abbey@herrickdl.org

Thanks, All,
Abbey

Captain Kidd has a unique job. Other than getting paid, what do you think he gets out of his job as a news reader?

Hey All! I'm all for starting another book--I don't know that I will be able to keep up with both, but I'm willing to set it up!

I am thinking that maybe I will just put book titles on the folders instead of months so that folks don't feel like they have to drop one just because that month is done. Thoughts?

You know, I toyed with that question, too.
Have you heard of the Ghost Army? From WWII? So much of the information about them was classified until just recently that their families had no idea what they did in the war. I wonder whether very much is known/recorded about Louise de Bettignies actual day-today work? As in not enough so that people might be irritated and cranky if Kate Quinn tried to fill in enough blanks for a good story?

My primary reasons for picking News of the World are:
1. It's available on Hoopla, so as many people as want to can read it at the same time; and
2. It keeps coming up on "Best Short Books" lists. When I was working on a plan for this group, back in April, I assumed that surely life would be back to normal by July and people would be busy doing summer things!
Well, it was a nice idea at the time, but here we are.
I had a request from a group member about we consider discussion a book about race, given all that's going on in our country right now. If other folks would like to, I would be up for doing two books this month and people can pick and choose if they would like.
How do you all feel? Leave a reply--and include any recommendations you might have!

I like to think that he was taunted by her over the years. That he started to second-guess his instincts on a lot of things after he discovered Eve had duped him, and every niggling doubt after that became a reminder of her. Even though he probably lived quite well on the outside, I suspect he experienced some paranoia after Eve.

I'm wondering about White Fragility. A friend of mine is currently reading it and it sounds amazing, but I haven't read it yet and am hesitant to start a discussion around a topic this sensitive on a book I haven't read.
Anyone have any thoughts?

How do you feel about the last meeting between Rene and Eve? Are you satisfied? Do you think that Rene spent the years after Lille wondering about Eve and whether or not he would see her again?

Lyn, I would love to, but I had to get book titles to our marketing department over a month ago. Do you think people would want to do two titles in a month? Or let people pick?

Lyn, That's a good idea--sometimes our discussions are so late in the month and I am hoping that people will hop in to keep thinking and posting throughout the month.

What if I posted the next book and a short intro on the first of the month and then opened a new thread that let's everyone post as they have thoughts to share with the warning at the top of the thread that there might be spoilers. And maybe post discussion questions he third Monday of the month?

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Lyn, I love Goodreads so much! If you want, I have a civilian account under syebba@gmail.com and you're welcome to friend me!

Lyn Sorry, Lyn, I should have thought of this while I was putting more stuff up!! I will make sure to send out head's up at the beginning of the next book!

I stumbled across The Alice Network while trying to help another book club find a book that they could all get access to through the library while in quarantine. It didn't take me long to decide I wanted to read it: a network of female spies, a disenfranchised coed, and an opening section that yanked me right into the pages and didn't let go!
A word of warning: some of the discussion questions contain spoilers, so if you want to keep guessing, wait a bit to look at them. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have!

Each character in the book carries deep emotional wounds--Eve's torture, Finn's camp experience, Charlie's brother's suicide--but they are all coping with them differently. How is PTSD handled in the book?

Rene is thought to be a scoundrel by those around him as he operates Le Lethe and serves the German occupants. He sees himself as being a good businessman. What do you think? Is he a villain or an opportunist? What did you think of his fate?

When we first meet Eve in 1947, she's very different from the Eve we meet in 1915. It's hard to reconcile the two until the story really gets underway. At what point do you start to recognize 1947-Eve emerging from 1915-Eve?