Angie’s Comments (group member since Dec 17, 2020)

Angie’s comments from the Gilbert Branch Library group.

On the last Thursday of each month, the Gilbert-Summit book club votes on a title to discuss the following month. Meetings are casual and lively; visitors are always welcome. For more details, email Angie at abrooks@lex.lib.sc.us.

On the last Thursday of each month, the Gilbert-Summit book club votes on a title to discuss the following month. Meetings are casual and lively; visitors are always welcome. For more details, email Angie at abrooks@lex.lib.sc.us.

Things to think about...

1. What were your initial theories about Annalee’s disappearance? As the characters reacted to the evidence, what did they reveal about themselves?

2. When you read Annalee’s emails, along with reminiscences of her, what were your impressions? What was it like to get to know her through Lianna’s eyes?

3. Does Warren’s career as a literature professor (specializing in poetry, no less) enhance his ability to cope with his wife’s sleepwalking, or is science the only way to understand it?

4. How does the relationship between Lianna and Paige compare to the relationship between you and your siblings? What determines whether siblings will take care of each other or become rivals?

5. Lianna has a talent for magic. Why is she drawn to creating illusions, and to being in control of the reality behind them?

6. As the Ahlbergs confront the role of genetics in their family tragedy, what issues are raised about the heart of our identities? Are the Ahlberg girls shaped more by nature or nurture?

7. How would you describe the portrait of a marriage that emerges in the novel? How was trust formed and tested between Annalee and Warren? Did secrecy strengthen or weaken their relationship?

8. What surprising facts did you learn about sleepwalking, and sleep in general, as you read this novel? If you were a sleepwalker, what would your strongest impulses be?

1. Does Don’s Asperger’s conditions help him or hinder him? Does Don’s having Autism offer any advantages in his life?

2. Don goes through a number of spectacularly bad dates. What have been some of your own dating nightmares?

3. Where do you fall on the spectrum between structure and chaos in life? Are you highly rigid in your routines or very relaxed?

4. Do you agree with Don’s assessment that “humans often fail to see what is close to them and obvious to others”? (p. 88)

5. What do you think of Gene and Claudia’s relationship? Can the concept of an open marriage work?

6. Don says that the happiest day of his life were spent at the Museum of Natural History. Do you have a happiest day of your life? Or is there a special place where you are happiest?

7. As Don’s affection for Rosie grows, he becomes aware of his instincts overriding reason. What is the role of instinct versus reason when it comes to choosing a life partner?

8. Do you have anyone on the Autism spectrum in your life?

9. Don watches a number of movies to try to learn about romance, including When Harry Met Sally, The Bridges of Madison County, An Affair to Remember and Hitch. What are your top five romantic movies?

10. Have you ever had a moment of breaking out of your routine and opening up in a significant way? Or has someone broken through your routine for you?

Our book club will meet on January 27th at 5:30pm to discuss this book! Below are a few discussion questions from the author to think about between now and then. Hope to see you there!

1. From the very beginning of the book, we learn that Dannie has rules and plans laid out for everything in her life. Do you believe this helps or hinders her? How does her philosophy regarding keeping everything in its place change over the course of the novel?

2. To Dannie, the law is “like poetry, but poetry with outcome, poetry with concrete meaning—with actionable power” (page 10). Later she describes the law by saying that “everything is there in black and white” (page 142). How does the law empower Dannie? To what extent do you think the law shapes how rigidly she sees the world? As the book goes on, power is often taken out of Dannie’s hands. Do you think her background makes this lack of control harder for her than it might be for others?

3. While Bella is a tragic character, she is not painted simply in an angelic light. Early on in the story, Dannie describes her as being “spoiled, mercurial, and more than a little bit magical” (page 6). Is Bella’s portrayal as a complicated, sometimes flawed character unique given the ending of the book and the typical depiction of the tragic heroine?

4. The scene between Dannie and Aaron in Chapter 3 is mirrored by the same scene in Chapter 41. How did your impressions of the two characters change over the course of the book? Why do you think the author chose to frame the story with two identical scenes that will mean different things to the reader at different points in the story?

5. Bella gifts Dannie a print by the artist Allen Grubesic that reads: I WAS YOUNG I NEEDED THE MONEY. All the characters in the book are well-off financially by the time we meet them. What do you think the print’s message means in the context of the story?

In person book club will be held at the Gilbert Branch on December 30th at 5:30pm.

In the meantime, you are welcome to post thoughts or questions - here's something to start...
If this were not part of a series and a sequel could be written from only one point of view, who would you choose and why?

Option 2 for book club discussion!

Option 1 for book club discussion!

Looking forward to this one!

Q&A with the author about this book: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.c...

Overview:
In a quest for a simpler life, Helen and Nate have abandoned the comforts of suburbia to take up residence on forty-four acres of rural land where they will begin the ultimate, aspirational do-it-yourself project – building the house of their dreams. When they discover that this beautiful property has a dark and violent past, Helen, a former history teacher, becomes consumed by the local legend of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died there a century ago. With her passion for artifacts, Helen finds special materials to incorporate into the house – a beam from an old schoolroom, bricks from a mill, a mantel from a farmhouse – objects that draw her deeper into the story of Hattie and her descendants, three generations of Breckenridge women, each of whom died suspiciously. As the building project progresses, the house will become a place of menace and unfinished business: a new home, now haunted, that beckons its owners and their neighbors toward unimaginable danger.

Grand Central Publishing:
The #1 NYT bestselling authors Preston & Child bring the true story of the ill-fated Donner Party to new life in this thrilling novel of archaeology, history, murder, and suspense.

Nora Kelly, a young curator at the Santa Fe Institute of Archaeology, is approached by historian Clive Benton with a once-in-a-lifetime proposal: to lead a team in search of the so-called “Lost Camp” of the tragic Donner Party. This was a group of pioneers who earned a terrible place in American history when they became snow-bound in the California mountains in 1847, their fate unknown until the first skeletonized survivors stumbled out of the wilderness, raving about starvation, murder-and cannibalism.

Benton tells Kelly he has stumbled upon an amazing find: the long-sought diary of one of the victims, which has an enigmatic description of the Lost Camp. Nora agrees to lead an expedition to locate and excavate it-to reveal its long-buried secrets.

Once in the mountains, however, they learn that discovering the camp is only the first step in a mounting journey of fear. For as they uncover old bones, they expose the real truth of what happened, one that is far more shocking and bizarre than mere cannibalism. And when those ancient horrors lead to present-day violence on a grand scale, rookie FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case…only to find that her first investigation might very well be her last.

The Book Club will meet Thursday, August 26th at 5:30 in the Gilbert Branch Meeting Room. Please contact Angie here or directly at abrooks@lex.lib.sc.us with questions or suggestions. Hope to see you then!

Discussion Questions from the Publisher:

(1) At the beginning of the novel, Madeline is enraged over Ziggy not being invited to Amabella’s birthday party. Why do you think Madeline becomes so angry about such a seemingly small injustice? Do you think Madeline is the kind of person who just looks for a fight, or do you think she was justified in feeling so upset? And do you think that by tackling both ends of the spectrum —from schoolyard bullying and parents behaving badly in the playground to displays of domestic violence in all its incarnations—that the author is trying to say something about the bullying that happens out in the open every day?

(2) There is a lot of discussion about women and their looks. On the beach Jane’s mom shows that she has rather poor body image. Jane observes that women over 40 are constantly talking about their age. And Madeline says, “She didn’t want to admit, even to herself, just how much the aging of her face really did genuinely depress her. She wanted to be above such superficial concerns. She wanted to be depressed about the state of the world….” [p. 82] Do you think this obsession with looks is specific to women, particularly women of a certain age? Why or why not?

(3) There are a lot of scenes in which the characters say they wish they could be violent: Jane says she wants to throw Ziggy into the wall when he has a tirade in the bathtub, that she would hit Renata if she was in front of her, and then she stops just short of kicking Harper. Do you think the author is trying to show the reader Perry’s side and have us sympathize with him? Or, rather, that feeling violent is a natural impulse but one that people learn to suppress?

When Ziggy has to do his family tree, Madeline comments, “Why try to slot fractured families into neat little boxes in this day and age?” [p. 184] A lot of Madeline’s storyline is about the complications that arise from the merging of new modern families. What kind of problems exist among families and extended families now that didn’t when you were a child?

(4) When Jane recounts what happened the night she got pregnant, she focuses on what the man said rather than on what he did. Why does Jane feel more violated by two words – fat and ugly—than by the actual assault? Jane seems to think the answer is “Because we live in a beauty-obsessed society where the most important thing a woman can do is make herself attractive to men.” [p. 196] Do you agree?

The power of secrets is a theme throughout the novel. Jane remembers, “She hadn’t told anyone. She’d swallowed it whole and pretended it meant nothing, and therefore it had come to mean everything.” [p. 220] Do you think this is a universal truth, that the more you keep something secret, the more power it takes on?

(5) Gwen, the babysitter, seems to be the only one to suspect what is going on with Celeste and Perry. Celeste then realizes she’s never heard Gwen talk about a husband or a partner. Do you think the author intended to intimate that perhaps Gwen had had an abusive husband or partner and that she left him? And in light of what happens at the end with Bonnie, do you think it’s only people who have personally experienced abuse who pick up on the signs?

(6) At one point Jane thinks she and Ziggy will have to leave Pirriwee because “rich, beautiful people weren’t asked to leave anywhere.” [p. 362] Do you think different rules apply to rich people? Do you think being rich allowed Perry to get away with things longer than would have been likely if he hadn’t had money?

(8) What did you make of the interview snippets to the reporter? Do you think the author used them almost like a Greek chorus to make a point?

(9) Madeline muses, “Maybe it was actually an unspoken instant agreement between four women on the balcony: No woman should pay for the accidental death of that particular man. Maybe it was an involuntary, atavistic response to thousands of years of violence against women. Maybe it was for every rape, every brutal backhanded slap, every other Perry that had come before this one.” [p. 430] And then Madeline thinks, “ Sometimes doing the wrong thing was also right.” Do you agree with this statement? Do you agree with what the women decided to do? Do you think there’s a stronger bond between women than there is between men? Were you surprised that women who ostensibly didn’t like one another—Madeline and Bonnie, Madeline and Renata—ended up coming together to help one another out?

(10) At one point in the book, Susi says that, in Australia, one woman dies every week because of domestic violence. In the United States, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends every day. Every nine seconds in the United States a woman is assaulted or beaten. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than that caused by car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Are you surprised by these statistics? Why or why not? Clearly, the author chose Celeste—the picture-perfect mom and/ wife as well as an educated lawyer—to be the victim of domestic violence in order to make a point. Do you think it’s plausible that someone like her would fall victim to abuse such as this?

(11) Madeline comments that “there were so many levels of evil in the world.” [p. 433] Discuss the implications of this statement in light of the novel and the novel’s different storylines.

Below are a few questions to keep in mind while reading. The Gilbert-Summit Book Club will meet on July 29th at 5:30 in the library meeting room. Hope to see you there!



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. 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?

3. Were you surprised to learn that, as adults, Jeannette and her siblings remained close to their parents? Why do you think this is?

4. 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?

5. 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?

Just a reminder that book club meets tomorrow at 5:30 - hope to see you there!

Hope you enjoy this novel! Here are some questions to be thinking about as you read. Can't wait to discuss! :)

1. Did Ove change over the course of the book — or did your opinion of him change based on what you learned about his past?

2. What are Ove’s issues with modernization? Which scenes reinforce his disdain for the modern world?

3. What do you think drives Ove to manage his life in such a carefully measured and precise way? Do his routines limit his life?

4. Why does Ove “inspect” the neighborhood every morning? What do you think he hopes to learn from his inspections?

5. Ove and Sonja were very different but they were still happily married. What was Ove like in his marriage to Sonja and how did he change following her death?

6. How does Parveneh’s outgoing personality change Ove over time? What effect does Ove have on her?

7. Describe Ove’s relationship with the cat he adopts. Why do you think he was able to share a part of himself with his feline companion that he couldn’t share with the humans in his life?

8. Ove believes different types of cars reflect the values of the driver. What does the Saab represent to Ove? What does it mean to Ove when Rune buys a BMW?

9. Though death is pervasive in the book, there is also a lot of laughter. Does the book reflect real life in that way? Why?

10. Consider Ove’s community. How does Ove become the catalyst for connections that are made in his community?

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman! Pick up or reserve a copy today in any LCPL branch or listen to the audio version on the Libby app.

We'll meet in the Gilbert Branch Meeting Room on June 24th from 5:30-6:30 to discuss and have a real, live, in-person (but safe) book club.

And hey - did you know the summer reading program isn't just for kids? Stop by and pick up your registration kit (with a free book!) today. Finishers get a travel cup and a chance to win a gift card from the Lexington Chamber of Commerce :)

Hope to see you on the 24th! In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts, questions, favorite quotes, etc regarding "A Man Called Ove" below (just please mark spoilers!)

Please submit your vote by May 27th for the June book club title! We will be back in person on June 24th from 5:30-6:30 in the library meeting room. As always, discussion is welcome here once the title is listed, but please mark your post at the top if spoilers are included in your comments. All three books are available for reservation at the library and have audio and/or ebook formats on the Libby and Hoopla apps.

And the choices are....

(1) Before She Was Helen by Caroline Cooney
When Clemmie photographs a wondrous and mysterious object on her cell phone and makes the irrevocable error of forwarding it, she desperately tries to keep a grip on her own personal network of secrets as it swirls over the internet. Can fifty years of careful hiding under names not her own be ruined by one careless picture?

(2) Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
In 1931, ambitious reporter Ellis Reed photographs the gut-wrenching sign that reads “2 children for Sale” posted beside a pair of siblings on a farmhouse porch. Ellis writes an article to accompany the photo, capturing the hardships of families during the Great Depression, which generates national attention. But the piece also leads to consequences, and it will risk everything he values to unravel the mystery and set things right.

(3) A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. One November morning a chatty young family moves in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul.

Looks like this will be our last month of virtual book club! Back in person in June!

In the meantime, check out this thriller by Sandie Jones (author of "The Other Woman") and share your thoughts below! Grab your copy from the library today or get the audio version on the Libby or Hoopla apps. (Libby also has an e-book version available!)

"The story follows Alice, a successful businesswoman who lost her first husband, Tom, in a tragic accident years ago. Now, she has a new husband and a new life to boot, but things begin to slowly fall apart when Alice suspects her spouse of being unfaithful—prompting her to turn to Beth, her BFF who helped her after Tom’s passing. The two go looking for answers . . . and from there, the story delivers shock after shock, landing one blind-siding twist after another as Alice realizes that she’s no longer sure what to believe, or who she can trust."

This was one that kept me guessing... Between doubting the husband, the doctor, and her own written experiences - it was a fun read (but I'm a sucker for anything that falls near the psychological thriller genre).

I found Christine likeable, and found myself wondering what that experience must be like. I can't imagine how terrible it would be to not only suffer from severe amnesia, but also to not be able to trust the people you knew you were supposed to trust. Interesting to think about.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or requests for next month! Hopefully that'll be the final virtual-only book club and we'll be back in person for June! :)

We are *tentatively* planning to be back in person by June! In the meantime, there will still be books posted here for discussion and a virtual live chat at the end of the month.

This thriller is available in print and as an e-book or audiobook on the Hoopla app. If you enjoy the book, there is also a movie (starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth) available for checkout in the library!

Feel free to share your comments/thoughts/critiques on this book below. Happy reading!

Great blog post with discussion from readers about all aspects of this novel can be found here (many, many spoilers): https://styleandshenanigans.com/sns-b...

After reading this book again, I remembered how much Minka's storyline affected me. Those parts are tough to read. As are Josef's, but for very different reasons. Leo and Sage were a little less compelling overall, though they served a great purpose in telling the story and the very typical Picoult moral dilemma. The ending wasn't my favorite of hers, but then again - I'm not sure that I would change it as it seemed to be a pretty good fit for the characters.