100 Books Challenge discussion

This thread is for discussion of Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley which is our group read for March, beginning on March 20.

I have opened this thread for new comments.

Tessa, since you nominated Roots would you want or be able to lead the discussion for it?

Here's a link to some info about the author
http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guid...

Well ... on Monday we met with my husband's spine doctor ... good news we finally have a definitive diagnosis and a plan. Not so good news ... he's having spinal fusion surgery next week. I'll be pretty consumed with that for the next couple of weeks, I think.

BUT ... I did reserve a copy of the MP3 audio at my library, so I'll start listening in those long hours of sitting around at the hospital.

I'll try my best to pop in and discuss, but please don't wait for me.

Good luck to him. Hope his recovery is quick and not too painful.

Had my hip injections this afternoon. Still a little sore after the anesthetic wore off, but seems like it's going about the same as the first ones. I took pain killer as I knew this would happen. Should be relatively pain free tomorrow or the next day. Hope so.

Don't worry about the discussion. Just drop in when you can. I'm going to start it soon, too.

Haven't listened much to Roots yet. Have reached the half-way mark in Einstein so will start to bounce back and forth. Need to listen to a short book after this! LOL

Anyone else going to join us in this group read?

I didn't realize how little time I would have to read / listen to books during my husband's recovery period. I have a totally new appreciation for nurses and all they do, having been his 24/7 nurse these past 3 weeks.

I'm finally back at work and having my hour-long commute each way, so now I'm up to disc # 7 (out of 24). I find it fascinating, and I'm eager to get moving on this story.

Up to chapter 86 ... and we are leaving Kunta Kinte behind to focus on Kizzy.

I have to say that I am really enjoying the story .... not sure we can call it nonfiction because there is no way to accurately know the many emotions portrayed. I really loved the descriptions of the complex culture in Kunta Kinte's home village of Juffure.

I consider it more historical fiction. I'm enjoying it, too.

I finished it - 4**** for the book / 5***** for the audio performer (Avery Brooks)

Full Review HERE


I have to say that Haley is a good story-teller.
I find it interesting that while his lineage from Kunta Kinte is:
Kunta Kinte
Kizzy (female)
Chicken George
Tom
Cynthia (female)
Bertha (female)
He focuses ONLY on the men in the book ... even his grandfather (Will Palmer, married to Cynthia) and father (Simon Haley, married to Bertha) get more attention that his grandmother or mother. And it was the women (grandmother, aunts, cousin) who relayed the ancestral oral history to him!

I'm loving it. Up to about chapter 38 or so. Listening as I drive back & forth to the hospital. Finished Einstein a few days ago. Fascinating man.

I think the story of how Haley researched this book would be a great read as well. So much of the detail of the village life was incredibly interesting.

Martha wrote: "I think the story of how Haley researched this b..."

The end of the book is mostly devoted to how he discovered the story and began to research the book. Don't want to say any more because I don't want to spoil it for you.

I'm still listening to Roots a little at a time ... not quite to the halfway mark. I'm liking it very much. Has anyone watched the new production of it on tv? I've recorded it, but not watched it yet.

I completely missed the new production on TV. By the time I realized it was playing they were already on part 4, so I just skipped it. I'm sure it will replay at some point.

I never saw the original TV mini-series either.

I imagine they will. I want to finish the book before I watch it.

I'm almost done with it. About 4 hours left. Very good!! Glad to have finally read it.

I'm so close to done that I can TASTE it!! But Jerry's coming home from the lake EVERY day with errands for me. OMG!! I need some alone time!!!! LOL