Chicks On Lit discussion

Here is a tenative reading schedule to start reading on 1/15
Reading Schedule
Week of 1/15 Begin reading up to page 104
Week of 1/22 Discuss through page 104, begin reading up through page 204 titled Kennedy
Week of 1/29 Discuss through 204, begin reading page 205-320
Week of 2/5 Discuss up through 320 begin reading page 321 titled Stage two Pushing through page 420
Week of 2/12 Discuss pages 321-420 and begin reading 421 to end of the book (458)
Week of 2/19 Discuss whole book

I'm on it. I have my book.I think there is a mistake with the end dates.

IreneM. wrote: "I'm on it. I have my book.I think there is a mistake with the end dates."

I fixed the end date

Shouldn't the last two weeks be 2/12 and 2/19 Jayme? :-)
(you have it listed as 12...December)

ah I will fix it,

I'm on hold for this at my library. It's been a while since I've read a book by Picoult, but she's one of my favorites. I will be getting the audio version, are there chapter titles that we're reading to? Otherwise, I'll have to guess page counts. (though, as we all know, I'll probably be behind anyway.... ;)

Got a copy.

Jennifer W wrote: "I'm on hold for this at my library. It's been a while since I've read a book by Picoult, but she's one of my favorites. I will be getting the audio version, are there chapter titles that we're read..."

For the audio, for the first week read up to the fourth Ruth Chapter
For the second week read up to the chapter titled Kennedy. It's the fourth Kennedy chapter.
The third week, read up to the chapter titled stage two: Pushing
The fourth week, read up to the chapter titled Kennedy. It should be the sixth Kennedy chapter.
The fifth week, read to the end of the audio book

Thanks Jayme.

@Jennifer W,
I hope that works out for you.

Just got the book. I'm in! Can't wait to read this.

I started reading it and it is fabulous! I will say no more, but this is a great pick! I can't wait for discussions.

This is very engrossing. Looking forward to the discussion!

Only about 40 pages left. Should be done with the book tonight. It started to drag for me, but I do think there is quite a bit for an excellent discussion.

Gonna start tonight!

I forgot to start it

I want to read this one with the group.

Finished this one last night. Ready to discuss.

I am almost done with the section.

I read the author's note. The author was saying how this book was her most challenging book and she had to do more research on this book. She interviewed an African American woman who became the main subject of her story as well as a skinhead.

Also any first impressions of the first section?

I felt for Brittany when she lost her baby. It wasn't anyone's fault Davis died. Ruth was just doing her job as a nurse.

Jayme, my first expression was that I couldn't believe this event was occurring in the present time. I had to go back to verify that. I thought the time frame was early 50s, but surprisingly it wasn't and it disturbed my spirit that this type of barbaric thinking from the skin head still occurs. The struggles are real for the main character and that's why moving into those positions of power are important. To do that education is very important.

I was not surprised by the white supremacists. I was surprised by a hospital ward that had only 3 people on staff and did not make provisions for removing one of that tiny staff off the case of one family. I understood Ruth's reluctance to complain, to cry racial discrimination for fear fo being labeled, but I was baffled that the head nurse would not think through the ramifications of her decision. Of course, choosing a female ObGyn is not the same of insisting on an all white nursing staff. Even if you choose an female ObGyn, if she is unavailable when you go into labor, you will get the doctor on call no matter the gender. So, the argument does not fly. The responsibility is not on the hospital to occommodate the staffing desires of the patient, but on the patient to pick the medical practice or the hospital that meets their needs. I won't get into how offensive racial prejudices are.

I also could not reconcile the tender father and husband with the man who beats up total strangers. A man filled with that much rage generally can not compartimentalize. His anger comes out at home also.

IreneM,
I also thought the book took place in the past. I couldn't find any indication of date so I figured it took place in present day.

I am not fan of Turk. I do feel badly for Brittany in losing her baby. It seems to me, Turk wants someone to pay for the death of his child. I don't think it is anyone's fault. I would be interested to see if they even have a case to sue.

Definitely set in present. Everything described about the experience of racial discrimination, both overt and covert, is present day reality.

Could Ruth have saved the baby though? She did hesitate when she saw the baby turning blue, as she knew she was not supposed to touch the baby. If she had not been worried about the parents, had not been "removed" from this babies care, had not been told to not touch the baby, then she would have instantly jumped into action and possibly the baby would have lived. It seems that the parent's prejudice may have killed their own child.

I agree with that. Under normal circumstances, Ruth wouldn't have hesitated. The issue is Turk thinks Ruth did something to his child because Turk is prejudice.

But Ruth did initially try to revive the baby. She does the normal things to try to get a new born to start breathing. She only stops when she hears her supervisor coming toward the nursery. So, it is only seconds between Ruth's hesitation and the intervention of the other nurse. Was this enough to allow Davis to die?

Great question Irene. I was wondering if there is a possibility that the baby already had a defect or underlying condition?

Does anyone know how old Britt and Turk are? I get the impression they are young. I feel for them. I can't imagine how CPR must look on a actually person, infants are have a very small body surface so I am sure the CPR compressions to Turk and to those watching it live is horrifc.

Well CPR is aid in forcing blood perfusion to the brain and vital organs. It is not clear how long she hesitated. it only takes minutes with lack of oxygen to the brain for there to be trouble.

Do we know Ruth's attitude towards white people fully? I am really questioning her hesitation was it more than her supervisor coming toward the nursery.?Turk's prejudices are out in the open but I wonder if Ruth has some we may see come to light later on?

I didnt like Ruth frowning on her sister and brother in laws choice of jobs at all. It really made me mad.

It doesn't say how old Turk and Brittany are. We don't know Ruth's opinion towards white people. I got the impression she wasn't prejudiced but we don't know for sure.

Hi, ladies, I started reading the book as well, just jumping in now. I agree with Irene that Ruth did try to revive the baby albeit with hesitation and that a birthing ward with 3 nurses on staff is way too understaffed, but I think it also depends on the size of the facility.

What strikes me is how much author wrote regarding education between Ruth and Turk and their outlook on life. It's like she wants us to see Ruth as a total protagonist. I don't know whether we will find something antagonistic about her later on.

I thought Picoult wanted us to have some sympathy for Turk, hence the back story with his brother's death in a car accident, his sense of isolation as a teen, his grandfather's harsh formation. But, I once I saw him "wilding" I only felt revoltion for him.

I believe the setting of the story is in the 1960s.

As I read clues, the setting is in the 80s.

I thought it was sometime in the past 15 years. What made you think the 80s? I am trying to recall if there were cell phones or lap tops or other bits of technology that would give a clue to time period. I borrowed the book and have already returned it.

I couldn't find any indication of what time period it was.

I'm not quite finished with the first section, Ruth has just been told to stay away from the family. I don't feel any empathy for Turk or Brittany at this point. I don't feel they are fit to be parents and raise a child to hate others. I will see if my opinions change, the author is pretty good at pulling off twists.

As for the time frame, almost all of her books are contemporary to when she writes them, so I'm assuming it's taking place now, but I don't have any proof of that.

Never mind the setting is in about 2012 because I heard the author's interview about writing the book. It is disturbing this is happening today.

Irene, thanks for that. It confirms the feel I had when I was reading it. And, yes, it does happen today. We just have to look at the number of unarmed black men killed by police in the past year to realize that, even the best among us, are operating under the influence of prejudices against dark skin.

The chapter I read last night mentions Obama, so it is set sometime recent.

Yeah I read that section so I think it is current times.

Okay, I am going to set up the discussion for part two. So part two was Ruth's license was suspended and she lost her job. We meet Kennedy who is her public defense attorney. What do you think of Kennedy? What are your first impressions? Kennedy doesn't bring the race issue into the trial. What do you think about that? Do you think Ruth would get her job back as a nurse?

Also we meet Adisa, Ruth's sister. I think Adisa has some prejudices of her own.

I finished the book.

I don't think we get to know much about Kennedy only through her job description. After reading it, it sounds to me like she is going to do right by Ruth to the best of her ability.

I am thinking Ruth will get her job back. I don't know right now if there is enough evidence to keep her in prison.

I wonder if there is more background to tell us more where Adisa's comments come from?

Keep reading Rebecca. Some of your questions will be answered.

Well I guess this is more current day than we might have thought, as the part I read last night talked about looking in the yards of potential jurors to see if they had a Trump sign in their yard. So I guess the setting for this book is 2016.

I found a d ate of October 2, 2015 which was baby Davis'said birthday

What do you think about the life styles each sister worked toward?

As I was reading, I came up with some questions.
p204-320
1) Is Wallace Mercy really want to help Ruth or himself?
2) Would you use the money Wallace Mercy gave Ruth?
3) When Turk goes to his friend Raine to talk to him about his son;s remembrance, Raine tells Turk he got out. Your thoughts?
4) What do you think about the scene where Ruth and Kennedy go to TJ Maxx?

p320-420
We can talk about the trial

2) I had some sympathy for Brittany when she lost her baby. My opinion of her changed when she killed the neighbor's dog with anti freeze

3) What are your thoughts when Ruth fires Kennedy?

@IreneM,
Ruth worked very hard to be a nurse and provide for her son.
I am not sure what her sister did though.

I thought Raine's transformation from a racist thug who beats up innocent people just because they are homeless or gay or whatever into a stay-at-home with such progressive ideas about gender roles to be too radical to be plausible. Without revealing spoilers, this scene along with another near the end of the book makes it look as if violent racism and homophobia is an adolescent phase that one grows out of once you have kids and mature a bit. But Brit's father and the subtle racism depicted through the book tell a different story.

I thought Raine's transformation was nice to see. I thought it was genuine. They say becoming a parent changes you. For Raine, I thought it was for the better.

Hi everyone, I am reading but haven't had a chance to comment. I just finished the section with jury selection. I think one of the interesting parts of the book is Ruth finding out her true feelings about her race and culture. I have no sympathy for Turk or his wife even after losing the baby because they are extremely violent people. I agree the author is trying to make a sympathize towards Ruth and I'm Looking forward to seeing what the twist is.