Dare to Dream discussion

Greetings! Please consider reading and discussing Sourdough by Robin Sloan. This book will act as a bridge between our Winter & Spring Seasonal Reading Challenges. Currently this group read is set to end March 31st.

Thank You!

From the Cover of Sourdough:
Lois Clary is a software programmer at General Dexterity, a robotics company with typical San Franciscan world-changing ambitions. She codes all day and collapses at night, her human contact limited to the two brothers who run the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall from which she orders, and savors, dinner every evening. Then, disaster! Visa issues. The brothers close up shop, and fast. But they have one last delivery for Lois: their culture, the sourdough starter brought from afar, used to bake their bread. She must keep it alive, they tell her - feed it daily, play it music, and please, please: learn to bake with it.
Lois is no baker, but she could use a roommate, even if it is a needy colony of microorganisms. Soon, not only is she eating her own homemade bread, she's providing loaves daily to the General Dexterity cafeteria. The company chef urges her to take her product to the farmers market. A whole new world opens up
When Lois comes before the jury that decides who sells what a Bay Area markets, she encounters a close-knit club with little appetite for new members. Then an alternative emerges: a secret market, literally underground, that aims to fuse food and technology. It might be perfect for the programmer-turned-baker. But who are these people, exactly? And who is the mysterious Mr. Marrow presiding over it all?

Thanks for setting up the thread!

I've started The Face of Fear for the Dean Koontz Group Read and then I'll start Sourdough next :-)

Hey, brother!

Thank you for setting this lovely thread up.:) Sourdough sounds really interesting! I wish I had a copy..

Took me a while to get a copy from the library. It's a rather popular title :-)

It is a fairly short novel too :-)

So I’m not far into yet (just started it today) and a character named Clark has been mentioned which even if he isn’t mentioned again still works for the challenge :)

I know it’s early but i’m liking it so far.

Thanks Rachel :-) I will start reading this weekend.

I am currently reading and enjoying Sourdough :-)

Quirky is Good! :-)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Quirky is Good! :-)"

Very true :)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Quirky is Good! :-)"

This is part of what I like about Sourdough. Also I used to live in San Francisco, not far from Clement Street so it kind of feels like home reading a book set in SF.

Our family keeps sourdough starter. Its name is Herman, lol. Sourdough pancakes were a tradition on the weekends when my kids were little.

That is so cute :-) I'm not a big fan of sourdough bread, but I had to buy an artisan loaf at the grocery store on my last shopping trip. It wasn't sourdough it was potato rosemary and it was made in San Francisco.

I've had issues with food my whole life because of how I was raised and I would be fed bad food that made me sick. I could relate to Lois and her lack of food experience. I actually thought the Slurry and the Lembas might be convenient food alternatives, but it sounds like they might also cause some problems. Of course, Lembas is not intended to substitute more than one meal per day.

Is Beo communicating through written letters or electronically?
I don't know that it's clear, but more likely to be an electronic message it seems.

I would be interested in hearing the Mazg music.

I don’t think I’ve ever tried sourdough bread but this book still makes me hungry lol.

Christine wrote: "Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Quirky is Good! :-)"

This is part of what I like about Sourdough. Also I used to live in San Francisco, not far from Clement Street so it kind of feels like h..."

I would love to visit San Francisco someday.
So do you play music for your bread starter? :D

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I've had issues with food my whole life because of how I was raised and I would be fed bad food that made me sick. I could relate to Lois and her lack of food experience. I actually thought the Slu..."

I was also wondering if there is something like slurry in real life.
Probably would taste gross though.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Is Beo communicating through written letters or electronically?
I don't know that it's clear, but more likely to be an electronic message it seems."

I thought he gave her an email address but I might be wrong.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I would be interested in hearing the Mazg music."

Me too!

Slurry is the perfect representation of a hectic lifestyle. Does it come in different flavors? Otherwise it would get old real quick. I think life is all about finding Balance.

This novel is very interesting. There's many examples of cultish behavior - about what brings people together. Work, Food, Names, Quirky Interests, Technology. Lois Club, General Dexterity, Café Candide, The Marrow Fair

Rachel wrote: "Christine wrote: "Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Quirky is Good! :-)"

This is part of what I like about Sourdough. Also I used to live in San Francisco, not far from Clement Street so it ki..."

No, Herman lives in the fridge, lol.

Christine wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Christine wrote: "Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "Quirky is Good! :-)"

This is part of what I like about Sourdough. Also I used to live in San Francisco, not far from Clement ..."

Lol :)

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "This novel is very interesting. There's many examples of cultish behavior - about what brings people together. Work, Food, Names, Quirky Interests, Technology. Lois Club, General Dexterity, Café Ca..."

I wonder if there is a Dustin club, Christine club, Danell club, Jenn club.
She actually says in the book there is no Rachel club lol

I think there’s a quote from that says some books find you at the right time. Anyway I was in the right mood for this book- I often like my stories dark & twisted but sometimes you just need something fun and this book definitely is that. I just really enjoyed the setting, the magic , the food and the general quirkiness of the story.

I loved The Storied Life of AJ. Fikry as well and I agree completely with your thoughts :-)

Have you read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch? I am re-reading it right now.

Dustin Crazy little brown owl wrote: "I loved The Storied Life of AJ. Fikry as well and I agree completely with your thoughts :-)

Have you read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch? I am re-reading it right now."

I read it with you and the group when it was a group read. Great book. :)

I also loved the Wayward Pines trilogy- I really need to read more of his books.

I've only read the Blake Crouch books that I've found audiobooks for those include Dark Matter, Wayward Pines and Abandon. I'm gonna search for more :-)

For anyone interested in Sourdough, this book can be used to complete the "Quirky" task in our Spring Reading Challenge.

I listened to the audio book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Wonderful characters and story. I was hungry for sourdough bread but can’t eat it. Great book!!! Great group read!!

Glad you were able to experience the book Danell. I also used the audiobook to help me through Sourdough :-)

I finished Sourdough! I thought it was a lot of fun especially since it was set in the Bay Area. It was a very sensory book. The author did a good job of describing the sights, sounds and smells. It definitely counts as a quirky book.

Did anyone think of soylent green when they talked about the slurry and the lembas? Does anyone know what soylent green is?

Christine wrote: "I finished Sourdough! I thought it was a lot of fun especially since it was set in the Bay Area. It was a very sensory book. The author did a good job of describing the sights, sounds and smells. I..."

What’s soylent green? It sounds familiar but I have no idea what it is.

Glad everyone enjoyed the group read. :)

So Soylent Green was a Sci-Fi movie from the 70s starring Charleton
Heston. Soylent green was the food made for the masses in the movie. Its quite shocking what it turns out to be???? I won't give it away just in case someone wants to watch a pretty good movie from its time. The societal concerns are even more relevant today.

Christine wrote: "So Soylent Green was a Sci-Fi movie from the 70s starring Charleton
Heston. Soylent green was the food made for the masses in the movie. Its quite shocking what it turns out to be???? I won't give ..."

Thanks for the info, Christine. :)

Now I’m wondering what it turns out to be lol-might have to check out the film.

You can also look it up online, lol

I know what Soylent Green is :-)

Yes, I can see how Slurry would be connected.

Christine wrote: "You can also look it up online, lol"

Just looked it up-crazy! Lol

I've seen the Soylent Green concept used in other films/novels. One of my favorite is Cloud Atlas. (view spoiler)[ And of course there is the related subject of cannibalism, yet I think there is a distinctive difference between eating other humans by choice. I read a book on cannibalism a year or two ago that was enlightening. I would recommend Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History to anyone interested in the subject. (hide spoiler)]

I really need to read Cloud Atlas. I saw the movie.

Christine wrote: "I really need to read Cloud Atlas. I saw the movie."

Yeah. I only saw the movie :-) but I should read the book too. ha ha.