The Book Club discussion

Good discussion, despite one member's dislike of the book. (Not present!)

Selection for next month:

Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar

Other books mentioned included:

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Bees by Laline Paull (Suggested by Janet in South Africa -- see her post in May pre-meeting notes.)

Ruby by Cynthia Bond

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson -- part of trilogy, just released is the third one, Lila (Thought we had read one of hers as a group, but don't find it on our reading list today. Housekeeping was her so well received debut novel.)

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015...

Here is a review of Ruby.

Books from the Southern Book Club
.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

White Dog Fell from the Sky: A Novel (The Dog who fell from the sky) by Eleanor Morse

Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice (Red Notice) by Bill Browder (February, 2015)

or???

Red Notice: The Jessica Tata Day Care Fire Murder Trial. by Robert K. Boscarato (December, 2012, 34pp, so doubt it was this one)

Red Joan by Jennie Rooney

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Sweetland by Michael Crummey

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine



Some duplication exists with the first message above. This is based on the list Donna sent today. As noted, a couple of questions remain.

I didn't like "Gone Girl" nor would I recommend "The Girl on the Train". It was fast, paced and an easy read, but I did not find the characters sympathetic or interesting. I don't think it would lead to an interesting discussion, but if the group liked "Gone Girl" then go ahead.

Janet wrote: "I didn't like "Gone Girl" nor would I recommend "The Girl on the Train". It was fast, paced and an easy read, but I did not find the characters sympathetic or interesting. I don't think it would l..."

We rejected Gone Girl as a group read because, while several enjoyed it as a "beach read," the feeling was that it didn't have enough to talk about. After seeing the movie, I'm not sure I agree about the "not having enough to talk about." (I think it could spark an interesting discussion about what abuses are people will to hide in the name of love -- but then, maybe it wouldn't. But the book certainly attracted a wide audience.)

Still, one of those who has read The Girl on the Train has stated that she thinks it has more to discuss than Gone Girl.

Another friend had this to say to me about TGotT: "I read 'A Girl On the Train' as soon as it hit the bestseller's list and I loathed it! I wanted to read it as it was about a missing person. 'Gone Girl' was much better. ... The characters are dismal. [in GotT] I only read to the end to find out what really happened...but I honestly didn't care the way I know it was intended."

I finished The Snow Child yesterday. I found it a charming, haunting story. But, then I like folk tales and it was interesting to watch this author transform one into a novel. Much as I wanted to know the ending, this was one book in which I restrained myself and am glad I did just let it unfold. I could almost see the old Russian storybook with typical folk legend drawings -- rather like one in my collection of the Firebird edited by Jacqueline Kennedy .