Couldn't put it down... literally

***Warning***plot spoilers***don't read unless you want to know what happens in the book

Okay, I just have to say first of all, that I literally read this in 5 days straight, which is saying a lot for how crazy busy I am (the same as the rest of you, I realize), but I just couldn't put it down. When I had to go to work, I had my Kindle read it to me in the car, lol. First of all, I thought that the relationship between Noel Strachan and Jean was very weird. And I understand it at the same time. She didn't have anyone else in the world to turn to, so he became his family, and he didn't have much by way of family either, so they suited one another. But all the same, I thought it was interesting how much detail she shared with him about EVERYTHING. And how he basically wished he was younger to have married her himself... I don't know, it gave me the creeps.

I also didn't necessarily love the narrator's voice. I understand that's how Mr. Strachan was tied into the book best, but he reported on everything in such an impassive, unfeeling way. In some parts of the book, I appreciated that, because it would have been way too graphic if it had been too emotional and/or descriptive, but in other parts of the book, it drove me crazy that he just reported on people dying and being beaten as if it was just a walk in the park.

I thought Jean's role in a male-dominated society was very interesting. She obviously learned how to be diplomatic enough to get what she wanted out of everyone, but in a sincere way still, but the part that really struck me was how she was coming in to Malaya after the war to pay for and put up a well and washing hut for the women, and yet she had to jump through all the hoops and make it seem like it was the men's idea and get permission before she could move forward. In some ways, I don't think this has changed much in our society... we all know certain people, men or women, who we have to butter up and sweet talk to get what we want out of them (or maybe it's just me with the University politicking I live with day to day). And I thought it was a very telling comment about the culture of that society that the men were wondering if they had done a bad thing by allowing the women to have something that caused so much laughter.

Mostly throughout the book, I just kept thinking about how every hard thing we do, helps prepare us and teach us valuable lessons. In most cases we wouldn't be able to do what we do if we didn't have some kind of difficult experience to prepare ourselves for what we are asked to do. I have a friend who has gone through an almost literal hell with her husband for the past two years, and has been wondering, why? Why me? What am I supposed to learn from this if anything? She recently was appointed to a fairly large leadership opportunity and is going to be over about 20 faculty members who are all strong-willed and who tend to fight amongst each other. I talked to her the other day, and she was just in awe because she just had realized that day that she was prepared to take on this new assignment because she had learned so much in the past few years about conflict management and resolution, among other things. It has given me a greater resolve to try to learn the lessons I am supposed to at the time of my most difficult situations with a happy heart, realizing that I will be better for it. I thought that this was one of the main points of this book. It was just very interesting to see how Jean turned her horrific experience in the war into a very happy and profitable life afterward. Not that she would wish it upon herself again, but she was just very practical in applying the lessons she learned, almost like Dashti, just very matter-of-fact.

Sorry this is so lengthy, but I want to know....What did you gals get out of the book? Anything that really stuck with you?

Review

As a book club, we voted and gave Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale:

4.3 out of 5

The Help

Here are some questions put out by the publisher on March's book, The Help, to get your brains going as you read the book this month. I read it early and I loved it, so I hope you do too!

1. Who was your favorite character? Why?

2. What do you think motivated Hilly? On the one hand she is terribly cruel to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes that she can’t control her. Yet she’s a wonderful mother. Do you think that one can be a good mother but, at the same time, a deeply flawed person?

3. Like Hilly, Skeeter’s mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter— and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives to Constantine is untenable; and most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter’s mother is a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? Why?

4. How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?

5. Did it bother you that Skeeter is willing to overlook so many of Stuart’s faults so that she can get married, and that it’s not until he literally gets up and walks away that the engagement falls apart?

6. Do you believe that Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?

7. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent, or taught?

8. From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of “beauty” changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what’s the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

9. The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?

10. Do you think there are still vestiges of racism in relationships where people of color work for people who are white?

11. What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

A Town Like Alice

For those of you who have already read A Town Like Alice, I thought I'd post some discussion questions early. If you haven't read it yet, it might spark some thoughts as you read if you have some of these questions in mind. I am very looking forward to reading this... starting tonight!

I've been getting the questions from different sources, but I thought these ones looked good:

Discussion Questions for A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Galesburg Public Library Tuesday Book Club November 2006

1. Did you like the book? If so, what was your favorite part of the book?

2. If not, why not?

3. While talking to the narrator, Jean says:

People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books about what a bad time they had....They don’t know what it was like, not being in a camp.

This comment really struck me. Any thoughts about this passage?

4. Did any thing that happened or was said in the book stick with you?

5. When Joe gets caught stealing the chickens, the Japanese soldier who was given a chicken by Jean is punished by the Japanese for “participating” in the crime. When he gets sick later, as the only guard for the women and children, the women nurse him. What do you think about this turn of events?

6. The author uses crucifixion as a plot device. What did you think about this?

7. What do you think about Noel’s attitude toward Jean?

8. Any comments about the way the book ended?

9. In 1998, Random House’s Modern Library published two lists of 100 Best Novels. The list voted on by readers included A Town Like Alice at number 17. What do you think about that? Would you vote to include A Town Like Alice on your personal list of best novels?

10. Has anyone here ever been to Malaya or Australia? Tell us about your experiences.

11. Are there any questions you would like to ask?

Review

The book club gave Three Cups of Tea

4 stars of 5

A great blog

All of you who are interested in great children's lit, check out this blog I found. It's packed with great discussion and review of the best of children's lit. Just thought I'd pass it along.

Book of a Thousand Days

Hi All!

I hope you enjoyed reading Book of a Thousand Days in January. It is one of my favorite Shannon Hale books. One suggestion I got last month when I asked for ways to improve the blog was to always have a list of questions to spark discussion as we did on Wives and Daughters. I agree that it's a great way to spark some thoughts and ideas about the writing, so here are some discussion questions for Book of a Thousand Days brought to you by LitLovers:

Also, consider these LitLovers talking points to help start a conversation for this Book of a Thousand Days:

1. Describe the two young women in this story, Lady Saren and Dashti. In what ways are they different from one another? How does each cope with the deprivations of the tower? (Lest we judge...how would most of us fare locked away in a tower?) Why is it left to Dashti to communicate with the visitors who come to the tower?

2. Do you like the way in which this story is told: with Dashti narrating through her journal. How would you describe Dashti's voice—boastful...self-effacing...bright...depressive... uncertain...strong...thoughtful...? Does her voice change during the story?

3. How does Dashti's background prepare her to endure the isolation of the tower and the hardships of the Mongolian landscape? Talk about the ways in which Dashti's leadership and ingenuity save the two young women in their fight for survival.

4. Describe Dashti's conflict: her growing feelings for Kahn Tegus vs. her loyalty to Saren. How did you feel about the budding relationship between Dashti and Tegus?

5. How would you describe Dashti's healing songs—are they poetry, folk lore, magic? What is their purpose: why does Dashti use them, and why would Hale include them as part of the story?

6. Talk about the male characters: Lord Khasar and Khan Tegus? Are either fully-developed as human beings? Or are they one-dimensional, cartoonish characters?

7. Comment on this lovely passage: "Things worn closest to the skin, to the heart, carry the scent of a person, and of course, scent is the breath of the soul." What might Dashti mean by the last 5 words? Find and read other passages that you find lyrical or otherwise notable.

8. In what way does Saren change by the end of the book? Does she rise in stature in your estimation?

9. Hale based this book on a Brothers Grimm folk tale, "Maid Maleen," in which the imprisoned lady is the heroine, not her servant. Why might Shannon Hale have changed the heroine in her reworking of the original?

10. Does the book deliver in terms of engaging you all the way through? Are characters compelling, is the plot suspenseful, and are you satisfied with how the story ends?

(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)