Discussion Time!

With this book I just want to know what you thought of it?

American Gods by Neil Gaiman Book of the Month

Beware that there will be spoilers!

1. American Gods is an epic novel dealing with many big themes, including sacrifice, loyalty, betrayal, love and faith. Which theme affected you the most strongly, and why?

2. Shadow begins the novel as a convict, and ends it a different man. How does the novel exploit the idea of America as a place where immigrants and exiles, both physical and emotional, can reinvent themselves? What makes Shadow himself so compelling and complex?

3. American Gods is partly road trip through small-town America, where Shadow can see the darker side of life that other people ignore. What does the novel say about what people will accept in order to maintain a sense of normality?

4. The old gods expect sacrifice, violence and worship? How have the adapted to the modern world? What does this say about the nature of divinity? How and why have Americans transferred their devotion to the new technological and material gods from the old spiritual gods? What comment is being made about modern cultural values?

5. What is the significance of the illusions, cons and magic tricks that occur throughout the novel? American Gods is a novel where magic, myth and the divine coexist with the normal, mundane and human in a way that is utterly believable. How is this illusion maintained?

6. How does the rick background description increase the power of the narrative? What dot he secondary characters, particularly the gods whose lives and deaths we are given a brief insight into, add to the novel?

7. Would you recommend this to anyone? Would you read any other of Neil Gaiman's work? If you would which ones look interesting to you? And if you have which ones would you recommend?

Check out the other Neil Gaiman books Lisa's read here and here and here

questions are taken from my UK edition :0)

Did you choose Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet?

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
by Jamie Ford
•What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?


•What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?

•Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?

•How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

•In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author's world view?

•Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?

Did you choose The Murderer's Daughters?

The Murderer's Daughters
by R.S. Meyers
•What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

•What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?

•Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?

•How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

•In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author's world view?

•Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?

Let's Talk about Fool!!

What did you think of Fool? Have you read anything else by Christopher Moore?

Those of you who are familiar with King Lear did you like this retelling from a different character? or point of view?

Was there anything unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?


How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes? How do the characters in Christopher Moore's Fool differ from Shakespeare's characters in King Lear?
 
Would you recommend this book to anyone?

Discussion: January's Book of the Month

How many endings did you get too? Did you have a favorite? Do you think this reflects real life choices? Do you only ever have 2 choices? Did you think it was a bit harsh? Did you think this book was fun? Would you recommend it to anyone?

Queen of Babble -- Meg Cabot

Well...What did you think? Did you like Lizzie? Did it make you want to read the following titles Queen of Babble in the BIg City and Queen of Babble gets Hitched? If so did you read them?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- A Book Discussion

~Discuss the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel.Why is Death haunted by humans?

~The Grave Digger's Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why did she take the book? What is significant about the titles of the books she steals? Explain how Liesel's own attempt to write a book saves her life.

~How does Max's life give Liesel purpose? At what point do Liesel and Max become friends? Max gives Liesel a story called "The Standover Man" for her birthday. What is the significance of this story?

~Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he would like to tell the book thief about beauty and brutality, but those are things that she had lived. How does her life represent beauty in the wake of brutality?

My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler - A Book Discussion

After reading My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler, what was your overall impression of the book? What did you find surprising about the facts introduced in this book? How has reading this book changed your opinion of Chelsea Handler or one-night stands, if it has at all? In your opinion, does Chelsea present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does she achieve this? What do you think her parents think of this book? Would you recommend this book to your friends, why or why not?

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

This was our book for July as many of you already know! Once again we're trying something a little different!! This time we just want to know: Did you like it? What emotions did it invoke if any? Did you like Jacob? Who was your favorite character? What did you think about the opening paragraph? Did you like how it ended? Do you like the circus?

You don't have to answer all these questions I'm just trying to get everyone thinking again if it's been a while since you read it!! ;0) We can't wait to hear what you thought!!

Julie and Julia Discussion Question 1

After reading Julie & Julia did it make you want to go out and buy a copy of MtAoFC? Why or why not? Even if your tastes may not coincide with Julia Child’s recipes, did the book make you want to cook? Or maybe it made you want to take on a challenge of your own? If so what sort of project would you like to take on?

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
http://pagesofthemind3.blogspot.com/2009/06/junes-book-selection.html

Julie and Julia Discussion Question 2

Julie Powell started her Julie/Julia Project as a blog. What do you think blogging about her experiences offered Julia? Do you think that the project would have gone differently if the blog hadn’t gained so much attention? What do you think makes people interested in blogs? For example, who was the blog mainly for, Julie or her readers?

Julie and Julia Discussion Question 3

Out of all the recipes we have read about in the book, which would you like to have a go at and why? What’s the best meal you’ve made lately and why?

P.S. Email us the recipe of your best meal and we’ll compile a post consisting of our recipes inspired by Julie and Julia!!

Check out the preview for Julie and Julia~Release date August 7th!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjvJHsJD8ic

Sundays at Tiffany's

I have posted the discussion questions in the comment section, if you'd like to take a look. They will be posted as a blog entry for discussion at the end of the month...they are posted here in case you wanted to get a head start.

www.jamespatterson.com

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult -- A Book Review

Here's what we had to say about Jodi Picoult's novel My Sister's Keeper!
All is a go so lots of spoilers!! We await your comments!! We can't wait!! ;0)
Note: See earlier post for our answers to the Book Club questions!!

Janet: I enjoyed this novel's ups and downs. I love Picoult's trademark twists. I could not connect to Sara on any level in this story, no matter how hard I tried. Besides the main issue of her conceiving Anna just to save Kate and all the following medical procedures, I also felt that a good mother would never give up on a child (Jesse). I think this even spoke to me louder than the rest. How could you let that happen? How could you love child so much as to let another (or two, in this case) go? I enjoyed Anna's character and was very sad that she was the one who ended up dying. Overall, I really liked this novel.

Lisa: I really enjoyed this story. It is one of those situations where you don’t know what you would do or how you would feel if it were you. Although I think I agree with the father more. I think I know myself well enough that if I love any of my other kids as much as I love my daughter I could not use one of them to save the other. She didn’t want to send Anna to hockey camp because of what might happen to Kate if she were gone. WTF? So, she gave Anna life, but not to actually live. I didn’t really like the ending. I was hoping that Anna got to live her life and that Kate had some sort of miracle lived for another couple of years then passed away peacefully. I don’t know? But after all that and Anna dies anyway?

Stacy: As a whole I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me interested, the characters were interesting, I agreed with Brian's role as Anna's father over Sara's role. I didn't like Sara much, no matter how many times she said she loved Anna and Jodi tried to show us through back stories and such, I still never believed it. I believed she loved Anna to some degree but I just felt her heart was with Kate and Kate only. We can say all we want that we would never do to our kids what Sara did to Anna, but do we really know that?Campbell and Julia's characters and story was a nice side story that I think helped make the book a little less intense. I have to say I really thought that Anna dying was the wrong choice, a powerful one, but not the one I wanted. I wanted her to give Kate her kidney by choice and have Kate go into an 8 year remission. Maybe I'm a sucker for happy endings.

My SIster's Keeper Q&A

1. Reread the prologue to My Sister's Keeper. Who is the speaker? Is it the same person you thought it was the first time you read it?

Janet- I don't have the book anymore!

Lisa- After finishing the story you have to assume it was Kate who is speaking in the Prologue; because she’s not dead, but you assume that starting the book that the sister with cancer must die.

2. What is the metaphorical relevance of Brian's profession as a fire chief?

J- As a fire chief, Brian has to put out the fire before it hurts someone. At home, he puts out fires one by one, hopefully before it hurts someone.

L- He saves lives everyday, but he is powerless to save his daughter.

Stacy- Brian puts out fires for a living, but with the fire burning in his own home it's not as easy. One might think that maybe the life of his daughter is the fire and we're just waiting for it to go out.

3. Why is Jesse's behavior so aberrant, while until now, Anna has been so compliant?

J- Jesse is the one who has to mourn the loss of his childhood. He knows his parents have to focus on Kate. Anna knows that too and responds in a different way because she has grown up this way and knows no difference.

L- I think Jesse probably felt useless not being able to help his sister like Anna does. Yet he probably also feels glad he’s not going through the same stuff as Anna. Which then makes him feel guilty all over again. Anna and Kate are best friends there is nothing that Anna wouldn’t do for her. At the age of 13 she’s thinking of her future and looking forward to growing up so until now she didn’t even question if she would help save her sister or not. Plus what she did before is nothing on the scale of donating an organ.

S- I think that Jesse's character is very interesting, he's this rebel kid, but when it comes down to it he's a great brother. He's there for Anna when she needs him to give her rides and to get in to see Kate, he supports her in her choices and he's there with Kate when no one else is. Anna is clearly compliant until now because she loves her sister, and she didn't know she had a choice to say no. How would she have known that she could say no?

4. What might be a possible reason for Brian's fascination with astronomy?

J- It seems to me to be another way to escape. With astronomy, there are maps and directions. With Brian's life there are no maps or directions, it probably would be comforting.

L- It’s the unknown. It reminds him of his life.

5. On page 98, Kate is being admitted to the hospital in very serious condition. She mouths to Jesse, "tell Anna," but is unable to finish. What do you think she was trying to say?

J- She probably wanted Anna to start to carry on the plan.

L- I think she wanted Anna to know that it’s starting and this is when she needs to be the strongest because seeing her sick will be hard and maybe make her back out of her decision.

S- Probably, "Tell Anna not to give up" or something to that nature.

6. On page 122, Julia says, "Even if the law says that no one is responsible for anyone else, helping someone who needs it is the right thing to do." Who understood better how to "help" Kate, Sara or Anna?

J- Anna for sure.

L- Anna. The mother was only in survival mode and was blinded by love and wouldn’t even consider thinking that maybe her daughter was ready to go.

7. Did Anna do the right thing, honoring Kate's wishes?

J- I believe so.

L- Yes, I think so. I hope that my wishes are honored when my time comes.

S- I don't think that anyone can really answer this question. All around yes she did the right thing in my opinion, for Kate and for herself. She needed that and Kate needed her to do it, I think, so she could feel less guilty about all the things Anna has given her when she can give nothing in return.

8. Do you feel it was unfair of Kate to ask Anna to refuse to donate a kidney, even though this seemed to be the only way for her to avoid the lifesaving transplant?

J- Nope, I have a feeling that I would feel like Kate does, and want it to be over. I also know that the only way Kate could get this accomplished is to use the closeness that her and Anna share to get it done.

L- Yes. It’s unfair because it’s a huge thing to ask someone. She was basically asking her sister to kill her. I don’t think I could do that.

9. On page 142, Brian says that when rescuing someone from a fire, that "the safety of the rescuer is of a higher priority than the safety of the victim. Always." How does this apply to his role in his own family?

J- Obviously, this is why he sides with Anna without asking a ton of questions, he takes her decision for face value.

L- Kate is the “victim” and Anna is the “rescuer” which is why I believe he sides with Anna.

10. On page 144, Brian says, "Like anything that's been confined, fire has a natural instinct to escape." How does this truth apply to Kate? to Brian himself?

J- Kate has been restricted for her whole life and death is considered an escape for her. Brian escapes through his work and astronomy. And even poor Anna would like to escape, despite her desire to help her sister.

L- Kate has been confined to a life of hospital visits. She wants to be let go. I think Brian feels the same way, he lives his life hospital visit to hospital visit and I think part of him is ready to let go.

11. On page 149, Brian is talking to Julia about astronomy and says, "Dark matter has a gravitational effect on other objects. You can't see it, you can't feel it, but you can watch something being pulled in its direction." How is this symbolic of Kate's illness?

J- Dark matter could be her illness and at times you could see it taking its toll on her.

L- Kate is the gravity and she is affecting the whole family and they can’t escape.

S- He is seeing Kate's disease pulling her in the direction of death. Maybe his fascination with stars has to do with the fact that we all need something bigger than ourselves to love. Something beautiful to get our mind off whatever it needs too. Maybe there isn't this big analytical answer.

12. For what reason(s) did Brian offer Anna a place to stay at the firehouse while the legal proceedings were underway?

J- I didn't read into this anymore that what was explained in the novel.

L- Read Question 9.

13. How does Anna's decision to pursue medical emancipation parallel Campbell's decision to end his relationship with Julia after his accident?

J- Each of them wants to do what they think is best for the one they love.

L- I would compare Campbell with Kate; he doesn’t want anyone to feel responsible for him anymore so to save anyone from a life of being a “carer” he makes the decision to break away. Kate doesn’t want her sister to feel responsible for her anymore. Julia is Anna but wasn’t asked.

14. Do you agree with Brian's decision not to turn Jesse in to the authorities for setting the fires?

J- Yes. I think after he had the heart to heart, it would never happen again.

L- Yes and No. No because as a firefighter he as a responsibility to protect people and his co-workers have been endangering themselves to stop these fires. On the other hand I don’t think I could turn in my own kid if I could honestly say he/she would never do it again.

S- Yes

15. Do you feel that it's ethical to conceive a child that meets specific genetic requirements? If not, do you believe that there should be specific exceptions, such as the purpose of saving another person's life, or is this just a "slippery slope?"

J- It is just a slippery slope. I do not believe it to be ethical to do what this family did.

L- No. It is a slippery slope, but if I was faced with a decision so save my unborn children from something deadly (not cosmetic or to save another child) I would. If there were some harmful gene that could be eliminated … but the problem is where does it stop?

S- No, a chance, never.

My Sister's Keeper

In the comment area I have posted the discussion questions from Jodi Picoult's official website. For those who have finished reading have a look for those who haven't you still have time!! ;0)

http://www.jodipicoult.com/