On August 22 we met at macKenzie river
to discuss the book "Maine" by J. coutney Sullivan.
Sarah had heard on NPR that it was not liked by
some readers and thought that would be a good
controversial choice. It was billed also as a
good summer read and it lived up to all of that.
The people who attended were Sarah, Kathy, Janet, Julie,
Betsy, Diana, Marsha and Nettie.
Although we disliked many of the characters we
felt the author drew them well. Three generations
of women collide at a family owned beach property
in Maine which has been in the family for 60 years.
Grandmother Alice, the matriarch is a selfish, guilty,
over zealous catholic whose constant in life is the church.
She is disappointed that all her children have fallen
away from God and the church, one has even married a Jewish man.
Alice actually dislikes her family and never misses
an opportunity to snidely insult them.
She wills the beach estate worth over 2 million to the church
to atone for her guilt surrounding her sister's death.
She clashes with her daughter and grand daughter as well as the daughter
in law Ann Marie, who feels like her purpose in life is lost since her
children have grown and who is very misguided and controlling.
There is abundant usage and abuse of alcohol which is a
pattern in the book. Most of the people who were there had
some Catholic background and could relate to the references
and the Catholic guilt that was prevalent.
I felt there were some great lines and lots of fun poked
at being Irish Catholic and perhaps some stereo-typing as well.
Everyone enjoyed the book and Nancy sent news that she
really enjoyed it also.
Betsy chose a book called "WILD" by Cheryl Strayed about a girl
who hikes the 1100 mile Pacific Trail after major catastrophes occured in
her life and how she regained her life.
We chose september 26th to be the date.
