Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

In December we met at my house but were hosted by Madeleine who

treated us to pizza, wine and cookies. 

Madeleine chose a book about artificial intelligence. 

We are transported to an age where teenagers have

their own robots as companions and caretakers to take up the slack when

parents are unavailable. It is a future time where Children have been 

genetically modified or lifted to be superior in intellect. It's the  parents'

choice. Klara is a perceptive robot who is chosen by Josie who is afflicted

by a life threatening illness. Klara as a robot is powered by the sun and she

believes the sun can heal Josie. Klara has many opportunities to observe

human behavior with all its complexities, loneliness and vulnerabilities.

Klara though lacking a heart is able to feel love and willing to make a big 

unselfish sacrifice to save  Josie,

We had a lively discussion about the morality of genetic modification,

cloning and the way the world is headed technologically whether we like

it or not.

Donna chose "Sold on a Monday" by Kristina Mc Morris for our next read.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

In November we met at Nettie's home to discuss Matt Haig's book

"The Midnight Library". This book is about a girl called Norah who

tries to commit suicide because her life has gone south. Her cat has

died, she has lost her job and life seems to have no meaning. She goes

to a library where a librarian guides her to the possibility of choosing

alternate lives that she may have lived. Nora pursues a "multiverse" where

she did become an Olympic swimmer, a rock star, a glaciologist, and had 2 different

married lives. Possibilities were endless but in the end she comes to realize

that her best life is the one she chooses for herself where the point of life

is life itself. We had a great discussion and even had a sharing moment when

each person revealed another life that they may have wanted to live. Maybe

we learned some thing about another person we did not know and that we have

to live this life as best as we can with all it's ups and downs.

Madeleine chose "Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguri, a British author.

The World That We Knew

  

In October we met at Laura Derrickson's home to discuss her book

"The World That We Knew" by Alice Hoffman. The book begins in Berlin

in 1941 when a mother decides she must send her 12 year old daughter, Lea. away to

save her from Hitler's regime. She seeks the help of a mystical Rabbi but ultimately it

is the Rabbi's daughter Ettie,  who creates a Golem out of mud. The Golem, Ava, accompanies

 Ettie and her sister and Lea to France. So we were introduced to Jewish Mysticism and the

 mixing of it with realism, The Golem is invincible, strong, loyal and lacks nothing except a

soul and her chief purpose is to protect Lea. Once we suspended our disbeliefs we were 

taken on a magical journey of love, sacrifice  and survival by Hoffman who is a fine storyteller.

There were many themes of love explored between mother and daughter, between sisters,

and between man and woman.

We had a good discussion,

I chose "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig for the next read,