The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

On March 16th, 2016 we held our book discussion at Chilis.

We had 7 attendees including Sarah, Janet, Kathy, Betsy, Donna,

Madeleine and Nettie.

We discussed which marriage or relationship was the one the author intended in the title.

Most thought Rachel and both husbands were opposites. But when we looked at

most of the relationships we saw opposites. Although people are similar in religion,

race, and social class and ideally suited for each other that does not guarantee

a successful marriage.  

We talked about Rachel's relationship with her mother as well as her

relationships with the other women in her life, like Jestine, Adele and Rosalie.

Rachel and her mother had a flawed relationship.

The mother did not want her daughter to be educated and did not care

for her daughter's headstrong manner which was unsuitable for the 1800's

We liked the setting of the novel and learned a lot about the Jewish refugees

settling in the Caribbean and their adherence to the strict religious rules

in that part of the world. We also learned about the Danish government and how they

settled St. Thomas. We thought the author put us right in the midst of the flora and

fauna and the blueness of the Caribbean Sea and the creole food along with the demon Rum.

It was a huge plus to then have one of Rachel's sons be Camile Pissaro who was one

of the fathers of Impressionism. Later whilst sipping wine we looked at several of his paintings.

We could see where some were influenced by his time in St. Thomas.

We also discussed the fact that Pissaro's mother opposed his marriage to their

housemaid and that she supported him financially throughout his life. She was disappointed that he chose a creative rather than practical career . Her disappointment with his marriage and career consumes her in the end.

Janet chose a book called "My Notorious Life" by Katie Manning and 

we are aiming to meet again on April 13th .

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

On January 21 we met at my house to discuss Nancy's book "The Nightingale"

written by Kristin Hannah.

After pizza and a lovely salad made by Madeleine, we

had a very fine discussion led by a well prepared Nancy.

Betsy made a cameo appearance but opted for tennis.

Julie, Nancy, Madeleine, Kathy, Sarah, Carol, Sue, Doug and I

filled out the attendance role.

Nancy set the tone by a quotation.

In love we find out who we want to be.

In war we find out who we are.

Two different sisters separated by age and circumstances

find out who they are in war torn France during the German

occupation. Survival is the keynote here and the elder sister who

has a child must do all she can to save her family. She finds herself

doing things including killing a German man who was

billeted in her home.

The younger sister is rebellious and reckless and joins

the resistance. She led many downed allied pilots across the

Pyrenees into Spain so they could get back to bombing Germany.

She became known as the Nightingale and showed extra ordinary

courage for an 18 year old. Her romance with another partisan Gaetan

added some extra heat, though some said it was like a romance novel.

The author intentionally misleads us to believe it is the youngest

sister who is the survivor in Oregon. We discussed this twist and 

agreed it added to the overall effect of the novel.

We discussed the possibility of a movie and who might be the 

stars chosen for the roles.

Nancy went around the room and gave each person a chance to say

why they liked or disliked the novel.

I chose a book called "The Marriage of Opposites" by Alice Hoffman.

It is set on the Island of St. Thomas during the 1800's which is the

birthplace of Camille Pissaro who is the father of Impressionism.

We chose February 24th for our next meeting but as usual it  might

be subject to change due to a possible Florida trip.   

A God In Ruins by Kate Atkinson

 

 

On December 9th, we had a Christmas gathering and book club

meeting at Nettie's home. It was a pitch in and we had 9 people

present including Julie, Madeleine, Betsy, Sue, Janet, Kathy, Sarah, 

Doug and Nettie. 

Julie had done her homework and led a very good discussion

on Kate Atkinson's book "A God In Ruins".

It was a story of a British family spanning four generations.

The time periods went back and forth but that is a very

common writing technique now and was not a problem.

The book centers around Teddy Todd who was in the Royal

Air Force and was a heroic pilot during the second world war.

The author actually took us on some bombing raids over

Germany with Teddy where civilians may have  perished though

not targeted.

Teddy was a great husband, father, grandfather and we see him

adjust to a changing world after the war in a life he did not

expect to have. In fact at the end of the book we find out

he actually died during the war. This left some of us readers feeling

cheated, short changed and confused. So we have to suspend

reality. Julie saw it coming as several "walls" would break

down one by one.

This was one man's struggle to exist in a world in a future he

did not expect to have. Did anyone really exist?

The author's first book Life After Life also explores the

same idea of infinite chances and the power of choices.

We all had some thoughts on crossroads of our own lives

that may have drastically changed our lives if we had made

different decisions.

We discussed the idea that God made us in his image with

God within us but due to choices humans make we are ruined.

We are ruined by war and the author had some staggering

figures on all the lives lost in all the wars...yet we persist.  

Doug regaled us with a few war stories about his Dad and some

funny ones about his Meditteranean tour paid for by the Navy. 

We agreed Kate atkinson was an excellent writer and a very educated

woman as she had used many literary allusions

 and many foreign phrases that those with electronic readers had to praise the ease of the electronic dictionary usage.  

Nancy chose a book entitled "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah

which is another world war two epic.

January 21 is the tentative date for our next meeting.



The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

On October 21, we met at Betsy's home to discuss her book.

Betsy outdid herself as a hostess with her lovely table setting as we

sampled 3 delicious gourmet soups accompanied by a green salad and

hot bread. She finished with an apple crisp topped with ice cream.

We had all read the book and most of us had finished it. 

Those who attended were Julie, Nancy, Donna, Kathy, Sarah, Madeleine and Nettie.

Most agreed that the writing was excellent but a bit lengthy and it

could have been 200 pages less especially in the beginning.

Once she got into the meat of the story it moved more quickly.

No one judged the ladies on their sexual preference but there

was discussion on the morality of the abortion and the murder although

it was not intended. Had the innocently accused young man

been convicted of the murder it would have changed everything.

We did not believe the women would have let him hang.

We had to admit that women did not have many

choices in that era and so they were almost victims of the times

and their station. Frances was doomed to taking care of her mother

and the house being left penniless by her father and losing her

two brothers. Lillian was married to a cad as it turned out.

So who among us can judge these women? 

Some thought Lillian may have used Frances to get out of her

loveless marriage. Some thought that their relationship would have had

to end while others thought the last chapter may have shown

a glimmer of hope for the star crossed lovers.

We had never read a book on Lesbianism and all agreed that

it was good to venture out into new areas besides some of the

themes we have read in the past.

Julie chose a book called "A God in Ruins" by Kate Atkinson

and a date was chosen but I have forgotten it so I am sure someone will

step forward and let everyone know.

The Dinner by Herman Koch

On Thursday September 10, 2015 we met at my home

to discuss Herman Koch's book "The Dinner".

We had 7 members present. Donna, Nancy, Kathy, Sarah,

Carol,Janet and I attended.  

Sarah led the discussion and asked if we liked the format of

the book with events occurring during a dinner starting

with the aperitif and ending with the dessert. We agreed

it was clever and we chuckled at the pretentious courses

served at astronomical prices.

The next subject was the way the story started with one

brother seeming to be the sane one and as the story

unfolds he becomes the sick, angry, crazy one.

The matter of how far parents would go to protect their

children was contemplated and I think it was agreed that

no one really knows how far they would go until they are put in that

position.  However this was murder and it seemed like these

parents were not concerned about teaching their kids responsibility

for their actions. There was no remorse, no soul searching.

Thugs ruled and the narrator was a violent thug.

His conceited brother serge who was painted by the narrator as

a self serving person ended up being the only one with a

moral fiber.

We could not understand why it was called the European

version of Gone Girl.

Betsy chose The "Paying Guests" by Sarah Waters for

our next read and a October 21 was selected for the

next date. 

The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gillman.

On July 15, Carol Branson hosted us at her Mystic Bay home
to discuss Susan Jane Gilman's book "The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street"

Carol prepared a lovely summer meal and Kathy brought 

several Haagen Daas flavors for us to sample. As Kathy

said it was a book about ice cream and who doesn't like ice cream?

Members in attendance were Julie, Nancy, Madeleine, Carol,

Sarah, Betsy, Nettie, Kathy and Donna.

 

We had a very good discussion led by Kathy. One of the main

topics was the immigrant experience. It seemed that we

unanimously agreed it was a difficult experience for all

whether they were Jewish, Irish, Italians. Poverty was the

great equalizer.

 

Our main character Lillian was discussed  at length. She was

admired for her hard work, strength and cunning that she

used to overcome adversity. Orphaned and crippled at

6 she had to invent herself to make it through the depression.

We did not admire her in the end when she became a selfish

loud mouthed drunk. The author stated that she purposely

gave Lillian good and bad characteristics because that is

really how people are made up.

 

We liked the fact that the book though fictitious had been

based on history. The development of ice cream by Tom Carvel,

the link between polio and ice cream, the depression,

prohibition were all part of Gilman's research. Kathy had

an article supporting the polio and ice cream scare that

was published by a Dr. Sandler.

 

Madeleine liked the New York setting and all the Yiddish

phrases that were used. She felt at home with the book.

 

Sarah chose a book called "The Dinner" by Herman Koch.

Some critics called it the European version of  "Gone Girl".

It was originally written in Dutch and translated to English.

I believe we chose August 12 to be our next meeting but I am

unsure. So sue me if I am wrong!



The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

         On May 11th we had a group of 8 who met to discuss Kathleen

Tessaro's novel The Perfume collector chosen by Sue.

Members who attended were Julie, Nancy, Sue, Janet,

Betsy, Kathy,Sarah and Nettie.

Sue started by presenting 3 of her favorite perfumes

which evoked special memories and reactions

from others. I remember two by Estee and one called

pheremone (an expensive concoction). This led to

a discussion of the popular perfumes we remembered

at different periods in our lives such as white shoulders

and evening in Paris.

We had all read and enjoyed the book and we delved

into the two main characters Eva Dorsey and Grace

Monroe. We discussed especially the change that

Grace underwent throughout the book as she

dealt with the inheritance and and the discovery

of her true the mother. We felt the inheritance would

help her develop into her real self rather than an

extension of the husband Roger.

We all liked the historical background of the way of

life in New York, London and France and how

it related to women just gaining some independence and

equality.

All together the book had a bit of mystery, romance and

made for a pleasant read. Sue did a wonderful job of

adding a new dimension of smell and monitoring the

discussion.

Kathy chose a book called "The Ice Cream queen of

Orchard Street" by Susan Gilman who is a very

entertaining author. This story is also a historical

fiction about an immigrant coming to New York

as a child who is orphaned and against all odds of

prejudice and the hardships of  the depression

manages to build an empire.

We chose July 15 for the next meeting.

Will send reminders.