Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

It is all Ashley's fault that this blog is relatively late. When I wasn't looking at her Facebook posts about viewing the eclipse in Oregon (I was in my office parking lot with borrowed glasses), I was catching up on back episodes of The Great British Baking Show, which Ashley told me about. Oh, and blame Julie Joyce (we have two Julies now) and Lynn, who got me to the library instead of Amazon. No doubt that is why the stock has gone down recently. I am reading more I have in a good long while. Thanks to all three of you! It has been great.

About our next Julie, welcome to Julie Weissend! Lucky us! Julie came to our group for the June meeting and it seemed like she had always been part of the group. Thanks so much for joining us!

And now on to the book - such an amazing read. Here is a link to blog I posted when I first read this book in March. http://celiasbookclub.blogspot.com/2017/03/remember-tenth-of-december-george.html. Can you tell I loved it?

Despite the odd factor, the group of us who met at Susan Victoria's house in Church Hill (thank you Susan, so lovely!) really enjoyed this book. We had a wonderful, far-reaching discussion about what if anything, this sad retelling of Lincoln's private tragedy against the backdrop of the national horror of the Civil War meant.

There was much that the group appreciated about this book. The first was the premise - how very inventive to create a purgatory of lost souls, none of whom, save one, know that he or she is dead. And into this lands poor little Willie Lincoln, who died while his poor father struggled to save the Union while his own life disintegrated.

The second aspect of the book that was so impressive was the writing. It was amazing. Rhythmic, repetitive phrases, beautiful sentences, spun paragraphs, it was a pleasure to read. Although it was definitely odd.

The third thing we liked was the story - the pacing of the plot, the characters in their full weirdness, the clever introduction of new information and new ideas. Poor Lincoln, trying to fulfill his responsibilities while enduring the loss of his child and public defamation for his choices. Oh dear.

It was Catherine who pointed out what seems now to be obvious, the parallel to the story of Christ. It fits all so well. Catherine also pointed out the shock of those lost in the Bardo, of their shock when Lincoln actually touched Willie. No one had ever touched anyone there before and it was the beginning of release for those lost souls.

It is wrong to mention only Catherine's comments because there was such a great conversation, and everyone contributed so much. What a fun, interesting evening! And see if you can wangle an invitation to visit Susan, she is an amazing hostess in a lovely space. Thank you!

And so, on to our next meeting on September 19 at Fiona's. The book is Miss Portland by David Ebenbach, a friend of Fiona's who is planning on joining us in person! You may remember him from our meeting with him at the Fountain Book Store for his last book, which we all loved, Into the Wilderness.

See you all then!

A new approach - such fun!

So for the first time, we tried reading an author rather than a book and it was fun! To explain, we read either A Gentleman in Moscow or Rules of Civility both by Amor Towles (reader's choice) , so we could discuss the style and contrast of the author's approach rather than the book itself.

This is the format of my book club when I lived in Moscow. We had to get what we could find in our language of choice in our native countries. We selected authors at the end of the spring for the following school year.  We then read our own choice of work by that author. Since we met weekly (!) and spent three weeks on an author, it was a learning experience to say the least. Week one, a presentation on the history and critical analyis of the author (great with Tolstoy, a bit more challenging with Tsetyava, Bulgakhov was a blast), the next week a visit to something related to the author, usually a tour of home, studio or museum.  The third week was  full discussion of all we had learned and read. It was wonderful.

So this time, in a variation of that format, we read whatever we wanted of Amor Towles two novels. No doubt he could have more, but there is the complication of a full time job as an investment banker. And, we had a great discussion!

The good - a great grasp of a story built around a compelling character that held the imagination and more importantly the emotion of the reader. In one case, the aristocrat bound for thirty years to never leave a luxury hotel in Moscow, the other a man seemingly living in luxury but in fact enabled by a rather demanding paymaster.

Both stories were rich in atmosphere - easily believed, impactful and rather overwhelming in detail, so easy to fall into and become one with the wallpaper. Both had snappy plots that moved along and swept us up with them. Oh, did you say not so believeable all the time? Sure, there were quibbles of likelihood and logical outcome. And yet,we all agreed, so what, we were happy to be included in the process.

If I were inferring favorites from the commentary, Gentleman in Moscow seemed to be our favored choice of the two. But both were lovely, warm, interesting and fun reads. Let's hope Mr. Towles has time for another.

For August, we are lucky to go to Susan Victoria's, Susan's 2605 E. Franklin Apt 1 in Church Hill. Please ask her to have more SubRosa Shortbread cookies while we are there! The book is Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. We had read Tenth of December a while ago, his collection of short stories. This is a novel and it is an amazing thing from so many vantage points.

See you all there!

The Commonwealth - a good story with trying people. Happy 10th Anniversary Book Club!

Where have we heard that headline before? (Not the 10th anniversary part.) It seems to be a feature of  modern novels that the characters are all difficult to like. In the group was a number of Ann Patchett fans so the relatively tepid response to this book (we liked it but not as much as we wanted) was a bit of a surprise.

I for one, loved this book and I am not an Ann Patchett fan. Not that she isn't an accomplished author - she is. I just usually want more from a book than a good story and in my opinion this book delivered. For one, the title hints at the overarching theme. Much of the story, and the tragedy of the loss of one of these six children, thrown together by the adults around them, takes place in Virginia.

But the Commonwealth, in my opinion, does not refer to the place - it belongs to the tribe. Who becomes your family, or at least those you won't or can't leave behind no matter how little they inhabit your currentl life is your Commonwealth. These six children, a bit ignored, find a way to help each other move through life. They didn't choose each other but they chose to be there for each other.

Of course, there are breaches in judgement and of intensity that result in the death of one and subsequent remorse. Who wouldn't feel it? But in the end, Frannie is there for Albie and his mother, whom she had never met, as we all hope someone will be there for us, when all else fails.

I admit that when I have a chance to read almost straight through, as I did with this book, I always like it more than if I am snatching a few sentences at red lights as I zoom around town. Still, this is a powerful and well written book, with characters that stay with me, even now.

And so, on to the next book. Or raft of them as we all had more ideas than we could schedule out. Our next meeting is July 11 and we will read either Rules of Civility or Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This will give us a chance to talk about the author's style and development generally rather than one example. We are lucky to go to Lynn Spitzer's. Her gorgeous home is often the scene for amazing discussions, so get ready!

August will be David Ebenbach's new novel Miss Portland. Some of us remember going to the Fountain Bookstore to meet him when we read his short stories. He and Fiona have been at the VACC  together, so this will be fun and he will join us for the discussion if we choose (and the dates work.)

September is Lincoln at the Bardo by George Saunders. Remember him? The incredible and imaginative short stories from The Tenth of December? Lynn and I adored this book. It is super odd so strap on your broadest mind. And it is amazing.

October is Small Great Things  by Jodi Picault, a suggestion from our alum Suzanne Davenport who joined us for our anniverary. Thanks Suzanne! She has a lot of great things to say about this book and I admit to not having a lot of experience with this author. Too much Don Quixote and War and Peace I guess and not enough contemporary fiction.

November is Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout of Olive Kitteridge fame. Some of us had a strong negative reaction to that book but give this one a chance, it is amazing.

And so, there goes the year. Fiona was strongly recommending A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge, I am getting it tomorrow at the library and can't wait after her enthusiastic comments. The other book that did not get a month was The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. This is non-fiction, the subtitle says it all: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. It will be depressing, but enlightening.

As Denise Gorondy said, another of our alums who came, now is the time to schedule in more reading. So this is the plan, but it is always mallable.

I want to thank you all for being part of this group, particularly Julie and Jean, who have been a part of this since the beginning and Mary who came very soon thereafter.  I love to read and even more to share my thoughts with this amazing group of people who make my life better just by knowing you. Thanks and on to the next 10 years. Stay with us!

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - powerful stuff

Thanks so much to Julie for hosting us in her beautiful house that is so comfortable and beautifully done. And to all who brought great food, thank you! Of particular note was the shrimp ball Karin brought - super yum. (Bon Aire Seafood, she says.)

Our general impressions were pretty consistent on this book - it was an impactful story, told well if a bit long and slow. What really stood out were the painful examples of white entitled prejudice against Maya Angelou and her relatives. In particular, the incidence of the poor white girls coming to her grandmother's store and ridiculing her for no good reason. That is hard to read and even harder to realize that it was considered acceptable behavior. The dentist who would borrow money, with no interest, from a black woman, then refuse to treat an extreme dental problem in her grandchild,  is beyond my comprehension.

Yet that was Maya Angelou's world and in it, she developed and thrived to become a world-renown poet. This book ends with the birth of her own child when she is only 16 and there are four addional memoirs that carry on her story. That she could rise out of these circumstances is pretty remarkable.

This book works because the language and spirit lift it out of the oppresive situation of the times, and of the tragedies of Angelou's own life. It becomes a universal story that helps inspire those in their own struggles to look beyond, to hope and to find a way to succeed. I had never read this before and am glad I finally was introduced to this inspiring book.

On to our next book! June is the 10th anniversary of our book club, so we are planning to meet at the Deep Run Hunt Club for a picnic on June 13. I plan to invite everyone who has ever been part of the group, so I hope we have a good turnout.

Our next book is Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. See you all in June!

The Sympathizer - A Telling Portrait

Most of us gathered to discuss this facinating and excellent first novel grew up in or around the VietNam war era and had personal connnections, close or a bit removed, that still today left strong impressions and emotions. 

This novel presented another view, that from the perspective of the Vietnamese who lived through the conflict on their own soil, watched as their villages were destroyed, then escaped to the land of their enemy and in a very real way, their savior. 

The lives of these refugees, and of one person left behind, make up this story, told by an irregular narrator from all perspectives. A Vietnamese boy fathered by a French priest he was not fully of his home country. His father gave him no access to his own life and culture, so he was suspended in a way that he says created his ability to sympathize with both sides of a story. 

And so, he was also a double agent, working for a general in the army while spying for one of his best friends who has remained behind as high ranking communist functionary. And he is the link between his two closest friends, the Communist and the traditionalist who lost his wife and child in the chaos of leaving the country. 

The stories of the refugees was touching and depressing - accomplished people, respected in their own country now running liquor stores and gas stations while clinging to hope of return. The actions of ther narrator, never called anything except The Captain, were horrifying, done in the spirit of one who, with divided ties, has no moral compass. 

The writing was beautiful for the most part, thoughtful, evocative and lyrical. The book had its phases though and to me, the first 50 or so pages that set the stage were the strongest. From there, satire and a campy feel cropped up too often for me, giving the book a definite Catch 22 flavor. It became a bit difficult to follow - whas this supposed to be funny? Was it over-exaggerated for effect or was this supposed to be an actual description? 

Yet, these questions were minor in comparison to the quality of the book. It was a strong story and a difficult one, but one that will stir discussion for a long time. 

And so on we go to the next. We selected I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I have not read her before and so am really looking forward to this! We will be at Julie's on May 16. 

For those of you wanting the Parmesan Rosemary Pecan wafer recipe, here is a link, enjoy! 

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/rosemary-parm-cookies

And if you want even more and much better commentary on the book, here is great review by Philip Caputo in the New York Times.  Philip Caputo wrote, among others, Indian Country, another VietNam war book. He is well know for war fiction. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/books/review/the-sympathizer-by-viet-thanh-nguyen.html?_r=0

A charming, sweet story

We had a great group assembled to talk about the charming book, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Granted, it didn't start with much promise - a (very) grumpy man with an attitude that would alienate the most tolerant stomping around his neighborhood trying to get the other residents to  follow his rules. Still, somehow the author kept us turning pages until the lovely end of a sweet tale.

As the book progressed, the backstory, revealed bit by bit was to me at least, unbearably sad. Still, there were many comic components, not the least of which were the other characters in the book. A mangy cat, an Iranian woman with her two, soon to be three, children and inept husband and the former best friends who were now ex-communicado were all part of it. Not to mention the overweight young man next door.

All these characters came together and became a family and Ove, with this many heartbreaks, found love with the children next door who called him Grandpa. The journey to get to this point was improbable and the characters were a little cartoonish and broad. But no one cared. There was plenty to be critical about, but why would anyone bother? The end result was so sweet and the journey was so fun.

This was a first novel that had a hard time getting traction when presented to publishers. Since then it has been published in at least 35 countries, and has been a best seller everywhere. In the tradition of "It's a Wonderful Life", this reminds us of how intertwined we all are and how much of an impact we can make on each other if we allow it to happen.

So on to our next book, which is The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This one won the Pulitzer for Fiction last year, and I can't wait to read it! We will meet at Karen's house on the Southside, thank you Karen! And our May book, so you can all get ready is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Yeah!

Many thanks to Jean for hosting in her beautiful house with gorgeous flowers and to everyone who brought yummy things to eat. And best of luck to Susan Smithwick who is leaving us for the West Coast, I miss you already!

See you in April.

Remember "The Tenth of December"? George Saunders again, and he is amazing.

Just these few minutes ago, I finished George Saunders's new and first novel, called Lincoln in the Bardo. Those of us who read his collection of short stories, The Tenth of December will not be surprised that this novel is very unusual, so odd that I had to read some reviews to figure out the setting. So strange, flat out weird and yet incredibly touching and challenging, it was an amazing experience.

The entire story unfolds in one night, in a cemetery that, as my husband Rick says, is filled with people too old and dead to talk. Yet they do, as it is populated with souls who can't or won't accept that their old lives are over, that no one will come for them. One person, a Reverend, is an exception. He knows he is dead and yet is too afraid of final judgement to move out of this in-between state. These lost souls are frozen in their old pain, their old burdens, which distort their appearances to their last, lost regret.

Into this village drops the incredulous, innocent young Willie Lincoln, beloved son of the then President of the United States. He traveled here by way of a fever, lost during a Presidential reception that provided a backdrop for the agony of his father, Abraham Lincoln. Willie can't move on out of belief that his father would come for him and bring him back. When Lincoln does come again, it shocks all in this limbo to rethink. Would someone come for them too? Will Lincoln help them? Can Willie? If not, why are they still there, waiting? And yet, we know the truth - no matter who or why, death is final.

Poor Lincolns, young and old. The pain is palpable in this amazing novel, hard to bear even when some aspects are comic. Abraham Lincoln's great burden is beautifully rendered while barely described - a grief-stricken father, a husband whose wife is driven mad and so musters on alone, a President responsible for scores of deaths as he tries for a greater and longer term good, a man who buoys so many, even as they cling to him and threaten his ability to take his very next step.

These souls lost in limbo exemplify Lincoln's burden. His young son, caught in the abyss can't  imagine his father won't lift him away. But it is Lincoln's sorrow that enables him to go on, and also allows all these souls, caught in limbo, to accept their own situations,  illuminated by the great man who finally accepts the loss of his beloved son.

This is not everyone's cup of tea novel, granted. Still, it is a wonderous thing.

Lynn wrote from the beach today that she also has a great novel to recommend, The Sympathiser by  Viet Thanh Nguyen which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Can't wait to move on to that one! See you all soon.

Between Me and the World, a thought provoking and interesting experience

Hats off to Fiona for hosting our most recent gathering, another warm and gracious hostess and everyone brought fabulous things to add to Fiona's famous bread. Lucky us!

And as for the book, well, whether you agree or disagree with the author's point of view, it was certainly generated thought and discussion. This book challenges in unexpected ways, and we had a wide-ranging and interesting conversation about just what we thought.

The construct of a letter to the author's son allowed for a commentary on "them" versus "us" in a unique way of portraying "those who see themselves as white" as "dreamers", as in they can aspire to, and expect the American Dream. The "us" is the black population stuck in an America that treats them as a danger to be controlled and suppressed  even at the cost of individual life with little provocation and with no repercussion. It is hard to read in many places and even harder to imagine dealing with on a daily basis.

The daily struggle to find a way to stay safe, to protect oneself on the streets in ones neighborhood, against school authorities, police and public policy is described as "protecting one's body" and here our conversation turned to our own experience of these feelings. As Val pointed out, this is our own experience in at least one way. We are constantly on guard for our physical safety, and in some cases for our emotional safety as well.

As one who remembers walking down the middle of the street instead of the sidewalk to get to my home in Boston, this certainly hit home for me, as it did for others. We are guarding our physical selves. Our difference is that we expect courtesy from police who stop us for minor infractions, instead of mortal danger.  And we expect safe neighborhoods, good schools and a supportive family that helps us achieve our goals in every way.

One thing that was consistent in our comments was just how well written this book was. The sentences, even the difficult ones, were beautifully constructed, and the logic compelling. And yet, I couldn't help but feel as though the story wasn't finished - as a letter to the next generation, shouldn't there be some optimism about a way forward? Some encouragement about a path to take? Not in this book. Maybe there is another, and if so, I will certainly read it.

So on to our next book. We decided on A Man Called Ove  by Fredrik Backman. This has recently been made into a movie for those who want a short cut, but I hear the book is much better. Isn't that always the case?

We are going to meet at Jean's house on March 21 at 6:30. This is a change as the original schedule was for Julie's. Lucky us, Julie is taking April. See you at Jean's in March and Julie's in April. And be thinking about how you would like to celebrate our 10th anniversary in June! I am looking for ideas.

Please comment, this past book was a strong draught, let us know what you think!

Hi everyone!

Thanks again to Kathy Baker for hosting our most recent book club meeting - we all had a wonderful time, and lively conversations about Hamilton in her lovely home.

During our conversation, Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven was mentioned as a possible future read for the group.  Kathy Baker has written a review of Station Eleven that was published in the 2014 September issue of Real Simple Magazine, page 39.

Due to the magazine's space restrictions, the review is condensed from Kathy's full review of Station Eleven, published on her blog site Better Etiquette.  To read her review of this intriguing book in its entirety, click here...

We are so lucky to have great readers -and- great writers in our book group!

See you all soon,
Fiona
 

Alexander Hamilton - worth the work. Note new day for our next meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 pm at Fiona's.

Wow, what a great read! Lucky thing since the book was both long and dense, particularly in the sections on The Federalist Papers. Unusually, everyone seemed to like this book and it has been a while since we got such good consensus. This was a wonderful example of a very serious, thorough biography that had a great narrative and told the story beautifully. There were many places in the book that were are joy to read for those who love language. The trail between scholarship and storytelling goes right through this wonderful book.

This was an interesting and different view of history than that described in history books. The contrast really reinforces the point vividly made in the Hamilton, the musical, that history is told by those who are left behind. Sadly, those left behind like Jefferson, Madison and Monroe were not friends of Hamilton and gave perhaps a jaundiced view of his contributions and life.

Luckily for us, Hamilton himself left many, many documents behind including the very puzzling Reynold pamphlet about his extra-marital affair. While this seems a bit tame compared to Jefferson and Burr's romanic exploits, their facts did not come out for decades or even centuries. That Hamilton felt it a worse slur on his honor to be accused of stealing from the federal purse than to have an affair is both a comment on the times and on his character.  Poor Eliza.

So seeing history with Hamilton as a main character was really interesting. While the writing at a few points was really a bit reverent, for the most part, Ron Chernow kept a good perspective. His portrayal of Jefferson was a shock. For those of us in Central Virginia, Jefferson borders on a deity, so his tactics in politics and governance were jarring to say the least. In particular, Jefferson and Monroe's mindless support of the French Revolution seemed particularly wayward.

Those conflicts, and Chernow's careful telling of the Revolutionary period and beyond, demonstrated just how difficult it was to end up with a functioning republic, thanks in large part to Hamilton's ability to create governing procedures and rules. There was little unity, other than George Washington himself, among the founding fathers. Each had his own idea of the direction of the country, his own purpose in acting which sometimes was not the long view of a democratic republic.

All in all, this was a model biography, and it is not hard to see how it could have inspired other great art in the form of the musical, hip hop and all. So on to the next one!

We come to the other end of the republic in our next book, Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. This book and author have gotten great attention, and I am really looking forward to it. We will meet at Fiona's house, maybe we can see some art as well!

Please note, we are shifting our regular meeting days to Tuesdays. I have joined a new chorus and we rehearse on Mondays, so thank you all for agreeing to accommodate my schedule. Our next meeting is Feb. 21.

Extra pages! I have been powering through some new books lately and finally got to one Val recommended a while ago, Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel. Kathy Baker published a review of this book in "Real Simple" magazine a while back, very impressive! This book was so interesting, so unusual in its form and message. It is a post-apocalypse novel but the story is with the people, not the circumstances. Really good.

And I have also been submerged in a new detective series, Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear. These are set just after World War I in England, a very sad time with many scars on the people and the places. The stories are a bit far fetched, but so beautifully written, just "mind candy" as Jean says.

See you all in February!