Phyllis

“The Thirteenth Cat” is a cozy horror (is that a thing) book recommenced by my fiancée's 12 year old son. He read this book year and it really captured his imagination; I can't even count the number of times he's brought the book up and asked when I plan to read it since last summer.

I won't say a lot about the book other than it could be considered a modern fairy tale.

I have a few criticisms that might not bother the intended middle grade audience. First, the dialogue is often a little too simplified and brief. Second, there should have been more time passing between major events in the story to help emphasize how long it takes for a cat to become skinny and unkempt or to fatten back up after a human starts taking care of them again.

Why did it take me 27 years to get around to reading Moliere? Perhaps, the first memorable reference to Moliere from “The Breakfast Club” seemed awfully highbrow. But, what does an 11 year old know?

I first read “The Misanthrope” in preparation for “The School for Lies” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater back in 2012. If you love Moliere, then I highly recommend seeing this update, which captures the rollicking spirit of the original French farces.

In 2016, I re-read the play for my Great Books Book Club meeting. There are funny moments in this 350+ year-old work, although the translation in the Penguin edition feels a bit dry. However, there were others in today's meeting carrying the Richard Wilbur translation; that version is presented in the form of rhyming couplets, which is true to the original in French, but quite clunky in English. I recognize the effort it must have taken to stay close to the translation and rhyme in a different language (done by a Poet Laureate, no less), but it still was rough going for some folks. If only I had the chops to read it in French!

The first Act seemed to drag, after which the pacing picks up and ends quite abruptly. The second time around, I'm not sure if I enjoyed the play as much. But, there were sections that I found quite funny, such as the scene in which Oronte begs Alceste, a stranger, but whose opinion is celestial, for an opinion on his poem, and in which Alceste provides his full-throated review (although, to his credit, attempts to avoid having to opine). I also quite enjoyed the barbed back-and-forth between Celimene and Clitandre.

After finishing the play, I picked up two movies, which aren't adaptations of “The Misanthrope,” but I provide additional color and food for thought. I watched the 2013 moving “Bicycling with Moliere,” which is about two older French actors who begin rehearsing “The Misanthrope.” I won't say too much, but the movie cleverly uses the play to weave in and out of the actor's modern life and has a rather different ending; it is a lovely homage to Moliere's play. Next, I watched “Moliere” from 2007, which is basically “Moliere in Love” and also a nice companion to “The Misanthrope,” although much more about Moliere's banned play, “Tartuffe.” After watching these two movies, and thinking back to “School for Lies,” I think that “The Misanthrope” is quite enjoyable and hope to see a live version at some point.

Here are the discussion questions used in today's meeting, which were either inspired by the introduction to the Penguin edition (excellent!) or a few other question sets I found online.

1. Do you think the characters are caricatures or do any of them seem like more fully-fleshed out? Does Moliere want us to find any of the characters worth of admiration?
2. Does the play carry a moral behind the social satire? Do you think Moliere wanted us to learn anything from “The Misanthrope” and, if so, what?
3. Do you consider “The Misanthrope” humorous? If so, which parts particularly tickled you?
4. Many of Moliere's play exposed hypocrisy of various social groups. What examples do you find in this play?
5. What is the author's attitude towards religion and how is that attitude displayed by Arsinoe?
6. Do you think Célimène can truly love?
7. Can you think of a literary precedent for Alceste?
8. Many characters mention active court cases, one which even takes Alceste out of the action in the middle of the play. What is the purpose of references to court cases?
9. What really happens in “The Misanthrope?” Does the abruptness of the dénouement really settle anything?
10. Much like Shakespeare, there isn't much known about Moliere's life. In fact, there is some speculation, again like Shakespeare, about the true author of the works attributed to him. Is this the work of a son of a wealthy upholstery merchant turned prolific author of farces, or, was Moliere a stage manager and actor who lent his name to these works?

The first installment of the Ruth Galloway series was pretty enjoyable and I'll definitely check out the next one. The mystery was interesting, but what really struck me was the setting. Elly Griffith does a great job creating atmosphere and making the Saltmarsh its own character. Also, I could totally identify with Ruth and enjoyed several of the supporting characters.

Bill Bryson's “A Walk in the Woods” is as hilarious in 2018 as when I first read it in 1997. This book is the perfect blend of travelogue, history, humor, and memoir.

There is something I find so relatable about Mr. Bryson, perhaps because he is an anglophile, a nerd, and quite silly. And, frankly, who doesn't want to hear about a pair of middle-aged men hiking the Appalachian Trail, both largely unprepared for the monumental physical and mental task in front of them.

Many members of my book club had not read the book before and found it delightful for January, when the Chicago area is cold and snowy. One member had the following comment: “Confession: I now understand why my sister likes Bryson, who I have avoided for years.” That, I think, should be reason enough to give this now-classic a shot. One member recommended “The Last American Man” by Elizabeth Gilbert (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23202.The_Last_American_Man)

Fans may enjoy the following interview and reading by Mr. Bryson on CSPAN from 1998: https://www.c-span.org/video/?105484-1/a-walk-woods

In addition, the movie version starring Robert Redford (older and fitter than Mr. Bryson at the outset of the novel) and Nick Nolte (hilarious as the bumbling Katz) is really worth a watch; I was hesitant because the book is so lovely and, I thought, too difficult to film.

I pulled the following questions together from LitLovers.com and other sources for use in the group's 01/27/18 discussion:

I'm a Trustee at my local library district and wanted to a resource that could delve into privacy and confidentiality issues. Specifically, the library Board recently considered making young adult (ages 12-18) library circulation data unavailable to parents with the exception of handling fines. In other words, provide young people confidentiality as they are learning about the world and moving towards adulthood.

Some Board members, including myself, felt this was the right way to go. Other Board members felt that parents stood always be able to access full details of their children's checkouts. The topic was returned to Committee to be rewritten.

However, something kept niggling at me. So, I found “Protecting Intellectual Freedom” published by the ALA at another library. Chapter 6 specifically addresses confidentiality and privacy considerations, along with applicable cases/laws, scenarios, and sample policies. It was exactly the reference I was looking for and even alluded to Illinois law, which is where my library is located.

I skimmed the rest of the book and found a number of similarly interesting and useful discussions that would be great for library staff, administration, boards, and the general public.

Perhaps, I should begin by stating that I am not the biggest fan of multi-generational sagas. My reaction, therefore, to “Shark Dialogues” by Kiana Davenport may be skewed.

The author is definitely talented. I really enjoyed the first 60 pages or so, in which we experience Hawai'i and the intertwined fortunes of Kelonikoa, a Tahitian princess banned from her home island when she refused to marry a hideous cousin. Ms. Davenport does a nice job of including Hawai'i's history and the US's colonization. Then, we quickly pass Emma's history and on to her daughter, Lili (quickly again), and then her daughter, Pono, who eventually becomes the grandmother of the four cousins we meet at the beginning of the book. And I found I just didn't care. It feels as though we could have spent a little more time with the two generations before Pomo.

I tried so hard to read this book and even incurred overdue fines in the process (criminal!).

With all that said, the author has a lovely writing style that shown clearly in the first quarter of the book. I am interested in reading more of her work to see if this book was a bit too ambitious.

To be honest, I skimmed after about 30 pages and nothing really seems to happen. It's a dreadfully dull book that I can't find any reason to recommend.

Schlock. Drivel. Gelatinous muck. You will feel a portion of your life sucked away that cannot be replaced. The audio version helps a bit (why this tripe gets 1.8, not 1.3 stars) as the narrator, Jim Dale, does his best with a bunch of cardboard characters slapped into a story where nothing. Ever. Happens. I predict much eye rolling. What duel? What love story? What plot? Does the author have a clue about how people spoke or behaved in the late Victorian era? And red-headed, magical twins? Oh, brother. This book and Audrey Niffenegger's “Her Fearful Symmetry” should hang out.

To sum up, the marketers behind this book should be applauded for tricking so many into this book with an interesting cover and a breathless synopsis.

At some point, I ought to re-read Isabel Allende's “The House of the Spirits” because it has received oodles of critical acclaim over the years. Yet, it simply ended up being a multi-generational saga like so many others I've read. It may also be that reading the novel in translation is the issue; I didn't research carefully which translation might be the best because I read this book through my Great Books Book Club (the library acquires all of our titles each month). I hope to be proven wrong in the future.

Here are the discussion questions a book club member used for discussion, which are all or in-part from Gradesaver and Sparknotes:

1
The narrator is unnamed at the beginning of the novel, but soon turns out to be Alba. The second narrator is Esteban Trueba. Why do we need two narrators in this book? How does it illustrate the ongoing conflicts between conservativism and socialism? Imagine that one of the following characters narrates the book instead of Alba: Clara, Pedro Tercero García, Jaime. How would the story be different in terms of structure, tone, and plot? Make sure you justify your assertions with specific evidence about the character you choose.

2
Allende wrote this novel as a long love letter to her dying Grandfather in Chile, while she was living in exile, partly to dramatize her family history. Sons and daughters elaborately populate the “family saga” of “House of the Spirits.” Explore the connection between mothers and daughters, and sons and fathers, in the novel. Why do you think these special bonds do not occur between mothers and sons, or between fathers and sons? Are there any exceptions to this tradition?

3
Pride, nationalism, socialism, women's rights, and, finally, human rights are a few of the themes in this book. Explore the issue of paternity and maternity in The House of the Spirits. What are the characters' attitudes toward paternity and maternity (motherhhod and fatherhhod) throughout the novel? Do they change or remain constant?

4
Describe the relationships in this novel between children and their parents. Do you side with any of these characters, or do you dislagree with their actions? Make a case for whether maternity or paternity is more important in The House of the Spirits.

5
This novel has been called a masterpiece of “Magical Realism,” which means it's a story filled with ghosts, supernatural events, psychic poeers, and other strange happenings. Explain the significance of the supernatural world in the novel. Does it have significance to all the characters, or only to those who can communicate with it and who believe in its power? Could the family's story survive if all instances of the supernatural were removed? If so, how would it be different?

6
Consider the way in which love and suffering connect in The House of the Spirits. What message does Allende send by highlighting the ways in which they are inseparable? Use specific instances from the text to support your opinion.

7
Explore the role of silence in the novel. In your analysis, you may want to consider Clara's bouts of silence, Esteban Trueba's refusal to allow radios in his house, and instances in which characters keep silent in one another's interest or in order to save one another.

8
How does the novel portray sex? In your analysis, consider instances of rape, prostitution, passionate consensual lovemaking, infidelity, and consensual “loveless” lovemaking without passion.

9
Explore the significance of the main characters and one of the following minor characters and make a case for why his or her subplot is essential to the story: Transito Soto, Pancha García, Old Pedro García, Amanda.

10
In The House of the Spirits, romantic love is essential but often forbidden. Why do you think Allende creates a story where love is taboo? In your analysis, make sure to examine the relationships between Clara and Esteban, Blanca and Pedro Tercero García, and Alba and Miguel. Additionally, consider the question: what types of love are expressly allowed in the novel?

11
What message does Allende send about the power of writing and the imagination? Is this novel an imaginative plea and personal allegory for peace, women's rights, class differences, human rights, and family respect/responsibility after so much discord, disagreement, exile, and persecution? What is the value of writing or other expressions of imagination for the characters? Why is Allemde putting so much emphasis on writing your/her personal history? Some characters you may want to explore in your analysis: Clara, Rosa, Blanca, Alba, Pedro Tercero García, and Esteban Trueba.

12
Examine the importance of destiny in The House of the Spirits. Does the novel as a whole favor the idea that the future is pre-planned, or does it suggest that events are up to chance? Use specific incidents in the Trueba family history to support your claim.

13
Clara, who is clairvoyant, has a vision of her mother's demembered head, lost after a fatal crash. Find instances of dismemberment in the novel. What does the act of dismemberment represent beyond its physical consequences? How is it a symbol of family strife, divisions, exiles, seperations, and sufferings.

14
Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize winning poet from Allende's Chile. Neruda's socialism endangered him with the Chilean Nationalists, and followers of Pinochet. Like Isabel Allende, who was related to Chilean socialist leader Salvador Allende, he left Chile at one point to escape persecution. Today, we see her novel as a record of those conflicts, and a plea to end the cycles of violence and human rights abuses, so families can live their lives out in peace, without fear. Should our poetry of universal human expression and humanism (of life and love) be important than the politics we keep? Allende includes the following quote by Pablo Neruda as the epigraph to the novel: “How much does a man live, after all? / Does he live a thousand days, or one only? / For a week, or for several centuries? / How long does a man spend dying? / What does it mean to say “for ever?” Using specific evidence, explain how the epigraph relates to the novel's greater message.

15
Evaluate the significance of names in The House of the Spirits. What do characters' names tell us about their personalities and destinies? Some to consider: Nívea (snow,) Clara (light, clear), Blanca (white,) Alba (dawn,) Pedro Segundo (second)/Pedro Tercero (The third,) Esteban Trueba/Esteban García, Transito Soto. How many symbols can you find in these characters, and do they represent any of their human traits?

Delightful essay which George Eliot skewers novels and tropes of her time, akin to criticisms many have about the flood of trash romantasy and romance novels of today. I read this as a follow-up to “Daniel Deronda.”

I listened to this on Hoopla and there's a pdf version available on the George Eliot archive website: https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/101

I only read about 90 pages and cannot fathom how this book can be considered one of the best novels ever unless one prefers that between-the-world-wars alienation that seems to be trying too hard.

Unfortunately, my Great Books Book Club did not get a chance to discuss this book (library parking lot replacing drama) so I could realize the error of my ways or at least be enlightened.

Haruf's style is a little like Cormac Mccarthy-lean, spare, missing punctuation such as quotation marks. Rural setting. Similar time period. (Full disclosure-I just read 3 Cormac McCarthy novels, one for a book club discussion). But, the drug war hadn't reached Haruf's Colorado as it had in McCarthy's border Texas; there is a tough and realistic, yet innocent, quality to many characters. People live on limited resources, but Haruf's stories are less about good and evil, and more about true-life situations. His characters breathe off the page. In fact, the dear McPheron brothers remind me of Matthew Cuthbert from
“Anne of Green Gables.” Kind, thoughtful, touched by and supportive of young people alone in the world (Victoria, DJ), but men of few words.

This book made me cry a few times, which hasn't happened in awhile-usually I just cry during “CBS Sunday Morning.”

Last month, my book club read “Spoon River Anthology” by Edgar Lee Masters and I notice a great many similarities. We hear from the voices of everyday fictional Holt, Colorado citizens, from poor, mentally challenged folks struggling to keep their family together, to an aging rancher, to a lonely young boy, whose loyalty to those who treat him well is fierce. Like Masters, the landscape is important and has a clear prairie feel to it.

“Eventide” is a portrait of a disappearing America. While I've compared it to three other books in this review, Haruf has his own style and is an author I'll be reading again.

My 7th grade almost stepson is currently reading “Freak the Mighty” for school and excitedly encouraged me to pick it up so we could talk about it.

At first, I found the language a little unusual even for a middle grade book, but then we are reading about Max Kane's world in his voice. Without ruining the story, it's an “unvanquished” book about friendship and family that had me crying by the end. It's definitely recommended for 6th grade and up.

And don't skip the last 8 pages!

I have read a few of Wallace Stegner‘s later novels, and was looking forward to “Remembering Laughter,“ his first work. This book shows a hint at what Stegner developed into an art; getting into people's thoughts, but never actually delivers. I really didnt enjoy this book on any level and wouldn't have finished it if it weren't an audiobook and also by Stegner.

Alright, I get that this book was written in the full swing of post-WWII communist domination of Czechoslovakia, a time of tremendous censorship over an artistic people. Disclaimer: I am 50% Czech (but not, for the love of God, Slovak, my Grandmother used to say) and love names like Bohumil and Miroslav and Ludmila. The horrific beauty of the ultra-efficient waste-paper baler and its young, muscular workers was well-done.

I also get that the main character was a semi-autobiographical portrait of the author, who was also a bailer of waste paper and wrote the novel while subjugated to enforced temperance. So, why not find beauty in the days when one could drink with impunity at work, find secret ways to throw art into the world, to ponder the lives of mice and civil wars of sewer rats, to abscond with untold written riches? To all of these things, yes. But, there were many passages that were too much, like theJesus/Lao-tse interlude.

I'm glad that I read this Czech novella, but I'm not sold on reading further selections by the author. Perhaps, the other plebeian 50% of me just can't appreciate such heights.

During a recent vacation to New Mexico, I saw Tony Hillerman's books at just about every single gift shop and anywhere selling books. After thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful sights of New Mexico, I thought I'd like to go there again from home.

Well, whoopsie doodles, I picked up the fourth book in Tony Hillman's detective series (“The People of Darkness”) because it was the oldest one available at the library. And I'd neglected my phone at home and couldn't look up the proper order. Or ask a librarian.

After thoroughly enjoying that book, in my typical completist/OCD fashion, went back to the beginning of the series to “The Blessing Way.” To be fair, I was distracted by both a close family member's health issue and a busy time at work. Which is why I perhaps had a harder time getting through this book and not necessarily the book own merits or demerits.

I really enjoyed the beginning, but then the story seemed a little convoluted, bogged down (or at least to my distracted mind), and seemed not to make a ton sense. I shall move along with this series to make it past #4 and see if the magic continues.

I have loved all of Jasper Fforde's books (both the Nursery Crime and Tuesday Next series), yet this YA outing was a bit bland. It isn't that the book was bad, but reading it was like watching someone have paper dolls go through movements. There just wasn't much to any character, so the book fell a bit flat.

My Great Books Book Club chose this Edgar Award winning book for our October meeting. I am usually cramming the monthly selection in the day before or day of our monthly meeting (and sometimes after!), but finished this selection several weeks early.

From the first page, I was rather turned off by what seemed like an impenetrable story; Faith Severn, our narrator, refers to various people or events in the first few chapters as though the reader ought to know all about them. Flicking back, thinking I'd been distracted, I could not unearth information it seemed I should have picked up. At that early stage of reading the book, I kept asking myself how this book won a major award and whether it might be akin to the Booker Prize winners I have desperately not enjoyed. In fact, the wall of wandering family history in the third chapter nearly put me off the book entirely. However, after sticking with it, I was rewarded by a layered and unusually, as well as masterfully, crafted story. I later realized that Faith was a Longley woman and had taken on this very style of storytelling (or not telling) from her Aunt Vera and Aunt Eden.

As I moved through the book, Vine dropped little crumbs that sometimes added to the mystery or peeled away another layer of onion skin. Even from the beginning, family members take on slightly sinister aspects and, in my opinion, just about every given name and surname created misdirection on who a character really is. These dark portents are what hooked me.

Two more slights of hand come with the almost sidebar, but intriguing, stories of the missing toddlers Kathleen March and Sunny Durham. These two tales cast more doubt on Vera's innocence; even when we learn who the likely killer of both girls is, the inky undercurrents of both little girls' deaths ebb forward.

The framework of an author prospecting a family scandal that the narrator had never been able to or allowed to fully explore worked well in Vine's capable hands. Motives and events that weren't clear due to Faith's age, family position, location, and/or family members' sense of propriety or willful misdirection emerge from Faith's review of source letters and interviews, as well as careful re-examination of her own memories.

Yet we end “A Dark-Adapted Eye” without an absolute answer on a central mystery of Jamie's parentage. Brilliant! Here I sit, still pondering so many questions. Could Vera truly have induced lactation without having a child of her own? Was the birth certificate that Eden brandished at Vera authentic or a forgery? Stepping back to Vera's first child, the seemingly sociopathic Francis, how could a woman who so poorly mothered her first child and evilly aunted Faith also be the beaming epitome of perfect motherhood for Jamie? What else may have happened to Vera before or during her time in India that Faith never uncovers?

I'm truly glad I stuck with this book and recommend it for anyone looking for a bit of a challenge (this is no bon bon beach read).


“A Dark-Adapted Eye” Discussion Questions (I wrote these questions to share with my Great Books Book Club at our October 2024 meeting and will update once the other book club member working on questions provides them )

1. What is a dark-adapted eye in terms of biology? How does that concept relate to the title and story?
2. Ruth Rendell was known for writing a detective series and other relatively traditional mysteries in which a murder occurs at the beginning and the murderers identity is revealed towards the end. Rendell chose the pen name Barbara Vine to write a different style of mystery, which some consider “softer” or focused more on psychological drama. How effective is a (and this) mystery that begins with knowing who the murderer is vs a more traditional structure?
3. What is the meaning of the main character names? Do the names' meanings represent their owner properly in terms of the story? (I.e. Vera, Vranni, Edith/Eden, Faith, Helen, Gerald, Andrew, Francis, Jamie). How about various surnames (Chateriss, Hillyard, Langley, Severn, Pearmain)?
4. Is Faith Severn a reliable narrator?
5. Why do you think Barbara Vine chose to create such a confusing and labrynthine family history? By the end of the book, did you feel like you understood the family structure better?
6. What is the impact of social classes on the book?
7. How did setting the story during and around World War II affect the events of the novel? If the novel had been set when it was released, in the mid-1980s, would the story have unraveled differently?
8. Did you find it odd that the writer, Daniel Stewart, decided to abandon the book project after finding out the family secret?
9. Who is Jamie's mother and why do you think so? Does the author ever reveal the truth to the reader absolutely?

Interesting Blog Posts & Links:

https://www.criminalelement.com/the-edgar-awards-revisited-a-dark-adapted-eye-by-barbara-vine-best-novel-1987/

https://crimereads.com/queer-texas-barbara-vine/

Almost complete family tree from a nice Goodreads person: https://www.goodreads.com/questions/432242-i-am-totally-lost-in-the-family-genealogy

The translation from German seems quite effortless. And there are some well-written sentences, but, my goodness, for such a short text, this sure was boring! I found myself not caring a bit for what happens to the main character or his supposed love, who he never names. His love, until a crucial moment, seems Oedipal. Perhaps, his “love” represents the world before World War I and the post-war desolation of German, hence the lack of name. Motherland, not Fatherland.

Perhaps, it is unfair to judge an unfinished work too harshly. Also, the fact that the author and his wife committed suicide as World War II continued grinding at Europe and before the work could be published provides some explanation as to the over-reliance on nostalgia and inability/unwillingness to look forward. With that said, it still wasn't a particularly enthralling book that hasn't been bested many times. I just came off of “A Room With a View,” filled with Continental travel, languid day by frolicking in the Weald, and it was far more successful and compelling. However, I did see sparkles in the writing style, so I plan to read a longer work by Mr. Zweig.

Rhys Bowen upped her game with the 4th installment in the Royal Spyness series. Lady Georgiana is sent to Romania (Transylvania to be exact!) to represent their Majesties at a wedding between the Royal houses of Bulgaria and Romania.

This book is full of delightful characters, from the ship-in-full-sail Lady Middlesex to her companion to Count Dragomir. My favorite is Georgie's new “maid,” whose sills include scorching dinner gowns with irons, spilling red wine on furniture (and ruing it), and generally not acting like a maid. She is absolutely hilarious and it sounds like we'll see her in future installments.

My major criticism of this book is the love interest, Darcy. who I don't feel is as well-fleshed out as do many of the other characters.

The first Miss Julia installment was a disappointment; more 1959 than 1999. “How dare you?!” shout Miss Julia's fans!

Let me explain. I lived in a small town west of Spartanburg, SC in the late '90s very similar to the fictional town of Abbottsville. I worked for a local CPA firm and was acquainted with many pillars of the community, local business owners, farmers, average Joe's, etc. A handful of elements, such as going to church multiple times a week, rang true.

But, generally, the book was anachronistic. By 1999, even very decorous, older (even repressed!) Southern ladies would wear nice slacks with a charming cardigan. Certainly, clothing is and was more conservative than in Northern climes.

The lawks-a-mercy dialogue was from several decades ago and seemed like something that the author expected Northerners to like.

And the only black character was a housemaid straight out of 1940s movies! I'm not suggesting that every book must have some quotient of every race, but can we stop with this trope in modern fiction?

What also bothered me is that many folks in that area would be Baptist, or maybe Methodist, but probably not Presbyterian. Sure, fictional characters can have freedom of religion, but if you set the book in a certain place, you should follow along with its customs and practices.

The plot was, frankly, a mess. There were some good ideas, such as the evil televangelist Uncle and the conniving pastor, but they weren't handled well. Also, the characters and romance “development” were flat and rushed. One character that stood out was Little Lloyd-you begin to see glimmers of how this shy 9-year old may become a well-rounded character in future books.

I did enjoy that no murders occurred in this cozy mystery, though. And, there were points at which the writing had something special to it. So, despite a 2-star rating, I plan to check out the next book in the series to see if it improves.

I've always meant to read this book (and meant to watch the 1998 movie adaptation starring Johnny Depp), yet I didn't get around to until my Great Books Book Club chose it for July 2024.

There were parts of this book (unfortunately, I turned in to the library and can't quote exact passages), which were absolutely outstanding. The moments where the Duke pulls back and observes how the people in Vegas represent what Americans have become, gambling and consuming, chasing the unattainable American Dream. Other parts were totally over the top, but that was the point, right?

It was really interesting to consider both “On the Road,” “The Great Gatsby,” Hemingway in general, and “The Armies of the Night;” our book club has read all of those since 2008 and they all come up in this book.

So, am I glad I read this book? Yes, most definitely. Do I want to read a few other books by Thompson, such as “Hells Angels” and “Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ‘72?” Yes! Do I enjoy Gonzo Journalism? Jury is out.

Discussion Questions from 07/20/2024 Meeting
1. How do the Steadman illustrations affect the narrative?
2. Were the cultural and political references enjoyable/helpful or baffling (i.e Martin Borrman, Fatty Arbuckle)?
3. Is the narrator reliable? How valuable are his perceptions? How does external violence (assassinations, the Vietnam War) influence his internal state?
4. How does the narrator describe psychedelic drugs and what is their function in the story?
5. Thompson quotes William Faulkner: “the best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism.” What is Gonzo journalism and how is it different from New Journalism? Is this book a novel or is it journalism or something else?
6. What is the author's view of police and authority and how did they play a part in the story? Can you compare the discussion in Part 2, Chapter 7 that the Duke and his attorney have with the DA from Georgia to the 1980's War on Drugs?
7. What is the author's view on the 1960's counterculture movement (looking back at it from 1971)? How about the Beats?
8. What do the Great Red Shark and the White Whale reflect about American values? What is the meaning of all the rides that Duke and his attorney go on and what are they looking for?
9. Why does Duke refer to the Las Vegas hotel Circus Circus as “the main nerve of the American Dream.”
10. The book's subtitle is “A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream.” The author stated in interviews that he used F. Scott Fitzgerald's “The Great Gatsby” as a template for this novel. What was the American Dream of the 1960's vs the 1920's? Why does Duke fixate on Horatio Alger?
11. How would you interpret the “Wave Speech” at the end of Chapter 8, Part I? How would you compare it to the last page of The Great Gatsby?

1998 Movie clip of the “Wave Speech:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUgs2O7Okqc&t=103s


Sources and Further Reading:
“A Rare Recording of Hunter S. Thompson” on Hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/my/hoopla

https://www.beatdom.com/fact-fiction-fear-loathing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/vleb1b/breaking_down_fear_and_loathing_in_las_vegas_long/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_S._Thompson

Ehhhh.

Recently, I really enjoyed the Netflix adaptation (“Dash & Lily”) of this book. The characters were really well-drawn and fun, even for an aging Gen Xer like me.


The book starts off well and it's clear where the series got its inspiration. But, after a few chapters, the book gets less and less charming with the writing seeming rushed and confused.

My Great Books Book Club had an excellent discussion about “As I Lay Dying,” which I, unfortunately didn't have a chance to read prior to the meeting. Alright, I had a chance, but kept doing things like battling weeds and watching the second season of “Broadchurch.” I did, however, cheat and watch the recent movie adaptation by James Franco. I suggest watching the movie as a companion to the book. At first, I was annoyed by the split screen break-ins, but realized that it was Mr. Franco's portrayal of the constant point-of-view switches in the novel, in which you never get the whole story in one gulp.

I wish I had written this review after finishing the book, which continued to jangle in my mind for days. Every time I read Faulkner, I'm reminded of what a genius he was. He was able to capture voices, thoughts, images in a realistic, but, at the same time, impressionistic way. It is amazing that “As I Lay Dying” was practically a first draft and still has so much going on. Faulkner claimed that a quote from “The Odyssey” inspired him. The Bundrens definitely go on a convoluted trek through hell on earth (the stench of Addie's corpse in the middle of a Mississippi summer alone is nearly unimaginable), but is far darker than Homer's opus.

As I share the discussion questions from our meeting, do keep in mind that the member of group who crafted them prefers pre-1860 literature, particularly what is considered the core of the Great Books cannon. These questions leave little question as to the opinion of the question writer. I cracked up at questions 1 and 11 and hope you enjoy them as they're atypical of most staid Great Bnoks discussions. The group was quite lively and opinionated and offered many insights.

1. Do you think that the dialogue interfered with the storyline? Why or why not?
2. Did you think that the stream of consciousness technique interfered with the plot? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe that the constant shifting among the characters was effective? Why or why not?
4. The notes to my version of the novel (Harper Vintage) indicate that the title comes from Agamemnon's speech to Odysseus in Hades, which is paraphrased: “As I lay dying my wife looked at me. . . “Do you think Faulkner intended to portray Anse as being betrayed by Addie. This raises several questions:
a. Is Anse a noble or heroic character, as was Agamemnon?
b. Did Anse journey to Jefferson solely to bury Addie, or to get his dentures and come home with Addie's sister?
c. Did Anse betray Addie?
d. Were Cash and Darl Anse's sons, and did Anse suspect that they were not his sons?
5. It seems that Vardaman and Darl were not mentally competent, yet people seemed to think that they were spiritual or mystical in some way. What do you think, and why?
6. Is the sequence of events in this story believable? Why or why not?
7. Did you (or could you) identify with any of the characters in this novel? Why or why not?
8. There are passages in the novel, especially those narrated by Vardaman, Darl and Addie where Faulkner seems to be attempting to impart some kind of spiritual truth. Do you think these passages are effective? Why or why not?
9. Do any of the characters in this novel grow in any way?
10. Does Faulkner's characterization of rural southern people ring true? Did his characterization annoy or bother you? Why or why not?
11. Rhetorical question 1 – who the hell names their kids Jewell (a man) Darl, Vardaman or Dewey Dell (and what the hell is a dewey dell anyway; a moist valley)?
12. Rhetorical question 2 – can anyone really be as dumb as these people are portrayed in the novel?

Why have I not read Asimov before?! Overall, I found “I, Robot” to be fresh, well-written, truly enjoyable and am very happy my Great Books book club chose this selection.

Unlike some science fiction series, the world building didn't get in the way of the story. In fact, the stories were much more about ethics, psychology, and sociology.

One of the biggest surprises is that very little seemed dated. Certainly, there were moments or phrases, but what Asimov got right is humanity and its seeming unwillingness to change (despite thinking it's changing) even when change may bring about a better future.

Another surprise, which I only learned by reading other Goodreads reviews after finishing the novel, is that the book is actually a collection of short stories published individually, then later woven together with the Susan Calvin interviews. Frankly, the technique was so effective that it didn't even occur to me, but other folks at the meeting noticed it right away.

One of the most interesting discussions we had today was around whether robots and humans have free will in the book's world. If humans have created robots who can create a smoother future, but robots must factor in human error (intentional and unintentional), then how much room is there for free will?

Several other books await, but I plan to return to the next installment in the Robot series and then follow to the Foundation Series.

Below are the discussion questions that our leader write for today's meeting.

Discussion Questions for I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

I, Robot began as a series of short stories written by Asimov for publication in various science fiction magazines. He later assembled the stories into a novel which used the Chinese box technique of having a reporter interview Doctor Susan Calvin, a robopsychologist at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men. The book marks the first appearance of Asimov's three laws of robotics, which are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
The three laws have become generally accepted throughout the world of science fiction, as well as in the real world, as behavioral models for robots.
The book shares a few common elements with the movie I, Robot which appeared in 2004, starring Will Smith.
Questions:
1. Did you like the framing technique of the reporter interviewing Dr. Susan Calvin? Why or why not?
2. Which short story, if any, did you like best? Why?
3. Can the three laws be circumvented? How? Does Asimov demonstrate this in the novel?
4. How are the three laws circumvented in the movie, I, Robot?
5. In later novels, Asimov explores the notion that robots can act to protect humans from themselves. He explores this in “Little Lost Robot.” How does this address the question of free will?
6. Some of the figures Asimov used for the cost of robots, space exploration, etc. seem vastly understated in the novel. Why do you think his costs for construction (as an example NS2 robots in “Little Lost Robot” cost $30,000 each) were so low? What do these costs say about the advance of inflation since the time the stories were written?
7. How does the U.S Robotics and Mechanical Men Corporation get around the first law in “Little Lost Robot” and the movie I, Robot? Do you think this programming would work?
8. Do you think that Steven Byerely is a man or a robot in the short story “Evidence”? What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
9. In the movie I, Robot, Dr. Lanning was seen as a pleasant, kind individual. In the book, he is seen as being somewhat domineering, obsessive individual. Which portrayal do you like better?
10. In the final story, “The Evitable Conflict,” Asimov postulates that the machines (i.e. robots) will someday make all decisions regarding large scale human interactions. Once again, this seems to invalidate free will, or does it? How does this story form the basis of such movies as the Terminator series, Mad Max, etc.? Asimov also uses this assumption as the premise for his Foundation series of novels. Does such a scenario seem believable? Why or why not?