The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea

March 14, 2019

Host:  Pam M
Attendees:  Cheryl, Janna, Allison, Michelle, Susan, JJ

The House of Broken Angels

The House of Broken Angels is, in fact, a party. Also a funeral. When the novel 

opens, Big Angel de la Cruz, the patriarch of a sprawling Mexican-American 

family, is getting ready to bury his mother, and to die. 

(First sentence: "Big Angel was late to his own mother's funeral."  

He's in the late stages of terminal cancer, and so he gathers 

his relatives for a weekend-long doubleheader.  Saturday, funeral.  Sunday, his

last birthday party  .........    The House of Broken Angels overflows with the pleasure 

of family.   You wouldn't be wrong to take this book as a rebuttal to Tolstoy's happy-family dictum. 

I'm not saying the de la Cruz family is perfect. Its members struggle with addiction, 

exhaustion, alienation, frustrated ambition. One is married to a woman who might 

be a demon. One spends the whole funeral and most of the birthday party outside 

in his car, too stubborn and afraid to come inside. Everyone is grieving, Big Angel 

most of all, and yet this is not a novel about grief. It's a novel about how amazing it 

is to have been alive.   (March 7, 2018   NPR Book Review)

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This wasn't the most favorite book we've ever read, but seemed to be a book which,

 once we dissected it a little,  found there was more to appreciate, if not like about it.  

We learned that this novel was based on the author's true experience of his 

half-brother's death.  If nothing else, we were introduced to Luis Alberto Urrea, 

a Mexican-American poet, novelist and essayist who has more than a dozen 

published works and several literary awards.

We ultimately rated it about 3.2  stars ***

Next month's selection is Where the Crawdad Sings by Delia Owens.

The May book is  Maid by Stephanie Land 

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel

February 7, 2019
Hostess:  Susan
Attendees:  Lori, Amy, Janna, Cheryl, Pam T, Allison, Michelle, Emily

  *KIRKUS REVIEW 9/2016*

A big, brave, messy modern family struggles with the challenges of raising a transgender child.

“This is how it always is. You have to make these huge decisions on behalf of your kid, this tiny human whose fate and future is entirely in your hands, who trusts you to know what’s good and right and then to be able to make it happen. If…you make the wrong call, well, nothing less than your child’s entire future and happiness is at stake.” Claude Walsh-Adams is all of 3 years old when he announces what he wants to be when he grows up—a girl. It’s a particularly tricky case of “be careful what you wish for” for his doctor mom and novelist dad, already the parents of four boys when they roll the reproductive dice one last time. At home, barrettes and dresses are fine, but once he starts kindergarten as a boy, Claude becomes so miserable that, with the advice of a “multi-degree-social-working-therapist-magician,” his parents decide to let him become Poppy. “So, gender dysphoria,” says the bizarrely bouncy therapist. “Congratulations to you both! Mazel tov! How exciting!” The excitement takes a nasty turn when horrifying homophobic incidents convince Rosie that the family must leave Madison, Wisconsin, for the reputedly more enlightened Seattle, Washington. But rather than putting Seattle’s tolerance to the test, they keep Poppy’s identity a secret from even her closest friends, a decision that blows up in their faces when she hits puberty. Though well-plotted, well-researched, and unflaggingly interesting, the novel is cloying at times, with arch formulations, preachy pronouncements, and a running metafictional fairy tale. It’s worth putting up with the occasional too-much-ism for all the rest of what bright, brave author Frankel (Goodbye for Now, 2012) has to offer as the mother of a transgender second-grader in real life.

***Interview with Laurie Frankel on NPR (1/2017)***

This novel was inspired by the author's own experience as a mother of a transgender child.   As thought-provoking a domestic novel as we have seen this year. what she hopes readers will get out of her book:"I think it is a topic that scares people and I think that in part that's because they haven't met anyone — or they don't know that they've met anyone — who is impacted by these issues. There are a lot of transgender people and there are even more people who are gender nonconforming, and these little kids are just kids. They are the least scary people you can imagine.
So one of the things that I hope is that people who read this book will read it and forget about the transgender issues and just be in the embrace of this family and realize that this family is like all families: They love and they keep secrets from one another and they protect one another and they struggle with how to do that and they have these challenges. And it's hard, but it isn't scary and it isn't abnormal at all."

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The subject matter of this novel was uncharted territory for our book club.  It was our first time to read about anything having to do with transgender issues.   Lots of discussion on multiple related topics! As much as this story focused on one boy-girl,  the common plot was was very much about family, and the dynamics resulting from the transgender point..more clinically known as gender dysphoria.   All in attendance read the book,  (that may be a first for our humble little book club)  A book well liked, we gave it a 4.1 star rating! 

Next month March 7:   The House of Broken Angels,  by Luis Alberto Urrea

Hostess:  Pam M 

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Thursday January 10, 2019
Happy New Year!

Attendees:  Amy, Myra, Lori, Janna, Pam T., Pam M., JJ, Kris Anne, Cheryl, Michelle, Debra
Host:  Allison

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate




What a nice kick off to our first book club night in 2019.   We were amazed that we've been getting together for nearly twelve years now,  and have discussed such a variety of books since our inaugural meeting in 2007!

 That cake..... don't forget to check out the recipe page!

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BEFORE WE WERE YOURS  from Penguin Random House:

THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT—A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller

For readers of Orphan Train and The Nightingale comes a “thought-provoking [and] complex tale about two families, two generations apart . . . based on a notorious true-life scandal.”

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shanty boat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

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We were ultimately horrified and touched by this story.  And the fact that it was based on truth and practically in our backyard made it that much more riveting.  This novel brought up some thought-provoking subjects:  social class and what defines happiness, adoption, ancestry, DNA testing, orphanages, and cousins marrying cousins,  to name a few!  

We were definitely interested in what made Georgia Tann the evil person she was, and discussed her background.  (thank you Wikipedia)

Overall we rated the book a FOUR PLUS.

Next book selection for February is This is How It Always Is, by Laurie Frankel.
Host:  Susan

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

Thursday Dec 6, 2018

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

Hostess:  Michelle
Attendees:  Janna, Amy, Allison, Susan, Pam T, Lori, Cheryl, Pam M

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest Room, a powerful story about the ways an entire life can change in one night: A flight attendant wakes up in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, with a dead man – and no idea what happened.

Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She’s a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together, counting the minutes until she has to catch her crew shuttle to the airport. She quietly slides out of bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man she spent the night with. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police – she’s a single woman alone in a hotel room far from home – Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it’s too late to come clean-or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?

Set amid the captivating world of those whose lives unfold at forty thousand feet, The Flight Attendant unveils a spellbinding story of memory, of the giddy pleasures of alcohol and the devastating consequences of addiction, and of murder far from home.

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 Thanks Michelle for such a festive spread

We had a night of laughs and great conversation!  We mostly agreed that the book had us hooked from the start and kept us going.... until it didn't.   It kind of felt like we slammed into a wall at the ending.  Perhaps it was the phone call:  as in, when the author gets the call from his editor to "wrap it up."    In any event, we did agree it was pretty enjoyable, and considering it a good or bad read, it certainly helped generate some lively discussion!   We sort of slid through the rating system but it seemed like we gave it about a 2.5 to 3 stars.  

   Next month's selection is  Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate.   Exact date in January and next hostess to be determined, so stay tuned.  

Happy holidays and happy reading!  

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Thursday Nov 8, 2018

Beneath a Scarlet Sky 

Author:  Mark Sullivan

Hostess:      Mary Margaret

Attendees:   Janna, Amy, Michelle, Cheryl, Pam 

We enjoyed our opportunity to see Mary Margaret's new home!





Quick Synopsis from Amazon books:

Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours.

Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.

In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders.

Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.

Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.

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We certainly found a lot to discuss, and as always the WWII setting brought so many back stories to life.   In this book we learned a lot about the persecution of Jews in Italy, Facism and Mussolini, and the psychology of Nazi masterminds... as well as some details of the underground resistance and the freedom fighters.  There were so many facets to this WWII story and we found that our memories from high school world history classes were being challenged...   Perhaps Janna declared the quote of the night:  "Education is wasted on the young"   How much more we would and could comprehend if we found ourselves back in classes today, this time eager and willing, and with more time to concentrate on learning all about a subject.     We also questioned what we might do if we were in a position to help others at the risk of our own or our family's safety....  would we?  could we?     This brought up comparisons to the current refugee crisis in Syria.    The epilogue of the book was probably the best part in tying up the rest of the story,  filling in blanks about Pino's post war life which was also quite interesting.   Beneath a Scarlet Sky  reminded us of a previous selection, Unbroken, and the opportunity we had to meet that protagonist, Louie Zamperini.   Pino Lella is still alive today, living in Italy.  We gave this book 4 stars

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beneath a Scarlet Sky is also going to be made into a movie -some details can be found here:

https://deadline.com/2017/08/tom-holland-amy-pascal-pino-lello-beneath-a-scarlet-sky-spiderman-homecoming-1202148294/ 

December:
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian at Michelle's house

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

October 4,  2018

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Hostess:  Amy
Attendees:  Cheryl, Janna, Susan, Myra, Gayle, Pam

“Compelling . . . spun with tender patience by Jones, who cradles each of these characters in a story that pulls our sympathies in different directions. She never ignores their flaws, their perfectly human tendency toward self-justification, but she also captures their longing to be kind, to be just, to somehow behave well despite the contradictory desires of the heart.”—Ron Charles, Washington Post

“Tayari Jones has emerged as one of the most important voices of her generation.”—Essence

“In this unforgettable novel, Tayari Jones tackles hard questions about pride, betrayal, and our capacity to forgive.”—Real Simple

"Novelist Jones writes brilliantly about expectations and loss and racial injustice, and how love must evolve when our best laid plans go awry."—Esquire.com

"Tayari Jones provides an essential contemporary portrait of a marriage in this searing novel. An American Marriage gorgeously evokes the New South as it explores mass incarceration on a personal level."—Entertainment Weekly

Our selection generated lengthy and varied discussion... marriage...accusations....victims.....incarceration....friendships....relationship challenges.  It was also timely to current events about accusations (Kavanaugh Supreme Court Justice nomination)   We didn't manage to do our usual star rating but this book got high ranks for creating great converstion.  

Next month's selection:   Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan    

Educated by Tara Westover

Thursday Sept 6, 2018

Educated by Tara Westover
Hostess:  Michelle
Attendees:  Amy, Cheryl, Mary Margaret, Pam M.

Educated:  A book that was both difficult to read but almost impossible to put down.  With echoes of The Glass Castle, this book tells the amazing, unbelievable journey of a daughter of Mormon survivalists: from her irresponsible upbringing to her self-education and achievements (such as a Ph.D in history from Cambridge University) 
She is relatively young to be writing a memoir, at age 31.

We started our meeting off with a videotape of an interview with Tara Westover.  Note her defiant RED LIPSTICK 

Her memoir generated much discussion and questions about childhood memories and their possible distortion, memory compartmentalization, psychological abuse, physical abuse,  family dynamics,  what is being truly "off the grid"....to name just a few topics....as well as the importance of having a good book editor!  We had so many unanswered questions about the author, her father, mother, psychopathic older brother, her other siblings, boyfriends, and her professors.   One question that kept coming up was why she kept returning to the scene of the crimes?  We also thought that some of the intensity of the horrible memories didn't match up to later descriptions, such as the severity of the burn victims and their resulting recoveries.   We were just dying to see a photo or two of her family.    We also were intrigued by her mother's herbal/ holistic business, Butterfly Expressions which appears on the internet to be a "normal" business.  (But does her mother pay income/payroll taxes?)    

 We were a small group for this month's meeting, but our own book club family, none-the-less :)

The book itself we rated about 3.75  but topics and passionate discussion we rated 4.75 stars

Next month's selection is An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Hostess:  Mary Margaret