It was a very close vote this time. We will be reading The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain. Discussion will begin Wednesday, September 21.
Enjoy your month in Paris!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
August/September Book Club Choices
Great discussion on Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. I just finished reading his first novel, Hell at the Breech, and, while good, it wasn't nearly as good.
The next book choices, offered by Bec, are:
Caleb's Crossing by Gerladine Brooks;
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett;
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain; and
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.
Please have your votes to me by Sunday, August 14, by emailing me at kzmclain@comcast.net.
The next book choices, offered by Bec, are:
Caleb's Crossing by Gerladine Brooks;
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett;
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain; and
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.
Please have your votes to me by Sunday, August 14, by emailing me at kzmclain@comcast.net.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Which letter was crooked?
I’m a big fan of Jan Karon’s Mitford novels. As you probably know, these novels take place in the fictional pretty little North Carolina town of Mitford. The characters are eccentric but sweet. Happiness and joy abound.
Contrast this with Franklin’s story that takes place in rural Mississippi. Dark and mean. Many of the characters are angry and violent. Poverty abounds.
I wonder if one author’s south is more accurate than the other’s. Probably not. Probably snapshots of different lives.
I LOVED this book, and will be very interested to see if others felt the same. I can’t remember the last time I cared so much about a character in a book as I did about Larry – poor Larry who carried such a difficult burden for such a long time.
The story, while very dark, was absolutely compelling. I never believed that Larry was guilty of the original crime, but Silas’ role in the whole event took me by surprise. I liked Silas, but am not sure I can ever forgive him for making Larry carry this burden for so long.
Having said that, I will say that it’s also been a long time since I’ve wept over a book, and the ending of this novel made me cry like a baby. What Silas gave to Larry was so simple, and so absolutely dear and heartfelt.
I have never read anything by Tom Franklin, but I think he is one of the best writer’s I’ve ever read. His descriptions were magnificent. When he would describe food, I could taste it. When he would describe a scene, I could smell the dust in the air and see the sun coming through the trees. His writing was astounding.
Obviously Wallace Stringfellow was a terrible fellow. But Larry’s father and Cindy’s father were evil, plain and simple. Three very despicable characters.
Such a picture Franklin drew about the poverty and the prejudice that Larry and Silas grew up with! I was horrified at the scene where Larry’s dad made Larry and Silas fight over the gun, and then mocked Larry over his stuttering. I was angry at Silas for holding Larry on the ground, resulting in Larry calling him a nigger, and then holding a grudge for so many years. But what a picture Franklin painted of the anger of youth, especially when that anger is fueled by evilness and poverty.
Was the book too dark for you?
Who did you think was the most evil character?
Did Silas’ role take you by surprise?
And most importantly, what in the hell does the title Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter mean?
Contrast this with Franklin’s story that takes place in rural Mississippi. Dark and mean. Many of the characters are angry and violent. Poverty abounds.
I wonder if one author’s south is more accurate than the other’s. Probably not. Probably snapshots of different lives.
I LOVED this book, and will be very interested to see if others felt the same. I can’t remember the last time I cared so much about a character in a book as I did about Larry – poor Larry who carried such a difficult burden for such a long time.
The story, while very dark, was absolutely compelling. I never believed that Larry was guilty of the original crime, but Silas’ role in the whole event took me by surprise. I liked Silas, but am not sure I can ever forgive him for making Larry carry this burden for so long.
Having said that, I will say that it’s also been a long time since I’ve wept over a book, and the ending of this novel made me cry like a baby. What Silas gave to Larry was so simple, and so absolutely dear and heartfelt.
I have never read anything by Tom Franklin, but I think he is one of the best writer’s I’ve ever read. His descriptions were magnificent. When he would describe food, I could taste it. When he would describe a scene, I could smell the dust in the air and see the sun coming through the trees. His writing was astounding.
Obviously Wallace Stringfellow was a terrible fellow. But Larry’s father and Cindy’s father were evil, plain and simple. Three very despicable characters.
Such a picture Franklin drew about the poverty and the prejudice that Larry and Silas grew up with! I was horrified at the scene where Larry’s dad made Larry and Silas fight over the gun, and then mocked Larry over his stuttering. I was angry at Silas for holding Larry on the ground, resulting in Larry calling him a nigger, and then holding a grudge for so many years. But what a picture Franklin painted of the anger of youth, especially when that anger is fueled by evilness and poverty.
Was the book too dark for you?
Who did you think was the most evil character?
Did Silas’ role take you by surprise?
And most importantly, what in the hell does the title Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter mean?
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