February 2021 Bookclub News

 

https://kaleela.com/palate-pleasing-palestinian-traditional-meals/

Dear Bookclub,

IF, If, if, if, if, if we could be together, we would surely have been sharing Palestinian food while discussing Etaf Rum's, " A Woman is no Man". I may have been grumpy if it were me preparing it though, as food, a hugely descriptive element in Rum's novel, represented both the distinct culture and the drudgery performed by the women. Finding the women bound in hard menial work lent to my grumpiness as the oppressed characters devolved and the depressive tone was masterfully transmitted to this reader's demeanor.

Collectively embracing the book's power, we discussed the complicated situation of the horrendous patriarchal oppression and violence coupled with the newly appreciated history of the cultural upheaval brought about from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Nakba 1948 Palestine - Jaramana Refugee Camp, Damascus, Syria/ Wikipedia

The following article, dated April 2020, states that 11 Palestinian women have been killed, victims of domestic abuse so far that year;  five since the coronavirus lockdown (only weeks at that point):

 

Demonstrators hold signs during a protest demanding legal protection for women, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank [File: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters]

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/4/20/domestic-abuse-against-palestinian-women-soars

Please read about "The Ongoing Struggle of Palestinian Women":

https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/the-ongoing-struggle-of-palestinian-women

NC Bookwatch interview by DG Martin

 

Etaf's novel is a bit autobiographical, as she had an arranged marriage; both her parents and her husband's parents were refugees from the camps. Here is a very telling interview, excellent and worth listening to if you are interested in the motivation and development of her work:

https://www.pbs.org/video/etaf-rum-a-woman-is-no-man-e7usip/

 

..and a shorter interview with Jenna Bush Hager's book club, also good (and has Rum touch on the ending):

https://www.today.com/video/-readwithjenna-a-woman-is-no-man-author-etaf-rum-chats-on-today-60564549725 

https://booksandbeanscoffee.com/ 

Finally, I wanted to check out Books and Beans, the bookstore in the novel.  Actually Etaf's bookstore, as mentioned in the first interview above, is named the same in her North Carolina town (follow it on Instagram: @booksandbeans), I also discovered Etaf is married to a 'local boy', a very heart-warming turn in her journey. Together they have three businesses including the bookstore. Please enjoy the article from a Spring 2020 issue of what looks like a wedding magazine, "Charm":

The short and sweet article can be found if you page through the online edition to pages 6-7:

https://issuu.com/cookecommunicationsnc/docs/charm_spring_2020

Val's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Midnight Library" Matt Haig* (chosen)

"The Four Winds" Kristin Hannah

"Whereabouts"  Jhumpa Lahiri

Up next:

 

Happy reading,

LK

January 2021 Bookclub Recap

 Dear Bookclub,

With the holidays the shadow of a shadow  - and - technically, in my 'book', at the time still ongoing:

 Epiphany

January 6

 

 

An ice hole cut in Russia to celebrate the Epiphany.

 

 

 

King cakes of the type locally called "French style" on display at the chain bakery/restaurant "La Madeline" branch in Carrollton, New Orleans. They come with cardboard "crowns" to be worn by whoever gets the slice with the token and becomes monarch of the event.

.....we zoomed on January 5th to discuss Kelly Rimmer's "The Things We Cannot Say". 

(Full disclosure: my household merely mellows with the resonance of the previous weeks and does not engage with any of the above manifestations.)

In the midst of our family's delayed Christmas celebration ('due to Covid')*,  I realized the quickly approaching first Tuesday of the month and audibled my way through our selection, delighted that it was an engaging novel, bordering on chick-lit.

*new and overused phrase

 

https://www.kellyrimmer.com/about

 

Happy to be together, although virtually, and missing Ginger, we shared our thoughts about Rimmer's creative telling of a family's multi-generational journey, deeply scarred by the Second World War in Poland. Agreeing, once again, that reading of the atrocities is always difficult and that our depth of knowledge of this era challenges any new thought, we respectfully appreciated the structure of the novel. Vacillating between present day and the 1940's, this was truly much more than chick lit, exploring the premise of one couple's start in a new country, under wartime duress and the trajectory, unknown by their descendants, that shaped those future generations. The present day challenges paled in comparison but the vehicle was necessary as both a contrast and a reason for the unveiling truth. We also agreed that life at home without Alice became unrealistically tidied as Eddie's communication and chess prowess developed under Wade's bumbling (chick lit light on). I marvel at how escapes from horrific genocides occur over and over again and that reinvention of self can be painfully shrouded whether it be a 'borrowed' passport/identity or denial of a former life in order to survive a new start. 

 

 

Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, I sold you short thinking that you churned out popular fiction from a charming Australian existence, read 'round the world, translated into 20 languages, holding a formula for a writer's financial success. But I'd neglected to read your "Author's Note" at the end of my book. When I did, further research ensued and a new appreciation for your inspiration developed.

Kelly's maternal grandparents, Polish refugees from Nazi occupied Poland, moved over 10,000 miles from home and started a new life. At an annual Christmas party, with 50 of their descendants, Kelly wondered about the story that had died with the grandparents' passing in the 1980's. She traveled to Poland with an aunt in 2017 to explore Trezebinia and peer through the dusty windows of the old farmhouse where her grandmother had lived. Building upon her imaginings, Rimmer created "The Things We Cannot Say" and  her next book, "The Warsaw Orphan" promises expansion on her inspiration.  A far cry from her earlier works: "Unexpected", "Unspoken" and "Undone" (see images above). More on this:

https://www.betterreading.com.au/news/blood-sweat-tears-and-wisdom-kelly-rimmer-on-how-her-family-story-inspired-the-things-we-cannot-say/

and a sound bite in her own words:

https://soundcloud.com/booktopiapodcast/kelly-rimmer-ive-wanted-to-be-a-writer-since-i-was-six

 

Terry's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Moor's Account" Laila Lalami

"The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race & Identity" Douglas Murray *chosen

"News of the World" Paulette Jiles

Up next:

 

Happy reading,

LK

December 2020 Bookclub News

 

 

image from Burroughs' Australian publication of

 "You Better Not Cry"

Dear Bookclub,

Being an 'unusual' year - let's just say - my taste for Christmas literature seeks escapism of the uplifting sort. Unable to finish Augusten Burroughs' "You Better Not Cry", I sheepishly started our holiday bookclub meeting with a dutiful zoom. 

 

After very cheering hellos and catching up, Ginger started our discussion with a surprisingly effusive description of her experience reading the book. My heart melted like a tightly held chocolate coin.  She laughed. Enjoyed. And wowed us with her amazement about the witches. Wait - what? Turns out her kindle version of "You Better Not Cry" included a chapter of another of his books, "Toil & Trouble". She's convinced me to revisit Burroughs' work.

Young Augusten's Jesus-Santa confusion concept cracked us up; can't resist:

 

Val, unable to attend and like myself, was also not a fan. Perhaps this image of Augusten at work will also melt her heart:

Augusten designed his apartment around his bed (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/garden/22burroughs.html%20https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/garden/22burroughs.html 

I doubt it. Everyone else did enjoy it though, appreciating Burroughs' empathy, path to sobriety and reality checks.

The New York Times article, referenced above is dated but interesting. A more updated account in a 2016 NY Times article continues to melt my heart, as Augusten lives in John Cheevers' old home in CT and his working environment looks much improved with an Italian Greyhound looking on:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/03/realestate/a-farmhouse-for-the-author-augusten-burroughs.html

 

Trudy's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"War" Margaret MacMillan

"The Vanishing Half" Bret Bennet

"Hidden Valley Road" Robert Kolker *chosen

Up next:

Joyful reading!

LK

PS:

November 2020 Bookclub News

 

Grandma Hillary and Grandpa Bill***

Dear Bookclub,

Any trepidation about November 3rd's Presidential Election colliding with our November meeting was quickly dispelled by a gorgeous afternoon on my back porch, while delighting in Curtis Sittenfeld's fantasy, "Rodham". And now, weeks later, feeling giddy about the election's outcome, Sittenfeld's emphasis of Hillary's sensitivity and accomplishments towards social justice reminds me that good people can get back to doing their good.

Bill & Hillary's mantra

The google factor was high. What was real; what was fiction??? Hillary's father was awful. Her mother did have a hard life. She was an extraordinary, intelligent woman. And she did meet Bill Clinton while attending Yale Law School. Certainly we knew the basics but the juicy and the crusty in "Rodham" entertained to a point of longing to believe the fiction could have been real and in our lifetime!

from "The Office of Hillary Rodham Clinton" website:

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/

 

 

 “Oh, aren’t you opinionated for a girl?"  Sittenfeld and grad school friend, Susanna, often quipped to each other, echoing remark to her as a child from a grown man.

 

Curtis Sittendfeld

Sittenfeld explains her ability to find Hilary's voice and the importance of understanding and conveying the fact and the fiction. The balance of respect for Hillary and the fun factor of the fiction is evident in this interview:

 https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/8/4/21350098/curtis-sittenfeld-interview-rodham-hillary-clinton-vox-book-club-live-event 

***Sleuthing, I found that Chelsea and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky now have three children.

 

 Lots of fun grandparenting for Bill and Hillary, with a granddaughter followed by two grandsons. Same sibling lineup that Hillary experienced as she had two younger brothers; Hugh Rodham and Tony Rodham. Sittenfeld highlighted their relationship via group text re: mutual interest in the Cubs. 

 

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/hillary-clinton-brothers-hugh-tony-rodham-116674

In 'real' life, Hugh was also a lawyer and a Democratic politician (https://en.wikipedia.or/wiki/Hugh_Rodham_(born_1950)  

 Tony, not so much https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Rodham 

Our wonder about what Hillary would have thought of the book will have to stay just that until she lets us know. I could not find anything to suggest that she is sharing her opinion if indeed she read it.

 

Wanda's suggestions for an upcoming selection:

"Jack" Marilynne Robinson

"Normal People" Sally Rooney

"The Other Americans" Laila Lalami *chosen

 

Up next:

 

 Jolly reading,

LK

 

 

October 2020 Bookclub Nesw

 

 

a 'pumpkin'

Dear Bookclub,

Welcoming a socially-distanced afternoon, we gathered on my back porch to discuss David Quammen's "The Tangled Tree". Val promptly declared her enchantment with Quammen's 'radical new history of life' and the scientists in our group revealed and reveled right along. With the concept of genes passing vertically across species, our minds went vertical, horizontal and around the block. Interspersing the story of advancing ideas in biology of archaea, phylogenetics and horizontal gene transfer with the stories of the biologists involved, Quammen's book held our interest. We seemed especially intrigued by Lynn Margulis ... honoring her contributions to evolutionary science and her challenges as a woman. Her declaration that she could not be a good mother and a good scientist and a good wife will long stay with me. Carl Sagan indeed!

Lynn & Carl Sagan

Lynn Margulis

 

Please read more about Margulis:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Margulis

Carl Woese holds a model of an RNA molecule at General Electric Research Lab in Schenectady, N.Y., in May 1961. Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

The very next day after our meeting, Val alerted us:

Crisper news
Scientists win historic Nobel chemistry prize for “genetic scissors”
Two women have shared the prize for the first time, winning for their work on genome editing.

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna

<Getty Images>

 

Read in BBC News: https://apple.news/AhV3i3KoeR5SyK9LMjH-8Zg

 and ......

a Spotify podcast with a terrific synopsis of the book

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Lo92NRsWXmf7vTve7RaVX

Thank you Val!

 

Meanwhile, back on the porch, graced with Ginger being present, we were missing Terry, as she was coping with a precarious maternity situation. Our heavy hearts were lightened to learn of Lucy's safe arrival a few days later on Friday, October 9th.

 

Lucy Jean Filice

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Terrie's suggestions for a Christmas read:

"You Better Not Cry" Augusten Burroughs* (chosen) 

"A Redbird Christmas" Fannie Flagg

"The Paper Bag Christmas" Kevin Alan Milne

My suggestions for our March selection:

"Hamnet" Maggie O'Farrell* (chosen)

"The Divine Miss Marble" Robert Weintraub

"Why Fish Don't Exist" Lulu Miller

"Owls of the Eastern Ice" Jonathan C. Slaght

Up next:

Happy reading,

LK

September 2020 Bookclub News

 

 

Here we zoom again....

 

Dear Bookclub,
Sarah M. Broom's "The Yellow House" had us clamoring for more on Katrina, reminiscing about our family houses, and appreciating the depth and complication of place, identity, race and inequality. The memoir's heroine, in our admiration, Sarah's mother, Ivory Mae, was a wonder. The heartbreak, resilience, tenacity, and radiance of New Orleans East beamed hard-core. Broom's task to inform the reader of an existence beyond our bubbled recognition loomed large. At times, we considered it too long and cumbersome. But the affection and love for the house was the thread, even when the house no longer existed. Sharing a vast variety of emotion, affection and otherwise, of our homes, past and present, proved a curious exercise. Returning to the day to day struggle Broom reported, the tedium necessary, left an exasperation for a solution:

"In 1970, the mostly white teachers still called students niggers. Things like this still happened: Michael, ten and in fifth grade, scored a perfect grade on a math test. "They put a big old zero on the thing," he said. "And so I'm checkin' it, going ... I don't know what's wrong. It wasn't nothing but adding and subtracting. So I'm saying, this supposed to be right. I said something must be wrong with my brain that this look right to me..... They gave me a zero so it have to be wrong? But everything was right." The white girl sitting in front of him - teacher's pet- turned around to look. "I was embarrassed for her to see my paper. I kept on checkin' it. I couldn't believe it. She said, loud-like, 'Gimme that paper nigger'" and snatched the test from Michael's hand." 

And then he stabbed her with his pencil, damning his future. How can that be forgotten? Chef Menteur Highway; cutting the lawn for a house not there; an enlisted man named Edward Webb, seemingly murdered, characterized as a 'hit and run'; the Road Home Program; and on and on.

New Orleans

 

 

 

Images from my photos:

 

 

 

 

 

I love this place.

 

 

The levees cannot go unmentioned. Please check out the recent NPR piece, "The Legacy of Hurricane Katrina 15 Years Later":

https://www.npr.org/2020/08/20/904292994/the-legacy-of-hurricane-katrina-15-years-later

 

Activist and author, founder of the levees.org website, Sandy Rosenthal, pictured here with "Treme" star and Garden District resident, John Goodman:

 

https://levees.org/ 

 

 

 

Terrie's suggestions for an upcoming read:

 

"Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" Isabel Wilkerson

 

"A Woman is No Man: A Novel" Etaf Rum *chosen

"The Girl with Louding Voice: A Novel" Abi Dare

 

 

Up next:

 

Short listen- review of "The Tangled Tree":

https://radio.wpsu.org/post/bookmark-tangled-tree-radical-new-history-life-david-quammen

 

Happy reading,

LK