Seven members were available for the January discussion of Homegoing. The members really liked this book; the storyline and characters were so good. One person who wasn't at the meeting had said she loved the book and in conclusion added, "A new classic?"
There was so much information in the story, the leader of this book said she recommended it, having listened to it years ago and thought it was just the book for us. She said, she seldom reads a book twice but this one warranted that second read. "There is so much in here that we just don't know how to connect, no idea how to relate to this." Many agreed. Many thought the stories went back and forth and reading it a second time would be great. It was wonderful to have the family lineage list to follow. Some people took notes for the book.
Our book club leader asked us something that you hadn't thought of before, something that stood out to us in the book and a few people mentioned that they were surprised by the conflicts with the tribes: the stealing, the slavery and selling each other. One person said the English wouldn't have had as much success if there wasn't this conflict between tribes. This had to do not with survival, but with plain greed, someone said.
The book took us through the lasting effects of slavery. How at the beginning, we have Maame, who herself was a part of one African tribe who used her, used women, until she ran away and was happy with Big Man Asare. She mothered two daughters, one she left behind and their story started to intertwine at the Cape Coast Castle, so close, one above the other, one free, one enslaved.
We talked about the journey the families took, the marriages they had, the children they had, and their journey. We talked about polygamy in most of the African tribes. James was the first one that didn't want that life style. He was the one to change. The women were strong, being a mother, they had to be strong. You had to have connections to keep going on. Some of the men left their families. The slavery affected families, both in Africa and in America. Was it better to have stayed in Africa or have gone to America?
We talked about the lasting effects of slavery in America, even with H being "enslaved" at the mines, (convict leasing) not able to pay his way out of prison, and Anna, his mother, a free woman, taken from her family in New York.
We read (on page 175) about Ethe, she was not happy with H, she said that "All I had of her (her mother) was my name. That was all I had of myself too." We felt that was a powerful statement for the women, too, in this book.
Someone also shared (on page 226) about Yaa talking about history. "This is the problem of history. We cannot know that which we were not there to see and hear and experience for ourselves. We must rely on the words of others...But now we come upon the problem of conflicting stories....Whose story do we believe, then?" This has been true through out history, and even, now during this time.
Why was the book titled: Homegoing? We talked about that, deciding it might have to do with going back home, finally at the end with Marcus meeting Marjorie and both heading back to Ghana. They both had fears, fire and water, and both helped each other tackle their fear. The beginning of the book started with the fire and water. Loved the ending, "Here," Marjorie said." Have it." She lifted the stone from her neck, and placed it around Marcus's. "Welcome Home." The very stone that Maame gave to her daughter Effia.
We had a great discussion about this book and looked up the history of the Cape Coast Castle and the country. We loved the storyline from the author and her own story. Would be interesting to hear her speak about this book.
There was so much information in the story, the leader of this book said she recommended it, having listened to it years ago and thought it was just the book for us. She said, she seldom reads a book twice but this one warranted that second read. "There is so much in here that we just don't know how to connect, no idea how to relate to this." Many agreed. Many thought the stories went back and forth and reading it a second time would be great. It was wonderful to have the family lineage list to follow. Some people took notes for the book.
Our book club leader asked us something that you hadn't thought of before, something that stood out to us in the book and a few people mentioned that they were surprised by the conflicts with the tribes: the stealing, the slavery and selling each other. One person said the English wouldn't have had as much success if there wasn't this conflict between tribes. This had to do not with survival, but with plain greed, someone said.
The book took us through the lasting effects of slavery. How at the beginning, we have Maame, who herself was a part of one African tribe who used her, used women, until she ran away and was happy with Big Man Asare. She mothered two daughters, one she left behind and their story started to intertwine at the Cape Coast Castle, so close, one above the other, one free, one enslaved.
We talked about the journey the families took, the marriages they had, the children they had, and their journey. We talked about polygamy in most of the African tribes. James was the first one that didn't want that life style. He was the one to change. The women were strong, being a mother, they had to be strong. You had to have connections to keep going on. Some of the men left their families. The slavery affected families, both in Africa and in America. Was it better to have stayed in Africa or have gone to America?
We talked about the lasting effects of slavery in America, even with H being "enslaved" at the mines, (convict leasing) not able to pay his way out of prison, and Anna, his mother, a free woman, taken from her family in New York.
We read (on page 175) about Ethe, she was not happy with H, she said that "All I had of her (her mother) was my name. That was all I had of myself too." We felt that was a powerful statement for the women, too, in this book.
Someone also shared (on page 226) about Yaa talking about history. "This is the problem of history. We cannot know that which we were not there to see and hear and experience for ourselves. We must rely on the words of others...But now we come upon the problem of conflicting stories....Whose story do we believe, then?" This has been true through out history, and even, now during this time.
Why was the book titled: Homegoing? We talked about that, deciding it might have to do with going back home, finally at the end with Marcus meeting Marjorie and both heading back to Ghana. They both had fears, fire and water, and both helped each other tackle their fear. The beginning of the book started with the fire and water. Loved the ending, "Here," Marjorie said." Have it." She lifted the stone from her neck, and placed it around Marcus's. "Welcome Home." The very stone that Maame gave to her daughter Effia.
We had a great discussion about this book and looked up the history of the Cape Coast Castle and the country. We loved the storyline from the author and her own story. Would be interesting to hear her speak about this book.
