Our July gathering had 13 members ready to give their view about this interesting book. Those that liked it, thought it was a good summer read, light for the thought! Someone said if you like tall tales, you would love the book. One member said, "When I first started reading I was like, what kind of book is this? Then I liked it and saw where it was going." Another said she liked it, fun summer read and had listened to it, the reader had a very good southern accent." Some members did not like it, they commented: "Surprised that I never heard of this. I found it frustrating trying to figure out what was real and what isn't. I just wanted to latch onto something that was real." "Couldn't get into the book, kept waiting for it to make sense. Reminded me of my husband as he would make a joke about things!" "Didn't like the book, thought the second half was better than the first, but would have never read it." I think the majority of the group did, however, enjoy the book! Our leader who had selected the book for our group said this "Read it three times! I selected this book because my teen age son said 'Mom, you have to read this book!' The second time found the nuances, had to stop and think, saw it in a new light. The third time, it was a literature experience, did the book do it's job? I think it did."
One member said "An author who takes on the subject of death and turns it into a fun and adventurous read is very talented." And one person said, "Fantastic imagination and loved that they turned it into a movie, and was on Broadway too." Some had seen the movie, and said the movie is different. One part that was different was at the end, the characters really come when he passes.
A member said, "It made me a little sad that the Dad didn't know who his son really was. The father liked to joke, didn't like showing his feelings, the corny jokes were his way of connecting. Another said this "I thought it was sad, many missed opportunities. The dad could spin webs but couldn't connect with his son."
Stories make us immortal. Edward wanted to be a big fish in a big pond. Our parents are larger than life, this was a story of how William viewed his Dad. Through the tall tales, he got to know his father better. His dad wanted to be successful, his son wanted his dad at home He wanted love and acceptance, and attention from his father, to have a serious talk with his Dad, without making it some myth or a joke. Did he look at it with rose colored glasses on? He wanted his Dad's story to be good. We do that sometimes. We look at things and want them to be good, but deep down we know it was not that good. Edward had made a list that he wanted to pass to his son. Someone said that through the book the dad/son were dysfunctional and distant at first, but became closer at the end.
There were three different "stories" about William saying goodbye to his Dad. Some felt that the three stories were Edward telling the story and finally at the end William told his version of what happened. We thought at the end, he was a great man, he did love his son, he loved and respected who you were. We also talked about there are different ways to look at grief, different ways of going through it. Someone felt the ending was "very weird," how he swam away!
We did comment that memory gives us different stories. If you take siblings and ask them to share a story about the same place, each one will share what they see and heard and all will be different. No two people will remember the situation the same. It changes a little, when we tell a story. Memory isn't always reliable. Truth to one person, is not the same truth to the other.
We enjoyed the jokes, the patient to doctor joke, the stories, the one with the woman who had a glass eye, and talked about the town with the dog that was biting people. Why? The dog was fear, they couldn't leave without losing a part of yourself, you weren't strong enough to leave. The town's name was Spectre, which means ghost!
We had a great discussion and it was certainly a different book! Many left wanting to see the movie!
