SHOTGUN LOVE SONGS is the first novel for Wisconsin writer Nickolas Butler and
our book club members all gave it high praise. Nine members met and discussed
this book with themes of small town life, home, friendship and redemption. Our
leader found insightful discussion questions through the Madison Public Library.
She guided us as we dived into a deeper understanding of this novel. The first
thing we did was read an interview of the author that our leader found. This
was the background for our discussion.
Many people liked the
characters, thought the book reminded them of their own small town experience,
thought it was a male version of "chick lit," because it dealt with male
friendships and one person thought it was a little sad. One member thought the
ending left the story hanging. What happened to Lee?
There are some
interesting points that make this a good read. The chapters are each narrated
by the different characters with an initial designating their names. This gives
the readers a window into each one's point of view as well as their inner
thoughts. Also, Lee is based on Justin Vernon, a Wisconsin musician who made it
big in the music industry yet returned home to Eau Clare to live and help that
community. Though Little Wing is a fictional town, readers know that the
setting is just outside of Eau Clare.
During the discussion several
points were made. We thought that Beth and Lee would never have become a
successful couple. Beth and Hank are right for each other and are a successful
couple. When Lee dropped the bomb about his past with Beth, a life long
friendship was torn apart. Yet Lee ended up being punished more than the
others. The redemption for this mistake was a humorous bar scene. Kip, Ronny
and Lee all return home while still young men. The draw of life long friends and
of being home are huge in this story. A comment was made that even though Lee
was a huge musical success, he craved being with people who had history with him
and cared for him all his life. Ronny was much the same. He came back wounded
and his friends, especially Hank, protected him and helped him regain his life.
One member commented that it seemed inconsistent with the characters for them
to abandon Ronny during the snowstorm. Others blamed alcohol on a change of
behavior. Kip also returned after being a successful commodities broker in
Chicago, buying and transforming the old mill.
One of the members is
familiar with the Iowa Writer's Workshop. We learned that Nickolas Butler spent
two years there and that is the place he wrote this book. He was homesick for
his family and town. Reflections of that emotion were evident in his work.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I missed getting to the book club discussion and found the book interesting and enjoyable especially at the end. At first I was concerned, where was this going? It felt like the chapters were laying down a foundation, for what? I liked the small town feel of the book. "Leave your door open in the big cit and you'll wake up with no furniture and no clothing. Leave your door open here and a coyote comes in looking for a handout." Loved that. Comfort, at peace is what this book conveyed.
ReplyDeleteI also loved the added story with Kip meeting with a guy & his wife, whose son who had died, reminded them of Kip. Although I didn't like Kip at first, this made him human again, made him real.
When Lee talks about going up north to be with a square dance event he says this: "America, I think, is about poor people playing music and poor people sharing food and poor people dancing, even when everything else in their lives is desperate, as so dismal that it doesn't seem that there should be any room for any music, any extra food, or any extra energy for dancing." I think that is what the book is about, being together no matter the circumstances, you can still gather together, still be together, eat and dance. Being a part of a community is important, no matter how much money you have in the world. It does't bring you joy in your heart, people do.