Please join us for discussion of Cheryl Strayed's book this month. We are going to meet at a members house in June, you are welcomed to join us, but please contact the Park Grove Library for more information.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Thirteen members liked, loved or enjoyed the book this month. They liked the love between two women in very different society. One member said she loved the "interplay between the characters Hetty and Sarah" and that it went over the course of their life as they grew and changed.
One member said half way through the book she had to look up the amazing facts based in the book and doesn't remember reading about abolishment in school. Another said it jaded her because she didn't know a lot about slavery other than what we have read with books. Hetty (Handful) and the other slaves were so bold and so strong. One incident that struck a few members was when Charlotte refused to step out of the way for a white woman.
A former teacher in our group said that she enjoyed reading the book because it made the story fun, you were able to get the conversation. One member said she found it interesting to read about the quilt made by Charlotte. One member said she wasn't too fond of another book Kidd wrote, The Secret Life of Bees, but this one she couldn't put down.
Someone read this from page 96, Handful (Hetty) in the hardcover novel second paragraph: "It was early in the springtime, and the tree buds were popping open while we sat there. Those days I did a lot of fretting and fraying. I was watching Miss Sarah in society, how she wore her finery and going whichever way she pleased. She was wanting to get a husband soon and leave. The world was a Wilton carpet stretched out for her, and it seemed like the doors had shut on me, and that's not even right --the doors never had opened in the first place. I was getting old enough to see they never would." NEVER WOULD tough words to hear.
We talked about Sarah's struggle against her family, society, religion. She wanted to read, to be a great attorney and then she couldn't read books. We talked about how Hetty was free in her mind, but Sarah wasn't and she was in a different type of slavery. Sarah was a product of society, wanted her family to succeed. Charlotte and Hetty resisted slavery, but Sarah didn't do that (until later). The Graveyard of failed hopes is an "all-female establishment," Sarah was quoted as she not only fought for abolition of slavery but for women's right.
We talked about "the myth" that people were happy to be slaves. Do some people really believe that? They were smiling, content, but some commented they were also filled with fear and they might be sold off. We talked about 12 Years a Slave which some had seen.
We also talked about slavery is still around, sex slaves even in our area. It is hard to make an impact. What do you do? Raise strong girls.
We could have talked a lot more about this book but we ran out of time. Some of us mentioned the connection with Gee's Bends quilts which was a play some of us saw "Gee's Bend" a play at Park Square Theatre a few years ago. To read more of why and what inspired her to write this books click HERE to go to the page. To read more about the real story of the Grimke sisters click HERE I also found this link interesting, click HERE
One member said half way through the book she had to look up the amazing facts based in the book and doesn't remember reading about abolishment in school. Another said it jaded her because she didn't know a lot about slavery other than what we have read with books. Hetty (Handful) and the other slaves were so bold and so strong. One incident that struck a few members was when Charlotte refused to step out of the way for a white woman.
A former teacher in our group said that she enjoyed reading the book because it made the story fun, you were able to get the conversation. One member said she found it interesting to read about the quilt made by Charlotte. One member said she wasn't too fond of another book Kidd wrote, The Secret Life of Bees, but this one she couldn't put down.
Someone read this from page 96, Handful (Hetty) in the hardcover novel second paragraph: "It was early in the springtime, and the tree buds were popping open while we sat there. Those days I did a lot of fretting and fraying. I was watching Miss Sarah in society, how she wore her finery and going whichever way she pleased. She was wanting to get a husband soon and leave. The world was a Wilton carpet stretched out for her, and it seemed like the doors had shut on me, and that's not even right --the doors never had opened in the first place. I was getting old enough to see they never would." NEVER WOULD tough words to hear.
We talked about Sarah's struggle against her family, society, religion. She wanted to read, to be a great attorney and then she couldn't read books. We talked about how Hetty was free in her mind, but Sarah wasn't and she was in a different type of slavery. Sarah was a product of society, wanted her family to succeed. Charlotte and Hetty resisted slavery, but Sarah didn't do that (until later). The Graveyard of failed hopes is an "all-female establishment," Sarah was quoted as she not only fought for abolition of slavery but for women's right.
We talked about "the myth" that people were happy to be slaves. Do some people really believe that? They were smiling, content, but some commented they were also filled with fear and they might be sold off. We talked about 12 Years a Slave which some had seen.
We also talked about slavery is still around, sex slaves even in our area. It is hard to make an impact. What do you do? Raise strong girls.
We could have talked a lot more about this book but we ran out of time. Some of us mentioned the connection with Gee's Bends quilts which was a play some of us saw "Gee's Bend" a play at Park Square Theatre a few years ago. To read more of why and what inspired her to write this books click HERE to go to the page. To read more about the real story of the Grimke sisters click HERE I also found this link interesting, click HERE
Saturday, April 4, 2015
4.14.15 Book Club Special Edition with Lorna Landvik at Park Grove Library
Lorna Landvik gave the Park Grove Library Book Club a special treat, so we shared treats with others that came to visit and hear her speak. It was fun, it was entertaining and we learned a secret which we vowed not to share. We laughed, we were entertained, we reminisced about characters in the book Patty Jane's House of Curl and we asked questions we were wondering about when we had discussed the book last month.
She shared her life journey with us, including going to California to be a stand-up comic which is in her book "BEST TO LAUGH."
She shared with us that when she was in 1st grade--yes, 1st grade, she knew what she wanted to do. She read Dick & Jane & Spot "I do see spot jump" and knew she wanted to write. She had an influential 6th grade teacher who would play the piano everyday (inspirational and creative). She wrote a poem about snow in 6th grade and shared that with us. It was wonderful.
Here is the article written in Goodreads: "How can you compensate those who excite, inspire, build confidence and open doors you didn’t know existed? If it were up to me, the base salary of public school teachers would start at $100,000, with frequent opportunities for advancement. (And cappuccino machines in every teachers’ lounge, on-site masseuses . . . or at the very least a full stock of supplies they didn't have to pay for).
I have often spoken of Mr. Spaeth, my sixth grade teacher/renaissance man who taught us everything from fractions to presidential history to pirate songs (in a lovely tenor voice). At recess, he was not a teacher to stand back, but a full participant in our games of Bombardment and Kick Ball and catching one of his powerfully-thrown fly balls or tagging him out was a giddy triumph.
He read to us daily and his encouragement and belief in my own writing, made me believe in it. His inscription, ‘Best of luck for a fine literary career’ was not just written in my autograph book, but in my heart.
In his class, we listened to a radio program called, ‘Let’s Write’ to which teachers submitted their students’ work. Twice my poems were read over the air and hearing my words coming over the crackly P.A. system absolutely thrilled me (even as my built-in Norwegian-Lutheran modesty propelled me to lean over my desk, cradling my head in my arms).
Here’s the poem:
I love the feeling of icy snow,
The tingling coldness, the peppermint glow
The skies are dull with a hint of blue
Then down come the snowflakes crisp and new
They drift and float and come a’dancing
I almost hear Rudolph’s swift legs a’ prancing!
But the feel of the flakes is the best of all
Touch me, touch me, they seem to call."
She shared her life journey with us, including going to California to be a stand-up comic which is in her book "BEST TO LAUGH."
Sharing her process of writing "Patty Jane's House of Curl" was so interesting. She had Patty Jane and Harriet in her head before she had started the story-line. We asked questions and received many fun answers about her writing and the book.
When introduced, one of book club members shared that Lorna Landvik was the most read author during our almost 100 books read at Park Grove Library Book Club. We have read Tall Pines Polka, Angry Housewives eating BonBons and this last one, Patty Jane's House of Curl. We have enjoyed her fun style of writing and that she is a local author.
It was a treat to have her join us for our Book Club Special Edition and thanks are to be given to the Park Grove Branch Library for allowing us to have this event and to the Washington County Library System.
Sharing her process of writing "Patty Jane's House of Curl" was so interesting. She had Patty Jane and Harriet in her head before she had started the story-line. We asked questions and received many fun answers about her writing and the book.
When introduced, one of book club members shared that Lorna Landvik was the most read author during our almost 100 books read at Park Grove Library Book Club. We have read Tall Pines Polka, Angry Housewives eating BonBons and this last one, Patty Jane's House of Curl. We have enjoyed her fun style of writing and that she is a local author.
It was a treat to have her join us for our Book Club Special Edition and thanks are to be given to the Park Grove Branch Library for allowing us to have this event and to the Washington County Library System.
Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik
Eight members of the book club were able to share their thoughts on this month's selection and "like" was what most felt about it, with one saying they loved it. Some had never read her books before, some had read some of her books before and one person had read this book before! One member said it was "fun to read," another said "it was light hearted," and one person said "it was interesting, provocative." One member said that it took her 30-40 pages before she could get into the book.
One member said that she could connect with the location of the storyline. We loved that it was in the area, I think a lot of us could see the big house at the end of the story. We had a good discussion on where women meet to talk, do we even do that anymore? Where do we connect with other women and meet others? The beauty shop isn't what it use to be. We discussed about one aunt's beauty shop in a small town. Community Centers, like the one in Inver Grove or Cottage Grove Senior Center or coffee shops are places now where we meet others -- or Book Clubs!
We had a discussion about Thor leaving (one person found it frustrating and she said "I don't get the Crazy Lady who kidnapped Thor) and about Avel's death (one member said I lost my husband suddenly and I cried throughout). We talked about Nora saying "until I can handle things, I'll pretend I can handle things" and how we do that in our own life at times.
We were enjoyed the "uffda" and Ione in the story. We were so glad she was able to travel and see the world. One member said "Ione reminded me of my mother-in-law" with the way she was more 'closed' until later in life she opened up more.
We found some parts of the book interesting. Someone liked in Ch 14 Inky suggestions box note about subscribing to better magazines "True Confessions is cheaper than National Geographic." One member said "As a young teen we would sneak into my friends moms bedroom and read those." Another liked the "Bills Hardware Calendar" as that was important to communities many years ago and some people still want them, have to have them! Those who are from out of state loved that Lorna Landvik in the novel, just referred to the University of MN as the "U." Why of course we Minnesota born and bred didn't even think about it. We all refer to it as the "U" but those from out of state have a "U" where they were from.
We liked the part of Harriet's singing voice and we talked about how Harriet "faced her ghost" and almost cost her her own life. Patty Jane was close to losing it, but Clyde Chuka saved her. What causes one person do do one thing but not another we discussed. How resilient are you? In Ch 13 we liked the part where Clyde Chuka says: "We're allotted one great love--and some of us are lucky enough to find it. That love is sort of our pilot light and when it goes out...then it's out for good." But when Patty Jane and Clyde Chuka finally connect and she finds Thor Clyde asks "So would you have turned off your pilot light?" Patty Jane smoothed the lines etched into Clyde's forehead "I would have told him I'd switched to electric." (Ch23).
We have some questions to ask when Lorna Landvik visits our library soon (we are all so excited) and one we wrote "Did she know when she started the book, that Avel was going to die?" So looking forward to our visit!
One member said that she could connect with the location of the storyline. We loved that it was in the area, I think a lot of us could see the big house at the end of the story. We had a good discussion on where women meet to talk, do we even do that anymore? Where do we connect with other women and meet others? The beauty shop isn't what it use to be. We discussed about one aunt's beauty shop in a small town. Community Centers, like the one in Inver Grove or Cottage Grove Senior Center or coffee shops are places now where we meet others -- or Book Clubs!
We had a discussion about Thor leaving (one person found it frustrating and she said "I don't get the Crazy Lady who kidnapped Thor) and about Avel's death (one member said I lost my husband suddenly and I cried throughout). We talked about Nora saying "until I can handle things, I'll pretend I can handle things" and how we do that in our own life at times.
We were enjoyed the "uffda" and Ione in the story. We were so glad she was able to travel and see the world. One member said "Ione reminded me of my mother-in-law" with the way she was more 'closed' until later in life she opened up more.
We found some parts of the book interesting. Someone liked in Ch 14 Inky suggestions box note about subscribing to better magazines "True Confessions is cheaper than National Geographic." One member said "As a young teen we would sneak into my friends moms bedroom and read those." Another liked the "Bills Hardware Calendar" as that was important to communities many years ago and some people still want them, have to have them! Those who are from out of state loved that Lorna Landvik in the novel, just referred to the University of MN as the "U." Why of course we Minnesota born and bred didn't even think about it. We all refer to it as the "U" but those from out of state have a "U" where they were from.
We liked the part of Harriet's singing voice and we talked about how Harriet "faced her ghost" and almost cost her her own life. Patty Jane was close to losing it, but Clyde Chuka saved her. What causes one person do do one thing but not another we discussed. How resilient are you? In Ch 13 we liked the part where Clyde Chuka says: "We're allotted one great love--and some of us are lucky enough to find it. That love is sort of our pilot light and when it goes out...then it's out for good." But when Patty Jane and Clyde Chuka finally connect and she finds Thor Clyde asks "So would you have turned off your pilot light?" Patty Jane smoothed the lines etched into Clyde's forehead "I would have told him I'd switched to electric." (Ch23).
We have some questions to ask when Lorna Landvik visits our library soon (we are all so excited) and one we wrote "Did she know when she started the book, that Avel was going to die?" So looking forward to our visit!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
A dozen
members were able to share in the discussion of "Unbroken:An Olympian's
Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive." Most
enthusiastically liked the book, a couple were more tepid and all agreed it was
heavy reading. One member said "I loved it, I couldn't put it down."
Another initially bought it as a gift for a family member and found herself
hooked going out to get her own copy. As a runner herself, another said she was
enthralled by the running aspects of the story. One person said she resisted
reading “Unbroken” because she wondered what all the fuss was about, then read
it and was riveted. One member said the book was ok, having read Hillenbrand’s
“Seabiscuit” also and thought both were too "wordy."
Reading Unbroken left many wondering how much abuse someone can take and survive, it left some members unable to sleep, and some having to put it down at times because of how dark it became. One person commented "I marveled at what it would take to render myself able to deliver the level of curelty born upon Louis Zamperini, and how much would I be able to take in his position."
One member found Louis’ tale a gripping one, especially the whole experience adrift at sea in the Pacific. Her father was a gunner on a tanker in the Pacific during WWII. He returned shell shocked and ashamed. Her father-in-law was a Pacific scout during the war and never talked about his experiences. He and his wife had separate beds because he would sometimes vigorously thrash at night after returning home.
All the research Laura Hillenbrand did was amazing along with the great index information. The beginning of the book layed out the foundation of his youth, which one member said shows that a juvenile troublemaker can work through his issues and even become a hero. Others shared that the Olympic training taught him to focus, to be persistent and probably gave Louis the thought that he couldn’t envision anything but winning. "He had the tenacity to push to win at all costs."
One reader said it gave her an appreciation for the "Greatest Generation." We were surprised by how horrific the statistics of the war was. The plane Superman had 500 plus bullets in the Battle of Nobu. One member shared pictures that her father-in-law had taken of the planes while he was in the Pacific. The Minnesota History Center "Greatest Generation" exhibit has a WWII fighter plane with combat sounds and flashing lights so you can experience what they may have felt and heard. The discussion among the group marveled at how flight crews relied on each other and had to carry on with replacements when their crew suffered loss.
Several in the group were astounded that we hadn’t heard of this tale sooner. Why? The consensus was that there were so many stories, everyone simply did what needed to be done and everyone sacrificed. As a result, war experiences weren’t discussed as anything exceptional. And society in general tended to keep quiet about war experiences. Several noted family members who experienced dramatic events in and around WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and rarely, if ever, spoke of that time.
A member said there are online videos conducted by University of Southern California with interviews of Louis Zamperini and another shared that the Billy Graham Foundation is going to make a film concentrating on the redemption aspects of the story. We found that part of the story fascinating, what an impression Billy Graham had on his life. We were glad to read this book and learn so much about the sacrifices made during the war, Louis story from his youth to his old age and his ability to succeed through all the horrific acts done to him.
Reading Unbroken left many wondering how much abuse someone can take and survive, it left some members unable to sleep, and some having to put it down at times because of how dark it became. One person commented "I marveled at what it would take to render myself able to deliver the level of curelty born upon Louis Zamperini, and how much would I be able to take in his position."
One member found Louis’ tale a gripping one, especially the whole experience adrift at sea in the Pacific. Her father was a gunner on a tanker in the Pacific during WWII. He returned shell shocked and ashamed. Her father-in-law was a Pacific scout during the war and never talked about his experiences. He and his wife had separate beds because he would sometimes vigorously thrash at night after returning home.
All the research Laura Hillenbrand did was amazing along with the great index information. The beginning of the book layed out the foundation of his youth, which one member said shows that a juvenile troublemaker can work through his issues and even become a hero. Others shared that the Olympic training taught him to focus, to be persistent and probably gave Louis the thought that he couldn’t envision anything but winning. "He had the tenacity to push to win at all costs."
One reader said it gave her an appreciation for the "Greatest Generation." We were surprised by how horrific the statistics of the war was. The plane Superman had 500 plus bullets in the Battle of Nobu. One member shared pictures that her father-in-law had taken of the planes while he was in the Pacific. The Minnesota History Center "Greatest Generation" exhibit has a WWII fighter plane with combat sounds and flashing lights so you can experience what they may have felt and heard. The discussion among the group marveled at how flight crews relied on each other and had to carry on with replacements when their crew suffered loss.
Several in the group were astounded that we hadn’t heard of this tale sooner. Why? The consensus was that there were so many stories, everyone simply did what needed to be done and everyone sacrificed. As a result, war experiences weren’t discussed as anything exceptional. And society in general tended to keep quiet about war experiences. Several noted family members who experienced dramatic events in and around WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and rarely, if ever, spoke of that time.
A member said there are online videos conducted by University of Southern California with interviews of Louis Zamperini and another shared that the Billy Graham Foundation is going to make a film concentrating on the redemption aspects of the story. We found that part of the story fascinating, what an impression Billy Graham had on his life. We were glad to read this book and learn so much about the sacrifices made during the war, Louis story from his youth to his old age and his ability to succeed through all the horrific acts done to him.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
VISITING AUTHOR COMING TO PARK GROVE LIBRARY IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH
TUESDAY FEB 17
Park Grove Library is sponsoring a Winter Jacket Author Event with Woodbury author Christopher Valen. His new book Death's Way is the 5th of his John Santana mystery series, which takes place in St. Paul.
AND....rumor has it that Lorna Landvik is coming to visit Park Grove Library through a special Book Club Edition in April. Date is still pending. We will be reading her book, Patty Jane's House of Curl in March and moving The Mockingbird Next Door: Life w/Harper Lee by Marja Mills to the end of our list (although now with the new sequel by Harper Lee to come out, we might have to move this one up!)
If you were able to visit us with our December Book Club Special Edition with William Kent Krueger and thought you might enjoy our book club, we welcome you with open arms. Please join us on any of the upcoming book club discussions or author visits supported by Park Grove Library.
Tuesday, Febraury 24 "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand will be discussed. Join us for this popular book!
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2.24 Unbroken Laura Hillenbrand
3.24 Patty Jane's House of Curl Lorna Landvik
4.28 The Invention of Wings Sue Monk Kidd
5.26 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Cheryl Strayed
6.23 The Cross Gardener Jason F. Wright
7.28 A Walk Across the Sun Corban Addison
9.22 The Goldfinch Donna Taft
10.27 Moloda'l Alan Brennert
Park Grove Library is sponsoring a Winter Jacket Author Event with Woodbury author Christopher Valen. His new book Death's Way is the 5th of his John Santana mystery series, which takes place in St. Paul.
AND....rumor has it that Lorna Landvik is coming to visit Park Grove Library through a special Book Club Edition in April. Date is still pending. We will be reading her book, Patty Jane's House of Curl in March and moving The Mockingbird Next Door: Life w/Harper Lee by Marja Mills to the end of our list (although now with the new sequel by Harper Lee to come out, we might have to move this one up!)
If you were able to visit us with our December Book Club Special Edition with William Kent Krueger and thought you might enjoy our book club, we welcome you with open arms. Please join us on any of the upcoming book club discussions or author visits supported by Park Grove Library.
Tuesday, Febraury 24 "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand will be discussed. Join us for this popular book!
BOOK CLUB SELECTION
2.24 Unbroken Laura Hillenbrand
3.24 Patty Jane's House of Curl Lorna Landvik
4.28 The Invention of Wings Sue Monk Kidd
5.26 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Cheryl Strayed
6.23 The Cross Gardener Jason F. Wright
7.28 A Walk Across the Sun Corban Addison
8.25 The Orchardist Amanda Coplin
10.27 Moloda'l Alan Brennert
11.17 The Aviator's Wife Melanie Benjamin
12.15 Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm Mildred Armstrong Kalish
2016
1.26 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith
2.23 All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
3.22 The Fault in Our Stars John Green
4.26 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie:A Flavia de Luce Novel Alan Bradley
5.24 Shotgun Love Songs Nikolas Butler
6.28 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Deborah Moggach
7.26 A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole
8.23 BOOK CLUB SELECTION
9.27 Lucky Us Amy Bloom
10.25 The Mockingbird Next Door: Life w/Harper Lee Marja Mills
12.15 Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm Mildred Armstrong Kalish
2016
1.26 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith
2.23 All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
3.22 The Fault in Our Stars John Green
4.26 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie:A Flavia de Luce Novel Alan Bradley
5.24 Shotgun Love Songs Nikolas Butler
6.28 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Deborah Moggach
7.26 A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole
8.23 BOOK CLUB SELECTION
9.27 Lucky Us Amy Bloom
10.25 The Mockingbird Next Door: Life w/Harper Lee Marja Mills
Sunday, January 4, 2015
A Star for Mrs. Blake by April Smith
Our January meeting had a dozen of us discussing this historical fiction of a program the United States Government started shortly after WWI called "Gold Star Mothers pilgrimage." One person stated they thought the book was going to be dry, not very interesting, but the novel immediately had brought me in. Another said they got caught up in it, read it really fast and really enjoyed it. One member said it brought out racism, how it was for women back then, the discrimination. Ten members loved the book, one liked it and one was neutral in their view.
Our leader for the book, choose this because she was downloading the library media program and choose a book right away on the list, A Star for Mrs. Blake. She said "I wouldn't have read it, but by serendipity it served well and was a good book." We all agreed.
We talked about the time that these women went. Here many were suffering the effects of the depression and they are now in a fancy hotel and with food that is above anything they would have back home. We talked about that when their soldier sons died, these women had been asked if they would like to bring their sons home. Many probably couldn't afford the burial.
The storyline involves women who were diverse, including their age difference, some were immigrants, they were of different faith and some had more money than others. One woman in the group in the beginning was, Selma, a Black seamstress. We learned in the story about the segregation back then and a few of us mentioned we missed hearing more about Selma.
Someone in the group mentioned this from the book "Doesn't matter who you are, Black, White, Jewish, Catholic -- doesn't mater -- we are all going to die." {I couldn't find it in the book, but if someone from our group knows where it is they could post it in the comments.} They were in this mission to find out about where their sons died and where they were buried.
We are introduced to many characters in the story, Linwood, Hammond, Lily, Perkins, Griffin Reed besides the ladies on their pilgrimage. We talked about the secrets that many carried through out the story: Cora -- her son's father; Bobbie's -- heart condition; Griffin -- his mask; Katie -- shameful about not being able to afford bringing both sons home; Lily -- the kiss Perkins gave her; Hammond -- his path chosen but did he really want to be in the military? We talked about the characters and what happened at the end of the novel.
Cora was a great character in the story and we talked about her experience with many characters in the book. Will she go back to Linwood? Does she know that Griffin doesn't make it back to the States? What will her life be like with her grandson? Faith was a part of this story. We saw faith by the military in taking meticulous care of their soldiers (even the women on the pilgrimages). Faith in humanity, the people cared for the fallen soldiers graves. And finally, faith in the shared experiences, a bond, even though there were many differences.
Our leader for the book, choose this because she was downloading the library media program and choose a book right away on the list, A Star for Mrs. Blake. She said "I wouldn't have read it, but by serendipity it served well and was a good book." We all agreed.
We talked about the time that these women went. Here many were suffering the effects of the depression and they are now in a fancy hotel and with food that is above anything they would have back home. We talked about that when their soldier sons died, these women had been asked if they would like to bring their sons home. Many probably couldn't afford the burial.
The storyline involves women who were diverse, including their age difference, some were immigrants, they were of different faith and some had more money than others. One woman in the group in the beginning was, Selma, a Black seamstress. We learned in the story about the segregation back then and a few of us mentioned we missed hearing more about Selma.
Someone in the group mentioned this from the book "Doesn't matter who you are, Black, White, Jewish, Catholic -- doesn't mater -- we are all going to die." {I couldn't find it in the book, but if someone from our group knows where it is they could post it in the comments.} They were in this mission to find out about where their sons died and where they were buried.
We are introduced to many characters in the story, Linwood, Hammond, Lily, Perkins, Griffin Reed besides the ladies on their pilgrimage. We talked about the secrets that many carried through out the story: Cora -- her son's father; Bobbie's -- heart condition; Griffin -- his mask; Katie -- shameful about not being able to afford bringing both sons home; Lily -- the kiss Perkins gave her; Hammond -- his path chosen but did he really want to be in the military? We talked about the characters and what happened at the end of the novel.
Cora was a great character in the story and we talked about her experience with many characters in the book. Will she go back to Linwood? Does she know that Griffin doesn't make it back to the States? What will her life be like with her grandson? Faith was a part of this story. We saw faith by the military in taking meticulous care of their soldiers (even the women on the pilgrimages). Faith in humanity, the people cared for the fallen soldiers graves. And finally, faith in the shared experiences, a bond, even though there were many differences.
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