I am not actually sure if anyone else actually read this book. If you haven't yet, I would highly recommend it. Admittedly, I haven't tackled The Glass Castle yet, but I still plan to.
Back to the book at hand...I was enthralled by this book from the very beginning. It is so dramatic I don't know how you couldn't be drawn in by it. I was talking to a lady I work with about it, since she has also read the book (and actually loaned it to me so that I could read it), and I had to convince myself that it was a different time, and Doctor Henry really believed what he was doing was right. But honestly, how can you throw away your baby!? I mean really! Then you see how he dealt with the pain and reality of his choice for the rest of his life. I can't even imagine how hard that would be to handle. What a blow that would be to your self worth, when everyday you have to wake up and think, "I will never know my child...and it is all my fault." I can totally understand why he struggled. In the end, I actually felt very bad for him. As I got to know him and saw how calculated everything he did was, how precise (the surgery, the photography, etc.), I realized that his original decision probably held that much weight as well.
Honestly, I really disliked Norah. She was whiney and selfish. I can understand and sympathize with the depression that would come after losing a child. I mean, hello, if anyone understands depression, it is me. I have to be honest, when I first got married, I had some of the same fears she did about not realizing her dreams or being her own person. I think you really prove yourself as a person when you decide what to do with those fears and how you respond to hardship. I personally think she failed the test. I thought she was annoying, but I really started to hate her when she had the first affair. I just think that is a cop out. I don't believe she ever cared about anybody but herself.
I just have to make a comment about Paul while I am on the topic of the Henry family. And I suppose I should preface this comment with the fact that I grew up with parents that were (and are) completely in love and never fight, so maybe I just don't understand, but really, stop feeling sorry for yourself! He just reminded me of every bratty kid I have worked with. Get over yourself!
As for the story of Caroline, Phoebe, and Al...I loved it. I loved them. Caroline is obviously the hero of the story. She is the woman we should hope to be. I loved the idea that certain moments and people in our life can dictate the direction we go. In the beginning I felt like screaming at her, "Just tell her! You have to tell her that you have her baby!!!" But at the same time I was so proud of her. I was glad that she finally came clean in the end.
For me this is one of those books that you finish and say, "Wow...the scary part is, that could actually happen."
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Glass Castle
I should have written this a month ago when I finished the book, but life got in the way.
I was surprised by this choice coming from Jen as much as I was by Jeanette's ability to grow into a "normal" contributing member of society. Coming from her background she could have easily melded into someone who was stuck in the same place, with no goals, no future, and completed the cycle of life her parents were creating for her.
I read this book while in New York so I had made my judgments on the homeless population and decided that there are too kinds of people. People who are trying to make the best out of a helpless situation, and those who feed off of the charity of others because they either have no ambition or drive.
Her parents did not fit into either mold. They chose to live that way because living any other way seemed crazy. I became so frustrated with her mother not giving up a diamond ring they found while her children starved, or eating a candy bar and hiding it from the family. I can't look at a jar of pickles the same way because of Brian.
She really did have to be like a mountain goat, clinging for dear life to the cliffs until she finally reached the top. It made me realize things I thought were bad or screwed up were a cake walk compared to what some people go through.
I was surprised by this choice coming from Jen as much as I was by Jeanette's ability to grow into a "normal" contributing member of society. Coming from her background she could have easily melded into someone who was stuck in the same place, with no goals, no future, and completed the cycle of life her parents were creating for her.
I read this book while in New York so I had made my judgments on the homeless population and decided that there are too kinds of people. People who are trying to make the best out of a helpless situation, and those who feed off of the charity of others because they either have no ambition or drive.
Her parents did not fit into either mold. They chose to live that way because living any other way seemed crazy. I became so frustrated with her mother not giving up a diamond ring they found while her children starved, or eating a candy bar and hiding it from the family. I can't look at a jar of pickles the same way because of Brian.
She really did have to be like a mountain goat, clinging for dear life to the cliffs until she finally reached the top. It made me realize things I thought were bad or screwed up were a cake walk compared to what some people go through.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Review of the Glass Castle
I really liked the book the glass castle. I loved that it is a true story written in memoire style by the actual main character. Some of the stories in this book were so unbelievable, it really opened my eyes to a whole new idea of childhood.
It was incredible that although her childhood was so rough and they lived such a destitute life, the way she wrote about her experiences was so lighthearted and optimistic. The parents seemed like they loved there kids and weren't violent, they just had really odd ideas and their priorities were definatly their own (the father drinking and mother's art) instead of their children's.
The parts that really made me upset and angry at the father was when he took her into the bar and acted like it was no big deal. Any other father would have killed a man that came near his little girl. It was also frustrating when the mother refused to go to work even though her kids were starving or freezing. It seemed like she lacked motherly instincts to protect her children.
I was really impressed with the kids and how they were able to overcome their childhood and become really successful in life. What a triumph to come from that kind of background and make something of yourself.
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Glass Castle
The Glass Castle
Jeanette Walls
Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sarah's Key
When I picked this book I really didn’t know what I was doing to be honest. Jen told me it was my turn and I was still 40 pages into The Help, and thinking no one is going to want to read the Nicholas Sparks book that just came out… I could just see Abby’s literary prowess laughing at me. So I actually googled top book club reads and that is how we all ended up here. I read this book on the subway to and from work and it only took 3 weeks, I couldn’t believe how fast it went for only devoting about 30 min a day. I think I was so intrigued by Sarah’s story and what happened to her that I just wanted to read faster.
I loved Sarah, like Abby said you’re a wench if you don’t. Julia left me bored at times but at others my heart completely went out to her. To be faced with the choice of giving up your baby or losing your husband and everything she dealt with in that particular situation made me feel sick, that she was having someone else control her life and her body. I loved Zoe, she is so outspoken and has such a strong character. And Eduard, when he stood up for Julia in front of his family it spoke volumes about him.
One message I really felt was present here was that you have to be able to live everyday for what you have right now and not be afraid that everything you know can change in a second. When Julia began researching her story she never expected it would turn out the way it did, that what she uncovered would so deeply and profoundly impact her life, that her personal trials would try and get the best of her. When Sarah’s mother opened that door for the French police everything in her life changed. We need to be so grateful for the life and blessings we are holding onto at this very moment.
To kind of respond to Jen’s question a little about how the French government could let this happen… I have read a lot about WWII and during the German occupation of the allied countries the government wasn’t the same as it was in peace time. In France the Vichy is what they called the French who sided with the Nazis. And those were the types of people in charge of the country. It’s hard to judge the French police and say they were bad people, I’m sure a lot of them were just following orders, simply doing what they were told to try to stay alive. At that time everything was rationed you didn’t have a lot of opportunities to do what you wanted whenever you pleased, so having a job that supported your family may have been a larger priority than what they were told to do.
I have spoken with my grandmother a lot about this because she lived in Germany during the war. Her family hated the Nazis and everything they stood for- but my Great-grandfather was a German Soldier. If you didn’t do what they wanted really bad things happened to you and your family. And as for concentration camps they didn’t even know they existed. My grandmother said they knew that Jews weren’t liked, and they had to wear stars on their clothing. She told me a story of one woman in her town who she remembers left and never came back and she always wondered what happened to her- but they had no idea people were being sent away to camps and killed. And people who did know about camps thought they were just work camps where they sent Jews to build things for the war.
I loved Sarah, like Abby said you’re a wench if you don’t. Julia left me bored at times but at others my heart completely went out to her. To be faced with the choice of giving up your baby or losing your husband and everything she dealt with in that particular situation made me feel sick, that she was having someone else control her life and her body. I loved Zoe, she is so outspoken and has such a strong character. And Eduard, when he stood up for Julia in front of his family it spoke volumes about him.
One message I really felt was present here was that you have to be able to live everyday for what you have right now and not be afraid that everything you know can change in a second. When Julia began researching her story she never expected it would turn out the way it did, that what she uncovered would so deeply and profoundly impact her life, that her personal trials would try and get the best of her. When Sarah’s mother opened that door for the French police everything in her life changed. We need to be so grateful for the life and blessings we are holding onto at this very moment.
To kind of respond to Jen’s question a little about how the French government could let this happen… I have read a lot about WWII and during the German occupation of the allied countries the government wasn’t the same as it was in peace time. In France the Vichy is what they called the French who sided with the Nazis. And those were the types of people in charge of the country. It’s hard to judge the French police and say they were bad people, I’m sure a lot of them were just following orders, simply doing what they were told to try to stay alive. At that time everything was rationed you didn’t have a lot of opportunities to do what you wanted whenever you pleased, so having a job that supported your family may have been a larger priority than what they were told to do.
I have spoken with my grandmother a lot about this because she lived in Germany during the war. Her family hated the Nazis and everything they stood for- but my Great-grandfather was a German Soldier. If you didn’t do what they wanted really bad things happened to you and your family. And as for concentration camps they didn’t even know they existed. My grandmother said they knew that Jews weren’t liked, and they had to wear stars on their clothing. She told me a story of one woman in her town who she remembers left and never came back and she always wondered what happened to her- but they had no idea people were being sent away to camps and killed. And people who did know about camps thought they were just work camps where they sent Jews to build things for the war.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
My Thoughts on Sarah's Key
I thought that this was a really interesting story. I am always a little bit fascinated by stories about the holocaust because it was too horrible. In my wildest, worst nightmare, I would never be able to imagine the horrors that happened at that time. This book was interesting to me because I had never heard of the Vel' d'Hiv roundup before reading it. Just like Julia, I was the uneducated American.
This book brought up a lot of issues that most people skip over. It is easy to see how horrible it was for all of the families that were rounded up, but that time in world history affected everyone (obviously some more than others). I thought it was an interesting perspective to think of how Edouard was haunted by his involvement in the roundup. Even though it wasn't his choice to move into the apartment and he didn't know about the boy, he still felt at fault for the situation.
I also thought that it was spot on that the general consensus was to forget the horrible things that have happened in the past. We are all guilty of that. Our society is so self involved that we do not pay attention to anything that doesn't directly affect our day to day lives. We are constantly gaining new technology that only furthers our emotional and social hermitism, and furthers our distance from anything that came before this second in time. Our growth is so stunted by technology. It provides great miracles, but it also hinders us in other aspects. I will get off my soapbox now, because I could probably write pages and pages just on that subject alone....back to the book.
I have to admit that I was expecting a lot out of this book because the story line had so much potential, and in the end I was a little bit disappointed. For me, the characters fell a little bit flat. I really liked Sarah...obviously. Anyone who chooses not to like her is probably a heartless wench. She showed such a strong example of resilience. I would not be able to do what she did. I would have withered and died. As for the rest of the characters, at least the rest of the adult characters, I thought they seemed selfish and uninteresting. I was disappointed that I never felt any connection to them. They were just too average to be interesting. That is probably unfair, but that is all I could think when I finished the book. I got the feeling that I was supposed to think that Julia was a heroine, but I never really felt that way. It feels so harsh to write it. So I guess I won't say much more, because I don't know that the characters I create are any better. Plus, I can't think of an adequate way that would really express what I think about them.
I am really looking forward to the next book....have we decided what it is going to be?
This book brought up a lot of issues that most people skip over. It is easy to see how horrible it was for all of the families that were rounded up, but that time in world history affected everyone (obviously some more than others). I thought it was an interesting perspective to think of how Edouard was haunted by his involvement in the roundup. Even though it wasn't his choice to move into the apartment and he didn't know about the boy, he still felt at fault for the situation.
I also thought that it was spot on that the general consensus was to forget the horrible things that have happened in the past. We are all guilty of that. Our society is so self involved that we do not pay attention to anything that doesn't directly affect our day to day lives. We are constantly gaining new technology that only furthers our emotional and social hermitism, and furthers our distance from anything that came before this second in time. Our growth is so stunted by technology. It provides great miracles, but it also hinders us in other aspects. I will get off my soapbox now, because I could probably write pages and pages just on that subject alone....back to the book.
I have to admit that I was expecting a lot out of this book because the story line had so much potential, and in the end I was a little bit disappointed. For me, the characters fell a little bit flat. I really liked Sarah...obviously. Anyone who chooses not to like her is probably a heartless wench. She showed such a strong example of resilience. I would not be able to do what she did. I would have withered and died. As for the rest of the characters, at least the rest of the adult characters, I thought they seemed selfish and uninteresting. I was disappointed that I never felt any connection to them. They were just too average to be interesting. That is probably unfair, but that is all I could think when I finished the book. I got the feeling that I was supposed to think that Julia was a heroine, but I never really felt that way. It feels so harsh to write it. So I guess I won't say much more, because I don't know that the characters I create are any better. Plus, I can't think of an adequate way that would really express what I think about them.
I am really looking forward to the next book....have we decided what it is going to be?
Friday, May 21, 2010
Review of Sarah's Key
This book was a page turner for me. I had no problem staying up late to read 80 pages at a time and last night read till I was done with the book. I think it was the curiosity of finding out what happened to Sarah that kept me reading.
I think when it comes to the holocaust, I really know so little of what took place. We usually only hear about German Hitler and Ausawich and not much about how he was able to convince other countries to send their Jews to be killed. What an influence he had for evil!
I never knew about France sending their own people to German concentration camps, didn't government officials along the lines think, wow this is not right. It is really upsetting that the human race can do such evil and cruel things to our own people and justify it as right.
I really appreciated the police officer that let Sarah and her friend go. Although he was wrong to be helping at the stadium and wrong to be letting these horrible things happen. We got to see a glimpse of compassion for two young girls.
I also think that the older couple that took Sarah in and risked their lives for her were so admirable. They saw the big picture and really understood that if they didn't help Sarah, she would never make it on her own. What courage it took for the three of them to go back to her old apartment and find her brother in the cupboard. How horrific.
Once the stories merged into one, it lost a little of it's. . . something. . .
Overall, I am glad I read this book. I am educated on the Vel de Hiv in France and understand just a little more about the holocaust.
I think when it comes to the holocaust, I really know so little of what took place. We usually only hear about German Hitler and Ausawich and not much about how he was able to convince other countries to send their Jews to be killed. What an influence he had for evil!
I never knew about France sending their own people to German concentration camps, didn't government officials along the lines think, wow this is not right. It is really upsetting that the human race can do such evil and cruel things to our own people and justify it as right.
I really appreciated the police officer that let Sarah and her friend go. Although he was wrong to be helping at the stadium and wrong to be letting these horrible things happen. We got to see a glimpse of compassion for two young girls.
I also think that the older couple that took Sarah in and risked their lives for her were so admirable. They saw the big picture and really understood that if they didn't help Sarah, she would never make it on her own. What courage it took for the three of them to go back to her old apartment and find her brother in the cupboard. How horrific.
Once the stories merged into one, it lost a little of it's. . . something. . .
Overall, I am glad I read this book. I am educated on the Vel de Hiv in France and understand just a little more about the holocaust.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Sarah's Key
Sarah's Key
By: Tatiana De RosnayBook for the Month of MAY
Starred Review. De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.
Starred Review. De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.
Thoughts on 1000 White Women
I am never really amazing at summing up a book or writing my thoughts out and let's face it Abby is amazing at it and everything else English and Writing related:) But, here is goes. . .
It took me about 100 pages to get into this book and from there on I became attached to the characters and really enjoyed the book. I love books about women and their lives - I guess I just like to hear other women's stories of braveness, courage, adversity, and triumph. It is inspirational to me.
I just have to mention what a tough life May was leading, being torn away from her husband and children and left at an asylum. It is hard to believe a father could do that to a child no matter the circumstances. Her attitude and her character while in the asylum were inspirational, I would hope that put under such circumstances I could do the same.
It was also quite surprising to me some of the things that happened not amazingly long ago such as sending 1000 white women out to the indians as wives. I tried to put myself in the situation and decide if I would have been one brave enough to go or would I have stayed in my present circumstances?
The end of the book was an ending that kind of left you numb. I like books that don't always have happily ever endings I think they are refreshing and real. However, they do leave me wishing the best would have occurred for the characters I have become so acquainted with.
I loved this book, I had never heard of it before and was glad Abby chose it as our book! I am loving this book club thing, it keeps me reading and I love hearing others thoughts at the end of the month.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
My Thoughts on One Thousand White Women
Caution: Do not read this post if you haven't read the book and still want to. :)
So I have to say, I think we have done pretty well on the book selection so far. I thought this book was interesting as well. The beginning was a little bit slow, but I got more caught up in it the more I read. Here are my thoughts:
Honestly, my least favorite part was the love affair between Mary and the Captain. It felt kind of silly to me. That aside, I liked Mary as a character. I admired her strength and courage. I also loved how she made herself fit into her new life. I really believe that she loved the Chief. She loved her sister/wives. I got the feeling that she had a real appreciation for the experience she was given and for the simplicity and fairness of the Cheyennes. Her relationship with her husband and her dependence on him for safety and comfort is so true to life. I loved their "honeymoon." I especially liked when they are talking to each other in different languages, but it still brings them closer together. Story of my life! Men and women rarely speak the same language. But I know when I take the time to talk to my husband and tell him everything, I always fell closer to him.
Really I have a thing for Indians. If you didn't know that about me, now you do. I just find that culture so intriguing. My favorite parts were when she was describing everyday life with the tribe and within her family.
I also loved all the other women. They made me laugh and cry. My two favorites were Sara and Miss Lovelace. Sara seemed so young and innocent. I felt a sad for her, because she probably experienced some horrible things to become mute. It made me so happy when she was happy. To me it is no small miracle that she learned how to be happy and successful. Daisy Lovelace was a very dynamic character. She held onto the past and the love for her father by saying completely inappropriate things. However, it was obvious that her words did not match her feelings. She loved her husband, the Indians, and Phemie. I thought she showed a lot of bravery as well. I loved that she brought her white lace wedding dress. She was committed.
There are so many things I could say about this book. There are so many dimensions of the book to talk about and so many relationships. It is like I don't even know where to start or which parts are most important. So I guess this is it!
So I have to say, I think we have done pretty well on the book selection so far. I thought this book was interesting as well. The beginning was a little bit slow, but I got more caught up in it the more I read. Here are my thoughts:
Honestly, my least favorite part was the love affair between Mary and the Captain. It felt kind of silly to me. That aside, I liked Mary as a character. I admired her strength and courage. I also loved how she made herself fit into her new life. I really believe that she loved the Chief. She loved her sister/wives. I got the feeling that she had a real appreciation for the experience she was given and for the simplicity and fairness of the Cheyennes. Her relationship with her husband and her dependence on him for safety and comfort is so true to life. I loved their "honeymoon." I especially liked when they are talking to each other in different languages, but it still brings them closer together. Story of my life! Men and women rarely speak the same language. But I know when I take the time to talk to my husband and tell him everything, I always fell closer to him.
Really I have a thing for Indians. If you didn't know that about me, now you do. I just find that culture so intriguing. My favorite parts were when she was describing everyday life with the tribe and within her family.
I also loved all the other women. They made me laugh and cry. My two favorites were Sara and Miss Lovelace. Sara seemed so young and innocent. I felt a sad for her, because she probably experienced some horrible things to become mute. It made me so happy when she was happy. To me it is no small miracle that she learned how to be happy and successful. Daisy Lovelace was a very dynamic character. She held onto the past and the love for her father by saying completely inappropriate things. However, it was obvious that her words did not match her feelings. She loved her husband, the Indians, and Phemie. I thought she showed a lot of bravery as well. I loved that she brought her white lace wedding dress. She was committed.
There are so many things I could say about this book. There are so many dimensions of the book to talk about and so many relationships. It is like I don't even know where to start or which parts are most important. So I guess this is it!
Monday, March 29, 2010
1000 White Women
March Book of The Month1000 White Women: Journal of May Dodd
An American western with a most unusual twist, this is an imaginative fictional account of the participation of May Dodd and others in the controversial "Brides for Indians" program, a clandestine U.S. government^-sponsored program intended to instruct "savages" in the ways of civilization and to assimilate the Indians into white culture through the offspring of these unions. May's personal journals, loaded with humor and intelligent reflection, describe the adventures of some very colorful white brides (including one black one), their marriages to Cheyenne warriors, and the natural abundance of life on the prairie before the final press of the white man's civilization. Fergus is gifted in his ability to portray the perceptions and emotions of women. He writes with tremendous insight and sensitivity about the individual community and the political and religious issues of the time, many of which are still relevant today. This book is artistically rendered with meticulous attention to small details that bring to life the daily concerns of a group of hardy souls at a pivotal time in U.S. history.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Help
Oh, I loved this book so much! It took me a while to get through it because of schoolwork, every night I had this conflict read until 4AM because its already 3:30 or wait till I really have time. Well school won, but I finally finished it and I finished it in the most perfect place. New York City at age 24, just like Miss Skeeter.
I felt like I could relate the most to Aibileen. She is the kind of person who is always there for others and always "tryin to do good by 'em," and I feel myself in that position a lot. I worry so much about what other people think or how people will perceive me, like the women in the junior league, that I forget what a great friend I am or how I try so hard to make others feel good. I loved how she treated Mae Mobley (yeah what kind of name is that!?) and how she tried so hard not to let her be influenced by prejudice.
Growing up in rural Idaho I didn't know much about segregation or understand much passed Martian Luther King Jr or Rosa Parks. This book actually sparked a lot of amazing conversations with my mother, who grew up in Southern Iowa. She told me stories about how she was in a play with a black boy and my grandpa wouldn't let them practice at her home. It wasn't until he heard my mom and Ray sing together that his feelings changed. It really struck me how when we are faced with a more personal side of someone, then we hear them sing, read their account of working for a white family, that we really begin to see passed these boundaries that someone places in our way. After the book came out a lot of women realized that their housekeepers where more than just housekeepers to them. I loved when Lou Ann said she wouldn't fire Louvinia, and when Mister Johnny told Minny you'll always have a job here. Those successes, and breaking the boundaries between black and white became my favorite moments.
I also related quite well to Skeeter's relationship with her mother. I feel that it is similar to the relationship I have with my grandmother, and I sometimes wondered if my mom felt like Skeeter some of the time because my grandma is so similar to Skeeter's mom. My favorite moment was with the Shine o matic, and the first results i laughed so hard.
In closing these thoughts I would just like to say I'm so glad we chose this book, and if I was in the junior league I wouldn't vote hilly holbrook as president.
I felt like I could relate the most to Aibileen. She is the kind of person who is always there for others and always "tryin to do good by 'em," and I feel myself in that position a lot. I worry so much about what other people think or how people will perceive me, like the women in the junior league, that I forget what a great friend I am or how I try so hard to make others feel good. I loved how she treated Mae Mobley (yeah what kind of name is that!?) and how she tried so hard not to let her be influenced by prejudice.
Growing up in rural Idaho I didn't know much about segregation or understand much passed Martian Luther King Jr or Rosa Parks. This book actually sparked a lot of amazing conversations with my mother, who grew up in Southern Iowa. She told me stories about how she was in a play with a black boy and my grandpa wouldn't let them practice at her home. It wasn't until he heard my mom and Ray sing together that his feelings changed. It really struck me how when we are faced with a more personal side of someone, then we hear them sing, read their account of working for a white family, that we really begin to see passed these boundaries that someone places in our way. After the book came out a lot of women realized that their housekeepers where more than just housekeepers to them. I loved when Lou Ann said she wouldn't fire Louvinia, and when Mister Johnny told Minny you'll always have a job here. Those successes, and breaking the boundaries between black and white became my favorite moments.
I also related quite well to Skeeter's relationship with her mother. I feel that it is similar to the relationship I have with my grandmother, and I sometimes wondered if my mom felt like Skeeter some of the time because my grandma is so similar to Skeeter's mom. My favorite moment was with the Shine o matic, and the first results i laughed so hard.
In closing these thoughts I would just like to say I'm so glad we chose this book, and if I was in the junior league I wouldn't vote hilly holbrook as president.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Help
I loved this book as well. I flew through it and stayed up reading chapter after chapter. I love this time in history - the music, the political issues, the fashion, the design.
It always is so amazing to me that things were so segregated. These times were only 40-50 years ago, they were in our parents and grandparents time.
I also love that the story really honed into the lives of the women. I love stories about women and their trials and triumphs. I feel like I can put myself in their shoes and really relate or see into their lives. I loved this book that it gave us a good insight into many different women's lives.
I really felt for Abileen having lost her son and in a way her daughter. She was pretty much alone and the family she "helped" became her family. She was such a sweet and humble character.
I found Miss Celia's situation interesting. She came from a modest background and married Johnny putting her into a so called "higher class." Yet, she didn't fit in and everybody knew it. I couldn't help but feel so embarrassed for her at the charity event. She was such a sweet lady to Minny, she didn't treat her like "help" she wanted to be her friend. It seemed like she may have joined Skeeter?
Skeeter- I loved Skeeter, I want to say I would be most like her, but in actuality I don't know if I would have those kind of guts. As much as I want to change the world and make a difference I usually take the safe side. When it comes to fight or flight, I usually take the flight approach.
I agree with Abby that I don't think she knew quite what she was getting into. I thought it was going to work out with Stuart. I thought he was better than that, I thought he would have been ok with her writing and her ambitions.
Hilly - I can't believe Hilly had so much influence over all the other ladies! I guess we have all had one of those friends in our lives. I think mine was in middle school I would have done anything - just to be her friend and one of the "cool girls." I was glad to see some of the ladies sticking to their guns at the end and not firing their "help."
Elizabeth - Reminds me of so many women (and men) today who let other things in their lives be a priority over family. I see it at work with my bosses kids who spend maybe an hour and half with their parents a day and when they are at the office - all they want is their moms attention and praise. It would be tough to grow up with a mom like that. Thankfully Mae Mobley had Abileen to sort of be her mother figure. (And what kind of name is Mae Mobley??)
Anyway, I loved this book. I have been done for a week now and still think about it and analyze it. Good Read! Can't wait for many more to come!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
My Thoughts on The Help
I have to be honest...I finished this book like 3 weeks ago. I loved it. There are so many reasons why it kept my attention and had me hooked. I really felt like I could relate to so many characters in this book. So here is my run down:
The beginning of the book really grabbed me because I lived in Jackson, MS for 2 years. Well, technically I lived in Madison (which is where Miss Celia lives), but I worked in Jackson. I had friends that lived in Jackson. I liked that I was able to picture the neighborhoods and streets she was talking about. Of course, she was describing them as they were 40 years before I lived there, but I felt like I was there. I love that she was so specific about the streets and the names and the neighborhoods.
What I really enjoyed most was her characterization of people. Of course I loved Miss Skeeter. She is everything I would have wanted to be if I had lived in the civil rights era. The idealist in me wishes I could find a cause that would make a difference. I think the best part about her though really is her innocence. I don't think she had any idea when she started her project what she was doing. I love when she talks about how hard it is to hear them mention comments she has made that she never thought would offend people. It makes me think of how often we do this to people in our own lives.
Although my intentions would be to be like Skeeter, I know that really I would be hard headed like Minny. She is superwoman on the outside, but she is still human. She still worries that she won't have a job next week, but she sticks up for herself.
I think there is even a little bit of Hilly in all of us. This book really did make me think about how much we are like this Junior League even now. While it might not be as formal as this, there is always an agenda. You always want to be liked. You always want the approval of your peers. That is just human. I think that especially since I got married, I feel a need to be seen as a contributing member of society, a good wife, and be accepted by those around me, especially my friends. I don't want to fall behind or get left behind. Throughout the book there is an inner struggle in Miss Skeeter. She wants to write the book for her career and her new found relationships with the women she is meeting with, but she is always wanting to be with her friends and have their acceptance as well.
I have been thinking about the protagonist/antagonist of this book. What I have decided is that it is not just one person, but that the ideas and ideals that take these positions. There is obviously two very distinct ideas in this book. One deals with loving all people and the other deals with only loving yourself. It is obvious in the end which one will win (if you can't already guess). I do think that each character in the book represents a specific identity or personality trait. I can't end without talking about Aibileen. She represents love. Love for others and self respect enough to love herself. In the end, she is really the kind of woman that we should all strive to be: brave, strong, self respecting, loving, nurturing, hard working.
I loved this book! I am glad that we chose it for the first one!
PS I have a suggestion for our next book. I have heard that the book One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus, is really good. Check it out and let me know what you guys think!
The beginning of the book really grabbed me because I lived in Jackson, MS for 2 years. Well, technically I lived in Madison (which is where Miss Celia lives), but I worked in Jackson. I had friends that lived in Jackson. I liked that I was able to picture the neighborhoods and streets she was talking about. Of course, she was describing them as they were 40 years before I lived there, but I felt like I was there. I love that she was so specific about the streets and the names and the neighborhoods.
What I really enjoyed most was her characterization of people. Of course I loved Miss Skeeter. She is everything I would have wanted to be if I had lived in the civil rights era. The idealist in me wishes I could find a cause that would make a difference. I think the best part about her though really is her innocence. I don't think she had any idea when she started her project what she was doing. I love when she talks about how hard it is to hear them mention comments she has made that she never thought would offend people. It makes me think of how often we do this to people in our own lives.
Although my intentions would be to be like Skeeter, I know that really I would be hard headed like Minny. She is superwoman on the outside, but she is still human. She still worries that she won't have a job next week, but she sticks up for herself.
I think there is even a little bit of Hilly in all of us. This book really did make me think about how much we are like this Junior League even now. While it might not be as formal as this, there is always an agenda. You always want to be liked. You always want the approval of your peers. That is just human. I think that especially since I got married, I feel a need to be seen as a contributing member of society, a good wife, and be accepted by those around me, especially my friends. I don't want to fall behind or get left behind. Throughout the book there is an inner struggle in Miss Skeeter. She wants to write the book for her career and her new found relationships with the women she is meeting with, but she is always wanting to be with her friends and have their acceptance as well.
I have been thinking about the protagonist/antagonist of this book. What I have decided is that it is not just one person, but that the ideas and ideals that take these positions. There is obviously two very distinct ideas in this book. One deals with loving all people and the other deals with only loving yourself. It is obvious in the end which one will win (if you can't already guess). I do think that each character in the book represents a specific identity or personality trait. I can't end without talking about Aibileen. She represents love. Love for others and self respect enough to love herself. In the end, she is really the kind of woman that we should all strive to be: brave, strong, self respecting, loving, nurturing, hard working.
I loved this book! I am glad that we chose it for the first one!
PS I have a suggestion for our next book. I have heard that the book One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus, is really good. Check it out and let me know what you guys think!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Completion Date
So I got my book in the mail yesterday! I started reading it and got through about 35 pages. The book is 450 pages long - I think we should extend our deadline and try to be finished by the last day in February. Any objection?
DUE DATE: FEBRUARY 28
Also, we should choose our next book by February 21 so we can find a copy with in the week. Who wants to choose?!
DUE DATE: FEBRUARY 28
Also, we should choose our next book by February 21 so we can find a copy with in the week. Who wants to choose?!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Help
The first book of the book club is The Help, unless anyone has already read it or is not interested. I wanted to read this book when I read a blog post on "A Cup of Jo" where she asked her readers to give her a new read. Out of 297 responses, it seemed like half of them suggested this book. It makes me think it must be a good read!
I found this book on amazon for $9.50 - -
http://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399155341
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. What perfect timing for this optimistic, uplifting debut novel (and maiden publication of Amy Einhorn's new imprint) set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history, this one has bestseller written all over it.
What should our "read by" timeline be?
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