From the Timely and Timeless book discussion group on May 28, 2013.
This refreshingly fun read is a good beginning to a new season, with an irreverent attorney who seems to love his best pal Tara more than anything else. Tara is his golden retriever. But as an attorney, Andy Carpenter is rule bending and is totally original in his approach to his work in the courtroom. There are lots of mysteries for Andy to try to solve including an unexplained $22 million legacy from his father.
It is always nice to revisit Brew Ha for our meetings. The seating was conducive to a wonderful discussion. With nine of us in attendance, it was great to enjoy all of your thoughts on Open and Shut. The comments were overwhelmingly positive. This book rated an average 4.6 out of 5 on our scale. Though not "great literature," it was a fun and funny read. The irreverent character of Andy Carpenter had a certain endearing persona and the plot of this mystery moved along in true storyteller fashion. Though a few holes in the plot were observed by some, and for others the villain was identified about half way through, it proved to be a nice change of pace that was greatly enjoyed. David Rosenfelt is a prolific writer and this was the first in his series of Andy Carpenter books. Thank you Laura for this pick.
We did a straw poll about the average number of books our group reads each month. The numbers were both gratifying and intimidating. These folks are reading from 2 books to numbers in the mid teens each month. Most are reading 5 or 6 books a month. What a wealth of reading experiences these great people bring to our discussions. Just being able to listen makes coming to meetings such a joy.
Looking Ahead
As summer weather starts settling in, we will have some good reading for these longer days. With authors Alan Brennert, Barbara Kingsolver and Sarah Blake, I think we will find interesting and well written books to pass the time. All three are new authors to our Timely and Timeless list.
Tuesday, June 25 - Moloka'i - by Alan Brennert
This is a story of survival in the face of unimaginable circumstances. The story starts with a young child and her separation from her family as a result of contracting leprosy. Rachel Kalama is a wholly likeable character who grows up amid the horrors of a community afflicted with this disfiguring and lethal disease. Ultimately, it is a love story of hope and perseverance.
Some of the group have read this book already. It should provide lots of discussion points. The lessons of this book deal with courage and grace. Though most of the characters are amalgamations of real life people, there are some actual historical figures in the book. The events and places described are drawn from historical facts. Other reading to compliment this book are James Michner's sweeping historical novel, Hawaii, and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Ford's work deals with the same sort of forced segregation of a group pf people and the stigmatization that was forced upon them.
Alan Brennert, a native of New Jersey, has written two novels dealing with Hawaii. In addition to our June selection, Maloka'i, that was published in 2003, he wrote Honolulu that was published in 2009. Mr. Brennert was born in 1954 and has had a successful career not only as a novelist, but also as a screenwriter and producer in television, winning several screen awards for LA LAW. His most recent work, which was published this spring, Palisades Park, is an ode to his home state.
Tuesday, July 23 - The Poisonwood Bible - by Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver is such a wonderful writer, and she is enjoying a lot of attention for her work. She has published 14 works over 24 years. This book will challenge your ideas and expand your awareness of the world of the Congo in the 1960's. I feel that this book is an important piece to have in our cultural field of reference.
Barbara Kingsolver was born in rural Kentucky and graduated with degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona. She has published 14 novels to date including The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, The Lacuna and Flight Behavior. Having traveled and lived all over the world, her writing has absorbed those influences and they have enriched her prose. Her writing is clear, crisp and engaging. Here are a few quotes that demonstrates the evocative qualities of her work.
"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. The most you can do is live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides."
"Everything you're sure is right can be wrong in another place."
"What keeps me awake at the wheel is the thrill of trying something completely new with each book. I’m not a risk-taker in life, generally speaking, but as a writer I definitely choose the fast car, the impossible rock face, the free fall."
— Barbara Kingsolver
Tuesday, August 27 - The Postmistress - by Sarah Blake
Sarah Blake is a new author for me. Her novel The Postmistress has received much notice and was highly praised by Kathryn Sockett, author of The Help. Published in 2011, this is her second novel. Her first novel was a mystery, Grange House, published in 2001. Ms. Blake is a literature professor with a PHd in Victorian literature. She has also taught fiction workshops at institutions including the University of Maryland and George Washington University. Our August selection by Ms. Blake, The Postmistress, is set in the time of WWII. The story revolves around four Americans, two of whom are active participants during the bombing in London.
--Susan
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