In November, the La Crescenta Library Book Club discussed The Dream Lover , Elizabeth Berg's historical novel on the life of George Sand. It is pretty rare that during the discussion, members are on opposite sides of the like scale, but this book generated polarized opinions which made for quite an interesting discussion. Personally, I didn't know much about George Sand prior to this, so I found it interesting to learn more about this proto-feminist figure.
Salons where great ideas were discussed were de rigeur during Sand's Age of Enlightenment and George Sand's Salon at Nohant was perhaps one of the greatest--Chopin, Dumas, Turgenev, Balzac, Flaubert and other notables were her comraderies.
One of the questions that we discussed, is how do book clubs today compare to salons in Sand's time.
The discussion that followed, made me realize how much value our book club has added to the members' lives. One member said that she came to book club because as she reads, thoughts swirl in her mind and she wanted to have a real discussion with like minded people. I believe that variations on this theme is what keeps our book club robust with twenty or so people in regular attendance.
Gradually, people began to give specific instances of how books that we discussed had changed their lives. One member sited, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki as a book that has changed the direction of her own life. In this book, the protagonist's grandmother is a Buddhist nun. Ozeki does such a great job with this character, that whenever it is like the arrival of a wise old friend when she appears in the book. She is someone that you would like to drink a cup of tea with just to hear her wisdom.
Because of Ozeki's skill in bringing the grandmother to life, the book club member has become so interested in Buddhism that she has begun attending weekly meditation classes at our local ashram. She says that she is finding more balance in her life as a result and the introduction through the book was an expanding moment for her.
In a similar vein, a couple of years ago, the book club read several books on the El Caminio de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage in Spain. Initially, we were slated to read The Camino, Shirley MacClaine's account of her experience on the trail. Once I read the book, I decided that comparing and contrasting several different accounts might prove to be a better discussion. In all the club had about 7 titles to choose from and the discussion was very rewarding. Several months later, a member told me that she had booked a tour with her daughter and two granddaughters to walk the 80K that gives you the right to call yourself a pilgrim. She says that this was one of the greatest experiences of her life and she would never have considered it if her imagination had not been sparked by the book club. Another member said that one of the most enjoyable books that he has read but would never have considered was another book from the discussion: a rather humorous account by Tim Moore: Travels with My Donkey: one man and his ass on a Pilgrimage to Santiago.
A memorable book club discussion for me was when we discussed Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Seypts. During this discussion, a member invited a Latvian couple that he had me in a memoir writing class to join us. This couple were children in Latvia during World War II. Their memories of the period--the fear, the heartache, and later shame prevented them from being able to openly share their experiences. I never considered the untenable position that the Latvians were in. The choice was to either support Hitler to the west in hopes that they would be protected from the Soviets or face sure genocide from Moscow. At the end of World War II--Stalin's Gulags held 5.5 million people with 6% of them from the tiny Baltic Republics of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania which does not count those that died or those that fled. Essentially no one was left unscathed. Because Latvia support the Nazi's--devil in your back yard as opposed to the wolf at the door--the atrociites of the Soviet Regime have largely gone untold. It was a very moving evening.
This year we had a very amusing discussion on The Life
Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Mari Kondo. One member found that it was the answer she had been searching for in paring down her possessions. She embraced its message whole heartedly and has let go of all those things that she felt she had to hold on to. She says that she found it liberating and her living space is now one that brings her great joy. Other members were more dubious. The memory of the discussion brings a smile to my face.
Other member's told of other books that left impressions on them. But I think the greatest life changing magic of all is that in past years we did not meet in December due to the holidays bookending the 4th Tuesday of the month. This year, several members ask if we could get together for a social gathering instead of not meeting at all. So last week, that is what we did. About 20 of us came together and had a wonderful evening. The highlight of the evening for everyone was when people in turn shared their most memorable holiday experiences. One member told us of traveling on a train with her dancer mother who had snagged a
Christmas tree on the way to the train station. The troupe set up the tree in the Men's Room as that was the only outlet available and sang carols so boisterously that other people in other cars began to join in. Another member added that her family always put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve--it wasn't until later she learned the reason was because at that time in New York City, Christmas trees were given away free on Christmas Eve. Another member recounted that also in New York, her newly immigrant parents were so poor that they resorted to wrapping empty boxes and putting them under the sewing machine to celebrate the holiday. Years later another immigrant upon hearing the story asked to buy this very machine because he felt that it was the true symbol and embodiment what it meant to become an American. We ended the evening, with good will, good cheer and anticipation of another year of life-changing discussion.
Below is the list of books that we will discuss in book club this year:
Tuesday, January 24—The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett This 1930 classic set the standard for all future detective stories. On Saturday, February 4, 2017 we will have a mystery theater presentation.
Tuesday, February 28 — A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” When the new neighbors accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale.
Tuesday, March 28 — The Race for Paris by Meg Waite Clayton Celebrate Women’s History Month with this inspiring fictional account of women reporters in World War II that refused the No Women at the Front order.
Tuesday, April 25— Under Wraps Select one or more of the wrapped books. Each member will discuss the book they read.
Tuesday, May 23 — The Muse by Jesse Burton Odelle Bastien, a Caribbean émigré living in London in 1967, discovers a painting rumored to be the work of Isaac Robles whose mysterious death confounded the art world.
Tuesday, June 27 — The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee Weaving science, social history, and personal narrative to tell us the story of the most important conceptual breakthrough of modern times.
Tuesday, July 25 — One Summer: 1927 by Bill Bryson From the bestselling author Bill Bryson comes his unique and informative take on the story of a pivotal cultural year.
Tuesday, August 22 —The Art Forger by Beverly Shapiro Shunned by the art world, talented artist Clare finds it impossible to refuse gallery owner Aiden Markel’s provocative offer.
Tuesday, September 26 — Defending Jacob by William Landay Respectable ADA Andy Harper is blindsided when his son Jacob is charged for a heinous crime.
Tuesday, October 24— Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman In her haunting yet masterful way, Hoffman weaves fact and fiction to tell the story of Camille Pissarro, the Father of Impressionism.
Tuesday, November 28 — Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet. So begins the story of this exquisite debut novel, about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio.