Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

On Wednesday the 14^th we met at Marcia’s smartly decorated home.  There were Christmas decorations tucked in corners and on shelves all intermingling beautifully with her antiques and collector items.  While the classy holiday atmosphere filled our visual senses, our hostess filled our stomachs with hot stuffed chicken served on a bed of wild rice and mushroom gravy, and a broccoli and cauliflower salad.  Our dessert offerings were a pecan shortbread and in the spirit of our book’s theme, the Forgotten Cookies.  We also sampled some of the homemade peanut brittle JoAnn so graciously gifted each of us.  It was noted that the Fiction Addiction Bookclub ladies have now been together for two years.  What a fun time we have had and what a lot of books we have read!  And so I lift a glass of holiday cheer and offer a toast to my fellow bibliophiles and dear friends, “May your spine be strong, your pages many, your storyline scintillating and may you live happily ever after!”

 Before we parted we stopped to pose in front of Marcia’s sparkling Christmas tree.

Synopsis:

Christine Lucas suffered a tragic accident twenty years earlier which damaged her capacity to retain her memory.  As an amnesiac, once Christine goes to sleep at night, her memory is erased and when she awakes in the morning she is always shocked to find that she is married and 47 years old.  In her mind, Christine believes herself to still be in her twenties or younger.  Her husband, Ben, patiently explains things to her each morning helping her to adjust to the reality of her current life.  Or is it truly her reality?  With the help of her journal, Christine begins to recover lost memories and unravel the mysteries surrounding her current life.

Comments:
This storyline was reminiscent of the movie 50 First Dates with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, but without the comedic relief.  Another FAB member remarked that this book was the woman’s version of the movie Fatal Attraction. 

We liked that the story was interesting enough to hook us in from the beginning and keep us reading as we tried to solve the mystery along with Christine.  Although not a deep, thought-provoking story, it still managed to keep the final mystery a secret from all of us until the end.  However, we did have some questions about some of the plot.  How come no other doctors ever suggested the journaling idea during her twenty years of being under the daily care of medical professionals?  And would a single man really have stuck around for 20 years waiting for his chance to be with a woman who is already married and has no recollection of him?  We also questioned the reality of Christine being able to meet with Dr. Nash without being detected.  And so for some of us there was the nagging thought as we were reading that this was just too unrealistic.

We did find a commonality with Christine when she spoke about being shocked each morning to see how she had aged.  Despite none of us having amnesia, we find it difficult at times to adjust the image of how we look in our mind’s eye to what our mirrors reflect back at us!  “I reach for the soap, but something is wrong…The hand gripping the soap does not look like mine.  Its skin is wrinkled…The face I see looking back at me is not my own….the skin on the cheeks and under the chin sags; the lips are thin; the mouth turned down.” (Christine on page 8).  We laughed along with Brenda when she shared that she looks in the mirror and says, “That’s not my face!  That’s my mother’s face!”  We also confessed that we understood the disappointment Christine felt in the following quote:  “A young man wearing jeans and a T-shirt comes in and glances over to where we sit, before ordering a drink and settling at a table with the newspaper.  He does not look up at me again, and the twenty-year old me is upset.  I feel as though I am invisible.”  (p. 26)


Most Memorable Quote:
“I cannot imagine how I will cope when I discover that my life is behind me, has already happened, and I have nothing to show for it.  No treasure house of recollection, no wealth of experience, no accumulated wisdom to pass on.  What are we, if not an accumulation of our memories?” p. 115

FAB Rating:

*** ½ (3-1/2 stars out of 5)
It was a good first book for a new author.  The plot hooked you and made you want to keep reading.  It was amazing when we went back and figured out that the elapsed time was actually just one day as Christine re-read her 3 week old journal.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

With a slight breeze whispering through the screen door on a beautiful Texas Fall day, we met in Diana's home.  We gathered around her cozy kitchen table enjoying each other's company and a satisfying lunch of chicken salad pitas, fresh honeydew melon, and samosas.  Samosas are a stuffed pastry and popular snack in the Indian Subcontinent, and were mentioned in our book this month.  The samosas were a first-time experience for most of us and proved to be quite tasty.  Our taste buds were then delighted with a limoncello cake and some actual limoncello to drink along with it...for digestive purposes only, of course!  

How To Make LIMONCELLO:  Finely grate the zest of 12 lemons. In a large jar, combine the zest and one 750 milliliter bottle good vodka. Seal tightly and place in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve ½ cup sugar in ½ cup water. Let chill.  Using a sieve lined with cheesecloth, set over a bowl, strain the vodka mixture. Stir the sugar syrup into it. Use a funnel to pour into a 1-liter bottle and seal. Place in a cool, dark place for 1 week, then chill in the freezer until ready to serve.


  Synopsis:
Major Pettigrew is a retired, older gentleman who appears to be complacently set in his ways.  However, when the Major's only brother unexpectedly dies, in steps Mrs. Ali to shake up his world and set the Major on an adventure he could not have anticipated.  New and interesting characters enter his life and the Major finds himself stretching beyond his usual stiff and proper British response to handle these new people and the situations they create within his village life.  It is a story of romance, but also a lesson on tolerance, true friendship, and the value in taking a risk when necessary.

Comments:
The majority of us agreed that this book started out rather slow and so we had some difficulty motivating ourselves to continue to read.  Perhaps it was because the main character, Major Pettigrew, himself was rather slow moving, dry, and more of an observer in his own life in those beginning chapters.  However, as the Major became more involved and the characters began to develop and grow, we found ourselves lured into this story.

As stiff, regimented, judgemental, and proper as the Major was at the start of this book, it was a delight to see him transformed into a more tolerant, forgiving, bold, likeable man.  It is amazing what a woman can do to a man!  Mrs. Ali was a lovely woman, but her intellect was what we felt made her most attractive as the Major fell in love with her.  She was a kind and humble woman who strove to peacefully exist in two different cultures:  British and Pakistani.

In sharp contrast to the Major, we were not any more pleased with Roger's character at the end of the story as we were at the beginning.  We found the Major's son to be self-centered, greedy, and quite plainly a jerk.  He did not treat his father with respect and as it turns out, he was not too respectful of the women he dated, either.  It appeared that he used women to help better his position in life or to impress others.  We agreed that the following quote was an apt summation of the difference between the father and the son:  Roger - "It's called the real world.  If we refused to do business with the morally questionable, the deal volume would drop in half and the good guys like us would end up poor.  Then where would we all be?"  Major - "On a nice dry spit of land known as the moral high ground?"

We truly liked Grace's character.  Although timid and unsure of herself when around Daisy, Grace had her moments of boldness.  She showed genuine love for the Major when she urged him to go after Jasmina even as he was awkwardly attempting to claim his intentions to Grace of settling down with her.  As one of the FAB girls stated, "Grace saved the Major from himself!"

The Churchills and the family feuding and friction they created was an interesting topic of discussion for our group.  Although we could not fathom putting material possessions ahead of relationships, a few of us had familial stories to share of similar incidents.  (Now any relatives of ours who read the blog will be extremely curious, but I will say no more!)

As a group we objected to the interjection of the old lady who stabbed Amina with the knitting needles.  We laughed in agreement when Diana said it reminded her of one of Disney's evil characters.  She appeared to be out of character with the story and setting.

Most Memorable Quotes:
Humorous / p. 168 - "You are a most astonishing man," [Jasmina] said, and [the Major] realized he had inspired a sense of trust and indebtedness that would make it entirely impossible for an honorable man to attempt to kiss her anytime soon.  He cursed himself for a fool."

Serious / p. 341 - The Major talks to Abdul Wahid on the edge of the cliff: "I think we wake up every day with high intentions and by dusk we have routinely fallen short.  Sometimes I think God created the darkness just so he didn't have to look at us all the time."

FAB Rating:
**** (4 out of 5 stars)
There was great variation in the characters and their development throughout the story.  With so many characters in the story, the author still managed to make even the minor ones such as Brian and Alice interesting and memorable.  The descriptions of the English countryside and cottages were vividly beautiful.

"Dreams of Joy" by Lisa See

If you detect an unfamiliar hand in this month’s account, firstly, you are very sharp! And secondly, you’re quite right.  Jonetta, our resident blogger, had so many other demands on her this week that she asked me if I would report on our activities.  I am a poor substitute at best, but don’t despair, Jonetta will be back.

October 12 was a beautiful day here, a hint cooler, and perfect for a drive into Austin for a gathering of the FABs.  Beverly has moved so we assembled from three different directions to help celebrate her beautiful new home with lunch and a discussion of our latest book.  Of course we pre-ordered Chinese take-out, so there was a table full of delicious choices.  I sampled everything, had seconds on the Beef and Broccoli, and topped it off with Beverly’s cake, fresh fruit and fortune cookies. 

Synopsis:

“Dreams of Joy” is the second Lisa See book we’ve read; it continues the story of the Chin sisters which began in “Shanghai Girls”.  May and Pearl’s life was picture book perfect; they were the pampered daughters of a well to do family, famous as models for a series of “Beautiful Girls” posters, and they were both in love with Li Zhi-Ge, the artist who painted those posters.  Then the world collapsed around their ears: Z.G. only loved May; they had an affair and she learned she was pregnant just as her father announced that he was bankrupt and had sold both girls into arranged marriages with “Gold Mountain Men”, that is, Chinese men working in California.  As they are preparing to leave China  the Japanese invade and they make it to the United States only after much suffering, the death of their mother, and the birth of baby Joy.  Before they meet their new husbands, May tells Pearl that she isn’t capable of raising a baby and Pearl agrees to present Joy as her baby.

The second book begins in l957 with Joy, now an idealistic college girl, caught up in a movement that supports Communist China.  That involvement brings about a family tragedy and when she also learns that she is May’s child, rather than Pearl’s, she runs away.  She is seeking her father and the purer life that Communism promises in China.  This book tells the dramatic story of her trip into the cities and villages of that vast country during Chairman Mao’s reign.  Although Joy reconciles with her father, and makes a place for herself among the people of the Green Dragon Commune, she ends with most of her dreams destroyed.  Ultimately she finds that the only person she can completely rely on is the one she ran away from, her adopted mother.  Pearl followed Joy to China, and she is an important part of the story, in fact, alternating chapters are from her point of view.  She endures hardships and danger, but she saves her daughter and brings the family back together.

The author has obviously done a lot of research and draws her pictures in great detail.  We end this book knowing a lot about l950's China, from the planting practices in the communes to the menus of the lavish banquets of the Party officials.  The decimation of the countryside under Mao’s ill-conceived “Great Leap Forward” is vividly portrayed, and heartbreaking.  Ms. Lee lists a lengthy bibliography in the Acknowledgments; she may realize that many of the horrible stories from the time of the famine are almost unbelievable and we need to confirm that human beings would behave as she describes.

Comments:

The majority of the FABs liked this book very much, several even more than “Shanghai Girls”.  Marcia mentioned that she liked learning the history about that time in China added to an interesting story.   Brenda agreed, saying that it gave us insights into a time few Westerners knew much about.  Several members believed this book, like the first, was deliberately left open-ended, and expect a continuation of the story in another book.

Favorite Quotations:

“I’m going to have a baby, I’m going to launch a Sputnik (commune term for “do a bold thing”), I’m going to right things with my husband, and along the way I hope to protect myself from the peasants and find my true self.”  Joy, p. 229

“...in acting as Joy’s aunt for nineteen years.  She (May) kept the secret.  She honored her daughter and me by keeping that secret.”  Pearl, p. 43

 "Life is what it is, and she's living it as a Dragon should -- never accepting defeat." Joy, referring to her mother, Pearl.

Ratings:

(****) 4 out of 5 stars 

"Abandoned and Forgotten: An Orphan Girl's Tale of Survival During World War II" by Evelyne Tannehill

On Wednesday, September 14th, we met for our monthly book club discussion at Jonetta's home.  Home...a simple word, yet with the recent tragic events in our community it certainly evokes various strong emotions among us FAB girls.  Three out of the six of us were evacuated from our homes when the Bastrop County Complex fires began on Sunday the 4th.  Sadly, only two of us were able to return to our home after 4 days' time.  Our hearts hurt for our FAB friend, Brenda, with the loss of her beautiful home and precious heirlooms and keepsakes.  If the amount of love and compassion we feel for you, Brenda, equated to dollars, you would have a ransom to build a mansion!!  May God's peace and protection be yours to claim as you move forward in your life.  We love you!

It was a baked potato lunch in honor of the 47 times the word potato was mentioned in the book!  Add to the potato main dish a spinach salad, fresh fruit bowl, muffins, and a baked apple cinnamon ring topped with vanilla ice cream, and you have some stuffed FAB ladies.

Synopsis:
Evelyne Tannehill (Eva) has recorded the events of her life during World War II, particularly during the takeover of her homeland East Prussia by the Russians.  Eva is only a child of nine years old when she is forced to flee from her beloved farm with her family.  As she hides out, forages for food, watches her family members disappear one by one, and does her best to fend for herself, Eva continually seeks to be reunited with those whom she loves.  It is a long journey filled with pain, hunger, servitude, illness, and more horror than a young child should ever have to witness, much less live through.  Ms. Tannehill's fascinating story has given us another view of World War II events which for the most part has been largely overshadowed by the Holocaust atrocities.

Comments:
We thought it quite odd that this book was not available in our local libraries, much less any bookstores. If you do want to read this book, then Amazon.com (Kindle) is your best bet.  It is a story which grips you from the start with Eva's child view of her family, farm, and stories of her mischievious acts.  This story is written in a manner which makes the reader feel as if the author is sitting right there and just simply sharing her walk down memory lane with you.  It is amazing to us how much Ms. Tannehill can remember of her childhood.  We speculated on whether her amazing memory could be attributed to interviewing her older siblings and other relatives and acquaintances who also lived through this tragedy, or if the horrific events of that time made such an indelible impression on her young mind that even the minute day to day occurrences around her were preserved with them.

Fairy Tales played a significant role in Eva's life.  Her Oma would delight her with such scary tales, but when Eva would find herself alone, her vivid imagination would take over and fill her with dreadful fear.  Later on, without the security of parents and home, those stories fed her imagination and stole her courage when she most needed it.  "Her [Oma] stories dealt with good and evil characters, and with the severe punishment of disobedient children." (p. 14)  Our own FAB girl, JoAnn, shared how in the Hispanic culture they had similar stories also intended to keep children safe and from disobeying...and it worked!

We found it curiously interesting how the English prisoners who worked on her family farm were allowed so much freedom.  Especially notable to us were the CARE packages sent to the prisoners from the Swiss Red Cross and their families back in America.  Filled with "cans of corned beef, fancy crackers, special teas, real coffee, and most amazing of all, a variety of chocolate bars," we were surprised that the items actually made it to the prisoners and were not confiscated and enjoyed by the German Army instead!

Eva had a strong desire for expressed affection and love.  She states that as the youngest child she was the most spoiled but also the most neglected.  Throughout her childhood she seeks approval and affection from her mother, a woman who lives up to the stereotypical description of a stoic German.  Her father provided that physical touch Eva craved, but when he was gone she was miserable.  "I missed Father’s affection, the tender nightly sessions in his lap, and our raids on the pantry. Mother was stingy with her hugs, and she rarely showed her feelings." (p. 61).  We discussed the different love languages and how each of us has a need for love, but our methods of giving and preferred choice of receiving it are varied.  It is obvious that Eva needed the physical touch and words of affirmation for her to feel loved and secure.  However, her security was forever scarred as she endured abandonment multiple times in her childhood.

In keeping with her need for the familial bonds of love, Eva dreams of being together with her siblings. "I still hoped that once we were reunited, we would have a chance of becoming a family again and making up those lost years." (p. 397).  Of course, her siblings were grown and had moved on with their lives in America by the time Eva is reunited with her aunts.  That estrangement which Eva's own mother's siblings maintained, continued in the relationships between Eva's siblings.  Were these relationship patterns learned by observance, a product of the German race's natural stoicism, or a result of the war's disruption and disintegration of their family unit?  Eva seems to believe the latter: "We had missed growing up together and lived vastly different lives for too long, lacking the shared experiences that bind a family together. We were a family of broken lives." (p. 386)

Even though Eva's parents considered themselves Protestants, Eva did not set foot inside a church building until she was twelve years old!  Her experiences with religion were limited to what she witnessed with the Catholic Polish family and the hidden Children's Bible Stories book which she snuck out to the barn to read whenever possible.  It wasn't until she was living at the orphanage that she began religion lessons.  These lessons only brought more questions and no convincing answers. "We began to see God as someone capricious, who just toyed with our lives." (p. 332).  Even Aunt Gertrude is angry and questioning God when confronted with the atrocities her countrymen committed:  “How could God have allowed it to happen? Did he abandon us just to see how low we would sink without his divine intervention? Until someone can give me the answer, I cannot believe in anything. I’ll never understand God.” (p. 398).  We understand this confusion and frustration!  It is in our human nature to question and to seek truth, even when the answer may not be within our understanding.  Ultimately, faith must step in and bridge the gap.  "God seemed far away during those dark times, and we all had to find our own way back, while vacillating between believing and not believing. Aunt Elsbeth, whose faith remained unshaken through it all, was one of the fortunate ones." (p. 400).

Most Memorable Quotes:
"That's how life is," I said, turning to Georg.  "We don't realize how far reaching our casual acts and mindless words, good or bad, can sometimes be." (p. 426) 
This quote was made when Evelyne has returned to revisit her homeland as an adult and finds Irena who as a young girl had given the young starving Eva a slice of bread with a big red tomato.  Irena does not remember Eva or their encounter, but Eva has remembered it and cherished it as a rare moment when she was shown kindness.

"I realized that acceptance, not time, is the healer of all emotional wounds." (p. 430)
What powerful words from a woman who endured numerous emotional wounds.

FAB Rating:
**** (4 out of 5 stars)
It is undeniably a testament to the indomitable human spirit that Eva not only survived during those three years of deprivation, but that she went on to emigrate to the United States, create a successful career, and enjoy love with the family she built.  We agreed that had Eva not been precocious and strong-willed as a child, that perhaps she would not have survived her ordeal.  It is those traits that fed her resilience and gave Eva the strength to keep going even when no one would give her any hope of a better future.
We now have a more well-rounded picture of this well-known war; a side of it which we had not been told.   "Maybe it was too terrible to believe when you merely read about the horrors of war rather than lived them. It is difficult for those whose lives remained untouched and who have lost nothing to empathize with those who not only lost everything but also suffered a lot. That was the hardest to accept—the doubting stares when I as much as hinted at my troubled past." (p. 421).  We hope that by putting her story down on paper, Ms. Tannehill has found validation and peace.  Her story will not be forgotten.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

August was the first month in which we were unable to meet together.  All but one of us had already read The Help, but we chose to read it again - gladly!  We had originally planned to go see the movie together and afterwards discuss our thoughts regarding the book versus the movie.  However, our dear FAB gal, JoAnn, had surgery on August 4th to remove a left acoustic neuroma (brain tumor).  She has spent all of August recovering and dealing with more pain and setbacks than was expected.  We thank God that she is now having more good days, getting stronger, and that she allowed us to love, serve, and pray her through this past month.  This book club may have formed because of our shared passion of reading, but it has grown into a shared love and concern for one another, too.  You ladies are FABulous and I am proud to call you my friends and fellow bibliophiles!  See you in September!

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Our hostess for the month of July was Brenda and once again she outdid herself.  The chairs around the dining table were cleverly adorned with vintage aprons of varying designs and styles.  Our meal looked like it had jumped directly off the pages of a Southern Living magazine!  We indulged in homemade rolls, a sweet fruit salad, potato salad, ham, and carrot medallions.  As if that wasn't enough, we managed to make room for the decadent banana pudding straight from Paula Deen.  Typing up this meal has made me crave another helping of everything!  I'm sorry I failed to take a picture of this feast.

Synopsis:
In 1791, seven year old Lavinia is orphaned during her journey from Ireland to the United States.  The captain of the ship takes her as an indentured servant to his home where she is raised among his house slaves.  Lavinia comes to accept and love the slaves as her own family.  As she grows into a young woman, Lavinia journeys to Williamsburg for her education.  There she becomes reacquainted with the captain's son, Marshall, and marries him.  Lavinia dreams of returning to the plantation, Tall Oaks, and reuniting with her family in the hopes of improving their lives.  Lavinia does return to Tall Oaks, but finds that her attempts at fulfilling those dreams only bring about nightmarish results for her loved ones. 

Comments:
It is obvious that the author took great pains to create a realistic portrait of life during a time when America was still in its infancy and slavery was a commonly accepted practice.  The story has so much heartache and tragedy including sexual and physical abuse, murder, deceit, and the tearing apart of slave families.

Although the story is told through the eyes of two narrators, Lavinia and Belle, it is Lavinia who dominates the storyline.  Lavinia is young, vulnerable, and naive when she is first placed in the care of Belle in the kitchen house at the tender age of seven.  The story takes the reader up to the year 1810 when Lavinia is 26 years old.  However, we felt frustrated that Lavinia appeared to still be vulnerable and naive as a grown woman.  Her character did not grow and develop into the strong, decisive, and self-assured mistress of the home.  The reality of the lives of her 'adopted' slave family seemed to continually escape her.  As Belle states on page 256, "Mama says in some ways, Lavinia thinks like a child.  She don't always get what's going on.  She comes back here, wanting everything to be the same.  It's like she don't know that when she marries Marshall, she's gonna take on his world.  Mama's trying to help her see it right, but like Mama say, sometimes we got to live it out before we learn."  It would have been much more satisfying to see Lavinia act like she was capable of tackling the issues surrounding her family and for her to seek out the truth. 

We marveled at how Jamie, the mulatto son of Belle, acts with more courage and self-assurance than Lavinia.  Our musings brought us to the conclusion that perhaps because Lavinia lived and socialized with the slaves and Jamie lived and socialized with the whites, they each took on the respective roles of their mentors.  Lavinia was not raised with a sense of entitlement, despite being white, while Jamie was raised in the big house being pampered by Marshall's mother. 

Our favorite character is Mama Mae.  She is strong, loving, wise, self-sacrificing, and indispensable.  We thought she could have easily been the main character of this book and narrated the story from her viewpoint.  She knew secrets from both the main house and within the slave quarters.  She had a foot in both worlds and knew how to safely navigate both.  As she told her daughters on page 28, "I act like I don't have no mind of my own, except how to make everybody in the big house happy.  That because I mean to stay up there, and I tryin' hard to keep you girls with me."  She was a mother to all and her maternal instincts didn't falter when she helped care for an orphaned Irish waif. 

Most Memorable Quote:
"Abinia," she [Mama Mae] said, "this I know. What the color is, who the daddy be, who the mama is don't mean nothin'.  We a family, carin' for each other.  Family make us strong in times of trouble.  We all stick together, help each other out.  That the real meanin' of family.  When you grow up, you take that family feelin' with you."

FAB Rating:
***1/2 (3-1/2 out of 5 Stars)
We found it disappointing that Lavinia did not mature in a fashion which would have allowed her to truly become the mistress of her household.  We realize there are limitations to what a woman in her position could actually accomplish without injury to herself or her family, but we still hoped to see her break free of her weak mindset.  She sums it up herself quite well, "Fortunately, making myself amenable was not foreign to me, as I had lived this way for much of my life." (p. 217)
We admire that the author feels she stayed true to the characters' story.  When she tried to alter a storyline because it was leading to disturbing results, the story would die and she had to forge ahead with the more disturbing storyline.  The result is a book which is not an easy or 'feel-good' read, but it is a wonderful reminder that the bonds of family transcend color, race, and social class.

Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

Mao's Last Dancer was the initiation for the FAB ladies into Bastrop Library's "Book Club in a Bag" program.  We are thankful to Brenda for reserving the books and making sure they were all distributed to us in a timely manner.  It was so successful and easy, we chose a couple more books from their program's book list!  So here's a shout-out to Bastrop Library for being willing to try new programs and offering us book club junkies another way to get so many books at once and for free!

Michele was our hostess for June's FAB meeting.  With her new business, Franken Dog, going so well, she opted to serve us a couple of their best sellers from the menu and one new creation which may be added to the menu.  We ate hotdogs called Godzilla, the Dragon, and King Kong.  The Godzilla is mentioned first because it was my favorite!  It had avacado, tomato, sour cream, cheddar cheese, garlic salt and hot sauce on it.  The Dragon, created to honor our author's native land of China, had a spicy pineapple chili sauce, mozzarella cheese and crunchy oriental noodles.  The King Kong was a mixture of pineapple, banana, honey mustard, honey, and mozzarella cheese.  We all enjoyed sampling the various hot dogs and discovering new flavor combinations on top of a good old American hotdog!

Synopsis:
Li Cunxin is a peasant in China who at the age of eleven years is chosen to attend Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy.  He must leave his mom, dad, six brothers, and close-knit extended family to live in a dormitory with other boys chosen from all over China to train as a ballet dancer.  Li struggles in the beginning to adapt, but when he begins to put his full efforts into the dance program, his skills push him to the top of his class.  When he is chosen to attend a ballet program in Houston, Texas, Li experiences a lifestyle and freedom which he did not believe could peacefully exist.  This discovery pushes him to defect from communist China and join the Houston Ballet.  Li's success as a ballet dancer takes him around the world and eventually reunites him with his dear family.

Comments:
This true story is full of humor, frank honesty, heartbreaking poverty, loneliness, and unfailing devotion and love.  Ultimately, it is a tribute to the extraordinary parents who despite their hardships were able to raise their sons in a home filled with compassion and sacrificial love.  That foundation is what gave Li the strength and determination to become China's best ballet dancer.  "I am afraid of what is waiting for me, yet I know I have to take that first step forward.  I can't let my parents down.  I can't let my brothers down.  I am carrying their dreams as well as my own." (p. 120)

We had a lively discussion concerning what part determination and talent played in Li's success as a ballet dancer.  Although we agree that determination and perserverance played a huge role, there had to have been some talent in the form of body build and ability.  Li's brutal self-imposed practice sessions amazed us.  He was determined to make his family and China proud...and he succeeded.

The extreme poverty in which Li's family managed to live and survive truly amazed us.  They slept 4 in a bed, with someone else's feet in their face, used an outdoor hole in the ground as a toilet, ate only dried yams for weeks on end, and yet despite their lack, they willingly gave to one another.  Whether it was food, money, or a jacket, they gave up their own portion to give to whom they thought had the greater need.  This type of sacrificial love is beautiful and rare.  Their genuine poverty made us question, "What do we need to survive, really?!"

Mao's communist regime was extremely infuriating to us, especially when Li went to school for the first time.  The repetitive phrase, "I love Chairman Mao!  Long, long live Chairman Mao!" being verbally repeated and written was mind-numbing.  We talked about how Chairman Mao had replaced religion for them as the teacher told her students, "We should wish him a long long life, because we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him.  He is our savior, our sun, our moon.  Without him we'd still be in a dark world of suffering." (p. 84)  This brain-washing was compared to how Hitler had the youth trained in Germany during his reign.  He had believed in the Communist Party enough to participate in Mao's Red Guard as a young boy and later be elected as one of the three committee members of the Communist Youth Party.  It's no wonder that when Li visited America for the first time he was confused and shocked when confronted with the lies he had been taught about Westerners and about communism.

The cultural practice in China of men not hugging was a little puzzling to us when we considered how many times tears were freely shared between them and how Li freely hugged his blood brother, The Bandit, and Teacher Xiao, but only shook his father's hand.  Along with the idea of Chinese cultural practices, we were haunted by Li's third brother, Cunmao, who was given to his Aunt and Uncle to be raised as their son.  Cunmao's anger and hurt over that adoption continued even into adulthood.  It saddened us that he felt he could never make peace with it.

It was surprising to see how much China had changed when Li was allowed his first visit back to his country in 1988 after his defection nine years prior.  The Western culture has greatly influenced modern China.  However, we were impressed with the tight family unit and the great respect shown elder family members and parents in pre-modern China, and we hope that standard has not changed.

Most Memorable Quote:
Li's father may have been a man of few words, but when he did speak, he spoke with wisdom:
"Although we have no money, no food, and can't buy clothes, and although we live in a poor house, one thing we do have is PRIDE.  Pride is the most precious thing in our lives....I want every one of you to remember this: never lose your pride and dignity no matter how hard life is." (p. 19)

FAB Rating:
**** (4 out of 5 stars)
We appreciated the honesty of the author, even when it was self-incriminating.  Li showed great respect and protection for his first wife when telling their story.  His second wife, Mary, was a strong and amazing woman to travel to China, live in the rough conditions, become very ill while there and yet never utter a negative word.  Most memorable and worthy is Li's love and devotion to his niang and dia.  He credits all his success to their faithful love and support.  Li was an ordinary citizen of China granted an extraordinary opportunity.  His story is unbelievable in so many ways and we are glad he chose to record it.  As one of our ladies said, "It was a satisfying read!"

"The Hunger Games" trilogy by Suzanne Collins

As we four tributes gathered at the home of our host, Diana, we were prepared to attack and win in our own hunger games.  I mean, we were really hungry and thankfully our food was better than anything Greasy Sae would have served us!  Diana served us a tasty dish of couscous with beef stew which had olives in it.  A crisp green salad on the side completed our meal.  Of course, we left room in our bellies for the creatively designed mockingjay sugar cookies which would have rivaled Peeta's confectionary skills :)  The weather was just mild enough for us to enjoy sitting out on the back porch while we delved into all three books.

Synopsis:
Teenagers Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are chosen to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games, a game of survival against tributes selected from other districts.  The Hunger Games are an annual televised event established by the Capitol to remind the districts of their defeat when they attempted to overthrow the Capitol and to make sure the districts remain humiliated and at the mercy of the Capitol.  Katniss's and Peeta's victory will ultimately be the spark to get the fire of revolution burning again and bring about an all-out war in Panem against the intolerably cruel Capitol. 

Comments:
Although the main characters in these books are teenagers, we found the storyline and characters appealing to all age groups.  Suzanne Collins wrote about a very disturbing, yet thought provoking, subject matter: The idea that humanity could become so desensitized to the pain and death of others and/or so greedy for entertainment that they would find it amusing to watch children hunt and kill each other in an attempt to win the Hunger Games.  The obvious comparison we found ourselves making was with the innocuous reality television show "Survivor" with their alliances, foreign arenas, and entertainment value for fans.

However, the most obvious comparisons were in the form of Roman history.  The Roman influence throughout this story is strong.  The author herself said, "...I read the story of Theseus. The myth told how in punishment for past deeds, Athens periodically had to send seven youths and seven maidens to Crete where they were thrown in the Labyrinth and devoured by the monstrous Minotaur. Even as a third grader, I could appreciate the ruthlessness of this message. ‘Mess with us and we’ll do something worse than kill you. We’ll kill your children." Crete had defeated Athens in battle; the tributes were to be a lasting reminder of Crete's power and success.  So our first noted similarity is related to the youthful tributes being sent in to fight to their death in order to remind the citizens of their weakness and loss in battle.

Our second comparison was found in the Roman's love for gladiator fighting. The Hunger Games arena is very similar to the colosseum in Rome where gladiators would fight, sometimes to the death, for the entertainment of the citizens of the Empire's capitol.  In both arenas, citizens would place bets on their favorites and gladiators would have sponsors.

The third comparison we made was with Rome's taste for extravagant food and the over-indulgence of it.  The Roman's held all-day and all-night feasts where they served odd delicacies like hummingbird tongue.  When they became too full, the Romans would throw up the contents of their stomach to make room for more food.  In Catching Fire, while at a party Katniss and Peeta discover that the citizens of the Capitol are using the same binge and purge routine.  Octavia tells Peeta and Katniss, "Everyone does it, or how else would you have fun at a feast?" (p. 59)

The next comparison was the obvious use of Roman/Greek names such as Octavia, Cinna, Flavius, Castor, Pollux, Caesar, Portia, and Venia to name a few.  Interestingly, Cinna was a politician involved in the assassination plot against Julius Caesar.  This Cinna bears a strong resemblance to the book's Cinna who it appears was subtly, yet effectively, flaming the fire of rebellion through his artistic talents. 

Lastly, Panem is Latin meaning "bread."  Panem et circenses, meaning "bread and circuses," was a term used by the Roman Empire which referred to their method of keeping the population happy and peaceful with feasts and entertainment.  It was an effective political strategy, too.

We noted the clever mutations of words by the author.  The genetically altered animals used as weapons by the Capitol were called muttations or mutts for short.  The drug we would call morphine was called morphling.  The jabberjays who mated with the mockingbirds produced the mockingjay.

The physical alterations and surgical enhancements of the citizens of the Capitol were in some cases extreme, such as the dyeing of their skin and Tigris who made herself to look like an actual cat.  However, we also realized that there are some folks who today are already at that stage of altering their bodies. We wondered just how much more of this type of physical altering will become mainstream.  We appreciated Katniss's remark when she observed the extreme surgical altercations of the citizens of the Capitol: "In District 12, looking old is something of an achievement since so many people die early.  You see an elderly person, you want to congratulate them on their longevity, ask the secret of survival....But here it is different.  Wrinkles aren't desirable." (p.89 The Hunger Games) 

We were a bit surprised that Gale and Katniss did not end up getting married.  The relationship between Gale and Katniss underwent a major transformation from the first book to the end of the third book.  In the first book they were partners in crime as they hunted for food to keep their families fed.  They were best friends although it was apparent that Gale had stronger feelings for Katniss.  In the second book there is some friction as Peeta has come into the picture and declared his love for Katniss to all of Panem.  However, it is in the third book that we witnessed the cooling of their friendship.  Gale's passion for killing the enemy cannot be tempered even by Katniss's dislike for it now that she has experienced so much killing and death through the two Hunger Games she survived.  The one common activity which brough them together, killing, is the one element which tears them apart.  Gale helps defeat the Capitol in the final battle, during which Katniss's sister, Prim, is killed.  Gale was involved in the inner circle of rebellion planning and the suspicion that he knew what was planned would always keep Katniss from fully trusting and relying on her once best friend.  His anger and bitterness towards the Capitol was stronger than his love for Katniss.

Most Memorable Quote:
"Now we're in that sweet period where everyone agrees that our recent horrors should never be repeated," he [Plutarch] says.  "But collective thinking is usually short-lived.  We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction." (p. 274 Mockingjay)
This quote reminded us of the oft-repeated saying, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  (George Santayana)

FAB Rating:

Characters ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
We connected with Katniss and admired her resiliency.  She was strong, resourceful, caring, and fair.  We want to use the word courageous with her, but she showed such an extraordinary courage of which we have no experience and no words adequate to describe.  We liked Peeta's character.  He was so honest and genuine.  It was difficult to see him transformed by the imprisonment and torture he received at the hands of Snow.  We did not think he would be able to recover, so we were pleasantly surprised when he did and was able to marry his first love.  It was fitting that he and Katniss ended up together as they had been through so much together and understood the nightmares and horrors that each of them would experience as they tried to heal and move on with their lives.
Ms. Collins did an excellent job of creating the characters of Effie, Snow, Haymitch, and so many others.  It was easy for us to envision Effie's effervescent personality and 'southern' manners while still remaining emotionally detached from her tributes.  Snow was instantly disliked and it created an olfactory reaction when reading about him! 

Storyline ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
This series provided some great discussion with regards to the desensitizing of society.  From the movies, to reality television shows, to realistically violent video games, to even watching news stations with live feeds of war and devastation, it appears as though we are entertained by human suffering.  "How far or how low will our society go in the name of entertainment," we asked ourselves.  We also remarked on the resemblance of the recent spate of tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts, wildfires, and violence in other countries to the description of how North America was whittled down to those thirteen districts of Panem.  "The country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called North America.  He lists the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained." (p. The Hunger Games)  Maybe this storyline is not so far fetched and maybe that is why it intrigued us enough to change our original reading plan from just the first two books to reading the entire series in one month's time!

"The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett

On Wednesday, April 13th, the FAB girls met at JoAnn's home to enjoy a meal of baked fish, rice, steamed vegetables, cheese and bread, and apple/nut bread for dessert.  It was a most delicious medieval meal!  Our hostess heated up the pool, the sun came out, and we discussed The Pillars of the Earth while floating in the pale blue water.  It was a luxury which definitely contrasted with the harshness of medieval life!

Synopsis:
Ken Follett's novel The Pillars of the Earth is set during the mid 12th century in England.  The story centers around the building of a magnificent cathedral in Kingsbridge.  Despite setbacks, opposition, and the death of the original master builder, the cathedral's construction begins in 1136 and continues until its completion and consecration in 1170.  We follow the lives of Tom, Ellen, Alfred, Jack, Alaina, Richard, Philip, Waleran, and William as they each either support or oppose the building of the Kingsbridge Cathedral based on their own personal desires.  Weaving in actual historical events and figures with this fictional tale, makes for a convincing story of religious corruption and greed in the midst of the abject poverty of medieval citizenry.

Comments:
Although we all felt that the vividly brutal descriptions of warfare, rape, and even everyday medieval life occurrences were difficult to read and sometimes more than we cared to envision, we agreed that it accurately described life in that time period.  There were times we had to stretch our minds to visualize such a drastic existence.  Jack states, "You never know, there may come a time when...the laws protect the ordinary people instead of enslaving them; when the king makes peace instead of war.  Think of that--a time when towns in England don't need walls!"  Philip's response? "What an imagination.  It won't happen before Judgement Day." (p.696)

The advances in architecture during this time period are astounding, especially when considering how rudimentary the tools and education of the workers were at that time.  It took decades for them to build these huge cathedrals with intricate carvings, steeply pitched roofs, decorative buttresses, and solid foundations.  The fact that so many of these magnificent structures stood for hundreds of years is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the tradesmen.

 In discussing the comparison of medieval warfare to modern warfare, we discovered similarities in the psychological effects of killing both during battle and afterwards, along with the brutality and loss of life.  It was interesting to note how easily and how often the characters changed sides in times of war based on what best benefited them.  Loyalty was bought and traded like a commodity.  The story definitely gave us insight into the seemingly limitless power the church wielded at that time.  It highlighted how greed and ambition motivated religious leaders to make history changing decisions.  We were appalled each time absolution was offered before the criminal act was even committed and without any expression of remorse on the part of the offender.

Overall, we were disappointed with the book.  It was difficult to stay focused during the drawn out architecture descriptions and the graphically violent scenes while jumping from character to character in the story.

Most Memorable Quote:

Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge, says, "Perhaps greed will always outweigh wisdom in the councils of the mighty; perhaps fear will always overcome compassion in the mind of a man with a sword in his hand." (p.763).  So much has changed in the past 800 years, and yet as this medieval quote demonstrates, some aspects of mankind still have not changed.

FAB Rating:
Characters: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
The characters were interesting, although not captivating in the sense that we wanted to get to know them better.  The heinous acts of William Hamleigh infuriated us, and it frustrated us that he got away with so much for so long.  Brenda's research uncovered an interview where the author told how he kept William in the story  to anger the reader and keep them emotionally involved.  It worked!  We did like the two main women in the story: Ellen and Alaina.  Ellen was spirited, independent, and strong.  We found it distasteful that she seduced Tom less than 24 hours after the death of his wife and that she crudely desecrated the monastery's holy books.  However, she was a force to be reckoned with in a world where men ruled women with absolute authority.  In the same way, we admired Alaina for her ability to survive despite being raped and having to care for her younger brother.  She was resourceful, smart, and devoted.  Alaina made her way in the world of business and managed her family's estates with the savvy of an educated lord.
Storyline: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
As one of the FAB girls succinctly put it: "You keep going forward even though you don't want to read anymore!"  At 896 pages, The Pillars of the Earth was a long read.  What made the reading even more difficult for some of us was not just the vividly described rapes and killings, but also the infinitely detailed descriptions of the architecture without any sketches to assist our understanding.  The bookend hangings offered a sense of completeness in the story's beginning and ending.

"Cutting For Stone" by Abraham Verghese

On Wednesday, March 9th, six of us were able to meet up in Austin at The Clay Pit to enjoy some Indian food while discussing our latest book Cutting For Stone.  Our hostess, Beverly, arranged this wonderful outing and some of us were able to make a day of it and go shopping, too.  It was a fun change of pace from our traditional book club meetings!

Synopsis:

In Cutting For Stone the eclectic family of Missing Hospital employees find themselves raising twin boys, Marion and Shiva, born to a resident nun.  This story is set in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and begins in the late 1940's taking the reader all the way up to the year 2004.  Marion narrates this story of his life taking us from his beloved country of Ethiopia all the way to the United States.  Along the way, Marion deals with loss, betrayal, love, success, failure, his past, and his future.  It's a story of coming full circle and along the journey finding forgiveness and healing of wounds.

Comments:
We absolutely loved this book!  It hooked us early on and kept some of us reading late into nights and early mornings!  The book was long, but the author took the time to fully develop each of the characters so that we felt that we would recognize Marion or Ghosh or Genet if we were to pass them on the street.  All of the book's characters were interesting, unique individuals, but we had a favorite: Ghosh.  He was a loving husband, understanding father, compassionate friend, and talented doctor.  We admired his ability to patiently love Hema before she ever realized she loved him, his boundless love in caring for the twins as their 'adoptive' father, and his desire to heal a broken man and reunite him with his children.

The medical terminology and surgical procedures were detailed and descriptive enough that we felt we were qualified to assist in surgery now - - okay, maybe not just yet!  However, since we are blessed to have one of our club members in the medical profession, she was able to answer the questions we had over that subject matter and explain more fully to us what was meant by the phrase "the injury in which the surgeon sees God."

It was interesting to see the parallels between Thomas Stone's life and Marion Stone's life despite the fact that they did not meet one another until Marion was in his twenties.  Thomas and Marion both grew up without their biological father's presence due to the father's choice.  As young children, they suffered the loss of their mother due to death.  They both fell in love but were unable to pursue a lasting relationship with the woman they loved.  Both men became successful surgeons in large part due to the influence of a strong male father figure in their lives.

Most Memorable Quote:
Although there were many well-written, thought-provoking quotes throughout this book, the following quote is one we thought best summed up this book's theme and a true statement of everyone's life:  "But there's another kind of hole, and that is the wound that divides family.  Sometimes this wound occurs at the moment of birth, sometimes it happens later.  We are all fixing what is broken.  It is the task of a lifetime.  We'll leave much unfinished for the next generation." (p. 22)

FAB Rating:
Characters: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
The characters were both interesting and plausible.  We better understood young Genet and her outrageous behavior when we considered what she most likely witnessed in the one room shack she inhabited with her mom and her mom's visiting lover.  We considered the possibility that in today's time Shiva might have been diagnosed with autism or Asperberger's Syndrome or something else along that line.  The characters didn't always follow what we predicted would happen and that is what made them even more plausibly human.
Writing Style: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
Mr. Verghese has written a novel which is both poetic and educational.  His ability to richly describe the emotions and motivations of a character in one paragraph and then next describe a complex surgical procedure in detail so that the layman can understand it shows great versatility.  The beauty seen in the natural surroundings of Missing Hospital, the rich culture and history of the Ethiopian peoples, and even the potentially dark, ugly side of the human soul were vividly described and made for compelling reading.
Storyline:  ***** (5 out of 5 stars)

This story was unique, yet familiar to so many of us in its theme of healing those wounds caused by our own families.  The story timeline allowed us the time to truly connect to the characters and observe their growth and changes through the years.

"The Red Queen" by Philippa Gregory

On Wednesday, February 9th, the FAB ladies met at Jonetta's home despite the c-c-c-cold c-c-c-conditions  of 23 degrees and ice on some roads.  We are a determined lot!  We feasted on a meal incorporating English fare and the color red to go with our book of the month.  There was Shepherd's Pie, spinach salad with red peppers, rolls served in a red heart-shaped dish, strawberry pretzel salad, and hot tea.  As you can see in the photo, we look FABulous modeling our red queen mini-crowns!  Afterwards, the six of us gathered around the warm fire to discuss "The Red Queen."

Synopsis:  This sequel to "The White Queen" is a fascinating look at Margaret Beaufort's life from the time she is married to Edmund Tudor at age 12 until she realizes her life ambition of seeing her son crowned King of England.  In between those years, we witness Margaret's transformation from a powerless child to a crafty, ambitious young woman.  Margaret is twice widowed and when she marries for the third time, she takes her destiny into her own hands and creates a marriage contract to benefit herself and her only son.  Sure that she is bound for sainthood and led by God, Margaret will stop at nothing to ensure that the rightful heir to the throne, her son Henry Tudor,  becomes King of England.

Comments:  Margaret Beaufort is a character you can at once both admire and abhor.  She sees herself as a vessel to be used by God and in pious vanity shows great disdain for everyone else around her.  She is proud of her "saint's knees."  We felt sorry for her being forced into a loveless marriage at the tender age of 12 when she had not even completed puberty.  She truly believed herself to be destined to remain a virgin like Joan of Arc and enter a convent.  Throughout Margaret's life we saw how women in that time period were regarded with little more value than what they could give in the way of an heir.
"Margaret...you must know that you could never choose your own life.  You are a girl: girls have no choice." (p.26)
"Really, if it were not for Joan of Arc, I would think that girls are completely useless." (p. 41)
"You own nothing, Margaret.  You yourself are the property of your husband." (p.57)

We discussed how Margaret had learned to take control of her life by the time she had been twice widowed. She arranged her third marriage to suit her needs.  As she stated, "I will have to find myself a husband who has influence with them [court of York], who can take me to the highest place in the land, but still has the sense to think for himself and serve his own ambitions and mine." (p.172) "...I have to marry a man who is prepared to be true to my cause.  At the very best, I want a husband who is ready to turn traitor." (p.173)

We pointed out how each of her husbands were so different from one another.  Her first husband, Edmund, was so absorbed with his campaigns and Welsh lands.  He remained emotionally detached from Margaret despite his nightly attempts to impregnate her.  This loveless marriage led Margaret to remark, "Months into marriage I am as far away from desire as I was when I was a little girl; and it seems to me that there is nothing more likely to cure a woman of lust than marriage."  We liked her second husband, Sir Henry Stafford. He was gentle, humble, kind and wise.  Margaret did not find those qualities endearing, but instead viewed Henry as a cowardly weak man because he would not round up his tenants and go fight every time there was a call to arms.  Her third husband was just what she wanted: self-serving, deceitful, and ambitious.  Lord Stanley took her all the way to the inner royal court and helped her cause.  There was always the understanding that this marriage would remain unconsummated.  As Lady Margaret herself said, "A woman of sense would always marry only for the improvement of her family." (p.171)

It was interesting to us to see how Margaret's devoutness to God was innocent and endearing as a child, but became a stumbling block for her as the years passed.  It was with smug confidence that she made treasonous statements and murderous plans believing she had God's approval if it meant putting her son one step closer to the throne.

This series has taught us more about the British monarchy and the Cousins' War.  It has also made some of us desire to learn more about that history and time period.  JoAnn and Diana kept us informed and entertained with their wealth of knowledge in this area.  We find it unbelievable that though theories abound, there is even today no definite answer as to what happened to the two imprisoned, young princes. We are eager to read the next book in this series which the author has said centers around the White Queen's mother, Jacquetta.

Most Memorable Quote From Book:  This remark comes from the Princess of York, Henry Tudor's betrothed, after she has had to endure a long stay with the pious and insulting Lady Margaret and is finally leaving the estate:  "'Yes, but either way, shamed or not, I shall be Queen of England, and this is the last time you will sit in my presence,' she says shockingly." (p. 274)  We love how the princess got in the last word which left her future mother-in-law stunned into silence.

FAB Rating:
Subject Matter: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
Such an interesting time period in England's history.  The mix of fiction and non-fiction in these novels makes it much more fun for some of us to learn history :)
Characters: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
We liked how the author wrote this novel from Margaret's viewpoint and how it connected us with the previous novel's characters and plot.  Philippa Gregory took a one-dimensional character from The White Queen and made her 3-dimensional in this latest installment.  Margaret is someone who captured our imagination, if not our heart!

"The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son"

Today we met at Marcia's house for a delicious lunch of vegetable and beef soup, cornbread, and black-eyed pea salad.  Perfect meal when it was only 37 degrees outside!  We finished it off with a maple cake which had a hint of Kahlua in it - yum :)  There were six of us in attendance and following lunch we had a lively discussion of "The Horse Boy."

Synopsis:  This book documents the journey one family takes through Mongolia in search of healing for their autistic son.  Rupert Isaacson is the author and father of 5-year old Rowan.  Rupert and his wife, Kristin, and Rowan embark on a remarkable journey through remote areas of Mongolia on horseback in search of healing waters and Shamans.

Comments:
A number of us felt that the story leaned towards the summation that Rowan's progress came about as a direct result from interaction with the Shamans.  However, Diana had seen the documentary on DVD and felt that it gave a broader view of all the influences affecting Rowan.  Viewing the documentary apparently added depth to the story, filled in some gaps present in the book, and was more impacting to visually see the progress of Rowan from beginning to end.

A great point was made when it was mentioned that Kristin's side of the story would have made the book more interesting.  We would have liked to have heard her voice in this book to provide a different perspective of their journey, especially since she was a reluctant participant.  Of course, then the book title would have needed to be adjusted :)

"This book raises more questions than answers!"
"This is not a light read."
"I think he [Rupert] could have left out 50 to 100 pages of the travel monologue and the story would have still been intact."

Most Memorable Quote From Book:  "Code Brown!"

FAB Rating:
Subject Matter  **** (4 out of 5 stars)
We felt that the subject matter (autism) is relevant and we learned more about this disorder by reading this book.
Writing Style  ** (2 out of 5 stars)
The travel was long and so was the description of the travel.  A few of us felt that the repetitive descriptions of the travel and terrain became monotonous over time.  As one of the FAB readers put it, "I was tired just from reading about the journey!"  Also, as previously mentioned, we felt it would have been interesting to hear from the wife.

Welcome!

This blog site is for the F.A.B. ladies and all those who wish to hear about the books, discussion and wonderful lunches we share in our club. Despite our book club name, we read both fiction and non-fiction books. Our book club was formed in 2009 among a group of friends who attend exercise class together in the small Texas town of Smithville. We take turns meeting in each other's home once a month to enjoy an excellent lunch provided by the host and a discussion of that month's book choice. We have our favorite books and we have rated a couple as real "stinkers" for us! No matter, we always have a FAB time together!!

Brenda

Diana

JoAnn

Jonetta

Marcia

Michele