Our FABulous Christmas Dinner

In lieu of our monthly discussion meeting, we chose to have our group meet for cocktails and dinner at Hasler Bros. Steakhouse in downtown Bastrop.  We invited our spouses to join us for this holiday outing which increased our number of participants to ten and afforded us a large, long table in a private dining room....a fortuitous move for the other restaurant patrons since we can be a boisterous group of talkers!

It was an evening filled with laughs, scintillating conversation, delicious food, and the strengthening of wonderful friendships with the addition of our handsome husbands.  This dinner party must now become an annual tradition every holiday season!

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin

It was the type of Texas fall day where we were able to enjoy a warm hearty soup and yet still retire to the screened in porch to bask in the afternoon sun. There we discussed Mrs. Tom Thumb and nibbled on delicious home baked basil shortbread cookies. Marcia has the ability to make our get-togethers, though simple in activities, seem much more grand and elegant.

Synopsis:
Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump was born an average size and weight baby in 1841. However, by the time she was two years old, her parents realized that she was not growing at a normal rate. Lavinia's full grown height never passed thirty-two inches, yet that did not stunt her rise to fame.  With PT Barnum’s promotion, Lavinia became world famous and traveled to foreign lands that were beyond the imagination of most Victorian-era citizens. 

Comments:
Lavinia may have been small of stature, but her dreams were larger than life.  “Never would I allow my size to define me. Instead, I would define it.  My size may have been the first thing people noticed about me but never, I vowed at that moment, would it be the last.” (p. 25 – Nook)  She fulfilled that vow throughout her amazingly successful career in show business.  Lavinia’s intelligence, high self-esteem, determination, and courageous, stubborn personality traits were admirable as she fought to prove herself as a teacher, capable of surviving outside of her family’s farm, and succeeding as a star among the wealthy and elite.  However, somewhere along the timeline of her life, those same positive traits became aggravatingly snobbish and unappealing, reaping negative results. 

 Despite her insistence upon being treated as an equal among normal-size folks and being disgusted at the amazement of others when she displayed her intelligence, she reacts the same way to others.  When she learns of a giantess who can recite Shakespeare, she reacts, “Really? Shakespeare?” I was astonished. Imagine – a giantess reciting Shakespeare! I would pay to see that, myself! (p. 68 – Nook)  Later, she encounters dwarfs in their traveling circus family and shudders at having to shake their hands and is outraged at the idea that anyone would lump her into the same category as those “grotesque, misshapen little people.”

Lavinia appeared to have only one healthy loving relationship and that was with her baby sister, Minnie, whom she genuinely loved.  Which is why we were totally baffled as to why she did not share her knowledge of the dangers of childbirth with Minnie before she became pregnant.  Everyone else in Lavinia's life either had a role to play to help her reach her goals or they were just minor characters taking up time and space in her story. In her self-centered life she admitted, “I simply felt driven to see, to experience – to give of myself to those whose approval should have meant less than my own husband’s but instead meant so much more…I simply realized I needed the warmth of an audience like a plant needs sun…I could not bear to think that there was somewhere I had never been, someone who might not know my name.” (p. 224 – Nook)   Lavinia had such disdain for her husband, General Tom Thumb, despite his kind heart.  Lavinia herself remarks, “It seemed to me I spent our entire married life refusing him, he who asked for so little of me.”  (p. 335-Nook)  She considered him simple and uneducated, but we, the readers, saw how the general had never been allowed to be a child or receive formal education and was used his entire life to promote PT Barnum’s humbugs, and we felt compassion for him.  Lavinia’s relationship with PT Barnum, was a combination of business and friendship.  Lavinia appeared to be secretly in love with Barnum, although we felt that Barnum was more inclined to treat Lavinia as a daughter.

 Despite Lavinia’s success and strong, take-charge attitude of her life, she still found herself unfulfilled:  “I knew only that at age forty-two, after almost twenty-five years of running….I still hadn’t found what I was looking for.  Why was I, alone of everyone I knew, always still seeking?  Still searching?” (p. 338 – Nook)  Her inability to bond to babies or maintain a healthy marital relationship exposed a shallowness in Lavinia which affected her entire life.  “I had no room for big love, big decisions, big messes, big happiness; not in this miniature life, spent under the magnifying glare of so many eyes, that I had made for myself.” (p. 217 – Nook)  Perhaps the best summation of how Lavinia had indeed chosen this successful, yet ultimately lonely life for herself is found in the Prologue: “Looking back, I’m forced to admit that my mother was right; I did lose my soul, and so much more.  But I’m not sure that I didn’t give it away freely.”

Memorable Quote:
“I wondered if this was how it always felt when all your dreams came true.  Perhaps, after living with them for so long, did you simply toss them away – and begin to dream about something else?” Lavinia (p. 155 – Nook)

FAB Rating: ****1/2 (4-1/2 out of 5)
This story takes us through a very fascinating period of time in the United States.  Although the Civil War was devastating, America continued to make great advances, among the greatest being the completion of the railroad connecting the east and west coasts across mountains and prairies.  The author’s addition at the beginning of each chapter of actual clippings taken from magazines and newspapers printed during the 1800’s time period made for enlightening reading.  Lavinia’s fame was unprecedented as she traveled to new territories and continents not yet fully explored.  Lavinia made a name for herself while mingling among the kneecaps of well-known and influential figures of history.  Quite a feat for a miniature woman and quite an interesting autobiography.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Brenda hosted our book club meeting at the new Bastrop Brewhouse.  We ate tapas style with guacamole and chips, reuben egg rolls, and a club sandwich.  We had a nice view of the Colorado River and old iron bridge from our table. 

Synopsis:
Set in 1938, this novel follows a tumultous year for a young Katey Kontent as she meets influential people, says goodbye to dear friends, and charts a new career for herself.  Only in her twenties, Katey experiences a lifetime of lessons in one short year.

Comments: 
The idea that a chance encounter or cursory decision in one's twenties can shape one's course for decades to come was an intriguing theme of this book and a part of our discussion.  We agreed that there are decisions we all made in our twenties, both good and bad, which altered our future.  Brenda added that although her choices have been of her own free will, God's plan for her life has still been played out, even if it meant taking a longer route to reach that place.  We definitely agreed with this statement.  Carrying around regret for our past mistakes, choices and losses has no positive outcome.  "Old times, as my father used to say: If you're not careful, they'll gut you like a fish." p.77 [Nook]

The characters in this novel were intriguing, varied, and well-developed. 

• We felt sorry for Dickie, the young WASP who was a charming friend and a romantic at heart.  Katey ran to him and used him to forget about her broken heart from another relationship. 
• Anne Grandyn was manipulative, cunning, and self-assured.  Her false introduction by Tinker as his godmother was actually rather appropriate.  After the untimely death of Tinker's parents while he was still in prep school, she became his guardian in all respects--a co-dependent relationship which continued into his adult years.  It angered a few of us when we read that Anne had been the one who had covertly arranged for Katey to get her job.  However, as reminded by one of the FAB girls, Anne may have set her up for the job, but Katey is the one who managed to successfully keep it. 
• Eve was a strong woman who knew what she wanted, even if it meant using the folks around her to achieve her goals.  Her willful determination was admirable only if you could ignore the way she used and hurt those around her.  We questioned whether her friendship with Katey was as sincere for Eve as it was for Katey, whom we felt displayed true characteristics of a loyal, loving, selfless friend.  Eve's strength saw her through the devastating accident and recovery, and her attitude was just as bold and confident as prior to the accident: "But I've learned a thing or two since the accident.  And I like it just fine on this side of the windshield."  (p. 201)
• We liked Tinker and were thoroughly disappointed when we discovered his 'dirty little secret.' We could not quite grasp the idea that he would choose to return to the dangerous docks to live and work, especially when he had other skills he could have used to at least live in a moderately decent manner.  Even with the idea that Tinker was continuing to punish himself for his choices and mistakes, it was unimaginable to us that he would choose filth and desperate poverty.
• The one character who we felt had the most maturity and was the most likeable was Wallace.  Of course, he is also the one character who doesn't stay in the story long enough.
• Interestingly enough, the main character through whom we heard this year-long tale, was also the one whom we had the most difficult time gleaning information.  Katey doled out information about her background, family, and even physical description in bits and pieces throughout the story.

We loved the author's colorful and descriptive word pictures.  His writing painted such vivd mental pictures.  The following are a few of our favorites from the book:  "In the 1950s, America had picked up the globe by the heels and shaken the change from its pockets." (p. 13); "Slurring is the cursive of speech..." (p. 91); "In the apartment next door, I could hear the Zimmers sharpening their sarcasm.  Over an early dinner, they chipped away at each other like little Michelangelos, placing every stroke of the mallet with care and devotion." (p. 224)

Memorable Quote:
Said by Katey: "As a quick aside, let me observe that in moments of high emotion -- whether they're triggered by anger or envy, humiliation or resentment -- if the next thing you're going to say makes you feel better, then it's probably the wrong thing to say.  This is one of the finer maxims that I've discovered in life.  And you can have it, since it's been of no use to me." (p. 241)

FAB Rating: ***** (5 out of 5 stars)
Mr. Towles wrote a novel that appealed to all of us.  There were interesting characters, unexpected twists in the plot, a love story, and a female lead who was appealing in both her vulnerability and her strength.  One of the most appealing aspects of this novel was its ability to stimulate good conversation whether it was regarding the questionable motives and futures of the book's characters or whether it was asking each other some of the same questions the characters themselves asked over their dinner parties.  We had such a good laugh as we shared our answers to the question, "What is one thing no one knows about you?"  However, in an effort to keep that knowledge to a minimum number of people, I cannot share those answers here!

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost

Diana made it back from Oregon just in time to host our September book club lunch meeting.  We enjoyed a platter of fish surrounded by colorful vegetables accompanied by delectable crackers.  The dessert was the highlight of the island-style meal.  Diana had managed to procure sorbet served in coconut shell halves, pineapple rinds, large lemon rinds, and orange rinds.  The frozen treats weren’t just creatively served, they were delicious, too!  Throughout our time at her home, Diana managed to sneak in her background music of “La Macarena”!  I think she got her 69 cents worth out of that song ;) 

Synopsis:

Maarten Troost and his girlfriend, Sylvia, make a radical move from the urban life of Washington, D.C. to an atoll in the middle of the expansive Pacific Ocean.  The expected culture shock aside, Maarten’s sharing of their experiences during their two year tenure in the Kirabati islands is filled with humor, eccentric characters, and unbelievable adventures in shark-infested waters and duct-taped airplanes.

Comments:

We got a kick out of Diana’s choice of music because it played a major part in this story.  At the local Tarawa store one could find seven different audiotapes featuring the “La Macarena.”  The native islanders absolutely loved “La Macarena”…enough to play it everywhere, non-stop and loud enough for all the neighbors to hear.  Maarten was about driven mad by the constant barrage of this song.  We discussed the many uses of music whether to soothe or to aggravate.  It was noted that the quote, “Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak” [William Congreve] does not always hold true.  Actually, sometimes it can drive one so insane as to relent to any demands in exchange for cessation of the song.  Music has been used in psychological operations including interrogations.  We were also reminded of the instance where loud rock-and-roll music was played non-stop in order to get the dictator Manuel Noriega to surrender.  What was most entertaining about this part of the story was the author’s discovery, through trial and error, that the islanders could not stand the Miles Davis music he played!  And, so he found his weapon of choice to fight the “La Macarena” assault.

The odd and humorous names of the many islands and atolls in the Pacific were entertaining; almost as much as the reputations of some of the islands! 

We were surprised by the lack of WWII reference until the very end of the book, especially since the author himself says, “The Battle of Tarawa is an inescapable part of daily life on the island.”  (p. 220) This bloody battle took place on the islet of Betio and resulted in the deaths of over 5,500 men, including 1,113 U.S. Marines.  The remains of that battle today include corpses found when digging wells, unexploded ordnance, antiaircraft guns, small tanks, bunkers, and reefs polluted with the rusting carcasses of ships and planes.  Maarten expressed dismay that among his American friends and acquaintances only one had any knowledge of the Battle of Tarawa.  “Perhaps it’s because I had been to Bosnia.  Once one sees a park transformed into a cemetery, one understands that battles ought to be remembered.” (p. 200)

Tarawa may have been modernized through machinery or shopping choices, but the people of the island still had some very primitive practices including the biting off of a lover’s nose when displaying your jealousy, the kidnapping of your bride as a form of courtship, the use of the bubuti system where one must hand over your belonging if asked for it by another person, and the belief that disposable diapers could not be burned for fear of burning the baby’s bum!  The lack of safe hygienic practices was alarming and literally sickening for the author and his wife.  The void of current news events was a minor annoyance for Maarten, at least until the Clinton affair was exposed.  At that point, Maarten’s need to access up-to-date information about drove him mad as he only received snatches of news broadcasts on the radio which enigmatically relayed words like “a cigar and a stained blue dress” followed by the static of the radio!

It was disappointing to hear confirmation of how governmental bureaucracy can be so wasteful and corrupt.  Not having governmental watchdogs in these smaller, more primitive places just increases the opportunities for governmental agencies and officials to misuse funds, oppress people, and waste taxpayers’ monies.  The worst example of wasted funds came from the $800 million dollars the Marshall Islands had received in American “aid” over a ten year period.  The result was corruption, inefficiency, and a dependency mentality in the government there.  The citizens now have a serious problem with hypertension, diabetes, and high blood pressure due to their local diet being supplanted by food imported from the USA.  Alcoholism and suicide have taken root.  What Western culture sees as a helping hand can actually be a crushing heel to their more stable, traditional way of life.

The author, whether intended to be humorously self-deprecating or painfully honest, portrayed himself as selfish, unmoored, and irresponsible.  None of us felt that he endeared himself to us.  His most damaging statement for one of the FAB ladies was in reference to his job at the World Bank: “And so, to the Third World countries who had the misfortune of working with me on their infrastructure projects, I wish to apologize. I was just kind of making it up as I went along.  I hope you understand.  I needed the paycheck.”  His wife, Sylvia, was such a minor character in his writing so that we did not get to know her at all.  Probably the most we learned of Sylvia could be summed up with these facts plucked from various chapters of the book:  studied international relations; good with spiders, indifferent to snakes, and unmoved by mice.  Hates cockroaches; she lost not a pound while living on Tarawa; and it was her job with the FSP which took them to Kiribati.  Unfortunately, that really is the most we could glean about his partner.

Maarten and his wife had trouble assimilating back into modern society once they returned from the island.  The trappings of materialism, the constant barrage of media, the modern technological devices, and such became a burden for a couple who had managed to exist with only the basics.  Sometimes those advancements which are intended to make our lives easier, have actually managed to weigh us down and fill our down time with active leisure instead of stopping and truly resting and soaking in the beauty which surrounds us.  Therefore, it was not so difficult to understand their desire to return to the simplicity of island life.

Memorable Quotes:

Regarding his foray into journalism: “The written word presented in a journalistic fashion is regarded by most as the indisputable truth and this just left me dumbfounded with a fear of being wrong.” (p. 14)

“I obtained press credentials through The Prague Post and soon found myself in Mostar, where I was deeply, deeply in over my head and utterly dependent upon the kindness of English mercenaries, and I learned there that the distance between civilization and savagery is exceedingly small and this has scared me ever since.” (p. 16)

FAB Rating:  *** (3 out of 5 stars)

We did learn about islands and areas of the Pacific we had little or no knowledge of before we read this book. Unfortunately, that new knowledge did not create any desire to ever visit these Pacific islands!  We could not connect with the author on a personal level and felt that much of the time his humor was contrived.  As he himself admitted regarding his style of writing, “I favor the ditches of digression.” (page 14)  Perhaps it was those rough rides through the ditches that caused us to lose our focus in the storylines so often and ultimately feel a great disconnect from this book.

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

A glitch occurred in JoAnn's well-laid plans, so that we found ourselves sitting outside on an old sidewalk in front of some well-worn storefronts for our discussion time.  And as fate would have it, one of our FAB ladies informed us that we were sitting by the old 'blacks-only' funeral home.  It all felt appropriate with the book's southern setting in the 1940's and 50's.  Although there were only four of us in attendance, we still found ourselves with plenty of insightful and emotion-filled comments to carry on a lively discussion.

Synopsis:
This non-fiction book takes the reader through one of the most tumultous periods of modern America's history.  Thurgood Marshall and the Groveland Boys case is the focus of this story, but the pages spans multiple decades, states, and legal cases, while introducing the reader to many prominent figures, both black and white, who fought to erase the blight of racism on this nation.

Comments:
We all agreed that this book evoked some strong emotions in us: anger, sadness, shame, and shock!  It was a long read, made longer by the jumps in the story from one character to another or one legal case to another in a different decade.  It became difficult to follow all the threads which were being woven together to create the ugly picture of racism being fought in the courtrooms of the United States.  However, it was clear that Marshall was a visionary who understood the best course and patience required to reach the NAACP's goal of equality for all races.  He took to heart and to action the credo, "A lawyer's either a social engineer or he's a parasite on society." (p.51)  We all owe him and the other tireless workers in the service of the NAACP a huge "Thank You" for what they accomplished despite legal setbacks, intimidation, death threats, and Ku Klux Klan killings.

Our strongest emotion was anger at the injustices the blacks endured, but especially at the hands of Sheriff Willis McCall and his right hand man, Deputy James Yates.  The Groveland Boys case had so many blatant injustices, outside and inside the courtroom, and the majority of those occurred at the hands of the Lake County, Florida law officials.  We strongly desired to see those two men, above anyone else, receive their just desserts.  It was impossible for us to grasp the idea that the sheriff was elected over and over and over again through the years, serving the county for 28 years.  Even as his reign of terror ended and his death neared in 1994, he avouched, "I never hurt anyone...or killed anyone who didn't deserve killing." (p. 380)  How could so many people turn their heads from what they could plainly see happening under their noses and harden their hearts to the cries of the blacks?  We felt anger, extreme sadness and shame at the ignorance and hate so many white folks displayed. 

This was a history lesson, a geography lesson, an American government lesson, and a lesson in the depths of darkness in some humans' souls.  Not to be outdone, we also witnessed the strength and indomitable spirit of the human race as the blacks forged on to create a better future for their children and grandchildren.  It is no stretch of the truth to say that this battle is still being waged today in courtrooms across the nation, but also in the minds of the small and bigoted individuals who wrongly believe that the color of our skin dictates the worth of the individual.  May our own children and grandchildren fully live out Dr. King's dream: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Memorable Quotes:
Allan Knight Chalmers, a highly respected white minister, moved us with these words quoted from his 1951 book, They Shall Be Free: "There are enough staid people in the world holding things as they are.  We need no more of them.  What we need is people caught by the truth that no one is free when anyone is bound.  That is not an easy idea to have get a hold on you.  It has to be applied person by person, not just in the pious generalities of the resolutions good people pass when they gather for a moment and separate without effective action." (p. 371)

FAB Rating:
**** (4 out of 5 stars)
This was an excellent book which brought to light so many stories, both horrific and heroic, which we had never heard.  It exposed in more detail the plight of the blacks after World War II, along with a new understanding of the anger and defensiveness sometimes passed down from generation to generation.  We must keep telling these stories and remind the younger generation of where America has been so that we do not ever repeat this shameful history.  Filled with so many facts, characters, geographical settings, courtrooms and cases, we sometimes found ourselves struggling to keep everything straight while eager to return to the main story, the Groveland case. This book had enough stories in it to have easily created two separate books, keeping the Groveland case alone for one book, so that we could better focus on those facts and characters.  For that reason, we took off one star from the rating.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

For the first time in a long time, we found ourselves with a party of six for our meeting.  We were so pleased that JoAnn brought her friend, Laure, with her.  It certainly added to our lively discussion both at the dinner table and afterwards.  I’m still waiting for the perfect situation with my teenage kids to use the phrase she taught us, “Are you picking up what I’m putting down?!” J I cooked some Brazilian dishes to honor our book’s setting.  We noshed on Brazilian Shrimp Gumbo served with coconut rice, a tropical fruit salad, a green salad, cashews, and made-from-scratch corn pudding.

Brenda was kind enough to share a natural mosquito repellant recipe used by Brazilian fishermen:

2 cups rubbing alcohol

1/3 oz. cloves

7 TBS baby oil

Mix alcohol and cloves in a jar.  Let stand for 4 days shaking the jar 2 times a day.  After 4 days, add the baby oil and it is ready to use.  Apply just a couple of drops to legs, behind ears, .....

Synopsis:

Ann Patchett’s book, State of Wonder, focuses on Marina Singh, a scientist working in the lab of a pharmaceutical company in Minnesota.  Early on in the story, Marina finds herself on a journey to the jungles of Brazil to uncover the truth concerning the death of her colleague, Anders Eckman.  On this journey, Marina will discover truths not only about her co-worker, but more importantly, about herself.

Comments:

Marina is a very interesting woman.  We felt both sorry for her and frustrated with her.  So many things had been stripped from her during her lifetime, starting with her father, then her OB/GYN career, and even her luggage throughout her entire stay in Brazil.  It seemed as if nothing was within her control, and those things that she could control she didn’t appear to be willing to take the reins – like her relationship with Mr. Fox.  We surmised that Mr. Fox represented a father figure to replace her own father who lived abroad with another wife and family for most her life and who had died while she was in college.  Marina did not appear to have much of a voice in the relationship with Mr. Fox or really much of a voice in any aspect of her life.  However, by the end of the story, after many trials, surprises, and much review of her past, Marina had found her voice and earned the respect of her mentor, Dr. Swenson.

We speculated as to what Marina would choose to do after returning to Minnesota.  Would she go back to Brazil as Dr. Swenson predicted?  Would she finish out her OB/GYN training and become the doctor she had originally trained and planned to become?  Or would she return to Vogel Pharmaceuticals and Mr. Fox?  We were in complete consensus that she should not return to Mr. Fox no matter which direction she ultimately chose for her life!  If the story had continued past the initial return to Minnesota, we would have enjoyed witnessing how Marina would have used her newfound confidence to dump Mr. Fox and possibly change the direction of her career.

It was a toss-up as to whom we disliked more:  Mr. Fox or Annik Swenson.  Dr. Swenson’s lack of compassion and patience with her human subjects made her an unappealing character.  The young deaf boy, Easter, was kept dependent by the doctor as she chose to not teach him to better communicate.  She needed him and she was willing to keep him ignorant and lie to cover his past.  She cared more about herself and her research than anything or anybody.  She was condescending,  irreverent, and conceited as displayed in this quote regarding her experience with the tribe’s drugged ritual: “Yes, of course it was interesting to take part in the ritual, that was what we had come here to do….Seeing God was worthwhile, of course.  I doubt seriously that anything in our Western tradition would have shown Him to me so personally.” (p. 169)

As much as we enjoyed this book, we took issue with portions of the plot.  First off, the possibility that Dr. Swenson could fly from the United States to Manaus, Brazil each weekend and never miss her Monday lecture for years was unbelievable!  With the frequency of delayed and cancelled flights daily, the primitive traveling conditions from the jungles of Brazil, and the possibility of her contracting an illness, it was too much of a stretch for us to buy that part of the story.  Secondly, the idea that the company, Vogel, would not have better control of their finances is not realistic.  Companies have to closely monitor and report where their monies are being spent in their budget categories.  There is not an “open ended” spending policy given to their employees and clients.  The author portrayed Vogel as having no budget constraints or expenditure approvals required when it came to Dr. Swenson’s project.  Lastly, a few of our girls questioned just how durable and effective flip-flops would be in a jungle filled with snakes, spiders and rough paths!

Memorable Quotes:

“Never be so focused on what you’re looking for that you overlook the thing you actually find.” (p. 193)

“In this life we love who we love.  There were some stories in which facts were very nearly irrelevant.” (p. 182)

“But we cannot unbraid the story of another person’s life and take out all the parts that don’t suit our purposes and put forth only the ones that do.” (p. 180)

FAB Rating:

**** (4 out of 5 stars)

We found this book’s plot intriguing as we discussed the idea of just how far researchers and pharmaceutical companies should and do go in the name of scientific advancement. The majority of our discussion centered on Marina: her challenges and growth. It was heartening to see that by the end of the book, Marina was voicing her own ideas, standing firm and challenging her former mentor. We like our women strong!

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Although Marcia tempted us via e-mail with the idea of serving whale meat for our meal, she did not disappoint with her delicious clam chowder instead!  She set up a fully loaded salad bar and then served a fruity dessert which reminded me of pear compote mixed into a cobbler - the best of both desserts rolled into one!  Marcia even brought the book's setting into our dining experience by using dinner plates which had an early colonial state stamped on the bottom of each of them.  Kudos to your creativity, Marcia!

Synopsis:
Bethia Mayfield is a young girl living on Martha's Vineyard in the 1600's.  Her Puritan father is a minister who considers it of utmost importance to preach the message of salvation to the "salvages" living on the island.  Although Bethia is restricted in what she may learn, where she may go, and with whom she may consort, she manages to slip free of the oppressiveness of her religion and gender through deceptive means in order to roam the island with Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, son of the Indian chieftain and nephew to the much-feared medicine man.  Bethia and Caleb forge a secret bond of friendship which will ultimately change the direction of both their lives.

Comments:
Inspired by the true story of Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College, Caleb's Crossing is a fascinating look at a time period in which not many literary works are centered.  This book was an educational experience for us as well as entertaining and captivating in its descriptions of the beautiful island, the Puritan way of life, and educational requirements in colonial America.  We did not realize Indians were allowed into college at such an early date or that Harvard had been established so early in our nation's history.  We learned new terminology: bever, at board, salvages, chirurgeon, and more.

We marveled at the creative and unusual names the Puritans gave to their children: Solace, Makepeace, Goody, Patience, Rest, Consider, Thankful, and Watching.  Puritans' lives were bound by so many rules and regulations.  Marcia remarked on the irony that the Puritans who fled England to escape religious persecution and sought religious freedom in the colonies of the New World, were the first to persecute their own brothers and sisters if any dared to speak an idea or opinion contrary to Puritan theology at that time.  Their theology led them to believe that every incident in their life, whether fortunate or unfortunate, was from God, and therefore must either be considered a blessing or a punishment.  This conclusion meant that if disaster were to befall someone, then they must have sinned and would be bound to confess their alleged sins before the congregation.

For her part, Bethia did indeed feel that she was guilty of sins which had caused the deaths of beloved members of her family.  However, she felt beyond redemption and regretfully carried that guilt with her throughout her entire life.  Bethia was a character in whom we could feel her frustration.  We wondered if she had ever truly felt peace and joy or if her sense of duty with minimal liberty had eternally robbed her of that blessing.  Her choices in life were made for her: "What choice had I ever made that was fully my own? From birth, others had ordained my life's every detail." (p. 57)  Bethia's passion and capability for learning were denied by her father.  She wanted so badly to be taught as her brother was taught by her father.  Instead, Bethia gleaned what little knowledge she could while attending to her myriad of chores.  She took every opportunity, even creating some opportunities herself, to grow in knowledge.  We felt it remarkable that she was so passionate about learning and discussed whether women in our society value the opportunities for learning which are so much more readily open and available to them today.  Or do we only passionately hunger for that which we cannot obtain?

Caleb's intelligence and determination were equal to the task set before him.  It was a daunting task to learn many new languages, understand the concept of the English man's god, dress and behave as an Englishman, and yet, Caleb managed to do it all so well that he was accepted into Harvard College.  Caleb had the foresight to see that it was in his peoples' best interests if he could find a way to bridge the two cultures by educating himself in the Englishman's ways.  "Life is better than death.  I know this.  Tequamuck says it is the coward's talk.  I say it is braver, sometimes, to bend." (p.144)  We agreed that we would have liked to have heard more from Caleb's voice in the narration.  He was an amazing young man who deserved to have his story told. 

Among the minor characters, we had to mention Noah Merry, the young man with whom an arranged marriage was made for Bethia.  He was a good soul, very likeable, and his character became even more admirable when he paid to free Bethia from her servitude.  He was a true friend to Bethia and came to her rescue in many ways over the years.  On the other hand, we strongly disliked Bethia's brother, Makepeace, for most of the story.  However, after Makepeace returns to the island, begins his own ministry, and marries, he appears to be happier.  We concluded that he finally was doing what he really wanted, not what his father and grandfather wanted him to do, and he had worked through his jealousy of Bethia and Caleb and their ease of learning.

There were unexpected deaths and unfulfilled dreams in this story, and yet all of those instances were frustratingly authentic.  It highlighted how difficult and fragile life was during the 17th century.  "In this fallen world, such is our condition. Every happiness is a bright ray between shadows, every gaiety bracketed by grief. There is no birth that does not recall a death, no victory but brings to mind a defeat." (p. 283)


Memorable Quote:
"I went on, dutiful, trying to keep in mind what father preached, that all of this was God's plan, not his, not his father's, nor any man's.  A small part of a grand design that we could not fathom.  "Consider your mother's needlework," he said once, taking a piece from her hands.  "The design is plain to us, when we examine the front, but the back of the piece does not reveal it."  He turned it. "Here, you see the knots and the dangling threads.  There is an outline of the pattern, but if we guess--is it a bird?  Is it a flower?  We might easily be mistaken. So it is with this life--we see the knots, we guess at the whole.  But only God truly sees the beauty of his design." (p.57-58)

FAB Rating:
***** (5 out of 5 stars)
This story was well-written, thoroughly researched, and authentic to the time period.  The author did an excellent job of painting a portrait of Puritan life in Massachusetts in the 1600's.  Not only did we find ourselves thoroughly engrossed in the storyline, but we, like Caleb, learned so much about a different culture.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

May 9^th was Brenda’s turn to host our meeting.  Brenda now lives outside of Houston, so she had to be creative in planning our get together.  She made arrangements for us to meet halfway in the quaint little town of Round Top.  Diana was kind enough to drive us girls to Royers Round Top Café.  Salads and pasta dishes were enjoyed before Brenda ordered a tray of decadent pies to be shared with everyone.  Then Brenda generously paid for all our meals – thank you, sweet friend!  We stopped on the café porch, decorated with flea market and antique finds, for a photo opportunity.

We then had the pleasure of walking over to the Round Top Library where we sat in the shade of their beautiful community garden to discuss our book.  Once our discussion was complete, we met the librarians at the Round Top Library and received a quick history of the converted Lutheran church building, shopped their book sale, and became card carrying members of their library :) If you have never visited their library, I highly recommend it. Round Top Family Library

Synopsis:

In The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes introduces the reader to the main character, Anthony (Tony).  In the beginning of the book, he is at prep school pompously debating philosophical questions and theories with his 3 best friends.  By the end of the book, Tony is retired and still trying to answer questions, the main one being why one of his best friends, Adrian, committed suicide while in college.  As he journeys towards that answer, more questions are created, and Tony finds himself more and more unsure about what is genuinely the truth in his memories of the past.

Comments:

Brenda came to our meeting prepared with a list of thought-provoking questions.  The first one she asked:  What does the title of this book mean?  We found various meanings depending on which way you understood the word ‘sense’ to mean in that title.  Was it ‘sense’ as in a feeling? Or was it ‘sense’ as in making sense?  We agreed that either way could be appropriately used and fit well with the story.

Another quandry: Tony’s ex-girlfriend, Veronica, repeatedly told him, “You just don’t get it.  You never did, and you never will.”  What exactly was it he was not getting?  The dysfunction in her family?  Or what motivated Veronica to behave the way she did?  And why did she expect him to be able to figure it out when five intelligent, cultured women sure couldn’t figure it out, either?!

Veronica’s mother, Sarah, bequeathed five hundred pounds to Tony in her will.  Tony had only met her once when he visited over a weekend during his college years and had no more contact with her in the years afterwards.  Therefore, Tony is baffled as to why she left him that sum of money upon her death.  When Veronica mentions it she calls it “blood money”.  Was Sarah feeling guilty for Adrian’s death or for misleading Tony or for how Veronica treated Tony when they dated?

If there was a timeline of events, it would show that Adrian was only three months into his relationship with Sarah when he committed suicide.  So did he know at that time that she was pregnant with his child?  We have to assume the answer to that question is ‘yes’, because in the small portion of his diary which Tony receives there is an equation which alludes to his knowledge of a baby on the way.  This is the one interesting facet which kept our attention the longest and made us feel like we at least comprehended one portion of this book!  One of the formulas a² + v + a¹ x s = b seems to be Adrian’s way of connecting the people who played a role in the creation of baby.  Anthony (a²) dated Veronica (v) and introduced Veronica (v) to Adrian (a¹) who then dated Adrian (a¹) and gave reason for introduction to her mother Sarah (s).  Up until Adrian (a¹) is connected to Sarah (s) the formula uses addition, but once Sarah (s) comes into the equation, he uses multiplication, an operation of higher magnitude than addition.  The result of this relational formula is b for Baby.  Did Adrian use multiplication in that portion because he truly felt that his relationship with Sarah was the strongest and most powerful or because its result was the most impactful in the form of a new life?

Other unsolved mysteries for us included the odd horizontal wave that Sarah gave Tony when he left from his visit to her home and the two references to “the mother” by Veronica’s brother, Jack, when speaking to his mum. 

We came away from this book and discussion with more questions than answers!  However, we did find a couple of important reminders about life and how we should approach it.  As Adrian’s relational formula showed, one event can change the course of many lives.  If Tony had not introduced Veronica to Adrian and then later challenged Adrian to visit with Veronica’s mom and written the hateful letter to them both, then perhaps Adrian would not have participated in the adulterous affair and ultimately committed suicide.  The other life lesson it seems Tony learned too late was not to settle for the realities of life and so become average in every way: “Average, that’s what I’d been, ever since I left school.  Average at university and work; average in friendship, loyalty, love; average, no doubt, at sex….Average at life; average at truth; morally average.”  (Chapter 2, p. 73)  Perhaps all that over-philosophizing Tony and his friends indulged in for years with the idea of being superior in thought and idea actually created a jaded view of life and left him with the inability to find joy and adventure around him.  He appears to have settled without much emotion for whatever life handed him, including his own divorce. 

Memorable Quote:

In keeping with the theme that life should be truly lived and not merely endured or philosophized about, Tony reflects, “Had my life increased, or merely added to itself? This was the question Adrian’s fragment set off in me. There had been addition – and subtraction – in my life, but how much multiplication? And this gave me a sense of unease, of unrest.” (Chapter 2, page 65).

FAB Rating:

**^1/2 (2-1/2 stars out of 5)

When a storyline leaves you with more questions than answers, then your book discussion is mainly composed of unanswered questions...lots of them! There was very little meat to chew on other than the dissecting of Adrian's formula. Ultimately, for the FAB ladies there really was no sense of an ending with this book!

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman

April's mid-week meeting was held at Diana's home.  We were all treated to a staple part of the local culinary heritage of many Eastern and Central European nations including Poland, the setting of our book: Borscht.  I must admit that I have wanted to try borscht for some time now since reading a magazine article in which this red soup was so positively shared.  I was not disappointed!  It is a most pleasant tasting soup with beets, cabbage, potatoes, red wine vinegar, tomatoes and chicken.  Healthy, delicious, and apt to be recreated in my own kitchen sometime soon. Along with the borscht, we enjoyed deviled eggs, multi-grain bread, fresh fruit and chocolate dessert.  We also delighted in Diana's creative inclusion of the book title through her decorated lunch table -- animal cookies scattered around the tablecloth!

Synopsis:
Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Jan, are the zookeepers for the Warsaw Zoo when Germany invades their country and city in 1939.  Despite the loss of their beloved animals, the Zabinskis continue to protect what they can while living at their villa inside the zoo, which includes not only a handful of animals but many Jews.  Through Jan's work with the Underground, the zookeeper and his wife manage to save over 300 lives during World War II, including their own.

Comments:
As a whole we agreed that this story gave a different, or perhaps more indepth look, at the strength and organization of the Polish Resistance.  By the author's account, it would appear that much more of Warsaw fought against the Germans and their evil schemes to rid the world of the Jewish race than we had previously thought.

However, we were all disappointed with the style of writing.  Ms. Ackerman includes a large amount of facts, some fascinating, some irrelevant, and some discussed with numerous, mind-numbing details.  The pages where the author describes the entomologist's collection of insects was akin to the Chinese water torture!  With the inclusion of so many facts, we found the storyline lost or characters pushed aside and the timeline compromised in order for the author to completely immerse us in one "interesting sidenote" which sometimes possessed only a thin thread of connection to the main storyline. 

 Although most likely a result of the culture of that time period and his own father's attitude, Rys was depicted as a youthful male chauvinist.  It was infuriating to hear him make such disparaging remarks in regards to women, especially when he was referring to his own mother.  Antonina was a remarkable woman whom we found fascinating as she was a protective and loving mother to both humans and animals.  She was courageous, resourceful, and strong.  She was also very insightful in her observations of humans taken from the animal kingdom: "Antonina wondered if humans might use the same metaphor and picture the war days as 'a sort of hibernation of the spirit, when ideas, knowledge, science, enthusiasm for work, understanding, and love--all accumulate inside, [where] nobody can take them from us.'" and "Why was it, she asked herself, that 'animals can sometimes subdue their predatory ways in only a few months, while humans, despite centuries of refinement, can quickly grow more savage than any beast'?" 

Heinz Heck, a German zoologist, provided an interesting dichotomy as a lover of animals in the form of both hunter and preserver of them.  While he and his brother worked hard on the back-breeding project intended to bring back extinct species, he also arranged a private hunting party with his SS friends right on the zoo grounds, a killing spree of caged exotic animals.  This man aligned himself with the Third Reich, justifying sterilization, euthanasia, and mass murder, and yet, Heck made the following statement on page 82: "the thought that if man cannot be halted in his mad destruction of himself and other creatures, it is at least a consolation if some of those kinds of animals he has already exterminated can be brought back to life again."  Heinz was a man of many contradictions!

Most Memorable Quote:
"The Poles claim Korczak as a martyr, and the Israelis revere him as one of the Thirty-Six Just Men, whose pure souls make possible the world's salvation.  According to Jewish legend, these few, through their good hearts and good deeds, keep the too-wicked world from being destroyed.  For their sake alone, all of humanity is spared.  The legend tells that they are ordinary people, not flawless or magical, and that most of them remain unrecognized throughout their lives, while they choose to perpetuate goodness, even in the midst of inferno." page 186.

FAB Rating:
*** (3 out of 5 stars)
Despite our frustration with the large amount of detailed facts and lack of continual storyline and characters, we agreed that this story of remarkable courage found in the unremarkable citizens of Warsaw should be told. Perhaps, as one FAB gal suggested, the story would have found a more comfortable home in the "based on a true story" genre where the author could have written it in a more free-flowing style without having to continually make note of whether Jan wrote this in his notes or Antonina wrote that in her diary.

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

JoAnn was kind enough to accommodate for those of us traveling during Spring Break week so that we met a week later than our normal date.  The Lady of the Rivers' main character, Jacquetta, is originally from France, so JoAnn treated us to some flavorful quiche: ham/cheese and spinach/cheese.  They were both sampled and both deemed delicious, along with the salad which was tasty au naturel or with the plethora of dressing choices she offered.  The pièce de résistance was the baked brie and strawberry cream cheese bread along with fresh fruit to satisfy our sweet tooth!

Synopsis:
Jacquetta is of the House of Luxembourg in France and at the age of 17 she is married to the Duke of Bedford, an Englishman.   Her life as his wife is most unconventional.  The duke only wants Jacquetta to scry (foretell) for him, and in doing so, she must remain a virgin, so their marriage is never consummated.  After the duke dies, Jacquetta and the duke's squire, Richard, admit their love for one another and begin a love affair filled with joie de vivre which leads to a marriage blessed with 14 children through the years.  During that time they find themselves deeply embroiled in the ongoing war and many battles fought to retain lands and King Henry's throne in both England and France.  Despite their many separations and uncertain finances or loyalties during all those years, the couple remain steadfastly in love.  It is a love story of a squire and his maiden while history leaves its mark with battle scars cut across the English landscape.

Comments:
Having previously read "The White Queen" where Jacquetta is one of the main characters, this book had a strong feeling of déjà vu at times.  However, we did find a portion of her personality to be quite changed from restrained humility when she was a younger wife to a force majeure by the time her daughter was queen.  Jacquetta learned to use her inherited sixth sense born of the house of Melusina, some magic, and herbal knowledge to her benefit much more frequently and freely in her later years.

The health of King Henry as he lay in a coma-like state, made us question whether he had suffered a stroke or had a psychotic break-down.  When he came out of the deep sleep after 18 months, he was child-like, fragile, and easily startled.  He never quite recovered and remained a puppet king with his wife, Margaret, a veritable tour de force.  It bothered us that the queen was so demanding of Jacquetta and callous to her needs and desires.  Jacquetta's life as the queen's lady-in-waiting meant leaving her newborns to be cared and raised by the nursery maid while she lived wherever the queen was staying at the time.  We also noted the change in Margaret's personality as she became power-hungry, defiant, and vengeful in the quest to ensure her son's placement on the throne in the midst of the coup d'état.

En masse, we agreed that the underlying message in this book was highlighting the repressment and role of women during the 15th century, where they are denied carte blanche.  We gathered a pot-pourri of quotes to support this idea:

p. 29 - "Men command the world that they know," she says.  "Everything that men know, they make their own.  Everything that they learn, they claim for themselves.  They are like the alchemists who look for the laws that govern the world, and then want to own them and keep them secret.  Everything they discover, they hug to themselves; they shape knowledge into their own selfish image.  What is left to us women but the realms of the unknown?"
p. 118 - "Any woman who dares to make her own destiny will always put herself in danger..."
p. 140 - "The law of men always puts women in a bad place!"
p. 290 - "Though their own wives may run their lands when they [lords] are away, their own wives are given no title and draw no fees. They don't like to think of women in power, women as leaders. The ability of women is not acknowledged; indeed, it is concealed. Wise women pretend that all they are doing is running a household when they command a great estate..."
p. 347 - "When a man wants a mystery, it is generally better to leave him mystified.  Nobody loves a clever woman."

Most Memorable Quote:
Jacquetta to Queen Margaret:  "Your Grace, every woman is a mad ugly bad old witch, somewhere in her heart. The task of my life is to conceal this. The task of every woman is to deny this." p. 342
We thought this quote was funny, and true!

FAB Rating:
**** (4 out of 5 stars)
As usual, Philippa Gregory has written a historically accurate novel while drawing us into the personal life of Jacquetta, whose savoir-faire managed to keep her involved with the English royal court while remaining in good graces with the people of London.  We anticipate that her next novel revealing the inner life of the daughters of the Earl of Warwick will be another crème de la crème in the historical fiction genre. 

Personal note: I sincerely hope that my attempt to include a sufficient amount of relevant French phrases in this review was not a faux pas.  If so, this may be the coup de grâce to bring about a new blog writer...C'est la vie!  Au revoir, madames!!

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

It was my turn to host our FABulous ladies' meeting for the month of February.  There were five of us in attendance and a table heavy-laden with food.  (I tend to cook more when the weather is chilly outside!)  We feasted on rosemary chicken roasted with carrots and potatoes, almond-roasted green beans, homemade Challah bread, spinach and goat cheese salad, purple grapes, and an assortment of olives.  With a tribute to the book's Jewish background found in the almonds, olives, Challah bread, and goat cheese on the table, the homemade cake pops and chocolate dipped marshmallows for dessert were an early celebration of the upcoming Valentine's holiday, along with the "Dove" chocolate candies.

Challah Bread

This is the table and ladies after we had devoured the food ..... We may be stuffed, but not the chicken!

Synopsis:
The Dovekeepers is a fictional story based upon the historian Josephus' written account of the 900 Jews who held out for months against the Roman armies in 70-73 C.E.   They lived in what was once the palace of King Herod, an impenetrable fortress set upon sheer cliffs.   It is written that 2 women and 5 children were the only survivors.   Ms. Hoffman has taken that information and created a story around it.  This story follows the lives of four women who work together caring for the doves while each of them carry their own secrets, dreams, and guilts.  In their daily struggles, some will find themselves drawn more closely together, while others will find their relationships strained or lost forever.  No matter which road they have taken or will choose, these women are strong, independent, and each have an intriguing tale to share with their modern readers.

Comments:
Of the four women who told their tale in separate accounts, we considered which one we most admired or with whom we experienced a connection.  Aziza, the warrior, was chosen by a few of us due to her strength, her courage, and her loyalty to her step-father and the values he taught her.  She forged her own path and was willing to risk her life to save the lives of those she loved.  She loved and fought with abandon.  Revka was mentioned because of her devotion and selfless love for her grandsons.  She lost her husband and daughter to the enemy, but did not quit or turn her back on those little ones who needed her, even though their own father in his grief turned his back on them.  She was the strong and loving grandmother.  Revka was quiet and cautious to trust others, but she was loyal and true to those she called friend.

As for the other two women, Shirah and Yael, we found them less admirable for various reasons.  Shirah was the witch who practiced magic and divination incongruently along with worship of God Almighty.  She was fascinating, strong, and controlling.  She believed what her mother had told her had been written for her, that love would bring about her undoing.  When her mother told her, "Here is the riddle of love:  Everything it gives to you, it takes away," Shirah believed that in order not to bring her curse upon her own children, she had to try her best not to love them.  Although, Shirah feels that she failed to prevent that curse, it appears that she did create a self-fulfilling prophecy as each of her daughters forged their own destiny with no desire to maintain or strengthen the mother-daughter bonds.  In the end, Shirah delivers an infant daughter and in her own death leaves Yael to raise this child.  Yael has this to say of the witch who acted as a surrogate mother to Yael: "She gave her life so that Yonah would have hers.  For those who say that the Witch of Moab never loved anyone, that she was selfish, concerned with her own fate alone, I can only say that she was ruined by love and delivered by it and that she left something glorious to the world, a child who loves to stand in the rain." p. 378.

Yael was a submissive and traitorous young woman at the beginning of this book.  She showed no remorse for her adulterous lifestyle and the betrayal of her only friend.  However, as JoAnn reminded us, "A child will find love somewhere when no love is shown to her at home."  Yael's father did not show any love to his daughter and abused her both emotionally and physically.  Is it any wonder that the first time a man showed her any attention, Yael held tightly to it no matter the circumstances or consequences?  However, Yael did grow up in those few short years and displayed both strength and tenderness when needed, becoming a friend to all the women, despite any initial mistrust on their part.  She also befriended the slave from Wales and risked her own life to give him his freedom.  By the end of the story, Yael is the wise, strong leader and protector.

Although Nahara was not one of the main characters given her own narrative section, we found her character worth mentioning.  It was intriguing that she stubbornly chose to leave her mother and sister and live with the plain and peaceful Essenes.  We found her decision both naive and admirable.  Seeing as she lived with a mother who took her from her father's presence and snuck around sleeping with a married man, Nahara may have found the Essenes way of living appealing for security reasons and for the open and trusting attitude they adopted.  Her love for Malachi sealed the deal.

Most Memorable Quotes:
"There were times when those around you can see your fate but you yourself are blind, stumbling toward a coil of mistakes." page 169 said by Revka in reference to Nahara's following the Essenes.

"But now I understood that, although words were God's first creation, silence was closer to His divine spirit, and that prayers given in silence were infinitely greater than the thousands of words men might offer up to heaven." page 213 said by Revka.

"...for some secrets bring you closer in the sharing, just as others break you apart." page. 245 said by Aziza.

"We were no different from the doves above us.  We could not speak or cry, but when there was no choice we discovered we could fly.  If you want a reason, take this:  We yearned for our portion of the sky." page 302 said by The Witch of Moab.

FAB Rating:
*** (3 out of 5 stars)
This was a great story of women: their faults, strengths, loves, devotions, hurts, betrayals, choices, and struggles.  The historical background is interesting even with the controversy surrounding the authenticity of this account by Josephus.  However, there were serious distractions which negatively impacted our reading enjoyment. 

One problem we noted was the narration of Aziza in "The Warrior's Beloved" section.  She begins her narration addressing her sister, Nahara, on page 215 and then abruptly changes on page 230 to a normal narration of her tale.  There is no closure or segue to indicate an end of the 'letter' to her sister.

The story was filled with magic, prophetic dreams, ghosts, and other mystical elements.  We understand that this is a common theme found in Ms. Hoffman's other books, but it diminished the authenticity of the historical background.  It was especially implausible to believe that Shirah was able to make it immediately rain on demand in the midst of a severe drought.  I know some weathermen and Texas farmers who would give their eye-teeth for that talent!

The story itself is written in a poetic sense with beautiful, descriptive language.  The downside to that for all of us was that it bogged down the storyline and forced the reader to wade through line after line of details which were not significant to the storyline.  We were drowning in descriptions and just wanted to get back to the meat of the story so many times!  When we were able to get back into the meaty parts, we found some good stuff to chew on.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

On an unusually warm January day we gathered at Michele's home for our meeting.  Unfortunately, we were minus a couple of members so it was a small group.  Michele set up a taco bar and we piled on the cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and all those other wonderful toppings to create our chicken tacos.  We also enjoyed a hominy and green chilis dish, bowls of fresh fruit, and a crumb apple pie drizzled with white icing for dessert.  Nothing 'fancy' as Michele told us, but certainly filling.

Now let the peculiarities begin!  How about this photo from the book?! Yikes!

Synopsis:

As a teenage boy growing up in a well-to-do Florida family, Jacob Portman had come to accept that his life would be ordinary.  However, extraordinary things began to happen following his grandfather's death.  He journeys across the ocean to a tiny island off the coast of Wales where he learns more about his grandfather and more about himself.  The more he learns, the more his life becomes peculiar.

Comments:
Created from vintage photos found in attics, trunks, and yard sales, this story is imaginative, original, and fascinating.  We agreed that the storyline grabbed our attention from the beginning.  We definitely can see this book as a movie and we were pleased to read online that a movie is currently in the works, along with a sequel to this first book with new peculiar photos.  Perhaps in the sequel Jacob will be able to meet back up with his grandfather in a time loop?

The time travel loops were an interesting concept.  The whole idea of time travel makes one of our FAB girls giddy with excitement over the possibilities!  On page 62 we found a new meter by which to measure visitors in our own homes: “Oggie sat facing us in a threadbare blazer and pajama bottoms, as if he’d been expecting company – just not pants-worthy company…”  Thank goodness, we were all deemed ‘pants-worthy’ company at Michele’s home! 

Once we had read the entire book, it was enlightening to return to the beginning of the story and see some foreshadowing and relevant information we had missed the first time around.  On page 6 Jacob laments that, "I couldn't become an explorer because everything in the world had already been discovered.  I'd been born in the wrong century, and I felt cheated." By the end of the story, we know that Jacob will explore beyond country and time boundaries.  On page 14 Grandpa Portman in a full meltdown mode regarding monsters yells, "I'll be fine -- cut out their tongues and stab them in the eyes, that's all you gotta do!"  Jacob will later use that method to defeat a monster.  Grandpa Portman is considered gun crazy, according to his family, even shown in a photo sleeping with his pistol in his hand.  Jacob remarks, "I guess that after everything my grandfather had been through, he never really felt safe anywhere, not even at home." As it turns out, Grandpa was not safe in his own home and that is where he was found and murdered by the monsters.

The characters were varied, quirky, and entertaining.  The peculiar children each had their own distinct personality along with their unique talents.  One of the story's main characters in particular, Jacob's father, touched us as he tried to connect with his son in a way he never felt connected to his own father.  Franklin was a sad, unfulfilled character. His relationship with his own father had been strained and distant due to Abe's frequent absences and the alleged adulterous affair. Then Franklin married into a wealthy family and found himself unable to successfully complete any of his work projects so that he was always dependent upon his wife's wealth and felt that his wife would one day leave him. Those broken and hurt relationships in his life seemed to create an unconfident man and father who appeared to be floundering through life still trying to find his own success.  Ironically, Jacob was forging on doing a better job than his own father of finding and fulfilling his purpose in life, which, unfortunately, required severing their father/son relationship for an unknown amount of time.

We did have one common complaint among us...the monsters! The monsters had an old-Hollywood feel about them: silly and disappointing. We felt that it cheapened the storyline.  We also agreed that the convoluted explanation of how the hollowgast and wights came about lacked clarity and authenticity.

Most Memorable Quote:
"I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary.  I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was." said by Jacob on page 220.  One of the FAB ladies shared, "This is so me, I don’t realize how much I’ve done until my nieces and nephews start asking me questions about my life and then I realize – wow, I’m pretty interesting!"  We all need to be reminded that we are extraordinary women leading extraordinary lives!

FAB Rating:
***1/2 (3-1/2 out of 5)
The author took a collection of interestingly odd photos and created a very imaginative story around those photos.  His descriptions of the island, retirement community, tavern, and children's home were so vivid as to paint a colorful portrait in our minds.