Saints at the River

Our discussion, led by Brenda, began with an examination of the title to determine which characters might be the "saints." Our conclusion was that, depending on whether the reader was more sympathetic to the environmentalists trying to save the river or to the parents who wanted to dam it to retrieve the body of their child, characters on either side of the struggle could be seen as either "saints" or "sinners." For some of us, the perspective changed multiple times as we read.

The river served multiple purposes in the novel: It served as another character representing the power of nature that man has to accept on its own terms. The river also impressed us as a metaphor for the journey of life towards death.

The group then tackled the depictions of families in the novel. Maggie, the protagonist, is estranged from her father, but ends by caring for him through a fatal illness. She does begin to remember her father as a caring parent during her childhood, although their estrangement continues. Kowalski, father of the drowned child, also seemed to us to be an inadequate parent as he made no attempt to save his drowning child.

Our final conclusion was that Saints at the River is a cautionary tale about the power, and final authority of nature.

Our next meeting is February 21, 5:30 PM in the second floor lobby of the library, 311 Scott Street. Our book is Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King with discussion leader Sandi.

Saints at the River by Ron Rash

Our meeting is this Thursday evening at 5:30. We will, again, be on the second floor in the large meeting room. Brenda, who will lead our discussion, has seen some links to help us with the book.

For the book club blog:

http://www.breaktech.net/EmergingWritersForum/View_Interview.aspx?id=130

This one shows image of book and author if you want to copy them onto the blog:
http://www.picadorusa.com/product/product.aspx?isbn=0312424914

Discussion questions are found here:
http://www.picadorusa.com/rgg/files/0312424914.pdf


Thanks much!

~ Brenda

Sherman Alexie's Done It Again!
Author: Charlene Hollow Horn Bear
Well, it's finally here and it is selling like crazy! For all you Sherman Alexie fans out there we have his new book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian". For those who haven't had the chance to read any of his material, he has an excellent way of writing about the side of Native Americans that tend to get the blind eye. Too often and sadly when people come to visit the reservation they come at a time of gathering, such as a powwow, sundance, giveaway, feed or even a death. At these times everyone is having a goodtime; friendly, social and at their best. Very seldom do the people who come to visit see the hardships that Native People often bare. Sherman Alexie writes about these blind eye matters in his stories, sometimes with humor and other times telling the harsh realities. Growing up on the reservation as a "part-time Indian", I found the book very funny and therapeutic. It brought up a lot of memories both good and bad that I haven't thought about in years! I have read every one of his books and my all-time favorite is, "Toughest Indian in the World", but this one is a close second. My co-workers humored each other by reading sections of the book to one another and laughing out loud. Talk about getting the customers attention!I would highly recommend this book to all those who would like a good laugh with a little dose of reality.Toksa,Charlene Hollow Horn Bear

Fran, I’d like to put this out for consideration for our book club. Can you order some copies for the library? Thanks!!!

~ Brenda
Brenda Gale Beasley, MA, MSLS Catalog Librarian
Beaufort County Library ~ Beaufort Branch
311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
843.470.6529 ~ bbeasley@bcgov.net
www.beaufortcountylibrary.org

December-Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

The ten participants at December's meeting were led by David in an enthusiastic discussion of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. David began with a short survey of critics' opinions of the work, and continued with a condensed biography of the author. He then surprised us with the information that Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now is a modern retelling of Heart of Darkness. Parallels between the book and the film were pointed out.

The discussion continued with a list of discussion questions. We considered:
The meaning of the title; the motives of the British colonists; the contrasts between Kurtz's female native companion and his "intended" left behind in England; and the question of whether men who think they are invulnerable to the forces of darkness are, at that point, most vulnerable to temptation. We then briefly considered the question "Is man innately good, but corrupted by society, or is man innately evil and saved by society." Please feel free to comment to the blog with your own opinions.

The next meeting is on January 17. Brenda will lead a discussion of Saints at the River by Ron Rash. We will meet at 5:30 here at the library. Watch this blog, or check at the Beaufort Reference Desk for the room location.

December Meeting-Heart of Darkness

Remember, we are meeting a week early in December. Join us Thursday, December 13 at 6:00 PM (instead of the usual 5:30) in the 2nd floor lobby of the library at 311 Scott Street. Our book this month is Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. David will lead our discussion. Bring a snack to share if you like.

Come early and see the Beaufort Railroaders' model train exhibits ub the second floor meeting room and the first floor Children's Programming Room. These are wonderful displays for the young and the young-at-heart.

Background on Devil in the White City

Here's a full text online book (20+ chapters) you might want to point to the book clubbers. The site allows you to print it out, too.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/holmes/index_1.html (H. H. Holmes info.)

And this is a 10 minute video with good pictures but not of History Channel production quality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nifJ4z6VxJU

Here's a 7 minute one from a National Geographic documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ngPdCdWgug



Amanda Brewer, MLS, Reference Librarian

Devil in the White City

Erick Larson’s The Devil in the White City elicited a lively discussion from the Beaufort Book Club. First we watched about ten minutes of the DVD Expo: Magic of the White City. The introduction to the film showed contemporary photos and art of the Columbia Exposition of 1893. We also looked at some still photos of the Fair and discussed what happened to the originals and what remained of the Fair today.

The first question we tackled was in what way Daniel Burnham, the talented and driven architect of the Fair was like H. H. Holmes the “devil” serial killer. We decided that both were determined and creative, Burnham in his vision of the Fair and Holmes in the way he lured and disposed of his victims.

We then discussed the dream-like atmosphere of the Fair. Participants decided that the choice of white paint for the buildings surrounding the Court of Honor waterway and the massive size of buildings, fountains, and sculpture gave the fair that unreal quality. Various members noted the contrast between the clean, white fairgrounds and the smelly, stockyard-dominated Chicago of 1893.

Enumerating the innovations introduced at the Fair was a fun exercise. They included: spray paint to ready the buildings quickly, massive public lighting using Westinghouse’s alternating current that set the standard down to the present, the building of the first ever Ferris wheel, the introduction of Cracker Jacks, and the popularity of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer that won medals at the Fair that are reproduced on the label to this day.

Participants also discussed the structure of the book. We approved of the author’s use of short chapters alternating between the actions of the murderer and those of the Fair’s creators. Brenda read some descriptions in lyrical language that approximated the use of language in 1893 when letter-writing and elaborate speech-making were in vogue.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, December 13 at 6:00 PM. The one time change to the 2^nd Thursday and the later time was due to holiday activities. We will meet in the second floor lobby to discuss Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness. The discussion will be lead by David. This meeting is free and open to the public.

November Meeting

Our November discussion is tomorrow evening, Thursday the 15th at 5:30 PM. Our book this month is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. We are in the 2nd floor meeting room still.

The Year of Magical Thinking

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Of the 8 attendees at October’s meeting of the Beaufort Book Club, only two felt that we had chosen a worthy book. Six people were of the opinion that the author did not have her heart in the writing of this book. There was some speculation that she wrote it merely to satisfy the demands of her publisher for a new work. Readinggroupchoices.com describes Didion’s tone in this book as “detached.” Perhaps it is that tone that struck a wrong note with our group. Some thought that the author “over-talked” about despair, pain, and the fear of losing a daughter. Whatever the reason, no one in the group wanted to read more books by this author.
The narrative of the book involves one year in which Joan Didion’s only daughter was hospitalized in septic shock. Her doctors induced a coma, and put her on life support. Returning from a visit to their child, Didion saw her husband of 40 years collapse with a heart attack and die. Didion spent the ensuing year trying to learn everything she could about the cause of his particular heart attack, as if the knowing could change the result. Later that same year, her daughter, now recovered from septic shock, collapsed and underwent brain surgery “to relieve a massive hematoma.” Again, Didion’s life was characterized by fear and grief, and the desire for medical knowledge that could put the new disaster into a context.
Two of the group members felt that the author really was writing in an involved manner and had a message. To them, she appeared to be working her way through the worst tragedy of her life by putting herself in her husband’s place mentally, emotionally, and physically in order to understand the extent of his peril. Those members felt that she had done an enormous amount of research to share with her readers as she, and potentially they, tried to understand how someone so alive one minute could be irrevocably gone in the next.
Submitted by David

October Meeting

Our October meeting is on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 5:30 in the library's second floor meeting room. Judy will lead the discussion of The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Hope you can come!