Questions for Discussion: "Digging to America"

Sandi Jordan has agreed to lead our July 19 discussion of Digging to America by Anne Tyler. See you on the second floor at 5:30!
Below are discussion questions provided by Random House:

1. In calling their baby Susan, the Yazdans “chose a name that resembled the name she had come with, Sooki, and also it was a comfortable sound for Iranians to pronounce” [p. 10]. The Donaldsons keep their baby’s Korean name, Jin-Ho. What is the significance of these choices, both within the context of the novel and in the context of adoption in general? Is it important for an adoptive family to give children from another country or ethnic group a sense of their heritage? What insights does Ziba and Bitsy’s fractious disagreement about “Americanization” [p. 46] offer into this question?

2. Right from the start, Maryam feels a deep connection with Susan—“something around the eyes, some way of looking at things, some onlooker’s look: that was what they shared. Neither one of them quite belonged” [p. 13]. Does Maryam’s pleasure in bonding with Susan hint at needs or emotions that she is unable or unwilling to acknowledge? To what extent does her insistence that she is “Still and forever a guest, on her very best behavior” [p. 15] serve as a convenient excuse for remaining aloof from other people?

3. What aspects of her heritage does Maryam value most and why? Why is she so unsettled by her visit to Iran and her reactions to Iranians in the country [p. 39]? Why is she annoyed when her cousin’s American husband sprinkles bits of Farsi into his conversation [p. 147]? Why has she raised Sami to be “more American than the Americans” [p. 83], even as she clings to her otherness?

4. Does Maryam’s behavior show that she feels not only estranged from American society but also in some way superior to it? What specific incidents and conversations bring this aspect of her personality to light?

5. In addition to being a wonderfully amusing vignette, what is the import of Sami’s “performance piece” [pp. 80–81]? Why does Tyler use humor and mockery to convey a serious point about Americans and how they appear to immigrants? Does the fact that Sami is American-born and-raised make his criticisms more credible (and perhaps more acceptable) than they would be if a newcomer to the country expressed them?

6. How does Maryam differ from Ziba’s parents and her cousin Farah, the other Iranian immigrants depicted in the novel? What factors, both practical and psychological, influence the characters’ desire and ability to make a place for themselves in American society? What do these varying portraits show about the process of assimilation? Are there inherent contradictions between accepting the culture of an adopted homeland and retaining one’s ethnic identi

7. Compare and contrast Ziba and Bitsy. How do they differ as women? As mothers? Which woman is more sympathetically drawn? How does Tyler use both negative and positive attributes to bring each woman to life? How do the women’s individual approaches to motherhood influence the way they regard and evaluate each other? Is Ziba overly susceptible to Bitsy’s criticism and suggestions? Does her friendship with Ziba, as well as her frequent encounters with Maryam, affect Bitsy’s beliefs or behavior? Does the relationship between Ziba and Bitsy change over the course of the book?

8. How do the portraits of Sami and Brad compare to those of their wives? Are their personalities as richly described? Do they play parallel roles within their families? Is their behavior in relation to their children and wives a reflection of their personalities and the nature of their marriages, or do cultural patterns, expectations, and values also play a part?

9. Does the romance between Dave and Maryam unfold in a realistic way? In addition to Dave’s moving reaction to Connie death, what other events or conversations show that he contains a depth and a self-awareness that Maryam and the others seem oblivious to?

10. What does Maryam’s description of her courtship and marriage [pp. 155–160] add to our image of her? Why has she chosen to keep the story to herself, not even sharing it with Sami?

11. Discuss Maryam’s reaction to Dave’s proposal [pp. 211–214]. What does her conversation with Sami and Ziba reveal about her difficulties in reconciling her prejudices about Americans and her affection for Dave? In what ways do her protests also bring to light her ambivalent feelings about who she is and what she is willing to give up at this stage of her life? Why do you think Maryam makes the decision she does at the end of the book?

12. To what extent does Digging to America echo the themes and concerns Tyler explored in her previous novels? Do Tyler’s views on marriage and family here differ in significant ways from those presented in her earlier works? How does Digging to America compare to other books you have read that portray women trying to establish an identity apart from what is expected—or demanded—of them?

Questions: July and August Meetings

Our meeting in July is on Thursday the 19th. We chose to read Digging to America by Anne Tyler. The August meeting will be on Thursday the 16th. Since no title was chosen for August, why don't we all just plan to share with the group what we are currently reading. It does not need to be an elaborate presentation; you don't even need to have finished reading the book, article, short story, etc. Just share what it is, why you like or dislike it, and maybe to whom it would appeal.
We did put off reading Devil in the White City by Erik Larson because it is long. What about doing it in September? There are 12 copies in the library system, and there is lots of time. Yes? No? Other choices?
Fran

Review of Heat by Bill Buford prepared by Brenda

Those of us who attended the last book club meeting were in agreement that this was a superbly written book, giving insights into a little-known world of the gourmet chef. We would have liked to discuss it with others who did, and did not like the book, but it was not to be…

Journalist Bill Buford explores the mysteries and kitchen secrets of EVERYTHING that goes into and onto the plate of a restaurant meal. Buford’s book project begins as a chronicle of the life and times of the famed chef, Maurio Batali, of NYC’s three-star restaurant, Babbo. His curiosity of what goes on behind the scenes in a gourmet restaurant soon becomes an obsession as he attempts to emulate his subject as Batali’s cook/kitchen slave. But after learning what goes on in the various stations, the pasta station, the grill, the pastry station, the plate-and-serve station, the produce prep station, etc., and even getting promoted to line cook, this is not enough. Buford then wants to study with the masters that shaped the creative genius of Mario Batali. After several trips to Europe to apprentice with pasta makers, butchers and noted chefs, Buford gives us vivid picture of the entire process of how a gourmet meal becomes gourmet.

He delves into the history and philosophy of cooking, regional variations and practices, the importance of buying fresh and local (when available, as long as it is not inferior) and shaping the weekly menu around that, not selecting a menu then trying to find the food to make it. Even purchasing meat requires an education in what the animal was fed, and where it was raised, or under what conditions a particular crop was harvested. And then there are the strong personalities one finds in the great restaurant kitchens of the world. There was a repeated theme of these larger-than-life chefs, all competitive, high-energy, in-your-face, socially inappropriate, ECCENTRIC, emotionally-charged, temperamental, and yet extremely quick (in body and mind), talented individuals. One chef stated “I prefer working with women. There is so much less testosterone bravura.”

The book is “peppered” with recipes, food terms, wine pairings, and helpful cooking techniques. And there is something for everyone to “chew” on here; a travel guide to fine dining and drinking as well as a travel guide to the great food regions of Italy, France, and England:13 pages written about cookery, travel, and literature.

Yes, Buford and some of his subjects are quite poetic at times:

"Teresa was effervescently happy. She hummed, broke into song, laughed at the slightest absurdity, and because she found the world delightfully absurd, she laughed all the time, unless she laughed too hard, and then she cried. "

"It’s not the breed but the breeding."

"For Dario, implicit in the culture of a place was its language and its art AND its food—maybe the most direct expression because the habits of cooking and eating arise out of the land itself."

And referring to the slow, steady curing and cooking of old, “You cannot do traditional work at a modern pace.”

For someone who is not passionate about fine food and drink, this book would be a difficult read. But as a psychological study in obsessive, exhibitionist personalities and a rare glimpse into some of the great kitchens and how a dinner dish comes together, it is an exciting read. At times Buford repeats himself, and we’re not sure if it’s bad editing or perhaps to underscore a point. And he borrows liberally from other “foodies”; even his title is taken from British chef Marco Pierre White’s book “White Heat.” Interestingly Buford comes full circle in this book from his first dinner with Mario-the-great-chef to the last chapter, another dinner with Mario where he is more the chef’s equal, even being encouraged to open his own restaurant.

Oh, did I mention that during Buford’s entire “one-track fetish with all things cookery,” that he was married? His wife Jessica Green, also a successful journalist, sometimes accompanied him to Europe. She must be a saint, tolerating his taking over their apartment kitchen for a week while he dresses every part of a pig; he would go for days without seeing her, coming home during the wee hours after cooking late then staying up until dawn trying to unwind. Buford (at age 50) and his wife are now parents of twin boys. In a a quote from Dante’s Divine Comedy, he dedicates his book “For Jessica …che move il sole e l’altre stelle” (“whose love moves the sun and the stars”).

Comment on Eat, Pray, Love

Gilbert lost favor with some in the book club because in the end, she finds love again. In her defense, Gilbert spent a year of her life doing nothing but trying to put the past behind her, working through her pain, reconnecting with her inner self, devoting the whole of her days to prayer, meaningful interaction, and soul-searching for truth and knowledge of how we fit into the universal scheme of things. Not many of us have the luxury of taking a year off to do this, which is why it can take us the better part of a lifetime to make the leaps she has made in just one year, to overcome the bitterness of a failed relationship, or to enlighten ourselves on a path of inner peace and happiness. It's not like she jumped from one relationship to another (although David was the epitome of a rebounder). Gilbert shunned going out to the party where she met Felipe, the Brazilian, but eventually gave in to the peer pressure to "get out and circulate." Then she kept a safe distance from him after they met; she didn't just plunge into a love affair, she led in with her big toe, one foot, then the other, slowly followed by body and soul. Sometimes no matter how hard we fight it, when the right love comes along, its power is too strong to deny. What does one gain in trying to fight it, instead of giving in to love? In our time, it Pollyannaish to be a romantic? Who are we to say that two persons from two different continents who found each other on a third continent weren't meant to be together? Isn't life about seeking happiness? Did not Thomas Jefferson recognize this when framing our constitutional right to "the pursuit of happiness?"

Comment from a member

Since this comment requires some thought before we meet, I'm entering it as a post so that all of us are sure to see it.

Food for thought:Since there are some "summer reads" I've been looking forward to, I won't be able to read those AND book club selections. I will probably not attend the next 2-3 months so that I can focus on some other things. If I'm not the only one wanting to take a break, I propose we do something that would take less personal time but still would be a meaningful book club meeting. We could have 1 month where people select 2-3 poems from their favorite poet(s) to share with the group, as well as a bit about the poet. Another meeting could be the same with essays. There are many wonderful books of essays and poetry out there that are often overlooked. And then there are the short stories, some by prominent authors, others unknown. How do these compare with their larger works?

Posting Comments to This Blog

Here's a tip to post a comment. Click on "Comments" under an earlier post, then click on "Anonymous" so that the username/password boxes for Google disappear. Please send comments, especially if you can't come to a meeting. We all want to hear your opinion! See you on the 21st at 5:30 for our discussion of Heat.

Heat by Bill Buford

Discussion Questions for June 21 at 5:30 PM. We will meet in the library's 2nd floor Paul Siegmund Room, 311 Scott Street. For information about the Beaufort Book Club, email fhays@bcgov.net or just come to the meeting!

1. Did Heat make you want to become a cook, or did it make you want to run far, far away from the kitchen?
2. Why do you think Buford included the story about Miguel, the cook who killed himself?
3. Which larger-than-life chef were you most intrigued by? Mario Batali, Marco Pierre White, or Dario Cecchini? In what ways are they alike, and how are they different?
4. Have you ever spent an intense period of time learning a new skill, the way Buford did in the Babbo kitchen and the Cecchini macelleria?
5. At one point, Buford is told that the heat of the kitchen means the chef's sweat flavors every meal. Do you think this was meant to be an interesting fact? A provocative metaphor? A slightly disgusting reality?
6. Rate Heat on a scale of 1-5.
   
   
   

Discussion Questions-Winter of Our Discontent

Questions for Discussion:

1. In what ways does Steinbeck show the reader that a new order is replacing the old in New Baytown.
2. As the story opens, is Ethan Hawley part of the new order or the old? Explain.
3. Critics have stated that Steinbeck is presenting a paradox: “[man] can simply become one of the ‘eaters’ who simply fulfill their needs and urges, or he can try to make a difference as a moral, conscious individual." How is Ethan tempted to abandon his values and morals?
4. How does he himself expand on those temptations? What are the results?
5. When Margie reads Ethan’s fortune, she gets a vision of a snake shedding its skin. What might the image of the snake signify?
6. How do the actions of Ethan’s son mirror Ethan’s decline?
7. What is Ethan’s reaction?
8. What prevents his suicide?
9. To Mr.Marullo, Ethan is the “light” because he has not taken a kickback from a salesman. Who does Ethan discover as his own symbol of light for the next generation?

April 19-Eat, Pray, Love Discussion

In the absence of Maura (We missed you!), I will touch on the highlights of our discussion.

• One of the questions for discussion from the publisher quoted author Gilbert as saying that American is"an entertainment-seeking nation, not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one." Our group agreed, noting how often we feel guilty for "doing nothing" when we should be enjoying a chance for solitude or an attempt to rest and reflect. Europeans, we decided, are much more able to just relax and enjoy when the opportunity presents itself.

• A member commented on the brilliant structure of the book: one chapter for each of the 108 beads on the japa mala, Indian prayer beads. We also decided that the order in which the author visited her countries was well chosen: Italy to eat too much, learn to relax, and gain weight; then India to the ashram where she ate vegetables and brown rice and scrubbed floors--surely an accidental weight-loss program!

• During her stay at the ashram, Gilbert decides to become silent. Her goal is to become"The Quiet Girl." At that point she is assigned the job of Key Hostess, a job where the assignment is to greet new guests and be "social and bubbly and smiling all the time." She must talk! The universe has a sense of humor, and a sense of a person's true personality.

• Another discussion ranged around the author's quest for a word that describes her. She had been told that cities have a defining word: "Rome's word is SEX" for example. She finally decided to choose "Anteavasin" for herself. The word means "one who lives at the border." She sees herself as one who has left her normal life to become a seeker after wisdom, but one who has not yet arrived. The club decided that her word was really one on which she focused in Italy: Attraversiamo. It means "Let's cross over." The two words seem related in meaning.
  

Upcoming Titles for the Beaufort Book Club

June 21st-Heat by Bill Buford (The library system has 6 copies total. It is also in paperback for under $12, at least on Amazon.)
July 19th-Digging to America by Anne Tyler (The library system owns 7 copies. It is in paperback on Amazon for just over $10.)
Happy Reading!