AFTERWORD ~ September 200816. Ann came up with the idea of writing about their travels, but I don't know who came up with the book's title. Pomegranates relate to the myth about Demeter's daughter Persephone, who ate three pomegranate seeds. Sue and Ann wore those glass pomegranate necklaces, and they ate seeds from the pomegranate Sue brought from the hotel (pp. 78 and 84). Have you ever tasted pomegranate seeds — or juice?
Ann
Sue
17. Can you come up with a question for this Jeopardy! answer (p. 281)?
"Sue Monk Kidd's debut novel is about these insects."18. Have you read either of Sue's novels?
19. How did you feel about Traveling with Pomegranates, once you had finished?
20. Did the book leave any loose ends for you? Were you left wondering about anything?
3 comments:
"What are bees?" :)
I have read The Secret Life of Bees several times. It is one of my all-time favorite books. I have The Mermaid Chair but haven't (yet) read it. For some reason, I often hesitate to read a second book by the author of a book I loved, for fear of being disappointed, I think.
I have read Firstlight, a collection of Sue's early inspirational writings. I enjoyed it very much. But I haven't read The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, though several friends have recommended it to me, including just recently. Maybe I'll put it on my summer reading list.
Yes, Alison, your answer is correct!
The Secret Life of Bees is one of my favorite novels, too. In fact, it gets better the more I think about it.
The Dance of the Dissident Daughter is one of my favorite nonfiction books, but I wasn't as impressed with The Mermaid Chair, which was just an "okay" novel. Nothing wrong with it, just not as complex and deep as The Secret Life of Bees.
I also read her spiritual memoir When the Heart Waits (1990), but I don't remember much about it other than liking it.
Traveling with Pomegranates is definitely good. I rated it 9/10.
16. Have you ever tasted pomegranate seeds — or juice?
No. I do remember a year or so ago that one of the WalMart cashiers enthusiastically recommended a pomegranate drink that he had recently begun drinking.
17. Can you come up with a question for this Jeopardy! answer (p. 281)?
"Sue Monk Kidd's debut novel is about these insects."
What are bees?
18. Have you read either of Sue's novels?
I read "The Secret Life of Bees" and thoroughly enjoyed it giving it a 10 out of 10. I listened to "The Mermaid Chair", but didn't like it nearly as well giving it a 7 out of 10. I haven't read "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter".
19. How did you feel about Traveling with Pomegranates, once you had finished?
I was more enthusiastic at the beginning of the book. I liked the idea of the mother/daughter travel and the interesting info on the various sacred shrines. I wasn't as enthusiastic about their use of symbols--interesting, but they became a little much. After realizing that the journals sounded more contrived than they appeared, I was more disappointed.
20. Did the book leave any loose ends for you? Were you left wondering about anything?
I still wonder how much of the book was from journals kept at the time and how much were written after Ann began writing her book on the travels.
Since I am eagerly awaiting my first grandchild to be born in September, I especially liked the references to grandmothers. “Grandmotherhood initiated me into a world of play, where all things became fresh, alive, and honest again through my grandchildren’s eyes. Mostly, it retaught me love.”
Since I also like to record info on trips that I've taken, I also liked the ending quote “We write to taste life twice,” Anis Niu wrote, “in the moment and in restrospection”. This may be why I enjoy writing about our trips even though my writing is more factual than reflective.
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