Thanks ladies

Thank you for your trouble, Marg. I would think about joining the book depository, but in the meantime I've decided to do other things with my time.

I hope I'm not offending anyone of the reading group, but I find the total lack of discussion not inspiring at all. I know I have been spoiled by the vibrant times at the O site, now almost 5 years ago (gasp!) when we started. It's just the way it is, and it's not for me anymore.

No can do

Dear fellow readers,

I'm sorry to have to tell you that I won't be reading Geraldine Brooks' book with you after all. I know I voted for it, but I must have overlooked the actual price before. I just checked my internet bookstore, and the book will cost me €36. That's $46.....yes, that's right: FORTY SIX DOLLARS.
As much as I like Brooks' writing, I am going to wait for the paperback..LOL!!!

A Great Imperfection

"A Great Imperfection" is another translation of the book's Dutch title: een Schitterend Gebrek". My translation "A magnificent Handicap" is more accurate, but the translator's sounds better...:)

I was glad to notice that part 2 of our book was much more entertaining. It was good to discover what actually happened to Lucia, and how she coped. It made me sad that she decided that Giacomo should not see her like this, and that it would be better for his 'career' if she fled, looking the way she looked now. What a society to live in!

But.....now that she left her home, it opened the world for her, as a sort of independent young woman, needing a position to make money. her relationship with Zelide sounds a bit weird, I think Zelide was a lesbian. But anyway, with her Lucia traveled across Europe. Instead of 'just' being somebody's wife.

Instead of answering the DQ, I prefer to give my own opinion about part 2.

ILE-DQ ~ When did she know?

Neco, you wrote:

One thing I thought about as coming to the end of reading this part was when did Lucia know that Seingalt was Giacomo? When she first saw him walking from her boat? At the theater? That night at the house before the storm? Or didn't she know until he told the story of the girl he first loved to her?

Now that's a good DQ! I think she recognized him right away, but she doesn't want to reveal herself, so she keeps quiet, wondering when Giacomo will realize it's her. But I think he doesn't remember her at all, she was just a child to have fun with, and she has gone from his memory long ago. And to think she sacrificed herself for his sake (well, that's what I think after reading part 1). We'll see how it goes.

PHEW!!

What an immense relief to read your comments, Bonnie, Neco and Shirley. I finished part one last week, and put the book aside to keep to our schedule for a change...And to be honest that wasn't a big sacrifice. I seem to be not so very interested in Lucia and Giacomo. Esp. Giacomo, I find him a narcissist jerk (which he probably was!). To slowly unravel Lucia's story, as told by Japin, is sort of fascinating though.
I couldn't do anything with the discussion questions, I was wondering if they were about the book I am reading,,hahahahahaha.

Lucia's childhood sounds like a happy one, living on a big estate, favoured by the landowner/lady. To crawl into bed with Giacomo with her parents' permission sounded very weird. She ended up as a courtisane, or prostitute. After only having read part one as yet, I don't know why this happened.

I had to laugh when you, Bonnie, wrote that you fell asleep even the first time around. Maybe when we have finished the book we will realize what a great work of literature this is, but now I don't really see it. I find the buildup of the story too 'artistic', if you know what I mean. Sorry folks!

Een Schitterend Gebrek

The original Dutch title of our February book is: Een Schitterend Gebrek.
It means: A Magnificent Handicap. Now my question is: Why is the book titled this way?

My pick

I am honored that so many of you are willing to read a book chosen by me. I propose to read Arthur Japin's "In Lucia's Eyes", the book that made the shortlist for December. I'll leave it to a democratic vote as to when we will read it. I think that Japin is a great writer, and this one I haven't read yet.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all my friends here a Merry Christmas, and all the best for the New Year. May all of your wishes come true, and may your lives be filled with great books to read!!
~~~ Margreet
EDITED by Bonnie to add Snoopy, one of my favorite characters, to the greeting from Margreet, one of my favorite people. Merry Christmas to all book buddies ... and a happy New Year!

Choosing our January book

UPDATE: The voting thing once again is allowing only five items on the list. Shelley, I put up only your first suggestion for that reason, okay? Everybuddy, add any additional choices to the comments here ... to be added to the February list.
__________

Shirley has asked the most appropriate question: "What is our book for January?"

It's past time for us to decide. Toby recently made a suggestion:

"I just saw a movie on TV the other day, Pictures of Hollis Woods. I cried at the end. The movie was based on a book of fiction. Would anyone want to consider this book for a future book selection?"

And Margaret suggested some Dutch books for us to consider, which we discussed in the comments of this post: http://bookbuddies3.blogspot.com/2007/11/book-suggestions-for-2008.html

Tricia made another suggestion:

"While I'm thinking of it, I should mention I have been longing to read The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly. http://www.amazon.com/Book-Lost-Things-Novel/dp/074329890X/"

Now is the time to make additional suggestions. One possibility is to look at all our previous suggestions ... by clicking on the label "suggestions" below. That will bring up all our previous posts showing books that have been suggested.

Click on "comments" on this post to suggest other books and to discuss your favorite suggestions. Thanks.

Life

My mother-in-law passed away last Friday. She had been in hospital for 4 days after a massive stroke, and she never regained consciousness after that. Her death was peaceful, and her family was with her when she died. She was 92, and active, bright and reasonably independent til her last day. Her death at this age wasn't a complete shock ofcourse, but now that she's gone, I feel that the centre figure of my husband's family is gone. We'll need time to adjust to that new phase in our lives.

We take comfort in the many sweet and moving reactions of family and friends.

For distraction I read Harry Potter. JK Rowling's masterpiece is the perfect way to get your mind of things, as many of you already know. I'm in book 3 now, The Prisoner of Azkaban. And I love it!!!!!

Book suggestions for 2008

Margreet suggested some Dutch authors we may want to consider. I have looked up these authors and found some of their books in English. Click on each link for a look at each book:

Authors ~ women
Renate Dorrestein
Heart of Stone
Unnatural Mothers
Without Mercy

Hella Haasse
In a Dark Wood Wandering : A Novel of the Middle Ages
Scarlet City : A Novel of Sixteenth-Century Italy
Threshold of Fire : A Novel of Fifth Century Rome
Forever a Stranger and Other Stories (stories)
A Stranger in the Hague : The Letters of Queen Sophie of the Netherlands to Lady Malet, 1842-1877 (nonfiction)

Anna Enquist
The Injury
The Fire Was Here (poetry)
The Masterpiece
The Secret
The Ice Carriers

Authors ~ men
Maarten 't Hart
Sundial

Arthur Japin
Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi
In Lucia's Eyes

Adriaan van Dis
My Father's War

Arnon Grunberg
Phantom Pain
Blue Mondays
Silent Extras

Obviously, we won't be limited to books by Dutch authors, but see if there's one on the list that interests you ... AND ... suggest other books for us to consider reading in 2008. Margreet, if you have a favorite among these, please recommend it. And now, seemingly way too soon, it is time for suggestions, which can also come from our previous lists.

OSB

That's interesting, Kristina, that you were disappointed when Ian took over his dad's practice. I know what you mean, he would have been able to leave the small town. I, on the other hand, guessed very early in the book that Ian, dispite his silent protest, was cut out to be a doctor. The way he kept his calm in a crisis, and helped out his dad after the mother had left them. But yes, he could have been a doctor anywhere. So why did he stay in Struan? What caused his not being able to break free of the town he grew up in?

I used the headlines as a bit of trivia. As a way to know what was happening in the outside world, and to have a bit of a timeframe.

Shirley mentioned the fact that Ian could have kept quiet about Jake and Laura. yes, indeed! it was not a very commendable thing to do, although I do believe he had only the best of intentions. So why did he tell on them? I'm sure he regretted it for the rest of his life...

OSB finished, SPOILERS

I finished OSB many days ago, and had almost forgotten about it already....bad me. But there is something I need to throw in here about our october read.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I did find that some events were way over the top. Like the tractor accident Arthur's father had, ON THE VERY FIRST DAY HE DROVE THE DARN THING. I just don't see the point of giving us readers such a tragic event. Is that to shock us? To explain why Arthur hated tractors? Surely she could have been a bit more subtle than this...

And then, the grande finale, where little Carter is run over by the car in which Jake tries to get away from his raging brother Arthur. He isn't injured, no, he is KILLED. Why?

As most of us, I am guilty of watching a few daily soaps. I know that soaps need these kinds of events when an actor wants to get out of the story. But in a book?

Dutch authors

This afternoon Bonnie called me...that was such fun!! Thank you again Bonnie for the nice talk we had. She asked me if I could give you ladies the names of a few contemporary Dutch authors.
We could look at a few of them for next year maybe? This way you might read a 'Dutch' book you otherwise wouldn't have thought of. Oh well, I'll just throw in the names of my favourites, and we'll see how it goes.

female authors:
Renate Dorrestein
Hella Haasse
Anna Enquist

males:
Maarten 't Hart
Arthur Japin
Adriaan van Dis
Arnon Grunberg

I can't give names of books, because I don't know the English titles. I'm not even sure all of these have been translated, but I assume most of them have. These authors all have published within the last 3 years.

Comments

I am enjoying everyone's answers to the DQ immensely. Most of them agree with my own thoughts about the book, and some of them make me think again.

As for Jake, his behaviour is so far from how i think people should interact with others, that I'm inclined to think he has a personality disorder. it's easy to 'blame the mother', but I'm not going there. He has a built-in mean streak, using people, his parents, his brother, schoolmates, girls for his own means, and nothing else.

Arthur is a bit like my husband, always helpful, a hard worker. The downside of this is that people rely on him too much, he is always the one to come to the rescue, to his own detriment.

Ian is cut out to be a doctor, the way he helps his father in the practice in crisis situations. And he so does NOT want to be become a doctor..lol! I understand why he condemns his mother, he feels she leaves him. But I also understand her, slowly dying in this town which has nothing to offer her.

I simply love Lawson's writing, when she describes a flock of geese, I can hear them cackling way up in the air. ( Do geese cackle? oh well, they do here)

I finished the book yesterday, so I'l have to bite my tongue for now...................

DQ prologue

1. How were you affected by the novel’s prologue? What did you discover about Arthur and Jake in this scene?

====Right from the start Arthur was my favourite of the two brothers. I have little patience with kids who 'for weeks on end pestered Arthur to play the game he called knives'. Arthur is the conscientious one, Jake the troublemaker.

2. How would you answer the questions that conclude the prologue?

a. Was Jake surprised because he had never considered the possibility that he might be a less-than-perfect shot? Did he have that much confidence in himself, that little self-doubt?

b. Or was he merely surprised at how easy it was to give in to an impulse, and carry through the thought that lay in your mind? Simply to do whatever you wanted to do, and damn the consequences.

====I don't think Jake thought about having enough confidence or not. He felt like throwing the knife, so he did.

3. What accounts for the differences between those who follow the rules, like Arthur, and those who defy them?

====Arthur gives in to get it over with. Just from the introduction we cannot yet understand why this is so, but later we get to know that Arthur 'knows' he has to appease Jake for their mother's sake. Very very sad, IMO.

4. Which came more easily for you as an adolescent: obedience or defiance?

====until age 14 I was sickeningly obedient, and then changed overnight. I had to stand up to my overprotective mother, and I did! But I never relished in getting my brothers into trouble. This was about my own freedom, and I never used others to obtain my goal. Can you tell that I hugely dislike Jake?

Book selecting

Hi ladies,

I am reading your posts every day. It's so nice to 'see' all the familiar faces, or rather, to read all the familiar names. Simrit, Shirley, Carole, Marg, Gerry, Pamela, and all you who I forget to mention here.

My mind is a complete blur. Some of you may know that my son is doing his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Well, he is fine, and what's more, he's home for a week. He accompanied the body of a deceased comrade back to the Netherlands. A very sad occasion, and one that had me in a mess. But good things come from bad things, we have him home with us now. I enjoy every single minute, but I can't concentrate on anything but how the washer works..:)

But it's fine. I am interested to read all the book suggestions, and will go with whatever the majority decides. Something uplifting has my preference..and not too long!! hahaha.

I am currently reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. And to my great surprise it is a very nice book! Contrary to what I expected, it is filled with love and compassion. Friendship, loyalty, and compassion for the Undead even! I read only 20 pages a day, so the book will last longer..

Reunion

Hi ladies!!!
First I want a big big applause for Bonnie, for rallying us to join here. I cancelled my Oprah membership a month ago, and I hate to gloat, but.......I do! LOL! It's such a shame she is pushing old members out like this; but hey..who needs Oprah? We can do this too you know!
I don't read much these days, one book at a time, and that one book may take weeks. I joined this group for old times' sake. It's nice to meet the Book Buddies and Islanders again. And even if I don't read much, I can still connect with y'all. And that's my main goal right now.
For those who never heard of me: I am Dutch, in my early 50s, married with two grownup kids. And an empty nester who still doesnt' have enough time to do everything she loves to do. That could be Reading, Quilting, Crochet, Take long walks, Eat, Sleep, Caring for 3 cats and 3 chickens (of the egg-laying variety, we will never eat THEM!), stare out the window to watch the rain, watch soccer with hubby..

My daughter visited Dublin a month ago, and she also went to the Dracula museum. She read Bram Stoker's original, and told me this would really be up my alley. I'm in chapter 3, and it's SO gothic, it's great! Not a bedtime story, but really really good suspense. What kind of books will we read? Classics? Modern? American? Asian? African? European? Or maybe a theme? Like 'strong women', 'fantasy', 'gothic', 'young adults'.
Sorry for running too fast, again! I am working on that you know!