Hello fellow readers,

Hope everyone enjoyed reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe as much as i did.  I also hope you watched the movie, i really feel watching the movie really enhances the book.  I want to apologize for waiting so long to post the questions, life got extremely busy with purchasing the house in North Carolina, so i hope you can remember what you read.  Well here we go............

l.  This novel has a very complex structure alternating between the past and the present and the point of view of a whole host of different characters.  Did this narrative format work for you?

2.  Idgie and Ruth's friendship is truly a case of opposites attract.  Why is the scene where Idgie reveals her bee charming skills to Ruth so pivotal to the story of their relationship and understanding what drew them together?

3.  This novel has a great deal to say about race relations in the South.  How did the black and white communities interact in this story both within and beyond the borders of Whistle Stop?  Were Idgie and Ruth's views on race typical?

4.  How do you feel about Grady Kilgore?  How do you feel about Grady being the sheriff of Whistle Stop and being a member of the Ku Klux Klan and a friend of Idgie and Ruth?

5.  Eva Bates is a women you might call sexually liberated before her time.  What role does she play in Idgie's life?  What are Ruth's feelings towards Eva?

6.  Why do you think Idgie masquerades as railroad Bill?  How did the depression play a role in Idgies life?

7,  Why  did Ruth finally leave Frank?

8.  Did the identity of Frank  Bennett's killer surprise you?  Why was Idgie prepared to take the blame?

9.  What does Dot Weems' weekly dispatch tell us about the nature of a small town?

10.  Were you sorry to see Whistle Stop fade away?

11.  How did Evelyn's relationship with Ninny Threadgoode change her life? and how did Evelyn help her friend?

12.  What did Ninny's stories offer Evelyn?  Why do you think Evelyn is so drawn to Ninny and her stories?

13.  Why and how was Evelyn able to finally overcome her revenge fantasies, send Towanda packing and make important changes in her life?

14.  Does the Whistle Stop Cafe sound like a place you would want to frequent?

15.  Is domestic violence viewed differently today then it was in Ruth's time?  How did Ruth change after she left Frank and her abusive marriage?

16.  Which character would you be most interested in meeting and why?

17.  How do the movie and the book compare?

18.  Do you think Ninny Threadgoode is Idgie Threadgoode?


It was fun picking out a book for everyone to read and i hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i did.  I look forward to reading the next book.

Brenda's Response to Somewhere in Time

1.  What was your overall opinion of Somewhere in Time?
It was not exactly what I expected it to be but overall I really enjoyed it very much.  I have never read a book that covered such a short span of time in such GREAT detail.  At times I would get impatient with reading this book, the extreme details were a new form of writing for me to read.   But as I got more and more into the pages I found myself really loving the details like his descriptions of chandeliers saying...."the lights had necklaces of crystal dangling from its bottom"   by the end I was totally and completely blown away by this authors brilliance in descriptive writing.  When I first started reading this book the extreme details were kind of boring me, I found them interesting but I wanted the story to move along more quickly.  But then as I settled into the story more I found myself really enjoying the detailed account of his last adventure in life.  It felt peaceful and it had a real calming affect on me.  In the grand scheme of things the slower pace actually helped me to feel as if I was finally given permission to take a step back from my daily rush through life and to slow down for a while and just calmly read.   I learned as I read this story to savor the details, to really make them a part of the experience of reading this book.   The  extreme details helped to pull me into the story, into his world, into his experience, almost to a point of being able to feel what he was feeling.   In the end I REALLY enjoyed this read, it was different then anything I have ever read before and it captured my heart.   


2.  What did you think of the "Love Story"?  Did you Like it or Dislike it?  Why?
I really liked it.  I found it very very romantic.  Although I have to admit that while I was reading it I teetered between feeling like it was just over the top silly......but like I stated in question #1 the pace of this story eventually captured my affections and as I read I found the Love Story to gain romantically too.  Towards the end I found this to be a very very romantic story.  Weather it was the dying hallucinations of a man with a brain tumor, or a real experience for our leading man, I loved that it was real to him.  I loved that Richard wanted to experience Love before he left this planet.  I love that he so totally fell in love with Elise at first site.  I love the way the photo of her captured his heart.  I love that feeling that their two hearts were connected and that he got to experience the one thing on this earth that matters most......LOVE!!!  I found his intrigue with her, his research of her, his perseverance in finding her ALL very romantic.   As I read this book,  I threw out my modern day notions that this man is odd, a stalker, a nut, a weirdo, or that this was a weird, unrealistic, over romanticized story,  and replaced it with feelings of how honored and special I would feel if Phil/Dad/or any man would be willing to travel through all time just for me.   Like the book in general, in the end, the Love Story captured my heart. 


3.  What are your thoughts on the "postscript" and the little comments throughout the book by Richard Collier's brother Robert Collier?
I found the postscript entry to be confusing at first.  But then I realized it wasn't a real postscript but a made up one then I thought WOW....this author is a genius.  At first I thought the postscript was real, like this was the true story of the authors brother.  Because the authors name is Richard....I think I was just getting all the "R" names confused in my head...Richard Matheson, Richard Collier, Robert Collier......But in the end I really thought the little added comments throughout the book and the postscript added a dimension of reality to the feel of the story.  Hmmmm..... I actually think this added element is still playing with my mind a little.  I don't really know why, I guess I just fell for the story hook, line, and sinker and this part of the story......the added comments by his "brother" and the postscript......,gave the story a real feel to me.  I loved it!!!!

4.  Did you like or dislike the characters in this story?
I grew to like them all very much.  At times i felt as if Elise was not fully developed as a character, sometimes she seemed like a strong women, then other times she would seem almost like a young girl.......but in general I really liked all of them very much. 


5.  Was there any depth of reality or sympathy you felt as you read knowing our leading character  Richard was dying of a brain tumor ?
Absolutely yes.  Having the knowledge that Richard was dying of a brain tumor gave me such a weird feeling.  You never knew if it was real, or was it a dream, is he hallucinating, or did he find a way to go back in time.   I felt great sympathy for him, I felt like I was rooting for him to find Elise, I felt like weather it was real or not I wanted him to feel love and be loved back before he died. 


6.  If you could travel through time where would you want to go? 
Oh Gosh.......here i asked this question and I'm not sure how to answer it.  Oh gosh......I guess I would want to travel to a time where I could see the people of my heritage.  I'd like to see what life was like for my grand parents growing up, or even great great great great grandparents and how they live, where they lived, how did their decisions influence who I am today.    I guess i would also want to travel back in my own life and make the things right that I have done wrong.   And what if reincarnation is real, what if Phil and I are always together over and over and over through all time. What if Rachel and Paul are our children over and over and over through time.   I'd love to revisit all our past courtships and marriages and be a part of falling in love again and again with my wonderful husband.........I'd love to see our past family lives, I'd love to see how we all turn out time and time again..........Hmmmmmm......that would make a good book....I think I'll go start writing that one and give Mr. Richard Matheson a run for his money.....Hahahahaha......!!!!!!



Some Final Thoughts........
It's been a pleasure ladies introducing you to this book Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson.  I apologize again for not keeping on schedule.  I will make a much bigger effort next time to keep up better.   Sometimes life just gets so busy, and unfortunately this selection came at a very very busy time for me.   I do hope you got some enjoyment out of it and I look very forward to reading your responses.  


I have one more question for you guys......lets see who really reads these responses.......What did you think of the ending?????????      Since I saw the movie first I was disappointed in the ending of the book.  It just ended, dropped off, there was no closure......except for slightly in the postscript.   I wanted to read that Richard died in his Del Coronado hotel room with a smile on his face.   


A little postscript from me.......for Phil's and my one year anniversary we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, it was REALLY cool just the way Richard Matheson described it in the book.  It was fun to read a story about a place I have actually stayed at.  I want to go back there now and revisit it with this story in my mind.  

Now onto Fried Green Tomatoes........Happy Reading Ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Discussion Questions for Somewhere in Time...

1.  What was your overall opinion of Somewhere in Time?

2.  What did you think of the "Love Story"?  Did you Like it or Dislike it?  Why?

3.  What are your thoughts on the "postscript" and the little comments throughout the book by Richard Collier's brother Robert Collier?

4.  Did you like or dislike the characters in this story?

5.  Was there any depth of reality or sympathy you felt as you read knowing our leading character  Richard was dying of a brain tumor ?

6.  If you could travel through time where would you want to go?

Thanks Brenda for a Great read, I really enjoyed reading your choice Somewhere in Time, just like The Help i could not put it down.  I also want to thank Rachel and Brenda for getting this group started, i am really enjoying reading different books that i would not have done on my own.  I had many books that i wanted to read but one book i have been wanting to read for a long time so i choose Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe......by Fannie Flagg.  I loved the movie and have been wanting to read the book.  I know the book is longer than the last two but i have started reading it and it is an easy read.  I hope you enjoy it.  Happy Reading everyone.

Rachel's Response to The Help

Who was your favorite character and why?
I’m not sure if I had one favorite character in this novel, they all brought something different to the table. I really enjoyed reading Aibileen’s story. She was quietly brave and strong, but at the same time battling a broken heart from her son’s death. This combo created a very complex character and one I very much enjoyed reading. Minny….O Minny…haha, she seemed to be fearless in a time when many women in her position would cower and keep their head down. She spoke her mind, and you have to respect her for that. And Skeeter seemed young in some aspects, but then very open minded and mature in others. She is also one who stepped away from social influences of the time and followed what she believed was right and humane even if it meant she could lose everything if her intensions were discovered.  

Life has changed dramatically since the times in which this book is set. What part of 1960s life in Mississippi do you find most shocking?
The part that upset me and that I found most shocking was the Jim Crow laws, “separate but equal”. I know this can be a sensitive subject to discuss, but the following is my opinion on such an utterly and absolutely disgusting period in American history. I just do not understand how these African American women pretty much raised these white ladies children, clean their homes, cook for them, and be respectful towards them, and then be treated so poorly. They are paid way below minimum wage, hardly see their own children/family/friends, AND they have to use their own bathroom, grocery stores, water fountains, etc… like they carry diseases or something. They can’t even sit by white people on buses, check out the books they wanted from the library, go to the same schools as white children, and the list goes on and on.  This upsets me so much, it is wrong on SO many levels. I could go on and on about this topic. I cannot even begin to imagine how the African American community felt during this period of time. It has to be one of the worst feelings in the world, a feeling no one can understand until they have been in that situation.

How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?
I think the period of time one lives in plays a HUGE role in how one thinks and who they are, how we think and act. This is how we get generation gaps, etc… Social influence is very strong thing and can be dangerous and damaging sometimes. 

What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?
I believe that every individual has their limits in which they can be pushed. When they have been pushed and shoved and degraded to their limit, the way Minny was by Ms. Hilly, I am not surprised at all by what Minny did. That took courage on Minny’s part. I don’t think I would go as far as Minny did, but I also think you never know how you will act in a situation until you are actually in it. If I have been so disrespected as a human being, like Minny had been, who knows what I would have done for some revenge.

How did you feel about the ending?
I felt happy, sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, and mad. I liked how this novel didn’t end with everything fixed and happily ever after. But it did end with hope, hope for the future of the lives of all the characters. After reading this book it stayed with me for a really long time, a feeling I can’t really describe at the moment.  It’s a mixed feeling of hurt, that human nature can be so cruel, and also feelings of happiness for all the characters. These women took a huge chance in standing up for what they believed in to make a better life for themselves. It’s the courage like this that I love to read about. I like how it ended as a new chapter was unfolding in the lives of all the characters. You don’t know what happens next for Minny, Aibileen, or even Skeeter, but you know it must be better than the life they were living.  I think this is a book about faith in yourself and holding onto hope. This book truly touched my heart and it’s rare to find a novel like that which will stick with you for weeks after reading about it. It’s something I have not come across too often, but it’s so worth it when it does come along.
Beautiful writing, beautiful characters, beautiful book.


Would you recommend this novel to a friend?
Yes, I would absolutely recommend this novel to a friend while singing its praises. 


Closing Thoughts,
Thank you Mom, Laura, and Mary for reading this book with me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I love this book club and being apart of it with you all! It makes the experience of reading these novel's that much better being able to discuss it and read it along with you all. I cannot wait to dive into the next book, Somewhere in Time. I think i'll go start on it right now. 
Until next time
Happy Reading!!!!! 

Laura's response to Mansfield Park

1.  What do you think of Fanny Price as the heroine of this novel?

     Yes......Fanny had a difficult life although she seemed happy at home with the horrible living conditions.  Being separated from her family and living with new family members with not the greatest of morals, Fanny kept her self worth intact.  Fanny was and self assured women. 

2.  What kind of role does family play in the development of individual characters?

     A huge role.......because Fanny comes from a poor family who loved each other even though they were poor and she went to live with relatives that had very questionable morals and behavior toward each other and to others, especially towards Fanny, they treated her like a servant even though she was family, and they were never really nice to her.  But Fanny did stay true to herself. 

3.  How did the Crawford's (Mary and Henry) affect the family dynamics?

     The Crawford's came into the family and turned it upside down for awhile.  To me they seem to want to cause trouble for there own amusement.  I did not like the Crawford's. 

4.  Why do you think Edmund is drawn to Mary?

     I feel he was drawn to her for her looks and her sophistication, but eventually her true personality came through and she was no longer pretty to Edmund. 

5.  Do you think Henry actually fell in love with either Maria or Fanny, or is he more of a player? 

     No I do think Henry was a player of his day.  I do not think Henry is capable of love.  

 

6.  Should Fanny have given Henry a real chance? Or was she right to refuse his proposal?

      No Fanny was smart enough to see through Henry's bad ways.

7.  Edmund seems to always turn to Fanny for her input.  Why do you think her opinion is important to him? At what point do you think they fall in love with each other? 

     Edmund and Fanny were close from the moment she moved in, there was  a deep connection between them.  I think he fell in love with her the first time he met her but did not realize it was love til later. 

8.  How does Mansfield Park compare to the other two Austen novels we have read? Do you feel like Mansfield Park is more or less complex then Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice?

     All 3 novels were different, i would have to say Mansfield Park is more complex.  Between the strange sexual stuff and the infiltration of Henry and Mary and the way her relatives treat her and each other made this novel more complex.  I was really surprised that Jane Austen wrote about the sexual stuff and even knew about that kind of stuff......because of the times in which she lived in, i did not think i would have encountered that. 

9.  Which character did you relate most closely to in this novel and why? 

     I would have to say Fanny......because i would stay true to myself like Fanny did, I would speak my thoughts like fanny did, I try to be strong like fanny, although fanny makes it all look so easy.  

   

10.  Do you think Mansfield Park is something of a morality tale, a story that has a sort of moral lesson in it?  Yes.....all you have to do is look at the two families.

11.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

       Yes i would, i really liked this one.

Laura mention's

I agree with Brenda......I did notice the same thing that the fathers in all her novels are either weak, immoral especially in this novel and i wonder why, could it be that is what she see's?

Laura's response to Northanger Abbey

1. Northanger Abbey was first book Austen sold, but one of the last to be published. After reading four of her other novels, could you tell this was an earlier piece of work from Austen. Why or why not? 
No i was surprised when i heard it was the first Austen's works, I thought she wrote this one in the middle of the other novels.  I felt like this novel was so different that she wanted to write something different from her other novels.  Looking back after reading all the novels i would like to have seen her write another novel outside of the romantic scope, i would like to have seen what more she could have done with a non romantic novel.
2. Imagination played a large role in Catherine's character, did you find this enjoyable to read or frustrating? 
Well i can not say it was enjoyable, but i liked how she wrote the story and found the story fascinating.  For me this novel was hard to put down, I loved her imagination, it felt like it was really happening.
3. Do you believe Northanger Abbey is a love story or coming of age story? Explain.
I felt like it was a coming of age story.  I agree with Rachel with something Jane Austen seems to repeat in her novels that the suddenly comes to an end and putting and engagement at the end was strange.  To me this book did not have any romance.
4.  How does Catherine Morland compare to Austen's other heroines that we have read? 
She is very young and not worldly and has wild thoughts and imagination.  This book was different in that there was not a main character looking for a husband but showing more of an active imagination through the book.
5. Were you able to personally relate to any of these characters? If so who and how? 
No 
6. Would you recommend this novel to a friend?
Yes I would recommend this novel, i liked how different it was.

Answers to Question for Persuasion

1.  How does persuasion play a role throughout this novel?

Persuasion does play a big role in the story.  Persuasion is a staple of our lives and especially in Jane Austen's time.  

2. Did you like the ending of this story? Why or why not?
Yes I loved it.  Jane Austen again brought romance out again in a great story.  I loved the letters between the Captain to Anne, they really were truly romantic.  But again the story ends so suddenly.
3.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

Yes i would recommend this novel and all her novels.

4. Of all the characters Jane Austen created, who was your favorite and why? 
My ultimate favorite characters are Marianne and Col Brandon of Sense and Sensibility.  I felt like a young girl that had a false feeling of romance and the world grew up and with growing up and coming into reality she found love with someone unexpected and Col Brandon finally found love he so desired.
5. Was there anything you disliked about Jane Austen novels?
The one thing I disliked was how her ending just end.  I would be reading the second to the last chapter and thinking how is she going to end this with these few pages, it's almost like she had to get it done in a hurry.
6.  Now that we have read all of Austen’s novels (well at least all her complete novels), which one did you relate to the most? Which was your favorite? And why.  

My favorite is still Sense and Sensibility.   I love every part of that book. I have to say I have never seen or read Northanger Abbey before and that one really surprised me, it was different and it really kept my interest, i really enjoyed it.

      

Brenda's Response to The Help

1.  Who was your favorite character and why?

I really thought it was a great cast of characters.  All of them, the black ones and the white, they all had really interesting personalities.  I guess my favorites were, Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter.  I liked Aibileen because of her down to earth matter of fact simple approach to life.   She always seemed to have an instinct for what was best for Mae Mobley and a common sense about life in general.  I liked Minny because she seems so tough on the outside yet I always got the feeling she was sensitive on the inside.  For example putting her pie story in the book to protect everyone.  And she always seemed to like things to be fair.   I really liked Skeeter a lot too.  She was very likable and I liked how she handled her life in general.  She was kind to her parents, and she had a sympathetic heart and a clear vision of how humans should treat each other.  I liked that she risked so much to get her book written, and I loved the friendships that were formed between her and so many black ladies as a result of the writing process of her book.  In the end I got a real feeling that all these women really cared about each other and that the color of their skin never mattered to them and that each one was intelligent and had a very interesting life. 

2.  Life has changed dramatically since the times in which this book is set. What part of 1960s life in Mississippi do you find most shocking?

As we grow up we learn in history class and read in books all the time about slavery and how afterwards in the 50’s and 60s and 70’s black people were treated badly but this book gave us a look into that history.  The thing I found most shocking was the realization that I was born in 1960…..That these things have happened in my life time.  That had I lived a little further south I could have easily been Mae Mobley and had a black housekeeper.   One thing that stood out and that I loved about this book was how the children that were in this story had no prejudice.  They loved their black maids more then their own mothers in most cases.  I found the amount love these black women gave to the white children they cared for to be very sweet.  This story took us to a place in our very own history, our own country, and gave us a glimpse into this Southern life in the 60’s and although some things like the segregation and the separate toilets and the fact that white folks found black folks to be dirty and diseased (which wasn’t true) and treated them below themselves, things like that were very shocking.  But I also felt that on some level it was presented in a way that made everyone black and/or white just seem very human, with a lot of the same human emotions and worries and needs. Ya the most shocking thing to me was the realization that these views and attitudes by whites towards blacks has happened in my life time and when I think Way Way Way back I can remember these attitudes and views of blacks being discusses in my own grandparents kitchen in St Louis Missouri.

3.  How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?

Gosh, I would say some of a person’s character is shaped by the times they live in but not all of it.  I think some is shaped by how you are raised and what your heritage is and whom you are surrounded by.    

4.  What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?

Ha ha ha ha ha…….I was so surprised when I read this part.  I found it so hilarious, but definitely in character for Minny.  That Minny she’s a feisty one.  It kind of felt good to see someone like Miss Hilly get what was coming to her.  Would I have done it…….I don’t know, I can’t picture doing it, but Miss Hilly certainly did deserve it. 

5.  How did you feel about the ending?

I felt like the ending was very abrupt.  I was reading along and it just ended, bam, it was done.  But upon reflection I came away from this book feeling good.  Like they were all going to be okay in their new lives.  I felt sad for Miss Leefolt I felt like she was the only character that didn’t find any kind of inner strength or growth to move forward in life in a positive way.  She seemed to be Miss Hilly’s puppet and allowed Miss Hilly to dictate to her everything she should do and feel.  She was a horrible mother and I came away from the book hoping that Mae Mobley and Li’l Man were going to be okay without Aibileen.   Some how I don’t think they will, they still needed Aibileen.   But hopefully she will hire another maid who will love those kids just as much as Aibileen did.   In the last scene when Aibileen got fired for no reason at all except the lie Miss Hilly was telling, I kind of got the impression that Miss Leefolt was sad to see Aibileen go and didn’t really want to fire her, but she was just to weak of a person a couldn’t stand up against Miss Hilly and allowed her to walk all over her.   I was glad that Minny finally broke away from her abusive husband too.  I had hope in the end that she was going to finally be okay too.  I just wish the author would have wrapped everything up a little better at the end I guess. 

6.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

Oh yes I definitely would in fact I have recommended it to a couple of people already.  This was a really Great book.  It captured my attention right away and by mid way through it I was having trouble putting it down.  There were 2 nights that I stayed up till 4 a.m. reading it. 

Thank You so much Rachel for selecting such a wonderful first read for us this New Year.  I thought this was a perfect book for our book club and it is going to be hard for us to match it with our selections. 

I have just a couple more comments that I didn’t include in my answers, First I am curious, How did this book make you all feel?  I just finished reading it today and for a few hours after I finished my brain was going a million miles and hour with lots of feelings both happy and sad.  This book felt really real, like we were spending a few years in these people’s lives.  And I kept putting myself in each of their shoes, how would I feel if I were Skeeter, or Aibileen, or Minny or Hilly, or Celia, or Elizabeth etc…..  I wonder what the movie is like.  How detailed will they get, will they show some of the more sad and upsetting things like when Celia miscarried her baby.   

Secondly, The way this writer wrote the black ladies as if they were speaking in their black lady way was BRILLIANT!!!!!!  It was like Aibileen was in my head when I was reading her sections.   The way the words were written in this book had a way of turning me into a southern black women of the 60’s as I read. What an interesting thing to do for a white author.  Brilliant!!!!!

Third, After all is said and done I really felt like this was a very inspirational book about perseverance and doing the right thing not the popular thing, or the thing that everybody else is doing (i.e. Skeeter, the way she went against her social group and lived the way she thought was right, telling the story she thought needed telling etc….I loved Skeeter) and about remaining true to who you are.  

Some books when you read them sort of change you a little bit.  They make you grow.  I’m still running this book in my head and probably will for a few more weeks, and maybe I will have further comments for our blog soon.   But for now I am glad to have read this one, It was inspirational to me, and I am looking forward to Saturday when Rachel and I will be watching the movie together.  It will be interesting to see these characters and this story come to life on the big screen. 

GREAT Read……Thanks again Rachel for such a wonderful selection!!!!!!!! 

Laura's response to The Help

1.  Who was your favorite character and why?

I really loved this book, GREAT choice Rachel.   I have to say that i liked all the characters except for Miss Hilly, it is people like her that keep gossip and hate going.  I loved Minny and Aibleen and Celia the most.  I loved Minny because she was feisty and by the end of the book i feel she truly cared for Miss Celia.  Minny became alittle more softer, she even helped Skeeter with her book.  I Loved Aibleen because she loved Mae Mobley  and her brother so much.  She was very easy going and took a great risk with helping Skeeter with the book and in the end she lost her job but at the same time she gained something better and not just with a job.  I really loved Minny and Celia story, I felt sorry for Celia and she needed and depended on Minny and by the end of the book i really feel like they truly cared for each other.

2.  Life has changed dramatically since the times in which this book is set. What part of 1960s life in Mississippi do you find most shocking?  I truly don't understand why white people in the 60's had a problem using the same bathrooms as a black person. or have a problem eating at the same places or be friends with black people, or going to school with them.  I don't understand why white people looked down on black people. Why did White people have such a hatred towards black people. Is the hatred there because Lincoln freed the slaves? and white think we should still have slavery even in the 60's?  If so, slavery  was so long ago and by the 60's i would have thought that white people would feel that slavery was wrong and black people are people with feelings,  and love and we should embrace them because our ancestors did a wrong thing.  Something that made me think long and hard that the book made loud and clear was how afraid black people were and how the book made me understand why they had that fear and how sad that they had to live in so much fear, i don't think i truly understood there fear until i read this book.

3.  How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?
Alot actually because i see that same thing with me and Mary.  Times are so very different now vs the 60's although we still have deep seeded feelings in the South, especially the deep South, but it is not as bad as it was in the 60's.  When a person is around events that happen or around how people are  treated that is what shapes our character for example.....I was not born in the south so growing up i did not see the hatred towards black people so i have no problems with them, i like them. But now that i live in the south i see and hear how people think of black people and treat black people and feel we have a ways to go. I have also seen the attitude being passed from parent to child as well.
4.  What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?     I thought the pie was funny and i was glad she did it.  Miss Hilly was not a nice person to anyone but especially to black people, she deserved it.   Yes i would have done it.

5.  How did you feel about the ending? 
It made me mad and sad.  Miss Hilly was so mean to get Ailbleen fired, it was so mean spirted and what really made me mad was she had the nerve to tell (bully) someone into firing her.  It made me sad because Miss Leefolt listened to Miss Hilly but i felt like she really did not want to fire her, she needed her but that Miss Hilly bullied her into it because of the times, she had to because Hilly had the voice and the power over people, I was hoping Miss Leefolt would say NO I am not going to fire her i need her and you have no business telling me to get rid of her.  But maybe change was necessary for Aibleen and taking Skeeters job was not such a bad change after all.
6.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?  I was only on Chapter 10 and i was telling my gym friends to read it, that is a really great book and how much i was enjoying it.  I really want to see the movie now.  

I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to everyone.  This book really made me think about how bad those times were and how much fear they had and how there fear was understandable and how the 60's had small changes with blacks and whites and how those small changes eventually turned into bigger changes.  Thanks Rachel for picking this book!

Brenda's Book Selection

Hello Fellow Book Clubbers,

WOW, our new year of reading is off to a wonderful start. GREAT choice Rachel with "The Help". I'm so close to finishing it, and I plan on answering the questions this weekend, I can't wait to read all your answers, I can't wait to see what you all thought of.... The Help.

Thank You Rachel for posting our schedule for the new year. I see that I am next on the schedule to choose a book, and that my selection begins tomorrow, So I guess you are all wondering what our new book is going to be............

I have been trying to make this decision, and finally narrowed it down to 5 choices. My decision was hard because I really want to read all 5 of these books, but I know I can can only choose one for now.

Soooo.......In the end I went with the one I originally wanted to read.  It has a movie that we can watch after we read the book, and of course YOU KNOW ME, I have gone for a Love Story............Ahhhh!!

So here it is..........




Drum roll please..........................





Our New Book is................




"Somewhere in Time" by: Richard Matheson



I hope you enjoy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE BOOK CLUB!!!!!!!!!!
With Warm Hugs to all,
Mom/Brenda/Aunt B

P.S. I looked it up and this book is available on both Nook and Kindle for 6.99. It is also available to order from Barnes and Noble. I have sent you a picture of the cover in your regular email's.....(I couldn't get it to cut and paste into this note).....this shows you the cover of the book in case you want to go to a book store and buy a copy. Happy Reading!!!!!

 

Discussion Questions for The Help

1.  Who was your favorite character and why?

2.  Life has changed dramatically since the times in which this book is set. What part of 1960s life in Mississippi do you find most shocking?

3.  How much of a person’s character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?

4.  What did you think about Minny’s pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?

5.  How did you feel about the ending?


6.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

New Year!

Hello Fellow Book Clubbers!

Here we are at the beginning of 2012 and we have completed our 2011 new year’s resolution! We did it, we read all of Jane Austen’s (completed) novels!! Yay!! I have loved every minute of it! I don’t know about all of you, but I am thoroughly enjoying this book club and think it is a joy to be a part of. I am very much looking forward to this coming year to see what books we will read.

2012 will be a bit different than last year. Throughout this next year we have decided to make it a year where each book club member will pick out a book for everyone to read. They will be responsible for coming up with discussion questions for the book they choose, and for keeping everyone on track. We will be posting a schedule soon of whom, and when, fellow members will be picking. If you have a specific time you would like, please let me know.

We will be kicking off 2012 with The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. We will be reading it from January 1^st to March 10^th. I am Soooooo Excited to read The Help! I have been looking forward to reading this novel ever since I noticed it back in 2010. I knew it would be a great book club book, so I’ve been anxiously patiently waiting to have us all read it.

So until March 10th, Happy Reading Everyone!!!!!!

Brenda's Response to Persuasion

 

1.  How does persuasion play a role throughout this novel?

Persuasion plays a big role in this novel.  I think the one glaring moment is when Anne is persuaded by Lady Russell to end her engagement with Captain Wentworth in the beginning because she feels he is not right for her.  Yet in the end we know he was the right man for her…but maybe just not at that time.  Another example is when Lady Russell and Anne and ??? someone else I can’t remember who, persuade Anne’s Father Sir Walter to leave his beloved home in Kellynch by appealing to his vanity.   Each of Jane Austen books seem to cleverly incorporate a running theme throughout the stories…..Like First Impressions in Pride and Prejudice and Imagination in Northanger Abbey and Second Attachments in Sense and Sensibility etc.. This book didn’t fail us in this way, Jane Austen demonstrated in this story a lot of instances where persuasion was used. 

2. Did you like the ending of this story? Why or why not?

Yes, I liked it very much.  I found it to be very romantic.  I really believe it was the second most romantic Jane Austen book we read.  I love a good love story, and this one ranked pretty high for me.  As in Pride and Prejudice the leading man (in this case Captain Wentworth) revealed his inner most passions and love towards the leading lady through a letter.  I found the letter Wentworth wrote to Anne to be a wonderful climatic moment in this novel.  I liked the way the romance built throughout this novel as it did in my favorite Pride and Prejudice.  I could feel a big moment building and building and building till BAM he gives her the letter he wrote and poured out his heart to her…..I found this so romantic, I have to admit I read the letter over and over several times.   I do however maintain as I have throughout all of her novels that the “Big Moment” does come and go quickly.  There was a lot of building up to this one then BAM it was done…BUT I did find this one much more romantic then all of the other ones except Pride and Prejudice.  I liked the love story in P&P a little more.    


3.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

Absolutely Yes!!!!

4. Of all the characters Jane Austen created, who was your favorite and why? 

I’d have to say Mr. Darcy was my ultimate favorite Character out of all the Jane Austen Novels.  I just felt like he was so well written, such a wonderfully strong, manly, protective, complicated, well developed character.  He is my ultimate novel crush.

There were several other Characters she created that I really liked. I really enjoyed and grew from reading the character of Elizabeth Bennet and her sister Jane was wonderful too.   I really liked Elinor from Sense and Sensibility by the end of that book.  I really liked the character of Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility but I think I gained a much stronger liking for this character after I watched the movie and it was played by Alan Rickman ha ha ha (silly crushes).  I thoroughly enjoyed the imagination of the character Catherine from Northanger Abbey.  I found Emma to be so funny, laugh out loud fun while reading that one.  And I really enjoyed Captain Wentworth from Persuasion.   

I feel Jane Austen created a very wonderful world and a huge wonderful cast of characters that I really really enjoyed getting to know.  I had to concentrate so hard on her novels to understand what was going on, so I think in this intense reading of these books you really become emotionally involved with the characters.  I found myself being sad when I had to leave them at the end of a book in order to move on to a new book and new set of characters. 

I have to say though Pride and Prejudice was the hardest to leave.  Maybe because it was the first one we read, maybe because I loved Elizabeth’s strength and character, and I fell for Mr. Darcy.  And Persuasion was hard to leave to, I think because I knew it was our last and I really did enjoy the love story in that one.  But Jane Austen did a Fantastic job of creating wonderful characters that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. 


5. Was there anything you disliked about Jane Austen novels?

I think the only thing I can say I disliked was the lack of the Big Romantic Moments in the love stories.   I am a romantic at heart, and I felt that in all her novels she built us up and then when the big moment came it fizzled it lacked pop, pizazz, it failed to satisfy my romantic heart.  That was really the only consistant thing throughout all her novels that I disliked.  I just wanted the Big Moment to be bigger, more detailed, more romantic I think in every one of the novels I felt this way.  Even my favorite Pride and Prejudice.


6.  Now that we have read all of Austen’s novels (well at least all her complete novels), which one did you relate to the most? Which was your favorite? And why.        

Pride and Prejudice was definitely my favorite.  Just overall it was so wonderful.  I loved the female characters, and I loved the leading man Mr. Darcy and I loved their love story. Over all best one of the six for me.  

Sense and Sensibility was such a sweet story.  I didn’t think I was going to like this one when we started it but I ended up really liking this one a lot. 

Emma was soooooo long.  I enjoyed Emma, I found it funny and fun to read, but I think it could have been edited down a bit.  But I did enjoy it very much. 

Mansfield Park Ehh…my least favorite overall, but yet a sense of accomplishment after reading it.  

Northanger Abbey, this one was hard to read, I really enjoyed it once I caught on but going in and out of her imagination and her reading of another book was really difficult for me, but I did enjoy this novel very much.

Persuasion I actually enjoyed the love story in this one, I loved the letter Captain Wentworth gave to Anne I found it really romantic, but although I liked the love letter in this one, I did find Anne to be a little boring.  But I did enjoy this one very much. 

There were bits and pieces of each novel that I could relate to.  There were characters from each novel I could relate to and bonded with.  But overall I just enjoyed Pride and Prejudice the most, it just felt like the most complete of them all to me.  I find myself wanting to read that one again. 

Closing Comments :

I LOVE THIS BOOK CLUB!!!!!!!!    I feel such a HUGE sense of accomplishment that we set a goal for ourselves last year and we did it, we have read all of Jane Austen’s complete novels, and I just think that deserves a huge round of applause ladies!!!!   Those were hard to read but we did it.   I really feel like I am leaving behind some new and dear Character friends as we move away from Jane Austen and into the new year, but I am looking so forward to our plans for this year as we each pick out a novel for the club to read.  I can’t wait to dig into our first book “The Help”.  Thank You again Rachel for keeping us on track and keeping up our blog for us.  I have enjoyed every moment we have shared together reading and discussing Jane Austen’s novel’s and I am looking very forward to all that is to come in 2012.  Until we meet here again, I wish you all Happy Reading!!!!!  

Rachel's Response to Persuasion

1.  How does persuasion play a role throughout this novel?

Persuasion plays a big role in this novel. Austen again cleverly names her novel with one or two descriptive words that describes what her novel is about. Persuasion plays a huge role with the two main characters, Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth. As we all know Anne was persuaded to end her engagement to the Captain. As a result of that act, these two lives were altered. Persuasion is everywhere in our lives. We are persuaded to buy a certain product by convincing commercials or sales people, we are persuaded to take certain paths in life by social constructs. I think the lesson in this story is to not let yourself be persuaded into things when you know it’s not right for you.    

2. Did you like the ending of this story? Why or why not?
I did enjoy the ending. One of the things I love about Jane Austen’s novels is how, for the most part, she adds the element of surprise with the leading men. Most of the times these moments come in the forms of letters, Darcy to Elizabeth and now Captain Wentworth to Anne. I find those moments incredibly romantic, these strong men baring their true feelings and souls on paper to the lady they care for. Needless to say, I thought the Captains letter to Anne was very romantic and how after all those years, love can still last. But, also in typical Austen fashion, she saves the wrap up and the part we as the reader are all waiting for in the story, until the last few chapters. It’s this long drawn out story and then BAM it’s done and over.    

3.  Would you recommend this novel to a friend?

Even though I did enjoy this book, it wouldn’t be the first book I would recommend to a friend. It was kinda slow paced and the main character Anne didn’t seem to have that spark that I love to read about. I would tell my friend it’s an ok novel, but here is a copy of Pride and Prejudice! Then I would run out the door with my rhinestoned team Mr. Darcy t-shirt on.   

4. Of all the characters Jane Austen created, who was your favorite and why? 
Jane Austen has created some unique characters. She has created ones that made me laugh out loud, snooze at the sight of their name, cringe but in a good way, and strong enduring characters. However, After reading all of her completed novels, hands down the character that most inspired me, made me laugh, made me what to be her is Elizabeth Bennet. While reading Pride and Prejudice I fell in love with Elizabeth Bennet’s strength, sass, and loyalty; I found myself wanting to be exactly like her. I tend to find myself in situations where I tell myself, channel your inner Elizabeth Bennet and everything will be ok. After reading Pride and Prejudice a little part of me changed for the better. So for this reason, Elizabeth Bennet is my favorite Jane Austen character. Plus my home girl has the hook ups to my literary boyfriend Mr. Darcy. Haha. This makes me want to re-read Pride and Prejudice. Ahhhhh…. I just love that novel.

5. Was there anything you disliked about Jane Austen novels?
There was nothing per-say I didn’t like. She likes to write about the same subject matter, class, social standing, marrying up, etc.. so after reading them all back to back it kinda got tiring after awhile. I guess we should have spread out her novels so we wouldn’t burn ourselves out on them. She also struggles to fully develop characters, which made for frustrating reads sometimes *cough… Marianne and Col. Brandon…cough*. She also likes to build you up, and sometimes drag you along, throughout the novel then she wraps the entire story up in 1 or 2 chapters at the end, if you blink you will miss it. Sometimes it’s pretty abrupt endings which leaves the reader confused, or at least left me confused.  But overall as a whole these dislikes still don’t deter me away from Austen, I do think she is a brilliant and gifted writer. To be able to write something well over 200 years ago and still have people of the 21^st century relate to her stories is pretty incredible.

6.  Now that we have read all of Austen’s novels (well at least all her complete novels), which one did you relate to the most? Which was your favorite? And why.

It’s hard to narrow down which novel I related to the most because each one (except Mansfield Park, which I hardly remember and probably couldn’t tell you the characters names.) I was able to relate too in some way. They were all incredible and fascinating in their own way. Pride and Prejudice moved me in my core. I can’t even describe in words how much I love that novel. In Sense and Sensibility I was able to relate to Elinor and her personality/character. She was more reserved with the world and tended to hold things in and process them before expressing her feelings to the world, which I feel like I do too. I found Emma a complete joy to read. I think out of all Austen’s novels, I laughed out loud the most with Emma and just the ridiculous things she got herself into. Haha. The novel that surprised me most was Northanger Abbey. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Catherine’s sense of imagination, wonder and adventure definitely brought me back to childhood and those similar feelings of wild imagination that she has throughout this novel. Finally Persuasion reminded me to never give up hope and to believe in yourself/feelings. Im not sure if this answered the question, but this is what I took away from each novel and how I related to them.         

Not that this will come as a surprise to any of you, but hands down my favorite Jane Austen novel is Pride and Prejudice. I won’t even go into how amazing and great this novel is because I’m sure you are all sick of hearing me constantly talk about it in every book club post. Haha… what a girl can’t help it! Ahhhhh Mr. Darcy!!!!!!!  

Closing Thoughts     

I can’t believe we made it through all of Jane Austen’s completed works! I am so proud of us as a book club!! I am going to miss reading Austen dearly. We “met” quite a few characters along the way and even some that will stick with us long after we close the chapter on Austen in this little book club of ours. Even though I am sad to say goodbye to Jane Austen, I am very excited for this year’s book club adventure. I love that we all get to pick out novels for the group to read. I think it will really bring a variety of subject matter and new levels of discussion that I am very much looking forward too. I cannot wait to start our first novel of 2012, The Help! I have been looking forward to this novel for so long and cannot wait to read it! So until next time my book club friends.

Happy Reading!!!!