October Book of the Month

Hey everybody!

Here at the Ladysmith branch, we are now publishing our calendar of events a full month in advance, so I had to make an executive decision on the book we'll be reading for October (and yes, I know I chose the books for the summer. Sorry). But its one I think everyone will like:

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.

(From Goodreads): "It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement."

This book has won over hundreds of critics and will even be a movie in the coming months. It seems right up our alley, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

At our September meeting, we'll decide which book to read for the month of November and maybe even settle on a choosing order, rather than trying to remember whose turn it is to pick each month. :)

Ebooks

Hey ladies! I understand (boy do I) how hard it is to find some of our books in a hard copy. Especially 1984. Animal Farm is everywhere, but no 1984.

So, have some free digital versions to make life that much easier.

1984 (you can download this as an EPUB for Kindle direct from the website)

The Catcher in the Rye (a PDF, which should be readable on all e-readers, or converted into an ebook format)

To Kill a Mockingbird (same as with Catcher)

And just in case you need it, here is a link to an online converter. You simply upload the PDF and hit "convert file". This is a great site - I've used it before for a number of different conversions. So have fun!

I probably should have done this earlier in the summer, but better late than never! Thanks to Diana for reminding me. :)

Mockingbird Discussion

To Kill a MockingbirdReader's Guide - Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Harper Lee chose as her novel's epigraph this quote from Charles Lamb: "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once"?
2. Why does the adult Scout begin her narrative with Jem's broken arm and a brief family history?
3. How does Boo Radley 's past history of violence foreshadow his method of protecting Jem and Scout? Does this aggression make him more, or less, of a sympathetic character?
4. How does the town of Maycomb function as a character with its own personality, rather than merely as a backdrop for the novel's events?
5. Atticus teaches Scout that compromise is not bending the law, but "an agreement reached by mutual consent." Does Scout apply or reject this definition of compromise? What are examples of her obedience to and defiance of this principle?
6. The novel takes place during the Great Depression. How do class divisions and family quarrels highlight racial tensions in Maycomb?
7. Atticus believes that to understand life from someone else's perspective, we must "walk in his or her shoes." From what other perspectives does Scout see her fellow townspeople?
8. How does Atticus quietly protest Jim Crow laws even before Tom Robinson's trial?
9. What does Jem learn when Atticus forces him to read to Mrs. Dubose as a punishment? Why does the lawyer regard this woman as the "bravest person" he ever knew?
10. Since their mother is dead, several women-Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, and Aunt Alexandra- function as mother figures to Scout and Jem. Discuss the ways these three women influence Scout's growing understanding of what it means to be a Southern "lady."
11. Why does Atticus Finch risk his reputation, his friendships, and his career to take Tom Robinson's case? Do you think he risks too much by putting his children in harm's way?
12. What elements of this novel did you find funny, memorable, or inspiring? Are there any characters whose beliefs or actions impressed or surprised you? Did any events lead you to revisit childhood memories or see them in a new light?
13. Adult readers may focus so much on the novel's politics that they may neglect the coming-of-age story. What does Scout learn, and how does she change in the course of her narrative? 

Comment below to start a discussion!

Mockingbird Wrap-Up

So by this time, most of us should have finished at least one of the three books on our summer list. For me, it's To Kill a Mockingbird, which I found inspirational beyond words. Just to sort of keep things live on this here blog, I've put together a few goodies:

Firstly, a quiz. Not for wussies.

Secondly, a pinboard:

It's a little small for now, but might get bigger. Pinterest is a horrible addiction for those of us brave enough to start it.

And lastly, I'm going to create a discussion board (or at least attempt to) so that we may have a forum to discuss Mockingbird while it's still fresh in our brilliant minds.

Loves,
Jessica

Summer Break

Everyone truly enjoyed Big Stone Gap; the quirky characters and rural dialect left the book feeling very familiar and nostalgic for just about every member of our little club. Trigiani’s mention  of Sanka and use of words like “feriner” (meaning “foreigner” in mountain-Virginian) left everyone laughing. The plot, however, had a few holes that could stand to be filled. Not all of the legality of the story made perfect sense – but then, it doesn’t necessarily have to. Big Stone Gap was exactly what it was supposed to be: a charming, small-town romance with a taste for adventure.

In the coming months, the Ladysmith Book Club will be taking a summer holiday. We will not meet again until September 14^th, when everyone’s busy schedules allow more time for things like book club meetings. This blog, however, will be active and I hope everyone takes a little time this summer to let us all know how they’re doing, in regards to all things life and literature.

This summer, to fill the rare empty hours that need filling, we will be reading three books: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, 1984 (or Nineteen Eighty-Four, depending on the bookseller) by George Orwell, and Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. None of these books are particularly long, but all fall under the category “I should have read this decades ago”. Just for my own ease and sanity, I’ll be reading the books one at a time and in the order listed above, but feel free to read in any order. We’ll discuss all three at September’s meeting.

Have a wonderful summer, everyone!