OCTOBER 2018 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, The Rent Collector, Cameron Wright

There is one major thing that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom, and that’s language.

18 met at the home of Melba Holt to discuss this month’s selection led by Beverly Dossett. Many thanks to Melba for her hospitality and to Beverly for her insights into this novel. Most of our group read and liked the story, although a few admitted reluctances to read a book about a family living in a temporary hut inside a municipal dump in Cambodia where residents build a life from what others throw away. The setting is shortly after the decline of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970’s. The regime claimed the lives of two million people as their Marxist leader mandated the population to return to communal farms creating an agrarian utopia, killing those of intellect, some who wore glasses, and spoke a foreign language.

The Rent Collector is fiction, although the inspiration for the book came from the author’s son who produced a documentary film, “River of Victory.” Sang Ly, her husband, and their very ill infant make their home in a filthy and dangerous environment, similar to a gang dominant ghetto. Surprisingly the message throughout the novel is one of hope, determination, and redemption. Sang Ly is convinced for her son to have a chance at a better life, the key is learning to read, although it won’t heal his body, but reading will give him something to look forward to, a reason to fight, and fill him with courage. The person rising up to the task is none other than the old, crotchety, often tipsy landlord referred to as the Cow who was a college literature teacher before she was a rent collector. You might ask how this educated person ends up in the dump. You’ll have to read this well-written, poignant story to find out.

The role of literature in the novel is universal in that, to understand it, you must read it with your head, but interpret it with your heart. Literature always includes a telling lesson with words linked together with emotion and purpose. It gives us somewhere to go when we must stay where we are. Education brings us to an understanding of our place in the world… “we are literature…our lives, our hopes, our desire, our despairs, our passions, our strengths, and weaknesses.”

Those present today deserve a gold star for their insightful comments, shared stories, questions, and answers. We defined what hope means to us; talked about the role of luck in our lives; who might have been “Lucky Fat’s” benefactor; the significance of a broken clock; shelters, both literally and figuratively; the threat of change; dreams; and the significance of the reading of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Phoenix Bird.

The ones who were unable to make the meeting missed the reason Bookers is still going strong after fifteen-years.

                                                On the business side:

Our “crack” committee is still reading selections for the three slots we have yet to fill. We’ll keep you posted.

COLOR CODING SYSTEM

WHITE:         LIGHT READ

PINK:             MODERATELY CHALLENGING

RED:              CHALLENGING

November 13:  A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Published in 1989, it tells the story of two best friends growing up in a small New Hampshire town during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

                        PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Melanie Prebis                           

Home of Katherine Maxwell-McDonald

December 11:  Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

Charming and poignant about the creation of the most famous Christmas tale ever written.

                        PINKISH WHITE

                        Discussion Leader: Rebecca Brisendine

Home of Bonnie Magee

Jan. 8, 2019:    The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Set in Alaska in 1974. The ultimate test of survival for a family in crisis.

                        RED

                        Discussion Leader: Patty Evans

Home of Daryl Daniels

February 12:   The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

Set in 1917 England and based on a true story, two young cousins somehow convince the world that the magic exists.

                        PALE PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Daryl Daniels

                        Home of Beverly Dossett

March 12:        Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles

Set in East Texas during the depression, a story of hardship, sacrifice, and strength.

                        PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Ann Ireland

                        Home of Mary Wensel

April 9:            Book TBD                             

Home of Jane Shaw

May 14:           Book TBD

                        Evening Wine & Cheese Meeting @ home of Jean Alexander        

Summer Read: Book TBD

“The most difficult battles in life are those we fight within.” Buddha

Happy Reading,

JoDee

SEPTEMBER 2018 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, America's First Daughter, by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

“Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and father of the University of Virginia.” He penned this message for inscription on his tombstone. Note – he omitted his service as the President of the United States.

23 Bookers reunited after our summer break at the home of Rokhshie Malone on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our country. Burned into the fabric of our lives is this day and to celebrate the birth of our nation with this month’s selection, America’s First Daughter, solidifies the resolve of our people that in the face of tragedy, grace, and dignity unites us.

Welcome new members, Jane Shaw, and Tanya Holstead to the beginning of our 15^th year of Bookers. We hope you will join us again! Many thanks to Rokhshie for hosting and to Katherine Maxwell-McDonald for her thorough and informative discussion of our summer read. You’ve got a permanent job if you want it!!

The majority of Bookers read and liked the selection, as did I, but something nagged me while reading it, so I researched more. With over three thousand reviews, only 236 were critical and that is where I found the answer. The common thread among them was the story seemed soap-operaish, overwritten, and over-dramatic…like a romance novel set in colonial times. Both authors enjoy stellar credentials in background and writing accolades, but Laura Kamoie has written thirty-five erotic romance novels under the pen name Laura Kaye. Her “other life” might have added credibility to some of that criticism. 

The conventional definition of the historical fiction genre is a novel that is set fifty or more years in the past and one in which the author is writing from research rather than personal experience. It relies on the author getting inside the head, heart, and era of historical figures. Readers demand authenticity when telling the story from the character’s perspective even though our modern day values likely clash with their principles. Steeped in this story is inequality, incest, slavery, adultery, violence against both sexes, dirty politics, betrayal, forced choices, parental bonds, commitment to family and expectations, deathbed demands, fierce loyalty, and forbidden romances…all wrapped up in the birth of our nation with the contradiction of these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.”

Katherine passed around photographs of the “main players” in the novel and pulled a nickel out of her pocket to show Thomas Jefferson’s portrait. The authors extrapolated a few items to add interest to the book. In a blog entitled, “Five lies we told in America’s First Daughter and How we got away with it,” they point out Patsy wasn’t actually at her mother’s bedside when she died; we said things happened where they didn’t happen; we made one of the Randolph sisters into a killer; made Colonel Randolph into a nasty villain; and there is no proof William Short and Patsy were romantically involved. We discussed if our opinion of one of our founding fathers changed after the revelation that Thomas and Sally Hemings were a “couple.” We talked about whether she was a willing participant in the “affair” in order to protect her interests and secure the future of “their children.” We spoke of the roles of “First Daughters” then and now; how much time the entourage spent in France while the war raged on in America; why did Patsy feel the need to protect her father – his health, his legacy, his emotional state? Presidential scandals are nothing new – from Buchanan’s Miss Nancy and Aunt Fancy to Harding’s trysts in the White House closet – but they were covered up until the Nixon era, tarnishing the office of the President. We discussed the oxymoron of the slavery issue in light of the words in the Declaration, the role of the indentured especially on a plantation in the south – they had shelter, food, clothing…with freedom what would they do? The ending troubled some, as it seemed impossible for Patsy to promise her abusive/alcoholic husband, she would never marry again…she did grow to love him and fathered their twelve children…but still.

The authors visited both the Randolph’s Tuckahoe and Jefferson’s Monticello digesting the stark differences in the plantations as evidenced in their descriptions. Tuckahoe had a dark, heavy, sad, troubled feeling in the décor of the main house and more telling was the cemetery –   laying within a totally enclosed brick wall – no gate or door and not a single grave marked with a headstone. Monticello on the other hand sits atop a mountain, one with nature, with a fifty-mile view of the countryside. The presence of slavery is evident on both plantations, and on one tour a guide was asked by a nine-year old African-American boy, what his life would have been like to be a slave at Monticello, prompting a young white boy of the same age to ask how a man like Jefferson could have written, “all men are created equal.” This is a positive sign of the awareness of our younger generation and points to the commonality we all wrestle with – the discrepancies of our nation’s founding.

On the business side:

Thanks to the quick response to our email requesting host homes for our meeting. Note the October meeting has been changed to Melba Holt’s home. And, without threats or violence, you have enthusiastically waved your hands in the air to volunteer to be a “discussion leader.” All joking aside, my heart is full with appreciation.

There are 86,400 seconds in every day and I’d like to use a few of them to express my appreciation to our 2018-2019 Bookers’ Book Selection committee, Pat Faherty, Melanie Prebis, and Katherine Maxwell-McDonald for their willingness to take on this project. I personally know how much time is involved in this and I hope none of them required a visit to the ophthalmologist in order to narrow the list to the choices listed below. Because of their diligence, Bookers will begin the year with a fresh approach and all of us are eternally grateful for their commitment. It’s important to remember we all have our reading preferences…not all books fall into the our cup of tea, but these were selected with the group in mind. Bookers’ is all about the books and we hope for some lively but respectful conversations.

Member Joanne Bara passed along a new book some might be interested in by noted historian and political biographer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Leadership: In Turbulent Times – how Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and LBJ found “their footing” on the job.

COLOR CODING SYSTEM

WHITE:         LIGHT READ

PINK:             MODERATELY CHALLENGING

RED:              CHALLENGING

October 2:       The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright

A young mother struggles to survive by picking through garbage in Cambodia’s largest municipal dump.

                        PINKISH RED

                        Discussion Leader: Beverly Dossett

Home of Melba Holt

November 13:  A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Published in 1989, it tells the story of two best friends growing up in a small New Hampshire town during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

                        PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Melanie Prebis                           

Home of Katherine Maxwell-McDonald

December 11:  Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

Charming and poignant about the creation of the most famous Christmas tale ever written.

                        PINKISH WHITE

                        Discussion Leader: Rebecca Brisendine

Home of Bonnie Magee

Jan. 8, 2019:    The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Set in Alaska in 1974. The ultimate test of survival for a family in crisis.

                        RED

                        Discussion Leader: Patty Evans

Home of Daryl Daniels

February 12:   The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

Set in 1917 England and based on a true story, two young cousins somehow convince the world that the magic exists.

                        PALE PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Daryl Daniels

                        Home of Beverly Dossett

March 12:        Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles

Set in East Texas during the depression, a story of hardship, sacrifice, and strength.

                        PINK

                        Discussion Leader: Ann Ireland

                        Home of Mary Wensel

April 9:            Book TBD

                        Discussion Leader:

Home of Jane Shaw

May 14:           Book TBD

                        Evening Wine & Cheese Meeting @ home of Jean Alexander        

Summer Read: Book TBD

John Adams once said, “1 useless man is a shame; 2 is a law firm, and 3 or more is a congress.”

Happy Reading

JoDee