Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are…allowing us to lose ourselves and find ourselves.
22 of us made it! Welcome to Season 17 of Bookers
under extraordinarily unusual circumstances but here we are ready to resume our
adoration of the written word in the company of our fellow book lovers – although
we resemble a meeting of bandits ready to storm the nearest bank lobby. We met
in the outdoor Pavilion with chairs socially distanced and without the
expertise of honorary Booker, John Magee, who graciously not only checked out
our newly found PWC sound system, but set it up for us, yours truly would be
suffering from strained vocal chords.
We have some new faces – or eyes – in the crowd.
Debbie Yarger, Marcie Allen & Amy Hoff. So happy you joined us! And we have
the woman who as President of the PWC put a bug in the ear of Jean Alexander
that one thing missing in our community was a book club…and voila. Melba Holt,
thanks for driving in from Dallas to be with us today…it’s always a treat to
see you! I imagine you didn’t expect to run into a former student at the
meeting! Small world indeed. Welcome also to Pam Davis who visits on occasion.
Bookers sunshine has unfortunately been very busy and
the recipients of our warm wishes, Jean Alexander, Daryl Daniels, Rosemary
Farmer, Bonnie Magee, and Mary Wensel have all expressed their gratitude for
the deluge of thoughts and prayers by our members. The good news is Jean,
Rosemary, and Bonnie are on the mend, but Daryl and Mary could use some more
cheerleading. Our newly created “slush fund” will be used to defray any
out-of-pocket expenses incurred. Your generosity is much appreciated.
As you know we’ve been participating in the free book
program sponsored by BookTrib and many of you have volunteered to read and
offer your thoughts on the selections and we thank you for that. Most of the
books are Advanced Readers Copies so the authors and publishers are looking for
feedback to rectify any issues before the books are mass produced. Below are
the September offerings for anyone including spouses who would like to read
one.
A
Palm Beach Scandal, novel by Susannah Marren: Two fiercely loyal
sisters but polar opposites are put to the ultimate test when one sacrifices
for the other. A tale of discovery, sisterhood, and love for others when you
least expect it.
Somersett,
Phillip Goodrich, for history buffs this is a little-known narrative history of
the secret plan of Benjamin Franklin working with friends in London to incite
the American Revolution through political motivation of the colonies.
The
Inside Ride, Donald & Max Cohen, both psychotherapists, explore the
meaning of manhood in contemporary Western culture. The book is an exchange of
letters from father to son showing the complexity of growing up in America’s
fast-changing culture.
Fractus
Europa, edited by Eric Anderson & Adam Dunn – a collection of short
stories, fictionalized accounts of day after tomorrow through a Europe
fractured by seismic change in post-Brexit England.
Witches
Protection Program, Michael Okon, a disgraced law-enforcement agent
gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned
to a 232-year-old secret government organization.
The
Devil and Dayna Dalton, Brit Lunden, a Bulwark anthology, Book 9 set in
Bulwark Georgia where strange things happen. Dayna Dalton’s reputation has been
ruined since birth…as the daughter of a wild child.
Many thanks to our Bookers Selection Committee, Jean
McSpadden, Janet Noblitt, and Beverly Dossett who have been so dedicated to
their job that eye and hearing exams might be necessary. Jean announced the
monthly selections (see the end of the minutes for details.)
We began the discussion of our two summer selections
with Rohkshie Malone donning a tiara and introducing fellow Brit, Alice Wright
Van Cleve, the protagonist in The Giver of Stars. Next, I donned
a straw hat assuming the identity of Cussy Mary Carter, the librarian at the
center of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. (Scripts attached
to the email)
The timeline, the
similarities, the differences…and my thoughts:
Most read both, most liked both…their
opinions generally hinged on which one they read first.
First the timeline:
Book Woman published May
2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark. Giver published October 2019 by Pamela
Dorman Books, a division of Penguin, Random House who owns a 45% stake in
Sourcebooks. Richardson started her book in 2015, floating her idea to her
agent in 2016. She spent a year researching in a cabin in the Appalachian
Mountains. In July 2017 she sent her manuscript to her agent who presented it
to Kensington Books who had published her other two works but they couldn’t
agree on a deal so the manuscript was put up for auction to a number of
publishers including Penguin, but not Dorman specifically. Sourcebooks bought
it in October 2017 announcing the acquisition with a brief plot summary
published in widely read trade publications and in 2018 electronic galleys were
available on Netgalley and Edelweiss and advanced readers copies were
circulated to librarians, book bloggers, and galley giveaways through
Goodreads. In March 2019, Publishers Marketplace announced the forthcoming
novel about the Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky, by Jojo Moyes.
Prior to its
acquisition, Richardson’s manuscript was reviewed for some time by editors at
Random House. Richardson on learning of Moyes book expressed hope that there
was more than enough room for more than one novel on the topic until a book
blogger who had received an advance copy of Giver notified her of alarming
similarities. Buzzfeed News has verified the referenced passages are included
in the finished copies of both books. Richardson’s publicity director informed
her their legal team reviewed her concerns and determined no legal action was
necessary. They did give Richardson the option to pursue it through her own
legal counsel, but she said she couldn’t afford to do so. Copyright
infringement in fiction is very hard to prove.
Then the similarities:
In Book Woman,
Hillman Vester Frazier lies in wait in the woods for female librarian Cussy,
accosts her and accuses her of “Doing the devil’s work by carrying sinful books
to good and Godly folks. You’re a devil, girl.” There’s a scuffle and the
librarian’s mule lurches toward Frazier and tramples him. Hillman Frazier goes
missing after the attack. He is dead.
In Giver, Hillman Clem
McCullough lies in wait in the woods for female librarian Margery, accosts her
and says, “You think we don’t know what you all have been doing? You think we
don’t know what you’ve been spreading among decent God-fearing women? We know
what you’re up to. You got the devil in you Margery O’Hare…” Then there’s a
scuffle and the librarian’s mule lurches…the hillman is knocked to the ground
and trampled by the mule. Hillman McCullough goes missing after the attack.
He’s found dead later.
In Book Woman: Queenie
is introduced. She’s smart, strong, black librarian who works for the Pack
Horse project. She later accepts a job in a library in a city where she’ll be
more accepted and sends letters back home to Cussy. Her handwriting is
described as “elegant.” In the history of the Pack Horse library a black
librarian was never hired.
In Giver:
Sophie (Sophia) is introduced. She’s smart, strong, black woman who becomes
part of the project. She previously worked at a colored city library and she
returns to that library and sends letters home to the girls. Her handwriting is
“elegant.”
In Book Woman:
Pearl S. Buck’s book, The Good Earth is mentioned.
In Giver:
With thousands of books to choose from, The Good Earth is also
mentioned.
In Book Woman:
Cussy is gifted a book of poetry by her love interest Jackson with an
inscription marking his favorite poem for her to read.
In Giver:
Alice is gifted a book of poetry by her love interest Fred with a paper marking
his favorite poem for her to read. (The Giver of Stars by Amy Lowell)
In Book Woman:
Cussy and Jackson are married on a glorious October day in town with patrons
and librarian co-workers attending. Cussy is taken aback by the number of
well-wishers. She and Jackson had adopted her three-month-old child prior to
the marriage.
In Giver:
Librarian Margery and her love interest Sven are married on a clear crisp
October day in town with patrons and librarian co-workers attending. Margery is
taken aback at the many well-wishers. Margery and Sven already have a child who
is three months old at the time they marry.
In Book Woman:
Cussy and Jackson are given a wedding gift of a home-made quilt.
In Giver:
Margery and Sven are given a wedding quilt embroidered by her quilting circle.
In Book Woman:
Cussy was asked if she had any “Women’s Home Companions” magazines. A friend
had mentioned she rubbed groundhog brains on her baby’s sore teeth.
In Giver:
Alice is asked if she had any “Woman’s Home Companions” magazines as this baby
is just the devil to settle right now and was wondering if it might have
something to help.
Both set in exactly
the same time frame, setting, and feature the Pack Horse Librarians, the
characters, and the events surrounding them. They both tackle prejudice,
racism, domestic abuse, poverty, and abuse of power.
Both main characters,
Cussy and Alice, are in bad marriages and find a way out by becoming a
mule-riding traveling librarian and in this process find the love of their
lives…universally resulting in happy endings.
Cussy suffered physical
abuse at the hands of her husband. Alice suffered physical abuse at the
hands of her father-in-law and mental abuse by her husband.
Both novels have a
hidden stash of “excitement reads” for women in need. And, in both volunteers
make scrapbooks from old newspapers, damaged books, etc…
Both highlight unsafe
coal mines run by companies who care only about the bottom line rather than
worker safety and address the secret organization of unions.
Both touched on
romances brewing between Cussy and Jackson Lovett in Book Woman and Alice and
Fred in Giver.
The differences:
Book Woman focuses on one
librarian. It spotlights the racial discrimination the blue-skinned mountain
folk suffered. Richardson’s novel is rich in local detail. You could see the
hollers, feel the breezes, marvel at the open spaces, picture and even smell
the animals. It dug deeper into the history of time and the day-to-day struggle
of the librarians. It’s a story of raw courage, confronting prejudice and
suspicions as old as the Appalachians and as deep as the hollers. It’s a story
of fierce strength and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere –
even back home.
Giver focuses on five.
It spotlights the sexual discrimination that all women in Kentucky faced. Ms.
Moyes is richest in characterizations making it easy for the reader to be
totally invested in the trials and tribulations of the librarians. It’s funny,
heartbreaking, enthralling – a rewarding novel of women’s friendships and their
various romances, of banding together, and women’s rights, of true love, and
what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.
The conclusion: IMHO
The books are
similar enough for me to pause. I really enjoyed both of them, although I
preferred Moyes’ writing style with the exception of the frequent use of
parenthesis to offer more explanation and some of the dialogue seemed a bit
more modern for the time period. As an example, in one passage, Alice “couldn’t
get her head around the idea.” I found that phrase a bit odd as in the U.S. we first
heard this expression in 1970’s but after checking, it appeared in a British
boy’s magazine in the 1920’s. Who knew?
Richardson’s
vernacular reflected how the mountain folk spoke which seemed truer to the
story and I felt more of an emotional connection with her characters. I think
both are worth reading for their differences rather than their
similarities…it’s hard to root against a Kentuckian writing about Kentucky.
My Favorite
characters:
Book Woman:
Cussy – strong minded,
compassionate, sacrificed for others, knew her place but was not bitter about
anything or anyone. Lost it when she awarded the honorary librarian badge to a
dying young boy (starvation) who dreamed of being a librarian
Jackson
Lovett: his devotion to Cussy endearing
Pa
Carter: desperate to make sure his only daughter was in good hands when he
died.
Queenie: had her back all
the time. Was encouraging – hired at colored library in Philadelphia
Giver:
Margery O’Hare – scared physically
and mentally from all the beatings as a child from her father. He was a
moonshiner who made enemies easily and everyone in town hated him. She was
fearless, proud, afraid to let herself feel, afraid of commitment to any one
person.
Fred and Sven – their patience
and loyalty to the one they loved endearing. “a rare glow that comes from
knowing your very being has been understood by somebody else, and that there
might just be someone out there who will only ever see the best in you.”
Least
favorite characters:
Book Woman:
Anyone
with the last name Frazier…both ended up dead – not a loss to the
community.
Harriett Hardin: bookbinder and
assistant librarian supervisor could preach a sinner’s funeral – opinionated,
fancied herself with Jackson.
Eula, head librarian
known to pinch her mouth in dismay
Doc – a complicated
character – started out with a motivation to help Cussy to add to his own
prominence in the medical community. Then he humanized her and her plight.
Giver:
Bennett, spineless but in
the end, he provided the information that would free Margery from
prison…setting up that happy ending.
Geoffrey Van Cleve – money hungry,
unscrupulous, domineering, ruthless – suggested his son hit Alice to “sort her
out.”
Pastor McIntosh who told Alice it
was her duty to return home…it’s through domestic life you will achieve true
contentment. A woman’s place is in the home. She challenged who was the
godliest – a man who slammed her head into the table or a woman who ministers
to the poor and sick and needy.
Clem McCullough – scum of the earth
Both books were
filled with interesting characters – ones to love and ones to hate –
that combination makes for an interesting read…these two did not disappoint. We
talked about how Giver read just like a novel, while Book Woman was more of a
historical fiction read; we learned from our expert horsewoman why they
preferred mules to another other “mode” of transportation…who knew a mule was
so brilliant! We talked about the number of books that have been written about
the Holocaust but although they had a similar setting, each had a unique story
to tell; our teachers commented on the importance of reading.
On an added note,
sometimes we get so excited to see each other, it’s difficult to reign in our
enthusiasm…and that’s what makes this group so special and I wouldn’t change
the dynamics for anything. However, when it’s time to sit…it’s time to sit.
Bonnie Magee is my “husher-in-chief” as I’ve asked her to use her
booming voice to help me get everyone settled and into Bookers mode. She’s just
doing her job and a well-paid one I might add…LOL!
COLOR
CODING SYSTEM
WHITE: LIGHT READ
PINK: MODERATELY
CHALLENGING
RED: CHALLENGING
(Please note Beloved by Toni
Morrison has been scratched from the selections)
October 13: When the Moon is Low, Nadia
Hashimi
RED
An exquisitely written
story of a loving, middle-class family’s once idyllic life in Kabul, Afghanistan collapsing beneath Soviet rockets
and later crumbling under despotism by the Taliban.
November 17:
*(date moved
due to scheduled PWC garage sale)
One
for the Blackbird, One for the Crow, Olivia Hawken
PINK
A powerful, poetic novel
of survival and sacrifice on the American frontier set in Wyoming, 1876. Two
families relied on each other exclusively as no other settlers lived within
miles of them. When tragedy comes calling, the two women left behind are
divided by rage and remorse.
December 8: The One-in-a-Million Boy by
Monica Wood
One-hundred and four-year
old Ona tells the eleven-year-old unnamed boy who has been helping her out
every Saturday morning, “The story of your life never starts at the beginning.”
A heartwarming tale of love, loss, and friendship.
PALE PINK
Discussion Leader: Jean
Alexander
(Annual Christmas party
& location TBD)
January 12, 2021 American Dirt, Jeanine Cummins
RED
Literary novel that reads
with the intensity of a suspense tale. Stephen King guarantees you cannot put
it down with a perfect balance of terror on one side and love on the other.
February 9: Olive Kitteridge & Olive Again, Elizabeth
Strout
The author, described as
a master at animating the ordinary, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for Olive
Kitteridge featuring an indomitable, compassionate, unpredictable
retired schoolteacher in a small coastal town in Maine. Strout weaves a tale in
thirteen linked stories, a vibrant exploration of the human soul that will make
you laugh, nod in recognition, wince in pain, and shed a tear or two. This is a
revisit for Bookers as thirteen reviewers offered their opinions of each story
in November 2009. Ms. Strout thought she had put Olive to bed, but the eternal
cantankerous character kept begging for more press so Olive, Again
was born.
March 9: The
Dutch House, Ann Patchett
PINK
A story about the
interminable bond between siblings – a brother and a sister who grow up in a
fairy tale – huge house, loving father, and caring staff. The only thing
missing is their mother who fled the pressure of managing the household when
they were young.
April
13: To Be Determined
May
11: People of the
Book, Geraldine Brooks
DEEP PINK
An Australia rare-book
expert is offered a job of a lifetime – analysis and conservation of a
priceless book, one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with
images. As she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries, the reader is ushered
into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past tracing the book’s journey
from its salvation back to its creation.
Summer Read: Clementine, The Life of Mrs.
Winston Churchill, Sonia Purnell
PINK
A long overdue tribute to
the extraordinary woman who was Winston Churchill’s closest confidante,
fiercest critic and shrewdest advisor. Later in life he claimed that victory in
World War II would have been impossible without the woman who stood by his side
for fifty-seven turbulent years.
“Doesn’t matter how smart you are, how
clever, how self-reliant-you can always be bettered by a stupid man with a
gun.”
Happy Reading,
JoDee
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