“Bigamy is the only crime where two rites make a wrong … the penalty being two mothers-in-law.” Bob Hope
14 arrived at the home of Melanie Prebis to celebrate Bookers 19th year of meeting and reading. It’s an honor for me to have witnessed all these magical years and I’m humbled to be able to continue going forward. The success of our little book club can be traced to our members and their enthusiasm for the written word.
We’re excited to welcome new member, Kellie Brisse, and to see K.K. Mitchell back in the fold. Please keep Judy Koslo in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes another Mohs surgery for treatment of skin cancer! And believe it or not, the queen of surgical procedures, Ann Ireland, will be facing a complete knee replacement surgery in October.
“Wives” is based on what reportedly was a 19th century California bigamy case where an English accountant, Henry Oades, and his two wives are the subject of this debut novel. Begrudgingly wife number one, Margaret, and their children accompany Henry on an eleven-thousand-mile journey from England to Wellington, New Zealand. But during an uprising of the native Maori tribe, Margaret and the four children are kidnapped, and their home is burned. Henry is devastated but after exhausting all resources to find his family, he accepts they have perished setting off another twist to the story when he arrives in California where he marries wife number two, Nancy, a sad twenty-year-old pregnant widow. After years of captivity by the Maori tribe, Margaret and the children are free arriving at the doorstep of Henry and Nancy which sets off a series of events that pits the Daughters of Decency against the Oades family where the legal system plays a significant role in the fates of Henry and his two wives.
Jane Shaw expertly led us through the tale offering this novel was about perspective – not about who did something wrong or something right challenging us to jump into the shoes of the characters and by doing so we find circumstances and the era in which they lived dictated their actions – with forgiveness at the very core of the story. The three main characters, Henry, Margaret, and Nancy pulled at the readers’ heartstrings as they endured tragedy and unspeakable loss. Margaret’s trials and tribulations began when she was uprooted to a foreign land, suffered through the loss of babies, and the terror she felt when she and her four children were kidnapped by the Maori tribe enduring a long captivity tossing her into a world which she was painfully unprepared. Her faith that Henry would find them remained steadfast as nightly she prepared her children for the day they would re-enter their world – a spark of hope shining brightly throughout the ordeal. When Henry discovered his family was missing, he reacted like a wild man pleading at every turn for someone – anyone to help him search for them, even rebuilding the cottage, keeping a candle lit every night to tell his family he was waiting for them until a bolt of reality finally prompted him to move on. He carried his grief to San Francisco where he secured a job on a dairy farm and a chance meeting in town tossed a young pregnant widow in his path and he and Nancy marry. They shared a cozy world until Margaret and the children arrived at the doorstep – “Honey I’m home.”
Our discussion:
We discussed how sometimes even brief meetings can forge life-long friendships, especially between women. Margaret met Mrs. Randolph on the sail to New Zealand forging their bond in a matter of hours. Once landing in her new homeland she meets Mim Bell and instantly connects when Mim shows up to help the family with the transition to their new living arrangements. The evolution of women friendships can be dated back to the times when men hunted and women gathered – the need for social bonding is deep-rooted in our nature and we are more interested in people and relationships than men are – it’s one of the strongest of human bonds shrouded in loyalty…all we need is a pajama party, a wine tasting, and book club and we’re set! We discussed Henry coming to the rescue of a young forlorn Nancy who had just lost her husband, was with child, had no natural maternal instincts, had no money, and no hopes for a future. Their connection was formed as both had suffered tremendous loss – Henry had someone to take care of and Nancy had someone to take care of her. Everything was dandy until wife number one and the children showed up at the farm.
Jane asked us to consider what we would have done if faced with the fact that our loving husband was married to two women. The line in the sand was drawn – neither Margaret nor Nancy was willing to give up Henry – by doing so they would be depriving his children of the father they deserved. The three bigamy trials got a little redundant and repetitive and in the end ding-bat pregnant Cora saves the day by lying that she lied on the stand in one of the earlier trials causing the judge to dismiss the case for the happily-ever after conclusion. Jane wanted Margaret to move forward, to do something productive with her life, to show us she was going to do more than sit in a rocking chair twiddling her thumbs. We talked about how odd it was that not a trace of this supposed legal case was reported in any news accounting where it would have been headlining for weeks causing speculation that the case was fictionalized to expose a loophole in California’s bigamy laws. Although Henry was a sympathetic character my first impression of him was not favorable until I reread the novel and softened my opinion – he really was in an impossible situation and acted in a loving way to both his wives. One Booker was delighted with how many times the word nincompoop appeared in the book and wondered why Margaret’s long arduous captivity was not given the same weight as the trauma of Henry having to spend one night in jail. Another Booker opined, “An overall horrible story of injustice of some of the nicest people you ever heard of, and their lives depended on a court of law that didn’t allow any facts.” Probably the most sympathetic character for most of us was Margaret…she’s totally disfigured, living in another woman’s house while her husband and his new wife are soaking in a tub in the kitchen while she sits upstairs wondering when she could go down for a cup of tea. She has to get over her longing for her husband and find a new way to view their relationship. In today’s world this situation would be on “trial” on social media. And, as a nod to trivia and the capacity for research on Google it seems 100 years ago the signs of pregnancy were often based on superstitions as there were no tests…you were pregnant when you “ceased to be well,” your skin was pimply; hair grew on your face; you ate constantly; had a hankering for gin; experienced general hysteria – borderline insanity…but in the novel a sure-fire sign of a bun in the oven was “coarse hair on your legs.”….who knew!
Bravo and many thanks Mrs. Shaw – you have a job whenever you want it!
Ms. Moran is working on a new historical fiction – a story of friendship between two 19th century prostitutes, one who was murdered by Abraham Rothschild (a descendant of the most famous of all European banking dynasties.)
On the business side:
Many thanks to those who contributed to this years’ slush fund!
We all appreciate the efforts of our Book Selection committee and the time Jane Shaw and Patty Evans put in to ensure we have a marvelous slate for the upcoming year. Jane read the list to the group, and you will find the schedule below.
We agreed to order some of our books from Bookish again this year at a 10% discount to support the “jewel” of Malakoff. Unfortunately, Ebooks are not available, but audio versions may be ordered at www.libro.fm/bookishtex as Bookish partners with this outlet and will receive a portion of every sale of audio books. An email was sent out this morning and I would appreciate a response by September 19th to allow time for Jen to order the books. Once again, I’ll coordinate the ordering, payment, and delivery to those who participate. We’re so grateful for your generosity!
COLOR CODING SYSTEM
WHITE: LIGHT READ
PINK: MODERATELY CHALLENGING
RED: CHALLENGING
OCTOBER 11: The Second Mrs. Astor, Shana Abe (Historical Fiction)
Based on the true story of the scandalous courtship and honeymoon aboard the Titanic of John Jacob Astor IV and American socialite Madeleine Talmage Force.
PINK
Home of: Ann Ireland
Discussion Leader:
NOVEMBER 8: The World Played Chess, Robert Dugoni (Coming of Age Fiction)
A story of boys becoming men and the risks they take along the way from a master storyteller. It’s 1979 and the protagonist just graduated from high school, taking a job as a laborer on a construction crew working alongside two Vietnam vets where he gets the education of a lifetime.
RED
Home of: Jean McSpadden
Discussion Leader:
DECEMBER 13: Once Upon a Wardrobe, Patti Callahan (Contemporary Fiction)
A love letter to the magic of stories and the myriad of ways a tale can both break and heal our hearts. A powerful tribute to C.S. Lewis and his Narnia.
PINK
Home of: Bonnie Magee
Discussion Leader
JANUARY 10, 2023: We Are All the Same in the Dark, Julia Heaberlin (Psychological Thriller)
The discovery of a mute girl abandoned on the side of the road threatens to unearth the long-buried secrets of a Texas town’s legendary cold case.
RED
Home of: Jane Shaw
Discussion Leader:
FEBRUARY 7: The Incredible Winston Browne, Sean Dietric (Southern
NOTE CHANGE Historical Fiction)
A rich nostalgic tale set in Florida of a small-town sheriff, a mysterious little girl, and a good-hearted community pulling together to help her.
PINK
Home of:
Discussion Leader: Jean Alexander
MARCH 14: Flight Patterns, Karen White (Contemporary Fiction)
A woman returns home to an estranged family and the secrets that bind them.
PINK
Home of:
Discussion Leader:
APRIL 11: Personal Librarian, Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
The remarkable story of J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, a black woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white.
RED
Home of:
Discussion Leader:
MAY 9: Horse, Geraldine Brooks (Animal Fiction)
The untold story of a 19th century racehorse and his caretaker, partially set in antebellum Kentucky.
PINK
Bookers evening “wine & cheese” meeting
Home of:
Discussion Leader:
SUMMER READ: Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr (Historical Fiction)
A soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in a world of peril who find resilience, hope, and a book.
RED
SEPTEMBER 12, 2023: Beginning Bookers 20th year.
The Maori tribe carried spears – our tribe carries friendships full of hopes and dreams for each other.
Happy reading,
JoDee
