One more thing: Remember the next-door family who vacations every year at the same beach as the Whitshanks? Anne Tyler read this passage aloud (p. 135) during the interview:
The next-door family is Anne Tyler’s family–her daughters, her sons-in-law, her grandchildren, and her husband Taghi, who died of lymphoma in 1997. She said that it has been a long-standing tradition in her family for Tyler to give her daughters cameo roles in her books. Usually, the cameos are as simple as a character passing a woman on the street, but this time, she included everyone.
Mary13 , thank you for posting those comments.imagine her first “live” interview in 50 years ( and she didn’t select Terry gross for it)
Coveting theme makes sense now.
I remember well the section she read, about the years passing, and the beach family, viewed from afar. That resonated me because we live 10 minutes from the beach and she brought the family into focus from a distance. Her family- love it. Great gem.
Checking out those book selections now. thanks for listening and sharing .
I figured that this is what she meant. While it made for an interesting non-linear look at the Whitshanks, I think she stopped at the right time. I do plan to go back at listen to the interview when I have the longer chunk of time in which to do so.
I find it interesting that Abby works at helping Stem remember his father: his picture in Stem’s room, asking Stem what he remembers of his father, trying to work out what song about a goat Stem remembers. Yet she withholds the knowledge that B.J. is his mother - not only from Stem but from Red also. How much of this is Abby coveting Stem and how much is Abby protecting Stem? I wonder when B.J. showed back up - days, months, year later? The timing could definitely make a difference. Is B.J. Autry satisfied with the arrangement, not wanting the responsibility of a child? Should they have come clean with her relationship to Stem? Maybe. Abby could remain his de facto mother regardless.
Probably a combination of both, but that type of protection–the withholding of the truth–can backfire more often that not.
I’d say the greater part was coveting, because why else would Abby not tell Red? I think she knew he would advise her to disclose everything to Stem and she didn’t want to do that. I believe it was wrong to exclude Red. As Stem’s father (for all practical purposes), he should have been informed.
Thanks @Caraid, I’d forgotten that exchange. It must have been difficult for Abby to keep such a big secret from Red for so many years.
As I think about it, keeping secrets is a recurring theme in the novel. Denny, of course, has quite a few. And secrets are part of Junior and Linnie’s relationship, too:
We can start thinking about our August selection at any time–although additional comments about A Spool of Blue Thread are always welcome (CBBBlinker? Also, I think dragonmom was originally planning to join us, but I see from the other thread that she unexpectedly has her hands full. Enjoy the weddng, @dragonmom!)
Re August, I don’t have any ideas offhand. Maybe a contemporary classic—a good story with some literary heft? There are so many books out there that are not new, but which I never got around to reading. What’s sitting on your shelf collecting dust, that you keep meaning to take down and read?
I find the list a mixed bag: at least two of my most hated books - ever! - and more than a few I love. I do see some titles I’ve missed along the way: Friday Night Lights - nonfiction - and we haven’t gone there yet; Bel Canto sits around here somewhere; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and enough others to say I’m fairly open.
And if you’re looking for a book with heft, I’d like to read Seveneves by Neal Stephenson.
Always fun to select the next book,and to get pleasure reading ideas, too.
In the pleasure reading category- not recommending for discussion
“The art of hearing heartbeats " - new librarian recommended ( she is running a new book discussion group entitled
" book group for people who really, really, really love books " ) gotta love the name of the group.
" we are all welcome here” - new librarian suggested this one, and the ending is interesting but beyond that not recommending for discussion, either.
I’m now reading - The Wright Brothers- David Mccullough’s new book and enjoying it so far.
Comment about seveneves- 900 pages - wow
Two weekends ago, I watched " To Kill A Mockingbird" first time in long, long time. I don’t think I’ve ever read the book.
I think there are a couple movies coming out this summer, based on books, and I remember thinking I’d like to read the books, can’t remember the movies now - maybe someone here will know about upcoming movies.
There’s an impressive-looking movie of Far From the Madding Crowd that was recently released. I’ve never read any Thomas Hardy! Also I’d like to read Anna Karenina, which I’ve never read. Ditto Crime and Punishment.
Not that I’m necessarily suggesting any of those; just throwing them out there.
Weren’t we considering an Edith Wharton novel at one point, or am I dreaming it?
I’m currently reading a novel called The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I haven’t gotten far enough into it to know whether I’d recommend it (though I do like it, so far), but a lot of people really seem to love it. That’s one reason I’m reading it.
SJCM: “Comment about seveneves- 900 pages - wow” Ha - I called it a book with heft. We usually choose a longer book or a duo in the summer months, so I thought I’d throw the title out for consideration. I do worry that if it’s terrible it’s almost 900 pages of terrible.
And … my husband read and liked The Wright Brothers.
And again … if you haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird … well, you simply must!
NJTM: I could go for Far from the Madding Crowd or Anna Karenina, though neither can be considered a contemporary classic. I have The Sparrow sitting here but … well, I have a reservation or two about it … maybe unfounded. I’ll p.m. you when you’ve read it and ask your opinion. As of now, I’d worry about spoilers.
And Mary: Good luck with this as we’re going to be all over the place.
Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991) - it's been on my to read list forever
Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87) - read and thought it was interesting especially some of the things he did visually - could make an interesting double header with Maus as a graphic novel
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003) - I actually always wanted to read this to - we could do 3 graphic novels!
I really like this idea. None of them are very long.
Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984) - I've always meant to read this - he invented cyberpunk genre (won the triple crown of sci-fi) Hefty but not unreasonably so -384 pages. However I realize very few here are sci-fi fans.
If we wanted to stretch ourselves I’d suggest reading an urban fantasy by Charles di Lint, he combines Irish and Native American legends with folk musicians and artists in an Ottowa-like city. Always interesting. The novels tend to have overlapping characters, but they generally stand alone just fine.
There’s a few other authors I feel guilty about not having read anything of namely…
Something by Philip Roth, Murakami, Joyce Carol Oates, Zadie Smith, Kingsolver, T.C. Boyle, Joanna Trollop (not on the list but my sil recommends frequently), Laurie Colwin (ditto)
I’m not going to recommend Penelope Lively this time because I really didn’t like the recent memoir/essay one. We can wait till she has a new novel!
I just reread To Kill a Mockingbird. I’d read the new one if others want to, but it’s not actually my favorite book, so I am in hurry.
Really like the idea of the three graphic novels (plus it adds another title to my Pulitzer-Prize reading list). I haven’t read Neuromancer and am interested. I just read Gibson’s The Peripheral which I liked. Yeah to some of the other authors mentioned by mathmom with others not so much. I’m pretty easy though.
Persepolis is great. Note to ignatius, who has a thing about sequels and prequels: there are two Persepolis books, though neither is that long and both are terrific. There is also a movie.
SJCM I have read Brooklyn. It’s the book that turned me onto Tóibín. I have now read four books by him – three novels and a book of short stories.
