<p>Funny, but true ** psychmom.**The choices seem so bleak…</p>
<p>Arrgh Intruder in the Dust is not a bleak book! It’s a lovely book. Part of the reason I suggested it is that it doesn’t leave the reader all disappointed and sad.</p>
<p>^ apologies to you, Nj TheaterMom, I forgot you had mentioned that.</p>
<p>tonight, while dining out with a most interesitng group of women, most members of local AAUW group, Someone mentioned that one of the best discussion books in their " couples" book discussion group is a book entitled " Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight" -
by Alexandra Fuller</p>
<p>I’m adding this to my personal reading list, and thought you might want to.
Has anyone read this ?</p>
<p>^Drool discussion group?</p>
<p>I picked Intruder in the Dust as my first choice just because NJTM said I wouldn’t be sad or disappointed when I finished. I don’t like things to fall apart - reading Things Fall Apart sounds stressful. (No, I’m not vetoing, just trying to get psychmom to share the Prozac.)</p>
<p>Ipad typing error-corrected for those of you wondering - initially the post had
" drool" discussion rather than " book discussion.</p>
<p>It’s a fascinating concept- several couples have been getting together for years a politically diverse group, so they can’t discuss any political issues, and THE MEN MUST Review the books. The retired English teacher said " Don’t Let’s go to the dogs to Tonight" was one of their most memorable discussions.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight. It reminded me sooo much of the expatriate crowd at the Hargeisa Club in Somalia. Though my family at least was not nearly so crazy and we were actually in Somalia during a relatively peaceful time. It’s a fun fast read.</p>
<p>
I’m with ignatius–the bleaker the better!</p>
<p>I read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter decades ago but don’t remember it, never read *Things Fall Apart<a href=“though%20my%20kids%20did”>/i</a>, and am ashamed to say I’ve never read Faulkner! So they’re all fine with me.</p>
<p>I couldn’t think of much to say about The Orchardist, but I really did love that selection, so thanks to the person who suggested it!</p>
<p>I bow to SouthJerseyChessMom’s plea for closure.</p>
<p>Executive Decision: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.</p>
<p>psychmom, call in your prescription.</p>
<p>I am so looking forward to our next drool discussion!</p>
<p>buenavista: No, no, no. I’m not “the bleaker, the better.” If it hadn’t been vetoed, Angelmaker would have my #1 slapped beside it. I also rooted for The Stockholm Octavo, another non-bleak choice. I am, however, willing to read what gets chosen because I enjoy the people (posters) in this book club so much. I can’t imagine heading into the depths of despair with a better group of people.</p>
<p>I’m the one who recommended The Orchardist. I’m glad you liked it. I liked it and it worried me that I might have recommended a book that no one liked.</p>
<p>Mary: Just saw the final selection. Thanks once again.</p>
<p>SJCM, another vote for Alexandra Fuller. Both of her Africa memoirs are wonderful. </p>
<p>Just downloaded the Faulkner because it’s one of his I’ve not read.</p>
<p>
And yet, it seems like such a good choice for a “drool discussion group” to read a book titled “Don’t Lets go to the Dogs Tonight” ;).</p>
<p>Maybe we can approach Things Fall Apart from the perspective that it IS often used in high schools and include some discussion as to why and what appeal it has for young people.</p>
<p>Good decision, Mary13, thanks. And I already have Things Fall Apart…got it out of the library yesterday.</p>
<p>Tiredofsnow, hope you enjoy Intruder in the Dust. I’d love to hear your comments on the book and those of anyone else who reads it. Our having talked about it here makes me want to read it again!</p>
<p>Intruder in the Dust is one of the Faulkners I’d like to read again. Light in August, which was mentioned upthread, is not, really. One of the reasons that I would never have advocated Light in August to this group, at this time, is that one of the characters is a young, needy pregnant girl who doesn’t say much!! (Too many echoes of The Orchardist!) The story of the pregnant girl is not the disturbing part of the book, though. It’s something else.</p>
<p>SJCM and sylvan8798, maybe iPad error-corrects are going to start to rival toddler talk as the source of ongoing “family jokes.”</p>
<p>NJTM, I started to mention that about The Orchardist (all the silent “conversations”) but I was a bit late to the discussion!</p>
<p>I have to read The Round House for my real life book group, so it may take me a while, but I’ll try to remember to let you know how I like Intruder in the Dust. </p>
<p>(Sorry, doing quick reply and not sure how to put in the italics!)</p>
<p>The Round House is one of my favorite books, Tiredofsnow. Enjoy!</p>
<p>(To do italics, hold down the “i” key and the “control” key at the same time, and then type in between the symbols that appear on the screen.)</p>
<p>By the way, it is not too late for you or anyone else to comment on The Orchardist. If you have additional comments, fire away!</p>
<p>^Alternatively, type your word highlight it, and hit enter while holding down the “i” and “control” keys. </p>
<p>Off to the library!</p>
<p>Thanks, moms! It doesn’t seem to be working for me either way…just know I know better!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Agree, and changing the prescription to wine and chocolate!</p>
<p>Thanks, Mary, for all your kitten handling :)</p>
<p>I’ve been doing commands the hard way- didn’t know, but maybe this will work for you tiredofsnow.
Use [ ]
The to end the option — i for italics, b for bold , quote for quote </p>
<p>Use [/] </p>
<p>Backslash ends the command
So annoying with ipad - I might add- drooling</p>
<p>^ I still do it the hard way too, because it’s easier for me to do it the hard way 
. This might be helpful: </p>
<p>[College</a> Confidential - BB Code List](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/misc.php?do=bbcode]College”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/misc.php?do=bbcode)
[College</a> Confidential - Smilies](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/misc.php?do=showsmilies]College”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/misc.php?do=showsmilies)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>NJTM is right – it’s never, ever too late! We had talked earlier about Talmadge and Clee’s silent conversations (by necessity, due to Clee’s muteness), but it’s employed by other characters as well. Jane and Della have a more natural, sisterly way of reading each other without words, with Jane usually being the one who directs Della with a look or a gesture. Talmadage and Caroline engage in silent conversation too:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“Silent” is a word used often in the book – it’s not just the people, but also the natural elements: “A few white wisps of cloud in the sky posed silently” (p. 19); “…in the silent morning air, under the heavy gray sky, she heard the sound of the iron bit clacking against horse teeth” (p. 104); “the bright and silent stars at night, so close you felt you could walk into them" (p. 263); “a few crows flew silently” (p. 329); “Angelene looked out the window, at the flakes floating silently in space" (p. 383);”…the lives of the trees, exuding oxygen, the air that silently racked the cabin” (p. 418).</p>
<p>All the “noise” is the book is inner turmoil. Everything on the outside is quiet.</p>