The Stranger and The Meursault Investigation – June CC Book Club Selection

Parent Cafe
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Yes…this. From an emotional perspective, losing NJTheatreMOM made me keep circling back to “the experience & expression of bereavement.” The books are so much about loss. I kept putting off picking them up until absolutely necessary and didn’t finish until the day of discussion. I couldn’t stop wondering about what she would say, and–knowing her as we do!–what would have likely driven her crazy about certain aspects of the writing (probably Daoud rather than Camus).

From a practical perspective, losing NJTheatreMOM changed the dynamic of the discussion. She was a prolific poster and industrious outside researcher. Her absence has made me feel strongly (and with a measure of guilt) that we didn’t do these two books justice, since she wasn’t here to handle some of the heavy lifting.

Thanks for your post, @ManhattanBoro, and for the suggestion of The Blue Room.

And on the subject of suggestions, I will organize a list of choices for August today, doing my best to channel NJTM as I veto some books and add others. Stay tuned. (I plan to include a few popular best-seller type choices, which will have her shaking her head at me from heaven!)

In case I don’t say it enough–and I’m sure I don’t–I am truly grateful for everyone who participates in our discussions, be it as a regular poster, an intermittent one, or a lurker. I love reading with all of you. Thanks for the many ways you make me think, analyze, reflect–and laugh.

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One possible book I’ve seen on fantasy lists is Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey. Paired with The Tempest naturally.

It might also be amusing to do one of the Jane Austen riffs as a pairing.

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Meant to “lurk” but ^^^ Jacqueline Carey. If ever exiled to a deserted island, I plan to bring Carey’s Phèdre’s Trilogy with me - and let’s include Imriel’s Trilogy along with it so that I have all six books in the Kushiel’s Legacy series.

Thanks for the well-wishes.

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There have been some great ideas suggested, and I always love pairing a classic with a modern work (e.g., the Brooklyn pair, the Austen pair, etc.), but…Do we want to read a duo again right away?

We might draw a bigger group of participants if we stick with one book for August, particularly a title that might appeal to someone looking for a little summer escapism. Therefore, I removed most of the duos from consideration, with the exception of the Miranda/Tempest pair, since fantasy seems like a good summer option, as well as an untrodden path for us. If you disagree, speak up! Really, I’m game for anything. No, I lied. I just realized I’m not game for 768 pages of Neal Stephenson, even with Anna Galland as co-author, so I took that off. Executive privilege!

Below are eight choices that have been suggested. As always, please feel free to veto the books you know you really don’t want to read. That’s the easiest way to trim the list. Even if you want to veto 7 out of the 8 below, that’s not a problem – someone will always have new ideas to fill the gap. No shortage of books to read in this world, that’s for sure.

Duo: Miranda and Caliban by Jacqueline Carey and The Tempest by William Shakespeare

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti (optional pairing with the myth “The Twelve Labors of Hercules”—looks like it capably stands alone without companion piece)

The Romanovs: 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore (nonfiction)

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Or has everyone read this already?)

The Strangler Vine by M.J. Carter (apparently the first in a series – “A Blake and Avery Novel”)

Chemistry by Weike Wang (just learned this minute that “LabLit” is a genre – who knew?)

The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green (“warm and winning family tale” – sounds fun for summer break, but would it have enough meat for discussion?)

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017 historical fiction – threw this in for the heck of it since it got a lot of good buzz)

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One doesn’t have to read The Tempest - I know our library has DVDs, I think from PBS done from the full text.

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That’s good, because I am not about to read any more Shakespeare at this point in my life.

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My daughter played Iris in The Tempest in a school production last year, so I think I’m good to go without having to pull out my Riverside Shakespeare.

If we choose the Carey book, I won’t post it as a duo, as I suspect @VeryHappy is not alone in her opinion.

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I am basically at Lurker status but I’ve been meaning to read A Gentleman in Moscow and would love to do it with this group.

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I, agree, selecting a book with wide appeal for summer read might expand the group.
" A gentleman in Moscow" might be the right book, if enough haven’t read it.

@ignatius - comment caught my eye. Anytime someone chooses take a book to a deserted island, it is worth checking out.

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But, would a fantasy have wide appeal???

Has anyone read “**lilli de Jong” **by Janet Benton ? I saw a goodreads review and immediately put it on my to read list.
I’m not officially suggesting it, because I haven’t read it, but curious if anyone has?

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I have not read A Gentleman in Moscow and would be up for it. I think we’d have more participants since it’s such a popular book. What’s the read/not read status on that with the rest of you?

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I haven’t read it, (A Gentleman in Moscow) and thought it sounded like fun.

I thought the Carey, seemed less like a typical fantasy than some of what I read, so perhaps more fun and more to discuss. I don’t need to read sci fi and fantasy with this group, what really got me here with this group at last, was that I wanted to read more literary/contemporary fiction.

I don’t actually like reading plays, I’m not very good at, but I love seeing them done in different versions. The Tempest is not my favorite Shakespeare Play though - that would be Twelfth Night, which I will go see whenever it’s around. (Saw it eons ago with Vanessa Redgrave, and even longer ago with music done by the guy who wrote the tune for John Denver’s “Country Roads”.)

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I read it, but wouldn’t mind rereading. It’s been awhile and I read parts quickly.

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I haven’t read A Gentleman in Moscow and don’t know anything about it. But I’m game.

I do not care for fantasy or sci fi.

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Mine is Hamlet, which my husband and I saw over 30 years ago at a little theatre in Chicago with a 25 year old Aidan Quinn in the title role. I was even younger–an impressionable age!–and have liked the play and Aidan Quinn ever since. I see him on TV from time to time and he feels like an old friend. :slight_smile:

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Jumping in to say I haven’t participated in this discussion (yet) since I’m still slogging through “The Meursault Investigation” – which I’m not enjoying at all. I will finish, though, and will be back with a few comments.

Also, I had absolutely no idea about NJTM. I think I’m in shock. So terribly sad … I never saw the thread back in April – ever since CC changed the Discussion Forum format (yes, I know it’s been a couple years or more) I hardly ever scroll though the main page of the “Cafe.” I just Bookmark the threads I’ve been following and only look for updates to those.

Re: “A Gentleman in Moscow” – read it for my RL Book Club a couple of months ago. Loved it! Would enjoy a discussion about it here.

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When do you acknowledge that CC Book Club has become an addiction? When you need to leave for your daughter’s wedding in 10 minutes (hair and makeup) and you decide to quickly check to see what’s going on.

Thumbs up here also for A Gentleman in Moscow. It would be a popular choice.

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Have a wonderful day, @ignatius!!!

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A Gentleman in Moscow it is! I’ll start a new thread.

CBBBlinker, I’m so sorry you didn’t get the word about NJTM. It was definitely a shocker.

Everyone stay safe and healthy and we’ll re-convene August 1st! Carrying on another of our traditions that NJTM liked, I have to ask…What are you all reading in the interim?

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The Devil and Webster by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Truth be told, I only started reading her books because her father was, for a time, my internist. I read You Should Have Known and enjoyed it very much.

I’m also reading You’re the Only One I Can Tell by Deborah Tannen. A bit too pop psychology for my taste, but I’m hoping I learn something about friendships between women.

100

Still reading A Suitable Boy! Reading *The Fall/i - don’t like it much, but it’s so short I’ll finish it. I just got my reserved copy of Megan Whelan Turner’s latest book in her The Thief series. I also see that Elizabeth Moon (sci fi with strong women) has a new book which I plan to stick on my Kindle and read on the plane. I know it will be a fun read.