Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our November 2011 selection:

Under Siege! Three Children at the Civil War Battle for Vicksburgby Andrea Warren
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

Everyone attending November 2011’s meeting was delighted to have the author, Andrea Warren, join our discussion of this unique look at a major Civil War battle that proved a turning point in determining whether Americans would go forward as one nation or two. Ms. Warren provided insight into the research behind the book, her writing methods, and other information about the central figures: Lucy McRae, Willie Lord, and Frederick Grant.

While primarily written as a children’s novel, Under Siege! is a well researched non-fiction look at the 48-day siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Warren spent a year researching the lives of the three children, two Vicksburg residents as well as the 12-year-old son of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and vividly details the conditions they endured during this struggle. When asked what surprised them most when reading this account, members mentioned the fact that families of soldiers often traveled with the soldiers to battlefront, the age of Grant’s son and that Frederick’s mother allowed him to stay with his father, and the sheer determination of the Vicksburg residents not to surrender. Everyone agreed the book was extremely readable and full of information.

You can read more about Andrea Warren and her award-winning books at: http://andreawarren.com/

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our October 2011 selection:

In the Woodsby Tana French
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

This debut mystery is a work of psychological suspense that won several prestigious mystery awards for Best First Novel. The story revolves around the murder of a twelve-year-old girl in a Dublin suburb. This new murder revives memories of a still unsolved case from many years before when three young children disappeared from that same neighborhood. Indeed, the detective now in charge of this new case was one of the three who went missing and the only one ever found. He has no memory of what happened that day but is determined solve this new mystery.

The discussion centered on the characters and how they dealt with various aspects of the two cases. Several members said they would like to see the character of Cassie Maddox, the female detective, developed more. The group agreed that the atmospheric setting of the woods and the archaeological dig contributed to the suspense. One member chose not to read the selection as it involved violence against children. Most members felt they could recommend the book to those who liked mysteries and several indicated they planned to read French's other novels.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our September 2011 selection:

What I Saw and How I Liedby Judy Blundell
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

This story takes place in 1947 in the post-war United States, primarily in Florida. It is a coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl faced with the decision about whether to tell the truth or lie to protect her family. Underlying the mystery plot are themes of antisemeticism and family relationships.

Most members felt that the narrative voice of the novel was a bit young for them but also agreed that the themes were very mature. The group discussed the family relationships and how the culture of post-war American affected those relationships. The nature of antisemeticism at that time was also discussed. Most thought they would recommend the book to certain people but not to everyone.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our August 2011 selection:

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

SUE: None of us would probably be lucky enough to travel like that. But the language would be a big barrier and a lot would be lost in translation. I would recommend to a middle-aged woman who's trying to change her life. I did not particularly like the book.

GEORGIANNA: I did not buy the premise of the book--going away for a whole year to find yourself. My word for De Soto: HOME.

LAURA: I didn't enjoy the book at all and wouldn't recommend it. My word for De Soto: COMFORTABLE.

MARILYN: I just got hungry [reading it]. My word for De Soto: SECURE.

ANNE: I did not like it and would not recommend it. My word for De Soto: SECURE.

MAYE: I have read better. It was okay but I would not recommend it. My word(s) for De Soto: SAFE and SECURE.

BRENDA: I liked finding out more about meditating. I would not recommend it. My word for De Soto: OPTIONAL (could live somewhere else).

VENITA: It is well-written. She seems like a hippy from the 60s trying to find herself. My word for De Soto: SCARY.

VICKI: I did not like the first part but the part about Indonesia was not too bad. I would not recommend it. My word for De Soto: HAPPY.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our July 2011 selection:


What Kansas Means To Me
edited by Thomas Fox Averill
Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

Early polls were not looking good for this year's non-fiction United We Read selection but, by discussion time, almost everyone had found something to like in this collection of essays, poems, and art from Kansas. Contributions span the period from 1910 to present, and the The Topeka Capital-Journal hails What Kansas Means To Me as "A reflective journey into Kansas not only as a place but also as a state of mind." Our readers heard from such varied voices as William Allen White, Milton Eisenhower, William Heat-Moon, and fourteen others. One member's suggestion to begin at the back of the collection proved a successful approach for several, while others advised readers to have patience and they would be rewarded. All members said it was good to discover so many noted writers with good things to say about Kansas. One member felt that, while her efforts weren't wasted, there had been better selections for United We Read from years past. Some had already recommended the book to others.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our June 2011 selection:


Her Mother's Hopeby Francine Rivers

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

The group overwhelming enjoyed this story which begins in Sweden, moves to Canada, and then on California. It is a story of of husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, neighbors and friends. From an unhappy life in Sweden, a mother's blessing allows her daughter to seek the life she cannot dream for herself. Through determination and hard work, the daughter escapes across the ocean but cannot escape the scars she accumulated in her younger years. How those scars impact the mother she becomes and how they are transformed in her daughter forms the basis of this saga. All the members plan to recommend this book to others and to read the sequel, Her Daughter's Dream.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our May 2011 selection:

The Postman Always Rings Twiceby James Cain

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

The discussion kicked off with a brief definition of "noir" fiction as offered by Wikipedia:

"Noir fiction is the name sometimes given to a mode of crime fiction regarded as a subset of the hardboiled style. Per noir aficionado George Tuttle:[citation needed]

In this sub-genre, the protagonist is usually not a detective, but instead either a victim, a suspect, or a perpetrator. He is someone tied directly to the crime, not an outsider called to solve or fix the situation. Other common characteristics ... are the emphasis on sexual relationships and the use of sex to advance the plot and the self-destructive qualities of the lead characters. This type of fiction also has the lean, direct writing style and the gritty realism commonly associated with hardboiled fiction."

The group discussed why the book might have been banned in Boston when it was first published in 1934, the irony of the drifter Frank's ultimate fate, whether or not Cora fit the profile of a femme fatale, and what would have been the appeal of the book during the Great Depression.

Most of the group felt that the work would not have much appeal if were released today. Some said they would not recommend the work to anyone while others thought they would recommend it only to men they thought would appreciate the leanness and brevity of the writing.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our April 2011 selection:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indianby Sherman Alexie

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

Sherman Alexie's book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is more than a little autobiographical. It details his life as a teenager on an Indian reservation and his struggle to hold on to his dreams for a life beyond the constant struggle of poverty and alcoholism he saw all around him. Almost all of the group, which included 12 women and one man, enjoyed the book. One member noted that when she first began to read it she thought, "Boring. Boring. Boring." But as she kept reading, she said, she found Alexie's account very interesting and funny.

The discussion centered on a few key events in the book, such as the main character's decision to attend an all-white high school off the reservation. Also discussed was the censorship battle raised over this book in Springfield, MO and what arguments might have driven this fight.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our March 2011 selection:

(Note: Our February meeting was cancelled because of the blizzard.)

Olive Kitteridgeby Elizabeth Strout

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

Olive Kitteridge is a series of vignettes that feature various inhabitants of the town in Maine where Olive Kitteridge has lived her entire life. While many of the stories center around Olive and/or her family, some merely mention the title character in passing. The narrative as a whole, however, reveals some deep and painful truths about Olive and her impact on the lives around her.

The group expressed a range of feelings about Olive, describing her as "hard," "cold," "mean," and "angry." Others thought she might have been viewed differently if she had been a man. All thought the final chapter revealed a different view of Olive. A few members felt there were other books more worthy of their time invested than this selection.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our January 2011 selection:

Out Stealing Horsesby Per Pettersen

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

Out Stealing Horses is, for the most part, an internal dialogue of a man-- now in the twilight of his life--reflecting on his boyhood in Norway during World War II and the emotional impact of his father's abandonment as well as where he has arrived in his journey across the years.

The group's reaction to this novel was mixed. Some found it "wonderful," while others said they "kept waiting for something to happen and it never did." All agreed that the overall result reflected a male personality and outlook. Discussion centered on how different members viewed the events in the narrative and the impact of those events on the narrator.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our December 2010 selection:

The Vanising Act of Esme Lennoxby Maggie O'Farrell

Below is a summary of the group's collective observations of this work.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is a family saga that spans several generations. Through the voices and perspectives of several female characters, the narrative reveals how society and family impacted the lives of mothers, daughters, and sisters across a century. The book opens with Esme Lennox about to be released from a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last 60 years of her life. Her niece decides to shelter Esme for the weekend until she can find her an acceptable place to live. As the weekend unfolds so does Esme's family story, revealing the events and decisions that kept her in confinement for six decades.

As the structure of the book was unusual, with narrators and times shifting without clear warning, the group discussed how the narrative flow contributed and/or detracted from the story. Members also expressed their feelings about each of the characters and their relationships to each other as well as the societal influences that shaped these women's lives.

All the members enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. The complex nature of the story that takes place in India and Scotland is fertile ground for discussion.