Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our November 2012 selection:
 Destiny of the Republicby Candice Millard
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

The members all enjoyed this selection about President Garfield and said they really knew nothing about this president before reading the book other than that he had been assassinated. When asked what surprised them most, the answers were varied: enjoyable, the lack of security everywhere, the nominating process with no campaigning, how powerful the doctor treating Garfield was, how little improvement in medical treatment between Garfield's day and that of Henrietta Lacks, what a mess the White House was. Many found the information about Alexander Graham Bell quite fascinating and quite different from what they had assumed about Bell. Some said their favorite figure was Garfield's secretary. Members listed memorable scenes as the World's Fair and the fact there was no national anthem, the Chicago Fire, the dirty mattress in Garfield's sick room, the nominating convention and Garfield's reluctance to take the nomination, the role of Abraham Lincoln's son, and Bell's metal detector.

Members also discussed how sad it was that Garfield was taken from the life he loved and that it was really the doctors that killed him and not the wound itself. They also were shocked that the assassin was even able to succeed. Everyone thought the amount of research done by the author was amazing and noted that the bibliography at the end was almost one-third of the book. Everyone said they would recommend this book to others and noted that Candice Millard is a local author living in Kansas City.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our October 2012 selection:
 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacksby Rebecca Skloot
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

Rebecca Skloot's biography details not only the life of Henrietta Lacks but also the state of medical research across several decades. While Skloot has done an excellent job of reducing the complicated science of cellular research to a readable level, it is her research on Herietta's life that makes this book well worth reading. Skloot's ability to bring this heretofore unknown woman to life reminds us all that the core of medical research is the patient: not the doctor, not the researcher, not the rest of the medical community, but the patient.

While the members agreed that the science covered in the book makes for a somewhat difficult read, they all felt it was extremely informative and interresting. Discussion centered on the state of medicine, especially with regard to female patients, the history of medical treatment for blacks, and Henrietta's life and family. All felt they would recommend the book to readers who would not be discouraged by the scientific content.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our September 2012 selection:
 The Art of Racing in the Rainby Garth Stein
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

The Art of Racing in the Rain takes a philosophical look at life, love, and family through the eyes of a dog.  Through the metaphor of auto racing Stein's canine character demonstrates what it is that makes us uniquely human as well as the fine line between hanging in there and giving up.

All the members found something to enjoy in the book. Discussion centered on how telling the story from a dog's viewpoint changed the narrative.  At least two members found the plot too predictable and one member also found that "it lacked imagination," but even these members found interesting quotes to share for the discussion.  Some members were puzzled by the symbolism of the toy zebra and what it represented.  There was also some discussion about the difference between dogs and cats and how auto racing relates to life.  Everyone said they would recommend the book to others except to those that hate dogs.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our August 2012 selection:
 The Accidental Bestsellerby Wendy Wax
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

The Accidental Bestseller is a novel about four female writers—Kendall, Faye, Tanya, and Mallory—who have been friends in their professional lives for many years. Now Kendall finds she is being jettisoned by her publisher but still must give them one more manuscript per her contract. And, on top of that, she's being jettisoned by her husband. The story revolves around the lives of each of these women, their writing, and how they rally to help Kendall meet her deadline.

Almost all the members enjoyed the book. Several said it was hard to get into but became much more interesting as the story progressed. The discussion centered on a discussion of the book's genre of "Chick Lit," that genre's characteristics, and how the author used those characteristics to create a complex and memorable parody of that genre. Several members said they weren't aware of "Chick Lit" and had never really read books like that before. Others said they felt the most interesting part of the novel was learning how the publishing industry works. One member said the scene of Kendall hiding under her desk when a visitor came to the door was so funny she was hooked on the story from that point onward. The discussion definitely enhanced the members' understanding of Chick Lit and of this particular title.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our July 2012 selection:
 Still Aliceby Lisa Genova
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

Still Alice is the fictional first-person account of a female college professor named Alice who develops early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Alice and her husband have 3 grown children and lead busy, fulfilling lives when Alice is diagnosed and struggles to accept and prepare herself and her family for the inevitable.

The members all found the book interesting and compared it to other books and movies they had read with similar themes. Some said the story was a bit difficult to get into but that once you got past the first part, it was a fast and interesting read. Discussion centered on the family's reaction to the disease as it progressed, how well the author had captured the reality of the disease, and the treatments currently available for treating the symptoms. Everyone participated in the discussion and would recommend the book to others.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our June 2012 selection:
 South of Broadby Pat Conroy
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

South of Broad is the story of a group of friends, all misfits to a greater or lesser degree, who meet before beginning their senior year in high school in Charleston, S. C. in 1969. In 1989, one of their group, Sheba, calls upon the still-strong bonds friendship for help searching for her brother, Trevor, also a member of their group, who has not been heard from in months. His last known address is an apartment in San Francisco, a community now being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. They all agree to travel together to the Bay City and bring Trevor back to Charleston. In many ways, South of Broad is about the 1960's cultural revolution as experienced by this group of talented, diverse personalities.

The Book Discussion members all enjoyed reading this selection, and the discussion ranged over the many issues of the era as highlighted by the story, including racial integration of schools and police forces, pedophilia by Catholic priests and parents, adultery, and AIDS. Everyone found the story and setting interesting and agreed that they would like to read other books by Conroy.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our May 2012 selection:

That Used To Be Usby Thomas L. Friedman & Michael Mandelbaum
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

That Used To Be Us provides a stark look at the global geo-economic landscape and where the United States is currently positioned in it. The authors provide a very unbiased, take-no-prisoners assessment not only of where our country is and how we got there but also where we are headed if we cannot summon the collective national will to quit fighting each other and start working together to regain our position "in the world we created."

The members all agreed this was a very worthwhile, if difficult, selection. Each member could readily name at least one fact in the book that stood out for them. There was a very lively and friendly discussion about the the views and solutions presented. Several members did plan to recommend the book to others, but some members felt their circle of reading friends would only read books that entertained. When asked if the "happy ending" proposed by the authors would be fiction or non-fiction, most members felt Americans would, in the end, do what needs to be done. A few members felt more conflicted about whether the country would find a way to come together and agree on the the changes that require both a political and social solution.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our April 2012 selection:

Winter's Boneby Daniel Woodrell
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

This month's title takes place in southeast Missouri. The author doesn't pull any punches about the grinding poverty and violence among members of the clannish community in the Ozark hills whose economy centers around making the illegal drug known as Meth. Woodrell depicts a grim and gritty world from which few escape. Ree Dolly, the central character of this sparse drama, dreams of joining the army but wonders who will take care of her younger brothers if she leaves. Their psychologically traumatized mother has abandoned the family in all but body, and their father has disappeared after putting the family home up as surety for his bail, giving Ree thirty days to either find her father or face eviction. How Ree, still a teenager, functions in this loveless environment is a stark and compelling story.

Despite the bleak tone of this narrative, almost all the members thought is was a worthwhile read. While one member said she would not recommend it to anyone because of the strong language, other members said they would recommend it to those who would not be offended by the content. The discussion centered on the effects of poverty and addiction and the difficulty of escaping from such an environment. The social code engendered by blood and isolation also generated a lot of comment, and several members compared that theme with past selections, including "The Ballad of Frankie Silver."

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our March 2012 selection:

Blood Harvestby S. J. Bolton
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

This selection is a modern gothic murder mystery that takes place in a small, somewhat isolated English village where, over the years, 3 preschool girls have died in accidents or disappeared. Now a new vicar has arrived to reopen the local church where one of the children died in a fall. Also, a new family named Fletcher has moved into the house next to the church with their two sons and daughter, a toddler named Millie, who narrowly escapes another "accidental" death in the church. Will the Fletchers be able to protect Millie from becoming yet another accident?

All of the group members enjoyed this selection and would recommend it to others. One member said she put off reading it but then couldn't put it down. Another member said she could only read it during the daytime as it was too creepy after dark. The discussion centered on the elements of a gothic novel and how the author had adapted those elements to this story, which is set in the present with modern technology and up-to-date forensic tools. The group also discussed where in De Soto they might focus a gothic novel and agreed that there really wasn't a suitable location. "We tear everything down," said one member, "so there really isn't anything old enough." Several members said they planned to read some other books by Bolton.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our February 2012 selection:

Swamplandia!by Karen Russell
Below is a summation of the members' reactions to this work.

This selection is a fictional account of three children whose family operates an alligator wrestling theme park in the Florida Everglades sometime in an unspecified time period. When the mother dies, the family begins to come apart and 13-year-old Ava struggles desperately to save what is left of the only life she's ever known.

Most of the group members found at least one element in the book that they enjoyed, particularly the historical elements about the various attempts to develop the Everglades. But, most members also felt the story was too strange to recommend to others. The sister who falls in love with a ghost and the unconventional family dynamics made it hard to suspend disbelief. One member expressed dismay at the language used by the brother and his coworkers later in the novel. Yet, every member felt sympathy for the young heroine and admired her struggle. Several felt this was a good title for book groups as it generated a great deal of discussion. There were some members who couldn't get into the book and abandoned reading it while others said they were definitely glad they had kept reading as the end was worth it.

Comments from the Book Discussion Group at DeSoto Library regarding our January 2012 selection:

Playing for Pizzaby John Grisham
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

This selection is a fictional account of a washed-up American quarterback who goes to play for an amateur Italian team when there is no offer forthcoming from an American team.

The discussion began with noting this is the third book the group has read in which an American spends time living in Italy. (Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat, Pray, Love were the other two.) When asked "What does Italy represent to these characters?" members responded that Italy had great food and offered a sense of exuberance and extravagance. Members also agreed Italy offered a place of escape for the main character of each novel.

The group also discussed the maturity level of Grisham's character, Rick, at the beginning as well as at the end of the novel and also discussed how Rick changed and why. Members talked about Rick's view of females and how it evolves as the story progresses. There was some discussion on football as played in America vs. Italy and how this book compares with Grisham's other works.

Everyone enjoyed this selection and said they would recommend it to others.

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

Lawrence: Survivors of Quantrill's Raid by Katie Armitage
Below are the group members' comments about this work.

This selection is a pictorial record of the people and places that survived Quantrill's raid on Lwarence, Kansas in 1863. First reactions to the content were varied:

"It [the raid] was much worse than I realized."

"I didn't realize that so many major events happened in 1863--Quantrill's Raid, the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg."

"I never knew why the raid happened before I read this book."

"I was surprised at how quickly they rebuilt the town."

"I was surprised by the ugliness of the wars and how much personal revenges played into the raid."

"It was so devastating. Almost every family was affected."

"I knew a lot of people who were connected to the generation that experienced the raid. Many houses are still standing. I enjoyed the pictures."

"It was very cut-and-dried. No story. I found it confusing."

"Order No. 10 and the Union Prison collapse were causes for the raid."

"I was surprised by how much the people traveled in that time as many of the family members went elsewhere, came back, left again. I was surprised by how many died elsewhere but were brought back to Lawrence for burial."

Members also noted how many of the names of those pictured had endured either as family names or as the names of landmarks. Other comments made note of the strength of the women and their bravery in resisting the invaders as well as the ability of the widows to pick up and move forward, often through remarriage; and of sadness at the number of survivors who later died.

The group also discussed the amount of work it would take to produce such a book and alternate ways of organizing the material. Some found the record less compelling than if it had been presented in narrative form.

Members felt they would recommend the book to those interested in the history of Lawrence and Quantrill's raid in particular. They decided to organize a trip to Lawrence to take the Quantrill's raid tour and to set a date to watch Ang Lee's movie, "Ride With the Devil," in upcoming months.