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.