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.

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/