It's "Meet Me Under the Covers" Monday
an online blogstream bookclub
Schedule
Subway Music - Monday May 1, 2006
The Glass Castle - Monday May 8, 2006
Monday May 15, 2006
This Ain't Shakespeare But It Sure Is Real - Monday May 22, 2006
If you miss any discussions, please go back to the post and add your comments.
Today we are beginning our discussion of "The Glass Castle"
by Jeannette Walls
Please comment, ask questions or make observations of our book on the comment page. Follow along with the discussion questions below as well.
Don't worry if you are not done with the book, we will finish up the discussion next Monday, May 15th.
1. Though The Glass Castle is brimming with unforgettable stories, which scenes were the most memorable for you? Which were the most shocking, the most inspiring, the funniest?
2. Discuss the metaphor of a glass castle and what it signifies to Jeannette and her father. Why is it important that, just before leaving for New York, Jeannette tells her father that she doesn't believe he'll ever build it? (p. 238).
3. The first story Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three, and her father dramatically takes her from the hospital: "You're safe now" (p. 14). Why do you think she opens with that story, and how does it set the stage for the rest of the memoir?
4. Rex Walls often asked his children, "Have I ever let you down?" Why was this question (and the required "No, Dad" response) so important for him -- and for his kids? On what occasions did he actually come through for them?
5. Jeannette's mother insists that, no matter what, "life with your father was never boring" (p. 288). What kind of man was Rex Walls? What were his strengths and weaknesses, his flaws and contradictions?
6. Discuss Rose Mary Walls. What did you think about her description of herself as an "excitement addict"? (p. 93).
7. Though it portrays an incredibly hardscrabble life, The Glass Castle is never sad or depressing. Discuss the tone of the book, and how do you think that Walls achieved that effect?
8. Describe Jeannette's relationship to her siblings and discuss the role they played in one another's lives.
9. In college, Jeannette is singled out by a professor for not understanding the plight of homeless people; instead of defending herself, she keeps quiet. Why do you think she does this?
10. The two major pieces of the memoir -- one half set in the desert and one half in West Virginia -- feel distinct. What effect did such a big move have on the family -- and on your reading of the story? How would you describe the shift in the book's tone?
11. Were you surprised to learn that, as adults, Jeannette and her siblings remained close to their parents? Why do you think this is?
12. What character traits -- both good and bad -- do you think that Jeannette inherited from her parents? And how do you think those traits shaped Jeannette's life?
13. For many reviewers and readers, the most extraordinary thing about The Glass Castle is that, despite everything, Jeannette Walls refuses to condemn her parents. Were you able to be equally nonjudgmental?
14. Like Mary Karr's Liars' Club and Rick Bragg's All Over But the Shoutin', Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle tells the story of a wildly original (and wildly dysfunctional) family with humor and compassion. Were their other comparable memoirs that came to mind? What distinguishes this book?
****After we are done with this selection, we will have a special treat for our next memoir****
The next book club selection will be authored by a fellow blogger named
Deeej or Debbie of
Deb's Diddies... A Wandering Mind
http://debsdiddies.blogstream.com/
The name of her book is:
"This Ain't Shakespeare...But It Sure Is Real :
A Collection of Memories"
by Debra Conklin
You can purchase this book online at Amazon.com by clicking the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1413745318/qid=1145919703/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1834741-3858358?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
What's this book about? You, me and every other woman that's turning forty and wondering, "When did this happen? How did I get here and what have I done with my life?" There's humor, happiness, love, loss and lust; kids, husbands, parents, and siblings. Main characters in this book include a tired old washing machine, an uncooperative bicycle, undergarments and barnyard animals. It's a book about life, living it, loving it and hopefully learning from it.
Customer Reviews
 Awesome writing!, August 2, 2005
I've read a lot of nonfiction 'poetry/memoir' books and most make me want to gag, but Debra's book made me smile and nod my head in agreement. So many of the subjects she writes about are so real that more than likely we've all gone through them. She really knows how to get to the heart of things and make it all real again. I look forward to reading her next novel. If it's as good as this one, I'll be shelling out the bucks for it!
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Great Debut, April 28, 2005
I recently received my copy of this book and I could relate to many of the stories. By sharing her memories with us, the common bond of recognition is developed. Debra has written a thoughtful and revealing book that easily touches all of us.
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Talented Author, January 24, 2005
Susan M. Burns, a home healthcare provider, January 20, 2005,
I read and finished this book the same day I recieved it and it was awesome! It really makes you sit back and think about where you are in life and the meaning of everything you've learned. Once you read this it will truly make you love life, never take a sunrise for granted or your baby's first steps, in the blink of an eye, it will dissapear never to re-appear again. The losses and gains in life and love are overwhelming at times, but this book helps put things in better perspective.
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 This Ain't Shakespeare...But It Sure Is Real, January 5, 2005
Denise Sawtell, author
Reading this book was like reading about a friend. It was so real. This Ain't Shakespeare..., absolutely captures the essence of the everyday woman. A juggling act of real life events. Debra Conklin has included stories from her childhood as well as her adult life. She has written how a washing machine can turn our day upside down by simply not working right to lost love and how to move on from it. There are uplifting words about her children, her family and nature. Her writing lets us visualize the beauty of a sunrise and how a flower garden, that finally blooms, can make the day seem just a little brighter. Debra knows about real life and describes it with finesse and wit. This book took my emotions on a roller coaster ride and I loved every minute of it. Ms. Conklin is a astute and observant writer and here's hoping we see more from this new talent.
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Learning From Experience, December 27, 2004
Debra Conklin is a self-employed mother of three from Maine who has felt more than her share of the pains of youth and growing older. In "This Ain't Shakespeare," her first collection of poems and essays, Conklin shares her memories of younger days and shows her readers how to turn life into a continued learning experience.
Debra Conklin has included items in this collection to which any reader may relate during their life's experiences. Along with stories about child rearing and love of family, she takes an introspective look back at learning some of the wrong things from her father, and explains how she copes with the loss of a brother. She also relates humorous tales about her ongoing battle with an old washing machine, and reflects upon the excitement of not being as fat as she expected.
Then Conklin's strong imagery and perspective take readers right along with her as she paints beautiful pictures of life's often overlooked simple pleasures, like a walk through the woods and the dawning of a new day.
This collection is thoughtful, inspirational, and often amusing, and it is a credit to anyone who, like the author, maintains an undying drive to succeed. You really want to buy this book. It may not be Shakespeare, but this volume is an extremely worthwhile addition to anyone's bookshelf by a truly gifted new artist.
I am currently taking suggestions for our next book club selection....rememeber our genre is memoirs.
Thank you.
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