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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 1/30/2010 5:06:48 PM
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ajbx10
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Liveloved had a question in this thread about the reading schedule. I know Tamara said she'd give us more info on Sunday about the book discussion. You can look at what I wrote in that linked thread and give some suggestions. Thanks!
Cheryl
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/1/2010 10:55:34 AM
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Auben
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If you don't have a book yet please go to The Book Club Schedule thread (linked in the post above this one) and let us know.
I still don't have a copy but I'll add a few background items and questions to get us started while we get organized.
This is NOT like high school. You don't have to reply to the questions. You don't have to interact or you can talk about anything you want. The questions are just here for people who want to talk about the book but aren't really sure what they want to say. They just give us something in common to think about.
Background
Jeanette Walls was raised in the southwest by nomadic and unconventional parents. Both parents seem loving and intelligent, even charismatic, in the book but they are unwilling or unable to put their family ahead of their dreams. When her grandmother passed away and the money ran out they moved to a West Virginia mining town. The four siblings worked to care for each other in poverty and when they left home and moved to New York their parents followed them and lived homeless while their children pursued jobs and degrees.
1. A lot of memoirs seem to be about people beating the odds...why do you think that is?
2. Do you read memoirs and autobiography often? Do you have any favorites?
3. If you voted for this book, why did you vote for it? What do you think it will be like?
4. Did you have to 'beat the odds' growing up? Is there something about this book that resonates with you?
5. Even though Wall's parents let her and her siblings down in many ways, Wall never demonizes her parents. She portrays them honestly, but with compassion. Does this make the story easier or harder to read?
_____________________________
Tamara
~Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time~
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/1/2010 5:06:24 PM
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ajbx10
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Please refer to this thread to post your ideas about a schedule for reading this book. Let us know when you have the book, too, if you'll be joining in the discussion.
Cheryl
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/1/2010 7:12:49 PM
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Abbreviated
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From: Kansas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Auben
...
Background
Jeanette Walls was raised in the southwest by nomadic and unconventional parents. Both parents seem loving and intelligent, even charismatic, in the book but they are unwilling or unable to put their family ahead of their dreams. When her grandmother passed away and the money ran out they moved to a West Virginia mining town. The four siblings worked to care for each other in poverty and when they left home and moved to New York their parents followed them and lived homeless while their children pursued jobs and degrees.
1. A lot of memoirs seem to be about people beating the odds...why do you think that is?
2. Do you read memoirs and autobiography often? Do you have any favorites?
Maureen O'Hara's bio was interesting.
3. If you voted for this book, why did you vote for it? What do you think it will be like?
4. Did you have to 'beat the odds' growing up? Is there something about this book that resonates with you?
5. Even though Wall's parents let her and her siblings down in many ways, Wall never demonizes her parents. She portrays them honestly, but with compassion. Does this make the story easier or harder to read?
I have a couple of quotes that I'll try to post later.
_____________________________
1959-20__ Who are you living your dash for ?
Jackie
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/1/2010 7:47:00 PM
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ajbx10
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Auben
5. Even though Wall's parents let her and her siblings down in many ways, Wall never demonizes her parents. She portrays them honestly, but with compassion. Does this make the story easier or harder to read?
I noticed that, too, while reading the book. I think it makes the
family seem more real. You didn't have the parents portrayed as
100% evil with no redeeeming qualities. I didn't always like how
the parents acted, but I could see they did love their children in
their own funny way. ( I suspected mental illness to play a part
with them, too.)
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 9:38:19 AM
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ajbx10
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Like Greatdivide, I would never have heard of - much less read - this book if it wasn't for this book club. That's why I was so eager to become a part of it. Left on my own, I tend to get into a "reading rut".
Cheryl
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 10:22:45 AM
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Auben
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I do read a lot of biography/autobiography/memoir, but I generally stay away from the 'terrible childhood' ones. However, I genuinely enjoyed this memoir because of Walls attitude toward her parents. I thought it made them much more complex that they weren't just selfish alcoholics. They were intelligent, talented people who loved their children but didn't quite make the connection that having children means giving up some of the things you want to create a safe and healthy home. They wanted fellow-adventurers and artists...they did not want individuals they needed to nurture and care for.
_____________________________
Tamara
~Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time~
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 1:41:09 PM
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Auben
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I think that's a really good question (regarding the parents' possible mental illness). In my opinion a person can develop mental illness if they create their own world and refuse to allow the outside world in. If anything, Wall's mother created a world where she was an artist and would be cared for and she blocked everything else out. She refused to accept any other world other than her own, even if that meant she and her children suffered.
_____________________________
Tamara
~Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time~
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 2:41:47 PM
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stellaluna
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Narcissistic personality disorder is listed as a mental illness in the DSM IV-TR.
Regardless, Walls' mother was crazy. She could barely take care of herself, much less anyone else. I don't see how she could NOT have had a mental illness.
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 3:00:46 PM
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ajbx10
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I have another general question about the book:
- How do you follow the commandment "Honor your mother and your father" if you have parents like the author did? Did you think she and her siblings honored their parents? What would (and would not) honoring your parents mean in that situation?
Cheryl
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/2/2010 4:55:58 PM
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Abbreviated
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THen add the dad's alcoholism to the mix.
_____________________________
1959-20__ Who are you living your dash for ?
Jackie
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/3/2010 11:36:33 AM
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Auben
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I'm not sure Wall's mother was mentally ill, at least at the beginning. I think that will be an interesting question when we start the main discussion.
How much do we have to excuse parents for what they went through when they were children? Does it make a difference if Wall's parents were raised in abusive homes?
_____________________________
Tamara
~Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time~
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/3/2010 12:59:53 PM
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ajbx10
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Who is still waiting to get this book and read it? Anyone? We need to know, so please post here. We want to give people time to get the book, but if everyone has the book who's going to be joining in on the discussions, then we'll be able to start the section-specific discussion sooner.
Cheryl
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/3/2010 6:43:43 PM
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ajbx10
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This was posted in the Book Club Schedule thread and I didn't want anyone to miss it:
1. Plan on beginning each new book discussion on the first of the month.
So beginning March 1, people should have read I, Alex Cross, and be ready to participate in the discussion.
2. The books for the coming months are as follows:
I, Alex Cross (March)
Breathless (April)
The Book Thief (May)
The Help (June)
Atlas Shrugged (July)
I would also suggest that people keep book suggestions in mind as we proceed and we keep a list of potential books for discussion and vote again in June so that by August 1 we can have a new grouping.
3. Let's enjoy one another and the discussion!
And try and keep the discussion to general thoughts until Monday, the 8th, when discussion of Parts I & II will begin. (That's the first 125 pages. Part I is only a few pages.) Or if everyone has finished by then, we can discuss it all. The book is 288 pages, with part III being 110 pages and Parts IV and V the remaining 53 pages.
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/5/2010 8:25:24 AM
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ajbx10
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Just posting to keep this thread from sliding too far down the Books Forum list. Discussion on parts I and II starts Monday the 8th .
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/7/2010 3:56:23 PM
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Liveloved
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I'd like to post a question/thought regarding our discussion of The Glass Castle. And perhaps we would all benefit by contemplating this question before the discussion begins.
How do you define 'mental illness'?
How do professionals define 'mental illness'?
And if others have further thoughts/questions like this, I'd suggest posting them.
I'm NOT asking for responses here in writing. Just providing things for us to be thinking about before the discussion begins. LL
_____________________________
Liveloved
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Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/8/2010 4:43:11 PM
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Liveloved
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Our discussion of The Glass Castle begins today. I believe we're just discussing the first half of the book which would be the part in the desert before the move to West Virginia.
One of the discussion questions I read asked this:
One of the first stories Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three. Remember she is standing at the stove cooking for herself and her dress catches on fire. When 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?
_____________________________
Liveloved
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Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/8/2010 6:43:17 PM
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ajbx10
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quote:
One of the first stories Walls tells of her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three. Remember she is standing at the stove cooking for herself and her dress catches on fire. When 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?
The author says it's her earliest memory. It sets the stage by showing, contrary to what her father said, she really wasn't "safe" within her family.
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RE: Book Club--The Glass Castle - 2/8/2010 6:52:31 PM
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Abbreviated
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Joined: 4/12/2005
From: Kansas
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Her life would go up in flames everytime they had to high tail it out of the town they were living in.
_____________________________
1959-20__ Who are you living your dash for ?
Jackie
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