October book: Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

chosen by Pen

Book Description:

When Piper Kerman was sent to prison for a ten-year-old crime, she barely resembled the reckless young woman she'd been when she briefly dabbled in the world of drug trafficking.

Happily ensconced in a New York apartment with a promising career and an attentive boyfriend, she was suddenly forced to reckon with the consequences of her actions.

Kerman spent 13 months in prison, eleven of them at Danbury, Connecticut, where she met a varied community of women.  In this memoir, she tells the story of those months and the women — the codes of behaviour and arbitrary hierarchies — and offers a unique perspective on the criminal justice system.

What we discussed about the book:

All of us found the book an easy read.  Some enjoyed it and found it addictive, while others thought it was inane, and not particularly well-written or pulled together, with random statistics being thrown in.  Most of us thought it would be more in-depth and were disappointed to find things glossed over.

This led to an interesting discussion about correctional services.  Some expressed the opinion that mandatory sentencing is fundamentally flawed.  The separation of mothers from their families simply perpetuates the cycle that landed the women in jail initially.  Need to set up programmes in the community to assist with re-entry into society.  The programmes in this book were clearly not suitable and followed a flawed government model of 'one size fits all'. 

We also discussed the following:

Were the Bureau of Federal Prisons able to claim Piper as a success story? 

No, she didn't need rehabilitation in the first place, so putting her in prison was simply a waste of taxpayers' money. There definitely needs to be a deterrent for drug crimes but there also needs to be an element of sensibility.  We didn't condone what Piper did, but at the end of the day, she was a very minor player.  Bridget felt sentencing should be based on the impact of the crime on other people.  Bree felt sentencing needs to take the offender into account.  Justice doesn't look at the crime holistically.  For example, people living in ghettos are surviving the only way they know how.  If we apply the same model to everybody, it is cyclic.

What are the special strengths and weaknesses of women in tight-knit, single-sex communities?

We felt that women are nurturers, forming little families.  We are conversation-based and can talk for hours, while men are activity-based and DO things together rather than talking. In the example of this book, the cultural differences were very apparent and the women naturally formed 'tribes' based on their culture.

Should prisons be run by private for-profit organisations?

We talked again about how it's not the idea that's flawed but rather the delivery.  Prisons need to answer to government, but outcome should be people are being rehabilitated, not incarcerated and then released into the community to reoffend.

Movie characters:

• Piper - Helen Hunt or Kim Raven or Alison van Reeken
  
• Larry - Josh Radnor (Ted from How I Met Your Mother)

And before that we chatted about:

Pip's Gold Coast holiday - it rained just about the whole time and they didn't know anyone at the wedding.

Renovations — Pen is moving back into their house after a month of being out, although it will be another month until the kitchen is done.  Sharon is wanting to add on a few more rooms but it's difficult getting a builder to work in the Hills.

Work — Rachael is on a 12 month secondment to the Swan River Trust and needs some news.  Looks like a tough gig based on your facebook photos Rach.  Jack is working with Tim Evans.  PR in Perth is a very small world!

Favourite TV shows - love Offspring and Mad Men!

And in other news:

We're all looking forward to a night out at Balthazar!

Ratings

Ratings average: 5.8

Ratings range: 5 — 7 

September book: The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein

chosen by Rachael

Book Description:

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.

From the author's website.

What we discussed about the book:

We all loved the book! 

Sorry everyone - have misplaced the notes from this wonderful book but I know they're here somewhere!  As soon as I get my mitts on them I'll finish this blog.  Apologies again to Rachael especially.

Movie characters:

• 
  

And then we were sidetracked into:

And in other news:

Ratings

Ratings average: 

Ratings range: 

August book: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

chosen by Pip

Book Description:

Water for Elephants is "told in flashback by nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski.  Jacob recounts the time he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joins during the Great Depression. When the 23-year-old Jankowski learns his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of veterinary school and turns his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures. He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers—a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for."

From Publishers Weekly

What we discussed about the book:

We all loved the book with its quirkiness and unpredictability.  Some felt there were a few strange parts such as the train jumping and Jacob going to kill Walter.

Robert Pattinson/period drama is Rachael's dream, Alana's nightmare.

Most of us liked both parts of the story ie Jacob's life now plus the flashbacks to the circus days.  That took us to the topic of aging and appreciating our elders and their life stories. A lot of us have elderly relatives that we try to visit often, and admittedly, while you appreciate them, the stories do become repetitive and it can be hard to stay interested.  We loved Rosemary for the dignity with which she treated Jacob - unlike the nurse that just pulled the blind down without asking him.

We also talked about whether, like Jacob, it was better to lose your spouse first or for you to die first. Jacob, even though there were times he 'would give anything to have her back', was glad she went first to spare her the pain of losing your loved one.

We discussed how circuses are all about illusion.  Why do we crave the illusion circuses represent?  How do we cater to people's desire for illusion?  We likened this to the PR industry that most of us are involved in, and how 'events' and other PR are all part of an 'illusion'.  Reality doesn't come into it.  We felt that there can be a lot of b#$%@*t and pretension.

We missed a few of the references in the story.  Nobody got the biblical reference to Jacob, and we didn't predict who killed Augustus!  We also missed why Jacob was shitty with McGuinty, the man who boasted about carrying water for elephants.  We guess it was because Jacob knew it to be untrue and that McGuinty was making up stories so the 'girls would fawn over him'.

Movie characters:

It was hard to go past the actors who are playing the characters in the movie:

• Marlena - Reese Witherspoon
  
• Jacob - Ryan Gosling
  
• August - Billy Zane
  
• Big Al - ?
  
• Camel - ?
  
• Walter - Peter Dinklage
  
• Earl - guy from Pulp Fiction
  

And then we were sidetracked into:

Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.  What is with Kristen - whiny, surly, doesn't seem very happy - don't like her attitude to fame.  Rach loves Rob, and some think he is attractive - bit weedy though and looks like he'd blow over in the wind.  We don't get all the interest in the Twilight series and a lot of us don't think Stephanie Meyer is a particularly good writer.

Which moved us onto Mormons.  Alana had to pitch for work for them for the opening of a temple in Perth, which is only open to the public every 77 years.  Alana and Marie offered the prospective clients tea/coffee three times, and made themselves a coffee, only to be told 'we don't drink tea or coffee'.  Needless to say, they didn't get the job!  PS The temple was incredible.

....Which then moved us onto wedding ceremonies - and some funny stories of 'dry' ones.  Pip ended up drinking in the bushes.  Rachael is just going to end up in the bushes at Pip's wedding!  How do you manage the drinks at weddings?  Bridesmaid etiquette was also a topic of conversation and how to tell friends they aren't in the bridal party!  A tough one!

And in other news:

We got to meet the newest bookclub baby, Finn - thank you for bringing him Bree.  He's beautiful and you look SO well.

Pip prepared a circus feast with mini hotdogs, popcorn, pink and yellow cupcakes and lollies — very cute and beautifully themed!

Pip's wedding preparations are going well.  Jack and Sharon are going to help with 'styling'.  Pip and Wade are probably going to have heavy canapes, then a sit-down main.

Does our blog have any followers? Lets do a few more things with it!

Ratings

Ratings average: 7.9

Ratings range: 6.5 — 9.5 (Rachael gave it 9.5, the last 0.5 being because Rob Pattinson is playing Jacob in the movie.)

July book - The Road

July book: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

chosen by Alana

Book Description:

"A father and his young son walk alone through burned America, heading slowly for the coast. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind.

They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the men who stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food - and each other."

What we discussed about the book:

Everyone agreed it was pretty bleak, but not as gruesome as we had expected it to be.

Most of us thought the language was better than the story itself, but others found the language difficult.

We found the dialogue quite hard to follow, with many of the group commenting that often we had to trawl back up through the comments to figure out if it was the boy or the man talking.

The question of 'who was leading who' was raised...with many of us feeling the balance shifted at a point within the novel, from the man leading the boy, to the boy taking more responsibility.

The 'travelling' and trying to get to the coast gave them purpose, and we discussed that even though it was unlikely much would change if they eventually got there, if they had stayed where there were it was almost an acceptance that this was what life was, and there was nothing to look forward to.

We talked about how old we had pictured the boy - and it ranged between 6 and about 9 years.

Alana asked if we could imagine this happening easily - and a number of us said we could.

And then we were sidetracked into:

• The book brought up feelings and memories of September 11 - and we all talked about where we were when it happened, and how we felt.
  
• What would we do if we were in the same situation as in the book. Would you choose to go on, or would you give up? We discussed this, and most agreed it would depend on whether you had children or not, but even so, making the decision for the whole family to 'give up' would be incredibly difficult.
  
• Divorcing friends - when to do it, how to do it, and how to get over the guilt!
  

And in other news

Nothing much - it was a small bookclub (5 of us) and while we missed the others, we had a lovely time, and Alana put on some great food.

Ratings

Ratings average: 7

Ratings range: 6-8. 1xDNR

June book: The Post-Birthday World

June book: The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver

chosen by Bridget

Book Description:

"One night in London, Irina McGovern's destiny hinges on a single kiss.

Whether she leans into one alluring pair of lips will determine whether she stays with her long-term partner Lawrence, or runs off with Ramsey, a hard-living snooker player."

What we discussed about the book:

Not everybody finished the book.

Most people thought the writing was pretty heavy, and difficult to get into.

I didn't take many notes because I forgot I had to do it, so unfortunately I couldn't tell you what else was discussed!!

And then we were sidetracked into:

• Have any of us had our life changed based on a single event or moment - most people had at least one thing that shaped their lives!
  
• Do we think you end up at the same 'end-point' regardless of the decisions you make (ie, is it all 'predestined.'?
• Birth control options for some of the mums!
  
• Exes - most of us admit we think about our exes from time to time,and that Facebook has made checking out what they're up to MUCH easier!

And in other news:

• We checked out Bridge's new house, which was lovely :-)
• I (Pip) told people that I bought my wedding dress from Collette Dinnigan!

Ratings

Ratings average: 6.375

Ratings range: 5-7.5. 3xDNR

May book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

chosen by Bree

Book Description:

"It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery."

What we discussed about the book:

Everyone who finished the book really loved it.

We talked about the unique narrative style, but that it just seemed to work really well. Most of us enjoyed the way 'death' narrated the novel, with Sharon particularly enjoying it and finding him/it (!!) funny at times. We agreed the unique style made a horrifying topic much easier to read, and it ended up being an absolutely beautiful story.

We pretty much all agreed that we cried at the end, and most found it an easy read, although a few of us found it took a little while to get into.

A few other points we enjoyed included:

• We were all interested in the characters, and wanted to know what was going to happen to them.
  
• The language was really well used, beautiful at times, and conveyed the story and feeling of the time so well.
  
• It had a satisfying ending - sufficiently 'wrapped up', but not with a sickly sweet ending!
  
• The little 'pull out' explanations: like '3 small but important facts...' were excellent.
  

One of the questions asked was 'why did the novel foreshadow a number of the deaths?' The general consensus was that it helped reduce the shock and horror of the deaths themselves, as by being aware of it you could enjoy the last moments of the characters.

To sum up, the book made a lot of us think about the theme of words, and language, and how enriching books and words can be.

The final line was perfect..."I'm haunted by humans"'

Who we would cast in the movie version of the book:

• Death- Nicolas Cage
  
• Papa- an older Sam Neill. We thought he had to have kind eyes
  
• Mama- Kathy Bates
  
• Rudy- Sean Astin (from the 80s, and the Lord of the Rings)
  
• None of us had any suggestions for Liesel or Max.
  

And then we were sidetracked into:

• That Sharon kissed the little boy from Kramer vs Kramer (when she was in Europe in her 20s). We looked him up and remembered how cute he was!
  
• Apparently Alana has a thing for Cuba Gooding Jnr!
  
• Quiz nights - how much we love them and that we should go to one together soon!
  
• Pen was nervous about what to say when she spoke to Sophie's class about her job!
  
• Moral vs illegal actions - what is a problem for role models, and are there different expectations for politicians vs sportspeople. What is a 'sackable' offence, and what should we expect from people in the public eye.
  

And in other news:

• Bree ordered pizza which was VERY popular, and Shaz made a lovely chocolate cake.
  

Ratings

Ratings average: 8

Ratings range: 6-9. 1DNR

April book: Fear of Flying, by Erica Jong

chosen by Jacqui

Book Description:

"Compulsive daydreamer Isadora Wing doesn't want much - just to be free and to find the perfect, guiltless, zipless sexual encounter. Pursuing this ideal across two continents, she discovers just how hard it can be to make one's dreams come true.

Though Isadora fears flying, she forces herself to keep travelling, risking her marriage and even her life for her own special brand of liberation. This intensely witty and exuberant novel is about how Isadora gains her freedom and loses her fear."

What we discussed about the book:

Overall, everyone who read the book seemed to enjoy it, but just didn't rate it that highly. Isadora seemed to most of us to be quite self-involved, although we questioned whether that is necessarily a bad thing. There were quite a few a-ha moments. For example, Isadora wondering "where the women were who were really free, who didn't spend their lives bouncing from man to man, who felt complete with or without a man", and her questions about marriage p87 " Would most women get married if they knew what it meant?..." For all Isadora's talk of independence she didn't make a liberated decision in the end.

Things we didn't like:

No-one really liked Adrian. The book just seemed to amble along and had no real climax. We all disliked the dirty places she stayed while with Adrian, and her being totally unprepared for her period. Jack, who loved it when she first read it as a teenager, didn't find it as good this time around.

Who we would cast in the movie version of the book:

• Isadora - Renee Zellweger
  
• Bennett -
• Adrian - John Corbett
• Charlie - Adrian Brody
• Brian -

And then we were sidetracked into:

• Sharon's 40th
• Pip's wedding at Caves House
• Getting married young vs getting married when you are older
• Fear of getting older
• Toilet training children
• Funny sayings, most of which are too rude to repeat here.

And in other news:

• Jack assumed the role of hostess with the mostess with her delicious home-made ice cream and rocky road!
  

Ratings

Ratings average: 5.9

Ratings range: 5 - 6.5 (4 DNRs)

March book: Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates

chosen by Sharon

Book Description:

Revolutionary Road is a novel about Frank and April, a 20-something, suburban couple in the 1950s. They seem to be a 'model couple', but both had loftier hopes for their lives, and feel a sense of failure with where they ended up.

What we discussed about the book:

Overall, everyone really liked the book - and felt it provided interesting insights into life 'under the surface' in the 1950s.

We talked about passions, and whether we thought the book was making the comment that you can always follow your dreams, or if it's inevitable that you won't reach them. We also talked about the concept of 'the grass is always greener' and wondered if Frank and April would have been happy regardless of their situation.

Most of us agreed that both Frank and April were selfish and self-absorbed, and that they thought they were 'so much better' than everyone else. Everything began to fall apart when they realised that they weren't!

We all agreed that the book itself wasn't actually about the era of the 50s...that the basis of the story could have been picked up and placed in almost any era, with similar themes always relevant.

Who we would cast in the movie version of the book:

• April - Kate Winslet
  
• Frank - Leo Di Caprio

It was a little too hard to get past the actors who appeared in the recent movie!

And then we were sidetracked into:

• A book called '30 something and over it' that Bree and Rachael recommended
• Pip shared her engagement story (short though it was!)
• Looking for fulfillment - how do we seek it, and what are some of the sorts of things that can help
• Apparently Ruby's patisserie is excellent!

The conversation then degenerated and I didn't take any notes of that!

And in other news:

• Sharon's 40th is on Friday, 7 May at The Brisbane. Email invites on the way
• Given all the $$ we have been collecting, we decided to go to Balthazar for our Christmas Dinner. Sharon to book.
• Sharon was the 1950s hostess with the mostess!

Ratings

Ratings average: 7.6

Ratings range: 7 - 9 (3 DNRs)

Jacqui's trifle (with homemade custard) got a 9/10!

February book: The Other Hand, by Chris Cleave

chosen by Kim

Book Description:

The Other Hand is narrated alternately between Sarah, suburban mother and magazine editor, and 'Little Bee', a Nigerian girl seeking asylum, who speaks Queen's English learnt from broadsheet opinion columns and a Collins Gem, with snatches of her native language.

The novel is built around a sickening scene on the Nigerian beach where Sarah and her husband, Andrew, briefly met Little Bee. These three characters cannot 'move on', physically or emotionally, after their experience there.

Despite the beach scene and the depiction of the plight of refugees, hope for new beginnings is at the story's heart - as Little Bee remarks, 'a sad story means, this storyteller is alive'.

What we discussed about the book:

We used a lot of Oprah's reading questions for The Other Hand, which made us talk about ourselves more than actually talking about the book!

For example, Little Bee tells the reader "We must see all scars as beauty...because a scar means, I survived" (p9).  We discussed what emotional or physical scars we have and whether we've come to embrace any of them.

We talked about whether we trusted one woman's voice over the other and decided Little Bee was a more likeable character.  We couldn't understand Sarah liking Lawrence, with whom she had an affair.

We briefly discussed when do you decide to put yourself first and when to offer charity.  Is one human life ever more valuable than another?  And then, like Little Bee and her sister Kindness, we chose new names for our group members, based on their characteristics.

Jack - Generous Jack, Rachael - Giving go-getter, Sharon - Loyal tiger, Pip - Calm strength, Pen - Resilient lady, Alana - Loyal rock, Bree - Generous thinker, Kim - Gracefully capable.

Who we would cast in the movie version of the book:

• Sarah - Kate Winslet
  
• Little Bee - a young Thandie Newton
  
• Andrew - Coling Firth
  
• Lawrence - Ralph Fiennes
  
• Batman - ??
  

And then we were sidetracked into:

• What a great movie Avatar is.
  
• Bullying - who of us was bullied and how we coped with it.
  
• The escalation of random violence we are reading about in the news

And in other news:

We got an update on how Alana, Caryn and Zachary are going.

Ratings 

Ratings average: 7.9

Ratings range: 7 to 8.5