Alex’s Comments (group member since Mar 05, 2014)

Alex’s comments from the Maple/LexServ Book Group group.

Post your comments about Jesus' Son here!

What did everyone think about Duma Key?

I think the most interesting character in this book was absolutely Caballo Blanco! I Googled him and found all sorts of information. Apparently, he died a couple of years ago, I think after the book was published. There's a Wikipedia page for him stating that he died while on a run, possibly from a fall.
I had no idea that Ultra Marathons existed. In fact, I had no idea that the human body could handle that kind of race. If I learned anything from this book, it's that people are capable of much more than I ever thought in terms of athleticism. It almost motivates me to try running again. Well, almost... :) Hope everyone enjoyed the book!

What are your overall thoughts on this book?

This was easily the most disturbing book I think I’ve ever read. I felt like I was aggravated with the main character, Norton, throughout the whole thing. From the very beginning, when he described his mother, I could tell this was going to be one of those books where I hated the protagonist. That didn’t mean that I disliked the book. There have been many books that I’ve enjoyed, but hated the main character. This was one of them.
Norton just has this self-righteous, I’m-better-than-you attitude that annoyed me. And then there’s the whole topic of sexual abuse of the many children that he adopted. Gross! By the way, I could have done without that last chapter, thank you very much.
The fact that he adopted all of those kids was very hard for me to believe. First of all, nobody can afford to adopt dozens of kids and raise them in ritzy Bethesda! The day care bills alone would bankrupt the guy. Secondly, it would have been socially unacceptable for a single man to adopt so many children and might not have even been possible given the time period. So that part was a little hard to believe.
I thought the mystical element in the book was interesting. It was sad about what happened to the people on the island once the pharmaceutical companies got to them.
In all, it was a good read and certainly kept me turning the pages.

What are your overall thoughts on this book?

In the beginning of the book, we are introduced to the main character, Norton, as a medical doctor who has recently been charged with sexual abuse of children. It is only at the very end of the book that Norton admits to these charges. While reading this book (and before you got to the end), did you think that he was innocent or guilty? Explain.

Hey Everyone!

So what did everyone think of Catch-22? Was it what you thought it would be?
I personally had a difficult time with this one. I was uninterested in the characters and the plot. I found that it was funny at times, but I guess I wasn't invested that much in the overall story.
Did anyone else feel this way, or was it easy for you to dive into the plot?

Hello and thanks for joining the office book club! I want to encourage everyone to take some time to think about which book (or books) you may want to recommend to the group. Here's how to add a book: On the group's homepage, go to the bottom where it says Bookshelf. Click Add Books. Type in the name of the book and then once it comes up, click Add to Group. In that box, click on Choose Shelves and then check the box titled "recommendations." Hit Save, click out of the box, and then click Save Group Book button.
To view the books that are recommended, go to Bookshelf, click More Books, and then click on Recommendations (should be to the left).
There are a few books in there now that you can take a look at. All recommendations are welcome! Once we get a good batch in there we can decide which one to read first. Please let me know if you need help adding books.
Thanks!