Suzanne’s
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(group member since Aug 13, 2015)
Suzanne’s
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from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.
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(tomorrow I mean) I went to FanX (basically Comic Con) and wow - so tired. It was fun though.
Thanks so much for linking that Rebecca! I just got back and am very tired, but I'm definitely going to go look and vote.
Sep 21, 2022 09:09PM
Suzanne's Tracking:Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Sep 21, 2022 09:07PM
Day 5 - Twenty-Nine - Epilogue21. A lot of themes in this book resonated with me especially as the UK is undergoing strike action in a lot of industries and UK history is full of strike action and its effects. Have you been involved in strike action? Are strikes an effective demonstration tool?
I don't know how effective they are, but at least it calls attention to issues. I was so overwhelmed about how courageous the strikers in the book were.
22. Migration is a big theme in the book with the thought of migrants instilling fear in the general populace. How would you show these people how to overcome that fear? I think really getting to know people would overcome a lot of the hatred and fear. But there has to be willingness to do that.
23. Elsa finally allows herself to become the woman in the red dress and seduces Jack. How has Elsa changed through the book? I loved that part and how Elsa went from just thinking about being brave to becoming one of the most courageous. What a great character. And I'm so mad that her parents scarred her self image so much that she never thought she was beautiful.
24. The final scenes brought a tear to my eye especially as Loreda reflects on what she didn’t do. Is there a book that left you feeling this way? I can't think of another book that did that right now - but I thought Loreda's thoughts were so profound and made it such a meaningful book to me.
Sep 21, 2022 09:03PM
Day 4Chapters 24-28 (78%)
16. My heart sank when Loreda got into that strange man's truck in the middle of the night. Anyone else concerned for the young lady at that point? Did you think he was meeting a group of communists in the middle of the woods?
I felt the same way!! I was so worried and was sure she was going to be molested. Communists never crossed my mind.
17. The hospital and the police department had little time for the migrants. What a picture of America at the time. I struggle to relate with this situation. Do you think there are parts of America that still feel this way? Even toward fellow Americans?It was so sad seeing the prejudice and hatred shown to the migrants. I do feel like we are seeing this repeated a LOT still - it's easy to blame the "different" I suppose. I really struggled with this - I wanted to step into the book and help people!
18. The communists swoop in with places to stay, food, clothes, friendly faces and yet, they are the enemy. I thought it was interesting that Elsa said, "we're proud. We believe in hard work and a fair chance. Not one for all and all for one." Does it have to be one or the other? Can we all work hard and get a fair chance, and still want our neighbors to succeed and get a hand up when they need it? Why is what Jack doing different than what Elsa and Jean and the other wives who handed down shoes and potatoes (or whatever was needed) were doing? Boy this is a deep question. I think what Jack was doing was very much like what Elsa and Jean were doing in their sharing (but I hadn't thought about that before you asked!). We now see agencies and groups that do that kind of relief effort - thank goodness. But I do still hear people criticize people that receive needed services - and they probably wouldn't feel the same a lot of the time if they knew the full story.
19. What about that Welty Farm? Seems too good to be true. And maybe it is. I have thought a village that keeps people employed, housed and fed would be a good thing, but I guess it only takes a few bad (greedy) apples to make it terrible. Will Elsa and her family find a happy ending? I was so happy they had a nice room and a roof! But I kept thinking of things I'd read about company towns.
20. On another note. While reading this book with this group,
am also reading The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl. I do this from time to time when reading historical fiction. I happened to have this book on hand and found it really interesting to get a little more information on what happened before the Dust Bowl started and what else was going on. Does anyone else do this? Do you read non-fiction and fiction about the same topic at the same time? Do you have any non-fiction books about the Dust Bowl you can recommend?I have never done that before, but I think it's a brilliant idea!
Bonus: There was a lot to talk about in this section! I picked out a few things and my own habit. Were there different things that stuck out to you? I just kept thinking how some things sounded similar to current events, and it made me sad.
Completion PostThe Four Winds
Author: Kristin Hannah
Pages: 464
Date Read: 9/21/22
I listened to the audiobook and boy that makes this particular challenge difficult. I'll fill in things after my trip (so next Monday). Going to go answer the rest of the daily questions now. Great book!
Completion PostBook: The Art of Prophecy
Author: Wesley Chu
Pages: 529
Read 9/21
SIO
A - Art - title
C - Chu -author
J - Jian (c)
Q - Qisami (c)
S - Salminde (c)
T - The - title
W - Wesley - author
X - Xian (c)
Food: (view spoiler)
Oh and by the way - I really like what you did with the description!
Thanks Rebecca! I changed a couple of words, but I think we should go with it. I THINK Kate is the only one who can edit our main spreadsheet? We may also want to request permission for that one.
I read The Paris Apartment and am almost finished with the other BOM. I believe Leslie is the same. And Kate asked questions for the second BOM. So that gives us at least 5 customer switches - I may have missed some.Wow it's so great you've been able to read those books - how helpful!
Sep 19, 2022 08:19PM
DQs Day 3:Sixteen - Twenty-Three (62%)I apologize in advance, because this was a depressing section in the book.
11.) When the family stops at the gas station, Elsa and kids get their first try realization of what they are in for, and you get to see some of Lareda’s true grit when she is prepared to kill a man to save her life. Do you think that you could pull the trigger if you had to? Could you put your kids through the crossing of the Mojave dessert on your own like that? I think I could pull the trigger in that situation - the man was in the wrong and could have killed loved ones. And eek - I cannot even imagine that whole journey - especially the Mojave. There was no choice, and yet that would be terrifying.
12.) The squatter’s camp is hard to fully fathom. People dying of dysentery. Children picking to be able to have enough money to not starve to death. Being able to only survive off of previous season’s pickings and living in such terrible conditions with trying to purify water as best as possible. What was your initial reaction to this new way of life? What would you do if faced with this situation? I HOPE I would do whatever I had to do, but I cannot even really comprehend how awful that would be. I liked how the author mentioned the smell because it must indeed smell awful there.
13.) “$0.40 for 10 hours of work.” Man was I mad for Elsa when I read this! What a piece of crap to take advantage of people like this. How would you have handled this situation? Could you have walked away as easily as Elsa? I've been so mad at all the people - there's just no kindness at all. That lady was so terrible. But seems like they all were. I was mad too.
14.) “Do you ever get tired of being strong?” How have you found resilience when dealing with a time that seemed insurmountable? When you looked back on that time, was it better or worse than it felt at the time?I think for me (and I suspect for most people) after a period of being strong, there's a price - a meltdown. Yet Elsa is strong day after day...
15.) The small spots of kindness that breach the darkness in life are essential to mental survival. Jean and her family, as well as the man and woman at the beauty salon have helped add kindness into Elsa and the kid’s worlds. How did you feel when reading the beauty salon section> Is there a random act of kindness that stands out as making a different in your life that you would be comfortable sharing? If so, what it is it? Those parts you mentioned really touched me. I also loved their Christmas. I've had so many random acts of kindness happen to me, and they make me want to be kinder as well.
Sep 19, 2022 08:09PM
DQs - Day 2 | Eight - Fifteen (38%)6. Early in this segment, Elsa sees Rafe crying and they experience the ground visibly cracking. Rafe asks Elsa “How can you not break?” Elsa replied incorrectly saying “Because the kids need us not to.” What do you think Rafe expected her to say? Do you have an opinion on what she should have said? ...and would it have made a difference?
I know Elsa regretted what she said, but I think it was a fine thing she said - they needed to be there for their children. She couldn't win with Rafe - he never encouraged her to be what she yearned to be.
7. After trying to convince Elsa to leave behind the farm, and then he agrees with her they can’t leave…Rafe still abandons his family. Justified or cowardice? Was Elsa right in not supporting her husband to leave the farm? Do you think they’ll ever see Rafe again?
I think she should have been brave enough to discuss leaving, but also they knew Tony and Rose would never leave, and I can see staying and supporting them. In fact, I don't know how Rafe could want to leave his parents.
8. In chapter 11, Elsa and Rose commiserate about Loreda blaming Elsa for Rafe leaving.
“I want her to go to college, Rose. To be brave and have adventures.” “A Girl?” Rose laughed. “Ant will be the one. Loreda will settle down. You’ll see.” “I don’t want her to settle down, Rose. I’m in awe of her fire…”
Should Elsa be sharing her dream for Loreda with her? What is your prediction for Loreda 10 years from this point in the story?
I loved all that Elsa and Rose shared, including this. Given the times, I can see why Rose felt it should be the boy that went to college, and since going was a dream of Elsa's, I can see why she wanted Loreda to go.
9. The government expert shows a movie and delivers some startling facts about the state of things. This reminded me a bit of what we all just went through with Covid…warnings not believed, fear of misinformation and lack of trust in the government. What did you think of the approach of the government rep and the denial that seemed to radiate from many of the residents attending the meeting? Any mirrors to our recent experience with Covid come to mind? I thought the same thing - boy history sure repeats itself! The government probably should have asked the farmers about the best way to support them, and done more education about different tilling methods to save the topsoil.
10. Ant experienced extreme sickness from the impacts of the dust storms, and Elsa has indicated they must leave Texas. What do you think of Elsa’s decision and what do you think will happen next in the story? I totally agree with Elsa's decision to get Ant out of there - he'd die otherwise. But with the little I know about the dust bowl, I don't think they are going to find milk and honey :)
Oh I love that idea Lynne - now I want one :)And I think the spellout Christie books will work marvelously!
Thanks Rebecca! I'd say do whatever doesn't drive you crazy for the scavenger list - we don't want to have to dread logging in our books. I tried to put some suggested ingredients in the meals that aren't finished, but those can be changed. And even the finished meals can have added ingredients (most of them anyway).
I put in some more meals/partial meals. Feel free to change anything! I won't have time to work on it anymore until the 26th, so hopefully we get some brilliant ideas.Also - right now we have 20ish books and can have up to 80, so be sure to keep posting books. I have not been reading as much as normal lately, but I have a long book I'll finish tomorrow and I'm listening to the 2nd BOM. I have so many fantasy books I need to read, but I'm pretty burned out on those- I need to change genres for a bit I think!
Sep 17, 2022 06:30AM
DQs Day 1: Chapters Prologue - Seven (18%)1.) Did you like the opening to the story? Did it draw you in and help set the stage? Are you familiar with this part of US History (Dust Bowl)? I liked the opening, especially since we got to see the contrast of the thriving plains with what happened in the drought. I am slightly familiar with this part of US History - mostly from reading The Grapes of Wrath in high school (a LONG time ago). But I really had no idea of length or severity.
2.) What are your thoughts on Elsa's family and early home life? What do you think the long term impacts of this environment are? How do you think that affected her initial choices involving Rafe? I think Elsa's family was toxic - never giving her a chance in any way and always belittling her. For sure that affected her meeting with Rafe, who showed her even a little positive attention. I think Elsa's life was a drought, and Rafe was a small bit of water.
3.) The Martinelli family seems a different type of family compared to the Wolcott's. Do you agree? What do you think of the relationship that develops between Rose and Elsa especially?I like the Martinelli family - and they are for sure very different. And I especially like Elsa's relationship with Rose - I think Rose has grown to love and respect Elsa, and she's given Elsa room to grow and live life. And I can see why Rose was upset at first after those college dreams for Rafe. It's amazing she wasn't totally toxic to Elsa. (same with Tony)
4.) Loreda. Oh the wisdom of 12 year olds. What do you think of her POV, does it add to the story? Do you think at some point she'll clue in and appreciate her mother?I think it's realistic but ouch - kids are brutal. I hope she'll clue in but ???
5.) Does the author do a good job describing the transition of the land and life from the post WWI boon to Dust Bowl bust for both Elsa's family and the town as a whole? This was fascinating to me and sad. Seeing the animals and people just waste away....awful.
Boy that attention from a loved adult plus sharing books just makes my heart happy. What a great influence you'll have in her life!
I'd say put them in for now - I suppose if we hit the 80 book limit we can take short books out?That's SO SO cool you are doing that book club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow that's great - you are brilliant!
