Mitchell’s Comments (group member since Aug 07, 2018)

Mitchell’s comments from the Reddit UES Bookclub group.

What did you think of the book? Would you recommend it to others?

What was your favorite part/era of St. Marks Place? Were you familiar with any of the different counterculture movements before you read about them? Did you learn anything you didn’t know?

What do you think was the “Golden Age” of St. Marks? Would you have wanted to live on St. Marks Place at any point?

What do you think the “Golden Age” of Yorkville/the Upper East Side was?

Who were some of the “original” residents of St. Marks Place? How did they react as things changed around them?

St. Marks Place is fairly small, but it had a lot of famous inhabitants who the author describes as interacting with the public often. What brushes with fame have you had in New York City?

What role has St. Marks Place played in New York City history? How has it affected and been affected by social change?

What do you see as the future of St. Marks Place?

The book made the point that as St. Marks Place became increasingly gentrified and safer, its residents thought it lost its character. Do you think the safety was worth the loss?

What are some places that you are or were familiar with that have changed? How have they changed? Do you think it was for the better or worse?

Did you like the book? Would you recommend it to other people/book clubs?


Is this a subject or genre you typically read? Did the book inspire or discourage you from looking for other books on this subject?

What was a surprising or interesting fact that you learned? What would you have liked to learn more about that the book didn’t cover?


What did you think of how the book was organized? For those with the physical book, did the images add to the reading experience? If you did not have images, do you think you were lacking anything?


What were your perception of medieval times before reading this book? Did this book confirm or disconfirm those perceptions?


What practices did medical practitioners have that you find strange now? In what ways did those practices shape the way we look at medicine today?


How did politics and religion play a role in medicine in medieval times? How do they play a role today?


How does Hartnell’s approach to discussing the human body differ from Mary Roach’s, in her book “Stiff?” How are they similar? How do you think each author views the role of history in understanding the body in the present?


Page 14 depicts a diagram from the Thorney Computus, which connects astrological signs to elements to the seasons and more, to the human body. What do you think of this all-connected view of the body?


What did you think about the idea that medical professionals were so tied to past procedure to the point of performing acts that they knew would harm patient, because “that’s how it was always done?”

1. What did you think of the book?

2. The book is set in a world where scientists have perfected the art of “filtering” animals, creating them in a lab for human consumption. Is is right for humans to have this ability? Is it ethical for this technology to be used to grow human parts? What about “growing” humans in filtering centers?

3. The animals filtered all have much shorter life spans, yet it is argued that a short life is better than no life. Do you agree with this sentiment?

4. According to Darwinism, only the strongest of a species survives. However, with their technology, scientists are able to bring back many species that have long been extinct. What are the ethical implications of this? Is it right for these animals to exist in a world that may have radically changed since their time on earth?

5. Near the end of the book, we learn that scientists are pushing filtering further, creating new creatures. Discuss the ethics of “playing God” and creating new species. How does this differ from long-term breeding or humans working with genetics?

6. Would you eat filtered animals or wear filtered clothing?

7. Throughout the novel Bellacosa reminisces about his childhood, when crossing the border between Mexico and the U.S. was simple. At the time of the story, there are two border walls, one in each country. There is also talk of a third border wall and U.S. troops patrolling the border in Mexico. How do restrictive borders play a role within the story? How is Bellacosa’s world affected by these restrictive immigration policies?

8. What do you think happened to the Aranaña people? Where do you think the newfound ancestors are from?

9. What do you think happened to Bellacosa at the end of the book?

10. Would you recommend this to others? Would you recommend it as a book club book?

What were your thoughts on the book? How does it compare with other Sci-Fi reads?

Who was your favorite character? Who was the most relatable?

Teela Brown is said to be genetically lucky. Do you think that is really the case? Does her luck allow her to be in “control” of the mission to the Ringworld? Who among the crew is most superstitious?

Discuss the role of women in Ringworld. How does their role differ from the male characters?

In what ways do Teela, Nessus, Louis, and Speaker all "play god"?

In what ways are Teela, Nessus, Louis, and Speaker all puppets of other characters and forces?

What qualities make Nessus and Speaker truly alien? Is it possible to understand their characters and motivations?

Do you agree with the Puppeteers decision to manipulate evolution? In your view, are the Puppeteers truly a cowardly species?

The book features lots of characters whose life spans have been extended. Has older age made them wiser? More empathetic? Does the availability of “boosterspice” change how people live their lives?

Sequels aside, what do you think will happen to the characters? What do you want to happen?

Consider the structure of the book: the shifting narrative and the shifting timeline. How does the book’s structure influence your understanding of Heuser and his co-defendants?

How well does Thomas convey the era? Did you have a sense of whether or not he remained true to the events, social structures and political events of the time period? How did it confirm or vary from your past knowledge?

Is it difficult to keep our own, modern-day experiences from influencing the reading of a historical fiction tale? Can we imagine what life was really like for the characters within the context of the time period?

Did you like it more or less than other books you've read? What do you think will be your lasting impression of the book?

Though at the novel’s center is an act of shocking violence, this is also a story about many different kinds of love. What are these various forms of love? What role does love play in this novel, and how does love contribute to the feelings you are left with in the end?

How did you feel reading each defendant’s sentencing? Obviously great acts of evil were committed, but do you agree with Kraus’s assessment that the fact that they were normal people before the war should be taken so heavily into account?

Heuser, his colleagues, and the Nazis shrouded all of their horrible actions in the mundane veil of office politics and bureaucracy. What effect did this have on the German men? On their victims? How susceptible do you think you are to this approach to difficult work?

Who do you think is the biggest villain of the book? The biggest hero?

Do you think the Nazis were adequately prosecuted? How important to you think physical evidence is for bringing them to justice? Do you agree with Paula’s professor on the ideal nature of justice?

Would you recommend this book?

What were your thoughts on the book? Was it what you expected?

Explore the novel’s title. In addition to severance from a normal world of work, what else is severed in Candace’s life? What new connections does she form as a result of being severed?

As Candace navigates the business world and her family history, how does her understanding of her own identity shift? How does Mandarin serve as both a bridge and a barrier for her?

Candace chooses to inhabit L’Occitane in the Facility. If you had to be imprisoned in a mall, which store would you choose for your cell?

What is unique about the way Ling Ma weaves a darkly humorous thread through the story line? When did you find yourself laughing out loud? When did you find yourself worrying that a fungal apocalypse could actually happen?

What is the effect of the novel’s timeline? How does Ling Ma’s use of flashbacks stay true to the way memories reflect and illuminate each other?

As Candace learns how to shoot a gun and scavenge for necessities, she proves how determined she is to survive. What is the purpose of survival in the absence of quality of life? How do you personally define “quality of life”?

Severance is packed with references to beauty products, clothing stores and other brands that have defined American consumerism. After the pandemic, what replaces these labels in the survivors’ quest for comfort and camaraderie? When money becomes useless, what new forms of currency emerge?

If you had been in Candace’s situation, would you have left town with Jonathan?

Would you have accepted Spectra’s final contract --- and how committed would you be to making sure to fulfill it?

How is the novel shaped by the presence of the undead who, instead of being predators like traditional zombies, are stuck in a mindless, harmless act? If you succumbed to Shen Fever, what repetitive act would your body perform?

How does Bob derive power? Which of his followers did you trust the most, and which the least? How does their bureaucracy compare to Spectra’s?

From Candace’s NY Ghost blog to the nostalgia-laden stalkings, the survivors crave a connection to what they’ve lost. Under similar circumstances, which memories and images would you want to stockpile?
How did you react to the closing scene? What do you imagine will happen next?

Compare Severance with [our previous book] Station Eleven. What were the similarities and differences? How did each approach survival and the end of modern day civilization?

1. What are your overall thoughts? How did the book make you feel?

2. Were you previously familiar with Elin Hilderbrand? What did you think of her writing style? Would you read another book by her?

3. A mystery is a book that is focused on the solving of a crime. How did you feel that the police never get to the true answer of what happened to Merritt?

4. Were you satisfied with the ending of the book? Did you like that we as readers are able to see Merritt’s final moments?

5. How are the feelings that Celeste has for Shooter different or the same as Tag has for Merritt?

6. In your opinion, are we supposed to root for Celeste and Shooter?

7. Do you think things would have turned out differently for Celeste had she confided in anyone?

8. Do you think that the book is trying to tell us that Karen feels better because Celeste is doing what makes her happy? How is this different than what Celeste thought she was doing?

9. What did you think of Benji? Do you think Benji changed over the course of his relationship with Celeste?

10. In your opinion, are there morally-good characters in this book? Was there anyone who was morally-evil?

11. What do you think happened to the characters after the story?

12. In the book (page 314) Featherleigh says, “novelists are notorious liars, you know...they lie for a living. They make up stories. So it stands to reason that this tendency runs over into their personal lives.” Do you think all writers lie? Are they better at spinning the truth?

1. On page 161, Carol Stack says that asking for handouts from family “did little to lift these families out of poverty, but it was enough to keep them afloat.” Discuss the difference between “keeping afloat” and “being lifted out of poverty.”

2. Ruminating on the reasons for Larraine’s purchase of lobster with food stamps, Desmond reflects that “it was not because her benefits left her with so much but because they left her with so little” (p. 219). Even with austere personal budgets and self­control, Desmond contends that for those at the bottom, pulling oneself up by the bootstraps is practically impossible. After learning about the characters in Evicted, do you think individuals get stuck in a cycle of poverty due to a “poverty mentality”—they are poor because they throw money away, or—as Desmond suggests—they throw money away because they are poor? Did this chapter challenge or reaffirm your previously held beliefs about people living in poverty?

3. In Chapter 12, titled “Disposable Ties,” the author talks about the bonds that people make that are often fleeting and brittle. What actions can be taken to create connections with people that have been disenfranchised for so long?

4. Because they have children, Arleen, Vanetta, and Pam and Ned frequently find themselves shut out of available housing and resort to lies in order to secure a place to live. Are these lies justified? If you have children, how far would you go to shelter your family?

5. How does race factor into the types of struggles faced by the individuals profiled in Evicted? What about being a woman? Or a single parent?

6. Do you think housing should be a right in America?

7. Many Americans still believe that the typical low­income family lives in public housing. Unfortunately, the opposite is true; only 1 in 4 families who qualify for any kind of housing assistance receive it. In Evicted, Desmond proposes a universal housing voucher program. What do you think of that idea?

8. The government spends much more money on homeowner tax benefits for affluent families than on housing assistance to poor families. Is this situation justified? How would you address this issue?

Have you ever been evicted or do you know anyone who has? If the answer is yes, what was your/their experience like, and how has it affected your/their life?

What is your experience reading Evicted so far? Were there any surprises? Was any particular scene or character’s story emotionally painful for you to witness?

Many people have very codified perceptions of “people who get evicted” and suspect that those people are largely responsible—through bad decision making—for their circumstances. Did you feel this way before reading Evicted? Why or why not? Did your opinions change after reading the book? If so, how?

In Evicted, author Matthew Desmond takes a narrative approach to an important topic and follows the stories of several real people. Which person’s story were you most drawn to and why?

Sherrena Tarver claimed to have found her calling as an inner-city entrepreneur, stating, “The ’hood is good. There’s a lot of money there” (page 152). How did Sherrena profit from being a landlord in poor communities? Do you think her profits were justified? What responsibilities do landlords have when renting their property? What risks do they take? Do you sympathize with Sherrena or not?

Throughout Evicted, we learn how eviction essentially traps poor people in a cycle of poverty, how it makes securing future housing more difficult, can lead to a loss of a job, and have other damaging effects on families. Desmond argues that eviction is “a cause and not just a condition of poverty” (p. 299). What does he mean by this statement? When you think of causes of poverty, what comes to mind? Why are the poor disproportionately impacted by eviction, while the middle class are not?

Desmond points out that landlords are often unwilling to rent to tenants with children: “Children didn’t shield families from eviction; they exposed them to it” (p. 287). How do children “expose” families to eviction? We learn that Arleen and her children moved about once a year, many times due to eviction (p. 100-101). What are the long-term consequences for children who don’t have stable housing? What are the consequences for Arleen’s children, Jori and Jafaris, in particular?

The Immortalists explores the degree to which we shape our own destinies. Do you believe that the siblings’ fate was preordained? Why or why not?

The book is narrated by the four siblings in separate sections. What was your reading experience when you switched sections? Did you identify more closely with certain siblings?

What do you think of the time jumps between the siblings? The author chooses not to pick up right away from the previous sections, why do you think this is?

Both the first and final sections are about the oldest sibling, Varya. What is the significance in having the oldest sibling both begin and end the story, but not have her present for a lot of the middle sections.

The power of belief --- whether it be magic, religious faith or storytelling --- is an important theme in the novel. How does belief affect each of the siblings? What is different or similar about the stories they tell themselves?

Discuss the siblings’ significant others: Raj, Mira and Robert. How are their lives affected by the prophecy? How do romantic and familial relationships interact and contrast?

What do you imagine happens to Varya after the book’s ending? How have her views on longevity and death changed?

Would you want to find out the date of your death? How would you live your life differently if you had this information?

Final thoughts? Would you recommend this read to friends or family? Another book club?