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jeannegibbs Posted August 2014

Off topic: Book club discussion, "The Goldfinch".

Several days ago ba8alou suggested an online book club, since reading is something many caregivers can engage in but going to local book clubs can be difficult. Several people thought that was a great idea. I think we are kind of waiting for someone to start it. I'm Someone!

Here's how this first crack at it will work.

1) The book is "The Goldfinch" by By Donna Tartt. I hadn't heard of this book suggested by ba8alou but I see it won a Pulitzer Prize and it sounds worth reading.
2) It is available in paperback, hardcover, kindle, and audio. Most libraries should have it.
3) The discussion date is September 1. That should give many of us time to find the book and read it. This means that comments about the book can be added to this thread ON OR AFTER September 1.
4) If you don't finish the book by that date, no problem. When you do finish it, even months from now, pull up this thread, read what others have said, and add your thoughts.
5) Anyone can read the comments anytime, but if you haven't finished it yet and intend to, be aware of the "spoiler" factor. Those who have finished the book may reveal plot details that you'd rather not know until you come to them.

Let's give it a try this way. Depending how it goes we could do another, modify the format, or drop the whole idea.

I ask that the only comments posted now are about the book club idea, but not about the chosen book. Save that until the discussion opens on Sept 1.

gladimhere Dec 2014
Jessie, and as Jeanne told me not much in Vegas, she suggested I skip that part entirely, very hard to read and stay interested. But I read that part of the book anyway. Probably took me two or three weeks to get through it!

jeannegibbs Dec 2014
Hobie doesn't disappear, Jessie. Hang in there!

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JessieBelle Dec 2014
I finally picked the book back up last night and read a few more pages. I'm really behind on the content -- Dad and Xandra just showed up -- so I won't pull anyone back. Something I am always impressed with is how well the book is written. It is actually very calming to read. I like the character Hobie, but I have a feeling he is about to vanish from the story. Hobie is the father-like friend we wish we all had, full of skill and knowledge and probably directing the course of Theo's life.

gladimhere Dec 2014
I will get there eventually. Today was the first day in more than a month that I felt like reading more than a few pages. Getting interesting, Finally!

jeannegibbs Dec 2014
Keep at it, Glad, I'd love to discuss it with someone! :)

gladimhere Dec 2014
Finally, back in New York Platt talking with Theo in a bar about Andy and Mr Barbour drowning. Is starting to finally feel like it is going to move. Just got to Barbours to visit.

jeannegibbs Nov 2014
The important things that happen in Vegas are Dad dies (heart attack) and "Potter" goes back to New York. Too many pages to say that, though, in my opinion. :)

gladimhere Nov 2014
Is there anything decent in Vegas? I am just tired of all the drinking and Xandra and Dad, whatever his name is! Imhave just come to the part that is starting to talk about the painting again.

One thing I wondered about was if Tartt used 9-11 as inspiration forbstarting this book. Jeanne?

jeannegibbs Nov 2014
I found the middle section boring, too. Maybe it would help to skip the rest of Vegas and jump to the next section.

gladimhere Nov 2014
And getting bored with it. Waiting for the tide to change.

gladimhere Nov 2014
I am about half way through in Vegas with lots of drinking with Boris.

jeannegibbs Nov 2014
Is anybody ready to discuss this book? Chime in!

jeannegibbs Nov 2014
Anybody else want to talk about the characters in this book?

I don't think that there were any that I really could relate to. I've never lived in New York or Las Vegas. I've never hung out with druggies. I know no one in the antiques world. I don't circulate in circles of wealth. There were no people like me or like the people I know well in this book.

And yet I found the characters believable. I might not know people like this, but somehow the author made me believe that such people might exist.

Anyone else have reactions to "realness" of the characters? Any you simply couldn't believe in? Any like people you personally know?

jeannegibbs Nov 2014
Whew! I've finished it. I might not have if not for the motivation of discussing it here.

I'll be back with more comments, but for now I just want to say that the writing style is remarkable, especially the pacing. There are long run-on sentences that give the feeling of speed and things rushing out of control, right where that is appropriate. There is consistency in how each character talks. There are some statements that I read more than once because I thought they were expressed so well.

No doubt about it. This author can write!

BarbBrooklyn Oct 2014
I eagerly await the discussion! I found myself not liking Pippa's aunt (not a very fleshed out character) but down the road, I saw that she had made some wise choices. But I thought that the rest of the characters in the book were entirely believable.

gladimhere Oct 2014
I am reading it as well. I am on page 161. They are just starting to talk about moving Pippa to Texas. That us all I will say. I am enjoying it but wonder where it is going and where everybody will end up. I do not feel so bad now. Jeanne, i thought you had finished it.

JessieBelle Oct 2014
I was reading the book for a while, but have to admit that I'm having a hard time staying interested because of the pace. It reminds me of the old debates about James Michener. Some people loved him. Others hated him because of his lengthy descriptions. My main problem so far is that I haven't been able to relate to the character/narrator Theo. He is so inside himself that I want to say, "Why don't you say this or that," instead of saying nothing at all.

Now I'm inspired to read more on the book. Maybe we'll see the change if his personality blooms.

jeannegibbs Oct 2014
StellerBee, I hate to admit it, but I'm about half way through and I've ground to a halt. I wouldn't have gotten this far if the writing weren't so very good. I do expect I'll finish it, just don't know when.

Who else is reading this book? Anybody done?

StellerBee Oct 2014
I'm about a quarter through the book and still not sure what to make of the story. The book is well-written but the story is moving along rather slowly.

jeannegibbs Aug 2014
LET THE DISCUSSION BEGIN!

If you have finished the long book and are ready to talk about it, have at it! If (like me) you are not quite done with it yet, pop back onto this thread when you are.

Comment on anything at all concerning the book. Here is a question to kick things off, but don't feel limited by it.

Q. Are there any characters in this book that you could not relate to at all? Anybody not like the people you know? If so, did the author make those characters believable? Did you trust that there really are people like that?

JessieBelle Aug 2014
I got my copy today. I began reading and was struck by the complex sentence structure. Reminds me of the intelligent, old style writing that I haven't seen in a while. Lots of picture painting.

jeannegibbs Aug 2014
Got my copy from Amazon Friday. I've read about 100 pages so far. It is extremely well-written and each section ending left me wondering what comes next. So even though it is very long, it moves along pretty quickly.

Whoever has finished it can start discussing it in a couple of weeks, but remember that you can jump in any time, even if you don't finish for months!

gladimhere Aug 2014
Haven't seen your other thread Jeanne. But I just found goldfinch on YouTube as an audio book. I didn't know they did that. Now I can "read" and sleep.

jeannegibbs Aug 2014
hmmm ... sounds like Sept 1 might be an unrealistic discussion start date. Let's see what happens by that date, and re-set it if appropriate.

Glad did you see that I'm suggesting an addtional book? More people may be able to find that and actually finish it in the next several weeks.

gladimhere Aug 2014
Who here told me about Donna Tartt? Hmmm.. Oh I think country mouse. She had read Goldfinch and suggested I do the same. But being anal sometimes I decide to read earlier books first to see the writer develop their skills. So, I read Secret History, it took me a couple of months to get through that one. So, I still have Goldfinch here waiting for me, it is quite a thick book and hopefully not as painful as Secret History was. Yes, I said painful.

jeannegibbs Aug 2014
Oh dear. I didn't realize this book might be a hard one to get! It is in paperback, but not in the US. Here it will be released in paperback in January. Our library has several copies and a waiting list of 142. Hmmm...

Amazon's price for a hardback is not terrible, but I did not mean to pick for our first book one that might be difficult for some of us to get.

I'm suggesting that we go ahead and leave the discussion start date for this as Sept 1, but then also expect a second wave as more people get a chance to acquire a copy. OK?

Meanwhile, I might start a second discussion of a book that isn't so elusive/expensive.

StellerBee Aug 2014
I think this is a good idea. Reading is my primary way to relieve the stress of caregiving. I have The Goldfinch but haven't started reading it yet. Now I'm feeling motivated to start it. Thanks for starting this up!

JessieBelle Aug 2014
I just ordered a book from Amazon. I noticed they also had a guide for book clubs. I saw an analysis of the book on eBay. It is a very popular book to draw so much attention to it. I read the summary and can't wait to start reading. I haven't read any fiction in years.

JessieBelle Aug 2014
Are there any Cliff Notes for the book? :D

bradp65 Aug 2014
Sound an awesome idea! I will try to find the book and finish reading it by that date.

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