Girls since you all know I am not a big reader I have to look to others for guidance on this whole picking a book...That being said, my niece recommended:
The Giver
By Lois Lowry
I don't know if it will be ok but that is all I got... if you don't want to read it then I will understand. I thought about that book we read in High School about that old man that his wife dies and he marries a younger woman... any remember that one? I remember that I loved the book but can't remember the title so that is why I picked the other one.
I hope all is well with everyone.
Erin
17 comments:
Erin, is it Cold Sassy Tree that you are thinking of from High School?
I'm excited for The Giver!
Amy
Hello Erin, I think you are thinking of cold sassy tree, one of my favorites. I would love to read it again as well as the giver. I like to see how my perspective changes, reading it then verses now.
Hello Erin! I am so glad you have a pick. I recently read The Giver and it is a good book discussion book. There are lots of things you can imply even though the author did not intend it (being of a different faith). And it is short.
I also liked Cold Sassy Tree. I think I gave me copy away.... Hhhmmm.
Love the Headers, Lindsay. Love the music, Amy.
Still on p.1 of Joan of Arc,
ShaLisa
Will Tweedy and, my favorite, Mr. Maudy - is that her name?
Reflecting on Cold and Sassy Trees,
ShaLisa
I love cold sassy tree also --I thought I was the only one! Did anyone else like An American Childhood by Annie Dillard? That is the other one I remember everyone hating and me liking from HS. :) Can't wait to read the giver Erin! It is on my shelf and so I KNOW i can get it read! Good choice, it is worth reading again (I forget so much anyway!)
Lindsay
Hey guys, I am excited to reread this book! I am reading a book that dissects it, and wow, it's easy for me to miss so much! Thanks Erin for recommending this again.
I must have missed Cold Sassy Tree. It's on my library list for tomorrow. Thanks ladies!
Hey! Thanks for the votes on the March book! If you haven't yet, I would appreciate all votes! :)
I came here to say that Amy, Gary appreciates your music too, he has a new favorite and he also likes to poke me when the one song say's "now and then she's moody...". (It's too true). My family has wrestling matches down here, I like to just sit to the side (yikes!) which is right here. I think I would lose if I tried wrestling against Super Fly Daddy Snooka! :)
Leslie --my mom, my Dad, and I both all think of you when we see the movie Pillow Talk! I haven't seen it yet, but my Dad bought if for me when we were at my library booksale, while telling me it was your favorite. I have always wanted to watch it because I knew you liked it. My mom knew you liked it too! How? I don't know, but do you still like it? :) I have had it for a month now...maybe someday there will be few enough messes for me to clean up that I still have time to watch it!
Here's hoping! Happy reading!
Lindsay
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Hey all! I finished the book --it was a great read. I liked it a lot. I will try to post some thoughts about it when I get a chance.....Sorry so late on posting the March book, I just keep forgetting! ;)
Lindsay
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I have been meaning to do this review for about a month now. I promised myself I wouldn't let this happen again, but yet here I am, posting late. Oh well, better late than never, right?!
I liked this book. I can't imagine a world like the one Jonas lives in. Where you don't get to make decisions, where families are assigned and where you don't know what love is. That was the part that sticks in my head, when Jonas asks his parents if they love him. And his mother responds about the word being meaningless. It breaks my heart a little that Jonas didn't know love, didn't know that they loved him. I always knew that my parents loved me, even if I had done wrong or anything else, I knew what love was.
Thank you for suggesting it Erin!
My comments come from a book recommended by Lindsay called Deconstructing Penguins.
"But if the Community has adopted these rules of behavior out of necessity, because they had no other coice, and they all believe that they're doing right and protecting the lives of their citizens - most of them anyway - why do they need to lie about it? If this was the way things had to be, why didn't they simply tell everyone that this was the way it had to be and make another rule? One thing the Community had no problem with was rules. People only lie if they know they are doing something wrong."
Once you understand this, everything about the book changes. No longer can the leaders of the Community be merely misguided. They have become murderers. What is worse, every single person at the Ceremony of the Twelve who is given a job that will someday require Release is willing to become a murderer as well. This means the author has absolved these people of responsiility for their crimes.
Whether or not Jonas should have stayed or run away becomes a moral dilemma.
This makes the community "evil." Based on how the characters were constructed, the idea that Dad is a murderer, the Giver is a willing accomplice, and Jonas has run away allowing all this to continue isn't all that Lowry had in mind. People don't stumble into totalitarianism. It is either imposed on them by force or they embrace it. In the Community, it now seems to be the latter.
What does everybody think about this train of thought?
To me, The Giver is a book about agency. I love how this book constantly makes you think --at least it made me think. Small things, like appreciating diversity, cute details like the bikes, and large things, like that there was a choice made in heaven, so we could have choice too. Is that how it would have been if a different choice was made?
I love the authors reference to color and how it associates with love and knowledge. I think Lowry wrote this book well, especially for the young crowd it is meant for. It couldn't really happen, but symbolizes the importance of freedom and would make children think, perhaps appreciate. In the real world though we have been given a conscience, which these people either ignored or did not have in their world, where something like this could happen.
As for the people being evil--it is almost chilling to read about Jonas' father releasing the baby, with so little emotion. And with the lightness that he talked about releasing Gabriel? How could this man be a nurturer? Evil seems more fitting.
I read this book in tandem with The Shakeress (which is back at the library, unfinished, but I hope to get it back soon!) Because of this, I saw some similarities between the Shakers and The Giver's community! Small ones, of course. They of course were not evil, but did sometimes leave very little to choose. Such god-fearing people, I would like to learn more about them! Ah, and this is why I love historical fiction...because i just don't get around to reading an all out textbook on Shakers. :)
Do you think the author of The Giver didn't have all those things you mentioned in mind as Deconstructing Penguin authors seem to think? I kind of wonder if she did. ? I would like to ask her... What does everyone else think?
Oops, I forgot this...
When I read Deconstructing penguins, it had been a while since I read The Giver. So I followed the authors placidly. But reading them back to back, I do say that I had to disagree a bit! Unfortunately I lent Penguins out, so I don't remember all that they said. The thing I remember, and I found it striking and believed it when I read it, is that Jonas should have stayed, and that he ran away. My opinion now is that there really wasn't a lot for Jonas to do by staying, I don't believe he could have saved Gabriel if he had, which was his last and rushed motive. I also do believe The Giver and Jonas were trying to help the community by having him leave, by giving them memories and an opportunity to change, not simply running away.What could Jonas had changed if he stayed? What do you think?
Has anyone else read the book? Erin, what did you think?
WOW... you guys have such profound thoughts... I love reading your opinions on things! Thanks!
When I read the book I agree with both Shalisa and Lindsay, that the community seemed evil. But what really stuck me was the day I finished it was on Sunday and we had a lesson on agency. Is this how it would have been if we hadn't chosen Christ's plan? Is this what Satan's plan looked like. I am sure on paper it seemed appealing, in fact without actually knowing what we know about love and choices... it took a lot of faith to not take the easier path. The one that guarenteed that we would live with Heavenly Father again. But think of the "little things" that we would have missed like Lindsay said. It made me appreciate the world we live in even though there is sooo much bad around us, there is still soo much more good. And it is important that we let our children make desisions even if sometimes it is the wrong one. I have to work on that one!
I did have one question though... Does Jonas die in the end is that what happens? Or does he really find that home? I was a little confused.
Thanks everyone for your comments
Your comments elicite more comments - isn't that the great part of a bookclub? (I do wish we could physically gather together around a plate of fruit and cressent rolls to discuss this leaving our darling children with their fathers).
I want to say that like Lindsay mentioned, that world is a far cry from what reality would be had agnecy been taken from us. You take away agency, but you don't take away emotions, conscious, regard for others, respect or disrespect, and even love....and wouldn't we be compelled to act on some of these feelings? If a family were placed together and lived together, wouldn't they grow to love each other and wouldn't that love compel them to do things to save each other, bless each other, and show each other love? If if there is love, there is hate. And wouldn't that hate compel a person to anger? Yes, I know that author got rid of all these people by way of release but oh, how I think it would have to affect every person in the community. The only exempt people would be a scociopath (or someone without a spirit). Hense, I think the world in this book is so far fetched that it is almost troublesome. The countries were freedoms are scarce are always at war!
I believe, Erin, Jonas was implied to have reached the family.
And yes, Lindsay, I absolutely agree that Jonas had to leave to help the community. He gave them memories! He gave them feelings! I too don't see how he could have helped the community by staying. I thought he could have stayed longer, recieved more memories, then left leaving more memories to flood the minds of the people.
Opposition in all things. The Fall. These are the religious implications I gleaned from the book. And yes, agency. It goes hand in hand, yes?
I am currently reading the Shakeress. I like it so far (p. 50only) and like you said, Lindsay, I see the similarities. These things are good to ponder. Thy give me a greater appreciation for God's plan. He is a genious!
Craving Caramel Popcorn,
ShaLisa
When I talk of agency being taken, I mean man made agency as was established in the book. Satan's plan would have been torturous! Ah, think of it! Nashing of teeth and all those things the scriptures tell us. No wonder....
Joan of Arc is an inspiring heroine. I recommend learning her story if you don't know it (and I don't care if you find a smaller tale than that of Mark Twain's - my, but he has a gift of storytelling).
I chose Cold Sassy Tree for my ward bookclub - I hope it is well accepted. My last pick (The Scarlet Pimpernel) didn't go over so well (only 2 others read it but more came - phew). I see my books are not generally loved by the masses. Why is that?
Eating Giant Carrots Our Neighbor Dug up From Her Garden YESTERDAY,
ShaLisa
Hey Everyone!
I have been told that I need to update everyone on my life...
So I am pregnant and we are having another boy! I am excited since that will put my two boys just two years apart which will be fun... or really scary.
So all of you that have two boys... which is almost all of you please give me some advice. I would love it!
Hope all is well you you guys and that life is good!
Erin
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