'Still Alice' stimulates much discussion

Lisa Genova's Still Alice certainly provoked much discussion. This novel struck a chord as so many of our readers had personal stories of friends and family members who had or have Alzheimer's disease.

Everyone appeared to have enjoyed the book but opinions were certainly divided as to the morality of the actions of some of the main characters. There was much questioning as to why particular characters had acted in the manner they did. Readers talked about various lines from the book that resonated strongly with them while others found quotes that jolted them into reviewing their own views and opinions.

Overall our meeting was very lively with much animated discussion.

As several of our members are going to be away for our next meeting which was to be on Thursday 24 April, a group decision was made to cancel that meeting and read two books for the following meeting on Thursday 29 May.

So our next Between the Lines Book Club is on Thursday 29 May at 6 pm at Gordon White Library.

Our book for April is Closer to Stone by Australian author Simon Cleary.

 





 

Jay Daniel Thompson from The Australian wrote this review in May 2012. It appears to be a book slightly different to our normal book club fare, so it will be interesting to hear what our readers think.

 

 

Our book for May is Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being which certainly generated much discussion  in Cityside Book Club. It will be interesting to hear what Between the Lines readers think about it.

 

 

 



 

 

Ruth Ozeki has this to say about her book.

 

 

Hopefully I'll get this book set over to Gordon White Library shortly for folks to borrow of if you are near Mackay City Library I'll keep two copies here as well.

 

 

Well these certainly are contrasting books: one book set in a desert, another set on an island on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

Keep those pages turning and enjoy the experience!

 





 



We're still meeting this Thursday at 6 at Gordon White LIbrary

Hopefully this rain lets up and we'll be able to meet this Thursday to discuss Still Alice.

Looking forward to hearing  your views on this novel by debut novelist Lisa Genova.

Seeing you at 6pm at Gordon White Library this Thursday 27 March 2014.

Our book for March is 'Still Alice'

We will be reading Lisa Genova's small but poignant Still Alice.

 

 

 

 

 

The following is a summary from Good Reading.

 

Still Alice

byLisa Genova (Goodreads Author)

Still Alice4.25 of 5 stars4.25 · rating details · 97,092 ratings · 11,502 reviews

Alice Howland—Harvard professor, gifted researcher, and lecturer, wife, and mother of three grown children—sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. She has taken the route for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Medical consults reveal early-onset Alzheimer's.

Alice slowly but inevitably loses memory and connection w...moreAlice Howland—Harvard professor, gifted researcher, and lecturer, wife, and mother of three grown children—sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. She has taken the route for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Medical consults reveal early-onset Alzheimer's.

Alice slowly but inevitably loses memory and connection with reality, as told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moments before. Genova's debut shows the disease progression through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so readers feel what she feels: a slowly building terror.

 

The Alzheimer's Society had this to say about Still Alice.

Here are some quotes to pique your interest.

 

Looking forward to the discussion about this book at Gordon White Library on Thursday 27 March at 6pm!

 

 

 

 

 



Three books thrashed in a thrice!

Seven enthusiastic readers turned up ready for rip-roaring discussion. Missing our January dose of book club meant our February meeting could not come fast enough!

First up was Eleanor Catton's The Luminaries which had won the 2013 Man Booker Prize and our title for December/January. Most agreed that it was unnecessarily long and found the tapering ending unsatisfactory. Some enjoyed the structure but others found it over-structured. The astrological references and the work that had gone in to their accuracy seemed to be lost on and therefore superfluous for most of our readers. Everyone had finished the book, which considering its size is an achievement in itself. As it was some time since most of us had read the book it was difficult to remember the detail and though everyone agreed it contained a lot of detail, most of us were stretched to remember its intricacies.

Next on the menu was The Lemon Table, a collection of short stories about ageing, by Julian Barnes. Everyone seemed to have their favourite which resonated with them for one reason or another. Some found the coarse language in some of the stories off-putting to the extent they could not continue reading the book. Overall folks were not fans of the short story and found this collection not particularly riveting.

The last book discussed was March by Geraldine Brooks. Some really liked the idea of modern authors writing novels attached to older classics while others found it was a genre often ill-handled. Our readers found March filled a gap in their knowledge of American history and from this perpective was an interesting novel. Many found the character March lacking in appeal.

Discussion then went on to other books that our members had read and there was a flurry of notetaking as folk listed some of the titles that our members had enjoyed.

Overall we had a lovely lively discussion and all seemed to leave a little happier that they had had their monthly 'book fix'.

Keep those pages turning!