Reminder! Our Book Club Chat with Debra Dean is this Thursday 8/21 at 7 pm EST!

Just a reminder that this Thursday, August 21st at 7pm EST we are talking with Debra Dean about her novel The Madonnas of Leningrad on my online radio show, Book Club Girl on Air. I hope that you've all been enjoying the book, I've already heard from some of you who are looking forward to the talk. Check out the great review that Darlene has already posted on her blog Peeking Between the Pages!

The night of the show, you can listen live on your computer here at 7 pm EST. (You can also listen at that same link after the show). You can call in to the show to ask ask a question at this number: (347) 945-6149. As people call in, I'll identify them by the last four digits of their phone number. If I say your phone number, remember to turn down the volume on your computer when you ask your question. If you can't call in, but have questions for Debra, please put them in the comments to this post (before midday Thursday), or you can send in questions while you're listening to the show via the Chat function on the show's page. But if you plan to do this, I recommend you register on the site beforehand. Make sure you enter your questions via "Chat" and not "Comments" so that I'll see them during the live show.

If you're not sure what to ask, but want to participate, learn more about Debra Dean here, and check out the reading group guide, as well as the P.S. section in the back of the book. I hope to hear from some of you on Thursday night!

Comments

[Darlene]

Thanks for posting my review Jenn. I'm all set up for Thursday-can't wait!

I just found out that I will not be able to make the book club I am working that night and I don't have acess to my computer till 1 am. I am so upset because I am loving this book and I would have loved to be part of it. Is there anyway I can ask questions beforehand and send them to you.
That way I feel part of it. I was so looking forward to this.
I will be posting on my blog. So if anyone wants to comment there. I won't feel so bad. I definately want to make it in September when Run by Ann Patchett will be on blogradio.com.

[Book Club Girl]

You can definitely post questions here, or send them to me at bookclubgirlATgmailDOTcom, by about midday on Thursday, to make sure that I get them in time for the show that night. We will miss you!

[Dawn]

I'm another of your readers who has a schedule conflict and won't be able to call in this evening.

I think *The Madonnas of Leningrad* is an amazing book, and I do have some questions for the author:

* I didn't know the concept of a "memory palace" until I was introduced to it in your book, how did you learn about this technique for remembering large amounts of data?

* A few of Marina's maxims ("Eat until you see the pattern on the plate so tomorrow we will have nice weather" and "woe rides on woe and uses woe for a whip") sound like something a grandmother *would* say; are these part of Russian folklore, or do you create them for the novel?

* About 3/4 of the way through the book, after Nadezhda dies, you write of Marina, "everything that mattered to her has disappeared" and switch to the present tense for the remaining Leningrad portions of the novel. Can you explain the significance of the shift of tense?

Thank you! I'm disappointed I won't be able to listen "live" tonight, but I'll look forward to hearing the interview later.

[Dawn]

me again, with one last question ...

Did Dean's background on the stage help her with her craft as an author?

[BethD]

I will definitely be listening tonight. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful book. Many of my questions were either answered in the p.s. section of the book, or asked here. I'll ask a couple of the standard questions - is Ms. Dean working on anything new? I hope so, her style is beautiful. And what authors/books does she like/recommend?
Thank you for the opportunity to read the book and participant!