Here is this month's guest post from Jeff Kamin of Minneapolis' Books & Bars book club, which is run in conjunction with Magers & Quinn Booksellers. It was so great to visit Magers & Quinn last month, browse around the store (which is great and has so many awesome nooks and crannies) and to meet Jeff in person at last. This discussion of The Time Traveler's Wife makes me more determined than ever to ban blackberries and cell phones from certain parts of our family time every day so that we can be present in our lives. A new leaf shall be turned when school begins! (It also whets my appetite for Niffenegger's new novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, coming on September 29th).
Books & Bars enjoyed its biggest audience yet with 140 people in attendance to discuss Audrey Niffenegger’s smash hit, The Time Traveler’s Wife. We were fortunate to be invited to a larger venue, an art gallery named The Soap Factory. Our book club was part of an exhibit called Common Room based on large social gatherings. We made paper sculptures like the character Clare did in the novel and filled out card catalog info with blurbs, soundtrack suggestions and more related to Henry’s character.
Our discussion dealt with free will vs. fate and the metaphor of time travel. We felt the theme of the story was how lovers are not always in sync or even in the same place and time, but we should strive to be here now. Be present in the moment, as it is all we really have for certain. Most of really enjoyed the book and more than a few had read it twice. (The movie is not so good, though. Imagine a flip book Cliffs Notes version of the book.)
Join Books & Bars’ Facebook group to see more photos of our event if interested.
Next month we read a lost classic, The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy.
Check our website for our list of upcoming possible selections. Feel free to make a recommendation.
Thanks,
Jeff Kamin, Moderator -Books & Bars
I had the opportunity to read Niffennegger's new book as an advanced reading copy courtesy of Simon and Shuster. I hate to admit to not liking it very much. I loved TTW both times I read it and although the author sets the stage with some very interesting characters, in my opinion, Her Fearful Symmetry is just not that great a read.
Posted by: Joanna | August 20, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Hey Jennifer,
I gave you an award:
http://bibliofreakblog.com/memes/awards-pertaining-bbaw/
Posted by: J.T. Oldfield | August 20, 2009 at 04:56 PM
I'd like to send you a review copy of my children's and YA fantasy adventure "The Call to Shakabaz." Please email me if you want a copy. Here's a little about the book:
The Call to Shakabaz has received numerous regional and national awards, including a Mom’s Choice Silver Medal and an Indie Excellence Award. In The Call to Shakabaz, the recently orphaned Goodacre children travel with their pesky parrot to the distant land of Faracadar on a quest to retrieve the powerful Staff of Shakabaz from the evil enchanter Sissrath. When the young protagonists discover that violence is foredoomed to fail against Sissrath, they must use their wits and imagination to defeat him. Unusual for this genre, the book features all Black characters and is set in an African American cultural context. Rather than using a gory violent battle scene to resolve the central conflict, it demonstrates the fundamental principles of nonviolence. A terrific family read-aloud with cross-generational appeal, this book is a real page-turner that has the reader hooked right through to the unexpected, magical climax. If you like Harry Potter and the Narnia books, you’ll love The Call to Shakabaz.
Posted by: Amy Wachspress | August 20, 2009 at 07:27 PM
Great review! I like the analysis of the book's meaning.
Posted by: Lisa Sheppard | August 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM
This is an amazing book, and so such a thought-provoking read for book clubs. I'm sure it will become even more popular as people see the movie (although I've heard it's very disappointing compared with the book)
Posted by: The Book Club Guide | August 25, 2009 at 04:59 PM
The book tells a beautiful story, as usual the the motion picture keeps disappointing the book readers...
Posted by: Caroline Kojian | September 25, 2009 at 07:02 PM
These are times of finer houses,but more broken homes
Posted by: air jordan 6 | November 04, 2010 at 04:25 AM
05).... why would you lie to us... oh, wait,... its kuz youre fucking mike goddamn brown... fucking pos..... hopfully we can overcome it.. but then it would just fuel the fire
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