Five Quarters of An Orange
Jul 17, 2002, 7:35 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: TPA
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I will be picking it up from the library in the next couple of days, I'm looking forward to reading it.
Please make sure you mark the thread well when you start the discussion, I would hate to accdientally open it up and read something that I haven't read in the book yet.
[This message has been edited by AC903 (edited 07-17-2002).]
Please make sure you mark the thread well when you start the discussion, I would hate to accdientally open it up and read something that I haven't read in the book yet.
[This message has been edited by AC903 (edited 07-17-2002).]
Jul 22, 2002, 1:26 pm
#8
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I'm back from vacation and done reading the book. I'm ready to start discussing anytime.
Jul 25, 2002, 9:32 pm
#12
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Finished it on my flights today.
[spoiler start]
Thank you for suggesting this book. I'm going to buy copies for a couple of my familiy members to read.
We just (in the last two weeks) went through a family crisis and death that really echoed some of the the things in this book - long kept family secrets that aren't what they seem, siblings not speaking, cryptic journals, generations arguing about what one has an entitlement, etc.
I'm still organizing my thoughts on exactly what the theme of the book was but it was a wonderful read.
[spoiler off]
[spoiler start]
Thank you for suggesting this book. I'm going to buy copies for a couple of my familiy members to read.
We just (in the last two weeks) went through a family crisis and death that really echoed some of the the things in this book - long kept family secrets that aren't what they seem, siblings not speaking, cryptic journals, generations arguing about what one has an entitlement, etc.
I'm still organizing my thoughts on exactly what the theme of the book was but it was a wonderful read.
[spoiler off]
Jul 26, 2002, 9:42 am
#13
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How about we start the discussion???
(Caution: Don't read further if you haven't finished the book.)
I too am not real clear yet on the theme of the book, but enjoyed reading it. My husband and I have also experienced situations in our families where the truth of a situation didn't come out until it was too late. I had a greataunt (a native German speaker trained as a nurse) everyone thought was absolutely nuts because she would talk very cryptically about her involvement in WWII and the secrets she knew. We didn't find out the truth - that she was a spy for the US - until she was buried at Arlington and we were able to get her records through the FOIA. Likewise, my father-in-law lived a lie about his involvement in McCarthyism until just recently. The details of that came as quite a blow to my husband - not his involvement so much as the lie. You have to wonder why it's so much easier sometimes for families keep secrets that end up leading to so much more pain than the truth ever would have.
In addition to the secrecy part, the book hit on how much one can so easily become what's modeled for them. I'm speaking of how Boise appears to have hated her mother's coldness and yet the relationship between she and her daughter is nearly identical to the one she and her mother had.
Something I'm not clear on ... what was the point of Tomas inviting the kids to the club that night? What did he expect to happen? Surely he couldn't have forseen the events as they unfolded. What did he want them to see? Did he think their mother would show up?
(Caution: Don't read further if you haven't finished the book.)
I too am not real clear yet on the theme of the book, but enjoyed reading it. My husband and I have also experienced situations in our families where the truth of a situation didn't come out until it was too late. I had a greataunt (a native German speaker trained as a nurse) everyone thought was absolutely nuts because she would talk very cryptically about her involvement in WWII and the secrets she knew. We didn't find out the truth - that she was a spy for the US - until she was buried at Arlington and we were able to get her records through the FOIA. Likewise, my father-in-law lived a lie about his involvement in McCarthyism until just recently. The details of that came as quite a blow to my husband - not his involvement so much as the lie. You have to wonder why it's so much easier sometimes for families keep secrets that end up leading to so much more pain than the truth ever would have.
In addition to the secrecy part, the book hit on how much one can so easily become what's modeled for them. I'm speaking of how Boise appears to have hated her mother's coldness and yet the relationship between she and her daughter is nearly identical to the one she and her mother had.
Something I'm not clear on ... what was the point of Tomas inviting the kids to the club that night? What did he expect to happen? Surely he couldn't have forseen the events as they unfolded. What did he want them to see? Did he think their mother would show up?
Jul 30, 2002, 11:12 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2002
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by letiole:
Something I'm not clear on ... what was the point of Tomas inviting the kids to the club that night? What did he expect to happen? Surely he couldn't have forseen the events as they unfolded. What did he want them to see? Did he think their mother would show up? </font>
Something I'm not clear on ... what was the point of Tomas inviting the kids to the club that night? What did he expect to happen? Surely he couldn't have forseen the events as they unfolded. What did he want them to see? Did he think their mother would show up? </font>
The book keeps you on your toes. There were a lot of things that I didn't see coming at all.
Jul 31, 2002, 10:33 pm
#15
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On one hand the book made me terribly sad. When I think of the love, attention and concern that we have spent on our children over the years, it seems just sad beyond belief to think about children growing like weeds.
On the other hand, it reminded me in some ways of how I grew up like a weed. As kids we used to take off with a lunch for the woods in the morning when our chores were done and run, explore and play until dinner time.
Different perspectives.
On the other hand, it reminded me in some ways of how I grew up like a weed. As kids we used to take off with a lunch for the woods in the morning when our chores were done and run, explore and play until dinner time.
Different perspectives.