Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the great discussion last night. The book seemed to lead us down lots of other discussion paths! The general feel for People of the Book was that despite some perhaps superfluous components to the story, the history surrounding the book was a winner.
Ratings and pithy comments (it was a scramble at the end so please let me know if I didn't capture your comment correctly!)
Tahnee - 7/10 For those who love reading margin notes and finding left behind bookmarks.
Kaye - 6/10 A little confusing but still enjoyable
Mel - 7/10 Give more of the people of the book
Meaghan - 7.5/10 Historically fascinating
Kathy - 7.5/10 Enjoyable
Colleen - 5/10 Loved the history
Trilby - 7/10 A page turner more of literary style than trash
Georgia - 6.5/10 A little bit lost in the second read but still historically fascinating
Next month's book is: The Last Painting of Sarah de Vos by Dominic Smith selected by Kaye with the book club meeting to be hosted at Colleen's house.
Have a great month everyone.
Georgia.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Sunday, March 4, 2018
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Hi Everyone,
Looking forward to seeing you at my house on Tuesday night.
My address is 605 Victoria Road, Gruyere. We are in the middle of pool installation so things are a bit of a mess - just be careful as you come through to the garden gate as there is stuff everywhere and holes where the deck will be!
The book for this month was People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I've included a character list because there was a lot to take in and a lot of people to remember!
Questions for Tuesday:
1. Hanna was more like her mother than she realised (or hoped) in terms of burying herself in her work. What were your thoughts on their relationship? In what ways was Hanna different to her mother?
2. How did you react to the way Australians were portrayed by the author through the character of Hannah? The book was written in 2008 and set in 1996 (for Hanna). Do you think Aussies would be portrayed differently now?
3. A review on Good Reads said the following: "I expected great things from Brooks - March is a book I treasure - but this novel is a third-rate Da Vinci code, written with about the same amount of skill."
What do you think of this comment? Do you agree?
4. The story of the book unraveled backwards. How did you find this to follow? Would the story have been better or worse told forwards?
5. Did you come away from the book feeling that there were missing parts to the story?
6. Should the Haggadah have been restored or conserved in the form in which it was found? Is the story of the Haggadah more important than the actual Haggadah itself?
7. When Hanna found out who her father was, what impact did this have on her? Do you think she changed after this part of the story?
8. What was your favourite historical time from the book?
9. How does this book compare to other Geraldine Brooks novels? Would it make a good movie?
Alia, Ozren’s toddler in a coma from gunshot during Bosnian war
Amalie Sutter, entomologist in Vienna, studies butterfly wing
Werner Heinrich, Viennese specialist in Hebrew manuscripts, speculates about losts clasps
Razmus Kanaha, chief conservation scientist at the Fogg museum, studies wine and blood stains
Delilah Sharansky, Hanna’s jewish grandmother
Clarissa Montague-Morgan, forensic specialist who examines hair
Vienna 1940
Lola, jew, laundresses’ and janitor’s daughter, hidden by Kamal’s after her family is taken by Nazis
Dora, Lola’s little sister
Rashelo and Lugo, Lola’s parents
Stela and Serif Kamal, wealthy Muslims who hide Lola and save Haggadah
Ina, Isak’s little sister, escapes with Lola
Josip Boscovic, museum director
Vienna 1894
Franz Hirschfeldt, jewish doctor serving Viennese aristocrats
David, Franz’ fencing brother
Herr Florien Mittl, book binder with syphilis (or other STD), steals sterling clasps to pay for medical treatment
Rosalind, Franz’ mistress
Anna, Franz’ wife
Venice 1609
Giovanni Domenico Vistorini, parish priest and book censor. Kept book from being burned.
Rabbi Judah Aryeh Dona reyna de Serena, fled Portugal as a Jew, ostensibly converted to Christianity. Wealthy, supporter of the Geto community. Received Haggadah from family manservant in Portugal
Tarragona 1492
David Ben Shoushan, Hebrew scribe who wrote the haggadah intended as a gift for his nephew; beaten to death by Spanish soldiers
Miriam, David’s wife
Ruti, Miriam and David’s daughter. Takes Rosa’s son and converts him into a Jew by immersion; saltwater gets on the Haggadah
Rueben, Miriam and David’s son who converted and is tortured by inquisition
Rosa, Rueben’s wife who believes her son is still born
Sevile 1480
Hooman, slave owner
Zahra, unnamed girl slave painter
Kebira, old woman in emir’s palace
Nura/Isabella, Emir’s wife
Pedro, Isabella’s brother
Netane haLevi, Jewish doctor
Benjamin, deaf son of doctor
Looking forward to seeing you at my house on Tuesday night.
My address is 605 Victoria Road, Gruyere. We are in the middle of pool installation so things are a bit of a mess - just be careful as you come through to the garden gate as there is stuff everywhere and holes where the deck will be!
The book for this month was People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I've included a character list because there was a lot to take in and a lot of people to remember!
Questions for Tuesday:
1. Hanna was more like her mother than she realised (or hoped) in terms of burying herself in her work. What were your thoughts on their relationship? In what ways was Hanna different to her mother?
2. How did you react to the way Australians were portrayed by the author through the character of Hannah? The book was written in 2008 and set in 1996 (for Hanna). Do you think Aussies would be portrayed differently now?
3. A review on Good Reads said the following: "I expected great things from Brooks - March is a book I treasure - but this novel is a third-rate Da Vinci code, written with about the same amount of skill."
What do you think of this comment? Do you agree?
4. The story of the book unraveled backwards. How did you find this to follow? Would the story have been better or worse told forwards?
5. Did you come away from the book feeling that there were missing parts to the story?
6. Should the Haggadah have been restored or conserved in the form in which it was found? Is the story of the Haggadah more important than the actual Haggadah itself?
7. When Hanna found out who her father was, what impact did this have on her? Do you think she changed after this part of the story?
8. What was your favourite historical time from the book?
9. How does this book compare to other Geraldine Brooks novels? Would it make a good movie?
Major Characters
Present
Dr. Hanna Heath, 30 year old conservator, from Australia
Dr. Ozren Karaman, the librarian in Sarajevo—saved HaggadahDr. Hanna Heath, 30 year old conservator, from Australia
Alia, Ozren’s toddler in a coma from gunshot during Bosnian war
Amalie Sutter, entomologist in Vienna, studies butterfly wing
Werner Heinrich, Viennese specialist in Hebrew manuscripts, speculates about losts clasps
Razmus Kanaha, chief conservation scientist at the Fogg museum, studies wine and blood stains
Delilah Sharansky, Hanna’s jewish grandmother
Clarissa Montague-Morgan, forensic specialist who examines hair
Vienna 1940
Lola, jew, laundresses’ and janitor’s daughter, hidden by Kamal’s after her family is taken by Nazis
Dora, Lola’s little sister
Rashelo and Lugo, Lola’s parents
Stela and Serif Kamal, wealthy Muslims who hide Lola and save Haggadah
Ina, Isak’s little sister, escapes with Lola
Josip Boscovic, museum director
Vienna 1894
Franz Hirschfeldt, jewish doctor serving Viennese aristocrats
David, Franz’ fencing brother
Herr Florien Mittl, book binder with syphilis (or other STD), steals sterling clasps to pay for medical treatment
Rosalind, Franz’ mistress
Anna, Franz’ wife
Venice 1609
Giovanni Domenico Vistorini, parish priest and book censor. Kept book from being burned.
Rabbi Judah Aryeh Dona reyna de Serena, fled Portugal as a Jew, ostensibly converted to Christianity. Wealthy, supporter of the Geto community. Received Haggadah from family manservant in Portugal
Tarragona 1492
David Ben Shoushan, Hebrew scribe who wrote the haggadah intended as a gift for his nephew; beaten to death by Spanish soldiers
Miriam, David’s wife
Ruti, Miriam and David’s daughter. Takes Rosa’s son and converts him into a Jew by immersion; saltwater gets on the Haggadah
Rueben, Miriam and David’s son who converted and is tortured by inquisition
Rosa, Rueben’s wife who believes her son is still born
Sevile 1480
Hooman, slave owner
Zahra, unnamed girl slave painter
Kebira, old woman in emir’s palace
Nura/Isabella, Emir’s wife
Pedro, Isabella’s brother
Netane haLevi, Jewish doctor
Benjamin, deaf son of doctor
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