This is why 50% of marriages end in divorce.

“Prudie decided that she would rather teach French at the high school than marry for money. It was a decision quickly made, but she could always revisit it.” (Page 159) Does anyone else get the feeling that Prudie isn’t 100% into this marriage? Is this a commentary on how people treat marriage these days?

Go? Are you kidding?

“Of course, she didn’t actually want to go.” (Page 102) What do you think of Prudie not wanting to go to Paris? Is it understandable or absurd?

Too similar or not similar enough?

“The Austen bashing was getting out of hand.” (page 51) Is this the problem with having a book club all about one author that nearly everyone loves? Are you unable to criticize the selection without offending someone when people are truly fanatical about an author? Do you have to have something in common with people to have an enjoyable book club? How similar is too similar? How different is too different?

Spoiled Christmas

“Sylvia was daily deserted; Allegra had merely had her Christmases spoiled.” (page 48) Do you think this is a fair interpretation of the feelings of an adult child when parents become divorced?

This deserves it's own post... "A Secret Life" Readux

ET had such an interesting question in a comment about A Secret Life that I thought it should be it's own post so that it didn't get lost:

"Do any of you have a secret life that no one knows about -- if so... would you be willing to share 1 sentence about it? Or if you think that one of the members of the JABC has a secret life - mention 1 sentence about that.."

Are you ready for more?

Be sure to read over the comments to the discussion questions - especially those that Kim (a la PinkLady) just posted - and make additional comments if you would like to do so.

Are you ready for more questions? Do you have questions you would like to pose to the group? If you'd like to see some additional questions, please let me know in the comments. I have several more. If you would like to ask a question or have a thought that you would like the entire group to comment on, please do it in a new post. (If you need assistance, please let me know!)

If you're done with this book, that's fine as well - leave a comment!

Ravenous Readers Part Deux Readux

I knew that some logistical issues would come up with this blog and they have. I think if you are just getting to the site to read the discussion primer and questions, it might be a little difficult to figure out where to start without reading posts in the "wrong" order. To solve this I have created another blog called Ravenous Readers Part Deux at ReadingItRightux.blogspot.com. Links to the primer and questions are there and will hopefully make it easier to read the conversations about the book. Plus it will make it easier to tell which posts refer to which book in the future.

Oh, and I really don't like the name "Ravenous Readers Part Deux." Anyone have any other suggestions?

UPDATE: Looks like we're gonna go with "Ravenous Readers Redux" and I'm changing the links...

Four discussion questions

I've posted four discussion questions for The Jane Austen Book Club. Please respond to these questions in the comments for that post. If you have other questions or thoughts you'd like to share with the group, please put them in a separate post - we don't want your brilliant thoughts or burning inquiries to get lost!

Eye Would Die 4 U

“Jane Austen wrote six great romances, and no one died for love in any of them.” (Page 108) Does this make them more realistic, less exciting, or both? Does dying for love in novels always have to be taken literally or can we interpret it figuratively? Isn’t that the fun part of novels? That they can be novel because those things don’t happen in real life (much like Grigg’s love of science fiction)?

Oh, really? I hadn't noticed...

“What if you had a happy ending and didn’t notice? Sylvia made a mental note. Don’t miss the happy ending.” (Page 243) This was interesting. Are we too busy waiting for “happily ever after” to actually live it? Should we try to live our happy ending rather than look for it? Would this ensure a happy ending or just lead to a life of delusion?

A Secret Life

“There was something appealing of thinking of a character with a secret life that her author knew nothing about. Slipping off while the author’s back was turned, to find love in her own way. Showing up just in time to deliver the next bit of dialogue with an innocent face.” (Page 171) Did anyone else find this enchanting? It really made me think of the novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire.

Novel or commentary?

Was this a novel or more of a commentary on how the same book can affect each person differently? Is the author really trying to tell a story or is she merely pointing out that our experiences color how we read a book? If so, is it important to read some books more than once because we will get something different out of them when we have had different experiences?

Yay for K-Pax!

And, in the spirit of celebrating manners and small joys, may I brag on our member Kristie? Her very first photography exhibition opens today in Clifton Forge, Va. Not only is she funny (and darling), she's talented too. Like Grigg. (Well, kind of.) Kudos to you, cuz.