Book Club (February 2006)

[lambikins]

What do you all think about Ezra? Is he too good to be true? (One side comment - Tyler's fiction often has an "Ezra" in the story as a main character, a slightly befuddled man who seem more emotionally *female* than a typical male - please forgive my generalization but I can't think of any other way to put it).

I've been racking my brain ALL weekend long, trying to think "Who the heck does Ezra remind me of?!" and I finally got 'it'....Andy Dufresne in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Even paced, never ruffled, even when brutally treated by the Warden, he internalized his anger, processed it, and we never saw it. Now, I haven't finished the book, so I don't know if Ezra goes "Postal" or not, but so far, with what's happened to him and between him and Cody...well, he hasn't *popped*, yet.

What's interesting is that Shawshank took place from 1947 til 1967. Homesick takes place from 1944 til ???? Could it be that that type of man doesn't exist in Today's World? I don't know. Gregory Peck played one in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; a real metronome of a man. Even tempered, an internal timing device regulating his actions..... I'd like to think that there could still be men like that in 2006.

[MRD]

I find it odd she could never tell the children about Beck's abandonment.

I also think she has a misplaced sense of propriety. Can't tell her family that someting is wrong. Still signing Christmas cards with Beck's name on them, won't go back to her hometown where she could have gotten help from her family. Too proud to accept help?

But also embarrassed when she meets neighbors that are in her checkout line.

But yet tell's Ezra, get my black address book and invite all these people to my funeral. People she has lost touch with over 40 years.


I've read a lot of Anne Tylers books over the years and the mother figure in them is usually very much the same as Pearl.
Mother issues in her own past? Much like Pat Conroy's father issues in his past crop up in all his books?

[MRD]

Sorry for the double post.

I just started chapter 2. I'm not liking Cody. In fact, too many parallels to my own 2 brothers with the Cody/Ezra dynamic. And my "cody" is now a schizophrenic, so am wondering how this is going to play out. Very weird for me to read this. Kind of deja vu as far as the way Cody treats Ezra.

[geek the girl]

How's everyone getting on with the book?

Unfortunately, I've just realised that I won't be able to finish it - let alone discuss it in much detail - on time. I feel awful about it, especially since I was one of the people who initiated the project and nominated Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant in the first place. Anne Tyler is a wonderful author, and I'm sure that this novel is no exception. However, given the gigantic workload I have on at the moment (not only am I in the process of starting to write a 35-page essay, with all the tracking down relevant sources and books that go with that, but I also have to take an exam and start preparing for my next course, which will require loads and loads of work), I just don't think I'll have the time or energy to read and analyse yet another piece of fiction. If I did, I'd probably end up feeling guilty for neglecting the books I should be reading for uni. That's the eternal curse of the lit major - the endless guilt trips over doing something as frivolous as reading books you actually want to read when you should be reading something off your mandatory reading list.

Apologetic, self-pitying rant over. I'll catch up with you guys when my workload eases off a bit - which could be sooner rather or later, but since I'm not sure how well my work will progress, I can't promise that I'll be able to take part of this month's discussions. Sorry about that. In the meantime, I hope everyone participating in the book club is enjoying this month's pick and that, unlike me, you actually have time to post your thoughts.

[lambikins]

I feel your pain, geek the girl! My Sweetie is also going through a paper overload at Uni and has no time for recreational reading or much fun whatsoever. I know exactly what you're going through and how hard it is to balance trying to do well by your school work but trying to have a bit of fun, too.

Since there's been virtually no discussion, I'm just going to wait until next week, when I can post all of my thoughts on the book.

And myrosiedog, I'm so in your corner in regards to Cody. I can't say much about my opinions so they don't spoil anything, but I agree with your feelings towards him!