Book 63 -- The Story of Forgetting
Book 63-- The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block
Attendees:
Amy Marr
Jami Walsh
Carol Conti
Nick Conti
Sarah Jay
Kids:
Caitlin
Ainsley
Giana
Theo
Thomas
Enjoyment:
Amy: Liked it.
Carol: Liked it, but felt it was something she could put down.
Nick: Alright
Jami: Bits I really liked and bits that I could skip.
Sarah: Enjoyed
Reading Guide from the Back of the Book:
1.Why was the book ended the way it was? In what way was imagination a cornerstone to the story?
C -- imagination is important with regard to people losing their mind and being able to cope with the pain.
S -- speculating what his Mom was going through
2. Relationship between Isidora and the character? Importance of story telling tradition?
A -- in the end more important than they ever realized
S -- in the end they lost their own history, but had this story of the imaginative world
C -- liked that the story telling started with the one mother and son as they were coming over on the boat.
S -- Sarah started thinking about "An American Tale" and 'There Are No Cats In America'.
3. Traditions of your own that you keep?
C -- recipes and holiday celebrations
N -- Nana's pizzelles
A -- photos
4. Are there ways that memory loss is liberating to some of the characters?
C -- after my grandmother's stroke she remembered things from her child her. If you have painful memories from your childhood, does the disease make them stronger?
J -- I think they continue to block it. But, remember the happier times.
Discussion of relatives and people we know with the disease.
5. By the end Jamie wants to go home. Would it be the same if she never developed Alzheimers?
C -- thinks she would eventually go back
N -- doesn't think she would go back
J -- I don't think she would
S -- possible she'd have a different life experience that would send her back
A -- if she continued on the same path probably not.
6. how is love stronger than memory loss in this book?
C -- Paul hid his love for Jamie (male) but when he lost it all he wanted was Jamie and his secrret was out.
S-- Jamie (female) when she lost her memory all she remembered was that home was good and she wanted to go home.
N -- Abel's love was stronger than everything.
J -- Seth's too.
7. Kown anyone with the disease?
Already answered
8. What do Seth and Abel have in common?
C -- both loners, both have qualities that had them keep to themselves
S -- both tried to be invisible
9. How does the style relate to the story?
C -- unlocking a mystery. The way it's presented allows you to unlock it as the reader.
J -- usually doesn't like this style of stories. But it works in this instance.
N -- Time changes through the book. Seth is in a small chunk of time, but Abel is a larger arc and the Genetics history provides the distant path.
A -- thought about it more int he context of multiple narratives...the timeline makes sense.
S -- fairly consistent with giving you keys as to where you are.
10. Does guilt compel Abel to spend 20 years as a recluse?
N -- he promised Mae that he would wait for their daughter to come back.
S -- his personality lends itself to be a hermit.
J -- even in school he was an outcast
11. If you were in Jamie's position would you tell your child? Would you get tested?
C -- would tell because knowledge is power
N -- you'd live your life differently
S -- doesn't just take your memory it kills you.
A -- doesn't want to know for herself, but for her kids
J -- you tell because your kid needs to make an informed decision.
J -- no clue if you'd get tested
A -- doesn't want to know if she has it.
12. How do the genetic history sections relate to the rest of the book?
C -- really enjoyed this section and how it related
A -- really like it don't know if it's true or not.
S -- he made it up, he talks about it in the author's note.
13. Taylor asks Seth what he wants to find out. What's the ridiculously simple question and does SEth find what he was looking for?
N -- wants to find her path. years ago she drew him a map and he over thought it.
14. How does Alzheimer's cloud death?
S -- happens so gradually that the person just slowly erodes.
General Discussion
Discussed Isidora and whether we liked it or not. Reviews were mixed.
Upcoming Books:
June/July's Book: Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J. Fox
August's Book: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Next Meeting
Attendees:
Amy Marr
Jami Walsh
Carol Conti
Nick Conti
Sarah Jay
Kids:
Caitlin
Ainsley
Giana
Theo
Thomas
Enjoyment:
Amy: Liked it.
Carol: Liked it, but felt it was something she could put down.
Nick: Alright
Jami: Bits I really liked and bits that I could skip.
Sarah: Enjoyed
Reading Guide from the Back of the Book:
1.Why was the book ended the way it was? In what way was imagination a cornerstone to the story?
C -- imagination is important with regard to people losing their mind and being able to cope with the pain.
S -- speculating what his Mom was going through
2. Relationship between Isidora and the character? Importance of story telling tradition?
A -- in the end more important than they ever realized
S -- in the end they lost their own history, but had this story of the imaginative world
C -- liked that the story telling started with the one mother and son as they were coming over on the boat.
S -- Sarah started thinking about "An American Tale" and 'There Are No Cats In America'.
3. Traditions of your own that you keep?
C -- recipes and holiday celebrations
N -- Nana's pizzelles
A -- photos
4. Are there ways that memory loss is liberating to some of the characters?
C -- after my grandmother's stroke she remembered things from her child her. If you have painful memories from your childhood, does the disease make them stronger?
J -- I think they continue to block it. But, remember the happier times.
Discussion of relatives and people we know with the disease.
5. By the end Jamie wants to go home. Would it be the same if she never developed Alzheimers?
C -- thinks she would eventually go back
N -- doesn't think she would go back
J -- I don't think she would
S -- possible she'd have a different life experience that would send her back
A -- if she continued on the same path probably not.
6. how is love stronger than memory loss in this book?
C -- Paul hid his love for Jamie (male) but when he lost it all he wanted was Jamie and his secrret was out.
S-- Jamie (female) when she lost her memory all she remembered was that home was good and she wanted to go home.
N -- Abel's love was stronger than everything.
J -- Seth's too.
7. Kown anyone with the disease?
Already answered
8. What do Seth and Abel have in common?
C -- both loners, both have qualities that had them keep to themselves
S -- both tried to be invisible
9. How does the style relate to the story?
C -- unlocking a mystery. The way it's presented allows you to unlock it as the reader.
J -- usually doesn't like this style of stories. But it works in this instance.
N -- Time changes through the book. Seth is in a small chunk of time, but Abel is a larger arc and the Genetics history provides the distant path.
A -- thought about it more int he context of multiple narratives...the timeline makes sense.
S -- fairly consistent with giving you keys as to where you are.
10. Does guilt compel Abel to spend 20 years as a recluse?
N -- he promised Mae that he would wait for their daughter to come back.
S -- his personality lends itself to be a hermit.
J -- even in school he was an outcast
11. If you were in Jamie's position would you tell your child? Would you get tested?
C -- would tell because knowledge is power
N -- you'd live your life differently
S -- doesn't just take your memory it kills you.
A -- doesn't want to know for herself, but for her kids
J -- you tell because your kid needs to make an informed decision.
J -- no clue if you'd get tested
A -- doesn't want to know if she has it.
12. How do the genetic history sections relate to the rest of the book?
C -- really enjoyed this section and how it related
A -- really like it don't know if it's true or not.
S -- he made it up, he talks about it in the author's note.
13. Taylor asks Seth what he wants to find out. What's the ridiculously simple question and does SEth find what he was looking for?
N -- wants to find her path. years ago she drew him a map and he over thought it.
14. How does Alzheimer's cloud death?
S -- happens so gradually that the person just slowly erodes.
General Discussion
Discussed Isidora and whether we liked it or not. Reviews were mixed.
Upcoming Books:
June/July's Book: Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J. Fox
August's Book: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Next Meeting