http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/ The Nashua Public Library's adult book discussion blog. en Copyright 2008 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:18:36 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss This Week @ your library arrives in your inbox on Fridays with a list of events in the coming week, as well as brief notices of other library news. Our quarterly calendar/newsletter comes out at the beginning of March, July, September, and December. This is a PDF file you can print yourself, or you can pick one up at the library. (Members of the Friends of the Library get it mailed to them--membership has its benefits!) We also publish special interest newsletters. Topics include fishing, book discussions, history, politics/current events, craft classes, computer classes, and concerts. These come out just a few times a year, when programs on the pertinent topic are coming up. The TeenStuff newsletter comes out monthly. Click here if you prefer to subscribe to our newsletters through an RSS feed. Then click the small orange icon next to the newsletters you choose. ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2008/03/subscribe_to_library_event_new.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2008/03/subscribe_to_library_event_new.html Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:18:36 -0500 Zorro. Here at the Nashua Public Library we subscribe to a professional magazine named, appropriately enough, Public Libraries. Each article includes a short bio of the author, but what I especially like is that the authors also tell you what they are currently reading. This not only exposes me to interesting titles but also makes me feel like I know a bit more about them personally. So what are you reading, now that (I hope) you've already read Zorro? Click the Comments link right below this blog entry and let us know. Don't forget to tell us what you think of the books! ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/05/what_are_you_reading.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/05/what_are_you_reading.html Wed, 02 May 2007 16:57:08 -0500 Dr. Amanda Wunder from the University of New Hampshire gave a lecture here at the Nashua Public Library entitled "Spain in the Time of Zorro." She talked about the history of Spain in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the time during which the novel "Zorro" takes place. She cleverly illustrated her talk with slides of works by the Spanish painter Goya, including portraits of members of the royal families of Spain at the time, depictions of war, and an interesting portrait named "The Clothed Maja." Take a look at "The Clothed Maja." As Dr. Wunder pointed out, Isabel Allende's description of the character Julianna, with her white dress and watermelon sash, bears a striking resemblance to the model in the painting. Was the author looking at the works of Goya as she wrote? That's what Dr. Wunder thinks. If you view other Goya paintings, such as "The Family of Charles IV," you'll get a pretty good idea of what some of the other clothing worn by the aristocrats in the book may have looked like. (French novelist Theòphile Gautier is said to have declared that this painting looked like the corner baker and his wife after winning the lottery.) Goya also painted a number of graphic, violent scenes of the battles and bloodshed of the fight between Spain and France during this period. Particularly famous are his paintings "The Second of May 1808" and "The Third of May 1808," which can be seen here. ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/04/zorro_and_goya.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/04/zorro_and_goya.html Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:32:23 -0500 Do you have a favorite character in Zorro? At library discussions of the book, people agreed that most of Allende's characters in the novel are likable in spite of their faults. The one exception was Rafael Moncada, the man with whom Diego duels (over Moncada's insults to Bernardo) and who competes with Diego for the attentions of Juliana. As one participant said, a novel like this one needs a pure villain, if only to make the hero appear all the more heroic. Isabel, people felt, was a girl ahead of her time, and far more interesting than her sister, Juliana. Even Eulalia, who believes that everyone has "his place" in society (and hers is at the top), is appealing to me. With her business trading in chocolates, her material wealth, and her corpulence, she is an amusing caricature of a lady of leisure, spending her time pampering herself and eating bonbons. What do you think of Tomas de Romeu, Isabel and Juliana's father and a man with progressive if sometimes hypocritical ideas? To post your comments, click on the Comments button below this paragraph. http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/03/random_thoughts_on_zorro_chara_1.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/03/random_thoughts_on_zorro_chara_1.html Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:41:22 -0500 Paula, a memoir by the same author), but the general reaction seemed to be that people are enjoying it much more than they expected to. Some readers said they would prefer to read about historical events in nonfiction, where they didn't have to sort out what's true from what's not. But others said that they like having the story of Diego, Bernardo, Regina, White Owl, and the others, as a vehicle for stimulating their interest in the history. What do you think? (By the way, you can get some of these historical questions answered by coming to "Spain in the Time of Zorro," a lecture on the history of Spain in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It will be held on Tuesday, March 27, at 7 pm at the library.) If you're free during the day, try to come to the next discussion on Tuesday, March 6, at 10:45 am in the library theater. If you aren't, maybe the discussion on Thursday, March 22, at 7 pm, also in the library theater, will work better for you. ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/readers_thoughts_on_zorro.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/readers_thoughts_on_zorro.html Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:05:51 -0500 .--Margaret ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/deathdefying_feats_and_foxy_tr.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/deathdefying_feats_and_foxy_tr.html Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:33:21 -0500 Zorro by Isabel Allende. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this swashbuckling adventure story that reveals how Diego de la Vega became the masked man we all know so well. As of February 2, over 150 Nashuans had checked a copy of Zorro out of the library. Are you one of them? If not, reserve it now; read it; talk about it with your friends, coworkers, and neighbors; and then attend the book discussions and other programs planned at the library relating to the story. We hope that sharing our impressions on a common book will once again help to strengthen our community. From now until the end of April, visit this blog to join the discussion of the book. Just be aware that some of our comments might reveal the ending of the book. To get the discussion going, let's talk about Diego's and Bernardo, his "milk brother." Why do you think they are drawn to one another? How do you think they are able to maintain their relationship, which flies in the face of societal attitudes about class and race?]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/one_city_one_book_nashua_reads.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2007/02/one_city_one_book_nashua_reads.html Fri, 02 Feb 2007 10:37:17 -0500 In the Heart of the Sea, The Kite Runner, Travels With Charley, and Empire Falls. I'm not going to tell you what next year's title is. Okay, I'll give you a clue: it's about someone who seeks justice for all who cannot fight for it themselves. It combines adventure and romance and history and theatrics and humor. When it was nominated, I did not expect to even finish the book, then suddenly I found I'd read 50 pages and was hungry for more. So you'll just have to stay tuned until December 12 to find out what the selection is! I also wanted to mention that the next library book discussion will feature A Theory of Relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard. This will be a live discussion, in the Music/Art/Media Wing of the library, on January 23, at 7 pm. I'll be getting copies of the book in a few weeks. If you want to be notified when they arrive, email me and I'll put you on the book discussion mailing list. A Theory of Relativity is a novel about a custody battle that ensues when a 24-year-old man attempts to adopt his niece, who is orphaned after the tragic death of her parents.]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/12/upcoming_book_events.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/12/upcoming_book_events.html Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:54:16 -0500 The Namesake was officially scheduled to take place during November, you're free to keep posting comments at any time. Thanks to Diana for her insightful comments to the previous two posts. On the right side of the screen you'll see the heading "Recent Posts." Those are the discussion topics; click on the ones that interest you, read the posts, and then post your own comments. I also would love to hear your opinion on the blogging process for this book discussion. Was there anything confusing about how to participate? Did you feel comfortable offering your opinions? ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/12/send_your_feedback_1.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/12/send_your_feedback_1.html Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:42:33 -0500 The Namesake is its prolific use of detail and description. For instance, over the course of four pages (150 to 154), Lahiri tells us about Gogol and Maxine's drive to her parents' cabin in New Hampshire, how they live ("There are exposed pipes in the bathrooms, wire stapled over doorsills, nails protruding from beams"), eat, and pass their days there ("Gerald spends most of his time in his vegetable garden, his nails permanently blackened from his careful cultivation of lettuce and herbs"), using maybe one sentence of dialogue on each page, buried within descriptions of the dirt road to the cabin, how Gerald and Lydia are dressed, the furnishings, etc. But aside from some swimming, runs around the lake, antiquing, and such, there's little action. And the minor events that do occur don't contribute much to the plot. One reviewer, in Publishers Weekly, said that the author "offers a number of beautiful and moving tableaux, but these fail to coalesce into something more than a modest family saga." Kirkus Reviews said that "Many scenes cry out for dialogue" (especially the one later in the book where Maxine and Gogol break up). There certainly is not a lot of action in these pages. Was the descriptive writing style the author used successful in maintaining your interest? Do you think it succeeds in revealing the personality and motivations of the characters, or does she need to have them do more, talk more? ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/jhumpa_lahiris_writing_style_2_1.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/jhumpa_lahiris_writing_style_2_1.html Thu, 30 Nov 2006 10:44:14 -0500 The Namesake quite distinctive. For one thing, the novel is written in the present tense. Why do you think she chose to do that? Do you think the present tense makes the characters seem closer to the reader or more distant? I'm reminded of Empire Falls by Richard Rousseau (great book, by the way; it was the Nashua Reads title in 2003), which was written in the past tense except for chapters using the point of view of a teenager. My thought was that he did that because adolescence is often characterized as a time when the present is all-important, and many teens think they are immortal and many are not yet mature enough to think through the future consequences of their actions. But some critics have said that Lahiri's use of the present tense creates distance between the reader and Gogol. Is that how you felt when reading it? (By the way, I see that Seattle has chosen "The Namesake" for its Seattle Reads program in 2007.)]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/jhumpa_lahiris_writing_style_1.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/jhumpa_lahiris_writing_style_1.html Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:05:12 -0500 The Namesake. Descriptions of food and rituals relating to it are central to the novel. Here are more examples: On page 5, the author describes a meal served to Ashima in the hospital which includes Jello, applesauce, and chicken with the skin on it. On page 33, Ashima and Ashoke's neighbors bring them a Western meal, broccoli quiche and champagne, to celebrate the arrival of the new baby. On pages 38-40, Lahiri gives an elaborate description of Gogol's rice ceremony, or annaprasan, his first taste of solid food. Pages 133-137 describe the gourmet meals served at the home of Gogol's girlfriend Maxine and her parents, Gerald and Lydia. Why do you think the author gives such precise, detailed descriptions of food and meals? Besides the food itself, what other types of details about eating rituals does she describe, and what is she trying to show when she does so? ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/how_is_food_important_in_the_n.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/how_is_food_important_in_the_n.html Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:38:05 -0500 The Namesake (or just about any novel for that matter) in the literature-related databases that the library offers to cardholders. For example, Novelist has book discussion guides that include biographies of the authors, summaries of the books, questions for discussion, reviews of the book, and lists of similar novels (that part reminds me of what you see when you go to amazon.com, and they say "We have recommendations for you."). To use Novelist, go to www.nashualibrary.org and click on "iBrowse Databases." Another database we offer is called Literature Resource Center. There I was able to find a couple of biographies of Jhumpa Lahiri and some literary criticism of her books (a lot more was available about her collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies, than for The Namesake, however. Probably because Interpreter won the Pulitzer.) To use Literature Resource Center, go to www.nashualibrary.org and click on "iBrowse Databases." (If you don't have a Nashua Public Library card, your own library's Web site may give you access to these databases, or similar ones. Go to your library's Web site and see what they offer.) Lahiri's publisher, Houghton Mifflin, has a reader's guide to The Namesake that includes a link to a video of an interview with the author. In the interview she talks about parallels between her life and the lives of her characters. I'd be interested to hear whether watching this video gave you any additional insight about the novel. Just click on "Comments" below to answer.]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/online_information_about_the_n.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/online_information_about_the_n.html Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:46:54 -0500 The Namesake, she is a creature of the East Coast. Although born in London, she was raised in Rhode Island, graduated from Barnard undergrad and then Boston University with multiple advanced degrees. She has taught creative writing at BU, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the New School, and lives in New York City. Like Ashima and Ashoke, Lahiri's parents were Bengali immigrants from Calcutta and tried to raise her to observe Indian traditions while surrounded by American culture. Like Gogol and his sister, Lahiri returned to Calcutta many times to visit her extended family. She and her husband even had a traditional Bengali marriage ceremony, albeit in Calcutta, not New Jersey (and in Singhi Palace, not the Doubletree Suites). There are plenty of angles we can take to analyze The Namesake, but let's start with the whole question of the immigrant experience, how it affects the older and younger generations in a family, the wish to assimilate--or not to--and to what degree. Whatever I say will be colored by absolutely no firsthand experience, since no ancestors of mine that I personally knew were first-generation immigrants. So I'd rather hear from the rest of you on this. If you are from India, or your parents are, how good a job did Lahiri do in depicting the tensions surrounding life in this country? Maybe you're not from India, but yet a third country, or you have parents or grandparents from elsewhere. Does the Ganguli family's experience resemble the one you are familiar with? ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/interesting_tidbits_about_the.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/interesting_tidbits_about_the.html Thu, 02 Nov 2006 01:00:00 -0500 ]]> http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/heres_a_bit_of_information.html http://blogs.nashualibrary.org/readers/2006/11/heres_a_bit_of_information.html Wed, 01 Nov 2006 01:00:00 -0500