Gluttonous Souls?

Last night we met at Nancy's home and gathered 'round Hil's fondue pot as if at a campfire to dip morsels of bread, apples, and clementines into a velvety fondue. That was followed by a meal of Nancy's chicken curry with cashews, Lu's Indonesian eggplant stew and Dutch cucumber salad, Helen's cauliflower with a Gouda topping, Maggie's salad with pomegranate seeds, ending with Lonnie's Dutch apple pie and 3 types of ice cream. We gluttons were so satisfied that we completely forgot to take photos! Amsterdam: Our Dutch-Indonesian food theme (Indonesia was at one time a Dutch colony) was based on our first book Amsterdam by Ian McEwan, who has written other books that we have read (Atonement, Saturday). The definition of friendship, the press vs. the privacy of public figures, moral obligations, personal moral corruption, and the ultimate betrayal of a friendship are the major themes of this book. Amsterdam opens with Clive, a musical composer, and Vernon, the editor of a somewhat trashy newspaper a la National Inquirer, at the funeral of Molly, who was a lover of both men (as well as many others). We see the internal workings of Clive's life as he works frenetically to compose a piece for England's centennial celebration. We see the internal workings of Vernon's life as an editor a newspaper on the skids until compromising photos of the future prime minister are placed into Vernon's hands. These two men share a past rivalry over Molly with tensions escalating because of differing views on whether or not the photos should be published. In addition, Vernon believes that Clive was a witness to a serial rapist while Clive was hiking in the Lake District attempting to gain inspiration for the ending of his musical composition. The tension increases regarding an individual's moral obligations in reporting a possible criminal action. Clive departs for Amsterdam where rehearsals are beginning for his composition. Vernon decides to join him there. Unbeknownst to either friend, both have researched corrupt Dutch doctors who, for a fee, will euthanize people. This results in the ultimate betrayal of their friendship. Not everyone in our book cub finished the book or liked it. The unsavoriness of the major characters may have affected our enjoyment of the book. On the whole, readers thought Molly had spunk and spirit and may have been the most compelling character although dead. She was the foil and basis for much of the tension in the relationship between Clive and Vernon. Some felt that the story was contrived although the characters were well-developed and quirky. One reader noted that this entire story, which was short in length, took place over a very condensed period of time--perhaps only several weeks. Some felt that that book was very choppy with not much flow while others did not mind the flashback style although it was not in the style of "This is Us." We rated it a 2. Our Souls at Night This was the last novel written by Kent Haruf. A widow Addie and a widower Louis, both in their 70s, start spending the night together at Addie's house after Addie shows up at her neighbor Louis' house and asks him to start spending the night with her. She wants to combat loneliness and "get through the night...because the nights are worst." Addie had been married to Carl and had 2 children, one of whom died young. Her marriage had been one of convenience. Louie had been married to Diane and had 1 child. During his marriage, schoolteacher Louie had an affair with a colleague Tamara, ultimately leaving Diane and his child. After a short stint with Tamara, he returns home, believing that he "was not a good man. I was sick of myself. Diane never got what she wanted from me. I failed her." He also harbored a feeling that he loved Tamara more than he did Diane. Both Addie's and Louie's spouses die followed by loneliness and a feeling of their spirits dying. They buck the "small town, small minded pissants" in their Colorado town who learn that they are spending the night with each other. Louie states: "It's some kind of decision to be free. Even at our age." Their nights are spent discussing their past lives and relationships. Addie says: "Who does get what they want? Two people blindly acting out of old ideas and dreams and mistaken misunderstandings. Except for you and me." Amidst their happiness in discovering that they're not dried up, Jamie, Addie's grandson, comes to live with Addie and is then introduced to Louie. What develops is a loving, tender relationship among the three of them. When Gene, Addie's son, learns that Louie has been spending the night, he withholds Addie's contact with Jamie. Addie is then left at a crossroads..and she chooses Jaime who is the "only one who loves her" in her small family. Addie says that she can no longer be brave. The "lighthearted pleasure of discovery" turns to "desolation and anticipating loneliness." With Addie in assisted-living and blackmailed by Gene with her grandson, the book ends when Addie calls Louie. Addie tries to maintain some fragment of her relationship with Louie and ends with this simple question: "Dear, is it cold there tonight?" Most of the readers were touched by the book and commented that these felt like real people talking--you felt as if you were in the room with them. Many books that involve older people are about dying; however, this little gem of a book was about two older people energized by each other and starting a new, happy chapter in their lives. The dialogue was so sparse, but readers came to know these characters innermost thoughts and feelings, which involved being brave and taking risks at this point in their lives. We saw the wisdom of being older. The book made people think about aging, relationships at an older age, priorities as we age, and courage to be true to yourself, including admitting failures and past dissatisfactions. Although one reader thought the book was predictable and wasn't about special people, our group ranked the book a 4.