Sing, there, sing!

Gathering at Kathy’s home, we kicked off this book club with Lonnie’s delicious “individual” nachos and spiced things up with Nancy’s tequila. Over a dinner of fry bread with pork chile verde, beans and Hilarie’s beautiful salad, we got down to the business of talking about and rating our two books, There, There and Sing, Unburied, Sing.

First up: There, There. Most of us felt it was well written and the locality (Oakland) made it even more intriguing. We learned about the plight of Native Americans and some were surprised by how many live in urban areas. It was interesting to see the different stories come together at the end (a sad and violent end) of the book. Hilarie (or was it Nancy?) did listen to the book until she felt it got too chaotic to hear. All five of us rated it a three.

Rating: Three Stars.

Next: Sing, Unburied, Sing. This follow-up to Salvage the Bones, was hard to read, but a compelling story about people doing the best they could under difficult circumstances. Lonnie said she was “riveted” to the story and she could relate the poverty and rural aspect of the story. While some felt it was depressing, Lonnie felt it was a hopeful story, that the kids were going to be alright. Four us rated it a three, with one four.

Rating: Three Stars.

Next books:  Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout  The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

Next meeting:  December 21  Nancy’s house