Book Club: "The Giver"

I've always wanted to join a book club. It's probably that "literature major going to a liberal arts school" bone in my body that causes part of the urge to want to join one. So, in my latest blogpost about how I want to be living my life lately, one of those things was being more involved in the city I'm living in. Feeling more settled and that I live here, not just that I'm visiting for a prolonged amount of time. I decided before coming back to Beijing at the end of the summer, that I'd finally join a book club, something that I've been talking about doing for a few years now. A great way to motivate myself to read for pleasure, to meet new people, and to talk about and discuss good books (#nerdalert). 

Luckily for m, my friend Amanda, who also works in Beijing at another school, was also looking to join a book club and invited me to join some of her work friends at a monthly book club meeting at her school. There's the comfort of already knowing one person, but also the opportunity to meet many others. And we are all teachers, so we have that in common too which makes for great after book talk discussions with a glass of wine. 

This week we had our first meeting. Well actually the second meeting after reading our first book. I didn't attend the first meeting which is when they chose the first book we'd read: "The Giver." I was excited that they had chosen that book. Since the movie was released, it had been on "to read" book list. And now I had the push to do it. 

I first read this book when I was in the 8th grade. I remember when I read it then that I didn't understand it and therefore didn't really like it. Honestly, though I can't ACTUALLY remember, I probably didn't even finish the book because 13 year old me was so bored with it. Now, 25 year old me is laughing at the 13 year old me. But I totally get why I didn't understand nor like it at that age. It was too complex with too many underlying themes and meanings for me to really appreciate this award winning book.

So, point blank: I love this book. It's a short book. Only 180 pages. And while it deals with this "perfect" world with "perfect" people and the "perfect" solution to everything and anything, I found myself having so many different emotions in this little book. Happiness at the thought that the characters in this book don't have to experience pain and anguish and heartache. (Sidenote: I'm a big fan of a good feelings circle. Talking about your feelings, listening to others talk about their feelings, and then discussing what those feelings mean. I'm fluffy and sentimental like that). So, I loved the idea of how it is mandatory for the citizens of this "perfect" world to share their dreams that they had, to talk about how they were feeling at the dinner table, and they never questioned why they had to do so. It is just how their world is, so they do it.

But Jonas (the main character) is different then his family, friends, and neighbours. He questions why things are this way. He knows that the world must have been different at another time. And when he is appointed as the new Receiver, his questions start to be answered and he starts to learn that there is a whole lot more to life then the mundane and routine of his. And so begins his journey, where he receives memories of a time before, where he experiences love, pain, heartache, sadness, overwhelming joy and happiness. He knows things that others don't. And it's pleasure to read how he grows and how he deals with these new memories.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is a short read, but it is filled with so much depth and feeling. It was awesome discussing this book with others who love reading as well. We discussed the use of colour in the book, the idea of being released and what it meant, the way the book ended and how it made us feel, and our favourite memories that were described in the book.

Our next book (WHICH I AM SO EXCITED TO READ AND THEREFORE TOTALLY DESERVES THE USE OF ALL CAPS) is Lena Dunham's "Not That Kind of Girl."

Have you ever read "The Giver"? What did you think? What were some of the themes that resonated with you?

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

Lines from the film Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close:

Oskar: "What do you miss about him?"

Mother: "I miss his voice telling me he loves me."

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Sitting in the theatre, I nod my head and whisper "yes." I know how this feels, and I still feel it now and then. 

An incredible and moving movie. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would. In fact, I only teared up once (during the quoted moment above). It was amazing and inspiring to be in Oskar's thought processes and in his journey to find something he thought his Dad had left behind for him. He is a remarkable boy with the most intricate mind. I could have sat and watched/listened to him for hours. I'm definitely more motivated now to go read the book.  

Oskar is a nine-year-old boy who lost his father in 9/11. After finding a key in a blue vase in his father's closet, Oskar spends his weekends searching for who the key belongs to and what it opens hoping he'll find something that his Dad intended for Oskar to find. 

Oskar meets many people and hears their stories, when at the same time, the audience is living Oskar's story with him. I felt connected to Oskar and when he experienced extreme emotional break downs I wanted to reach my hand out and comfort him. It was obvious at the end of the film how much he impacted every person he encountered. And to see the relationship between Oskar and his mother blossom was one of the most touching and beautiful things I've ever seen on film. It was so real and so calming that I felt I was in the room with them. 

A wonderful movie, and I highly recommend it to you all. 

If you've seen it, what did you think? Leave a comment! 

(Photo via IMDb)

The Hunger Games.

It isn't to often while being in classes that I am able to read books that I want to read or are on my "Must Read Book List." However, when given the opportunity to read a book on this list FOR one of my classes I was quick to get on the train. In my english methods class we are required to work in a book club reading young adult fiction. Our group was quite keen on reading The Hunger Games, especially hearing all the positive and exciting feedback from our students. I remember during my first couple of weeks at my internship every class was shown the trailer for The Hunger Games movie. After watching it five times, I was dying to read the book and find out how the games played out for Katniss and Peeta.

Last week I finished the book. I couldn't put it down! Every chapter ended on a hook. Normally I don't enjoy gruesome details, but this book was so vivid and my imagination was stretched to new limits that I couldn't wait to read the next chapter. I was sad to see the novel end, but brimming with excitement to start reading the next novel in the series: Catching Fire.

I'm not going to get into details about the book because I don't want to give anything away for those who wish to read it or are waiting anxiously to watch the movie like myself. I will say though that if you like an action-packed novel filled with cliff hangers and interesting character developments, this novel is for you.

To get you excited and foster a love and desire for this novel the way I did, here's the trailer from YouTube.

Comment and let me know what you think!

Enjoy :)

(Image via Wikipedia)