It seems like people show up knowing they are up next? Maybe I’m wrong. Just don’t want to be that guy whose turn it is with no book to suggest 
Sometimes we’re on top of this and sometimes not! 
If someone wants to volunteer to pick, that’s cool - otherwise I can be prepared with a suggestion
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Ok - I have three suggestions to bring to next discussion if needed
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The last few times we would figure out who was up and they would have a suggestion ready for the next discussion. Unless we have regulars that have not picked, we might be back to the top of the order.
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I’m following Sarah’s suit. I’ll have a few in hand to suggest. Would just need to run them by the human library (@greebs) to make sure there are no rereads.
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I intentionally went with one really Canadian pick so I would have at least one option @greebs (probably) hasn’t read.
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If there’s a no rereads rule for @greebs we are significantly limiting the shelf life of this group.
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I mean, I am quite torn on how to respond to all of this…I’m certainly not embarrassed by having read “too much” by any means, but I feel like I keep needing to point out that until Refuge Book Club I hadn’t read:
- The Age Of Innocence
- The Overstory
- Eileen
- The Nickel Boys
- Trust Exercise
- Interior Chinatown
- Moby Dick
- Milkman
- The Last Ballad
- The Day The World Came To Town
I think it’s just Kavalier & Clay and Goon Squad that I’ve previously read. Even if you take Moby Dick out of this, that’s 2 of the 10 books I’ve read! Not a high percentage.
This is all to say there are a LOT of books out there! I’ve barely read any of them.
(I also read Pale Fire based on @onmeltedwings suggestion - which I did not enjoy, but that’s more on me than him.)
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Take a huge bow or tip a cap at a minimum!!
I’m so excited to be “on track” on my Goodreads goal of one per week knowing you are probably tracking double… that’s just awesome!
I’m losing track of who’s selected what (I’ve enjoyed them all including a couple of rereads myself).
You did get a pick already….correct?
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Yep, The Nickel Boys was me. Happy to wait for awhile.
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It’s more of a fun challenge for us to try to find options you haven’t read yet 
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Juggling “The Day the World Came to Town” with a local “One Book Read” (actually two) trifecta. Working my way at about 1/5 of a book before swapping out.
Has been a poignant stretch of reading w the mix of fiction, oral collection and the much needed positive side from Gander….
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There was apparently a Canadian movie made about Gander called DIVERTED but it’s not streaming anywhere (used to be on Netflix though). And, as mentioned, my brother is working on the sound for the film of Come From Away, which is based on this same story.
Highly recommend giving the Broadway musical soundtrack for Come From Away a listen. Great lyrical value and set up to tell the story without actually seeing the show. Pumped to see the traveling production come to town next spring. Should make for a great movie as well.
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Well, I’m 80 pages and two tissues into this book. Damn it’s an emotional read for me. Looking forward to the convo on Wednesday.
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Thanks for the pick, Nick! I kinda needed to read something like that. Been easy to be down on things and it was very welcomed to read something that was just human kindness, resilience and working together. Something tells me we’ll spend lots of time construing this book to current events and “what would September 11 look like 20 years later” …but did dig up some discussion questions below.
Summary
The Day of the Attack:
- Do you remember where you were when you first heard about the terrorist acts on 9/11? What were your initial reactions? How did these reactions change as the day want on? How was it different for us living in the Midwest compared to people living closer to the attacks?
- Were you watching TV that day? What role did the media play in the way viewers reacted to the attacks? At the time, what were some of the images that made an impression on you?
- When Mineta ordered the planes down, “…the US was effectively passing the potential threat posed by these planes onto” Canada…Despite the risk, Canada didn’t hesitate. 6 Discuss. Do you think this was fair?
- On P. 19, DeFede talks about Captain Knoth. As he waited for instruction, he wondered about the people on his plane. How would you have felt as a pilot or flight attendant? What would you have told your passengers? How would you have felt as a passenger?
- On p. 61, DeFede writes about one of the passengers studying her fellow passengers and wondering: What does a terrorist look like? She didn’t know. Think about the word “terrorist” for a moment. What images/stereotypes come to mind? Where do these stereotypes come from? How do we break down these stereotypes?
Gander:
- Has anyone visited Gander?
- Discuss the culture of Gander. How does it differ from yours? Is anyone from a small town?
- Discuss the importance of Gander in getting the planes down quickly & safely.
- Are there any stories that stood out? Please share specific quotes or passages.
- Some passengers craved news, others wanted to avoid it. Discuss.
- Would you invite strangers into your home? Why or why not?
- Discuss the Screeching-In ceremony in Chapter 17. Does your family or hometown have special celebrations? If so, tell us about them.
- After all the passengers left, the people of Gander turned down a party. Why? How do you think the people of Gander felt after everything was over? Discuss the Newfie way. (Chap. 19)
Returning Home:
- Everyone has a different way of coping with stress. When it came time to get back on the planes, “…there was genuine fear among the flight crews,…” 173 Consider the events of 9/11 & imagine having to get back on a plane. How would you have felt? How would you have handled it?
- In Chapter 15 when the Lopers discover that their flight is not going back to the U.S. as planned, but returning to Germany, they decide to drive. They had to figure out their own way home. What would you have done?
- The chairman of Hugo Boss, Baldessarini could have gone home on a private jet. Instead he returned with his fellow passengers. He said,”… flying home while the others were left behind would have been an act of betrayal of everything that had happened over the last 72 hours. He would go when the others went…He was in this until the end.” 194 Discuss his reasoning. What would you have done?
- Do you feel differently after these events when you fly? Do you still fly? Do you feel safe?
The Legacy of 9/11:
- Discuss some of the other stories from 9/11.
- How did life in America change after 9/11? Who was most affected by these changes?
- Did the story make you question any of your own beliefs?
- How did the events of September 11 bring out both the “worst” & the “best” in people?
- Have the events of 9/11 changed your daily lives in a positive way? In a negative way?
- What is the legacy of 9/11? What does it mean to live in a post-9/11 world?
- Would you change any of the policies or laws that have been put in place since 9/11?
About the author & the book:
- Why did the author open the book the way he did? (the adoption story)
- Is the author’s background reflected in the book? Discuss the writing style. This was the author’s first book. Was the writing accessible to readers at large?
- What is original about this book? How is it different from other books?
- What was the author’s attitude towards his subject. How do you think the author was changed by the experience of writing the book.
- What did you think about the title of the book? Why was it titled that way? Can you think of an alternative title?
- What’s the overall message the author is trying to convey?
Also @mcdonart22 will you have zoom set up or should I bug @JScore or @MrVinegar206?
Also 6pm pst as usual
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Sure thing!
Ryan McDonald is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
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Also, sorry for the double post here, but I wanted to get out ahead of this: This one was a bit heavier for me than our usual picks. I grew up (and still live) in Metro NY. I was 11 on September 11th. I have vivid memories of the day, perhaps made more vivid because my dad worked in Tower 2 (the South Tower). He and all his coworkers survived physically unscathed, but as the years have gone on, it’s become clear that they all experienced a lifetime’s worth of stress, both physical and emotional, on that day. I’m happy to share my experiences and memories from the day, and what my dad has shared with me about his firsthand experiences, but just in case I step away for a minute or two Wednesday, I wanted to let you all know beforehand that I’m okay, but I might need a second or two to compose myself if I get a little emotional. Looking forward to discussing the book with everyone Wednesday!
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Bumping thread…
Looking forward to chatting with folks this evening!
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