There is a refugee situation occurring in the world, a current situation that would benefit from a group discussion (thank you Joyce for suggesting this title.)
Description from NoveList:
"The fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan and a well-to-do British couple seeking to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday are joined when the couple decide to stray beyond the walls of their holiday resort on a Nigerian beach."
Library Journal:
"...novel about what happens when ordinary, mundane Western lives are thrown into stark contrast against the terrifying realities of war-torn Africa. Their marriage in crisis, Andrew and Sarah O'Rourke impulsively accept a junket to a Nigerian beach resort as a last-ditch attempt to reconcile. When machete-wielding soldiers appear out of the jungle and force them to determine the fate of two African girls, everyone's lives are irrevocably shattered. Two years later in a London suburb, one of the girls, now a refugee, reconnects with Sarah. Together they face wrenching tests of a friendship forged under extreme duress. "
Kirkus:
"...psychologically charged story of grief, globalization and an unlikely friendship...After Little Bee's release, the first -person narration switches to Sarah, a magazine editor in London....Cleave alternates the viewpoints of the two women, patiently revealing the connection between them."
Award Winner
Subjects to discuss: women refugees, identity, resilience, immigration and deportation.
Description from NoveList:
"The fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan and a well-to-do British couple seeking to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday are joined when the couple decide to stray beyond the walls of their holiday resort on a Nigerian beach."
Library Journal:
"...novel about what happens when ordinary, mundane Western lives are thrown into stark contrast against the terrifying realities of war-torn Africa. Their marriage in crisis, Andrew and Sarah O'Rourke impulsively accept a junket to a Nigerian beach resort as a last-ditch attempt to reconcile. When machete-wielding soldiers appear out of the jungle and force them to determine the fate of two African girls, everyone's lives are irrevocably shattered. Two years later in a London suburb, one of the girls, now a refugee, reconnects with Sarah. Together they face wrenching tests of a friendship forged under extreme duress. "
Kirkus:
"...psychologically charged story of grief, globalization and an unlikely friendship...After Little Bee's release, the first -person narration switches to Sarah, a magazine editor in London....Cleave alternates the viewpoints of the two women, patiently revealing the connection between them."
Award Winner
- ALA Notable Books - Fiction 2010
Subjects to discuss: women refugees, identity, resilience, immigration and deportation.
On a lighter note, in the vein of "The Storied Life of A.J. Firkey", is
"A Man Called Ove." Other similar titles would include:
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry,by rachel Joyce
- Letters from Skye, by Jessica Brockmole
- The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Anne Shaffer (we discussed this in book group in 2009 - 2010)
This book is a debut novel and a Swedish translation. You will fall
in love with the quirky curmudgeon Ove (thank you Tom for bringing
this book to our attention).
A Description from GoodReads:
"A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but …."
Booklist:
"...Readers seeking feel-good tales with a message will rave about the rantings of this solitary old man with a singular outlook. If there was an award for Most Charming Book of the Year, this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down."
Publishers Weekly:
"...these characters slowly weave themselves into his life, offering Ove a chance at rebirth. The debut novel from journalist Backman is a fuzzy crowd-pleaser that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss and love..."
Kirkus:
"...The back story chapters have a simple, fablelike quality, while the current-day chapters are episodic and, at times, hysterically funny. In both instances, the narration can veer toward the preachy or overly pat, but wry descriptions, excellent pacing and the juxtaposition of Ove's attitude with his deeds add plenty of punch to balance out any pathos..."
A GoodReads Reader Review:
"... It's about the transformations we go through in life and how different events within our life affect, shape us, and make us who we are today."
Subjects to discuss: Neighbors and communities, widowers and loss, interpersonal relations, suicidal behavior...
This completes our list of books, thus far, that we vote on next week.
Next blog post: I will share author information regarding our May 5th book discussion of "The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family" by Mary s. Lovell. And oh what a family this one is! Fascinating sisters........
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