Summer Reading List

Oh Ladies, 

My apologies!!  I know it has taken me over a week to get the new book club selections out to you!!  It is because I have been selfishly getting tipsy on Pina Coladas, while a handsome cabana boy fans me down with a palm and feeds me chocolates, as I tan myself on a white sandy beach in the Keys...  

Almost...

Well, now that I have returned from the great unknown, it's time to get back to business.  We picked two books to challenge ourselves with this summer.  Room by Emma Donoghue, which has been on the BWBMYKSBC suggestion list before.  It should be a pretty easy one to get through, which is why we made another selection, One Second After by William Forstchen.  Both should prove for some interesting discussions and sound extremely interesting.  Since I literally ran out of Julie's place because it was going on 11 o'clock and I still hadn't finished packing, we never came up with a time frame to gather again.  Last year, we worked with the end of August/beginning of September, so let me know what works for everyone.   I will definitely send out a reminder once we see summer start to draw to a close :( so you have some time to think about it.  Happy summering (totally a word), happy sunning and most of all... HAPPY READING!!! 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

REMINDER!!!

I know Julie beat me to it but I already had the reminder typed up so I figured I would send it out anyway... I can't let what I do in class go to waste people :) It's not fair to the kids :)

It is time to gather one last time before we break for summer vacation!!  I know this is a sad moment for all but don't fret, summer will be over before we know it and we will be gathering to insightfully discuss books amongst the changing leaves of Fall in no time.  Yuck.  No offense but I want summer to stay around for as long as possible...so, I hope we won't be getting together for what seems like a good-long-while!!  Again, no offense :)

Hopefully, you all can make it to Julie's this Friday, June 10 at 8pm.  This is going to be a book club extravaganza because we will also be celebrating...
* Suz's belated birthday
* Burke's early birthday
* Certain teachers' last days of school
* My imminent departure into a world of no showers/bathrooms
* And whatever else we desire to toast to!!

Again, hope you all can make it!!  Please leave a comment if you will be attending, so we can make sure to have enough White Liquor and Squirrel meat :)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do you think The Hunger Games series is a bestseller? What about these books appeal to so many people – young and old?
2. Which character in The Hunger Games is your favorite? Why?
3. Why are the tributes given stylists and dressed so elaborately for the opening ceremony? How much of an impact does personal appearance play into the games and why do you think there is such an emphasis on being “prepped” before going on TV, both before and after the Games? 
4. What did you think of Haymitch’s strategy for Katniss and Peeta during the Hunger Games?   Given the information presented in the first book, how do you think he (Haymitch) won the Games back when he was a tribute?
5. Before the Games start, Peeta tells Katniss, “…I want to die as myself…I don’t want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not.” What does this tell you about Peeta? What does he fear more than death? Is he able to stay true to himself during the Games?
6. Katniss and Peeta are both skilled in their own unique way.  What do you think were their most important skills for staying alive? Do you think either would have survived if they were unable to rely on each other?
7. Why does Peeta join with the Career Tributes in the beginning of the Games and why do they, in return, accept him? Why do groups form in the beginning when they know only one of them will be able to survive?
8. Discuss the ways in which the Gamemakers control the environment and “entertainment” value of the Games. How does it affect the tributes to know they are being manipulated to make the Games more exciting for the gamblers and viewers? Does knowing that she is constantly on live TV make Katniss behave differently than she would otherwise?
9. What do you think is the cruelest part of the Hunger Games? What kind of people would devise this spectacle for the entertainment of their populace? Can you see parallels between these Games and the society that condones them? Are there other related events and cultures in the history of the world that are comparable? 
10. In 1848, Karl Marx wrote in The Communist Manifesto, "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." Discuss this statement as it applies to the society and government of Panem. Do you believe there is any chance to eradicate class struggles in the future?
11. There has been a tremendous growth of Reality TV in the 21^st Century, with a fair number being in the area of competitive and survival shows. Discuss this phenomenon with respect to The Hunger Games?  What other aspects of our popular culture do you see reflected in this story? 
12. In your opinion, does a tribute ever really win the Hunger Games? Why or why not?
13. Katniss is obviously conflicted when it comes to the topic of love.  Who do you think she belongs with, romantically, Peeta or Gale?  Why? 
14. Which children were the worst off? The ones in the Districts where the children were raised to think that competing to kill other children and possibly die themselves was honorable as in Districts 1 & 2? Or the outlying districts which were so poor that the inhabitants had to forage for the smallest portions of food and signed up for tesserea out of necessity. 
15. For those of you who haven’t read it, what are your predictions for Katniss, Peeta, Gale and the other characters in Catching Fire (the second installment in The Hunger Games Trilogy)?  How do you think the story of Panem and its inhabitants develops?