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Archives & Readers' Guides => Archives of Book Discussions => Topic started by: BooksAdmin on September 16, 2009, 07:35:49 PM

Title: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: BooksAdmin on September 16, 2009, 07:35:49 PM



That Old Cape Magic
           by
Richard  Russo    		                            (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/oldcapecvr..jpg)

From Bookmarks (http://www.bookmarksmagazine.com/book-review/old-cape-magic/richard-russo) magazine:

Following Bridge of Sighs—a national best seller hailed by The Boston Globe as “an astounding achievement” and “a masterpiece”—Richard Russo gives us the story of a marriage, and of all the other ties that bind, from parents and in-laws to children and the promises of youth.
 The storytelling is flawless throughout, moments of great comedy and even hilarity alternating with others of rueful understanding and heart-stopping sadness, and its ending is at once surprising, uplifting and unlike anything this Pulitzer Prize winner has ever written.


From The Washington Post (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/23/books-old-cape-magic/)

Every year, Jack Griffin's parents would drive from the Midwest, where they were both unhappy-to-miserable college professors, to spend two weeks in a rented cottage somewhere on the beautiful island of Cape Cod, Mass., and as they crossed the Sagamore Bridge they would, as if on cue, begin to sing "That Old Cape Magic," their altered version of "That Old Black Magic."


Discussion Leader: Traude   (xx)
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on September 16, 2009, 11:34:56 PM
WELCOME to our newly proposed discussion of Richard Russo's latest book, That Old  Cape Magic.

Last month,  Russo, the 2002 Pulitzer Prize winner (for Empire Falls), gave a well-attended reading in Sandwich on Cape Cod - affectionately known as The Cape - in loco.

Living as I do within manageable distance from the Cape, I was able to attend.   It was a marvelous evening.
Please join us in a vicarious journey to the fabled island.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: JoanP on September 17, 2009, 07:08:18 AM
Quote
That Old Cape Magic is a novel of deep introspection and every family feeling imaginable, with a middle-aged man confronting his parents and their failed marriage, his own troubled one, his daughter’s new life and, finally, what it was he thought he wanted and what in fact he has.


" what it was he thought he wanted and what in fact he has" .

This is  a subject that gets my attention every time.  Have you heard of this Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel?  It sounds like a winner from those who have recommended it to us.  If you think you might like to join us in November, please let us know.  If enough are interested to form a quorum, we can put it on the schedule.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: elizabeth84 on September 17, 2009, 11:41:39 AM
I would like to join this discussion.  I just finished reading Russo's Nobody's Fool because I loved the movie and his book was all I could wish.  I'm glad Paul Newman made that film before he died--left at the top of his game.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: straudetwo on September 17, 2009, 01:07:11 PM
Welcome, Elizabeth!  We're so glad you plan on joining us.
It's a safe bet that fans of Richard Russo's previous books will not be disappointed. That Old Cape Magic describes situations in which any of us could (and perhaps) have found ourselves.  We may perhaps also wonder, for example, whether happiness is a place or rather a state of mind.  

However, in order to make this proposed discussion a firm commitment for November, we need a quorum.  Please let us hear from you.  Thank you in advance.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: joangrimes on September 17, 2009, 07:56:28 PM
I would like to join this discussion.  I loved "Empire Falls"  when I read it.   I am sure this will be a wonderful book.

Joan Grimes
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: straudetwo on September 17, 2009, 10:09:07 PM
Thank you, JoanG, and WELCOME!  I'm so glad we'll have the pleasure of your company and input.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: serenesheila on September 18, 2009, 11:37:56 PM
Please add my name to the discussion.  I just bought a copy of this book, for my Kindle.  I have not seen any of Richard Russo's prior books turned into movies, nor have I watched "Empire Falls", on TV.

Sheila
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: straudetwo on September 19, 2009, 02:40:21 PM
WELCOME, Sheila !  Thank you for your interest in Richard Russo's newest book and our proposed discussion. It is so good to have another participant.  
I saw your message first thing this morning but had to rush off to cheer my 10-year old granddaughter  on in a soccer match. Her team won;  that has made me late. Sorry.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: Gumtree on September 20, 2009, 03:50:43 AM
Hello again Traude : I bought a copy of 'Cape' yesterday - it just called out to me from the bookshop doorway and a few seconds later was tucked into my bag. I can't be sure that I'll be in the discussion as MDH's health is still giving cause for concern but by November things should be much better for him (and me too!).

The book looks interesting indeed - something to look forward to - as will be your account of the Russo's reading you attended.

BTW I see that Muriel Barbery has a new book out. Title escapes me.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: PatH on September 20, 2009, 05:20:41 AM
Title escapes me, too, but someone told me it takes place in the same building, and the main character is a chef.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: JoanP on September 20, 2009, 02:41:46 PM
Yes, your memory serves you, Gum - Muriel Barbery's  Gourmet Rhapsody (http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/111766-barberys-gourmet-rhapsody-is-tasty/) is her newly published book - written nine years ago and recently translated and released here.  Does it sound interesting to you? (the title is a link describing the book.) Will you propose it in the Suggestion Box if you would like to see it considered for discussion?  I loved Elegance of the Hedgehog...

Traudee, if you are counting noses for quorum on Russo, count me in!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ Proposed
Post by: straudetwo on September 20, 2009, 05:25:29 PM
Many thanks for all the posts.

WELCOME, Gum,.  Thank you for your interest in the book and for considering to join us when circumstances have changed for the better. Renewed good wishes for your DH and for you.

JoanP,, special thanks for agreeing to be with us.  Of course I'm keeping a list of participants  :).
A few day ago I saw Sam Tanenhaus of the NYT interview Richard Russo in a brief news clip on line. Very
enjoyable.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on September 21, 2009, 10:05:36 AM
Good Morning!
It's a splendid one in New England.

JoanP,  yes, Muriel Barbery's first book,  Une gourmandise, came out in 2000,  in French only. Due to the success of The Elegance of the Hedgehog an English translation was decided upon and promiwed for this year.

The haughty food critic is the same M. Arthens who lived in 6 Rue de Grenell, where Mme. Michel toiled.  Apparently it is a slim volume of fewer than 200 pages.   It's bound to a very "tasty" book!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Eloise on September 27, 2009, 10:42:48 AM
I can't promise, but I think I would like this book after reading the synopsis in the heading. It is the sort of plot I like as a rule. I haven't read Bridge of Sighs yet but I put it on my to read list.

I absolutely loved Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery and I raved about it to my daughter and grand daughter who didn't like it at all . Perhaps when they to get older they might appreciate it ;D. Definitely I will read Une Gourmandise, and oh! is the book about Mr. Arthens in Elegance? Well that should be a treat.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on September 27, 2009, 05:56:20 PM
WELCOLME, Éloïse, chėre amie, quel plaisir de vous voir ici.   What a pleasure to see you here.
Thank you for joining us. We seem to be well on our way to a quorum. And that's wonderful.

A book about mid-life, unplanned career changes,  new insights into the past, lessons to be learned late, and marriage when children leave the nest, can be satisfying because we may well have comparable experiences.

Yes, Une Gourmandise is about Monsieur Arthens at an earlier time in his life, the same Arthens who appears and dies in The Elegance of the Hedgehog.
I wonder if  Muriel Barbery is at work on a new book about Japan.

Thank you.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: bellamarie on October 03, 2009, 10:07:54 AM
I just ordered this book and plan to participate in the discussion.  It sounds like a very interesting book.  I have not read any of Russo's previous books, so this will be a first for me.  I have always longed to visit Cape Cod and hope to in the near future.  Looking forward to Nov.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 04, 2009, 09:13:14 AM
I think you've made a great choice here in a book club selection.  I started it last night and I am intrigued by the premise of the book and some of the larger questions it raises, about all of us.

It's my first Russo, too, but it won't be the last. I like his style of writing, and the way he presents the characters, very deft, but at the same time...it's hard for me to decide WHAT he's doing but he's doing it very well.

Parents and children. Critical parents, particularly the mother. Aging. Apparently a marriage in trouble tho I'm not there yet. The props of "success," or success as some of our parents may have seen it. Well I won't discuss it before the opening bell, tho how you'll discuss it is a mystery. I can't wait to find out.

   A great choice for a book club discussion, I hope to join in and at least read your comments, as there are things about this book I really want to hear opinions on.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 04, 2009, 03:21:08 PM
WELCOME,  WELCOME,  to Bella Marie and Ginny.  I'm delighted that you are both going to be with us in November.  Thank you

Richard Russo is a prolific, compelling and, above all, a  versatile author and also a writing teacher -- traits he shares with  Jack Griffin, the main protagonist of That Old Cape Magic.  Russo's work is multi-faceted, always new and perfectly nuanced.

Here's a heads up for those of you who HAVE read Empire Falls and Bridge of Sighs.   That Old Cape Magic is different,  both stylistically and geographically.  

The style will come up in the discussion.   As for the geography,    
That Old Cape Magic is set on tony Cape  Cod and coastal Maine  (instead of in crumbling blue-collar factory towns). The main protagonist is a  comfortably-off, tenured middle-aged English professor, assessing his relationship with his father.  (The latter is a concern brought up also in Russo's 1997 Straight Man).
But  That Old Cape Magic [/i] addressess other concerns  as well and they will be familiar to readers.    
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: mrssherlock on October 04, 2009, 08:29:50 PM
I'm a Richard Russo virgin also but joining this group is a not-to-be-missed opportunity so count me in. 
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: salan on October 05, 2009, 08:17:13 AM
Hello!  I am new to this web site and would love to join the Nov. discussion of That Old Cape Magic.  I have read Russo's Straight Man and Empire Falls and enjoy his style of writing.  I just checked out "Magic" from our library and the first chapter has already drawn me into the story.
What do I need to do to join this discussion group?  My name is Sally and am signed in as salanre.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 05, 2009, 08:36:37 AM
Welcome, Sally! You don't have to do one more thing,  you're a member of the group which will start in November! You're IN!

The next time you come to the website look up in the left hand corner for two links which say (http://seniorlearn.org/latin/graphics/ssshownewreplies.jpg)  Show New Replies to YOUR Posts, right under your name: Welcome, Salan.. Click on the bottom  link, (not the top one, if you click the top one you get every post posted anywhere) and it will always bring you right here  to where you left off!

Right under that, on a blue bar, is the Discussion Index where you can check out everything we offer here.

Welcome, welcome, how did you find us?  And you've read two of his other books, too, you're ahead of me.

What part of the country (or world) are you from?

We are so glad to have you!!

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 05, 2009, 10:47:08 AM
Hurrah!  Another Double Welcome !!
I apologize for its lateness, but here's the reason:  my grandson and granddaughter visited yesterday, and grandson immediately monopolized my computer for the duration of the visit to complement and finalize a literary essay (due today) with graphics and other technical flourishes of whose existence I remain, alas, totally unaware.

So,  WELCOME, Jackie;  WELCOME, Sally!  I'm happy you're joining the upcoming discussion.
And Sally,  if this is your first encounter with us, we hope you'll enjoy participating in our great group.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ALF43 on October 05, 2009, 01:12:32 PM
Oh we are always so happy to get new readers to join us Salan- welcome aboard!  Ginny gave great directions but also feel free to jump in with questions at any time.

Straude- I am going to buy Russo's book (Oct. is my birthday month- so I will splurge @ B & N here) and I am planning on entering the discussion.  November is a heavy travel month for me, but I will be here off and on to comment.  The premise and promise of deep introspectiion always arouses my interest.  Count me in (and out & in.)

Don't ask me why but I wasn't a great fan of The Bridge of Sighs.  Most likely, it was probably my mind set when I read it.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: salan on October 05, 2009, 06:56:04 PM
Thanks Ginny, Alf, and Straude for welcoming me.  I am looking forward to the upcoming session.  Ginny, thanks for giving me explicit instructions.  I am a techno-tard (my daughter's word for me) when it comes to computers so any helpful hints are appreciated. 

I live in a very small town in the beautiful (but hot) Texas hill country.  We have a small, but excellent (for its size) library; so sometimes there is a waiting list for current books.  I was lucky and had my name first on the list for the Russo book.
I do a lot of ordering from Amazon, but try to get used books and rarely buy hard backs.  Alf, I tried to read Bridge of Sighs, but couldn't get into it, either.

I found this site by googling "reading group discussions for seniors".  I am one of the founding members of our local reading group.  We have 12-15 members with ages ranging from mid 50's to 93!!  Most of us are in our 60's.   We make our selections at a yearly planning meeting.  We meet once a month and discuss one book.  I am looking forward to a more in depth discussion.

Sally
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: mrssherlock on October 05, 2009, 11:41:18 PM
Sally:  May I add my welcome to the others?  You will find some fellow Texans here; check out the other discussions.  We read, and comment on,  more than one book at a time.  Some of us are compulsive readers; we have talked about starting a twelth step group for those of us who can't pass up a book store without going in, even though our TBR stacks reach the ceiling.   ;D
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Gumtree on October 06, 2009, 03:53:57 AM
Hi Sally - and Welcome. You've certainly come to the right place if you're wanting an in-depth discussion. The readers here are superb and catch just about every nuance there is to catch in the writing. Hope we see you around in the other discussions as well.

MrsSherlock: Can I be the first to enrol for the twelve step plan? ;D
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ALF43 on October 06, 2009, 07:26:12 AM
Not me!  Hell, I don't want to take that cure!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 06, 2009, 11:19:52 AM
Hello, ALF, and a Big Welcome.   I'm so pleased that you plan on joining us despite your busy schedule.  I  just know you'll like the book.  And to splurge on a book on one's own birthday is perfectly fine IMHO :):)  Enjoy both-- the birthday and the book!

Sally,  books have been my steady companions since I taught myself to read a  lifetime ago. Like  you I have been in a live book group for many years, and it is a formative and a human  experience I would not have missed.  Our group has dwindled to 9, but we are still avid readers who cherish books and each other.   But the notoriously inclement weather in Massachuetts in the winter months has forced us to cancel meetings tat were not made up.  

Online discussions, on the other hand,  are not affected by the vagaries of weather, climate, or - for that matter - by time differences and geographic distance.  We are able to follow up to our heart's content on any given point 24/7 and benefit from the answers and insights of other participants for a whole month in a joint effort.  What could be better?
Thank you for being here.







 





Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ALF43 on October 06, 2009, 12:43:33 PM
Traude- not only does inclement weather interfere with face to face book clubs but disease, death and hardships in a family can make us miss our treasured discussions.
 As you mentioned, at SeniorLearn one can sit around in their "PJ'S" reading and rereading a thought. Oft times, Sally,  I find myself going back to a thought and taking the time to contemplate it the way that another on-line participant sees it.  It amazes me the way that an idea can be completley different.  I love that about our group because it matters not if one respectfully disagrees or not, we all pay attention to one another's thoughts.
  Face to face it is difficult to deliberate at length without fearing you are hogging the conversation.   
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: mrssherlock on October 06, 2009, 01:02:42 PM
I can't count how many times reading these comments has left me with an "Aha" or two.  That is why our discussions are so rich.  And the hogging issue is one that can throttle f2f discussions, especially when one is glib and the other must fumble for the right words.  Here it is truly democratic.  But addicting.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 06, 2009, 02:44:06 PM
Plus let's face it, it's people you ne'er would meet, from all over everywhere, internationally and all walks of life, and  that makes for a very rich experience, indeed.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: PatH on October 06, 2009, 09:05:39 PM
Sally, I'd love to know what the current 12-month list of books is.

Usually in a discussion the book is divided into segments, and each week we only talk about stuff up to that point.  People vary as to whether they read the whole book first or only up to where the discussion is.  Both have their advantages.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: salan on October 06, 2009, 10:11:03 PM
mrssherlock--no 12 step program for me!  I just counted the TBR books on my bookshelf (48 to date-not counting books I've saved to read again, or my ongoing list of library books to check out).  I'm afraid reading is an addiction that I am not willing to curtail.
 
PatH-We only select books for 10 months.  We use August for our yearly planning meeting and discussion and we do not meet in December, since members are either out of town or too busy with the holidays.  We just finished discussing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  Everyone really liked the book and we had a lively discussion.  It may be the only book in 12 years that everyone agreed on.  This month we will discuss The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.  Other books we have chosen are:  The Thirteenth Tale by Setterfield, A Long Way from Chicago by Peck (a children's book), The story of Edgar Sawtelle by Wroblewski, Same Kind of Different as Me by Hall, The Help by Stockett, South of Broad by Conroy, Loving Frank by Horan and one of Mark Twain's books (reader's choice).  It should be an interesting year, don't you think?

Sally
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: bellamarie on October 06, 2009, 10:46:06 PM
Welcome Sally,  I loved reading and discussing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel  Pie Society on this site.  It was a wonderful book that I find has stayed with me.  I love SeniorLearn because it has enticed me to read books I would never have chosen on my own, such as Guernsey.  If I may introduce myself ......Hi my name is Marie, and I am a book reader addict.  No 12 step program will help me.  I love posting late at night in my PJ's and sipping warm hot cocoa in the cold weather.  I'd LOVE to participate in a f2f book club but I can barely make it to my weekly Wed. night Bible study, especially in the winter.  As Alf pointed out, we don't have to feel like we are hogging the time here at SeniorLearn, and everyone who has read and discussed a book with me can attest to the fact I do have a tendency to HOG!  LOLOL  I also LOVE the respectfully agree to disagree Alf pointed out.  I may be the one of the youngest members here, just turned 57, but it does not keep me from keeping up with all of you expert elders.   LOLOL  I intend to go buy myself a bookcase and bring all my cherished, treasured books out of the attic, and begin to enjoy having them in my presence.  I too will have a TBR stack.  LOLOL  Until I became a Senior Learn member I had never realized you could read more than one book at a time, you could begin a book and put it down, you could STOP reading one if you couldn't get into it, and you could reread a book if you really enjoyed it.  Imagine how boring and disciplined I was before learning this.......LOLOL  I look forward to Nov. 1
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Gumtree on October 07, 2009, 11:13:17 AM
Hi Bellamarie How nice it is to see you again. I think you're right to want to have those special books somewhere near to hand - while it's OK to put the run of the mill books aside I know I like those that have special meaning for me and are treasured for one reason or another  to be right up close and personal all the time. I might not look at them or turn them over very often but I like them to be there. After all, they're my old friends and share my history.

 
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: CallieOK on October 07, 2009, 11:44:47 AM
Hello,   I've just finished That Old Cape Magic and am "marking my spot" so I can return to the discussion here.

 Welcome to Sally from a neighbor "north of the border" in Oklahoma.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 07, 2009, 06:47:56 PM
Callie in OK,
It is a pleasure to see you; WELCOME to the group!
And you've finished the book! Super.

This is our November book for fiction.  We plan to begin the discussion proper on the 1st of November and carry through to the end  of that month.
 
I'm looking forward to your input and insights; all opinions and impressions are welcome.  Everyone should and will be heard. Please know that we are not looking for consensus.  I do not plan on making "definitive pronouncements" and demand "agreement" ...  it's not my style.  Instead I believe in amicable, fair discourse.

Happy reading!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: CallieOK on October 07, 2009, 07:25:58 PM
Thank you, Traude.  I'm not a "newbie" and have looked in on other book discussions -  just don't always say very much.  I should probably change my i. d.  to A. Nony Mouse.  :)

I've read "Empire Falls" and enjoyed it very much.

Callie
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 07, 2009, 08:58:00 PM
Callie,   yes, I well remember seeing your name.  Again, welcome.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: bellamarie on October 09, 2009, 01:37:26 PM

That Old Cape Magic
         by
Richard  Russo   


(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/sagbridge.jpg)         

(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/oldcapecvrsm.jpg)

(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/mapcapecodsm.jpg) (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/map.capecod.jpg)

From Bookmarks (http://www.bookmarksmagazine.com/book-review/old-cape-magic/richard-russo) magazine:
Following Bridge of Sighs—a national best seller hailed by The Boston Globe as “an astounding achievement” and “a masterpiece”—Richard Russo gives us the story of a marriage, and of all the other ties that bind, from parents and in-laws to children and the promises of youth.
 The storytelling is flawless throughout, moments of great comedy and even hilarity alternating with others of rueful understanding and heart-stopping sadness, and its ending is at once surprising, uplifting and unlike anything this Pulitzer Prize winner has ever written.


From The Washington Post (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/23/books-old-cape-magic/)
Every year, Jack Griffin's parents would drive from the Midwest, where they were both unhappy-to-miserable college professors, to spend two weeks in a rented cottage somewhere on the beautiful island of Cape Cod, Mass., and as they crossed the Sagamore Bridge they would, as if on cue, begin to sing "That Old Cape Magic," their altered version of "That Old Black Magic."

Questions for Chapters 1 - 3
1. What were your first thoughts as you began reading this book?
Is it different in some way from what you might have expected - less sunny, despite the glorious ambiance - more serious?

2. After reading the first three chapters (52 pages), what is your impression of Griffin, the narrator?
He does acknowledge his "petulance" in the very first paragraph of Chapter One  but seems reluctant to apologize to Joy, his wife. 

3. Do you think the appearance of Griffin's mother in the first chapter, "A Finer Place", is essential  by way  of an explanation (if one were neded)  for Griffin's behavior?

4. Were you amused or appalled reading Griffin's revelations of his parents' professional and personal lives?

Discussion Leader: Traude  (xx)

Gumtree...our Aussie night time fairy, who posts while we sleep, although you and I do bump into each other every now and then, since I tend to be a night owl.  Hoot hoot...How are you?  I so agree with you that my books feel like my friends.  Afterall, we come to know the characters on a personal level and so once we are done with the book why must we file it away never to be seen again?  Just a glance at the title on my desk gives me warm feelings of how much I enjoyed the book, or in some cases a glance reminds me of the knowledge I gained.  So...for my early Christmas present I shall buy that corner bookshelf I have had my eye on for nearly a year now.  I hope they will dicker the price a tad with me.  If not...I shall give them the asking price, since it will be worth its price in gold to me.  I look forward to Nov. 1st, my book is on its way.  I found it online at a discount book site, so I truly saved there.  :)
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 09, 2009, 11:18:16 PM
Thanks to our matchless techie team we have a real folder now, no longer the proposed one.
I'm grateful to the team, and to all of you.  

Tomorrow I'll tell you a few things about Cape Cod, its geography,  and its many attractions.  
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: salan on October 10, 2009, 06:58:29 PM
I just finished That Old Cape Magic.  It was a library book and there's a waiting list, so wanted to be sure and get it back on time.  It took me longer to read than usual, since I was trying to make notes for our upcoming discussion.  I probably won't be able to get it back in November.  Reading it this way really interrupted the flow of the book for me.  Enough said.  My lips are sealed (sort of) until November.  I am eager to begin the discussion.
Sally
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 10, 2009, 07:20:56 PM
Salan, good for you taking notes! I'm going to wish I had, I'm trying something different this time, just for the heck of it, I'm reading it like any other book. Then we'll see if I can even remember my own  name when I get to the discussion. hahahaa

This way I figure I can go on impressions, or the impressions I've gotten from the book, I may be sorry, but that's what I've done this time. Normally I mark as I read, something which stands out, maybe a neat turn of phrase or a point made,  but of course you couldn't do that in a library book, we'll see what we see. I'm enjoying it.

I look forward to hearing about Cape Cod, Traude.  I am trying to remember the last time I was there, it was probably 50 years ago. I can sing the song You're Sure to Fall in Love With Old Cape Cod but for the life of me I can't remember why you would, or what's there, so this will be fun.

Looking forward to it and the discussion!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: JoanP on October 10, 2009, 08:32:55 PM
Ginny, the song you need to learn for this one is - That Old Black Magic   (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpjxx9BOm-0)- so I'm told...
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 11, 2009, 07:58:36 AM
 Yes, the title is a take on it, and apparently they would sing it,  substituting "Cape Magic" for "Black Magic"  as they motored out. Ah the American vacation! Can't wait for this one to start!  Am glad to have the lyrics, oh my goodness Keely Smith, how many years has it BEEN, and Louis Prima, used to watch them on TV all the time, thank you!  Golly moses.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 11, 2009, 10:46:48 AM
JoanP,  special thanks for the link to the song That Old Cape Magic.
It has been done in many different versions by many artists, some only instrumentally, one by Jerry Lewis, half talking half singing, with a sixties' blonde looking on adoringly. I can't remember whether it was Sandra Dee or Stella Stevens.
I like the rendition with Keely Smith - what a lovely timbre! She performed with Frank Sinatra, too - in perfect harmony. Aaah, those were the days when we had MUSIC and melodies of all sorts to hum ... some still vivid,  but where to begin?
 
And who can forget Patti Page singing in her silky voice and beautiful diction

"If you spend an evening you'll want to stay
Watching the moonlight on Cape Co Bay,
You're sure to fall in love with Old Cape Cod"

Ginny, what you've described  may very well be the only way to read this book, where feelings, memories, the family ties that bind and snap are the main focus.

Let's begin with the first location,  Cape Cod.
It's a peninsula at the easternmost end of the landmass of Massachusetts.  Its topography is  rather "curious" : the land curves around, as it were,  like a raised right elbow -- or the curled tail of a cat.:)  The body of water within the "elbow" is Cape Cod Bay.  On the outside of the "elbow" is the Atlantic.  The beaches on the Atlantic side are favored because the water is warmer  there due to the proximity of the Gulf Stream. Around Cape Cod Bay, on the other hand, the wate is several degrees cooler, which can disappoint unknowing visitors.

Cape Cod is  a peninsula that functions, in effect, like a barrier island protecting the coastline against the onslaught of the Atlantic during hurricane season and particularly heavy Nor'easters in winter.  In the last few years the  rate of beach and harbor erosion has increased alarmingly, especially in the town of Chatham.  Retired friends of mine have moved from their home there to Truro on the upper Cape.  (Our book contains a chapter about Truro.)

I'm a great believer in maps and believe we could  enjoy looking at one. With technical help I hope to get one o you in the header.  In readiness now is a truly wonderful picture of the Sagamore Bridge, the major gateway for motorists to Cape Cod, the one Griffin in our book uses.

There is something special about Cape Cod, an undefinable quality because of the dazzling light and the endless vista of the  sea.  It has attracted artists from a long time back.  Provincetown , for example, affectionately know as P-town and located at the very tip of the Upper Cape, has become a popular summer resort and artists' colony.  

More later




Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: salan on October 11, 2009, 05:54:33 PM
Ginny,  I much prefer to read a book all at once, highlighting things that speak to me.  That's why I usually buy my own copy.  I took notes since I had to return the book.  I've found from past book club experiences that I can't trust my memory unless I have something to refer back to.

Straude, I will be most interested on geography and history about Cape Cod.  Several years ago my late husband and our best friends flew into Boston and rented a car. The main purpose of our trip was to travel the coast line into Maine and then cross country through New Hampshire and Vermont.  It was a fantastic trip and I really want to go back as two weeks was too short!  The guys decided to make a quick diversion and go to Cape Cod.  Now, I am a planner and like to study maps and travel information before embarking.  Since Cape Cod was spur of the moment, we had to "fly by the seat of our pants".  When you are travelling with 2 men who think that "ticking the box" is simply getting to a place, you really don't see much.  We saw lots of Cape Cod houses, beautiful country, but could never find a public road to get us close to the water.  Does seeing it through the tree tops count?  I somehow don't think so.  Did I mention that the men were driving and wouldn't ask for directions to the water??  Anyway, Cape Cod is on my do over list.

Sally
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 13, 2009, 09:43:11 PM
It's wonderful to have pictures of the Sagamore Bridge and of the book cover in the header, and also a map of Cape Cod.  I am indebted to Pat for her help and admire her skills.

In the picture of the Sagamore Bridge you can spot, if you squint, the Sagamore's twin, the Bourne Bridge.
There's a third bridge over the Cape Cod Canal that serves railroad traffic.   I'm so appreciative of having   the map of Cape Cod in the header.  It clearly shows the location of the towns Russo mentions in the book and, more to the south, the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.   (Not too far south of Nantucket, in July of 1956, the Italian luxury liner SS Andrea Doria collided with the smaller Swedish MS Stockholm and sank within hours.)

A few historical notes, if I may.
Captain Myles Standish, an English officer hired by the Pilgrims to plan their voyage on the Mayflower, was the first to consider  (in 1623 !)  building a waterway in the narrow, lowest-lying area south of Plimoth Colony to facilitate trade with native Americans,  a task too large for a small band of Pilgrims.  More energetic planning and surveys under George Washington did not lead to fruition either.  The early planners in the following century either ran out of money or were overwhelmed by the project, which had yet  even to be defined.
  
The first attempts at digging began in the late 19th century.  Privately hired engineers had  decided to connect the Manomet and Scusset Rivers. and dredge through the hillsides.   The construction of a working canal started in 1909.  Partially opened in 1914,  the canal was completed in 1916.   In 1928 it  was bought by the Government, widened and deepened.  1400 men worked on it during the Great Depression.  By 1940 the Cape Cod Canal was the widest sea-level canal in the world, used by more than 20,00 ships each year. Both sides of the canal are popular recreational areas with bicycle paths and other attractions.

The Sagamore Bridge is the more frequently used gateway to the Cape. The main thoroughfare is Route 6; it leads all the way up to Provincetown.  That spot at the extreme tip of land is of a haunting, luminous beauty.  It's long been a popular summer resort and artists' colony.  But in 1916 it was a sleepy, sun-drenched fishing village and Eugene O'Neill an unkown beachcomber.  But there was a group of Province Town  Players and they performed O'Neill's early play Bound East for Cardiff there.  

Norman Mailer visited  P-town, as it is also affectionately known,  in 1945 and lived there from the nineties until his death.  The action of Tough Guys Don't Dance takes place on the Cape.

Another novelist who lived happily on the Cape  for some years was Kurt Vonnegut.

Sally,  like you, I like to read a book in its entirety- then let it "gel" for a day or so.  Every now and then I've been lucky to get a brand new library book.  I don't much like copies with coffee stains and underlining in them.  By and large I buy my own book - paperback if possible, because easier to hold in bed.   And I have a terrible time parting from any of them ...

I'll be happy to answer any questions about Cape Cod.  
When we first came here lo these many yeas ago I knew nothing about Cape Cod, had never heard of The Cape and didn't understand how proprietary people felt about it.  Aah, but times change = Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.   I feel exactly like that  myself now!

Traude
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: jane on October 14, 2009, 09:59:22 AM
I borrowed this book from the Library and got a start on it last night.  I've not been to Cape Cod, but we're planning to join a group going there is next Sept.  I'm enjoying seeing the names of towns already and finding the cast of characters I've "met" so far very interesting.   

I, too, will need to take notes since the book will need to be returned before this discussion begins.

jane
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Gumtree on October 14, 2009, 10:32:49 AM
I have the book but haven't turned the first page yet. I'm thinking of starting to read this coming weekend...otherwise there's every chance of my slipping behind once the discussion starts.

Thanks for putting up the Sagamore Bridge and its twin the Bourne ...they are very similar to the Hellgate Bridge and of course the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Sydney one has a larger span and is (still I think) the largest single span suspension bridge in the world. They were all built around the same time (Sydney opened in 1932). 

The map is very helpful for me too ... most of the place names are familiar because of their association with historical events or more recently with well known people but for me their exact location has always been something of a guess. 
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 15, 2009, 07:00:57 AM
 Thank you  Traude, for the background I read it several times and the map is wonderful. So THERE is Chappaquiddick, are these old Indian names or something?  I'm like  Gum, but for me their exact location has always been something of a guess.  

Exactly. Is the attraction historical, I wonder, or artistic (the writers, artists)?  I it a playground for the rich  or successful? Quaintness? I wonder what the actual attraction is?

I went too long ago to sense the...ambiance.....

 All I seem to remember was a shop which sold candles and you stuck your finger in one scented with bayberry and made a finger candle. Hello? hahaha And it's totally possible that was in another town. :)

Isn't it odd, when you look at an area like Cape Cod and read the background, how....somewhat distanced you feel?  Or is that just me? You sense a great attraction by people  to the place, without being able to figure out why.   If you have no personal connection to it, you have to wonder what...what the attraction is, the quaintness?

Jane is going!  I really want to hear her first impressions in 2010.

I wonder...Traude, would you say Cape Cod might epitomize the good life or symbolizes it to some people simply because of the famous people who have stayed there?  How does it compare to the Hamptons, for instance?

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 15, 2009, 11:15:05 PM
Excellent questions, Ginny.  Thank you.

In an earlier post I used the adjective "proprietary", and that is how people feel about the Cape hereabouts.
It's part of their lives.  Reams have been written about "The Enduring Shore", where there is literally something for everybody. The oldest town is Sandwich (I'll tell you about its history another time), P-town is more "hip". Truro and Chatham are  known as "expensive" locations.  The residents of Truro keep voting down any plan for new development.

Many Massachusetts residents drive to the Cape for long weekends, like Columbus Day, the second Monday in October just passed, which is a legal holiday here.  There are biking paths on both banks of the Cape Cod canal between the twin bridges and many lookout points with wonderful vistas.  The Hy-lines operate a number of ferries from their terminus in Hyannis and organize cruises on the Cape Cod canal.

There's a regular schedule for ferries between Hyannis and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.  The islands can also be reached by air from Hyannis.  Martha's Vineyard is the larger of the two islands and perhaps better known because the Clintons visited there and President Obama went this year.  Walter Cronkite had a home there, the novelist William Styron, and the wonderful Art Buchwald.   Buchwald was based in Paris for years with the International Herald Tribune and composed an absolutely hilarious tale in French explaining the origin of Thanksgiving  in the Plimoh Colony in 1620= Le jour de merci-donnant [/i]...

Oak Bluffs is an old community settled in 1642 with handsome homes. Dorothy West (in the tradition of the Harlem Renaissance)  wrote a book about it, The Wedding, , which was made into a film starring Halle Berry.  

There's something on the Cape also for budding scientists and meteorologists : the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, founded in 1930.. It's a village near Falmouth.  Both on our map.

The attraction is definitely  ihistorical in part:  the whaling past,  the Indian lore.  Descendants of Wampanoag  tribe live in Mashpee on the Cape.  They seek permission from the state to build an off-reservation  casino  on the mainland.  The location was chosen about a year ago. town meetings were held and revealed hefty promotion and a great deal of opposition. So far everything is still in flux.

The attraction  I'd say is physical and tangible:  sightseeing; quaint light houses;  museums; beaches; the freshest seafood;   summer theatre performances;  exhibitions; author readings (like Russo's!!); plus the light  is fabulous.  And sometimes an attraction becomes a trend  :)

I'm so very glad to see Jane here.  WELCOME!   Cape  Cod is a gem and I am sure you'll enjoy it.
There's so much pleasure in the planning, always!

Before I forget, Nantucket is smaller than "The Vineyard",  calmer somehow and quieter.  No cars allowed. The houses are all similarly constructed  (rigid bilding codes) with  natural shingles beautifully greying in the sun and light.  My family has gone to Nantucket regularly, sometimes day-tripping.  Once we flew from Hyannis with  the daughter of friends from our years in Virginia who'd come to visit.  We parked the car at the airport and stayed on Nantucket  for a week  in a house in just the right location I had carefully researched.  The owner was an eccentric old man (so much for my careful research  hahaha) , but we were the perfect guests.  Of course.

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: jane on October 16, 2009, 11:30:12 AM
Traude...thank you for the welcome and for the information above.  I got started reading again last night and couldn't put it down until I'd finished.  I haven't felt that way about a new novel in a very long time!  Most of the time, I end up taking them back to the library after about the first 50 pages.  [I'm too old and life is too short to spend it reading novels I'm not enjoying!  ;)]  I enjoyed this one!

I've got my notes handy and will need to return the book before the discussion, but I'm hoping maybe others will have had their chance and I can perhaps get it back sometime during November if my memory fails me...as it seems to do too often anymore.

jane
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Babi on October 17, 2009, 09:06:08 AM
 I now have my copy, and like most of you will be making notes.  It will be
interesting to see the kind of thing that catches the eye...and produces the notes...of the different readers.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Eloise on October 17, 2009, 09:55:31 AM
One of the reasons why I will never forget my Cape Cod visit 10 years ago is because it was at the time of John Kennedy Jr.'s plane that crashed in the sea. In the small restaurant where we were having breakfast every customer seemed extremely disturbed by some very sad news. We got up that morning with a very thick fog and started on the long drive home to Montreal driving very carefully and didn't turn on the radio in the car. The fog was so thick we could hardly see the road and we learned of the crash a few hours later in another restaurant, we were very sad at the news because he was very much loved all around.

My son in law wanted to go to Cape Cod to film whales for a documentary he was producing. During the 4 or 5 days there we did everything we had set our minds to do. Going on whale watching expedition,  playing ball on the beach with the kids and shopped for souvenirs. I bought a recipe book that I tried several recipes from.

My book hasn't arrived yet and it will get here soon because I ordered it on the 28th of September. I look forward to the discussion, it looks promising from what I read here.   
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 17, 2009, 11:01:37 AM
Jane, my impression is exactly like yours. The book is a page-turner. It really propels the reader forward.

Babi, I'm glad your book came. 

Ḗloïse, when your copy arrives,  you'll be able to relive the morning of your leaving Cape Cod in thick fog  ...!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Babi on October 18, 2009, 09:39:43 AM
  I'm having a little trouble getting into the book, but that may be because
of frequent distractions.  I'll see if I can settle into it better once the
weekend is over.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: ginny on October 18, 2009, 10:05:48 AM
Thank you Traude, a masterful description of Cape Cod, you almost have me believing! hahhaa


Eloise, what a tragedy that was, such a sad ending.

I'm almost through the book, your map in the heading is definitely coming in handy. I expect I will have to reread it, but some things do stand out. This is going to be a great one, am looking forward to talking about it, won't be long now!

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: straudetwo on October 22, 2009, 09:31:03 PM
Only a few days are left before we start our discussion, and I'd like to keep interest alive.  "To keep the home fires burning", which I considered, would hardly be appropriate, because we've had the loveliest,  mildest weather imaginable in these parts. Smiling eople running in short sleeves, rucksacks on their backs (tourists, of course).  A blessing.  

But nor-easters are not unusual  at any season in the Bay State.  Just last Sunday Boston experienced an early wintry day, thick snowflakes dancing over rowers competing on the Charles River. Fortunately nothing stuck.  To he south of the city we had howlig gusty winds.  On the Cape. between Orleans and Chatham, a house  - part of a camp ground - was swept into the churning ocean.  Mangled parts of the original structure were deposited back by successive waves. Ah, nature's fury !
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November
Post by: Babi on October 23, 2009, 07:51:43 AM
 Whoa! Sounds like pretty strong winds.  I assume it was a really old house. My granddaughter Marie is living in Boston, working and attending
college there. She seems quite satisfied there.  I find gusty winds can be something of a personal hazard now.  Just yesterday I had to hang onto
a door to keep on my feet!  They come up suddenly and unexpectedly;
you just have to stay in or hope something is within reach to grab.  :o
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 26, 2009, 07:00:41 PM
Babi,  I can understand that yoor daughter enjoys Boston.  Famous universities,  rich cultural offerings year-round :  the Boston Symphony  (in the summer, they repair to Tanglewood in the Berkshires); the Boston Pops;  the new,  positively stunning Institute of Contemporary Art. There's also the Aquarium for young and old.  And Boston is an eminently "walkable" city. The "Freedom Trail" covering all the historic sites is a huge attraction, and not for tourists only.

On the other hand, motor traffic on Boston's narrow, winding roads can be nightmarish for the uninitiated, not to mention driving through the tunnels on the way to the airport, to the North Shore,  and on into New Hampshire. Some road signs in the city are misleading. Getting lost is not unusual. The Big Dig, a project that took years to finish, has remedied some problems, but not all.

One thorn in many motorists' side are the rotaries, where up to half a dozen roads suddenly converge. Confusion results, not to mention fender benders.   One of the most infamous of these was (past tense!) the Sagamore Rotary. It caused backups miles before the bridge was in sight, especially on weekends and holidays, from April until the end of summer. It took more than a decade to plan how to eliminate the rotary and how to restructure the road network.  Doing it took another five or six years.  The job was completed in September of 2006.  It's been well worth it.

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Babi on October 27, 2009, 08:39:12 AM
Marie is my granddaughter, STRAUDE.  She doesn't have a car, so
I assume she uses the public transportation to get around or rides with
friends. Maybe she enjoys the 'walkable'. We've never really talked (e-mailed) about what she does in her spare time. I really should ask her
about that.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: bellamarie on October 27, 2009, 12:54:18 PM
My book has arrived and I must say as tempting as it was, I have yet to open the pages.  I just finished reading my FIRST Jane Austen book, Sense and Sensibility.  I know you all are probably laughing and saying gosh she is behind the times,  lol  Well, I am new to the classics, I spent way too many years with Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark.  lol  Since SeniorLearn I have broadened my horizons, thank you very much!

I long to visit Cape Cod one day.  Hopefully this book will be just the nudge that will get me there.  I loved John Kennedy Jr. and when I read of Eloise being on the Cape the day his plane went down it brought back bittersweet memories of pictures I saw of John riding his bike in Tribecca, the picture if his wedding in the rustic church, so very private, and of course my memories of him as a child under the famous President's desk, and his salute as the horse drawn carriage carried his father's casket.  Oh dear, just the mention of Cape Cod fills me with excitement and sadness. 

I can't wait to begin this Nov. 1st.  I noticed the schedule is not yet posted, I would like to know which chapters to read and where to stop.  I have to say, I refuse to read ahead when I discuss the books with SeniorLearn.  As tempting as it can be at times I refrain so I won't give anything away by accident.  I don't know how anyone is able to read the entire book and not.  So, I will be back in just a few days to begin the discussion.  Until then everyone have a Happy Halloween!!!!   :o
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 27, 2009, 06:52:48 PM
Bellamarie,  I'm glad to know you have the book :)

There is no reading schedule because  IMHO this book doesn't lend itself to being divided into equal portions, even though that has been our traditional approach.  There will be no assigned chapters; instead,  I plan to propose questions that pertain to issues raised in the story, as well as style and structure.

As for me,  I always read a book straight through, especially if I am the DL - a matter of personal preference.   The only way to read this book, I believe, is at one's own speed,  to get absorbed in the story as it unfolds.  More soon.

And yes, of course, Happy Halloween :D !
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: PatH on October 27, 2009, 11:54:03 PM
Bellamarie, I envy you.  You still have the remaining Austens ahead of you if you want them.  How did you like "Sense and Sensibility"?  The 1995 movie, directed by Ang Lee, with Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and others is very good indeed.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Babi on October 28, 2009, 08:44:19 AM
Bella, when I make my notes for a discussion, I always write where I am in the book. Then when the schedule is posted, I can go back and frame the schedule around my notes. It's quick, easy, and so convenient.
  I see Traude's post about no schedule for the 'Old Cape Magic'. Traude, I do hope you plan to post your questions in sequential groups, beginning to end. It seems to me one's 'take' on the situation changes as the story progresses.



Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 28, 2009, 09:54:20 AM
Babi, oh yes, questions will definitely be sequential,  exactly as they might occur to the reader.  I'll ask Pat W to put them in the header.

BTW, if you wondered  about the "Dennises" on pg. 13,  they are Dennis and South Dennis, respectively,  two towns on the Upper Cape.  
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: bellamarie on October 28, 2009, 09:57:00 AM
straudetwo....Oh dear NO assigned chapters, I have never participated in a discussion without them before.  Something else new I shall learn in SeniorLearn.  So I suppose that means we will all have read the book before Nov. 1st in order to discuss what pertains to the issues raised in the story.  If not then we would not all know what you are referring to.  

Yes, Babi, I do hope the questions will be in sequential order also.  I also write the page number along side my notes, if I don't own the book and highlight.  Gosh can you imagine all my books written with side notes and highlighter.  lol

PatH..I bought a book at Borders that has all four of Jane Austen's books (Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion).  I must say, reading her for the first time I was having a difficult time, but once I finally got the style and language of the English it got easier.  I kept thinking, Oh for crying out loud why does she use so many words and descriptions rather than actual dialogue between the characters?  I guess because of my modern day life, I found it a bit frustrating at times.  But I tried to visualize the story in a movie form and it helped.  I intend to read Pride and Prejudice next.  Thank you for letting me know the movie is worth watching I love all the actors you  mentioned.  That will make for a good winter Sunday afternoon for me.

So I guess I better get to reading Cape so I will be ready for Nov. 1st.   :o

Have a Booootiful Halloween!  
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Gumtree on October 28, 2009, 11:22:02 AM
Hi Bellamarie - Don't rush the book - with Traude at the helm all will be well - anyway we couldn't possibly discuss all the matter contained in this book overnight (so to speak)

Glad you enjoyed your first dip into Austen. She is an absolute delight to read and her satire is right up to the minute today. Her observation of what makes people tick is simply amazing. So true to life. It always takes me a few pages to really relax into her writing and begin to savour the language - it is wordy but the words are there for a purpose and my chief delights in reading her are her prose and the telling satire. There are several good productions of her works. PatH mentioned one of Sense & Sensibility Both Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant are superb in their roles, as is Emma Thompson. If you get to read Persuasion(my favourite of the novels) you might like to look at the BBC production with Ciairan (sp) Hinds.

Traude I read the book the other night - took it in, in two big gulps. Just read it - didn't make notes but will do so with the reread. Wonderful choice for the discussion. Looking forward to it.
P.S. - what's the Latin for 'time is my enemy'


Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 28, 2009, 01:13:51 PM
Hello, Gumtree, and many thanks.

I formulated the first four questions, which PatW will put in the header.  She has done the iterally "impossible" for me.  Isn't it a blessing to have the help of experts who make things happen?
The questions are pertinent to chapters I to 3.  

Chapters 4-7 (pp. 53-121) make up the rest of Part I, and we'll explore them in due course.  It is the overall  end effect that matters, as Gumtree said.

In re "Time is my enemy" Gumtree.  Here's my literal translation .

Time = tempus
Enemy = hostis [/b](in wartime);
under more ordinary circumtances  inimicus, adversarius, both masculine nouns. Hence the pronoun  (my) would be meus

The placement of the verb, "is" in this case', varies, and sometimes one must look for pages FOR that verb.
But it's eay in this case. Both versions that follow are acceptable.

Tempus inimicus meus est [color=red.]
Tempus est est  meus inimicus.

Ha!  like the second versionbetter. :D

What a rich linguistic heritage we have and --- all to often --- don't recognize the extent of it !!





      
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 28, 2009, 09:32:40 PM
]A quick note to readers:


Questions pertaining to Chapters One to Three will be posted in the header as soon as deemed feasible by our techies.  It is a feat I could not accomplish on my own  ... Please be patient.

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: ginny on October 29, 2009, 07:12:05 AM
Tempus is a neuter, remember?

I'd say:

Tempus mihi inimicum est


Here's a good one, this is true for me, anyway:  Tempus fugit: time flies? hahahaa

Good to know that chapters 1-3 will be the initial focus, I think I'll reread them. Very much looking forward to the discussion, not sure what the book is about, having read it all, but I know the discussion will be a super one!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Babi on October 29, 2009, 08:35:41 AM
TRAUDE, most of us DL'S depend on our experts for the technical details.
I, for one, haven't a clue as to how to set up and maintain a heading. I
just holler for help, and they come through for me every time. Heaven
bless them!
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: ginny on October 29, 2009, 08:53:11 AM
Pat has the questions in the heading now. :)
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: straudetwo on October 29, 2009, 09:08:14 AM
  Thank you, Pat! 
I'm grateful the questions are in the header, and  grateful to know we'll go to work on November 1st in a new folder.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Gumtree on October 29, 2009, 10:10:47 PM
Traude :  Thanks for your comprehensive help on my Latin query - and Ginny too - I was across tempus fugit -  ;D though we haven't got to the neuter yet.

I think taking the first three chapters will be a good starting point. I haven't read any of Russo's other work so look forward to our discussion which starts so soon. tempus fugit indeed.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: PatH on October 29, 2009, 10:16:25 PM
Or, as I remember from somewhere, (I think it's "The Pajama Game"), tempis is fugiting.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online
Post by: Gumtree on October 29, 2009, 10:48:00 PM
PatH   ;D
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: straudetwo on October 30, 2009, 10:03:42 PM
Our Latin excursion is refreshing,  thank you, Ginny.

Of course, tempus is neuter,  and that must be reflected in the pronoun: meus for masc.  mea for fem., meum for neuter.  ("My" is classified as one of the pronomina possessiva.)

However, in my proposed translation  the pronoun  "meus" referred to inimicus or adversarius, both masculine.

Also,  with respect,  isn't mihi ("mir" in German),  the dative (singular) of the pronomina personalia?
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: Babi on October 31, 2009, 08:59:48 AM

That Old Cape Magic
         by
Richard  Russo    


(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/sagbridge.jpg)          

(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/oldcapecvrsm.jpg)

(http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/mapcapecodsm.jpg) (http://seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/oldcapemagic/map.capecod.jpg)

From Bookmarks (http://www.bookmarksmagazine.com/book-review/old-cape-magic/richard-russo) magazine:
Following Bridge of Sighs—a national best seller hailed by The Boston Globe as “an astounding achievement” and “a masterpiece”—Richard Russo gives us the story of a marriage, and of all the other ties that bind, from parents and in-laws to children and the promises of youth.
 The storytelling is flawless throughout, moments of great comedy and even hilarity alternating with others of rueful understanding and heart-stopping sadness, and its ending is at once surprising, uplifting and unlike anything this Pulitzer Prize winner has ever written.


From The Washington Post (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/23/books-old-cape-magic/)
Every year, Jack Griffin's parents would drive from the Midwest, where they were both unhappy-to-miserable college professors, to spend two weeks in a rented cottage somewhere on the beautiful island of Cape Cod, Mass., and as they crossed the Sagamore Bridge they would, as if on cue, begin to sing "That Old Cape Magic," their altered version of "That Old Black Magic."

Questions for Chapters 1 - 3
1. What were your first thoughts as you began reading this book?
Is it different in some way from what you might have expected - less sunny, despite the glorious ambiance - more serious?

2. After reading the first three chapters (52 pages), what is your impression of Griffin, the narrator?
He does acknowledge his "petulance" in the very first paragraph of Chapter One  but seems reluctant to apologize to Joy, his wife.  

3. Do you think the appearance of Griffin's mother in the first chapter, "A Finer Place", is essential  by way  of an explanation (if one were neded)  for Griffin's behavior?

4. Were you amused or appalled reading Griffin's revelations of his parents' professional and personal lives?

Discussion Leader: Traude   (xx)



Oh, my!  I am impressed by this scholarly Latin dissertation. My knowledge of the language pretty much ends at 'Semper Fidelis',
'tempus fugit',  and 'pro tem'.   ;)
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: jane on October 31, 2009, 11:52:52 AM
Traude...

I have a procedural question for you about the discussion that starts tomorrow.  

Do you want/expect the participants to give their opinion to all 4 questions in a single post...or do you prefer we take them one at a time...let the participants have a day or so to answer #1, then everyone moves on to #2 for a day or so, etc. or can any participant answer any of the 4 on any given day, or ???

 I guess I need to know what your style is so I don't do the wrong thing here.

jane

Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: ginny on October 31, 2009, 01:46:31 PM
 Can't wait for the  beginning of the discussion, those are just super questions and a great question, too, Jane.

Babi. I don't think there's anything scholarly going on here. hahaha

Quote
However, in my proposed translation  the pronoun  "meus" referred to inimicus or adversarius, both masculine.

Ok I see where you're coming from, now.You were using  the substantive form of inimicus  as a noun, instead of using the adjective form with tempus.  Gotcha.  :)  Inimicus is listed under the adjective form  as a noun substantive, with two forms and genders.  Singular uses of substantive forms of nouns are not particularly common,  I thought,  in Latin or English, (something like "the good [people understood] die young" as an example) and it seemed in particular here,  with the use of the verb to be, which ordinarily expects a predicate noun or adjective to complete it, that it might (obviously) be misunderstood,  so I  proposed  an alternate  way to express the idea.    
  
Quote

Also,  with respect,  isn't mihi ("mir" in German),  the dative (singular) of the pronomina personalia?:


Absolutely.  Good for you.

And now, on to the Cape!


Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: serenesheila on October 31, 2009, 04:06:16 PM
Well, I just finished the first 3 chapters.  It is an easy read.  I look forward to our discussion, begining tomorrow.

Sheila
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: BooksAdmin on October 31, 2009, 04:33:34 PM
The new "That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ~ November Book Club Online" (http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=929.msg44984#msg44984)
will open tomorrow and Traude will be there to welcome you.
Title: Re: That Old Cape Magic / Richard Russo ~ November / Pre-discussion
Post by: salan on October 31, 2009, 05:45:35 PM
Traude-thank you for putting the page number down.  I had to return the book to the library and when I made notes, I put page numbers down and not chapters.  The disadvantage of not having your own book is that you can't go back and look up information.  Next time, I will know to put chapters down.
Sally