Monday, January 16, 2012

Book Club: International Day of Mourning and Memory theme

One of my regrets from last year was how the Rolling Around In My Head book club got lost. I had planned for us to have a day devoted to The Thousand Autumns of Jacob Zoet and I know a number of you read the book in advance of the book club happening. What with two deaths of two close friends within weeks of each other, and the resulting effect on my life, it just never happened. To be honest, one of the reasons it didn't happen is because I'm not a very good book reviewer. Whenever I try to do one I end up feeling like I'm in school and the work becomes drudgery. I had started doing these because I like to see how disability or the disability experience is used by writers of popular literature. I have been very, and surprisingly, affected by some of the books that I've read. I have a long list of books I recommend when asked by those starting disability book clubs of their own. I like supporting writers who incorporate disability into their stories and use that experience to broaden understanding. I also like the point of view of artists who aren't necessarily from the disability community. I have changed both practice and attitude from reading these stories. I have been powerfully convicted and motivated by some of the images that flash in my mind as the words pass my eyes. I think its a thing worth doing - discussing these books. So I felt that I let down you as readers and myself as blog host.

I still want the book club and I still want to participate. But what I've done is asked someone who is very, very, skilled at writing book reviews to come on board and do these for me. She has agreed. So I hope to have one of these at least three times a year. We are starting fresh this year with a book that I found incredible. I found myself dreaming about the story and the characters - I never do that. I think its because the experience is so real. More than that, the story really goes well with the 'International Day of Mourning and Memory' that we have coming up here on the blog. It's The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry. I can tell you for certain that the book club will be held on March 16th, two months from today.



Here's how to participate:

1) Sign up in the comment section

2) read the book, then do one of the next steps (or all of them)

3) write a review on your blog and have it post on March 16 and send me the link to be put on my blog

3a) read the review on my blog and leave a comment with your own review or reaction to the book

3b) form a local  disability book club and send a summary of the reaction to the book

Any and all of these work.

Again, I apologise for my failure to follow through last year and know that it won't happen this year. So get to book and get reading!

Today's post follows ...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave,
when do you find the time to do all this?
You are working on so many things, are you never tired?

I just asked, because at the moment I am absolutly exhausted and even though I love to read I would not find the time to participate in a book club.

Julia

Glee said...

If you want to read something that shows why we should have this day _ http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/

A shocking hideous story!

Tamara said...

Dave - did someone set up a Facebook page for the International Mourning and Memory day? I read that someone was going to, but I haven't been able to find it.

J. said...

I bought this book when you mentioned it some time ago. I started reading it and liked it but then put it down for some reason. Time to go find it and finish reading the book!

Rosemary said...

I will join in reading this book. My husband read it a while ago, and he was truly moved by it. He rarely reads fiction, so for him to recommend this title is a big deal. Thank you for doing this, Dave.

Anonymous said...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-23-Intl-Day-of-Mourning-and-Memory-for-people-w-disabilities/327110000642678

Tamara this is the link to the Facebook Page you asked for! Just copy and paste it...

Julia

Shan said...

Looking forward to reading this, and all the interpretations of your commenters.

Myrrien said...

What an appropriate book given the things I am finding out about our local institutions - now long closed and rotting. Book bought and sent to my kindle.

Kristine said...

The book sound great, and is waiting on my kindle. :)

So... How does one get a copy if your list of disability lit recommendations? I don't have a book club or anything, but I love reading any quality disability lit that I can get my hands on!

Colleen said...

Dear Dave:

I'm in for Jacob de Zoet. I read it during the summer and loved it!

I love your book clubs even when they don't happen because the books you choose are always really good reads. Thread of Grace is one of my favourite books ever.

Colleen

Belinda said...

I have ordered the audio book--my only real guarantee of "reading" the book!

But I sometimes supplement the audio by buying the paper version of really good books as I love to go back and re-read some passages.

I'm looking forward to doing this with fellow "Rollers."

Anonymous said...

I'm in the process of reading a very good book. It's called "Do? Be? Do?". I also just watched an awesome video called "The Ethics of Touch". Thank you for your work Dave.

Beannie

Dave Hingsburger said...

Colleen, we're not going to do Jacob, I'm afraid. It's too long past my reading it for me to write anything about it. So we're starting up again with The Sacred Scripture.

Martha said...

I will join in for the read! I loved the last one that you suggested!