Submitted by Ann S.
Last Sunday a small group of
vibrant women met at a historic inn in Campton, NH. After catching up
with friends and enjoying good wine and food they retired to the living
room in front of a welcoming fire to discuss a story about Fidelis
Waldvogel, a member of The Master Butchers Singing Club.
Or did we discuss the story of Delphine Watzka?
The
author Louise Erdrich (herself of German and Native American ancestry)
gave us much to talk about - WWI, the European immigrants who settled
the west, how singing together can overcome differences, WWII, acrobats,
homosexuals, alcoholics, love, death, abandonment, murder,
family dynamics (biological and non-). The symbolism of the characters
was noted - i.e. Delphine who starts out as the strong woman in a
vaudeville act carries the strength of the novel; Step-and-a-Half's
character takes abandoned things and makes them worth something again
(rescue of the baby Delphine); Cyprian (a balancing expert) balances his
life to hide his sexual preference.
There
were questions - why did people in this small town not wonder how a
baby suddenly appears in the home of a single man? Wouldn't it be nice
to know what happened to Clarisse after she leaves for Minneapolis?
Does Erich go back to Germany when he gets out of POW camp? Where is
Cyprian, does he find love?
Thanks
MaryJo, it was a wonderful afternoon. Special thanks to Carol for the
amazing appetizer (I'm not telling what, it's description does not do it
justice). And to Claire for the special "digestif" from So. Africa.
Business:
1. As Easter is the last Sunday in March, the next meeting is moved to March 20. The Book for review is "An Invisible Thread".
2.
March 20 meeting will be held at the Devine Diane's previous residence
in Campton. Thanks Diane, it will be great to see it again.
3. The book chosen for April is "Destiny of the Republic"
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