Max does not like cuddling. He made that clear with meaningful (but not mean) bites. I keep trying, though.
After playtime, I went back to sleep and woke up around 9:30 – just enough time to check my email, shower, get Phillip out of bed, and leave for The Rusty Pelican, in Wallingford.
We discussed The Sorrows of Young Werther, by Goethe. Phillip hadn’t been able to get past the sixth page. I gave him a synopsis along the way to Wallingford.
Lynn, our leader, wasn’t able to be there – a fact known only to Lynn, Phillip, and Theresa (the latter two had been sworn to secrecy, so the group wouldn’t postpone the meeting). We also had two surprise guests: Mike’s sister and nephew, who were there not for the book discussion, but for Mike’s birthday.
It was a great discussion. Phillip did an excellent job of not revealing that he hadn’t read the book. Mike – the person who recommended the book for discussion – openly admitted that he’d gotten as far as page 23 and the skipped ahead to the last few pages. I wondered how many people hadn’t read it, either. The last time I talked with Marcos, a week ago, he hadn’t started it. Today, he seemed to be very knowledgeable about the story and its elements.
Ultimately, Theresa and I seemed to be the only one among the six members present who loved the book. I explained that it took me forever to get into the book – because of the heavy, antique language – but eventually it picked up and I sailed right through the last third. At the end, I felt like a weight had lifted off of me – the book was so heavy. But then, for days after I’d finished it, I was still thinking about the story, the characters, and the way the book was written.
It was Phillip’s turn to pick a book, and he picked The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger. Phillip and I have both read it, long ago, but neither of us mind reading it again. Theresa said she’d tried to read it once, and didn’t like it enough to finish it, would be willing to give it another try. Diane was worried that it’s science fiction. (We told her it’s not.)
I am continuing to enjoy our Book Discussion Group.
