Amazon Associate

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know I put on Amazon Associates.  I don't care if you buy directly from Amazon, but I put it on for the mere reason it allows you to have a direct link to Amazon from the book, which I use relentlessly before buying books just to read the reviews.  I hope this is ok, I just thought it was a neat feature since it makes linking so easy. I doubt it will make much money with only 7 people using this blog, but if it by chance does I'm happy to split it with everyone. I just have it set up to pay by Amazon credit, so maybe we will be able to use it to buy all our books eventually or something :)

Review for Half Broke Horses

Natalie says:
ok..let's get started. What did everyone think? A nice, quick, easy read I thought. which is refreshing
Rani says:
yup definately...always nice to get through something fast
jessica says:
quick read. a lot of little things reminded me of the stories I hear from my gpa and great gpa
Rani says:
Ya it definitely read more like a family history rather than the memoir
Natalie says:
totally. It felt like listening to stories my grandma used to tell too!
but I agree Rain, it was no Glass Castle. That is really one of my fave novels ever
Hey Rain and Jess, change your fonts and colors..you have the same one
Rani says:
ok good idea
jessica says:
Like Rosemary, I am not a great speller, and since I don't have sp on here sorry
Rani says:
better
Natalie says:
it's ok
yes thanks!
Andrea, what did you think?
Rani says:
another reason why i like google chrome
jessica says:
I am just going to leave mine then
Andrea says:
I finished Glass Castle last week and I also liked it better
Rani says:
instant spell check
Natalie says:
oh good, glad you read it! Did you like it? Crazy story
Andrea says:
but I thought Lily was a very strong willed woman
Rani says:
so opposite of rosemary
Natalie says:
totally..but it seems like Lily just completely broke her spirit at the end. perhaps the reason she is the way she is
jessica says:
See, and I thought Rosemary was also strong willed. But maybe it was just more towards her mom. Like me!
Andrea says:
I liked Lily until I read the Glass Castle then I wondered how badly she messed Rose Mary up?
Natalie says:
she was in this book...you have got to read glass castle
exactly!
jessica says:
Crap, I need to read it
Andrea says:
I didn't agree with the telling her she wasn't pretty thing at all
Rani says:
i guess opposite in work ethics more like it...she's more la la artist type go where the wind blows
Natalie says:
Ok, ;et
let's start on number 1
Rani says:
um hold on
your aren't in the thing
one sec
Natalie says:
huh
Rani says:
this is just rani
you got knocked off the group convo
it won't let me add you
Natalie says:
uuggghhh
Rani says:
i'm telling jess to add you
Natalie says:
k
should i log out of this convo
Rani says:
are you not added
it says you are
Natalie says:
i should be
Rani says:
did you talk to us now
Natalie says:
can they see what i am writing?
Rani says:
no lets start new one over here

Andrea has been added to the conversation.

jessica has been added to the conversation.

Rani says:
ok everyone over here?
Natalie says:
yes! sorry
Rani says:
nat i will email the last bit of convo
Natalie says:
ok
Andrea says:
I am here
Natalie says:
sorry about that. Back to the convo
did you guys answer number 1?
Rani says:
no not yet
Natalie says:
Ok, let's get started on it
Rani says:
you all know my answer
Natalie says:
Number one totally appealed to me because I have the same situation at my work. I have a chauvinistic pig for a boss, and I constantly find myself wearing low cut tops and trying to look hot when I meet with him so I can get what I want! My friend that wouldn't do that and said it compromised her values got fired!! I think there is a fine line
I actually find myself doing that a lot in life
I think sometimes you just gotta suck it up in order to stay employed
Rani says:
Ya I think to some degree we have probably all done that
Andrea says:
Initially I was hoping she would compromise, because I felt like nothing was working out for her, but then I was glad she didn't I think it made her who she was. Plus it didn't bother her to get fired and I think she paid for it on several occasions.
Natalie says:
Jess, are you on here?
I agree Andrea
jessica says:
I am. Just getting caught up. Not sure why it took so long to show up
Sadly, women feel that way a lot of the time I feel.
Rani says:
I think it depends what it's worth to you...and what you want to stand up for. I mean if you don't believe in polygamy, should you teach in that school in the first place?
I know i would have a hard time teaching them that was ok
jessica says:
Right. bc your beliefs will eventually surface
somehow
Natalie says:
But did she know it was when she went there? BTW, so interesting that her husband's family was close to Joseph Smith was it?
Rani says:
but then again if i truly believed in polygamy and had my kids at that school, i'd have a hard time with teachers teaching them otherwise
Natalie says:
agreed
jessica says:
true
Rani says:
omg you know when i read Glass i had actually wondered if they were mormon
because I remembered the last name smith
Natalie says:
I know!
Andrea says:
No I think she did the right thing in that instance, I couldn't not tell people about a better way of life if I knew it exsisted.
Rani says:
good point
Andrea says:
But I agree I would be mad if my kids were being taught something in school that I didn't agree with, that is a hard one I guess.
Natalie says:
Any more or on to number 2?
I prob need to try and be done by around 10
Rani says:
ok onto 2
jessica says:
Yes, but they think their way of life was btter than lily's
Devin is getting anxious to watch dexter
Natalie says:
I totally think this was how most people parented back then, don't you? Strict
jessica says:
For sure
Rani says:
Ya I think they were definitely more strict back then
jessica says:
hard circumstances
and conditions
#2
Natalie says:
But I was totally like Rosemary...wanted to keep every animal that crossed my path, and brought them all home
Rani says:
and I don't necessarily think her expectations were too high, she seemed to know them well, but she just wanted what was best for them, like every parent.
Natalie says:
especially with damn Rex, I hate him
Andrea says:
Yes very strict. They didn't have anything else to use as leverage. They couldn't take away TV or other luxuries, they didn't have them.
jessica says:
is Rex in GC? feel free to talk about GC.
Natalie says:
And it seems like kids were way more obedient back then. Love the parenting style of just letting them roam free on the open range. I probably won't even let my kids walk to school by themselves, and there are just as many dangers in the wild...just of a different sort!
Yes
Andrea says:
It seemed like Lily taught her kids to work hard, but that didn't shine through with Rose Mary in her life at all.
Natalie says:
I think maybe she would have been a different person if Lily would have embraced her free spirit instead of trying to break it (Half Broke Horses!!)
And if she hadn't married weirdo alcoholic Rex
Andrea says:
I agree with both
Rani says:
right, good point...but then again, if they prevented her from marrying rex...hard to say, cause really they ended up letting her do what she was going to do
Natalie says:
Jess, you will die when you read GC
Andrea says:
Lily didn't really have anything to pull from either, her parents had issues too
jessica says:
I think in a way, her mother didn't encourage her to. even though she did pay for art lessons.
Rani says:
I think Lily turned out well from what she came from
jessica says:
not many women artist proceeded her
Andrea says:
I was heart broken for Lily when she had to come home from school because her dad bought the stupid dogs
jessica says:
me too
I was so mad about that
Natalie says:
I know!!
Rani says:
yup me too!
Natalie says:
Ok, number 3?
I like this one because I think everyone in this book club is an extremely strong-willed woman, and married a laid back man like Jim
maybe not Jess..you are laid back yourself
Rani says:
I think Jim is perfect for Lily
Natalie says:
and Claire (cousin-in-law) married a strong willed personality
jessica says:
I am. But my husband doesn't think so
Andrea says:
I wanted to get to know him a little better, but I think he let her just be who she was which is what she needed.
Natalie says:
but especially Rain, me, and Beck
Rani says:
yup so true
Natalie says:
totally, which is so what I need too
but did she really love him do you think?
seems like they were more just partners
jessica says:
That is the best kind of man
Andrea says:
me too, and I think it has helped me chill over the years
jessica says:
That is the best kind of man
Natalie says:
me too!
Rani says:
I think she did, maybe it wasn't an Edward/Bella typ of love, but I think she did.
Andrea says:
yeah I thought it was weird that they each slept with their kids instead of each other
Rani says:
He was a lot older wasn't he?
probably lost his mojo
Natalie says:
remember I love Lucy? I wonder if lots of couples back in the day slept in seperate beds
Andrea says:
like 20 years I think
Rani says:
i think they may have
jessica says:
Twilight! Rani
Natalie says:
so crazy how different the times are now
Rani says:
and people didn't have the money for separate beds for their kids, so maybe same sex and same sex
Andrea says:
I thought of that too, I couldn't remember the exact time frame of that part of the book
jessica says:
Maybe they married bc they knew they could be friends but survive the elements and make a life at the same time
Natalie says:
wasn't it during the war or something? 40's?
Rani says:
i think that sounds right
jessica says:
The elements were much harder then
Andrea says:
at least they had beds unlike the Walls kids
Natalie says:
totally
Ok, number 4?
Rani says:
uh ya good point
ok number 4
Natalie says:
I actually really like this "true life novel" thing
Rani says:
Definitely think it reads like true life novel, like I said before reads so much like a family history
Natalie says:
it's not completely fiction, but not completely non-fiction either
Rani says:
probably why i loved glass...she definitely added something to it
Natalie says:
was that considered a novel?
Rani says:
no memoir
Natalie says:
or fiction I mean? I thought it was a memoir
jessica says:
what was it
Rani says:
so based on true story but she exagerated things and filled in gaps
Natalie says:
the story of Rosemary's daughters live (the one that wrote both)
life
jessica says:
can't that be a memoir
Andrea says:
Since she didn't have the first hand experience like GC I guess she had to fill in the blanks a little
Natalie says:
but i mean wouldn't GC be considered a memoir? It was her life
not based on someone else
Rani says:
yes glass is a memoir
jessica says:
hmmmmmm?
Andrea says:
I think GC is a memoir
Rani says:
i'm saying half broke wasn't
Natalie says:
yes
Andrea says:
me too
Natalie says:
confused for a minute
Rani says:
sorry to confuse
Natalie says:
Do you guys like her writing style and doing it first person from Lily's pov?
Andrea says:
I do, I think it helped us get to know Lily.
Natalie says:
if that was really her
Rani says:
Ya definitely... because like she said in the end Lily defintely had a story to tell
jessica says:
I did like her style. I was surprised at how many -'s she used. I am always wondering how and where to use them. I like books in first person
Natalie says:
me too
Ok, last one girlies
number 5
And then us girls that have read GC can post on the blog about the last 2 questions if you guys want
Rani says:
Oh so didn't agree with her telling rosemary she wasn't beautiful...made me sad. I think a mother needs to build her child up
Natalie says:
I agree!
Rani says:
cause even a beautiful girl can have low self-esteem
she may never realize
jessica says:
a lot do
Rani says:
right
Natalie says:
I really do think everyone turns into their mother eventually though
jessica says:
oh man.
Rani says:
sooo true
Andrea says:
I didn't agree with that at all. I child can't build a self esteem on their own, they need the nurturing of a parent(s)
Rani says:
yup
jessica says:
yes
Andrea says:
Or we try to change the things we didn't like I guess
Rani says:
yes that too!
jessica says:
and that brings yo the point... what was it that JIm said about Rosemary?
crap
Natalie says:
I do think every woman says when they have kids "I will never be like my mom!" (well most women anyway) And then you slowly catch yourself doing things she did, or saying things exactly how she said them and cursing her under your breath
jessica says:
Liliy was wanting to change something about rosemary when she was like four
Rani says:
man i can't remember
Natalie says:
Yeah, Jim didn't seem to be involved in parenting much
jessica says:
and jim said that it would change or else if it didn't then it was who she was
and that they couldn't change that.
Natalie says:
hmmm..don't remember
jessica says:
which I agree with.
Andrea says:
lily did try to change who she was
jessica says:
I can't remember what personality trait it was about her.
Yes she did
Andrea says:
and probably scarred her a few times, like when she beat her after swimming
Natalie says:
yes!
jessica says:
And she NEVER came to terms that rose didn't turn out the way she wanted
Rani says:
right
Natalie says:
because she only got worse!
jessica says:
That oh face is killing me
Andrea says:
but then Lily was right about Rex, she saw right through him from the very beginning
jessica says:
MOM's have that sixth sense
Natalie says:
I think that is probably going to be the hardest part of parenting..letting your kids go their own way and accepting you can't change it. even if you don't agree
jessica says:
My mom STILL says that like every other week
Rani says:
Um sooo true I can totally confirm the 6th sense thing...uh hem (first husband)
jessica says:
ha
Natalie says:
not looking forward to that. Andrea, you will be the first to experience it
Andrea says:
I hope that 6th sense kicks in turing the teenage years
Rani says:
lol
jessica says:
I think it does
Natalie says:
or at least common sense...I can now smell alcohol on someone's breath from a mile away
my kids won't get away with shit!
Andrea says:
me too
jessica says:
Ask Nat and I. Our moms always knew what we were doing eventhough we would lie about it
Rani says:
I have will for that
Natalie says:
totally!!
Andrea says:
kids think their parents are clueless
jessica says:
oh, I thought my mom was. Especially since she was married at 18
Natalie says:
Ok, last comments and let's wrap it up. I think this was a good way to do it. Rain, is there a way to link this convo on the blog? Also, can we review March
jessica says:
I think you can copy and paste
maybe
Natalie says:
March's book the end of March or very beginning of April so I dont forget the book?
Andrea says:
When are we reviewing Book Theif?
Rani says:
ya i would just copy and paste the whole thing
OK lets talk to Les first and see if there is any time that works for her, if not lets keep it same time same day
so April 11th
2nd sunday of

Plan for tomorrow

Okay, I checked out that Google Wave thing...apparently it's not up and running quite yet, but it sounds like that would be perfect to use for the future. For tomorrow I have posted some questions below, and let's use MSN Messenger to answer them and discuss. Then those that aren't going to make it tomorrow can answer the questions on the blog, and post comments, etc. Andrea, do you have Messenger?
Rain, is there any time that we could do it so Les can join in? What is the time difference there?

HERE WE GO..

Introduction

Jeannette Walls’s grandmother Lily Casey Smith is the kind of woman who built this country: resourceful, hardworking, and smart. Full of spunk and with a strong will to do whatever she puts her mind to, she can break a wild horse by the time she is six years old. At age fifteen, she leaves home to teach in a frontier town, riding five hundred miles across New Mexico with nothing but her pony for company and her pearl-handled revolver for protection. She tries living and working in Chicago, where she meets her first husband, but betrayal and loss soon drive her back to ranch life—caring for livestock and respecting the land are what she does best. Together, she and her second husband manage a 180,000-acre ranch and Lily uses her incredible pluck and ingenuity to supplement their meager income. They raise two children, one of whom is Jeannette Walls’s mother, Rosemary Smith Walls. With little more than Lily’s resourcefulness to guide the way, the family will weather tornadoes, droughts, floods, personal tragedy, and the Great Depression. In this tale of extreme hardship emerges a story of one woman whose spirit can’t be broken.


1. Lily seems willing to sacrifice everything to defend her principles and the rights of others. On more than one occasion, she is fired from a teaching position for refusing to back down from what she believes in. Do you applaud Lily’s moral conviction in these instances? Or did you hope that Lily would learn to compromise?

2. Lily has high expectations for her children, from sending them off to boarding school despite their protests to enforcing strict rules for keeping animals as pets. When Rosemary falls in love with a wild horse and asks her mother if she can keep it, Lily replies, “The last thing we need around here is another half-broke horse” (pg. 190). How might this statement apply to Lily’s children as well? Are Lily’s expectations of her children particularly high or rather a reflection of the times? Why do you think this phrase was chosen as the title of the book?

3. Discuss Lily’s husband Jim. How does his personality complement her strong nature?

4. Walls calls Half Broke Horses a “true life novel.” In her author’s note, she explains why. Do you agree with this label? What do you think of the “true life” genre?

5. “Helen’s beauty, as far as I was concerned, had been a curse, and I resolved that I would never tell Rosemary she was beautiful” (pg. 119). Examine Lily’s relationship with her daughter, Rosemary, and, in The Glass Castle, Rosemary’s relationship with Jeannette. How does each generation try to compensate for the one before? How does each mother try to avoid the mistakes or pain imposed upon her by her own mother?


Rain..I don't think anyone else has read The Glass Castle (ALTHOUGH YOU ALL SHOULD!!) Here are a few questions you and I can talk about if you want

Questions for readers who have also read The Glass Castle

1. In Half Broke Horses, Lily’s father decides to bring her home from school so that he can use her tuition money to breed dogs. This instance of selfishness bears a close resemblance to Rex Walls’s behavior in The Glass Castle when he takes the money Jeannette’s sister has been saving to escape Welch, WV, and goes on a drinking binge. Over and over these men disappoint their children, and yet they are forgiven. Talk about the lack of bitterness in both of these books. How do the children rationalize their parents’ behavior?

2. “There was a big difference between needing things and wanting things—though a lot of people had trouble telling the two apart—and at the ranch, I could see, we’d have pretty much everything we’d need but precious little else” (pg. 134–5). How might this description refer to Lily’s life as a whole? What effect did growing up without much have on Rosemary Walls, whom we learn more about in The Glass Castle?

SUNDAY

Ok everyone, just a reminder that we will be reviewing Half Broke Horses this Sunday at 9 pm. I am kind of thinking about the best way to do this. I know a lot of us have MSN Instant Messenger. Those that don't, would you be interested in downloading it? Or does anyone else have any ideas as to any chat rooms we could get onto? I will have some questions about the book ready, and we can take as little or as much time as we want. Let me know your ideas...

Also, I want to apologize for all the mind-changing and confusion! Hopefully we have gotten all of the kinks out and things will run smoothly from here on out. We have decided to just have each person pick the book when it's their month, instead of voting and choosing. We will still continue with the vote for April's book, but will start the new system in May. Just make sure the book you are choosing is appropriate, stimulates a good discussion, and has received good reviews from critics.

Thanks everyone! I will post the final instructions for tomorrow night's chat by the morning, so leave me your comments and then check back here tomorrow.

April Book

Sorry for the back and forth, confusion, etc. I got Chelsea Handler's book in the mail yesterday and started the first chapter. It's pretty dang offensive. I was a little bit offended so I think everyone else would be. So I am putting up the poll again for 3 days between Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold and The Art of Racing In The Rain. You will have 3 days for the re-vote. Please everyone vote this time.

Please Read

Ok so during a discussion between Natalie, Becky, Leslie and myself and everyone's new desire to read The Book Thief (apparently they didn't have that desire to read it, when I put it up for choices ;) Just kidding, love you guys! Anyhow, at a mere suggestion and please feel free to be honest and upfront with your feelings here...But it was suggested to possibly read The Book Thief instead of the Jeffery Archer book. So this would be the book we review in April. Anyhow, just a suggestion, so please tell us your thoughts. If anyone has already bought the Archer book, etc. We can forgo that I ever suggested it. Comments please. I would love to hear from everyone, because this would be a pretty major change, so I want to know everyone's feelings. Thanks so much!