The book we read last month, Flight, was fantastic! Ammon and I both read and loved it. We both liked that while it was about a young boy's spiritual journey it also had a sci-fi feeling to it. I really love books that have lots of character development, and this book was exactly that. The main character, Zits, is a very angry and troubled teen. It was exciting and beautiful to see him change into someone who can appreciate life and everyone in it. Flight is one of those books that makes you truly appreciate your childhood. My life isn't perfect, but books like this really make me grateful for the way I grew up.
That was one of Ammon's main thoughts on the book as well. It gave him a deeper appreciation for his parents and family. He made a connection between Amy Tan's book that we read a few months ago, The Bonesetter's Daughter, and Flight. He said that it is really interesting to read about different cultures living in America and how they cope with the way society treats them. Zits is a Native American, and the characters in The Bonesetter's Daughter are Chinese, and they struggle in America as they define who they are and how that influences their life decisions. Zits takes charge of his destiny once he can identify who he is and what he wants to do with his life - and that is something we can all identify with, I think.
Another thought Ammon had was that the story teases the fantasy of being able to change the past, when we all know that is not possible. All we can do is change our future by being true to ourselves and living in the present. The book is very exciting and easy to read, I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Our newest member, Adam, made our book selection for this month. Of his three choices, we decided to read Fahrenheit 451, the clubs' first classic!
Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.
Our next meeting will be on Monday, July 23rd. As far as location goes, I think we will have it here at work during the workday again. However, that may change. Let me know if you have any suggestions on location!! I hope to see you all here. :)
--Rachel Barney
