tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post116252578611937746..comments2024-02-15T23:41:36.425-08:00Comments on SIMPLY WAIT: A Photograph...and a New Book Club Choice and the best thing I did all dayPatry Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1163080740753861202006-11-09T05:59:00.000-08:002006-11-09T05:59:00.000-08:00Love the photograph!I absolutely LOVED Winter's Bo...Love the photograph!<BR/><BR/>I absolutely LOVED Winter's Bone. It's a great choice!<BR/><BR/>KatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162829206311393822006-11-06T08:06:00.000-08:002006-11-06T08:06:00.000-08:00lorna: I'll be interested to hear what you think o...lorna: I'll be interested to hear what you think of Purple Hibiscus. I haven't read that one yet, but after finishing Sun, I'm looking forward to it--after I finish Winter's Bone, of course.Patry Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162777930498396502006-11-05T17:52:00.000-08:002006-11-05T17:52:00.000-08:00sorry I couldn't participate. I've started readin...sorry I couldn't participate. I've started reading the book, and was lucky enough to score the earlier one, Purple hibiscus, at Chapters for $6.99. Haven't read any fiction for a week, and I think that's the longest I've ever gone.Lornahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976144449873569523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162748471756856722006-11-05T09:41:00.000-08:002006-11-05T09:41:00.000-08:00Myf: Thanks for a great recommendation. I'm really...Myf: Thanks for a great recommendation. I'm really excited about this book!Patry Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162734710752838552006-11-05T05:51:00.000-08:002006-11-05T05:51:00.000-08:00Cannot wait to read what everyone has to say about...Cannot wait to read what everyone has to say about it, but I suspect you are going to LOVE this book, Patry. It is difficult to put down, and yet you must because you don't want to finish it too quickly.Myfanwy Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662965324321348524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162623163673505632006-11-03T22:52:00.000-08:002006-11-03T22:52:00.000-08:00curmudgeon: Beautiful words. At times, I have felt...curmudgeon: Beautiful words. At times, I have felt quite haunted by those who have erased themselves so that we might inherit the world.<BR/><BR/>jordan: Talk about synchronicity! It looks like a great book, doesn't it?<BR/><BR/>k: Kainene truly was a marvelous character who grew stronger and deeper as the novel progressed. Her finest moment for me was when she defended the young soldier who had come to steal their food.<BR/><BR/>left-handed: I've been spending much too much time on the internet and not enough time reading--or especially finishing--books, so this was an incentive for me, too.<BR/><BR/>darlene: Thank you for your encouragement and your smiling presence. I would love it if you joined the book club! <BR/><BR/>tarakuanyin: Take your time. I look forward to reading your thoughts whenever you get them up.<BR/><BR/>tinker: Winter's Bone is less than half the length of Sun, and I'm already looking forward to your illustration!Patry Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162612482019749472006-11-03T19:54:00.000-08:002006-11-03T19:54:00.000-08:00P.S. (Sorry!) The massacre scene haunted me, too, ...P.S. (Sorry!) The massacre scene haunted me, too, though having watched Hotel Rwanda I'm afraid I'd expected something like it. I found Olanna's condition after witnessing such a scene (the Dark Swoops) fascinating and wonder if a survivor described that to Adichie. Olanna was a strong character to have been able to overcome what she suffered, though I don't think her marriage was strong at all. And I don't believe any relationship can endure hardship without changing in some way.<BR/><BR/>I think I'm done now!Sustenance Scouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12980573661955592633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162610050419765562006-11-03T19:14:00.000-08:002006-11-03T19:14:00.000-08:00Patry, this is so fun reading all the comments abo...Patry, this is so fun reading all the comments about Sun today. I don't think I addressed any of your questions in my review, though. I did note in one of my comments on another blog that the fear of air raids loomed large while I read those sections. And I believe I related most with Kainene and hope that in a time of such extreme crisis I'd act as she does. I had a hard time with Olanna's decision (and yes, it was a conscious decision) to hurt her sister the way she did. It struck me as the weakest plot point of the book, especially since it was so out of character.<BR/><BR/>Love the photo of your great-grandmother. My family has a pretty detailed genealogy chart, but I know little about my father-in-law's family to pass onto my kiddos. Very sad. My girls were impressed to hear one of their ancestors on my mom's side was a Pilgrim, though! It's so important to hang onto any clues we have to our families' pasts; must be that human need to connect to others that I babbled about in my review that keeps us searching for even more clues. I'm glad you have that photo. K.Sustenance Scouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12980573661955592633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162605673053864922006-11-03T18:01:00.000-08:002006-11-03T18:01:00.000-08:00Lovely collage, Patry! I like the idea of giving y...Lovely collage, Patry! I like the idea of giving your great-grandmother a name and a story to make up for what was lost. <BR/><BR/>My post on Half a Yellow Sun is up now, even though I'm still trying to finish the book - and already the new book is looming, yikes! Though it does sound intriguing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162596479763586302006-11-03T15:27:00.000-08:002006-11-03T15:27:00.000-08:00Mine's not up yet. It will be soon, maybe even tod...Mine's not up yet. It will be soon, maybe even today. But if not, certainly soon. Do I get kicked out of the club if it's not up on exactly the third? I love the sound of the next book, and I'm planning on trying to do a more timely job on the next one!Shannon Hopkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12724093833220026696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162586946187605792006-11-03T12:49:00.000-08:002006-11-03T12:49:00.000-08:00Patry ~ Your collage is beautiful, there must be a...Patry ~ Your collage is beautiful, there must be a way to find out more about her?<BR/><BR/>Youre book club sounds great. I'm already involved in one, but it is dwindling and we've already discussed letting it close...Your club is my next choice :) I just may read Nov. book after all ;-)<BR/><BR/>have a great weekend love,<BR/>XXX darleneDarlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06081653211179263967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162585560336230862006-11-03T12:26:00.000-08:002006-11-03T12:26:00.000-08:00I love that you are making up your own stories to ...I love that you are making up your own stories to go with her life...this inspires me.<BR/><BR/>I wrote my "review" of Half of a Yellow Sun just now over at my blog...thank you for the encouragement to get into a book I'd kind-of been dodging, though I was curious about it!Left-handed Trees...https://www.blogger.com/profile/06057727021295729384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162574652467750732006-11-03T09:24:00.000-08:002006-11-03T09:24:00.000-08:00My review's up, too, Patry. Happy housecleaning!My review's up, too, Patry. Happy housecleaning!Sustenance Scouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12980573661955592633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162573122908803812006-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:002006-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:00My blog is about to go up--I'm at my mom's so thin...My blog is about to go up--I'm at my mom's so things are slow.<BR/><BR/>It's funny Patry, but I just ordered Winter's Bone from the library too! Myf's review did the same for me.<BR/><BR/>And I totally understand your reasons for not creating a focused blog...I'm excited!Jordan E. Rosenfeldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00580511962852819683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162572543059709112006-11-03T08:49:00.000-08:002006-11-03T08:49:00.000-08:00It's been difficult for me to comment on your post...It's been difficult for me to comment on your posts the past couple of days. I don't know that it's anything to do with you.<BR/><BR/>But forgotten stories of ancestors rings a bell with me: So many of our ancestors deliberately erased their pasts when they came to this country. And even after: I have press clippings on my grandfather's death, 60 years ago, from several of the Chicago papers. We had, what, six at the time? And not just mundane facts, like my grandfather's age, vary from clipping to clipping, but even the <I>last name of his brother</I> changes from story to story. And there's a story there -- and I only heard hints about what it might be before my father died.<BR/><BR/>True self-sacrifice by our ancestors: They sacrificed their very selves -- their identities, their stories -- thinking it'd be better for us.The Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162569494796771262006-11-03T07:58:00.000-08:002006-11-03T07:58:00.000-08:00marja-leena: She is a great-grandmother from my fa...marja-leena: She is a great-grandmother from my father's somewhat turbulent family. They were huge dreamers but poor keepers of history. Thanks for your kind comment on my collage.<BR/><BR/>marilyn: What an interesting idea! I think if I were the one whose name had been lost, I would be pleased for a great-granddaughter to give me a new one.<BR/><BR/>Tish: A comment almost worth five million. xo<BR/><BR/>kat: That is the amazing and wonderful thing about creating art. You start off making a simple, inelegant collage, and find out you have opened a door...<BR/><BR/>colleen: Yes, the bug has definitely seized me. I think but do not know that this great-grandmother was also born in Ireland, and may have lived there all her life.<BR/><BR/>amishlaw: Can't wait to read your blog! I will put up all the links of those who participated later tonight. But right now I'm in for a spate of mad housecleaning to music. <BR/>(The in-laws are coming this afternoon!)<BR/><BR/>sara: You can see it! I love that! Somehow that means she hasn't disappeared totally. And yes, maybe she is calling me to channel her story.Patry Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10961915797919017179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162567699816673512006-11-03T07:28:00.000-08:002006-11-03T07:28:00.000-08:00I love that quote from Edith Sitwell.Are you going...I love that quote from Edith Sitwell.<BR/><BR/>Are you going to write a book about your grandmother, make up a biography for her? <BR/><BR/>The resemblance between you is evident between what we can see of this photo and the cover you showed us of "My Women." It's in the eyes and mouth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162566747403908522006-11-03T07:12:00.000-08:002006-11-03T07:12:00.000-08:00Hey, Patry, where is the list of bloggers who have...Hey, Patry, where is the list of bloggers who have reviewed "Half of a Yellow Sun?" Am I missing it? My review is up.Crockheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08410758631825372736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162565231117772282006-11-03T06:47:00.000-08:002006-11-03T06:47:00.000-08:00I see you do have the collage bug now. I adore th...I see you do have the collage bug now. I adore the page you've posted, the idea of her image fading, and the mystery it holds. <BR/><BR/>I have a poem that my Grandmother from Ireland wrote which was published in a newspaper and some handwritten letters from my grandfather to her. <BR/><BR/>I'll be back later...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162563581486587272006-11-03T06:19:00.000-08:002006-11-03T06:19:00.000-08:00how mysterious that your grandmother's name and hi...how mysterious that your grandmother's name and history is lost. you could probably create many stories from her picture.Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17381213681911598073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162562951274185802006-11-03T06:09:00.000-08:002006-11-03T06:09:00.000-08:00That description of Winter's Bone could just as ap...That description of Winter's Bone could just as aptly describe another beautiful book I read this year. It's called The Liar's Diary.<BR/><BR/>TishAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162561519109629352006-11-03T05:45:00.000-08:002006-11-03T05:45:00.000-08:00It made me sad to read that your great-grandmother...It made me sad to read that your great-grandmother's name has disappeared...and then I realized that if it were me, I'd simply name her...most probably so I could continue my conversation with her. :) Good luck with the book club.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695927.post-1162528599480723042006-11-02T20:36:00.000-08:002006-11-02T20:36:00.000-08:00How sad that your grandmother's life went unrecord...How sad that your grandmother's life went unrecorded, but I like your positive feelings about her dreams. That's giving her a gift for which I'm sure she's thanking you. Lovely collage too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com