Mid-Year Recap

The classic story, which you probably read in school, is a dystopian novel about a society that lives by very strict and uniformed rules. It's the story of a future in which families are given children, excess of kids are killed, elderly are discarded when they reach the end of their usefulness and everyone in the society must dedicated their lives to a special career based on their skill sets.  Jonas, our protagonist, is given the task of being the memory holder, the only person in the society who can remember the past. The Giver, his mentor, passes memories to him that change his mindset. He experiences past memories of snow, beaches, Christmas and love.  Those emotions evoke in Jonas the need to see the world for what it really is. We embark on an adventure with him to escape the only life he knows.

Set in the backdrop of a real estate company based out of Chicago; this play tells the story of a few men trying to get an edge in their sale positions. Some go to greater lengths than others.  The play is really about the down-on-their-luck and has-beens of an industry that is already struggling to convince consumers to buy a subprime real estate. Some characters, the ones who have seen the peaks, are finding the struggles of staying relevant more difficult each day and have to make difficult decisions to make ends meet.  Listen along with us as we discuss this small, yet mighty, play 

The Kreutzer Sonata, is a small work of fiction by Leo Tolstoy that explores the philosophical ideals of marriage, sex, family and jealousy. In this novel, a man tells a bunch of strangers on a train about how he ended up killing his wife, and got away with it.  In the telling of the tale, the man and the strangers, debates the ideas that surround love and how some expected beliefs and actions with a spouse as viewed by society have been looked at wrong all along. In more than one example, we're thrown into the middle of a debate about what love is and why that should lead to marriage.  Listen along as we discuss what we really liked about this novel and what we did not! 

Tennessee Williams's most famous work is his 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire. It's a play that focuses on love, anger, jealousy, and ultimately betrayal. Set in the bustling streets of New Orleans, the play follows 3 main characters; Stanely, Blanche, and Stella.  In this episode, we discuss those 3 characters and the true intentions they had. We discuss the marriage of Stanley and Stella, Blanche's intentions in coming to visit them in New Orleans, the boisterous personality she brings with her from Mississippi, and Blanche's relationship with Stanley and where it all went wrong.  Listen along as we discuss this classic play! 

This heartbreaking story is a tale about 2 children that grew up on the same continent and ended up on opposite sides of the war. And while neither one wanted to be involved, they both were.  We follow Werner, a young German boy whose love for gadgets gets the attention of the Nazi regime and forces him into the battlefield. And we simultaneously follow Marie Laure, a blind young girl in France that grows up during the occupation of her home country by the Nazis. Circumstances bring those two different people under the same roof for a lesson about humanity, kindness, and doing the right thing.  This novel is less about the war and more about the people in the war. We discuss the ups and downs of this book, what it means to be a soldier and how we felt reading this pulitzer prize winner. 

It's about half-way through the year. So, we decided to recap our favorite and not-so favorite books that we have read thus far in 2024! Listen to this one and let us know if you agree with us.

Everytime a husband goes up to the attic of Lauren's flat in London, a new man comes down. She can't explain it, she was never married, she never had any life-altering experiences. Yet she comes home one day to find a man in her living room. Slowly, Lauren finds out that if the man goes up to the attic, a new man appears in his place.  The story is about Lauren finding the perfect husband; and perhaps also about how our perception of a person never really means what we think it means. So we journey with Lauren as she attempts to figure it out. And SPOILER ALERT: she doesn't. A great concept with Chaotic story telling filled with multiple holes in the plot; this story is a mix of casual and infuriating reading. You might not agree with us on this one, but let us know what you think!!

Stephanie Garber takes us to a fantasy world, where competition and clues are the difference between life and death. Sisters Scarlett and Tells want more out of life than living in their abusive father's castle. Their dream is to attend the allusive performance put together by the mysterious 'Legend'. And when they finally get an opportunity to attend, they get more than they bargained for. A fun story, mainly for young adults, about a world of colors, tricks, love-drama, and consequences of decision, this book (part of a series), is a good read for anyone looking to read something different and not so serious.  Tell us your thoughts about this episode on Instagram: @mensbookclubpod

In the author's hometown of Lincoln, Illinois, 1922, we are introduced to a group of characters who are tethered to one another by one act or another. The novel opens up about the murder of Loyd Wilson, by his best friend Clarence Smith, who then commits suicde. We then learn little by little about why that happened, how they became friends, why they had a fall out, and where the narrator (who is not a central part of the murder) fits into the novel.  A novel written with the backdrop of the open plains, tales of family scars, and a very well articulated writing style; William Maxwell takes us on a long, long journey in under 150 pages. This is a rainy day book if we've ever seen one. Listen in and let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @mensbookclubpod

The Martian by Andy Weir is a famous Sci-fi book about a man who got left behind on Mars after his crew presumed him dead. While awaiting for help that he can't be certain will arrive, Mark Watney attempts to survive. Using his intelligence, his wit and his dark sense of humor, Mark Watney builds himself a habitat on the surface of Mars.  The book takes the reader through the intricacies of chemical reactions, mathematical formulas and bureaucratic ineptitudes. But most importantly, this book is a display of what would actually happen if everyone on earth was on the same side for once; and how many incredible things that would accomplish.  Join us on this episode as we take you with us... to Mars. Then tell us your thoughts on Instagram: @mensbookclubpod