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Old 12-04-2006, 09:26 AM   #1  
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Arrow Chick Lits Book Club- We've finished the book

Good Morning everybody, or should I say anybody? Just kidding. Anyway, so we've finished the book. If there is anybody out there who wants to give another book a go, let us know.

Some thoughts:

Very cool how James' time in prison is reduced because of his friends, both of which are on opposite side of the law, the judge and the "business" man. I guess it really does pay to have friends in high places. But I am happy for James, very happy. I think he's been through enough without having to sit in jail and rot.

The smelly guy with no arms - creepy. Rehab is a scary, scary place and I never want anyone I know to have to be there. Well, duh.

And how about Leonard, with catering the food and installing cable TV so they could watch the fight? VEry, very nice. I guess "business" men can be nice people as well. I was sorry to hear that he died. I wonder if he and James ever did meet or talk again after rehab.


When he's writing out his confession, all those things he did - Whoa, those are not your ordinary little boy pranks. This is one messed up boy and again I wonder WHERE THE **** ARE THE PARENTS???? This kid needed an intervention in a BIG, GIGANTIC way. Psychriatric help, drugs (prescribed ones) he needed something. Lockdown, I don't know something and his parents failed him miserably, just miserably.

Kind of predictable at the end, when he tells his brother to take him to a bar, first I said, no it can't be but within a second or two I realized he was testing himself and I knew he wouldn't do it. Still not sure why the brother actually took him to the bar, oh yeah he's part of that wonderful family.

Okay so Lily kills herself, I am very sad. i don't think it would have worked out for the 2 of them anyway, not as a couple but who knows?

I am very, very happy for Miles. not really surprised about anything he says at the end of the book.

Overall I enjoyed the book, I wouldn't say it was the best book I've ever read, not even close, but it was good enough.

Your thoughts?
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Old 12-04-2006, 02:04 PM   #2  
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I'm still here didn't get it finished I'm afraid. I'm on page 330. We lost power with the storm and then I had to decorate but I will finish it this week.

I'm still interested in continuing with the book club. However maybe we should wait until after christmas for the next one.
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Old 12-05-2006, 03:36 PM   #3  
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Hi Robin, Hi everyone! Yes I agree, let's wait til after the holidays for the next book, I don't have any suggestions but I'll jump in there. My friend just finished the DaVinci Code and LOVED it, I didn't think I'd be interested in that, didn't see the movie either. Plus I'd rather not read a book that has a movie out anyways. And that's not exactly my genre either. But if you'ns want to read it, count me in. Otherwise, I don't have any ideas.

You know what I really liked? The updates at the end of the book telling how everyone ended up and what happened to everyone. I think for me that was the most moving, tragic part of the book. I was surprised that Leonard died. And really surprised about Lily, what if she had just waited a day or two? I'm with you though, Robin, not sure they would have made it anyways. Now she can be forever "pure" in his memory as the "angel" who helped turn his life around, and, LOL not the shrew who would go on to nag him about leaving the toilet seat up etc. I also wonder if he wanted to honor her memory by saying she died sober and never relapsed, I suspect her for weakness and possibly ran back out into society and got right back into it. I actually suspected Leonard might use again given his "connections" (maybe I was on the fence about that one) but I'm kinda pessimistic and judgemental that way.

You thought the bar scene at the end was predictable? I was pretty surprised myself (I'm naive that way) but I was just angry about it! Like the previous months were just a joke and he was going to throw it all away with that one huge drink. Ordering that humongous glass too. And you're right, the family, the brother, he should have stood his ground, though it would have gotten violent...then for his brother to go shoot pool while James was at the bar, symbolic of the way his family looked the other way, were involved but really weren't, seemed ambiguous about it all, just wrapped it all up. I feel sometimes like I have a bit of an addictive personality and for the life of me I don't how he found the strength to pass that drink up. You can tell by his description of the glass he WANTED it. Interesting.

I'm just so cynical....I keep thinking he may have relapsed at some point by now, possibly by Oprah coming out at him, humiliating him in national TV calling him a fraud and generally berating him in front of the world. Its worrisome considering he was relying on his inner person and not the steps, the meetings, AA, when he felt weak. Not having a terrific family support, on paper, sure, but if he felt out of control and close to using again, do you think he could call his parents or even his brother? He needs some kind of support system, he wouldn't even have Leonard to call if he was slipping.

Thank you Robin for leading us through our discussion and your well thought out opinions, I enjoyed this whole experience. Will check back later. xoxxoxoxo
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Old 12-06-2006, 10:01 AM   #4  
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Great, I'd love to do another book and after the holidays is perfect. 2 of my daughters read the DaVinci Code and they didn't love it. I started it, couldn't get past page 50. So it gets a big fat NO vote from me. My friend told me about a book that she loved, I think it was called "The Kite Runner" but I'm not sure, I'll ask her about it.

I liked the updates too. Sorry to see Leonard go. Lily had just a really tough life, how does one ever get over that stuff?

I know with the drinkiing at the bar and stuff, you're wondering how he did it. I know this is gonna sound crazy but I'm telling you with me and this weight thing and him and his drinking thing - that's it - you just make the decision to do it. Or not to do it. Once I decided I didnt' want to be fat anymore it's been sooo much easier for me to resisit the stupid food. And I had never done that before, not seriously. It's just about making the decison.
And I think it's what he did. He didn't want to live his life like that anymore so he's stopped. That's why he's able to do this without AA. I don't know what do I know. I've seen him on Oprah and unfortunately Oprah mentioned when she was grilling him about Lily dieing, so I knew she was gonna die. He says he still hasn't used. And he's happily married with kids. I really, really, really hope he doesn't have a setback. I mean when we have a setback it's gotta be easier to get back on track then someone like him, no? Well I'm sure he could CALL his parents if he had a setback, but would they REALLY be there for him, I doubt it. But again he's got a wife, so hopefully he will stay clean and sober for his whole entire life. I really hope so.
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Old 12-07-2006, 06:31 PM   #5  
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Hey! This is the first time that i've posted in the chick lits threads, but I just wanted to talk about the end of the book! I've read the book about 6 months ago, and I really enjoyed it.

The one thing that stands out for me though is the recap at the end. I was really sad to hear that Lily had died. It was kinda like a little blow for me because I'm such a sap and love a good love story, and I really enjoyed Lily and James together. They provided each other so much hope and support, even if it was kind of disfunctional.

Has anyone read the second part to the book "My Friend Leonard?". I've been meaning to pick it up, i just haven't yet.

A PP mentioned the Kite Runner... Ohhhh what an amazing book.

Right now I'm reading A Fine Balance right now. I don't have the name of the author on me and I'm too lazy to go check... but you guys should check it out... it's hard to put down. It's a good thing too, it's over 700 pages! Lol it's helping to prolong the book a bit i guess.
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Old 12-08-2006, 09:06 AM   #6  
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Oh good, so that's another recommendation for the Kite Runner.And according to google the author is Khaled Hosseini. Anyone else any thoughts about reading this book? Michelle?

Well unfortunately I had heard that Lily was dies, so the whole book I was like waiting for it to happen. It would have been interesting to see how things would have turned out for them had she lived.

I had heard he (james frey) wrote another book, and I heard it was a book of fiction, but maybe I misunderstood or it is indeed another book besides "My Friend Leonard" I guess I wouldn't mind reading it. And when books are EXCELLENT, I too don't want them to end, unfortunately this is a rarity.
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Old 12-08-2006, 09:45 AM   #7  
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The Kite Runner sounds good to me. It's one I've been meaning to read.
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Old 12-08-2006, 03:54 PM   #8  
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Count me in for the Kite Runner! Heading off to the library to pick it up...LOL I know we said we'd wait til after the holidays, but I NEED something to read! Well, if Cosmo or Glamour is in my mailbox RIGHT NOW, I'll wait, otherwise I'm off to the library. Plus I'm a sucker for anything that comes highly reccommended by others....LOL

Oh yeah and I didn't know Frey wrote a sequel book. Sounds interesting. Of course we know how that story ends. But still.
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Old 12-11-2006, 05:47 PM   #9  
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Sorry for being gone so long! The Kite Runner gets my vote, but I'd really like to wait until after the holidays to start it.

This book was really an eye-opener for me. I know that the story was somewhat "exaggerated", but I still wonder how much of it was untrue. He must have been through **** just to come out with the experiences he described. It was frightening and raw. I really liked it, but I'm not sure it would be something I'd select for myself in the future.

I was saddened by Lily's death, but not surprised. I also wonder if it wasn't for his good. If she had fallen to the temptations of the world, he might have been blinded by love to it and fallen back into addiction himself.

Overall, it was a good read, but not necessarily the genre I'm used to. We'll have to see what the Kite Runner holds!

~Kim
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Old 12-13-2006, 08:17 AM   #10  
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BTW the two magazines I mentioned above came in so I didn't get the book yet....LOL but I'll be out picking up Kite Runner soon, maybe the week after Christmas?
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