Welcome to the KPL Book Club Blogspot

Welcome to the internet home of the Kilbourn Public Library (KPL) Book Club. The KPL Book Club meets at the library once a month. A book is chosen for each month and then members of the book club meet the last Monday and Wednesday of every month for lively discussion and treats. While we can’t offer you treats via the internet, this KPL Reads blog was designed for those of you who would like to participate in the book club but don’t have time to join us at meetings. Each month KPL staff will post discussion topics and questions to get you “talking”. Join in the discussion by adding a post to the blog. Click on the word comments below the post you want to "talk" about and write your comment. Be sure to check back often to see feedback and comments.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Kilbourn Public Library Book Club selection for September is Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng.  This is an exquisite debut novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. 

Lydia is dead.  But they don't know this yet...   Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee;  their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother's bright blue eyes and her father's jet-black hair.  Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue.

When Lydia's body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart. 

A profoundly moving story of family, history, and the meaning of home, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait.

Pick up a copy of the book at the Kilbourn Public Library or on the Bookmobile and join the discussion.

Think about the relationships between Nath, Lydia, and Hannah.  How do the siblings both understand and mystify one another?

Why do you think Lydia is the favorite child of James and Marilyn?  How does this pressure affect Lydia, and what kind of impact do you think it has on Nath and Hannah?

How did you react to the "Marco Polo" pool scene with James and Nath?  What do you think of James's decision?

What is the meaning of the novel's title?  To whom do the "I" and "you" refer?

What would have happened if Lydia had reached the dock?  Do you think she would have been able to change her parents' views and expectations of her?

Think about the relationship Marilyn and her mother have to cooking and their roles as stay-at-home mothers.  Do you think one is happier or more satisfied?

There's so much that the characters keep to themselves. What do you wish they had shared with one another?  Do you think an ability to better express themselves would have changed the outcome of the book?

Let us know what you think!

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