October 22 Meeting: "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl.

 The October read: we are beginning with the short story Lamb to the Slaughter, by Roald Dahl.

Wikipedia quote:

"Lamb to the Slaughter" is a 1954 short story by Roald Dahl. It was initially rejected, along with four other stories, by The New Yorker, but was published in Harper's Magazine in September 1953. It was adapted for an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (AHP) that starred Barbara Bel Geddes and Harold J. Stone. Originally broadcast on April 13, 1958, this was one of only 17 AHP episodes directed by Hitchcock. The episode was ranked #59 of the Top 100 Episodes by TV Guide in 2009. The story was adapted for Dahl's British TV series Tales of the Unexpected. Dahl included it in his short story compilation Someone Like You. The narrative element of the housewife killing her husband and letting the policemen partake in eating the evidence was used by Pedro Almodóvar in his 1984 movie What Have I Done to Deserve This?, with a leg of mutton.

"Lamb to the Slaughter" demonstrates Dahl's fascination with horror (with elements of black comedy), which is seen in both his adult fiction and his stories for children. The story was suggested to Dahl by his friend Ian Fleming: "Why don't you have someone murder their husband with a frozen leg of mutton which she then serves to the detectives who come to investigate the murder?

Roald Dahl | Lamb to the Slaughter - Full audiobook with text (AudioEbook)

Roald Dahl

Source: Wikipedia

What are you reading? "Fried Green Tomatoes At Whistle Stop" by Fannie Flagg

 

Source: Amazon

Noelia's contribution

Fried Green Tomatoes At Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg is the last book I've read this summer. It tells the story of Idgie Threadgoode, her family, her friendship with Ruth Jamison and her life at Whistle Stop, an imaginary village in Alabama, from the twenties to the fifties decade.

 The remarkable point of this book is the way the author writes it. There are three different narrators, the own author, Ninny Threadgoode, Idge's sister-in-law, who tells the story to Evelyn Couch, and Dot Weems' gazette. 

 Nonetheless, this book not only does narrate Idgie's story but also some of the most significant citizens of Whistle stop, which are intertwined among them. Out of all the stories in this book, I think readers will find heartbreaking and amusing Evelyn Couch's story. It is 1986. She is in her forties, overweight, and living with her husband, who only asks her for food. Evelyn thinks she is living a boring life without any future expectations until she meets Ninny Threadgoode at the nursing home, awakening new feelings and thoughts of rebellion against social standards inside her.

To sum up, in one sense, I highly recommend it, because I think it is perfect for a book club session (or two). Readers might spend hours and hours talking about, for instance, sexuality, racial segregation, friendship, domestic violence, and poverty, among others.

In another sense, if readers are not English native speakers, they will struggle to understand some words, idioms and expressions. Apart from this, readers could easily lose the thread of the story. Constantly, the story comes back in time and returns to the present.

Curiosities

Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop was written in 1987 by Fannie Flagg. She is an American writer, actress and comedian. In 1991 this novel was adapted for film. Fannie Flagg co-wrote the screenplay. Most of her books are set in Southern states, such as Alabama, Missouri and Georgia.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) - Trailer

> Wikipedia - Fannie Flagg 

In this video, she talks about her life, her career as an actress, her writing process, etc.

Fannie Flagg on InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse

On this website, there are southern recipes, even fried green tomatoes.

> https://whistlestopcafe.com/

In this video, she talks about Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop sequel,  The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop, which is highly likely to be my next reading.

Fannie Flagg "Fried Green Tomatoes" Interview with Steel Magnolias Podcast

EBC MEETINGS DATES 2022-2023

What are you reading? “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Source: Wikipedia

J. Antonio's Contribution

I selected this book after reading several excellent reviews. I had gone to Viet Nam years ago and was very interested in reading more about the war.

Needless to say, the VietNam played an important part in western society and there was a traumatic experience for the States. It was the first war the US lost. This book gives us the story from the Vietnamese point of view. The unnamed protagonist referred to as the Capitan goes to the University in the US and returns to his country to fight on the South Vietnamese side. However, he is a mole and agent for the Viet Cong. So the book starts as the Americans are fleeing Saigon along with some Vietnamese who are lucky enough to escape. The Captain is one. He goes on to describe his life in the US and then his return to Vietnam to help overthrow the new Communist government.

Viet Thanh Nguyen does an amazing job of describing the fall of Saigon. He also gave me an appreciation for South Vietnamese culture. This first part of the book was so strong and I was hooked.

There is dry humour in this book. Some of the descriptions are laugh-out-loud funny. But humorous or not, all perfectly capture the mood and era.

The book touches on a lot of issues – war, loyalty, betrayal, the sense of other, discrimination, arts as propaganda and who writes history. While the writing is beautiful throughout, I have to admit at times the book really dragged. I kept losing interest. There are many good things I can say about The Sympathizer but it was not my liking. The writing is exquisite although he took five pages to say something when one page

would suffice. He is funny, ironic and satirical. The torture scenes were too graphic for me and too long. There is a description of a horrific rape scene. The Captain says he can see both sides and nobody escapes his scathing comments. Americans, North Vietnamese, and South Vietnamese are all fair game.

The Captain goes to the Philippines to be a consultant on a movie

about Viet Nam. The commentary is biting and pretty funny. I think it is loosely based on “Apocalypse Now” by Francis Ford Coppola.

I liked many parts of this overlong book and it was educational to get the point of view of a Vietnamese immigrant although the author makes an effort to remind us that these were not immigrants but refugees fleeing from a war that the US started. 

Summing, it up not one of my favourites that we have read this summer.

Youtube: Yale University - Viet Thanh Nguyen: "The Sympathizer, Memory of the Vietnam War"

What are you reading? The Vanishing Half (2020), by Brit Bennett.

 

Source: Waterstones

Josefa's contribution

I read this book last year and I enjoyed it a lot. The story revolves around the Vignes twin sisters, and spans from the 1950s to the 1990s, from the Deep South to California. The novel explores a number of different issues: identity, desires, expectations, racial discrimination, family relationships, gender, decision-making, passing, negotiating a place in the world, etc, etc. The language is not difficult to understand and the style is never boring. This is a story that makes the reader think and which stays with you long after you finish the last page.

> Brit Bennett's official website:  https://britbennett.com/

Brit Bennett, "The Vanishing Half" - Youtube

What are you reading? "Smoke Screen" by Terry Blackstock

Noelia's contribution

After reading Words on Fires, I needed to read something completely different. One of my best friends recommended a suspenseful novel called Smoke Screen by Terry Blackstock. It is an enthralling and pageturner novel. As I see it, it is much more than a suspense novel. 

The novel tells the story of Nate and Brenna, who had a relationship during their adolescence, but unexpectedly, a tragic event changed their lives forever. Page after page, the reader discovers other fascinating subplots that hook the reader on them until the end. 

Besides this, the novel is well-written, and the story is narrated in first-person by Nate and Brenna. This narrative style remains TV series "The Affair", helping readers to put themselves in the positions of the main characters. Apart from this, the main plot and its subplots are too realistic and full of engaging dialogues.

 I highly recommend it because its reading is easy and quick. Furthermore, this book makes you think about friendship, blame, redemption and forgiveness, among others things.

> Terri Blackstock website: https://terriblackstock.com/