Monday, April 02, 2012

Currently reading: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

I should be at book club tonight discussing this book. There are two reasons why I am not. The first is that I am only half way through the book despite the fact that I was very pleased when this was announced as the choice for this month. I actually went and heard Geraldine Brooks talk when she came to Melbourne last year and she also signed my copy of the book so it was a great excuse to finally actually read the book!

The second and most important reason is that it is the school holidays and the boy invited a friend over for a sleepover. He then rang and asked if it is okay and my answer was not really because I was going to be out tonight and at work tomorrow. It turned out that the friend was already in the driveway - fait accompli. I figured that it would be best if I actually was at home at least tonight.

I am just over half way through the book and I am enjoying it. I generally like Brooks' writing but I have, in the past, had issues with her endings. It will be interesting to see if that is the case with this book. I am kind of wondering about the title, Caleb's Crossing. Yes, there is an important character called Caleb but his story is not the main focus of the book as such. The main character is a young girl, Bethia, and so far she has had more than her fair share of hardship. I just reread my post about her visit last year and am reminded that she actually talked about the reason for using Bethia as the narrator during her talk.

Below are the synopsis and the trailer:

In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. From the few facts that survive of his extraordinary life, Geraldine Brooks creates a luminous tale of love and faith,  magic and adventure. 


When Bethia Mayfield, a spirited twelve-year-old living in the rigid confines of an English Puritan settlement - and the daughter of a Calvinist minister - meets Caleb, young son of a Wampanoag chieftain, the two forge a secret friendship that draws each into the alien world of the other. 


As Bethia's father feels called to convert the Wampanoag to his own strict faith, he awakens the wrath of the medicine men. Caleb becomes a prize in this contest between old ways and new, eventually taking his place at Harvard, studying Latin and Greek alongside the sons of the colonial elite. 


Fighting for a voice in a society that requires her silence,  Bethia becomes entangled in Caleb's struggle to navigate the intellectual and cultural shoals that divide their two cultures. 


Once again, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Geraldine Brooks brings to vivid life a shard of little-known history, and through Bethia and Caleb explores the intimate spaces of the human heart.



19 comments:

  1. I find this post interesting. I too saw Geraldine Brooks when she was in Hobart last year and bought the book and had it signed... but still have not read it yet. For some reason the topic has not taken my interest. I am hoping that one of these days I will come across it on the shelf and will suddenly be very interested in reading it but at the moment too many other things that are jumping out at me so it will have to wait.

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    1. I am glad I am not the only one who does that. I have quite a few books that I have seen the author and got the book signed and still haven't read it.

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  2. I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf for a while now. It does sound interesting and I am sure I will end up liking it once I start reading it, but for some reason it just doesn't call to me when I am trying to decide what to read next. I really just need to either pick it up and start reading it or list it as one of the books that I plan on reading for a reading challenge - that way I am more likely to read it b/c I always push myself to finish my lists.

    Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this when you are finished reading it.

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    1. I know what you mean Kristin. My motivation to finally pick it up was the fact that it was a book club read.

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    2. I have found that has driven me to read a few books that I've wanted to but hadn't gotten around to - The Help, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Water for Elephants are some.

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  3. I haven't read this one yet but I'm in the middle of listening to the People of the Book audiobook. It's pretty good and makes me want to read more by Brooks.

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    1. My favourite is Year of Wonders followed by March. Hope you enjoy the rest of your audiobook.

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  4. I enjoy Geraldine Brooks writing and have this one sitting on my bookshelf but I have not read it yet. I love the setting of Martha's Vineyard and have been there so I can picture the island. Hope that the boy appreciates that you are skipping book club:)

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    1. Martha's Vineyard sounds like a lovely place. I am not sure that the boy does appreciate it but still. Had to be done.

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  5. I have only ever read Brooks once. I need to get around to reading her again one of these days.

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  6. Normally I like books by this author, but for some reason, this one didn't sound like it would appeal to me, so I skipped it. I will be interested to hear what you think of it when you are done. You may just cause me to reconsider.

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    1. The subject sounded appealing to me, but not enough to make me pick it up before now.

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  7. I actually ended up liking this one more than I thought I would - and I think the ending is a better one (I hate the ended to Year of Wonder even though that is one of my all time favourite books). Curious to see what you think of it

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    1. Bernadette, that's my reaction to Year of Wonders too. I am hoping the ending of this one is better.

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  8. I love Brooks and keep meaning to read this one, but am another person who keeps skipping over it for other things.

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    1. Not sure what is about the sound of the book that is making so many people have that reaction.

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  9. I'd be curious to know what you think about the ending too. Year of Wonder had one of the worst endings ever, which was too bad because it was great up until then.

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    1. Precisely! Knowing that it was based on real life makes a small change to my opinion but isn't enough to redeem it!

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