I downloaded about a dozen books, and the murmur of bees by sofia segovia was the first one i read. Were a global book club for likeminded women to discuss great books. Ask members to come with 3 questions to generate thought and discussion, marked passages to read, or relevant articles. The secret life of bees by sue monk kidd book club. Today is the day we begin our online discussion of the bees, by laline paull. I decided to come up with a generic list of book club questions to compel us to dig deeper than did you like the book. New york times the history of bees brings climate change into the realm of bookclub fiction. Especially when the book of the month evokes a strong emotional reaction and sparks a lengthy discussion that youve been dying to talk to others about. Lets take the sting out of quarantine, by reading, laline paulls ambitious and bold first novel, the bees, that follows flora 717. May 12, 2014 the book is most engrossing when bringing to life the intriguing functions of a beehive, from the feeding of royal jelly to the larvae to the dances by which foraging bees direct each other to fertile grounds for gathering nectar and pollen.
Sue monk kidds debut novel, the secret life of bees, is a comingofage story about feminine spirituality, racial tension, and maneuvering through love, loss and change. I found the ending to be particularly emmore i think some of the most moving prose is in the later half of the book, so i would encourage you to continue. In one of my past book clubs, we literally only read books that included discussion questions at the end of the book because we wanted to be certain wed have a meaningful discussion. Discussion the bees glimpsing gembles online book club. In the invention of wings, kidd returns to issues of race and a southern setting, this time tackling slavery in the early nineteenth century. The novel is set in northern mexico in the early 20th century amidst the mexican revolution and the deadly spanish flu pandemic. This lesson will guide classroom discussions about this novel. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Her first, the secret life of bees, was a book club favorite that gave groups a chance to discuss race issues in the south in the 1960s. Throughout the book, theres great emphasis on experience versus intellect. A beautiful reminder that a rich life is made of so much more than ones circumstances, and that purpose is often found in the most unexpected places. I was determined to have our discussion begin on the 15th as planned though, so i will scrape it in by minutes. How does georges expectation of how his reunion with thomas will go impact on the way the two men relate to each other.
The conversation stalled out a lot, too, which made it seem more painful. The book, translated by simon bruni, is set in the fertile fields and rugged hillsides around the city of linares, southeast of monterrey, during a tumultuous epoch in the early 1900s when mexico. Xe sands, angelo di loreto this is a story that is rich in history, societys best and worst reactions to extreme situations, family ties, and reactions to the unusual. The history of bees by maja lunde reading group questions. A baby is born with a devils kiss, which sounds like possibly a cleft palate. Book club discussion questions for laline paulls the bees if your book club has had the pleasure of reading the bees this month youll find some great discussion starters below.
The secret life of bees is a great choice for womens book clubs, and has the potential to promote lively discussions. The nature lovers book club the bucks county audubon society at the honey hollow environmental education center welcomes you to join us at the doylestown bookshop for a fun and engaging discussion about all things nature. The bees was short listed for the baileys womens prize for fiction. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
Sep 05, 2016 when you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. With every page i turned, i found myself drawn deeper into floras plight and her immersive, mesmerizing world. The story follows the lifetime of the morales family of landowners. The bees, laline paull girl with her head in a book. Apr 21, 2017 a gentleman in moscow is the story of one man confined to one hotel for one lifetime and what a lifetime it was. From an enchanting voice in mexican fiction comes sophia segovias novel, the murmur of bees amazoncrossing. My current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. Youll be able to share your thoughts, connect with readers across the country, ask sue your questions about the book, and get a behindthescenes look at writing the book of longings. What are some discussion questions for the secret life of bees. Jan 03, 2018 the best discussion questions for a book club book clubs are my favorite weeknight activity. I read the bees, rather reluctantly, for a discussion for our garden clubs book choice this winter. The history of bees by maja lunde will be featured on the radio 2 book club. Colony collapse, the mysterious overnight disappearance of a colony leaving behind honey, eggs and the queen, is not such a huge issue as it was when it was first reported in 2006.
Throughout may, were reading the book of longings together and gathering online to discuss and connect in a virtual book club. The bees book club discussion blog the secret life of bees is a great choice for womens book clubs and has the potential to promote lively discussions. What are some of the ways the book informs how bees function. May 23, 2019 the murmur of bees is a chance for readers north of the border to see mexico today through the lens of the past and, as simonopio says, to listen to what life sometimes murmurs into your ear, heart, or gut. Use these book club discussion questions to guide your group through sue monk kidds touching tale. Sofia segovia, simon bruni translation narrated by. Lundes exploration of the tension between human instinct and the need for selflessness couldnt be more timely. Dec 14, 2017 my current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. One of the group reads for march is the murmur of bees by sofia segoviaplease discuss the book in this. Jun 12, 2019 i took advantage of amazons free book download a couple of months ago, in celebration of international book day. The bees was short listed for the baileys womens prize for fiction discuss the reasons why you think this book was added to the short list. Apr 15, 2019 magical realism may or may not be your cup of tea, but if it is, a new voice has been translated into english.
If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. The secret life of bees is a great choice for womens book clubs and has the potential to promote lively discussions. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. I have to admit, this blog post is later in the day than usual, because i just finished listening to the audiobook at 10. Thats the only semifantastical story that she herself offers the reader she relays the fantastical stories of others, of course.
Maja lundes first book chronicles three generations as they exploit, try to save and eventually mimic bees. Exceptional storytelling brings a changing moscow inside the walls of one building. What are some good guestions for a bookclub discussion. The bees is an extraordinary feat of imagination, conjuring the life of a beehive in gripping, passionate and brilliant detail.
The secret life of bees is a novel by sue monk kidd that takes a realistic view of a teenagers experience in the south in the 1960s. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. The murmur of bees by sofia segovia reading guidebook club. As they did last year, amazon offered up several books by international authors for free. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. Aug, 2018 the secret life of bees is a great choice for womens book clubs and has the potential to promote lively discussions. Whats with lilys story about the swarm of bees invading her room at the beginning of the novel.
May 14, 2019 the book, translated by simon bruni, is set in the fertile fields and rugged hillsides around the city of linares, southeast of monterrey, during a tumultuous epoch in the early 1900s when mexico. Our 23 hour meetings are primarily a social gathering with a mere 10 minute discussion about the book snuck somewhere in the middle. The bees by gossamerchild see profile 042216 while the majority of the group liked this book, it didnt blow anyone away. The secret life of bees guide novel gobblers book club. Here are some of our thoughts and a bit about why we love this book. How does georges expectation of how his reunion with thomas will go impact how the two men relate to each other. Magical realism may or may not be your cup of tea, but if it is, a new voice has been translated into english. Throughout the book, theres great emphasis on experience vs. On page 36, george thinks longingly of the bees buzzing as the real reunion celebration.
It was released on 2 may and christy will be on the show on monday 24 june. The secret life of bees sue monk kidd, 2002 penguin group usa 336 pp. The murmur of bees is a historical fiction novel by mexican author sofia segovia, her first to be translated into english. May we know them, may we raise them, may we be them. The invention of wings is sue monk kidds third novel. There are so many great areas of discussion for this book, i hardly know where to begin. Even if you use a list of standard questions, come up with questions specific to the book being discussed to add depth to the dialogue.
On page 36 george thinks longingly of the bees buzzing as the real reunion celebration. Radio 2 book club the beekeeper of aleppo the next book to be featured on the jo whiley radio 2 book club will be the beekeeper of aleppo, the powerful debut novel by christy lefteri. I found the ending to be particularly emotionally stirring. I am going to give you a list of ten discussion areas, based on the assumption that everyone has finished. Find resources, reminders of who the major characters are and discussion questions to get you or your book group started on exploring. Through setting this narrative in our own natural world, this book poses some interesting questions about the nature of authoritarianism. Richard torres i think some of the most moving prose is in the later half of the book, so i would encourage you to continue.
Contribution page to blog, discussions, and ideas about reading and books. I took advantage of amazons free book download a couple of months ago, in celebration of international book day. The best discussion questions for a book club book clubs are my favorite weeknight activity. Discuss the reasons why you think this book was added to the. Sep 14, 2015 book club discussion questions for laline paulls the bees. Enlivened with the voices of dozens of girls and parents and wisemans welcome sense of humor, queen bees and wannabes is a conversation piece and reference guide that perfectly lends itself to discussion and shared insights into the world that is your teenage daughters. Every time i finish a book, i have an overwhelming urge to discuss it with someone. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. I decided there was definitely space in my life for a literary. If your book club has had the pleasure of reading the bees this month youll find some great discussion starters below. Discussion guide sales materials807 the honey bus book club kit5rh.
Does the secret life of bees fall into the same traps or avoid them. Sue monk kidds debut novel, the secret life of bees, is a comingofage story about feminine spirituality, racial tension, and maneuvering through love, loss, and change. The murmur of bees relevant reading book discussion guides. A book club discussion in preparation for our upcoming changing the odds conference, a group of us read queen bees and wannabes by guest speaker rosalind wiseman. Queen bee by dorothea benton frank book club discussion. If not, you can visit the publisher or authors website and find online reading guides. Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book.