Erin’s Comments (group member since Apr 14, 2017)

Erin’s comments from the Nordic Book Club group.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Scandinavia House for the discussion of Tómas Jónsson, Bestseller! We'd love to hear more about what everyone thought of the book here. As always, feel free to answer any of these questions, ask your own, or share any thoughts you have about the book in general.

1. Did you enjoy the book? How did it compare to your expectations?

2. What did you think of Tómas? How would you describe him? How do you think he would describe himself?

3. As a narrator, how trustworthy is he?

4. How does the novel respond to or subvert the idea of the memoir?

5. What stylistic qualities did you notice, and how would you describe the writing and language? How did these qualities affect your enjoyment of the book? Were there any passages that you particularly enjoyed?

6. Did you notice any recurring themes throughout the book?

7. What does Tómas think of Iceland's people and cultural touchstones? What are some of his criticisms? Where do you think these feelings stem from?

8. Are you glad that you read this book? Would you recommend it to others?

Hi Carol, thank you for sharing your thoughts! Very beautifully said. I personally really enjoyed the different and changing appearances of cats throughout the book, and you draw an interesting connection to the nature of the relationships the characters have with Yugoslavia. You've noticed a lot of great themes running through the book! Thank you for sharing.

Thank you to those who joined us for a lively discussion of The Unit at Scandinavia House! We'd love to hear more about what everyone thought of the book here. Some of these questions are thanks to Other Press, and others are inspired by our group discussion today. As always, feel free to answer any of these questions, ask your own, or share any thoughts you have about the book in general.

1. Do you think the dystopian premise of deeming people dispensable and sequestering them in a unit like this one has parallels with our real-world political climate and attitudes? Does it seem especially Swedish to you, or is there a broader resonance?

2. Dystopian stories often feature a rebellious main character. Would you describe Dorrit as rebellious? Is she obedient?

3. Dorrit's mother discouraged her from getting "caught in a trap" by having children and getting married, yet she lives to see a time where a woman's value is directly linked to being a mother. Had Dorrit become a product of her time, yet also trapped by it?

4. Several times throughout the novel, the society is referred to as a democracy. In what sense is it a democratic society? Are the people in the wider community truly free?

5. Dorrit develops what may be some of the most intimate relationships of her life while residing in the unit. Why do you think that is?

6. Why do you think Johannes makes his final donation without telling Dorrit and saying goodbye? Was his decision selfish or selfless?

7. What happens after Dorrit steps outside of the unit at the end? Why does she return?

8. Dorrit describes the unit as "significantly more humane than I could have imagined." Do you agree? Is it possible for a unit like this to be humane?

9. Does The Unit remind you of any other dystopian stories, and would you recommend this book to others?

Hi Michael, I really enjoy your description of this back and forth between love and loss as an ongoing theme for Bekim. I think part of that is who he's choosing to bring into his life. The snake is a predator, the cat is cruel, and he takes them in knowing these things about them. I would agree that they help him work through some things, but the nature of the animals also signals to me that a happy resolution for those relationships was probably unlikely from the beginning.

Your observation of the pattern of "finding" and "losing" is great. It really does flow through the entire story, perhaps even beginning with the short-lived relationship in the very first chapter.

Hi Michael! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the cat and snake, they're very insightful. Bekim brings the snake into his life in an attempt to resolve some deep-seated fears, and I think the connection you draw between that and his feelings about his father is really interesting. By the end, do you think the snake helped Bekim work through some fears the way he had hoped it would?

Similar to his approach to the snake, Bekim seems to have some pretty clear goals when it comes to bringing the cat into his life, as you note - to offer love and to be loved. I like that you've described Bekim's relationship with the cat as conflicted, which I think is a great way to put it.

To connect this back to the book's title, I'm curious whether this relationship with the cat shares some parallels with his relationship to Yugoslavia.

Thank you to those who joined us for the discussion of My Cat Yugoslavia! We'd love to hear more about what everyone thought of the book here. As always, feel free to answer any of these questions, ask your own, or share any thoughts about the book in general.

1. What do you think the title means, and what is the connection between the cat and Yugoslavia?

2. Are there parallels between the mother's story and her son's story?

3. What do the animals in the story symbolize?

4. Are there two different cats in the story, or just one?

5. What is the relationship between the first chapter and the rest of the book?

6. What themes did you notice throughout the book?

7. How does the opening quote from Ivo Andric's Bridge on the Drina relate to the story?