Around the World in 80 Books discussion

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the meaning of the title and all the short descriptions of children and animals at the beginning of each chapter.

This was a tough part of the book for me! The half-prose half-poetry is not my style. However: after a bit I started rereading the beginning sections after I had finished the chapter, using them as bookends, and I actually thought that it was a good tool to get me thinking about what the core of the chapter had been. Even with that, I didn't understand the beginning ones as well as the later ones - easier to tell what was going on as the pace in the book picked up. What did you think of them?

I guess it's an interesting juxtaposition to see destruction from the point of view of children, animals which are completely innocent. All these scenes of destruction (broken toys, rivers rushing on ants) seem like a metaphor for the country/regime. I had trouble finding a direct connection chapter by chapter; as you mention that's something that might be more clear on a careful rereading. (I'm glad I took the time to read this book, but I also found much of it rather impenetrable, and this was a good example of that. Much may become more clear with time.)

As far as the title goes, the closest reference to this I remember is the very beginning (pg. 3) when Soyaan's mother serves him sour yogurt and he can't eat eat it unless it is made sweet, and then he still can't eat it. His mother eats it instead because they can't afford the waste, then says to herself that she can't afford to lose her son. Perhaps the sweet and sour milk is also supposed to be a metaphor for the regime? People tolerate the dictatorship (sour yogurt) because they cannot afford to take the risk of standing against it, but then in the end it destroys their families (e.g. leads to the death of Soyaan who cannot tolerate the sourness of the regime) which is something they can't afford at a higher level? What do you think?

Another thing I'm confused about: Why is it milk in the title, but yogurt in the text? Is this important or just an incidental swap?

This is really interesting! The milk thing to me ties to the breast feeding/breast references (of which I thought there were a LOT) - so it's not just the yogurt in the very first chapter but the "mother's milk" in both the literal family sense and the sense of the political lineage of the country.

Thanks Becki, that makes sense. I think you're exactly right about this!

Becki, thanks for resolving this, because once Claire brought it up I was actually bothered by it! Seriously tried to do cuisine research in case it was that literal :) You're reading the second book, Sardines, right? Have you figured out the deal with that title?

I am hoping to read the second book! But I haven't gotten to it yet (I am behind on all my reading because I always want to read every book.... LOL). If/when I get to it and figure it out I will circle back!