Oakville Reads discussion

Noah Hawley, born in 1967, is an American television writer and producer, screenwriter, and bestselling author, best known for creating and writing the TV series Fargo and Legion. Hawley earlier worked on the television series Bones, The Unusuals and My Generation. As you read this book, pay close attention to his style. Does he write for the screen? If so, how? Feel free to comment at any time under the topic folder "Writing for the screen?"

To begin our discussion here, as most of us are just starting to read, please share your thoughts on the title: what do you think Before the Fall could mean?

When I first heard the title and saw the cover - I thought of Niagara Falls. I thought perhaps it had to do with some kind of waterfall. I also thought that the "Fall" in the title could be a fall into addiction, fall into poverty, fall from from some high esteemed social position.

For me the title has a double meaning. The book examines the time "before the fall" from the sky in the plane so that we know what caused the crash. It also examines the aftermath of the crash, which causes Scott's life to fall into an abyss caused by all the media attention on the crash.

When I first encountered this title, I assumed it was a book about a man's fall from grace.

My initial response to the title was quite literal - "fall" as a collapse, a crash of the plane and all that truly happened right before that. I think I was expecting more of the survival story… However, the more I read, the more fascinated I became with the fact, that there might be an another dimension to the story, another “fall’ which has nothing to do with a physical downfall, but everything to do with the corruption of ethics and the interpretation of “truth” .

I imagined it to be life in paradise before Eve succumbed to temptation. A great title, so many different takes on it!

I too took the title literally, meaning what happened before the crash. As I read I think it has an extended meaning as most of the characters are facing a "fall" or crisis in their lives before the crash leading us to wonder if these crisis's have something to do with the plane crash.

Basia wrote: "My initial response to the title was quite literal - "fall" as a collapse, a crash of the plane and all that truly happened right before that. I think I was expecting more of the survival story… Ho..."

Basia, These were my thoughts exactly! The literal fall of the plane (known from the jacket cover), a less tangible fall of something internal to one's soul, or even perhaps reflective of humanity at large.

(Having finished the book last week I have another thought to expand on this, but it's too close to spoiler-land for those currently reading to note here at this time.)

I am guilty of not really looking at the cover so it wasn't until I started reading that I realized a plan crash was going to happen. Like others, I took this to mean "before something bad happened", but not necessarily a plane crash. As opening paragraphs go, this one was very foreboding, and i do remember looking back at the cover, seeing the plane and finally getting the point.

My cover does not have a picture of a plane on it - just a very foggy day with a swift moving current of water. It looks very much like the Niagara River just before it meets the Falls, which is what made me think of water falls.

I didn't mean the book cover showed a plane crash visually... but it is pretty laid out in the written summary/blurb on the back cover (or inside flap, depending on edition).
Does anyone really not read that before starting a book?

Terry wrote: "I didn't mean the book cover showed a plane crash visually... but it is pretty laid out in the written summary/blurb on the back cover (or inside flap, depending on edition).
Does anyone really no..."

Good question. Personally, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I might be more inclined to read the first page to see if I like the writing. Years ago, I read One Day on the recommendation of a friend, and I read it on my kobo at the time, so I knew almost nothing about it except that it had a huge emotional impact on my friend. Turns out, I had one of the best reading experiences of my life with it because I had few expectations. Same thing happened to me for Julian Barnes' Arthur & George ... sometimes the less you know, the more "aha" moments or surprises you can have.

But, usually I read the blurb. :)

Allison wrote: "Terry wrote: "I didn't mean the book cover showed a plane crash visually... but it is pretty laid out in the written summary/blurb on the back cover (or inside flap, depending on edition).
Does an..."
I think that is so true Terry, "the less you know the better"! I think it is true for books and movies. Someone recommended "Outlander" to me years back. She had such high praise for it my expectations we over inflated and I didn't love the book when I read it. Of course I like to read at least the back cover to see if it appeals to me.