Cafe Libri discussion

For discussions concerning May's book of the month Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron.

Anyone excited to read this book come May? It's gotten interesting reviews and a decent rating. Of course, who doesn't love a cut sitting on top of a book? ;)

This is a really charming story and after you've read the book, you can look up Dewey on Youtube. There are great pictures.

Nice! It will be a good pace to read a charming and less dramatic book soon.

I am definitely interested in looking at some pictures of Dewey. I didn't think any cat could be cuter than mine, but this one sure comes close!

I saw that you rated the book a three. I'm thinking about averaging the ratings members' give a book of the month read, so I can start rating them on the group's bookshelves. It might be interesting to see our collective average on the books that win each month!

I did like the book but some parts seemed to be repetitive. Dewey is an adorable cat!

Well, I checked and there is no way to rate a book as a community on our bookshelf. I could go through and edit the first message of every book of the month read to put a note about the average rating score. Is this something members would enjoy or find useful?

I think it would be interesting but whatever everyone else wants. : )

I might start averaging our scores on the book of the month reads starting with A Long Fatal Love Chase. I'll take some time to back-log the average scores though.

@CK: Why are you skipping Peony in Love? Have you already read ut?

@Paula: Would you be interested in being the discussion leader on Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World since you have already read it? No pressure if you don't have time. I also asked Shelli, the co-moderator, if she would be interested in doing it. I thought it might be fun to try having a discussion leader in an upcoming month and see how it turns out.

Oh, I wouldn't mind but not sure what my work schedule is going to be. It's been a few months since I've read it but maybe I could put some questions together unless Shelli wants to do it. That would be fine. Let me know.

Great! I'll see what Shelli has in mind and tell her to post some comments or suggestions over here. I think she might be interested in collaborating a book discussion with you. I know it's a lot of work for just one person to be in charge.

Ok, I'm willing to do help

@CK: That's ok, Cari. I was more curious. I'm going to do my best to read Peony in Love to aid in the discussion at our Cafe Libri Yahoo Group. Hopefully I can participate a lot like I did with Peony in Love.

@Paula: THANKS! You're such a doll!

When does the discussion start for "Dewey"?

Saturday, May 1st, 2010. In April we are reading Peony in Love although I am unsure of how many members will participate in that discussion.

Ok, good, I SHOULD be done working then! LOL I will participate in Peony, I liked most of it. : )

Great! I am waiting for my copy to come in from the library. I'm hoping I will get it come Tues or Weds. Do you belong to the Yahoo Cafe Libri Group? That's where I usually post most of my discussions, but I can post some in the thread here (http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/295904-april-peony-in-love-by-lisa-see) if you want to see what I think of it as I'm reading.

I am a member over there as well.

Great! Contribute wherever you are comfortable with then; I'll post most of my comments in Yahoo Cafe Libri.

I'm still waiting for my copy of Peony in Love to come in from the library. Hopefully, I will be able to start reading next week.

Peony in love is the first book that made me understand the chinees beliefs. Things like ghost money came clear for me after it. I may reread but the one thing Cancer has taught me is how brief time may be. I am not sure yet.

Wow! Sounds like Peony in Love was a pretty good read to have impacted your understanding about the Chinese beliefs so much, Renee. Don't worry about re-reading it if you don't have time or would rather read something else. You can always contribute comments based on what you remember. :)

I listed both Shelli and Paula as discussion leaders for May's book of the month. I might not be able to read it because my library can't seem to locate their copy, and I don't have any spare cash to request it from ILL.

That's great! It sounds like the groups needed some light and easy reading. I wish my library would find the copy I placed on hold! (laughs)

Yes, my library has issues. I went up there to check out a book two minutes after closing, and they turned me away! They said that they had already turned their systems off...I never felt so stupid! Why didn't they tell me that happens at closing? I don't know if it's automated or not...but it still sucked.

I know!! I didn't know they were no strict! There was no warning from the circulation desk that was their policy. They just gave the usual closing warnings. And, I was in plain view of the circulation desk!! The reference librarian was helping me, and she was the one who warned me to go up to the circulation desk. I didn't realize what for until it was too late. I've noticed that a lot of the women at this library seem unhappy...or at least grouchy. All I can guess is maybe they are understaffed.

Adrianna, personalities aside, there's a good reason why you can't check anything out after closing. Libraries are mostly automated now and I know the one where I work can't check things out after closing; the scanner/data system won't record it. As to their losing things, that is too bad. I hope you can come up with the money for an ILL. (What's up with that? We don't even charge for them if the material is promptly picked up as soon as the borrower is notified, and then returned on time.) I just got Dewey from a neighboring library and have 3 weeks to read it - but it sounds like a quick read anyway. Looking forward to it.

Hi Barb!

My problem wasn't the fact that it was automated...if it was. My issue was with the library staff themselves. They gave no indication that the system shut off at the exact minute of closing nor did they offer this as an explanation when I walked up the desk two minutes after closing. I was so off-put by their attitude that I didn't even think to ask! I had never been told that I couldn't check out an item before...so I felt really stupid. Even the reference librarian didn't explain that the computers would be shut down. She mentioned that I should let the staff know she was helping me, and I didn't understand why she was so concerned since her desk is in view of theirs. If this is their policy and it is indeed a case of automation, then it should be posted somewhere in the library or at least announced when they give the 10 and 5 minute warnings.

(in reference to Barb and CK) As far as the ILL, I'm not sure why it's charged either! Again, this was a new occurrence for me at a library. I've been very frustrated by their policies!

Since I am still trudging through Peony in Love, I might skip Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World unless the library finds their copy that has been "waiting to shelf" since I located it in their system 2 weeks ago. Maybe a library staff is reading it and didn't return it. Hopefully, it gets returned, so I can participate a bit.

As far as the book, Barb, I've been hearing that it is a short, quick read. So, you should enjoy it!

Well I finished this about a week ago or so. I have to say that I thought it was a cute book and did it's best to tell a story. I enjoyed it because I love cats but there really wasn't a lot of story there behind how Dewey's life impacted the authors. He was a cat that lived in a library and was loved by everyone.

There's no plot, little character development, and not many "teeth." The writer did a very good job of weaving in historical facts about the town and the relationship with her daughter. I enjoyed those sections because they were easily read like the rest of the book but I was never "moved" by them. The book wasn't great literature but it wasn't Kilgore Trout either. The historical sections were fast enough that the story was soon back to Dewey and how he fit into the author's world.

As a cat owner I could identify with how the author related to Dewey and how he helped her through the rough spots in her life. I am positive that if I didn't care for my own darling little kitty, I would have found this story completely uninteresting.

@CK: Nope. My library never did find the book. It still shows it on hold for me. :(

It's ok, though. I don't have much time to read or check the groups atm because I have to get all my thesis paperwork in by 5pm today. I'm finding ways to keep busy. It's nice to see that some members are reading it!

I can't wait to check the Yahoo Group. I've been missing everyone there too!

My library found me a copy by ILL and I am enjoying the book. Dewey is cute and it's amusing to read how he became a celebrity because of the press. All he has to do is play and be lovable and the world is his. Who wouldn't love a life like that? I think his magic is in the comfort people take from being able to make friends with an animal. (With a happy one like Dewey, it's easier than making friends with some of the humans in our lives.)

Vicki's health problems and her emotional wounds from an alcoholic marriage may have come between her and her daughter and made her especially vulnerable to a pet crush, but it has certainly worked out for her. The formerly squabbling staff of her library related to her kindness to a helpless stray and it gave them focus for their own better sides. Dewey also became a favorite in town and softened up the thrifty town fathers about supporting the library.

I'm on page 200 so I don't yet know how the story ends. Glen, lol @ Kilgore Trout!

Adrianna wrote: "@CK: That's ok, Cari. I was more curious. I'm going to do my best to read Peony in Love to aid in the discussion at our Cafe Libri Yahoo Group. Hopefully I can participate a lot like I..."

Although I reviewed this book, I finally finished it today! The ending was abrupt for me and though somewhat satisfying, left questions. I hope Lisa See's earlier books are better! :P

@CK: Yeah, you are correct. I didn't have much time for reading with all the graduation stuff and family visits anyway. Somehow, I did read two books, though: Coraline and Night World, No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder. I'm getting ready to write reviews on them at Cafe Libri Lunch Community once I am done catching up in Cafe Libri Yahoo Group and Booksamonth, which I am almost done with. I have a ton of online activities that have been "patiently" waiting for me...lol! I did enjoy the discussions on Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World that I have been reading, both here and on Yahoo.

@James: I am still trudging through Peony in Love. I am now on "Closing Doors, Opening Hearts," about 70 pages in. There are some highs and some lows to this book...a lot is predictable too. I'm going to post some comments about it in the Yahoo Cafe Libri Group if you want to follow my thoughts. I can't comment on See's earlier books myself, though. I've only started Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I never did get to finish that one. :-P

OK, sounds good. Peony actually ended fairly OK for me, but could have been done 100 pages earlier. The predictability is what bugged me. I am curious about the Snow Flower book if it has the same kinds of problems or was it just the later story by this author. I'm currently reading a few books at the same time: Lord Valentine's Castle, which I read many years ago as a teenager but it reads different now. Asimov's Foundation is still fun. And a thick Ellery Queen collection from their mystery magazine published from the 70s: many different authors such as Robert Bloch and Isaac Asimov wrote mystery stories for them, strangely enough (although I have known about Asimov's mystery stories for some time). I got an email from a webzine Comic Buyer's Guide wanting some fan reviews of comics from me. I don't get paid, but it would be fun to write for a zine.

Here are discussion questions for "Dewey." They can also be found at the following website: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides_D/dewey1.asp

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Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

List Price: $19.99
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780446407410
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK:

How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.

Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director, Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility, (for a cat) and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.

As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What do you think of Dewey Readmore Books? Was he a special cat because of his personality, his circumstances, or both?

2. What was your favorite Dewey story? What was the funniest Dewey story? Which was most touching? Did his habits remind you of cats you have known or owned?

3. Vicki Myron believes she had a deep connection with Dewey. For example, he knew when he was going to the vet before she even said the word. Do you believe people and animals can have such a connection? If so, how do they read us so well?

4. Why do you think Dewey became so famous?

5. What does this book say about small town life? Has it changed your opinion of towns like Spencer, Iowa?

6. How much of an impact do you think Dewey had on Spencer? Do you believe he affected the town? If so, how?

7. At the beginning of the book, Spencer is going through hard times because of a collapse in land/housing values. Do you see parallels to our current economic situation? Are there lessons to be learned from this town?

8. Do you agree with Vicki that it was wise for the town of Spencer to vote against the jobs and incomes that a slaughterhouse and a casino would have provided? What about the decision to embrace big national stores like Wal-mart?

9. Vicki Myron says: “In our society, people believe you have to do something to be recognized, by which we mean something “in your face,” and preferably caught on camera.” Do you agree? Is this a good or bad thing? What about Vicki’s belief that Dewey was special precisely because he wasn’t like that?

10. Some people think Vicki Myron should not have included so many details of her life in the book. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

11. How do you think the circumstances of Vicki’s life affected her relationship with Dewey? How do you think the circumstances of Dewey’s life—particularly his night in the book drop box—affected his relationship with Vicki?

12. What did you think of the library board’s desire for Dewey to “retire” to Vicki’s house to live out the last months of his life?

@James: Yes, I hear you about the predictability. It's a main part that is bugging me too. I'm hoping there will be another moment like the one I described here in Yahoo Cafe Libri.

Sounds like you are reading a lot of good books. The option to write for the Comic Buyer's Guide sounds like a lot of fun! I might look for a similar type of position in the near future. I hope I can get paid for writing some of my reviews. :)

Yeah, I've subscribed to their magazine for quite a few years. When they asked for fan reviews I wrote them a short email with a sample from www.comicvine.com, which I rarely use. They said sure, write two 175 word pieces with scans. That's kinda short though.

This week is finals week but I am reading more other stuff anyway. Doing Alias TV show marathons thanks to Netflix.

@James: Still, it should be quite a lot of fun to write the reviews despite the short lengths. :)

Good luck with finals! You're almost done! The Alias marathon sounds like fun, too!

Anyone have genre tag recommendations for Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World? I am editing the title in our bookshelf, and since I never read it...any suggestions would be helpful!

I went ahead and just labeled the book with the tag nonfiction. It got an average rating of 3.89 from nine members of Cafe Libri that rated it. :)