The forest hills book group forest hills, ny meetup. One of my favorite texts to study is the classic naturalist novel by theodore dreiser, sister carrie. A tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the oxford english dictionary by simon winchester. Book club notes for the alphabet sisters by monica. Meet linnea hartsuyker and carrie callaghan washington. Her descriptions of nature the landscape, the heavens are absolutely lovely. One does not arise from such a book as sister carrie with a smirk of satisfaction. I was 11, my mother just bought me a brandspankingnew english dictionary, and my school librarians finally let me roam the section of the library where normally kids were not allowed to wreck havoc in on their own. Carrie brown book clubs, reading groups, writing workshops. Alaska native book club my sister is in a book club w other alaska native women in fairbanks and i want to start one here in anchorage. Which carrie bradshawthe one from the carrie diaries book, the one portrayed by annasophia robb, or the one portrayed by sarah jessica parkerdo you relate to most. Sister carrie cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. The alphabet sisters by monica mcinerney book club.
Each book in the babysitters club series begins with a description of the seven principal characters. Its time for our fifth book club meeting, with carrie as the host. While the book sold well in england, sister carrie did not enjoy much success in the united states, even though b. Does sister carrie give us a mostly hopeful or mostly cynical view of human relationships. Sister carrie by theodore dreiser discussion group, hypertext and ebooks.
His book, part memoir, part homage, celebrates their legacies through a more intimate, poignant, and often hilarious portrait of these two remarkable women than has ever been revealed before. Course heros expertwritten discussion question and answer pairs for theodore dreisers sister carrie offer insight and analysis on themes, symbols, characters, and more. How are richard and anna, matthew and carrie, and daniel and bett complementary to one another. Meetings are held at a different house each month, and the host selects the book for the next months discussion. Dreiser in general may have preferred the values associated with simple country life to the materialistic pursuits of the industrial age city.
So whether youre in a book club now, want to be, or just really love reading and talking about books to anyone, i have suggestions on your next pick. Carrie brown is the author of five novels and a collection of short stories. Look at her relationships with her sister and brotherinlaw, drouet, hurstwood, the vances, ames, and the theater. When dreiser submitted his book to the respectable publishing firm of doubleday, page and co. Sister carrie, published in 1900, stands at the gateway of the new century. Consider how it would affect sister carrie if dreisers editorial intrusions were removed. How do carries familyher father and sister, dorrithelp her grow into the carrie you know on sex and the city. Chapter summary for theodore dreisers sister carrie, page 1. Discover a book club in our database of african american book clubs in the united states. Paiges sister wants to hold her baby shower in buy the book, but the responsibility proves to be more than ellen can handle.
Find a summary of this and each chapter of sister carrie. By the end of the book, each sister has discoveredor rediscoveredher perfect match. I was 11, my mother just bought me a brandspankingnew english dictionary, and my school librarians finally let me roam the section of the library where normally kids were not allowed to. A discussion on how the other half lives by jacob riis. From herbert leibowitzs introduction to sister carrie. And oyinkan braithwaite, who was a 2016 finalist for the commonwealth short story prize, joins us.
In what ways are they relevant or irrelevant to the major themes. My family book club read sister carrie immediately after finishing a book about another carrie carol kennicott of main street. West iii, points out that the story of sister carries suppression by doubleday the book club was a rallying point for forwardlooking intellectuals and a paradigm for the suppression of artistic freedom by the forces of puritanism and comstockery. Here are worksheets, activities, and resources to help you teach or appreciate this moving story. Theodore dreiser, through the character of carrie and her relations with drouet and. Eighteenyearold carrie meeber is leaving her parents and her small midwestern town behind. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
In sister carrie how does minnies relationship with hanson compare and contrast to the relationships carrie will have with men minnie and her husband have a traditional marriage. Sister carrie by theodore dreiser reading guidebook club. In chapter of sister carrie what is the significance of she came fresh from the air of the village, the light of the country still in her eye this sentence is part of dreisers reflections about why carrie is better than hurstwood. Sister carrie is a work of pivotal importance in american literature, and it became a model for subsequent american writers of realism. Here is the list of books selected for the reading to know book club along with information on who selected what book and which discussion theyll be leading. Book club notes for the alphabet sisters by monica mcinerney book summary monica mcinerneys the alphabet sisters is an unforgettable story of three women who learn that being true to themselves means being true to each other. Sensitive yet cleareyed, clementine tells the fascinating story of a complex woman struggling to maintain her own identity while serving as the conscience and principal adviser to one of the. Visa, mastercard, american express paypal, diners club and discover. A smalltown wisconsin girl moves to chicago at the turn of the century. Books were beyond her interestknowledge a sealed book. Bachelor girl is a pageturning novel inspired by the true story of jacob ruppert, the millionaire owner of the new yankees, and his mysterious bequest to an unknown actress in 1939. From april 26 th, 2006 may 16 th, 2018, i had the absolute honor to serve as the group facilitator and program coordinator for the morro bay book discussion group, a free program of the morro bay library i am grateful to the many wonderful people who have read and discussed with us through the years, as well as the incredible authors who have shared their expertise and.
But if you want to get a sense of how her life might have felt, then turn to the stargazers sister, carrie browns intriguing seventh. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Essay ideas, study questions and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout sister carrie by theodore dreiser. Carrie meeber leaves her home in rural wisconsin for bigcity life in chicago, and faces a series of struggles professional, moral, and romantic before. Sister carrie book by theodore dreiser official publisher page. A list of recommended related books and films to broaden. Sister carrie questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on sister carrie. The thing he seeks to do is to stir, to awaken, to move. Sister carrie is one of several novels in this series that address the. Filled with fears, tears, and regrets, she is nonetheless determined to make her way in the big city. The podcast the book riot podcast is a weekly news and talk show about whats new, cool, and worth talking about in the world of books and. How does each couple approach love and romance differently. This book club meets in hillcrest, north park, and nearby uptown areas.
Obviously, for any particular book, we might talk about how that particular novel or story came to be, and what the story means to me. Aug 21, 2017 ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. When the sociologists of the chicago school of urban sociology started to study the american city. To ask other readers questions about sister carrie, please sign up. Her husband asked a few questions and sat down to read the evening paper.
If you cant find specific discussion questions for your novel, use our generic book club discussion questions for fiction. Anna, bett and carrie quinlan were childhood singing stars the alphabet sisters. The afternoon book group meets in the reference room on the second floor of the library. The evenings discussions will be centered around my sisters keeper, by jodi picoult. Sign in or create your guardian account to join the discussion. Some discussion questions you may or may not want to answer. Sister carrie isbn 9781416561491 pdf epub theodore. Theodore dreiser based his first novel on the life of his sister emma. Sister carrie worksheets, project, and test ereading worksheets. Regarded by many critics as the greatest novel on urban life ever composed, sister carrie tells the story of caroline meeber, an 18yearold from rural wisconsin whose new life in chicago takes her on an astonishing journey from the despairing depths of industrial labor to the staggering heists of fame and stardom. The girl who works her way from rags to riches, the tormented or tormenting. Sister carrie, by theodore dreiser project gutenberg.
Get an answer for discuss sister carrie as a city novel. Find several passages in the novel where style seems to be particularly important. Questions about characters and their motivations, questions about the way a story ends or begins, questions about research methods all of this and more is good fodder for book club conversation. The museums 2016 exhibit discussed the golden age of indiana literature, which began with the publication of lew wallaces benhur and went on to include prominent novelists such as crawfordsville native meredith nicholson, gene strattonporter, and others. Sister carrie book by theodore dreiser official publisher. William heinemann published an english version of the book in 1901. I read sister carrie for the first time in an american studies. We discussed riiss work as part of the big city book club on the city room blog. Silent sister by diane chamberlain discussion questions the following are questions that can be used for book club discussions for silent sister. Sister carrie 1900 is a novel by theodore dreiser about a young country girl who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own american dream, first as a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, and later becoming a famous actress. From the acclaimed author of the last first day, here is a beautiful new period novel. How does carries identity evolve throughout the course of the novel. Carrie learns her lines and finds some enjoyment in. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to.
Why do you think dreiser entitled it sister carrie. In august, 1889, caroline meeber boards the train at her family home in columbia city and travels to chicago. Theodore drieser author of sister carrie said of chicago, miles of street and sewer were laid where one solitary house stood. Sister carrie what kind of message does the author want the reader to get from this book. In order to make ends meet dreiser worked at other literary jobs. Taking up the history lesson at this point, literary critic james l. In this book of historical fiction she gives caroline. A list of african american book clubs in the united states. Do you think women voters have improved our political system. This exquisitely imagined novel opens as william rescues. Once again i became lost in the beautiful descriptive language that is present in all of carrie browns books.
In which we copy it down in their handwriting home. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share with the group as we discuss the books. Book club discussion of sister carrie with florentine opera join us and the instore lit book club in discussion of theodore dreisers classic sister carrie. Compare the use of coincidence in sister carrie with that in a novel by dickens or hardy. Sister carrie by theodore dreiser goodreads share book. Get a summary and analysis of the novel, then test. This is a fun and social group we want to discuss the books but also get to know each other and have a good time. Montgomery reading challenge which is also hosted here at reading to know. After reading about a strike at an nyc trolley company, hurstwood resorts to becoming a scaba worker who takes the job of a striking worker, thereby. Because the books can be read in any order, the characters barely change over time, and for an avid reader of the series the introductory description soon becomes repetitive. How does this compare and contrast the relationship of the womens parents, jim and geraldine. While the book appalled americans, the english appreciated it.
Sister carrie tells the story of a rudderless but pretty smalltown. Sister carrie by theodore dreiser other information. Since its publication in 1900, sister carrie, theodore dreisers first novel, has incited two kinds of controversy. Great supplemental information for school essays and homework projects. What you do every day matters, especially as you focus on building yourself, your goals, your dreams.
Well meet monthly in a coffee shop, brewery or bar in the. Any book on this list is a clean read, worthy of a great bookclub discussion or your own personal reading pleasure. Morro bay book discussion group morro bay library book. I found sister carrie to be even more readable than main street. The stargazers sister is a vividly imagined tale of female empowerment in a time of oppression and of an unknown talent when william brings caroline to england to live with him and assist in his composing and astronomy work, she is thrilled. The closing chapters of the book, in which hurstwood is ruined and. Theodore dreisers sister carrie was the first real book ive ever read in english. This is a group for people who love to read and enjoy sharing ideas and opinions about books over dinner. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. The story as told by dreiser, about carrie meeber who becomes the mistress of a traveling salesman, is unapologetically told and. Find several passages in the novel where style seems to be. Shes on a train headed for chicago where shes got plans to move in with her big sister minnie. The project gutenberg ebook of sister carrie, by theodore dreiser this ebook is for the.
This is a great book for discussion, because we found that what we thought about these characters changed with each chapter. Are we more or less likely to care about them or even remember them once we close the book. Carrie accepts this, never suspecting that drouet is not willing to identify her as his wife, since he is known to be a bachelor at the club. This lesson discusses theodore dreisers classic american naturalist novel, sister carrie, as well as the concept of conspicuous consumption. Nov 17, 2018 her book is my sister, the serial killer. Book club is the literary section of gapers block, covering chicagos authors. Carrie catt believed women voters would bring about an end to war.
Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book. The fates of ragnvald and his sister svanhild unfold to their stunning conclusion in the golden. Should carrie have done more to help hurstwood in the end. Patrick eugene joseph prendergast is introduced, but no real link is yet explained. In 1883 she ran away to toronto, canada with a married man who had stolen money from his employer. Book club my sisters keeper in bloomington, in apr. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles november the professor and the madman. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. Some of these questions are found on line at st martins press, others are created for our bookies discussion.
From carrie callaghan, author of the critically acclaimed a light of her own, comes salt the snow, a story of the trailblazing and liberated milly bennett, based on the life of one of the first female war correspondents whose work has been all but lost to history and from linnea hartsuyker. Sister carrie, first novel by theodore dreiser, published in 1900 but suppressed until 1912. How does this compare and contrast the relationship. In 1890, jacob riis published how the other half lives, documenting squalid conditions in the citys tenements. And oyinkan braithwaite, who was a 2016 finalist for the commonwealth short story prize, joins us from lagos, nigeria. The hoosier authors book club began as part of our indiana state bicentennial programming for 2016. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. What happened to my sister by elizabeth flock book club. We will be joined by uwms professors jason puskar and amanda seligman, along with kelly schlicht from the florentine opera. Winston by sonia purnellsonia purnell has at long last given clementine churchill the biography she deserves.
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