All eight book club titles have been carefully selected by our expert booksellers to create a list that comprises the most exceptional, enjoyable new reads. Published quietly in 1945, then rediscovered nearly sixty years later in an attic, a bookshop in berlin is a remarkable story of survival and resilience, of human cruelty and human spirit. My book club met last night to discuss suite francaise. Suite francaise was a book that i wasnt sure about until i started to read it, and got swept up in the story, the characters, and nemirovskys merciless eye for human grace and ridiculousness, often both encapsulated in the same moments. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. Monthly picks starting a book club live chat book club guides. First thursday book club discussion questions suite francaise by irene nemirovsky june 7, 2012, 2pm. Suite francaise comprises these novellas, storm in june and dolce. Suite francaise is one of those books where it is not possible to discuss the story in the book without discussing the story of the book. The tragic life of suite francaise author irene nemirovsky.
Suite francaise discussion questions west maui book club. Discussion of themes and motifs in irene nemirovskys suite francaise. This guide is designed to enliven your groups discussion of suite francaise, irene nemirovskys masterpiecea unique work of fiction about the chaotic exodus from paris in june, 1940, as the invading german army approaches, and the complex life of an occupied village a year later. Suite francaise by irene nemirovsky, paperback barnes.
Her daughter kept her unpublished works for 50 years without reading. In the shadow of the banyan is officially fiction, but ratner admits in the authors note that it is basically her storymaking it fiction just gave her freedom with some of the details. Reading guide for suite francaise by irene nemirovsky. Books reading group every month, the reading group discusses a book chosen by a vote from the readers. Published posthumously, decades after the author was killed at auschwitz, the book as it stands is composed of two of a planned five novellas, still. Book club discussion on water for elephants sara gruen, books. With michelle williams, kristin scott thomas, margot robbie, eric godon.
Beginning in paris on the eve of the nazi occupation in 1940, suite francaise tells the remarkable story of men and women thrown together in circumstances beyond their control. Theres something eerie and unique about reading posthumously published books. She had the strange delusion that she was charitable to all by having her little meetings, clubs and lectures for the ladies benefit, when in truth. Suite francaise paperback february 1, 2007 by irene nemirovsky author, sandra smith translator 4. The absence of the jewish question in irene nemirovskys suite. Select a number of questions, write each on an index card, and distribute. January 20 meeting is the second tuesday of the month jan 8. Suite francaise tells the remarkable story of men and women thrown together in circumstances beyond their control.
Suite francaise is so beautifully written that i can only imagine that irene. In the early 1940s, irene nemirovsky was a successful writer living in paris. If you have any questions about contributing, please contact us here. The chosen books might be by a classic french author, or might feature france or paris heavily within the book, or might be just any other book, proposed and chosen by the group members. Paradise valley community college book club chat about. These book club discussion questions may reveal important details about the. Suite francaise is a singularly piercing evocation at once subtle and severe, deeply compassionate and fiercely ironic of life and death in occupied france, and a brilliant, profoundly moving work of art. Her manuscript was lost in a basement for sixty years until her daughter, who had been pursued by nazis through the french countryside as a child, discovered and published it.
She has been blogging here all week for jewish book councils visiting scribe series. During her time in paris and then in issey leveque, irene kept a journal and wrote a fictional but clearly based on some facts story of german occupation. This may seem obvious, but it is the most important step, so it is worth stating. It is definitely worth reading and discussing with friends. The authors often drop by to answer readers questions. Our may meeting is a combination videopotluckbook discussion, usually on a sunday. Do you agree with paul gray of the new york times who questions that she wrote these novellas contemporaneously, as might first be suspected. Some critics claim that the absence of jews in suite francaise evidences. Bookclubinabox discusses the novel suite francaise by irene. And the wonder of it is that you dont realize the author was a jew living life on borrowed time, exiled to the french countryside and with the full knowledge of what this invasion meant for her personally and her family. The paris anglophone book club paris, france meetup. This stunning book contains two narratives, one fictional and the other a fragmentary, factual account of how the fiction came into being.
Book club discussion guide suite francaise by irene nemirovsky by the early l940s, when ukrainianborn irene nemirovsky began working on what would become suite francaisethe first two parts of a planned fivepart novelshe was already a highly successful writer living in paris. Visa, mastercard, american express paypal, diners club and discover. As the german occupation of france develops, so does suite francaise, a novel planned to be divided into five parts, three of which are. It is a heavy book, but the writing is beautiful and the story is important. Do you agree with paul gray of the new york times who questions that she wrote these novellas contemporaneously, as. Written in 1941, fire in the blood only now assembled in its entirety teems with the intertwined lives of an insular french village in the years before the. Choose one question at a time and toss it out to the group. The waterstones book club brings together the very best of new paperback releases. Beginning in paris on the eve of the nazi occupation in 1940. This is the story of a girl in cambodia during the period of the khmer rouge and the killing fields. Suite francaise itself consists of two novellas portraying life in france from june 4, 1940, as german forces prepare to invade paris, through july 1, 1941, when some of hitlers occupying troops leave france to join the assault on the soviet union. It was my turn to host book group last night and thankfully the heat held off a bit we dont have central air so while it was a bit warm, no one was melting. The novelist, who herself fled paris on the eve of the nazi invasion, wrote the book virtually while the occupation was happening, most. The questions, suggested reading, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups discussion of suite francaise, a novel which created.
These works are considered remarkable because they were written during the actual period itself, and yet are the product of considered reflection, rather than just a journal of events, as might be expected considering the personal. Past book club titles have proved hugely popular with our customers, and we are certain our new choices will become future bestsellers and be the bestloved. But she was also a jew, and in 1942 she was arrested and deported to auschwitz. Complete summary of irene nemirovskys suite francaise. Nemirovskys book, translated into english by sandra smith, reads as though it. Aauw dc book discussion group 201220 schedule as of may 2012 meetings at 6.
First thursday book club discussion questions suite francaise. Bookclubinabox discusses the novel suite francaise by irene nemirovsky book. Nemirovsky is now best known as the author of the unfinished suite francaise denoel, france, translation by sandra smith, knopf, two novellas portraying life in france between june 4, 1940 and july 1, 1941, the period during which the nazis occupied paris. The tragedy and legacy of suite francaise author irene nemirovsky ukranian author irene nemirovsky died in auschwitz in 1942. It is a good idea to plan on finishing the book a little earlier than you might otherwise so that you have time to think about it and prepare before your book club meets. As parisians flee the city, human folly surfaces in every imaginable way. Of some relevance to this discussion, the exhibit is cosponsored by french. When it first appeared in english translation in 2006, many critics and writers chose it as the book of the year.
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