Glenn Goes So Big in the Barn!

On Sunday we met to review Edna Ferber’s novel So Big.  The novel begins in the late 1800s in what was then a small Dutch farming community south of Chicago.  Appropriately, Glenn hosted us (along with Gamin) in their century old barn where you could almost see the horses and smell hay bales from bygone days.

So Big was Ferber’s breakout success both by its sales and its being awarded the 1925 Pulitzer Prize for literature.  So Big focuses on Selina De Jung and her son Dirk (aka So Big) as they make a life for themselves on a small truck farm south of Chicago at the beginning of the 20^th century.

After a peripatetic urban upbringing with a professional gambler father, Selina comes to the farming village of South Holland some 30 miles south of Chicago to teach school.  She marries one of local farmers, but after his death must scrape together a life for her and her young son Dirk.  The book focuses on how Selina uses her artistic instincts to develop a fruit and vegetable brand that eventually brings her top dollar from upscale Chicago grocers and restaurants.  She attempts to instill her artistic and aesthetic qualities into both Dirk and a local boy, Roelf Pool.  In the end Selina is disappointed that Dirk abandons his passion for architecture for the more lucrative career as a bond salesman but is pleased that Roelf is able to find artistic success first in France and then in his return to the States.   In a final ironic twist, the financially successful Dirk is smitten by a young female artist, Dallas O’Mara, only to realize his new wealth does not impress Dallas, who instead is attracted both to the artist Roelf and to Selina.

It was our host’s setting, a rustic refurbished barn and the surprisingly strong literary merit of So Big that won strong praise from the MBC members.  Indeed, the men of MBC all awarded the book scores of 8 or more.  There was general praise for the book’s plot and writing style despite the fact the book was written by a woman and has a female protagonist – a clear violation of our founding credo! 😉

Host Glenn led off praising Ferber’s expressive language in describing the boom or bust life that Selina experiences growing up with an itinerant gambler father.  Glenn hadn’t read the book before proposing it and was genuinely surprised by how good it was.

Dean also enjoyed the book although he is just more than half way through.   Dean  found the premise that a small subsistence farmer could become as successful as Ferber describes seems a bit of a stretch.  But he did appreciate  the book being written in the era of suffrage struggle. 

Jack continued the “surprisingly good” theme and praised Ferber for being ahead of her time by portraying strong woman characters succeeding but staying true to their aesthetic principals. Jack saw Ferber promoting a central thesis that beauty is everywhere. 

Terry liked the book, but thought he had heard the storyline before.  He enjoyed Ferber’s use of language, particularly when she describes a spring day on the farm.

Andrew enjoyed that Ferber’s style was not too formulaic.  He  focused on the vapidness of the Julie character and how Julie tried to be both a mother figure and a love interest to Dirk.  Andrew also commented on how the success of Roelf, the neighbor boy, as an artist affirms Selina’s belief in artistic beauty above material wealth. 

Larry noted the parallels between So Big and The Great Gatsby published just one year apart (1924 & 1925) particularly Gatsby’s Nick Carraway character and So Big’s Dirk De Jong character.  Both have financial and social ambitions in major US cities during the Jazz age.  Both have married girl friends that fuel those ambitions.  But the books had different initial public receptions – So Big being an instant commercial success and winning the Pulitzer, while The Great Gatsby was an initial commercial flop.  Larry too was surprised by how much he enjoyed the book and thanked Glenn for recommending a book he would not otherwise have read.

In the end the members of the Man Book Club are fortunate to have read a well written novel by a woman from over 100 years ago and to have in their own lives supportive female spouses or significant others such that none of us has chased a life of wealth without soul.

Today's All-Too-Real Plot Against America

Our Book

In April, the MBC held an uneasy book discussion at Stan’s. The book was Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America, written in 2004. It imagines an alternate history in which famed aviator and German sympathizer Charles Lindbergh runs for—and wins—the 1940 U.S. presidential election. Roth envisions Lindbergh’s campaign built around the now all-too-familiar “America First” mantra and a promise to keep the U.S. out of World War II. Once in office, however, Lindbergh subtly pushes to integrate American Jews into the white Protestant mainstream. His administration breaks up Jewish enclaves in Eastern cities by relocating workers to rural towns and sending Jewish children to Southern farm work programs.

The story follows a young Jewish boy—named Philip Roth—and his family living in the Jewish section of Newark, New Jersey. The author’s choice to use his own name as the protagonist hints strongly at autobiographical elements drawn from his own early life in that same neighborhood.

Roth’s central theme—the danger of national isolationism—resonates powerfully in today’s political climate, offering a chilling preview of what many see reflected in Trump-era America.

Dinner at Stan's

Stan set the tone for the evening with a round of Manhattans at the bar, followed by a full Jewish deli spread: bagels with all the fixings, rye bread, challah, brisket, and an array of rugelach.

Our Discussion

Each member began discussing the book, but conversation always circled back to today’s reality. As host, Stan opened by admitting the story hit too close to home. He struggled to enjoy the book, finding it difficult to separate fiction from the disturbing possibility of an authoritarian America.

Jack appreciated the character development but criticized the plot’s flow, finding it disjointed. He drew parallels between the novel’s use of “The Big Lie” and the same tactic seen during the Trump administration. Paul felt the narrative dragged in the middle and lost direction toward the end. He observed how, like in real life, the ends often justify the means. Andrew enjoyed most of the book, but found the ending too convenient, relying on the artifice of Lindberg's sudden disappearance and a snap national election to return the story to the actual events of 1944.

Several members shared personal reflections. Dean described how his daughter, living in Alaska, witnessed firsthand the balancing act Senator Lisa Murkowski performs—caught between Alaska’s dependence on federal aid and the state’s strong support for Trump. Glen shared the most powerful story of the night: his Jewish Russian grandfather deserted the Russian army in World War II, knowing Jews were being used as cannon fodder. His escape from Russia was harrowing and deeply moving.

We all agreed on the strength of the novel’s female characters—especially Philip’s mother, who calmly steers her family through chaos. Clearly, she was inspired by Roth’s own mother.

Our Book Rating

Ratings ranged from 6 to 9, with most in the 7–8 range. Several noted they would have scored the book lower on literary merit alone, but Roth’s eerily accurate depiction of a demagogue rising to power warranted a bonus point.

And as a final, lighthearted note, members recalled that MBC’s very first book back in 2008 was also by Philip Roth—The Human Stain. What a long, strange trip it’s been.

Paul's Winning Wager: a Spanish Fiesta in the Sonoma Valley

Lunch & Acknowledgments

A huge thanks is owed to our host, Paul, who went to considerable effort yesterday.  Rather than emulate the poor fare served aboard HMS Wager, Paul prepared a meal that would have made Pizarro (the captain of the Spanish galleon targeted by the English fleet) quite proud.

To accomplish that, he enlisted the assistance of his fine friend Paul, an expert in hosting paella parties; he set out plates of delicious Spanish appetizers; and he avoided any food tainted by an association with the Royal Navy.  Actually, that's not true.  For verisimilitude, Paul included a plate of hard tack next to his 3 types of Spanish cheese, his marinated carrots, his blanched almonds, and his tureen of delicious Andalusian gazpacho. 

For an outstanding luncheon of paella and more, for the gorgeous vineyard setting in Glen Ellen, and for the gracious hospitality shown to us and our significant others, Paul has our gratitude. 

A smaller turnout, but no less convivial
l to r: Paul, Jack, Andrew, Tom, Garth, George, Larry, Stan

Our Review and Discussion of The Wager by David Grann

We spent several hours at Paul's but could only break away for 25 minutes to discuss our book.  No matter.  It was a fast consensus:  Grann has produced yet another winner in his preferred category of non-fiction (i.e., stories of events poorly remembered and long since sanitized).  It worked for him (and for us) with Killers of the Flower Moon, and now with The Wager.

Set in the 1740's during the fabricated War of Jenkins Ear, in which the English sought revenge for Spain's exclusionary trade practices in the Caribbean, The Wager tells the story of a small squadron dispatched from England to cross the Atlantic and round Cape Horn in order to capture a Spanish galleon in the South Pacific.  Challenged by harsh weather, rudimentary navigation, and malnutrition and disease, the Wager is separated from the fleet, founders off the coast of Chile, and is shipwrecked on a deserted island.  Convinced that the captain is unable to lead the 100 or so remaining crew back to England, 81 of the men mutiny and head back to London by way of Brazil.  Fewer than 30 make it.  Of the 20 who stay with the captain, two survive with him and they arrive in London the following year.

The journey, the hardship, the mutiny--all of these elements made our reading a pleasure.  But many of us were disappointed that the inevitable court martial was devoted to expedience, not justice. Grann teases the reader with the moral and legal questions provoked by the crew's behavior, but then makes no apology for the Admiralty's evasive ruling.

Our Rating of The Wager

While our reactions were uniformly positive, we split into 3 camps: the 7's enjoyed a terrific story but complained about a narrative too constrained by the official record or simply felt it suffered in comparison to other excellent non-fiction tales of the sea, like Endurance.  The 8's felt the story was impressive enough to overcome serious criticism. And the 9's--led by ringleader Stan--were simply out to game the ratings!  The result was an impressive 8.0.

Next Up:  Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

With a slate focused on the perspectives of children, Larry proposed Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, McCourt's Angela's Ashes, Zamora's Solito, and Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun.  Ishiguro has been on proffer several times and, with Klara and the Sun, we finally get our chance.  We'll see in September if his is the version of AI we need to fear.

Tequila, Bourbon, and (White) Powder at Jack's

Dinner & Acknowledgments

Last Thursday we met at Jack's and, in a first, practically ignored the dinner he placed in front of us.  Instead, our attention was riveted on his selection of appetizers.  Well, one appetizer in particular.  Since a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, here goes:

A fitting appetizer

Yes, to complement a book about one man's incarceration for drug trafficking, Jack treated us to lines of cocaine and shots of tequila and bourbon.  (The liquor was real; I can't vouch for the coke.)

Our Review and Discussion of Marching Powder by Rusty Young and Thomas McFadden

When he proposed his list of book titles, Jack explained that Marching Powder made the list because, while he and his wife were traveling back from Machu Picchu, their train companions were reading the book and touting it as the real-life story of an Englishman ensnared in a byzantine criminal justice system and locked up in a most extraordinary prison.  Their comments were enough for us, and our comments during dinner were almost as enthusiastic.

Caught leaving Bolivia with a suitcase of cocaine, Thomas McFadden is sentenced to serve 6 1/2 years at the San Pedro prison in La Paz.  He learns quickly that San Pedro is unlike any prison in the west. There are few guards patrolling the prison, there are no cells and no curfews, and no food or clothing is provided.  Unable to speak Spanish, McFadden almost dies from exposure before he is befriended by another inmate who shows him how to survive (and later thrive) in the self-governing underground economy that is San Pedro.

We were all enthralled by McFadden's story.  Much like Among the Thugs, another non-fiction account that aroused our interest (but in the hooligan subculture of British soccer), Marching Powder revealed a world so unlike the one we know (and read about in Bauer's American Prison) that we forgave its repetitive writing and bloated length and were instead absorbed by McFadden's triumphs:  his lucrative prison tours to foreign backpackers, his relationship with an Israeli girl who is allowed to live with him, his prison business successes (including a convenience store and a restaurant), and his eventual release two years ahead of schedule.

Our Rating of Marching Powder

McFadden surely would have garnered a 10 if we rated on novelty alone, but we don't and so the book's significant shortcomings yielded it a 6.8.  Doug, in a rare act of defiance, refused to read it.  Stan, in an all-too-common act of defiance, gave it a 10.  Dan didn't finish but promised he would.  (Well, did you, Dan?)

Next Up:  The Wager by David Grann

Paul put us on track for summer with 3 seafaring titles.  We set aside Master and Commander and Captain Blood and instead chose The Wager, David Grann's latest non-fiction blockbuster.  We meet next in the lovely town of Glen Ellen, a rather different locale from that depicted in Marching Powder.

An Evening of Ordinary Grace at Tom's

Dinner and Acknowledgments

Krueger's novel about a mid-century Minnesota town featured exactly three meals: Gus' improvised spam and eggs, the boys' recurring bologna and PB&J sandwiches, and Mrs. Drum's tasteless tuna casserole.  It also featured one dessert:  ice cream.  To our relief, last Monday Tom chose the latter for our dessert and ignored the former in favor of a classic American menu:  grilled cheeseburgers, homemade potato salad and baked beans, and a mixed green salad.  All of it was terrific. Well done, Tom!

Our meal was also *graced* by the presence of two MBC alums, Garth and Peter.  Both men have been busy and both have been missed.  We were genuinely grateful to have them with us for the evening.  

Our Review and Discussion of Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Set in the summer of 1961, Ordinary Grace is the story of the Drum family's tragic loss, as seen through the eyes of its 13-year old narrator, Frank Drum.  Priming the reader for the tragedy ahead, the novel opens with two unexpected deaths: a child is killed while playing on the train tracks, and an itinerant is found dead by the river.  As the town grapples with--and gossips about--these two events, Frank introduces us to the members of his family: his Methodist minister father; his beautiful but brittle mother; his stuttering younger brother; and his musical prodigy sister, who is headed to Juilliard in the fall.  When death is visited upon one of them, it's the unexpected grace of ordinary moments that helps the rest carry on.

Our reaction to the book was predictably positive.  Yes, the plot was a little derivative according to Doug (thanks for the email!), with echoes of other family saga / coming-of-age tales.  Larry called it "Richard Russo light" (Russo's Nobody's Fool still sits atop our rankings) and, with Glenn and Doug, likened it to To Kill a Mockingbird's expose of tragedy and animus in small town America.  However,  our naysayers found much to enjoy, even if the ending was telegraphed (Glenn) and at least one character's personal revelation was trite (thanks for calling in, George!).

So, why did we like it so much?  Well, who doesn't like a heroic boy who throws the town bully into a reservoir, ignores his dad's well-intentioned commands, and singlehandedly solves the mystery at the end of the novel?  OK, I'm over-simplifying, but Jack was so taken by the narrator's precociousness that he gave the book his first-ever 10.  And Dean, who grew up as the younger brother in his family, was charmed by Frank Drum's fearlessness.  Ultimately, however, what captivated all of us were the simple moments in the story that uplifted both character and reader simultaneously. Gus making dinner for the boys, the "bad cop" letting Gus out of jail, the "bad Indian" showing gratitude, the wife-beater returning to church, Jake's cathartic rendition of grace, and so on.  All of these were the novel's extra-ordinary moments.

Our Rating of Ordinary Grace

The blurb on the back of Krueger's affecting novel about mid-century America proclaims that Ordinary Grace won the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award.  If we categorized our fiction geographically, I have no doubt that Krueger would lead our midwest rankings.  But with only our 1-10 numerical ranking available to show our appreciation, we gladly gave Krueger a fulsome 8.0.

Next Up:  Marching Powder by Thomas McFadden

Jack gave us a list that included Revolutionary Road, Remains of the Day, Ohio, and Wenner's memoir, Like a Rolling Stone.  We turned them all down in favor of Marching Powder, the true story of a British man's incarceration in a Colombian prison for drug smuggling.  We'll see next month how closely McFadden's story parallels Stan's youthful escapades in South America.