Reading Lolita In Tehran On The Balcony
Charlotte was the generous hostess of our last bookclub discussion. She was kind enough to open up her beautiful home to us. We enjoyed the amazing view and wonderful weather sitting on Charlotte's giant balcony, while sipping wine/water/beverage of choice and dining on Charlott's scrumptios baked ziti. It was good to see some faces we missed at the last few club gatherings. Ellen and Amy were there and they admitted they had not seen eachother since Amy was pregnant with Annabelle, which was over a year ago!
We ate, talked about movies, life, work, working out, just about everything but the book. Once dinner was over, we got down to the business of discussing Reading Lolita In Tehran. I think it was agreed that everyone of us had a hard time actually getting into this book. I think Amy was the only person who actually read the whole thing. Teresa, myself and Sheri got most of the way through and I can't remember if Charlotte finally got through it or not. Some of us agreed that it should have been called, Reading Gatsby in Tehran, instead or better yet, Reading English Literature in Tehran. I guess that is not as catchy but I was under the impression that we would get to explore a different culture and their outlook on ours through our literature (Western World not America per se). You do see some of that through some of the more stiff necked, stick up their butts revolutionaries. They judge the whole western world based upon the character of Gatsby and Lolita. The book did open our eyes to how unfairly women are treated in that area of the world but this is something we had already experienced through the media. However, to see 13 year old Lolita being more scrutinized and judged than her male, adult, abuser Humbert Humphry demonstrated where women are held in Tehran society.
Some of us have already read or were in the process of reading Lolita and this prompted the beginnings to discussions, about Lolita, that we kept trying to prevent. I think Charlotte and I are going to have different thoughts on this book. She read it and I listened to it and so we are thinking there could be a difference in how the main characters are perceived depending upon if you hear it in your own mind or a reader (in this case it is Jeremy Irons, who also plays Humbert in the movie) influences you. The next book dicussion should be interesting! Amy will be hostess and it should fall around the end of March beginning of April time frame. I hope everyone will be able to make it!
We ate, talked about movies, life, work, working out, just about everything but the book. Once dinner was over, we got down to the business of discussing Reading Lolita In Tehran. I think it was agreed that everyone of us had a hard time actually getting into this book. I think Amy was the only person who actually read the whole thing. Teresa, myself and Sheri got most of the way through and I can't remember if Charlotte finally got through it or not. Some of us agreed that it should have been called, Reading Gatsby in Tehran, instead or better yet, Reading English Literature in Tehran. I guess that is not as catchy but I was under the impression that we would get to explore a different culture and their outlook on ours through our literature (Western World not America per se). You do see some of that through some of the more stiff necked, stick up their butts revolutionaries. They judge the whole western world based upon the character of Gatsby and Lolita. The book did open our eyes to how unfairly women are treated in that area of the world but this is something we had already experienced through the media. However, to see 13 year old Lolita being more scrutinized and judged than her male, adult, abuser Humbert Humphry demonstrated where women are held in Tehran society.
Some of us have already read or were in the process of reading Lolita and this prompted the beginnings to discussions, about Lolita, that we kept trying to prevent. I think Charlotte and I are going to have different thoughts on this book. She read it and I listened to it and so we are thinking there could be a difference in how the main characters are perceived depending upon if you hear it in your own mind or a reader (in this case it is Jeremy Irons, who also plays Humbert in the movie) influences you. The next book dicussion should be interesting! Amy will be hostess and it should fall around the end of March beginning of April time frame. I hope everyone will be able to make it!
posted by Marlawanda at 7:36 AM
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