07.2015 Game of Thrones - Book 1

Introduction:

Our first book fantasy book set in medieval times and subject of a popular tv show! It's our longest book yet! Get reading!

Book Jacket:

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. To the south, the king’s powers are failing—his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king’s new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.

Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Unparalleled in scope and execution, A Game of Thrones is one of those rare reading experiences that catch you up from the opening pages, won’t let you go until the end, and leave you yearning for more.

Book Details:

Length: 864 pages
Publisher: Bantam
Published: March 22, 2011
ISBN: 0553593714
ISBN13: 978-0553593716

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Curious Incident of the Dog at Nightime

Book Club #4!

About the Book:

Summary: 

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. He is quite picky about the way he lives his life and his parents must adapt to his quirks. When his neighbor's dog is killed, Christopher goes on a quest to investigate the suspicious death and is encouraged by a mentor to write a book about the mystery. The quest ends up causing him to uncover much more about his neighbors and family.

Characters:

• Christopher
• Christopher’s father (Ed Boone)
• Christopher’s mother (Judy Boone)
• Mrs. Shears (Eileen Shears)
• Mr. Shears (Roger Shears)
• Siobhan
• Mrs. Alexander
• Wellington - Mrs. Shears’s black poodle
• Toby - Christopher's rate
  

Questions:

1. Dogs are often used as therapy animals, including for autism. Why do you think the main character was so concerned about Wellington? How are animals able to connect/benefit individuals with autism?
2. Do you think the main character was more concerned about the death of the dog than the disappearance of his mother? Discuss reasons.
3. Which character were you able to empathize with most and which situation in the book highlights that sentiment?
4.  The author used an 15 yr old autistic boy as a narrator for the book. The book is not exactly linear and is filled with diagrams. How did you like this writing style?
5. Christopher is articulate about his feelings and why or why not he prefers certain things. How do you feel about this kind of honesty/interaction?
6. How do you think things might have been different if the protagonist had been an adult?

Conversation Summary:

Discussion topics:

• author's writing style
• what did you know about autism before reading the book and what is your current perspective on treatment and care of autistic individuals
• Christopher reacts strongly to different triggers such as colors, did his behavior improve as he grew older or did people around him simply adapt better to his preferences
• how his parents adapted and reacted differently to his behavior
• why his mother left
• which character did you empathize and/or sympathize for most 
• what would you do similarly or differently from the parents if you had an autistic child
• current scientific thinking about autism and causes of autism

3/3 bears happy to have read this book.

References:

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Official Trailer
A tony-winning play!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O704ld5WQnk