2020
Dear Book Group members,
Happy New Year! Welcome to new members and welcome back to those members from previous years
Our first meeting will be on Monday, Feb 3rd at 1:00.
The novel set for discussion is ‘Pachinko’ by Min Jin Lee, which we will discuss until 2:00. The Questions have been posted below on the Uni3A website and Mei will present the biography and Alison, the reviews. In the remaining time we will determine our final reading list for 2020. Please come with your suggestions along with the no. of available copies from the libraries.
Thank you to those people who have emailed their recommendations.
Our second book will be ‘ A Passage to India’ by EM Forster which we will discuss on Feb. 17.
A further matter to determine will be whether we meet on Monday 2nd March which clashes with Writers week.
I am looking forward to seeing you all.
Good reading!
Tric Topsfield.
PACHINKO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What did you take from this novel? What aspects of the story have stayed with you? Did the novel provide you with information that was new to you?
- Which characters did you relate to most and why? Which did you admire, dislike and /or frustrate you?
- How much did history change their lives? How influential is culture on character? Did history and circumstance change aspects of personality and inner qualities?
- Comment on the dynamics between characters. Were there any that stood out for you? Characters included Sunji, Hansu,Isaac, Noa, Mozasu, Kyangi, Sunji’mother, Yangjin, Hoonie, Kim Changho, Etsuko, Yumi, Phoebe, Haruki,Hans.
- Discuss the plot. Was it a fast paced page turner? Was it engaging? Was the story focussed more on characters, or the plot? Were there too many characters? Was it too long?
- What themes does the author discuss? Elaborate.
- How much agency dies Sunji have over her life?
- Throughout the book characters often have to choose between survival or tradition or morality. What examples embody this tension?
- Why do you think the author chose PACHINKO for the title?