The Big Read at Kansas City Public Library

The very last Big Read book group met tonight. The Contemporary Thought discussion group meets at the Barnes & Noble on the Plaza and they have been following The Big Read since the first announcement last August.

Tonight, these six articulate and astute ladies delved into A Farewell to Arms with relish. One reader stated that she didn’t like the book at all, even though she had read it in high school. She did not care for the dated language and felt Catherine was poorly drawn. These comments led to thoughtful analysis of the relationship between Henry and Catherine and the group ultimately decided that neither truly loved the other, although it was felt that Henry must have felt something during Catherine’s death scene since he prays. One reader believed that while the tragedy of the story was well depicted, the two characters kept each other at emotional arm’s length, preventing any warmth in the story from bubbling to the surface.

Other topics discussed were the meaning of the title, homo-eroticism, and the theme of religion. One reader stated emphatically that the description of the Italian retreat and the aftermath of the Battle of Caporetto was some of the best writing Hemingway ever produced.  All were impressed withe the resonance this classic tale has today and pointed out the sex, romance and war themes as topics one can find in popular novels today, “but this is better writing.”

The Contemporary Thought book club kept conversation hopping by talking to each other about every point and nuance. A facilitator was hardly needed. All are looking forward to next year’s The Big Read.