Wednesday, February 17, 2016

February 2016: Lonely Hearts Club

Yesterday we gathered to talk about The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. We had a lively discussion about this book while enjoying some light refreshments based on the prom party described in the book.

“And then after supper it would be time for the party. She went into the kitchen to see about the refreshments. … The refreshments were on top of the stove. There were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chocolate snaps and punch. … She didn’t feel like herself at all. She was somebody different from Mick Kelly entirely. … The close walls around her seemed to press in all the excitement. She felt so different from the old Mick Kelly that she knew this would be better than anything else in all her whole life – this party.”  - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, Part Two, Chapter 1


Below are some additional resources that may of interest to those who have read the book.

- About the author: http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Timeline-of-Carson-McCullers-Life-Success-and-Works_1

- Important themes in the novel:

- "The Lonely Hunter" poem by Fiona MacLeod (pseudonym for William Sharp), a line from which became this book's title: https://archive.org/stream/writingsoffionam07macl/writingsoffionam07macl_djvu.txt

- Information about the movie based on this book: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063050/

- 2014 painting by artist Joe Simpson inspired by the book: http://www.joe-simpson.co.uk/gallery/london/paintings/the-heart-is-a-lonely-hunter.aspx#.VsS_s7QrIdU

- Discussion questions:

We had a great time and hope you'll join us for the next discussion!

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