Aug 24, 2017 yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. Rainy day books will present an instore book club discussion of our souls at night by kent haruf. Our souls at nightbook club discussion my head is full. It is a beautiful, simple and direct story that should be on everyones summer reading list. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of. Our 23 hour meetings are primarily a social gathering with a mere 10 minute discussion. Harufs sixth and final novel, our souls at night, was published in may, bringing fans of his work back once more to the fictional town of holt, colorado. Our souls at night is just as beautiful as harufs earlier books, albeit somewhat shorter and focused only on addie and louis vs. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their. February 14th discussion is on our souls at night by kent haruf. Despite knowing his life was coming to a sooner end than it should, or perhaps because of this, he created a story about finding love in the final chapter. Our souls at night is a best book club book for discussion set in holt, colorado, a beautiful story of second chances between two people who have lost their spouses.
The ending of the book is bittersweet, perhaps predictably. Our souls at night by kent haruf goodreads share book. And just like addie and louis, haruf proved that youre never too old to reinvent yourself, take risks, find love, and write a great novel. Kent haruf wrote our souls at night under a death sentence. Our souls at night kent haruf, 2015 knopf doubleday 192 pp. Mary mcbride, bookseller, will discuss our souls at night in detail with the attendees. It will bring forth a good discussion for our book group. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of our souls at night. Mount prospect public library book discussion questions. About this guide the questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night, the final novel from acclaimed author kent haruf.
Our souls at night by kent haruf discussion guide penguin. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I thought a lot, reading our souls at night, about online book discussions. And then there was the day when addie moore made a call on louis waters. Our souls at night is kent harufs final novel, finished just days before he died in 2014, it was published posthumously. But haruf wrote this novel as an homage to his wife cathy, whom he married later in life as well. The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night, the final novel from acclaimed author kent haruf. Our souls at night is an exquisite book made all the more poignant by the fact that kent very sadly. Our souls at night, by kent haruf the new york times.
Reviews and discussion questions for our souls at night are listed along with links to key places and things relevant to the story. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading our souls at night. Nov 03, 2016 our souls at night was the impetus for a lively discussion at the clayton community book club. This isnt a dark night of the soul but one filled with hope and with second chances. Dec 14, 2017 in one of my past book clubs, we literally only read books that included discussion questions at the end of the book because we wanted to be certain wed have a meaningful discussion. This book was written as haruf knew his time was limited. Book club discussions laura spaulding may 10, 2017.
Louis waters and addie moore are the focus of this bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the future. In this last book, haruf, a very loved author, seems occasionally to speak to his longtime audience directly, as when louis offers a wry opinion of the. May 29, 2015 our souls at night is a fitting conclusion to a remarkable writing career. In this last book, haruf, a very loved author, seems occasionally to speak to his longtime audience directly, as when louis offers a. The book is being developed into a netflix original film starring robert redford and jane fonda, which premieres on the platform in september 2017. Our souls at night honors the quiet strength of its source material by offering a simple yet sturdy canvas for two talented veteran leads to bring its story. This summary of our souls at night includes a complete plot overview spoilers included.
Kent harufs legacy of plainsong, eventide, benediction, where you once belonged, the tie that binds, and west of last chance with photographer peter brown is worth reading and rereading. The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night, the final novel from acclaimed author kent haruf questions and topics for discussion. The library is happy to share these original questions for your use. Brown bag book club discussing our souls at night by kent. Book discussion our souls at night by kent haruf book. Our souls at night was inspired, in part, by harufs own marriage and the intimate, latenight conversations he and his wife relished, just like addie and louis. It is not sensational, it is not edgy, it is not cynical, nor is it freighted with irony like so much modern literature. The first draft book club will discuss kent harufs devastating final book, our souls at night, on wednesday, july 22.
This months selection is our souls at night by kent haruf. My current book club group is much more casual, but perhaps too much so. Their arrangement immediately comes under fire from the other elderly. Chapter 9 begins when addie dropped her elderly neighbor, ruth, off at her house after a trip to the grocery. Now that i know i have, you knowa limited timeit was important to me to try to make good use of that time. Kent and i had such a good time discussing the story. The idea for the book has been floating around in my mind for quite a while. When read as a final tribute to a lifelong love, this book becomes a thing of. Do you see evidence of this struggle in our souls at night. Editor gary fisketjon discusses our souls at night.
Rainy day books book club discussion of our souls at night. Kent harufs final novel, the national bestseller our souls at night, is a quiet tale of love and second chances. Christine peterson will discuss kent harufs our souls at night at thomas universitys next book club meeting at 7 p. The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of our souls at night, the final novel from. Yesterday our book club met at my house to discuss kent harufs last book, our souls at night. It will not take you long to read, but it will live with you forever. Next tu book club discussion to focus on our souls at night. Kent harufs novel, our souls at night, tells the tale of the unlikely love found when addie moore proposes that her neighbor, louis waters, sleeps in the same bed as her because the nights are lonely. Our souls at night is the final book from the folio prizeshortlisted author of plainsong, eventide and benediction, kent haruf. I suspect that the book will live on as many readers will identify with the issues presented. Our souls at night reading group choices book club.
Book discussion our souls at night by kent haruf book lovers. Kent haruf died at the end of last year, leaving behind one final tale. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. Jun 26, 2015 editor of our souls at night and vice president and editoratlarge of alfred a. Our souls at night, by kent haruf my extensive reading. For our discussion we will be discussing our souls at night by kent haruf in my preparation i have gathered the following material to enhance our discussion. As trite as it might sound, our souls at night is a beautiful story. May 28, 2015 kent haruf died at the end of last year, leaving behind one final tale. Harufs prose is pareddown and limpid, maybe even more so than in his earlier novels. Again, putting yourself in the place of an observerfamily, would you take any issue with the word decency. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Sep 29, 2017 ahead of the films premier today, september 29, we spoke via email with colorado college professor david hendrickson about his experience lending his home to our souls at night filmmakers for two. Its set, like all his previous novels, in the fictional town of holt, colorado. Our souls at night is simply, profoundly, an exquisite homage to love.
In his final interview, conducted a few days before his death from interstitial lung disease, haruf discussed our souls at night. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. Knopf publishing, gary fisketjon, visits the post for a special interview with book world editor, ron charles. Book club meetings are held on the 2nd friday of each month. A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the imminent. Attendance at the meeting was way down, only four gals attended, but we had a spirited discussion over this short, gem of a book. Topics about this book topics that mention this book.
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