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Be sure to join us at 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 12, on Zoom to discuss Becoming Mrs. Lewis. The author, Patti Callahan Henry, will be joining us to talk about her book! Download the Zoom app on your phone, tablet, or computer. Create a free account on Zoom to use the meeting link. Make your favorite cup of tea and join us on Zoom! Becoming Mrs. Lewis is available on HOOPLA for immediate download as an ebook!
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Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of fifteen novels, including the (Historical Fiction), BECOMING MRS. LEWIS—The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis (writing as Patti Callahan). In addition, she is the recipient of The Christy Award—A 2019 Winner "Book of the Year.” ; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year for 2020 and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for 2019. The author is also the host of the popular seven-part original "Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis Podcast Series" launched, October 2019. The podcast audiobook collection including bonus material was released on January 7, 2020, and available now. The new expanded Becoming Mrs. Lewis paperback edition was released on March 24, 2020, and available now. In March of 2021, a new historical fiction novel based on the true story of the Steamship Pulaski wreck will be released. THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER (writing as Patti Callahan Henry—Southern Contemporary Fiction) was launched on June 4, 2019, and THE PERFECT LOVE SONG—A Christmas Holiday novella released October 8, 2019, and available now. A full-time author and mother of three children, she now resides in both Mountain Brook, Alabama and Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband.
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Becoming Mrs. Lewis Discussion Questions 1. Joy’s early life was fraught with sickness and rigid family expectations. How did these years shape her love life moving forward? How did these early years influence her newfound friendship with Jack? How did she overcome them to love? 2. When Joy’s cousin, Renee moved into the house with her two young children, things began to change. Have you sheltered family members in a time of need, and how did that change your family dynamics? What were your first reactions to Renee moving in? 3. Joy’s heartbreak at Bill’s announcement that he and Renee were in love was painful. Do you believe it was because she loved Bill? Felt betrayed? That Renee was the “comparison” used all of her life and now that memory surged forward from childhood? Have you ever been in a similar circumstance where old heartbreak was relived in a new form?
4. Joy expressed distress about how some of Jack’s friends didn’t approve of her or appear to like her. Why do you think this was true? How did this affect their friendship?
5. Many of Jack and Joy’s friends talk about their intellectual compatibility, of Joy’s ability to keep up with Jack and how they both had incredible photographic memories. Did this bring them together? Did this help love grow? How? 6. Joy made tough decisions about moving to England and taking her sons from their father. How did this affect Davy and Douglas? What do you believe she could she have done differently? 7. Bill fought to have his sons return to America as Joy appeared to be on her deathbed. Jack wrote a scathing letter and forbid it. How did this change the boys’ lives from that point on?
8. One of the most heartbreaking scenes in the novel is when Joy discovers she has terminal cancer at the same time that Jack admits his true love and desire to marry her. How does this affect her recovery? How does this eros change what happens next?
9. Joy wonders about Jack’s relationship with both Janie Moore and Ruth Pitter. How did his relationships with these women affect his heart and love for Joy? Was Joy jealous or curious? How did it affect her view of him and their relationship?
10. What part of this story touched you the most? What part of this story changed you the most?
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Reference Resources for Becoming Mrs. Lewis
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To reserve a copy of next month's book, email: Kristie.Calvin@hooverlibrary.org Include your name, library card number and whether you would like a regular print, large print or audio book copy. There are limited copies available, so be sure to read and return!
Ask Again, Yes is also available as an ebook!
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Need Help with Zoom? Not comfortable using Zoom? We can help! Our own Dr. Lea Davis and her assistant, Winston (the cat), have made two helpful videos. If you would like further assistance, please contact Lea at lea.davis@hooverlibrary.org. Individual help or group practice sessions can be arranged.
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Sir Winston the Pretty is a grey tuxedo cat who lives with his Mummy, Lea Davis, in a home that is barely adequate to his needs. In addition to reading, his favorite things are sunny spots, canned food, Zoom meetings, and cardboard boxes. He keeps busy tutoring his younger sister, Francie, a black and white short-haired kitty with far too much curiosity. Greetings, Dear Friends! It is I, your friend, Winston and I have much to share with you regarding our book club’s meetings in June. I am, as always, delighted to discuss our shared readings and all that we learned together in our Zoom meetings. On June 7th, the Sunday NovelTea book club met to discuss the book Glory Road and we met the author, Lauren K. Denton. She was delightful and clever as she answered questions about her work and life posed by my dear friend, Amy and my beloved Mummy. I must confess that I missed the discussion portion of our meeting as I was unavoidably detained by a mission. You see, we had a chipmunk infiltrate the house and it is ever my duty to protect my citadel. I was busy trying to corner the evil one in Mummy’s laundry room. Francie, my beloved little sister, was no help and in fact interfered with my hunting prowess by attempting to catch the rodent as I worked to keep him at bay. By the time I realized the meeting had started, Ms Denton was speaking. Alas, I am saddened by my failure to attend our full meeting and must beg your pardon. Ms. Denton fascinated me as she explained the work she puts into her craft. I was amused to discover the epigraphs with which she began each chapter in Glory Road were her own inventions and attributed to people she knows and loves. She spent a great deal of time talking about the methods she uses to invent her plots, describe her settings, and explore our unique culture and food here in Alabama. As someone who meditates on spiritual matters while sitting in my favorite box in a sunbeam, I enjoyed her explanation of her work as “clean” but her intent is to share her faith in a comfortable way and avoid preaching to her audience. I shared my dear friend, Stratton’s joy in discovering Ms Denton’s work. It will give me one more topic of conversation with his kitty, the lovely Agatha, when we meet again via Zoom. Dear Friends, complete honesty forces me to further share with you the mishap that occurred after the meeting on June 7th. Mummy had set a Havahart trap for the evil chipmunk and baited it with peanut butter. Francie and I were examining it when, in an attempt to demonstrate how it works for Francie’s education, I inadvertently sprung the trap. Alas, I was inside it and had to wait an hour for Mummy to come home and free me. I must admit I cried with relief when she came back from her errand. I have learned from this tragic experience and unfortunate incarceration. I value my freedom even more now and also have learned that peanut butter makes my fur even more silky. On June 20, the club met again via Zoom and several of my dear friends shared their reviews of books they read and we met an author, Kimberly Belle. Dearest Steve shared his book A Dream of Death: A Kate Hamilton Mystery by Connie Berry. As I love a good mystery, I purrused this book and found it engrossing. It is set in Scotland and contains many references to Scottish history. I wore my wee kilt while I read it. Next my Mummy shared her estimation of the book Barkskins by Annie Proulx and the television series made from it. Mummy found the book excellent, but I found it to be rather a long read. Mummy loves history and so was engrossed. I think it needed more cats. She rather dislikes the television series and says they have created something that resembles the novel it is based upon in name only. My dear friend Stratton shared his review of the Agatha Christie novel Endless Night. I had forgotten how much I love this novel about a young couple who will stop at nothing to gain the fortune and dream home they want. My only displeasure was the lovely Agatha was not a part of his presentation. She was missed. Dearest Amy shared two books, America’s First Daughter by Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray and Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict. The first novel is all about the life of Martha Jefferson Randolph and the second is about Lady Clementine Churchill. I was inspired by these fictionalized explorations of great women’s lives. Then we were joined by the author Kimberly Belle. Mummy and I read her novel The Stranger in the Lake. It was a engrossing tale of murder and secrets in a small mountain town. Ms. Belle gave thoughtful answers to Mummy’s questions about writing and the characters in the book. Then Dear Amy asked Ms. Belle even more questions about the novel Dear Wife, which the club read several months ago. Ms. Belle explained her methods for research for police procedures and the psychology behind her characters and plots. I learned so much as I listened to her. Until we meet again, keep reading and pet all the kitties. Your friend, Sir Winston
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It's that time! If you have book suggestions for next year, send them to Amy Harrell (amy.harrell@hooverlibrary.org). Your recommendations are much appreciated!
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