YW Book Club (#1) The Barbarians Are Coming

[rice cracker]

Originally Posted by kittygirl

they were accepting him... but they were also consuming him :)

Yep And when they were done, they went out for "real" Chinese food.

Edit: I'm too lazy to look it up, but what's mise en place?

[kitty]

it's when you put everything in their right place before you start cooking. like set up the chopping board, all your ingredients, a knife, a bowl, etc etc etc... before you actually start the cooking.

so just as a repeat question: what did everyone think the significance of bliss and genius' names were?

[rice cracker]

Well, Genius' name started as sort of a nickname the white woman he met in America gave him. I think she would call him genius in sort of a mocking way, like, "Boy, you really are a genius, aren't you?" and when he looked up the name he liked the meaning so much he made it into his legal name.

As for Bliss' name, no idea. Her character seemed very flat, and I didn't feel like I got to know her at all other than through the conversations she had with Sterling and a few memories of Genius' when she first came to live with him in America. Does anyone else have more input on her character? I felt like as far as family dynamics were concerned it was all Sterling and Genius. His mother was secondary, and his sisters hardly registered at all.

[Bhodi_Li]

Originally Posted by applehead

oh man.
can we extend the date?
...=/

I agree, just got the book today. It took three weeks to get to me because it was misrouted.

[applehead]

the only people that read the book are
kittygirl, rice cracker and kimpossible?!?!?!

[ism]

I read it. Sorry I'm chiming in so late. Given that some people still need to read it, I'm willing to hold off on commentating since it would spoil a lot of the story. Maybe we can choose the next book so those that need more time to obtain it can get a start?

[kitty]

Alright, here's the plan. We will leave this thread open for conversation for those who have actually read the book.

But we'll only talk about some basic stuff, and we can really start the discussion next week (April 4), giving you guys who are still reading some time to finish. It's a quick read so that should be plenty of time.

Meanwhile, I'll post a thread for the second book title as a sticky so that those who want to read the next book can get started.

So, ism and rice_cracker, what did you guys think of the story? The main character? What did you think the 'point' of the book was?

[Bhodi_Li]

Originally Posted by kittygirl

But we'll only talk about some basic stuff, and we can really start the discussion next week (April 4), giving you guys who are still reading some time to finish. It's a quick read so that should be plenty of time.

Next week! Plenty of time? She's like a prof.

[rice cracker]

Originally Posted by kittygirl

So, ism and rice_cracker, what did you guys think of the story? The main character? What did you think the 'point' of the book was?

I really liked this story, a lot of what Sterling experienced I've felt or experienced myself at times, although in obviously different ways but the main feeling of cultural confusion was basically the same.

As for Sterling, I didn't like him so much until towards the end of the book, mainly because as a person he was so wishy washy and passive. I think my feelings changed once I felt some sympathy towards him after his losses. His marriage I felt was so doomed from the start that I couldn't empathize or sympathize with that at all. But again, after the car crash (I hope I'm not giving too much away ) and his awkward attempts at reconciliation with his parents I felt more positively towards him.

The point of the story, it seemed to me, was basically to show Sterling maturing and focus on his point of view during his path towards a more realistic social awareness.

[ism]

Bhodi: It really is a quick read, with easily digestible language and a well-paced story that keeps it moving. I'm estimating it takes most people 2.5 - 4 hours to read.

kittygirl: Shift in perspective about halfway in frames the story as gaps, in generation and culture. The radical shift gives Genius more depth, and in turn, poses a question as to how Sterling thinks of his sons. Filial piety factors in more in terms of cultural differences, in how Sterling's actions can be seen as a decision of which culture he feels he truly belongs to. Some bits of male emasculation here, but not really the point, just more as window dressing.

The communication gap, as well, factors in heavily. In the beginning of the story, Sterling and Bliss exchange letters, which seems to be less troublesome than face-to-face communication. Genius' communiques with his wife show a separation, as he rationalizes that the letters addressed to Mr. Wong are not meant for him.

SPOILER:

I think the exchange between Sterling and Yuk, when she catches his show, lays out a lot. When asked why he is faking an accent, he says he doesn't know at first, then replies that it's how Genius talks, and she asks him why he says something so mean. That same sequence also includes "moving the bed" in which he understands it as an American slang, reflecting those tendencies of his, as opposed to Yuk's straightforward (and simple immigrant) meaning.

It seems like a path many Asian-Americans face, in generalized terms. How do we view our parents (and their culture), grapple with ours, and how will our children fare?

SPOILER:

Am I reading too much into it, or is Ira's death symbolizing a pessimistic view of a certain type of attitude?

[Bhodi_Li]

Originally Posted by ism

Bhodi: It really is a quick read, with easily digestible language and a well-paced story that keeps it moving. I'm estimating it takes most people 2.5 - 4 hours to read.

Are you the Speed Reader from when I was a kid? It takes me 4 hours to read the back of the cover! I have to take a drink of water from sounding out the words.

[kitty]

ism, regarding your last point, absolutely not. I think his two sons, Moses and Ira are most definitely representative of two vastly different points of view.

regarding the other stuff you posted... I want to respond but my brain is fried thanks to dear survivor taskmaster lethalweapon... tomorrow for me :)

[ism]

Originally Posted by kittygirl

ism, regarding your last point, absolutely not. I think his two sons, Moses and Ira are most definitely representative of two vastly different points of view.

So what happens is not a judgement call, but symbolic of the ... self-actualization, whatever you want to call it, that Sterling eventually undergoes?

[rice cracker]

What did people think of Sterling's wife and her role in the story?

[kitty]

I thought that she was using Sterling as a metaphor for all of white culture who supposedly embrace asians... to be used when it is convenient for her stage of life and later to give up when she wants to reclaim her roots.

it was rather pessimistic when it comes to IR relationships, but I thought it was interesting how her hair turns white -- was there something to that? I can't quite figure it out.