This Month's Selection: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison

Evening Readers Book Club

The Rosie Project
by Graeme Simsion

Tuesday, July 22
6:30 p.m.

From the publisher:

The art of love is never a science.

Meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. And so, in the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rosie Jarman is all these things. She also is strangely beguiling, fiery, and intelligent. And while Don quickly disqualifies her as a candidate for the Wife Project, as a DNA expert Don is particularly suited to help Rosie on her own quest: identifying her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on the Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

Arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, Graeme Simsion’s distinctive debut will resonate with anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of great challenges. The Rosie Project is a rare find: a book that restores our optimism in the power of human connection.

Have you read The Rosie Project? Share your thoughts in the comments on this post anytime, or on the discussion post after July 22!

What We Thought: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children and that perhaps there is no harm in finding magic among the trees.”  -- The Snow Child (A letter to Mabel from her sister)

The evening’s discussion elicited sincere, heartfelt and profound comments from members of the book club. It was said that the author’s creative writing encouraged creative reading. People said they were not certain that Faina, the snow child was a real character but then they offered evidence that she was. Maybe the fairy tale took over the reality of life or maybe life was the fairy tale.

Not everyone was familiar with the Russian folktale of the Snow Child who was cold until she fell in love, her heart warms and she melts. Everyone drew parallels with stories from their childhood, most notably Frosty the Snowman as well as the shape shifting selkies from Ireland. The discussion intensified as it continued throughout the evening and readers debated the place of fantasy and its manifestation in everyday life. Elements of the relationships between all of the characters touched readers hearts. Family connections were transformed by the introduction of Faina into the lives of Mabel and Jack as well as with their neighbors and good friends, George and Esther Benson. The story of Mabel and Jack and their encounter with Faina created a lot of thought provoking reactions about the characters. Beautifully written descriptions about the wildness and remoteness of the Alaskan landscape enhanced the romance of the story.

“I will change the ending and have everyone live happily ever after. We are all allowed to do that, are we not? To invent our own endings and choose joy over sorrow.”  -- The Snow Child (A letter to Mabel from her sister)