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babble book club final discussion of 'Something Fierce' by Carmen Aguirre

babble book club final discussion of 'Something Fierce' by Carmen Aguirre

babble book club's new selection is Something Fierce: Memoir of a Revolutionary Daughter by Carmen Aguirre. The final discussion will be Friday November 1 at 2 p.m. EST on this thread!

Something Fierce tells the gripping tale of a six year old Aguirre forced to flee with her family to Canada during the violent Chilean coup that removed democratically elected socialist president Salvador Allende and began the reign of dictator General Augusto Pinochet.

When the Chilean resistance issued a call for exiled activists to return, Aguirre's mother and stepfather set up a safe house in Bolivia, thus ushering Aguirre into the movement. At 18, Aguirre joined the resistance and moved to Argentina with her husband to continue the fight.

The book is widelt available in libraries, independent bookstores and online as an ebook. If you need help finding a copy, let us know in the thread and we'll be happy to help you out!

Check out the books blog for more information on the selection and join our Facebook group for added fun and to meet some of the book clubbers in 'real life'.

Happy reading!

Comments

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Comments

Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on September 26, 2013 - 3:36pm.

Woot! I'm excited for this read!

Got my copy coming in from the library!

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Submitted by Caissa on September 30, 2013 - 8:08am.

Bought a copy Thursday night.

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Submitted by Unionist on October 2, 2013 - 10:13am.

Started reading yesterday (borrowed electronically from the library).

 

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Submitted by Caissa on October 2, 2013 - 2:02pm.

Since as I finish Patrick Rothfuss, The Name ofthe Wind, I will be diving in. Got to hear Rothfuss speak on campus today.Great storyteller.

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Submitted by Jacob Two-Two on October 2, 2013 - 6:20pm.

Just pulled it off the shelf at the library. I've been meaning to read this for a while now. I see this woman around the drive all the time, and seen her do some small performances at local events now and again, so I've been curious about this book since it came out. We're facebook friends too, though we've never spoken in person. maybe I'll send her the link for this thread.

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Submitted by Caissa on October 3, 2013 - 1:24pm.

Picked up a soft cover copy of The Inconvenient Indian today. Tom King is reading on campus next Wednesday.

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on October 4, 2013 - 4:23pm.

Jacob Two-Two wrote:

Just pulled it off the shelf at the library. I've been meaning to read this for a while now. I see this woman around the drive all the time, and seen her do some small performances at local events now and again, so I've been curious about this book since it came out. We're facebook friends too, though we've never spoken in person. maybe I'll send her the link for this thread.

ooooo! how very cool of you to be facebook friends with her! That would be neat if she checked out the thread ... I have been a tad swamped with things, and unfortunately that means the bbc takes a bit a back burner. (I hate to admit it, but I did.)

My library copy arrived today and I've got it burning a whole in my bag as we speak! Exciting to read this one, but might finish a book of, what else, short stories first, to time better with out end date.

Caissa -- that is super cool about Thomas King. Tell us how it goes!

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Submitted by Caissa on October 7, 2013 - 9:06am.

Read the first 50 pages of Something Fierce last night. The writing is clear and the narrative carries you along.  As the father of an 11 yea, I can't help but questions the judgement of the author's mother.

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on October 8, 2013 - 3:49pm.

Caissa wrote:

Read the first 50 pages of Something Fierce last night. The writing is clear and the narrative carries you along.  As the father of an 11 yea, I can't help but questions the judgement of the author's mother.

Care to elaborate?

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Submitted by Caissa on October 9, 2013 - 6:54am.

I wouldn't be taking an 11 year old child from the relative safety of Vancouver to live an underground life in South America of the late seventies, early eighties.

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Submitted by Caissa on October 15, 2013 - 6:41am.

Finished it on the weekend. Found it a bit of a mediocre read. The Inconvenient Indian is reading so much better.

 

How are others doing with Something Fierce?

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Submitted by Unionist on October 15, 2013 - 6:56am.
74% finished. Sad to say, I don't see the point yet. Oh well, soldiering on.
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Submitted by Caissa on October 15, 2013 - 7:33am.

I had a difficult ime believing it won the Canada reads contest.

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Submitted by Catchfire on October 15, 2013 - 2:16pm.

I am holding a copy in my hands and about to take it out of the library. Let's see if they let me.

ETA: Made it!

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on October 15, 2013 - 5:31pm.

Mine is sitting in it's library wrapping yet to be read!

I'm surprised by the first recations Caissa and Unionist because of the hoopla around the whole thing! Not only Canada Reads -- which I think we all agree can be the worst -- but a lot of people/reviews in general have really praised this book.

Hmm, interested to dig in with a critical eye (if I can muster one up that is)

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Submitted by Caissa on October 21, 2013 - 6:38am.

How's the reading coming peeps?

ETA: If we set shorter reading times would people complete the books quicker? It seems regardless of the length of time many people procrastinate and read the book at the last moment.

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Submitted by Unionist on October 21, 2013 - 6:51am.
94%. Yeah, shorter times would probably do the trick, especially with the less enthralling books...
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Submitted by Unionist on October 21, 2013 - 10:10pm.

Ok, finished at last. I liked the epilogue. But the book as a whole was all over the map. Figuratively as well as literally.

 

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Submitted by Caissa on October 22, 2013 - 6:10am.

One of the worst books I have read this year.

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Submitted by Unionist on October 22, 2013 - 9:38am.
Gregorian, Jewish, Chinese, or other?
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Submitted by Caissa on October 22, 2013 - 11:13am.

It would definitely be the worst this year in the Jewish calendar. Wink

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Submitted by Caissa on October 25, 2013 - 6:22am.

One week until the discussion.

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Submitted by Unionist on October 25, 2013 - 7:49am.

What's the process? When can discussion start and when does it end? Do we wait till everyone says they've finished reading?

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Submitted by Caissa on October 25, 2013 - 7:58am.

Discussion can take place at anytime, Unioinist. We always schedule one hour at the end of a period of time for which those who read it all gather online. Through Kaitlin's initiative we have had several author's join us for our discussion.

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on October 28, 2013 - 8:08am.

Hey all, a few things:

1. true to form, and since it has been a busy month, I am finishing up the book this week -- I know, I know.

2. Yes, to echo Caissa, please feel free to discuss the book at anytime; however, please try to leave any surprise "bombs" until the final disucssion this Friday.

3. EXCITING NEWS: we have been given the opportunity to submit questions to the author Carmen Aguirre after our discussion. She will answer the questions and I will post them on our books blog. This is a great opportunity to get some of those nagging questions off your back, obviously phrased with respect to the author.

Those questions will be submitted after our final conversation, but please feel free to drop any and all of those into this thread or our facebook group. So, it is kind of like an author discussion, but a bit more delayed and static.

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Submitted by Caissa on October 28, 2013 - 9:04am.

Now you are going to make me have to be polite. Wink How are you finding the book, Kaitlin?

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on October 28, 2013 - 4:22pm.

*cough* haven't started *cough*

I got really into reading 'Visit from the Goon Squad' and a George Saunders books of essays. Starting tonight and going to power read. My usual style of course!

I have found it interesting that you two didn't enjoy it. So many have ranted and raved about this book!

Obviously, not everyone can like every book, but still, very surprising.

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Submitted by Caissa on October 29, 2013 - 6:18am.

Didn't you know that Unionist is my long lost elder brother?Wink Why is it surprising that Unionist and I did not enjoy it?

 

With all of the power reading that seems to take place, I think shortening time lines would allow BBC to read more books per year.

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Submitted by Caissa on November 1, 2013 - 6:32am.

I'll be late to the discussion. I have a commitment from 1:30 until 2:30 EST today.

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Submitted by Kaitlin McNabb on November 1, 2013 - 9:46am.

Haha, I should have known!

Well, in full confession, the timeline was long this time because my parents were visting last weekend, so I abused my power to compensate for that :)

But yes, we can try shorter timelines for next time!

I'm really excited to discuss this book today! I have some thoughts, but I don't know if you all will like em!

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