In these last few chapters of the book, we see CeeCee break open in many ways.  As she collapses from the pain she has carried for so long, she also begins her healing process.  She witnesses adults being imperfect and fighting like children and then walking away as friends.  She learns that even though she may look like her mother, she will never become her mother.  She makes a friend who is her own age – a first for CeeCee.  And for the very first time, CeeCee feels proud of herself.  In breaking open the pain, she also breaks open her heart.

Were there any parts of this book that resonated with you strongly?  Were you able to see yourself in CeeCee in any way?  Tell us what you loved most about this book.

I also invite you to make suggestions for our Summer Book Club selection, which will kick off in June.

Until then, Happy Reading!

Each week we see CeeCee become more comfortable with her surroundings and her new friends and family.  The realities of a “normal” life begin to occur, with all of their complexities and subtleties.  CeeCee is confronted with racism, not once but twice; first, through the attack on Tybee Island and secondly, (and more humorously), when she meets Sapphire.  In reading this section, I couldn’t help but think that CeeCee’s reaction to the racial overtones of both interactions was subdued.  I thought it a reminder that children don’t develop racist tendencies unless they are taught to.

We also see that as CeeCee becomes more relaxed and settled into her new home, the memories of life with her mother begin to emerge.  CeeCee now has the security and support to deal with these issues.  CeeCee has been afraid to think or talk about her mother; I wondered if Oletta’s advice at the start of chapter 16 in someway helped her gain the courage to begin dealing with the pain that she was carrying:

Every time you give in to your fears, you’re lettin’ that man win.  And every time you do that, he gets stronger while you get weaker.  Givin’ in to your fears will rob you blind.  You’ll end up a prisoner to that man for the rest of your life.

CeeCee sees in Oletta a strength and peace that she would like to possess herself.  One of my favorite lines from the book illustrates this:

Deep down I had the feeling that Oletta most likely knew all that was worth knowing, not in book-learning ways, but in the ways that really mattered, ways that let you hum songs during the day and sleep peacefully at night.

Wouldn’t we all like to have enough peace to allow us to hum songs during the day and sleep peacefully at night?

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this week’s chapters.

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In this week’s reading we get to see CeeCee enjoying a little mischief and adventure.  After so many years of living in a state of constant shame, despair, and constant alert I wondered how these new experiences might feel to her.  While the incident with Miz Hobbs was surely scary for CeeCee, she also got to see people reacting to it with a bit of humor.  How different this must have been in comparison with the many incidents with her mother.

We also see the unexpected return of CeeCee’s father in these chapters.  Why do you think he decided to show up unannounced?  CeeCee is not happy to see her father; do you think that she will ever be able to forgive him?  Is he worthy of receiving her forgiveness?

I look forward to reading your thoughts on how CeeCee’s life is changing and unfolding.

Until next week, Happy Reading!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In this week’s reading selection we meet the women of Savannah, Georgia. Oletta, Miz Hobbs, and Miz Goodpepper each bring their own brand of southern hospitality to CeeCee. On the one hand, CeeCee drinks in all of the love and affection offered by her new friends and family, while on the other she doubts her worthiness and ability to ever fit in. I think this is what makes CeeCee such a likable character; she mirrors the insecurities we all feel at some time in our lives – fitting in, being worthy of love, and having something worthy to contribute amongst people we admire. Some people view children like CeeCee very much the way the Pemberton house was seen by the demolition crew – as not worthy of being saved. Aunt Tootie has the unique gift of looking past the broken places to see the treasure. As with the forgotten mansions of Savannah, Aunt Tootie sees the beauty in CeeCee and is determined to help her see it in herself.

Out of all of the characters introduced in this week’s reading, is there one that you like best? Why? Do you think any of these characters will have a greater impact on CeeCee’s life than the others?

Until next week, enjoy being carried away to the warm breezes of Savannah!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

As our Spring Book Club reading opens, we meet CeeCee, a young girl forced to be caretaker and overseer to her mentally ill mother. It is easy to instantly like CeeCee; while possessing the innocence of a child, much of her life is spent performing very adult tasks; the blend of naivety and wisdom that results in an undeniable appeal. CeeCee herself sees that her life circumstances have a positive side: “…in a strange, upside down way, Momma’s craziness helped me learn more and rise to the top of my class.” Camille, too, is easy to like, despite her inability to care for CeeCee. Although deeply flawed, Camille still has the charm and gentility of a southern belle gone slightly askew.

Less easy to feel fondness for is CeeCee’s absentee father, who, despite warnings from his daughter and neighbor about the state of Camille’s health, chooses to look away. While not an uncommon reaction to mental illness, CeeCee’s father becomes so detached that he is completely unaware of his daughter’s love of books, reading and her academic achievements. This fact seems to hurt CeeCee even more than the countless escapades involving her mother’s bizarre behavior, as she develops a deep hatred for her father.

Salvation for CeeCee comes after her mother’s death, when she is taken in by her Aunt Tootie, a well-mannered and kind southern woman who resides in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. While deeply moved by Aunt Tootie’s kindness and genuine warmth, CeeCee remains apprehensive about the move until Mrs. Odell offers this wisdom: “When a chapter of your Life Book is complete, your spirit knows it’s time to turn the page so a new chapter can begin. Even when you’re scared or think you’re not ready, your spirit knows you are.” It is this truth that CeeCee clings to as she takes the leap into a life she could have never before imagined.

I look forward to reading your insights on these first few chapters. Here are a few conversation starters:

• How would CeeCee’s life be different if Mrs. Odell had chosen to avoid Camille’s mental illness, and therefore any interaction with CeeCee?

• Were you able to feel any compassion or understanding for CeeCee’s father? Do you think CeeCee should forgive her father?

• By CeeCee’s account, her home surroundings reflected the disorder and messiness of Camille’s state of mind; however Camille’s prom dresses were neatly arranged by color, “like a worn-out tattered rainbow.” Why could Camille order and arrange dresses but nothing else?

Happy reading!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

 The Art of Racing in the Rain ended for me in the same way that it started, with my aging Boston Terrier laying on my lap sleeping soundly, while tears spilled down my cheeks.  I am struggling with what to write this week, not only because of the mix of emotion in these last few chapters, but also because of the story I share with this little dog who has been with me for so long.  It is easy to love this book because it gives us permission to believe that all of the conversations we have with our pets may be true and for the faith it provides that our animal companions really do understand us and love us as much as we think they do.  I cherished this book because I love dogs and cars, but beyond that, I appreciated this book because of the genuine life wisdom that it shares.

This book made me:

• Think about what I am giving my attention to:  The car goes where the eyes go.
• Stop to consider the zebra that resides within all of us:  The zebra is something inside of us.  Our fears.  Our own self-destructive nature.
• Consider my priorities and what I am choosing to think about:  People are generally not satisfied with what they have; they are very concerned with what they are going to have. 
• Challenge myself to take more responsibility for my life:  Any problems that may occur have ultimately been caused by you, because you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there. 

As we’ve blogged our way through this book, you have all been very generous in sharing your personal thoughts and feelings about what you found most moving in this story.  I look forward to reading your final comments on how this book impacted your life.

• What are your main takeaways from The Art of Racing in the Rain? 
• Were you challenged in any way?
• Do you look at life differently?
• Do you have a favorite quote or passage from the book?

P.S.  We would all like to extend a special thank you to Garth Stein for dropping in to our book club!  While we are all looking forward to the movie, I think it is agreed that it will not completely capture the magic you created on the pages of the book.  We look forward to reading your next novel!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In this week’s reading we see the return of the zebra – a seemingly harmless toy that reminds us that light is always balanced with dark, and that no matter how much humanity fills us it is equaled with a wild, animalistic nature. However, in this second encounter with the zebra, Enzo has gained wisdom from experience. This time around, Enzo chooses not to deny his destructive animal nature but instead to embrace it and use it to his advantage. I found this passage humorous not only in relation to the storyline of the book but also because I’ve had similar experiences with my own animal companions. In particular, my beloved cat Brian has a certain way of letting me know if I am working too much or otherwise not spending enough time with him; the little darling leaves me a special “present” on my pillow if I’ve been away from home too much. Our pets may not be able to talk, but they certainly strive to find ways to communicate with us. Have you experienced this with your pets?

This week’s passage ends on a sad note, both for Enzo and Denny. It struck me that Denny did not break down, did not give up, until faced with Enzo’s crisis. It was Enzo’s injury and Denny’s inability to fully provide for his dog that finally broke his spirit. These chapters caused me to pause and consider the many times I have relied on the absolute and unquestioning love of my pets when faced with life stresses and challenges. As Debbie said in last week’s discussion, “They love us unconditionally. Giving care, love and devotion to our animals is minute compared to what our animals give back to us. They are always happy to see us and are faithful and devoted. It never fails to lighten my day when I walk into the house greeted by one of my dogs. They are, and have always been the highlight in my days.” Enzo’s unconditional love and devotion for Denny was, perhaps, what kept him going. When faced with Enzo’s mortality Denny lost all hope. I agree with Debbie that the time and effort we spend caring for our animal companions pales in comparison to what they give back to us.

Please be sure to share your thoughts and reflections on this chapter with a comment below. I look forward to reading your insights and interpretations and thank you for reading along with us.

Happy Reading!

There’s so much good in this book that I often have difficulty choosing what to write about each week.  Even though the chapters we’re covering this week recounted a dark and difficult time for Denny and his dog, I was so enthralled by the expression of Enzo’s deep wisdom for human affairs that I could not wait to turn to the next page.  Enzo’s account of Denny’s arrest, which was based on knowledge he gained from Law & Order and other TV shows, was humorous but might also raise the question as to what the real Denny might look like outside of Enzo’s admiring gaze.  The Denny that Enzo depicts is nearly flawless — a hero in nearly every respect.

The depths of Enzo’s devotion to Denny become very clear at the conclusion of chapter 36 when Enzo speaks only of “we,” as if he and Denny are an inseparable unit.

Do you think that Denny really fulfilled Enzo’s portrayal of him?

Do you find that your pets sense when you are going through a life challenge? 

If so, do you sense greater devotion from them during difficult times?

One of my favorite passages in this week’s reading is in chapter 34:  being alone is not the same as being lonely…loneliness…is something that exists only in the mind, not in the world, and, like a virus, is unable to survive without a willing host.  And, one of my favorite lines from the entire book:  That which is around me does not affect my mood; my mood affects that which is around me.  I realize this book is a work of fiction, but I still found myself wondering if Enzo spent at least some of his TV time watching Wayne Dyer on PBS.  There is a tremendous amount of life-wisdom in the pages of this book!

Please be sure to share your comments on these chapters, I always look forward to reading what you found in the story. Happy Reading!

The chapters we’re discussing this week really captured the dark heaviness of Eve’s illness and the impact it was having on Denny, Enzo and Zoe.  I thought it was interesting that Enzo, like all of us, began questioning his ability to respond to the complex emotions that arise in these types of experiences.  In chapter 23 Enzo struggles to know what to do or how to react to a gravely ill Eve, “All I could do was move to her bedside and lie down before her like a rug.”  So many times in life I’ve been confronted with the emotional or physical pain of someone close to me, and all that there is to be done is to sit with them; words, actions, responses or any kind of “doing” somehow seem out of place.  While Enzo interpreted his conflicting feelings as meaning that he was perhaps not yet ready to be human, I thought that the emotions he expressed in these chapters were very human and exactly like what each of us experience in similar situations.  Even Enzo’s reaction to Eve’s death, although presented as a reversion to his animal-nature, was so human in so many ways.  “I couldn’t be human anymore and feel the pain that humans feel.”  I think that everyone has had at least one life experience in which they feel a thread of this – a pain so intense that an escape from it must be found – an adrenaline-filled, heart-pounding physical release is sometimes the only way to deal with the frenzied jumble of emotions that are swarming within.  Sometimes I wonder if the theme of this book is not so much how human Enzo and other animals can be, but that we may be much closer to our animalistic nature than we realize or care to admit.

What do you think?
As always, I look forward to reading your comments on these chapters and anything leading up to this point.

Welcome to the second discussion of our Winter Book Club.  This week’s reading opens with Enzo struggling to maintain control over the innate animal instincts for which he feels such disdain.  Upon finding himself locked in the house for three days without food or water, Enzo’s strategy for survival forces him to acknowledge his “genetic background;” his innate dog-nature that he normally strives to distance himself from.  While his animal instincts allow him to survive the ordeal, they also cause him to lose his humanity for a brief moment.  I saw the dancing zebra that destroyed Zoe’s toys as Enzo’s shadow side – his true animal nature.  Unable to embrace his darkness, Enzo convinced himself that the Zebra – itself a striped mixture of light and dark – caused the damage.  I thought it interesting that Enzo was not able to admit to himself that he would be capable of causing such destruction and pain.  In reading this section of the book, it’s initially easy to assign this incident as Enzo just being Enzo – a dog, no matter how evolved in his thoughts and perceptions of life.   However within a few pages we see Denny falling prey to his reactive, animalistic nature, just as Enzo did.  If we’re honest with ourselves, we have all done this at some time in our lives; we are all dancing zebras, moving between our stripes of light and dark.

While revealing his animal nature, these chapters also contain some of my favorite bits of Enzo’s wisdom and life philosophy:

Suppressing the symptom does nothing but force the true problem to express itself on a deeper level at some other time.  (p. 63)

…the poor driver crashes.  The average driver gives up.  The great drivers drive through the problem.  (p. 64)

It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a boundary to us only if our will is weak… (p. 65)

But I am a racer at heart, and a racer will never let something that has already happened affect what is happening now.  (p. 74-75)

Know who is driving next to you.  Any problems that may occur have ultimately been caused by you, because you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there.  (p. 91)

What are your thoughts? What made you think, what were the highlights for you in this part of the story?

I hope you’re enjoying this book as much as I am.  Please share what you found meaningful in these chapters, I look forward to hearing from you!