The events are told by joe, geraldines thirteenyearold son. The round house received critical acclaim, winning the national book award for fiction in 2012, competing against the likes of junot diazs this is how you lose her and kevin powerss the yellow birds. Though he is older as he narrates the story, joe is just thirteen when the novel opens. I needed to keep reading this story because the young boy, joe, age, who told the story. The round house is a book for which a sentence or two summary cannot fully capture. The round house is louise erdrichs 26th book and practice has made perfect. Dubbed the current meteor in dc theatre by peter marks of the washington post, round house theatre is one of the big six professional theatres in the washington, dc area. She is also the bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels for adults, including the pulitzer prize finalist the plague of doves and the national book award finalist the last report on the miracles. Their quest takes them first to the round house, a sacred space and place of worship for. What elements make this book a good choice for discussion. This is the first of a week and a half posts from readers about louise erdrichs the round house 2012. The round house, by louise erdrich louise erdrichs latest novel examines the way violence can give rise to violence, as a young native american man.
However, this book really did a number of gerald, colette and anais. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. In this book, a native american woman is raped somewhere in the area of a sacred round house, and seeking justice becomes almost as difficult as getting over the crime that was committed. It is hard to say i enjoyed the book because of the subject matter. Some critics considered it a thematic sequel to erdrich s 2008 novel the plague of doves due to its themes of revenge. The round house is a novel by american writer louise erdrich first published on october 2, 2012 by the harpercollins publishing company. A book that is focused on an adolescent boy whose mother is raped on the reservation. Dec 14, 2017 now you know how to promote your app for free and get a larger audience interested in your application get started and get more downloads today. Riveting, paradigmshifting, and expansive, the round house has won the national book award as well as many others. The round house louise erdrich, 2012 harpercollins 369 pp. The round house discussion questions nicole amsler. The round house by louise erdrich the library is happy to share these original questions for your use. Race, politics, injustice, religion, superstition, magic, and the boundary between childhood and adulthood are explored in the round house. The significance is the irony in how it was built to keep people together, but it instead ended up tearing people apart.
Social injustice in roundhouse essay 561 words bartleby. Bazil, immediately realizing that something is wrong. The round house won the national book award for fiction in 2012. Book by book, over the past three decades since 1984, louise erdrich has built one of the most moving and engrossing collections of novels in american literature. But the subject matter needs to be told and talked about. Held at the famous two brothers roundhouse, a relaxed setting to socialize, discuss books, and enjoy libations. Discussion questions for the round house by louise. Public hosted by two brothers roundhouse and aurora public library, illinois.
This is true in the case of the book because we see joe take revenge on his mothers attacker by killing him. Jul 30, 2017 the round house has been given the central role as the title because it is the setting in which joes mother, clemence, was raped. Added to that, eldrichs writing style is choppy, almost a staccato. Joe and bazil, relieved, head home, only to find geraldine still sitting in her car, covered in vomit and blood and smelling like gasoline.
The gratuitous violence and sexual violence made the book difficult to read. The round house won the national book award for fiction. The story is noted for its compelling plot and complicated perspectives on justice and community. The round house by louise erdrich book club discussion. Gene huddleston believes it to be at a roundhouse in philadelphia near the eddystone plant. The first novel, the plague of doves harpercollins, 2008 won the anisfieldwolf book award and was a finalist for the pulitzer prize. The roundhouse book club discussion louise erdrich. How do these words relate to the complete story that unfolds.
We read a variety of contemporary fiction and nonfiction and meet once a month for a thoughtful discussion. Contact discussion leader becky clark at 6302643431 for a copy of the book or the list of current chosen titles. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Now you know how to promote your app for free and get a larger audience interested in your application get started and get more downloads today. On a north dakota anishinaabe reservation, yearold joes mother, geraldine, is raped and the assault rocks his familys solid foundation. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. The victim of a recent attack, geraldine coutts is reluctant to relive or reveal to anyone what happened. Wow, did we have a great book discussion on monday about the round house by louise erdrich. Mount prospect public library book discussion questions. Take our free the round house quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. Mom is traumatized and will speak to no one for a month. And it makes for a compelling discussion among your next book club meeting.
Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. After discussing it with my book club, i moved up my opinion of it. It follows the reverberations of a lynching near the ojibwe. Literature event in aurora, il by two brothers roundhouse and aurora public library, illinois on wednesday, december 11 2019.
Oliver wolcott library the round house by louise erdrich. Choose a theme or two and trace how it is demonstrated in a characters life throughout the novel. Mar 04, 20 the round house is louise erdrichs 26th book and practice has made perfect. While following the story, we find the reason for the roundhouse itself and having it as the. She will not leave her bed and slips into an abyss of solitude. One sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in north dakota is attacked. There are many struggles that most outsiders are completely oblivious about. One of the most revered novelists of our time a brilliant chronicler of nativeamerican life louise erdrich returns to the territory of her bestselling, pulitzer prize finalist the plague of doves with the round house, transporting readers to the ojibwe reservation in north dakota.
The book is split into three sections, including a first one which alternates chapters between the time of ellies disappearance and the present and a second section that begins as laurel and floyd meet. The theme of the roundhouse is vengeance does not make one feel better. She is also the bestselling author of many critically acclaimed novels for adults, including the pulitzer prize finalist the plague of doves and the national book award finalist the last report on the. Another reason for holding the roundhouse as a key role in the story is to keep the reader interested for the whole story. The round house, winner of the 2012 national book award for fiction, is a fusion of two stories, although that seedling image suggests an apter term. And it makes for a compelling discussion among your next book club. The round house won the national book award and was later selected for book crossing, a shared reading program between mount prospect public library and our sister city, sevres, france. Winner of the national book award for fiction, the round house is the second book of a trilogy sometimes referred to as erdrichs justice trilogy. The round house is a 2012 novel by awardwinning author louise erdrich. This book is a serious attempt by the author, who herself is part chippewa, to create attention to help rectify the culture of the native american as it stands in current society. If billys suit stops working, he turns into a blob, making it difficult for him to speak and to move. The two brothers roundhouse provides a cafe area with plenty of great drink choices, and for those over the age of 21 they have a large repertoire of amazing. The round house by louise erdrich 21 apr its been a long time since i went to a book club meeting and no one had anything particularly negative to say about a book.
Jeffrey brown talks to louise erdrich, author of the novel the round house, which has been nominated for a national book award. They are on the highway when geraldine speeds past them going back to the house. Going into the book, the roundhouse is completely unknown and mysterious. Joes search for answersand justicereveals dark truths about the u. The round house, by louise erdrich louise erdrichs latest novel examines the way violence can give rise to violence, as a young native american man pursues justice for his mother. Oct 19, 2012 jeffrey brown talks to louise erdrich, author of the novel the round house, which has been nominated for a national book award. He considered claire wu his best friend until her death. Oliver wolcott library the round house by louise erdrich book. It delves into race, religion, socioeconomics, truth, revenge, and justice. The round house is a novel by american writer louise erdrich, first published in 2012. Louise erdrich lives with her family in minnesota and is the owner of birchbark books, an independent bookstore.
In january we read exit west by mohsin hamid next month we will read black leopard, red wolf by marlon james rated. Billy has a viewtube account with around 2000 buddies subscribers. The round house is a novel by louise erdrich, that deals in mature and intense themes. Oct 12, 2012 the victim of a recent attack, geraldine coutts is reluctant to relive or reveal to anyone what happened. The round house summary from litcharts the creators of. The round house, by louise erdrich the new york times. After a while, they realize that geraldine, joes mother, has not yet come home. This 39page guide for the round house by louise erdrich includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 11 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Reading guide for the round house by louise erdrich discussion guide for book clubs. The round house summary and study guide supersummary.
Domestic violence nnedv for the reader with a cause book club group on. We finally discussed it in may, and were slow to publish for similarly anguished reasons. One of the most revered novelists of our timea brilliant chronicler of nativeamerican lifelouise erdrich returns to the territory of her bestselling, pulitzer prize finalist the plague of doves with the round house, transporting readers to the ojibwe reservation in north dakota. This work has been described as a comingofage story. Her son, joe, becomes frustrated with the official investigation and sets out with his trusted friends to get some answers of his own. Oct 02, 2012 book by book, over the past three decades since 1984, louise erdrich has built one of the most moving and engrossing collections of novels in american literature.
Gerald, anais, and colette discuss exit west by mohsin hamid, which was short listed for the 2017 booker prize. At the heart of this book is a romance, tested by a civil war, the painful life of a migrant on the run in foreign countries, and. It is an exquisitely told story of a boy on the cusp. The main location or setting of the story is centered around a sacred roundhouse. However, after he, along with his best friend cappy, had committed the deed, they did not feel happy.
Join us for west branchs monthly book discussion group. The round house is louise erdrichs 26 th book and practice has made perfect. Please know that this post will discuss the book in its entirety and will spoil the ending for those that havent read it. Reading guide for the round house by louise erdrich. Join us for our books n brew book discussion group. A long time later, joe says, he ended up reading the book repeatedly.
Cite your book in modern language association 8th edition format for free. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Like most of erdrich s other works, it is set on an unnamed indian reservation in north. These discussion questions were prepared by the national network to end. Oct 02, 2012 erdrich returns to the north dakota ojibwe community she introduced in the plague of doves 2008akin but at a remove from the community she created in the continuum of books from love medicine to the red convertiblein this story about the aftermath of a rape.
Small trees had attacked my parents house at the foundation. Law is meant to put out societys brush fires, but in native american history it has often acted more like the wind. The next 250 years of circus at clore studio, roundhouse. Book an obligation free consultation to find out more and learn how to leverage mobile technology to grow your opportunities and business revenue.
The round house is a harrowing work of fiction evolving around the rape and near murder of geraldine coutts, a native american woman on a north dakota reservation. As the novel begins, joe and his father, bazil, who works as a tribal judge, are weeding saplings out from the foundation of their house. The round house won the national book award for fiction one of the most revered novelists of our timea brilliant chronicler of nativeamerican lifelouise erdrich returns to the territory of her bestselling, pulitzer prize finalist the plague of doves with the round house, transporting readers to the ojibwe reservation in north dakota. Oct 14, 2012 law is meant to put out societys brush fires, but in native american history it has often acted more like the wind. Riveting and suspenseful, arguably the most accessible novel to date from the creator of love medicine, the beet queen, and the bingo palace, erdrichs the round house is a pageturning masterpiece of literary fiction at once a powerful comingofage story, a mystery, and a tender, moving novel of family, history, and culture. Louise erdrich turns this dire reality into a powerful human story in her new.
1286 517 343 1357 1534 330 76 1142 375 27 139 704 1002 971 906 563 1547 353 1544 280 385 1090 991 834 522 1471 1565 1237 882 1180 1200 1318 452 1086 118 873