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GIVEAWAY ENDEDTHIS ONE IS MINE
BY MARIA SEMPLE
ABOUT THE BOOK...A REMINDER SINCE I PREVIEWED THIS ALREADY HERE:
Violet Parry is living the quintessential life of luxury in the Hollywood Hills with David, her rock-and-roll manager husband, and her darling toddler, Dot. She has the perfect life--except that she's deeply unhappy. David expects the world of Violet but gives little of himself in return. When she meets Teddy, a roguish small-time bass player, Violet comes alive, and soon she's risking everything for the chance to find herself again. Also in the picture are David's hilariously high-strung sister, Sally, on the prowl for a successful husband, and Jeremy, the ESPN sportscaster savant who falls into her trap.
NOTE:THIS IS THE COVER
FOR THE HARDBACK BOOK
READING GROUP GUIDE:
THIS ONE IS MINE makes a wonderful book for book clubs. My book club read it recently and pretty much all agreed that it was fun and just what they needed as they headed into their spring break! So here is some information from the Reading Group Guide. You can find the whole guide on the Hachette Website here by clicking on Reading Group Guide but you do need to download it. I went ahead and chose some good discussion questions from it for you but there is much more to see when you download.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Why do you think Violet is drawn to Teddy? What makes her risk “losing everything,” as David puts it?
2. How does the novel’s title, This One Is Mine, relate to the story? The book’s epigraph opens with the image of a slave block. Are any of the characters in the book “enslaved” in a way?
3. In the first chapter, David is upset with Violet for what he perceives to be her lack of interest in maintaining the household. Is his anger justified?
4. What does Violet find sad about Los Angeles? Where do you think this sadness stems from?
5. What do you think about Sally’s friendship with Maryam? Why does Maryam put up with her?
6. Los Angeles could be said to be a city of ambition. How do the characters’ ambitions relate to one another’s? What fuels those ambitions, and when do they get out of control?
7. In some ways, Sally seems to want everything that Violet has: a successful husband, financial security, a nice house, and stylish friends. Do you think Sally would be happy if she suddenly had everything she wanted? What similarities to you see in Sally and Violet?
8. Do you see any similarities between David and Jeremy?
9. Teddy seems to have a set of problems that make Violet’s (and everyone else’s) pale in comparison. Do you think Violet is drawn to him because of or in spite of these traits?
10. What do you make of Sally and Jeremy’s relationship? Do you think there is a way that it could ever have worked out?
11. Why is Violet happy when Sally tells her that she never really liked her?
12. In many ways, this is a very “L.A.” story. To what extent do you think the characters’ attitudes and actions are shaped by Los Angeles? Could you see this story taking place anywhere else?
13. At the end of the book, Violet, Sally, and David all visit Teddy in the hospital. In what ways did Teddy’s arrival in their lives bring them all together? How might this story have turned out differently if Violet had never met Teddy at the health fair?
14. In Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Anna is miserable in a loveless marriage and recklessly succumbs to her desire for the dashing Vronsky. What similarities do you see between Tolstoy’s novel and This One Is Mine?
15. What other books did This One Is Mine remind you of? What was similar or different about them?
MY REVIEW:
Maria Semple presents a delicious delight for spring in THIS ONE IS MINE. David and Violet Parry live the high life with their beloved daughter Dot in a fabulous mansion in Bel Air. David is a rock-and-roll manager with a lucrative career. He seems to have the golden touch for talent and trends that have made him wealthy and well-known far more than he ever would have imagined. Violet is David’s rock and the one person he trusts more than anyone else and also relies on to see that things get done right. She is talented and a wonderful mother to their darling Dot. However, Violet is slightly overweight and has become depressed after she gave up her career to be this wonderful wife and mother. Real problems start when Violet comes across Teddy Reyes, who is currently trying to fight a drug and alcohol addiction. He has been playing bass in some small time dives but none the less, something clicks for her. This unanticipated meeting with Teddy is the beginning of a self-indulgent obsession for Violet. It took me a while to understand this attraction but once I began to understand the depth of her character, it began to make sense.
The other character who plays an important part in this tale is Sally. She is David’s almost 40-year old, dazzling but domineering, sister. She desperately wishes she could find a husband to care for her and provide financial security and support her exclusive way of life. Sally meets Jeremy, a gifted sportswriter, and is so set on marrying that she totally overlooks any of his shortcomings.
What at first glance may appear to be purely chick-lit material (and I have no problem with that but it isn’t), THIS ONE IS MINE goes beyond that in several ways all related to Maria Semple’s talented writing. THIS ONE IS MINE is delightfully droll, fabulously fresh, sometimes sarcastic, and most all of the time real and witty. The characters are surprisingly multi-layered more than you first might think and have hopes and dreams as we all do. They are heartfelt individuals that come with their own insecurities and weaknesses and find a way of getting your attention before you know it. Their dialogue is cleverly written and always rings true to the character speaking. I am delighted that Maria Semple’s first novel took me by surprise and was such a pleasure to read. I look forward to what she writes next with great anticipation. THIS ONE IS MINE is one you will want to make your own as I think it is a candidate for the “Read More Than Once” shelf in my library!
Violet Parry is living the quintessential life of luxury in the Hollywood Hills with David, her rock-and-roll manager husband, and her darling toddler, Dot. She has the perfect life--except that she's deeply unhappy. David expects the world of Violet but gives little of himself in return. When she meets Teddy, a roguish small-time bass player, Violet comes alive, and soon she's risking everything for the chance to find herself again. Also in the picture are David's hilariously high-strung sister, Sally, on the prowl for a successful husband, and Jeremy, the ESPN sportscaster savant who falls into her trap.
NOTE:THIS IS THE COVER
FOR THE HARDBACK BOOK
READING GROUP GUIDE:
THIS ONE IS MINE makes a wonderful book for book clubs. My book club read it recently and pretty much all agreed that it was fun and just what they needed as they headed into their spring break! So here is some information from the Reading Group Guide. You can find the whole guide on the Hachette Website here by clicking on Reading Group Guide but you do need to download it. I went ahead and chose some good discussion questions from it for you but there is much more to see when you download.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Why do you think Violet is drawn to Teddy? What makes her risk “losing everything,” as David puts it?
2. How does the novel’s title, This One Is Mine, relate to the story? The book’s epigraph opens with the image of a slave block. Are any of the characters in the book “enslaved” in a way?
3. In the first chapter, David is upset with Violet for what he perceives to be her lack of interest in maintaining the household. Is his anger justified?
4. What does Violet find sad about Los Angeles? Where do you think this sadness stems from?
5. What do you think about Sally’s friendship with Maryam? Why does Maryam put up with her?
6. Los Angeles could be said to be a city of ambition. How do the characters’ ambitions relate to one another’s? What fuels those ambitions, and when do they get out of control?
7. In some ways, Sally seems to want everything that Violet has: a successful husband, financial security, a nice house, and stylish friends. Do you think Sally would be happy if she suddenly had everything she wanted? What similarities to you see in Sally and Violet?
8. Do you see any similarities between David and Jeremy?
9. Teddy seems to have a set of problems that make Violet’s (and everyone else’s) pale in comparison. Do you think Violet is drawn to him because of or in spite of these traits?
10. What do you make of Sally and Jeremy’s relationship? Do you think there is a way that it could ever have worked out?
11. Why is Violet happy when Sally tells her that she never really liked her?
12. In many ways, this is a very “L.A.” story. To what extent do you think the characters’ attitudes and actions are shaped by Los Angeles? Could you see this story taking place anywhere else?
13. At the end of the book, Violet, Sally, and David all visit Teddy in the hospital. In what ways did Teddy’s arrival in their lives bring them all together? How might this story have turned out differently if Violet had never met Teddy at the health fair?
14. In Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Anna is miserable in a loveless marriage and recklessly succumbs to her desire for the dashing Vronsky. What similarities do you see between Tolstoy’s novel and This One Is Mine?
15. What other books did This One Is Mine remind you of? What was similar or different about them?
MY REVIEW:
Maria Semple presents a delicious delight for spring in THIS ONE IS MINE. David and Violet Parry live the high life with their beloved daughter Dot in a fabulous mansion in Bel Air. David is a rock-and-roll manager with a lucrative career. He seems to have the golden touch for talent and trends that have made him wealthy and well-known far more than he ever would have imagined. Violet is David’s rock and the one person he trusts more than anyone else and also relies on to see that things get done right. She is talented and a wonderful mother to their darling Dot. However, Violet is slightly overweight and has become depressed after she gave up her career to be this wonderful wife and mother. Real problems start when Violet comes across Teddy Reyes, who is currently trying to fight a drug and alcohol addiction. He has been playing bass in some small time dives but none the less, something clicks for her. This unanticipated meeting with Teddy is the beginning of a self-indulgent obsession for Violet. It took me a while to understand this attraction but once I began to understand the depth of her character, it began to make sense.
The other character who plays an important part in this tale is Sally. She is David’s almost 40-year old, dazzling but domineering, sister. She desperately wishes she could find a husband to care for her and provide financial security and support her exclusive way of life. Sally meets Jeremy, a gifted sportswriter, and is so set on marrying that she totally overlooks any of his shortcomings.
What at first glance may appear to be purely chick-lit material (and I have no problem with that but it isn’t), THIS ONE IS MINE goes beyond that in several ways all related to Maria Semple’s talented writing. THIS ONE IS MINE is delightfully droll, fabulously fresh, sometimes sarcastic, and most all of the time real and witty. The characters are surprisingly multi-layered more than you first might think and have hopes and dreams as we all do. They are heartfelt individuals that come with their own insecurities and weaknesses and find a way of getting your attention before you know it. Their dialogue is cleverly written and always rings true to the character speaking. I am delighted that Maria Semple’s first novel took me by surprise and was such a pleasure to read. I look forward to what she writes next with great anticipation. THIS ONE IS MINE is one you will want to make your own as I think it is a candidate for the “Read More Than Once” shelf in my library!
GIVEAWAY
THANKS TO VALERIE AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP,
I HAVE THREE COPIES OF THIS
LOVELY BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!
THE RULES:
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY
BONUS ENTRIES!
HOW TO ENTER:
6 PM, EST, MARCH 30
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP,
I HAVE THREE COPIES OF THIS
LOVELY BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!
THE RULES:
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY
BONUS ENTRIES!
HOW TO ENTER:
+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING IN THE REVIEW OR EVEN THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS THAT MAKES YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN/READ THIS BOOK EVEN MORE
+1 MORE ENTRY: TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND COMMENT WITH A LINK. YOU MAY DO THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WOULD LIKE UNTIL THE GIVEAWAY ENDS...BUT YOU MUST COMMENT HERE FOR EACH TWEET!
+1 MORE ENTRY: TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND COMMENT WITH A LINK. YOU MAY DO THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WOULD LIKE UNTIL THE GIVEAWAY ENDS...BUT YOU MUST COMMENT HERE FOR EACH TWEET!
+1 MORE ENTRY: SHARE ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY ON FACEBOOK AND COME BACK WITH A LINK. YOU MAY DO THIS AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE UNTIL THE GIVEAWAY ENDS...BUT YOU MUST COMMENT FOR EACH TIME YOU SHARE!
+1 MORE ENTRY: GO BACK TO THE FIRST POST FOR THIS BOOK HERE AND READ THE INTERVIEW WITH MARIA SEMPLE. THEN COME BACK AND TELL ME WHEN YOU DID THAT (DATE AND TIME), HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD COMMENTED THERE AT THAT POINT.
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT+1 MORE ENTRY: GO BACK TO THE FIRST POST FOR THIS BOOK HERE AND READ THE INTERVIEW WITH MARIA SEMPLE. THEN COME BACK AND TELL ME WHEN YOU DID THAT (DATE AND TIME), HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD COMMENTED THERE AT THAT POINT.
6 PM, EST, MARCH 30
12 comments:
This book has complex characters and an unusual plot which sounds compelling and unique. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
I commented on the original post on March 7, 11:29 a.m. and 23 people had commented by then. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
March 6th..I was number two.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Los Angeles could be said to be a city of ambition. How do the characters’ ambitions relate to one another’s? What fuels those ambitions, and when do they get out of control?
Having grown up in L.A. this is so true and I would love to find out how this relates in the book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I commented on March 7th at 3:31, I was comment # 27
msboatgal at aol.com
I'd love to read this it's at the top of my TBR list. I love Hollywood novels - this one sounds along the lines of a Jackie Collins novel who I also enjoy
msboatgal at aol.com
I like that this has the overall feel of chick lit but more depth to make it a really interesting read
anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com
I just read the interview on March 23 at 9:40 AM and there were 58 comments at that time
anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com
I love that this is a first novel. First novels always seem so well thought-out. And I also love how you describe the dialogue in your review.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
It was Mar. 21-7:44. There were 58 comments.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I think it's interesting that Violet was happy to find out that Sally never really liked her - I'd love to read the backstory to that relationship as I can't think of ever a time I was happy to learn that someone didn't like me.
melacan at hotmail dot com
I found question 7 interesting Sally seems to want everything that Violet has: a successful husband, financial security, a nice house, and stylish friends.
tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
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