"The Keep" by Jennifer Egan - Rereading Gothic Fiction

We rounded out "Rereading the Past" tonight with our discussion of Jennifer Egan's "The Keep." This was a great discussion and a wonderful note to end on. The first thing to be brought up was how Jennifer Egan leaves so many loose ends open by the end of the novel...and it doesn't matter! She somehow makes it work. Usually that kind of move would be frustrating, but the fact that there is so much to be interpreted or imagined adds to the genius of the novel. The readers loved the ending. The symbolism of baptism and starting anew was not lost on anyone.

One reader cleverly tied this novel to the last book we read, American Gods, by noting the cell phone worship that occurs in this novel. One of the central characters cannot stay away from his cell phone for too long. Much like the god of tech in American Gods is worshiped, his cell phone is an object of attention and devotion.

In talking about the Gothic nature of the novel, one reader said it reminded him of Wuthering Heights, but he wasn't sure why. I think that's cool he picked up on those vibes, even if he couldn't pin point the reason why. This led him to comment on the "emotional" keeps the characters have in contrast with the physical keep of the novel. Danny, the teacher, and Ray all hold something secret.

Perhaps the most remarked-upon aspect of the novel were, not surprisingly, the scenes that took place in prison. The readers kept looking at the author picture of Egan and wondering if she did time. They were blown away by the realistic language, the attention to detail, and the description of behaviors. They really, really want to know how Jennifer Egan pulled this off.

There was a lot of talking about the craft of the novel, and how slyly and smartly it is written. Not only is the story-within-a-story mode of writing difficult to achieve, but giving two very distinct styles and voices to two different sections is really tough. Most readers said it took them 50-70 pages to get into it, but after that, they cruised until the end. We thought this was mostly due to the shift in narrative tone and voice between stories, since one is meant to not be written so well.

We liked this book a lot, and we loved discussing it. The openness of possibilities, the commentary on the act of writing, and the themes throughout make The Keep a book that will not easily be forgotten. One reader said he appreciated it more than he enjoyed it. And that's what drove our conversation a lot of the time--just how much we appreciate what Egan has done with "The Keep."

Well, this ends this reading group. We're on to the next one in a month, where we'll be reading "Political Science Fiction." Should be fun. Thanks for following along!

Stay tuned for updates regarding our third reading group coming soon!

Here is an essay on image culture and "The Keep." You can also buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound. And here's an Audible link.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

"American Gods" by Neil Gaiman - Rereading Norse mythology and American culture

For our 7th book, we dove into "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. The first thing someone said was "This book has everything: humor, sex, violence, drama, gods." He really enjoyed it. One thing that stood out to everyone was immigration and what happens when one leaves their homeland goes somewhere foreign. What do people bring with them? What do they forget? What fades over time? And when do they wear different hats? In the novel, the gods are feeling forsaken. One reader related it to his grandparents who would come visit him growing up from Mexico. They were sad to see they were speaking English in the home, and that they were not doing their best to preserve the cultures of their family.

The status of being an outsider was also a big theme here. Shadow is an outsider in many ways, and the Norse gods have come to America, so they are feeling like an outsider as well. The outsiders look at those being prioritized and favored (new gods) and call them fat and foolish because they are taking their attention and worship for granted.

There were some similar sentiments in Atwood's "Penelopiad" that showed up in "American Gods." The old gods see people worshiping new things. Freeways, phones, television, internet. All these things are where people spend A LOT of time. Thus, the older gods and characters don't have a lot of time with newer generations. Both Atwood and Gaiman see the internet and TV as a "shrine" of sorts, where people sit transfixed for hours on end.

The readers called this book an epic, not only because of its length, but because of its complex themes and ideas. There are a lot of different ideas that Gaiman puts forth, and he lands most of them with grace. The readers kept bouncing around the book, pointing to different passages and explanations of this world. For example, with the dead Laura making multiple appearances, she talks of how her time as a mortal is now like a "photograph" to her. What a fascinating way to put our mortal experience into the perspective of a dead person. Another example is how the gods participate in different worldly things to get attention (casino, prostitution, etc.), much like in "Penelopiad."

Every reader commented on how this novel brings up many questions within the reader. It's hard to read this and ask yourself questions like what do I worship? Why do I worship this way? Where am I spending my time? What am I forgetting that I inherited?

Gaiman is great at "closing the loops," or in other words, he mentions something early in the book and it comes back around towards the end and is explained or resolved. One reader commented that, with Gaiman being British, perhaps he was more "gentle" than an American author would have been. He wasn't angry and wasn't picking a side. Not sure what that's saying about American authors, but I get their point. They really enjoyed this one, much more than I thought they would.

Next week, we are reading our last book for this group, Jennifer Egan's "The Keep."

Here is a link to an essay talking about "American Gods" as a postmodern American epic. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound. And here's an Audible link.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

"East of Eden" by John Steinbeck - Rereading Genesis

What is there to say about East of Eden? It's one of those novels that everyone knows about and people believe they should read. And many people have! It can just be intimidating to start a conversation with, "Alright, what'd you think of East of Eden"?

The first thing we talked about was the first chapter. Steinbeck lovingly and gently places the reader right in the Salinas Valley. He transports the reader there with what seems like little effort. We all noted how astounding it is. It is not wasteful, but does a lot for painting a picture. One reader said, "This is great. If you just want a quick story, go and read a James Patterson novel or something."

The conversation quickly jumped to Cathy and what a scary and frankly evil character she is. She was the character who we had the most difficulty sussing out their motivations. What drove her? After a certain point, it was revenge, but what about before that? Was it all about power? We couldn't quite come to a conclusion. Is her pregnancy the catalyst of of much of the story? We also talked about her being a mixture of Cain and Eve. She has a scar, or a mark on her forehead. And like Eve, she is the reason for the fall of some men, or at the very least a driving factor. One reader said he has a lot of familiarity with FLDS communities, and noted that they believe the apple in the Garden of Eden is symbolic for adultery, which lines up nicely with the novel, as Cathy's profession profits from adultery.

Abra and Cathy are two characters that different men (Aron and Adam) view through rose-colored glasses. They see what they want to see, for better or worse. And they are being fooled, they have a false perspective of these women. Their curated views lead them astray.

Knowing that the novel is based on Cain & Abel (or Genesis more broadly), it was tempting to seek a corollary in each character and name. Abra Bacon (or Abra-HAM), Cal & Aron the brothers, and of course, Adam. The people with C-names tend to be more flawed and filled with sin, where the people with A-names are more favored. The readers didn't seem to think it was too on-the-nose. Steinbeck earns his prose and takes his time to write a beautiful novel. Had the novel been okay or more flawed, perhaps it would have irked the readers more. For example, Steinbeck was clear that the mark of Cain might be viewed as an act of love. It sets him apart from society, allowing him to live and work out his own path and sort through what he did.

We closed the conversation on how universally resonant this novel is. Anyone that has a family, especially brothers, will find some parts of this novel ringing true. In talking about the word "Timshel" and its role in the novel, some readers talked about how it is up to every individual to deal with what they are dealt. We have to carve out our own paths. Everyone chooses their way and how they react to different situations.

At the end of the group, one reader said, "Please tell me that the next book doesn't make me cry. After East of Eden and Song of Achilles, I don't know that I can cry while reading again." I don't think The Penelopiad will summon tears, but I could be wrong.

Next week, we are reading Margaret Atwood's "The Penelopiad."

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Steinbeck, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

You can buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound. And here's an Audible link.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

"The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller - Rereading Homer's "Illiad"

One reader was very interested in the discussion around this novel. He had glasses (which he hadn't worn in the past) and a marked up copy of The Illiad. He was ready! The first thing we dove into was the way relationships are portrayed in this novel. In The Illiad, there's no explicit hint at a romantic/sexual relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. This novel paints some beautiful pictures in between the lines that the Illiad did not detail.

On that note, some readers commented how the author is trying to address 21st-century audiences through reworking an ancient story. In Homer's story, Patroclus is older than Achilles, where he is younger in The Song of Achilles. Even in TSoA, there is some shame and secrecy surrounding the relationship between the two. This stood out to the readers, because from what we know, homosexual relationships were not the taboo that they are in modern western civilization. The readers didn't love the move the author made by switching this around, but they understood that it adds some weight to their relationship and raises the stakes. She knows her audience.

We dissected Achilles from many different angles. He is the greatest warrior of his time. Half-man, half-god, he is the one many prophesy about. But that does not mean he doesn't have any downfalls. One reader talked about how Achilles gets too focused on revenge, and that's partly because he has a big heart. In some ways, this reader stated, this is his undoing. He was unable to see options that might be greater for others because his heart hurt too much. He cared too much about Patroclus. But as the novel shows, there is more to life than revenge and ego...love is what is important.

The "crush" aspect of the novel was something everyone could relate to. The way Patroclus admires and fawns over Achilles is something anyone who has ever had a crush can relate to. Some readers were admittedly a little uncomfortable reading the gay sex scene. They understood they were in love before that scene, but they said it didn't get too much in the way of their enjoyment of the novel and the development of the relationship. There's an emotional intimacy in the novel that draws the reader in and helps make the relationship believable.

This novel is able to make the themes and experiences of these mythical stories relatable to us humans today. One of the readers talked about the soldier-world aspect of the novel and related it to prison. He talked about it being a male society that is dripping in ego, pride, and spite. And this allows for a lot of blindspots in times both ancient and modern. One interesting correlation is the blind rage of Achilles. Once he learns Patroclus is dead, he goes into battle in a frenzy, not wearing any armor, indulging in self-destructive behavior. One reader likened this to the way some people deal with pain and grief--they might go on a drug binge or lash out at those around them.

The way Achilles carries the expectations others have for him was something we talked about. Achilles has not been the one to go out and proclaim himself as the best warrior, for that is left up to gods, oracles, and others. Achilles has this weight placed on him. But what about what he wants? Is he obligated to these duties? The readers talked about how they have shouldered different expectations others have for them at different times in their life.

We rounded out the conversation with linking the Trojan War to modern geopolitics. How have our perceptions of heroes changed? We went from the Greatest Generation to Vietnam (with draft dodgers) to the 21st-century soldier. How are soldiers treated? And if someone doesn't want to fight in war, how are they treated? It was difficult for us to imagine how Greek or Trojan defectors would have been treated anyway but unfavorably. One reader related the way Achilles pumps up other soldiers to a scene in Space Jam. Michael Jordan gives his team a special sports drink to help them play better. It was actually water, but the team believed it to be a powerful potion. Achilles and his armor provides people with a similar motivation and effect.

Mortality gives us a desire for honor and for some kind of legacy. The gods of mythology don't have to worry about it. But the mortals know they have a limited allotment of time and want to make the most of it. They want honor, or to be remembered in a good way. The readers related to this, as they have obviously done something that makes them viewed as less favorably. But from here on out, they aren't looking for honor or fame; they are simply looking to be good citizens. Their ideas of honor and their legacy have changed, and they are adapting to that.

The readers loved this novel. Many of them wanted to keep a copy for themselves or send it to a friend. A few of them admitted to shedding some tears in the final few pages. I'm glad we read it. It resonated in many ways with the group.

Next week, we are reading a classic (that I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't read up until this point): John Steinbeck's magnum opus East of Eden.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Miller, her work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a reader's guide to the novel, which also shares some background information on the novel. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

"Foe" by J.M. Coetzee - Rereading "Robinson Crusoe"

We had an absolutely riveting discussion regarding Coetzee's "Foe." One reader thought it started out like a YA novel, but was soon dissuaded as soon as Susana Barton became more of a stalker. And then from here, we dove straight into the more metaphorical aspect of the novel. One reader wondered if this is a subtle commentary on Apartheid, as the author is from South Africa; he thought this might be a backdoor approach. Friday, the black native, has no tongue and cannot communicate. Others try to communicate for him. There are also instances of things being of substance, but not life (a stillborn, for example).

We then started talking about whether Barton's daughter was actually there, or if she is a figment of her imagination. And this naturally evolved into a conversation revolving around the "reality" of the novel. Does Susana Barton exist? Is her story something the character Foe made up? Or if she does exist, is she a crazed woman trying to insert herself into a classic novel.

The readers related Barton's existence to their own. She longs to be back in London when she is on the island. Then when she is in London, she longs to be back on the island. They wondered if they might find themselves in the same disposition with prison and the outside world. Related to this, one reader pointed out a passage that stuck with him throughout the week: "I ask you to remember, not every man who bears the mark of the castaway is a castaway at heart." He replaced the word castaway with prisoner, and said that even though bears the mark of a prisoner and is a prisoner, he is not one at heart; that he is in an important time in his life and is using it for a lot of self-reflection.

One reader (the librarian) suggested we read the final 5 pages aloud as a group. The final 5 pages are pretty disorienting and confusing, and we thought we could get more out of it by reading it again. And we really uncovered some things! One reader mentioned how he felt "marooned" at the end of the novel--completely separate from the rest of it. He felt like a castaway.

We also uncovered that the first paragraph of the novel is mirrored in the final page, with a change to the tense. This left us to wonder if the final pages actually took place first chronologically. Perhaps Daniel Defoe (in the novel) works through his subconscious in order to write this novel, and that's how it's illustrated in the last little bit. There's a lot to be said about the relationship between author and reader in this novel. There's the Susana-Foe relationship, Defoe-"Foe", Coetzee-Us.

Lastly, we wondered why Coetzee used Robinson Crusoe to tell this story. After all, this novel does take some liberties with details in the original story. But perhaps there is something universal about wanting our own stories to be told (one reader suggested Susana Barton is like a proto-Kardashian, wanting to exploit her story for fame). The librarian talked about how Crusoe was merely a device to explore certain themes for Coetzee, and it could have been any story. He is not making a commentary on Crusoe, but just using bits and pieces to formulate his own meta-narrative and explore the writing process. All in all, it was an absolutely fascinating discussion.

Next week, we venture into into the world of Homer's Illiad with Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles. So tune in next week!

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Coetzee, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a link to Coetzee's Wikipedia page. I also try to provide some supplemental reading materials in the form of papers, essays, and Q&As. Here is a link to an essay from 2012 by Marco Caracclio on the embodiment of meaning in Foe. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon and IndieBound.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

UPEP Reading Group II: Rereading The Past

Thanks for following along thus far! We finished our first reading group. The 3 readers who showed up every week had so much to say about each novel. I loved our discussions. They are eager to advertise this group to fellow inmates and recruit some more readers for our next group.

When it came time to decide what the next batch of books we shall read, we took a vote. There were 5 themed groups of books and we decided on a group titled "Rereading the Past." This group is centered around 8 novels novels that are retelling and reinterpreting old stories, texts, and archetypes. We will discuss these more contemporary texts in relation to their older source material. Dissecting editorial and structural choices made by each author. We will talk about the intent of each novel and how it helps us revisit these old and ancient stories through a new lens. What parts of these stories make them adaptable to new audiences throughout the years? Why do writers keep revisiting these tales? And what can we learn from multiple retellings of the same story. These are a few of the questions that will help guide our conversations.
Here is a list of the books we will read:

Book 1: Foe by J.M Coetzee (inspired by Robinson Crusoe) 1986
Book 2: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (inspired by Homer's Illiad) 2011
Book 3: East of Eden by John Steinbeck (inspired by Genesis and Cain & Abel) 1952
Book 4: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (inspired by Penelope) 2005
Book 5: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (inspired by Cupid & Psyche) 1956
Book 6: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie (inspired by Antigone) 2017
Book 7: American Gods by Neil Gaiman (inspired by ancient and modern myth) 2001
Book 8: The Keep by Jennifer Egan (inspired by Gothic literature) 2006

I hope you enjoy following along. Feel free to share your own thoughts on these novels, and if you have suggestions for other books that would pair well, please share those as well!

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.

Thanks! And keep reading.

Dystopian Fiction - Book 8: "On Such A Full Sea" by Change-rae Lee

We've reached the end of our first reading group. And our final book is On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee. It was somewhat difficult to find a novel to pair with Animal Farm, but dystopia is a broad enough genre that I hope we made it work.

Right as we sat down, one enthusiastic reader said, "This book is like a peony: it opens up just a little bit each day. And then it blossoms." He loved it, said the Lee led him through the novel in soft waves, and he was gently brought into the world of the novel. Two of the readers really loved the style (one of them didn't care for it too much). 

We all seemed to like the "We" narrator(s). A collective narrator has a calming and welcoming effect on the reader, at least with this group. It almost made it like a mythology of sorts--that Fan is this hero whose story has been told again and again over time.

One confounding thing is that Fan isn't exactly a hero, at least in the way we traditionally think of heroes. She doesn't change much throughout the novel and is usually acted upon. She doesn't have a lot of agency throughout the novel. She is taken advantage of as soon as she leaves B-Mor by almost every character she encounters. So what makes her exceptional? One reader she is just a mythologized runaway.

One reader, the one who didn't like it that much, pointed out some SOLID connections to "Animal Farm." He noted how the "we" narrators are akin to the collective animals on the farm. They are somewhat unsettled. And they have limited information (at least the later generations do). They are left to fill in the gaps and focus on the present, as the reasons for their current disposition are distant and foggy.

It was a great conclusion to this reading group. We covered a lot of territory and had some very vibrant discussions. Can't wait for the next one. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Lee, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a link to an info sheet provided to the readers. It has a brief biography of Chang-rae Lee, as well as some information on On Such a Full sea. I also try to provide some supplemental reading materials in the form of papers, essays, and Q&As. Here is a link to an essay from 2017 by Christopher T. Fan. You can also buy the book we read on Amazon, IndieBound, and Audible.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.

Stay tuned for our next reading group. It's called "Rereading the Past," and we're really excited about it.

Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot

Dystopian Fiction - Book 7: "Animal Farm" by George Orwell

The readers said they read Animal Farm in two days; it was short and enjoyable. And we loved talking about it. We didn't pause for a second.

They immediately related the novel to the situations in prison. They all have different experiences having traveled to different prisons and facilities. They talked about how different it is when the guards are "in charge" as opposed to when the inmates are "in charge." They much prefer to guards being in charge. When the officers had no power is when they were most scared. We had a new reader (just for the day), and he related it to some works by Ayn Rand--the kind of "support-the-cause/revolution" type of feeling in her writing.

We also talked about so many different political worlds, both past and present. Everything from WWII to Revolutionary War to the current US administration. In "Animal Farm," facts and news are distorted, leaders change their own rules and rhetoric. Readjustments are made to the rations. We were all in awe of the way Orwell's ideas fit so nicely on top of so many different contexts and histories.

We talked about socialism and capitalism, and in this text and perhaps in reality as well, how they both lead to the people at the top getting fat and taking advantage of those below them. Both of these routes lead to corruption. They lead the lower-class to the same place, just with slightly different autonomies. 

The role of hope came out in our discussions, which was surprising. One reader talked about how much people can endure if they have hope. They can endure lots of conflict and suffering if they have hope and something to look forward to. This is also the same way with fear. The animals are afraid of Mr. Jones. And in what ways do political figures use fear to manipulate the bodies they govern? All of these ideologies have different ideals and "utopias" they are striving for--it's just the getting there that's the problem.

This was one of the more robust conversations we've had. We went all over the map, talking about the book and how its ideas correlate to our world and the world of the past. We all marveled at Orwell's accomplishment with this novel and how true it rings to this day. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Orwell, his work, and anything else related in the comments!

Here is a link to an info sheet provided to the readers. It has a brief biography of George Orwell, as well as some information on Animal Farm.  You can also buy the book we read on Amazon, IndieBound, and Audible.

If you'd like to learn more about the UPEP, please click here.
If you'd like to contribute to the UPEP general fund, click here.
If you'd like to buy some supplies for classrooms at the Utah State Prison, check out this Amazon wishlist.
And if you'd like to buy a book for the book drive, check out the wishlist here.


Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot