Lark & Owl Book Club Discussion: Owls

205 West 6th Street,Georgetown TX 78626

25 January, 2023

Description

Join us for a discussion of DEMON COPPERHEAD from the acclaimed author of The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Trees, a brilliant novel that enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity. "May be the best novel of 2022. . . . Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy nobody wants, but readers will love.” - Ron Charles, Washington Post About DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver: "Demon is a voice for the ages—akin to Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield—only even more resilient.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities. Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind. All book club attendees are invited to also read DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens to participate in a comparison between the two novels, and determine the threads and themes that connect the two works. This is an optional addition to reading DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ **Update to the Lark & Owl Book Club policy** In order to balance the continued interest in our book clubs with the frequent no-shows, we have moved to a $5.00 fee for all book club events. At the book club meeting, all registered attendees will be given a $5.00 voucher to be used towards the next book club book, or a future purchase. Any individuals who register but do not attend will have 1 week from the event date to pick up their voucher from the bookstore. If the voucher is not claimed, it will be considered forfeited. Please be mindful of this change in policy as you are registering!