Discussion questions for whered you go bernadette are listed. I see that both of those books have strong female characters in the lead and humanize their characters well. Oct 24, 2014 i love book club discussion questions. If you dont want your reading experience spoiled, stop right here and come back when you are done. Our summary page for whered you go bernadette by maria semple includes book club discussion questions, author website. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. If you ve seen the film, please rate it at this poll.
Check out tips, advice, and all the ways the library can help support your group. Book club questions for where d you go, bernadette. The ny times the guardian goodreads book companion bernadette fox has vanished. Whered you go bernadette the ny times the guardian goodreads book companion bernadette fox has vanished. Do you feel bernadettes disappearance was unique, or do all women, in a sense, disappear into motherhood and marriage. If you like whered you go bernadette, you might like the financial lives of the poets by jess walter man at the helm by nina stibbe the family fang by kevin wilson. Reading guide for whered you go, bernadette by maria semple discussion guide for book clubs.
Its a fun and quick read that brings to mind several questions, although none of them are very deep. Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. I think the structure of the novel just didnt work on the big screen. Whered you go, bernadette is, at its core, a story about a woman who disappears, both literally and figuratively. Maria semple, author of whered you go, bernadette, has been gracious enough to agree to answer our questions. That night at dinner, i sat through mom and dads wereso proudof you s and shesasmartones until there was a lull. To find bernadette fox, her daughter bee compiles email messages, official documents, and secret correspondence creating a compulsively readable and surprisingly touching novel about. Published in 2012, whered you go, bernadette is a fictional novel made into a major motion picture august 2019.
Tina lives in the uk and works as a business journalist for the medical technology industry. Aug 07, 2012 the tightly constructed whered you go, bernadette is written in many formats emails, letters, f. Jan 14, 2020 is your book club is looking to dig into the comic mystery of whered you go, bernadette. Whered you go, bernadette hardcover book discussion. A bestseller praised by numerous critics as one of the best books of the year, whered you go, bernadette is a fastpaced comic novel with a complex narrative.
It is narrated by her 15yearold daughter bee branch. Leave any questions you have for her down in the comments by eod friday, january 25. Whered you go bernadette book club guide and discussion. What light does it shed on the bond between bernadette and bee. To her microsoftguru husband, shes a fearlessly opinionated partner.
Immediately download the whered you go, bernadette. The characters are not likable in the beginning or understandable, especially bernadette. Maria loves living in seattle thank you for asking where she teaches writing, studies poetry and tries, with mixed results, to stay off the internet. Whered you go, bernadette essay topics supersummary. You can add more questions to the list as well as any insights you gained while reading. Whered you go, bernadette by maria semple 4 doughgirl5562. Bring a lunch and discuss books that have made it to the big screen.
Whered you go bernadette book club questions and recipe. Whered you go, bernadette, a maria semple novel the. The members of real simples online noobligation book club discuss maria semples epistolary novel. Of course you can say that about every book ever published, but that goes double here. Whered you go, bernadette book discussion goodreads. It stars cate blanchett, billy crudup, kristen wiig, judy greer, and laurence fishburne.
Where d you go bernadette by maria semple book club. As our readers may know, our first book is maria semples mixedmedia, comedic novel whered you go bernadette. Published in 2012, whered you go, bernadette is a fictional novel made. View and discuss books and movies across various genres to find an answer to the endall question. Where d you go bernadette the ny times the guardian goodreads book companion bernadette fox has vanished. Whered you go, bernadette by maria semple book club. Here are some questions for book clubs to use when reading, whered you go, bernadette. Whered you go, bernadette is a sassy pageturner, filled with sardonic commentary on parenting, progressive schools, seattle, the life of the privileged, and more.
The great news is that whered you go, bernadette was released in 2012, but is still timely and relevant. Plot summary bee branch, whose real name is balakrishna branch, is in her last year at galer street school in seattle. If you ve read this book i want to discuss it with you. Whered you go, bernadette is a 2019 american mystery comedydrama film directed by richard linklater from a screenplay by linklater, holly gent, and vince palmo, based on the novel of the same name by maria semple. Is your book club is looking to dig into the comic mystery of whered you go, bernadette. The book follows an epistolary format, meaning the text is largely composed of letters, emails, and other found documents. Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. The format of reading the story through correspondence works much better in this book than in some others ive read. I laughed a lot while reading the book, but the movie was completely humorless to me. To her husband, shes a fearlessly opinionated partner. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
Where d you go, bernadette is, at its core, a story about a woman who disappears, both literally and figuratively. Word of mouth is one of the most important market factors determining the popularity of a book. First things first, what letter grade would you give this book and why. Snarky, funny, sad, bittersweet this book is all of that and more. These are the questions for whered you go, bernadette by from the little and brown website. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating. Give a one to two sentence explanation of your score. Thanks to everyone who participated in our virtual book club which i introduced here. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation.
Whered you go, bernadette by maria semple lake county. A novel summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching whered you go, bernadette. When her daughter bee claims a family trip to antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shutin, throws herself into preparations for the trip. Published in 2012, where d you go, bernadette is a fictional novel made into a major motion picture august 2019. These questions will help jumpstart the discussion. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from bees perspective.
Plot questions will discuss major characters and events in the book to ensure a. Reading guide for whered you go, bernadette by maria semple. This discussion guide can be used for any audience that reads the book. Do you like books that include emails and other items, and what other books does this style remind you of. Whered you go, bernadette, a maria semple novel the new. Therefore, whered you go, bernadette was an unusual choice for me, but im so glad i. If your book club hasnt read whered you go, bernadette, i highly recommend it as a read that is quirky, humorous, and still carries enough weight to facilitate a great discussion. Jonathan franzen, author of freedombrilliant, hilarious, endlessly inventive, and compulsively readable, whered you go, bernadette grabs you by the collar and never lets go. If you havent read this book, heres why you should. Where d you go bernadette by maria semple to her microsoftguru husband, shes a fearlessly opinionated partner.
Whered you go, bernadette by maria semple a misanthropic matriarch leaves her eccentric family in crisis when she mysteriously disappears in this whipsmart and divinely funny novel that inspired the movie starring cate blanchett new york times. Do you feel bernadette s disappearance was unique, or do all women, in a sense, disappear into motherhood and marriage. If youve read this book i want to discuss it with you. Quirky style i enjoyed the unique format of the storytelling in this book. Ive never read the odyssey but i knew a bit about greek myths and thats all you need to get sucked into this book that fleshes out the life of a goddess. Book discussion questions on fiction book whered you go. The characters in whered you go, bernadette may be in real emotional pain, but semple has the wit and perspective and imagination to make their story hilarious. Jonathan frazen, author of freedom brilliant, hilarious, endlessly inventive, and compulsively readable, whered you go, bernadette grabs you by the collar and never lets go. Because weve never done a book club before, i have been unsure about the best way to execute the end discussion. Were serving you 247 online, even though our branches are not open.
Aug 14, 2012 where d you go, bernadette by maria semple a misanthropic matriarch leaves her eccentric family in crisis when she mysteriously disappears in this whipsmart and divinely funny novel that inspired the movie starring cate blanchett new york times. Its part epistolary with the letters and the documents bee discovers telling part of the story and part narrative, and i think the combination works. Whered you go, bernadette is told from the point of view of a daughter trying to find her missing mother. Whered you go, bernadette study guide contains a biography of maria semple, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Screwball satire with a warm heart in bernadette in former television writer maria semples second novel, whered you go, bernadette, 15year.
Whered you go, bernadette by maria semple book club discussion and menu i usually find myself drawn toward books that are stereotypically emotional, more dramatic or dark. Julys selection was whered you go, bernadette by maria semple. This book has overthetop humor laced with social commentary. For whered you go, bernadette, i provide your book club with a brief summary, a recipe, and discussion questions in that order. American revolutionaries themed book club revision march 1, 2020 reading and discussion program completed february 19, 2020 plans underway for a followon themed book club focused on the united states constitution.
So now that weve come to the end, i have one last piece of exciting news to share with you. Whered you go, bernadette, published in 2012, is the second novel by maria semple, a former television writer who worked on shows such as mad about you and arrested development. The plot revolves around an agoraphobic architect and mother named bernadette fox, who goes missing prior to a family trip to antarctica. Aug 29, 2014 so now that weve come to the end, i have one last piece of exciting news to share with you. The tightly constructed whered you go, bernadette is written in many formats emails, letters, f.
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