Little Altars Everywhere

The Butler Public Library Book Group met last evening and discussed Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells. This book is the prequel to The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. The group discussed Big Shep's indifference to most situations, as well as his inability to communicate what he was feeling. Willetta and Chaney's appreciation of life compared to The Walkers lack of appreciation. Willetta, Chaney and their family lived on the Walkers farm as servants and they were very happy.

One of the members felt that Sidda was the main character not Vivi. And spoke of Sidda's haircut. The scene involved Sidda's mom talking Sidda into having her haircut, Sidda going along with it, even though it wasn't really what she wanted and Sidda feeling like it was the worse decision she ever made. Sidda felt lost without her hair.

The discussion evolved into all of the areas that a working woman must constantly juggle: her role as a mother, a working professional and a wife. And how difficult it can be to work on all of those areas of one's life.

Big Shep's position on the draft board and how it affected him was discussed. How little input he had on the board, because Big Shep was a farmer.

The group touched on the importance of reading to children and home library's. One of the members mentioned the book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and the small home library that the protagonist of that book had.

We talked a little bit about "worry dolls" due to the dolls that Sidda bought on her visit back home.

The portion of the book I enjoyed the most and took a quote from was Baylor's voice. "So me and Sidda and Lulu get out the Sears catalog and start cutting it up. We cut up models and things and glue them back together in different ways. I cut off the head of a man modeling underwear and stick it on a power saw. Sidda cuts off a lady's legs and pastes them coming out of a baby's ears. Whoever makes the weirdest thing wins. We never get tired of that game."

Next book is Light in August--please join us.