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What's this ? It's a Book Buddy Read ! All are welcome to join in.

When January- Feburary 2024

Book Day

Author Michael Cunningham
Michael Cunningham is an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for his 1998 novel The Hours, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1999. Cunningham is Professor in the Practice of Creative Writing at Yale University. Wikipedia
Born: 1952 (age 71 years), Cincinnati, OH
Wiki bio


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Book Details
Publisher � : � Random House (November 14, 2023)
Publication date � : � November 14, 2023
Language � : � English
Print length- 275 pages

Synopsis
A Pandemic Novel That Never Says 'Pandemic' Michael Cunningham's “Day� peeks into the lives of a family on one specific April date across three years as life changes because of Covid and other challenges.

I got my copy last night. Ready to go, once i finish the sci-fi i'm reading.

I began reading this book yesterday but promptly became sidetracked by the Epigraph! When i run across the mention of a poem in my book reading, i stop to find the full poem. My belief is that there may be a reason the author cited the lines.

So, i tried to find the poem from which the Anna Akhmatova's lines arose. Thirty minutes later, i surrendered without success. While oft quoted, it appears no one associates it with a specific poem. Possibly it was said or written in another form but i couldn't locate it.

Moving on...i was immediately engaged with the book. As one who likes looking out my window in the wee hours of the morning, i liked to read what Isabel noted. And from there, her inner world. For me, it was a good beginning.

On a note of frustration, particularly for discussing this book, i see there are no chapter numbers. How to reference parts for a discussion? I'm going with my page number, despite knowing that every person chooses her own size font. I'm open to other ideas.

So, i'll end this post there. I've read several "chapters" into the book, 40 or so pages, and continue to find the book appealing to me. Onward.

I'm off to a slow start in two different aspects: (1) I didn't get as much reading done this weekend as I'd hoped and (2) the book didn't immediately capture my interest as it did for you (but I'm happy you liked the beginning!).

No matter...it often takes me a while to warm up to a new book, and I'm finding it more interesting as I get to know the characters.

I love that you look up poems referenced in books you're reading! It's actually never occurred to me to do that, although I do occasionally look up the authors if the quotes make an impression.

Come to think of it, I don't recall ever having gone back to the epigraph after having finished a book to reflect on the connection. I think this is something I'll have to rectify going forward.

Perhaps we can refer to chapters by the first few words? I've just finished the chapter in the first section (April 5, 2019: Morning) that starts with "Isabel and Dan's apartment was almost half finished...". My e-reader says I'm on page 25 of 249.

I'm pretty sure you've read further than I have, but just in case, I'll use the "spoilers" function for the quote below, the underlined portion of which made me laugh out loud!

(view spoiler)["Who else (it has to have been someone else) painted the place a murky orange-brown that's been painted over in white but that remains, like the saddest possible haunting, on the bit of wall behind the cabinet under the kitchen sink." (hide spoiler)]

Joy wrote: "Perhaps we can refer to chapters by the first few words? I've just finished the chapter in the first section (April 5, 2019: Morning) that starts with "Isabel and Dan's apartment was almost half finished...". My e-reader says I'm on page 25 of 249. ..."

Good idea, although it may be easier at the beginning than mid-book. We'll see.

Ok, in my e-book, that is page 22. So we are close. I'll keep checking to see if the 3 page difference holds.

Joy wrote: "Come to think of it, I don't recall ever having gone back to the epigraph after having finished a book to reflect on the connection. I think this is something I'll have to rectify going forward. ..."

I must insert here that i don't always do this but this one intrigued me. Something about the words, coupling the past with a shadow which is coming at me, evoked a vision. This doesn't often happen to me.

While i usually note poems/poetry mentioned as i read a book, i formerly seldom looked them up. However, Alias Reader began doing so & sharing them on our Poetry thread. I realized how much i liked that, so began doing the same. It helps that i am a fan of poetry, however, so they naturally call to me.

Joy wrote: "I'm pretty sure you've read further than I have, but just in case, I'll use the "spoilers" function for the quote below, the underlined portion of which made me laugh out loud!

(view spoiler)
..."

I forgot about spoilers! Clearly, it's been awhile since i participated in a Buddy Reading.

I loved that idea, too. Thinking about previous residents is a fun aspect of living in older homes. In one home we stripped 7 layers of old wallpaper off our dining room walls. Frankly. all of them were awful--mostly scenes of colonial times, full of large homes and horses. What?! This was in South Dakota, where a large home only meant more to heat. ANYway, i laughed aloud at that image, too.

madrano wrote: "Good idea, although it may be easier at the beginning than mid-book. We'll see. Ok, in my e-book, that is page 22. So we are close. I'll keep checking to see if the 3 page difference holds."

Very good point. I'm now on page 56, which is the beginning of the chapter that starts with "After Dan and Nathan have been seen to the front door..."

madrano wrote: "In one home we stripped 7 layers of old wallpaper off our dining room walls."

We had a similar experience with our first house, when we lived in Missouri. During our kitchen remodel, we discovered that previous residents had simply added new linoleum on top of old, with the peeling back of each layer revealing an exemplar of the preceding decade's style. (This also explained why there had been a small step up from the hallway to the kitchen.)

So often with books, there's a point at which I have the "ah...this is why I'm reading this book" feeling. Usually it's somewhere in the middle, occasionally at the beginning; very rarely, it takes me until near the end before I know it'll have been worth reading (Trust by Hernan Diaz was such a book for me).

I just had that moment with the chapter that starts with "A woman weeping on the subway is always a stranger" (page 52). This chapter made me cry.

Joy wrote: "Very good point. I'm now on page 56, which is the beginning of the chapter that starts with "After Dan and Nathan have been seen to the front door......"

Well, something wacky occurred because that chapter is on page 73 for me! We'll just have to share the first few words, i guess.

Btw, you are well ahead of me now.

Joy wrote: " we discovered that previous residents had simply added new linoleum on top of old, with the peeling back of each layer revealing an exemplar of the preceding decade's style. (This also explained why there had been a small step up from the hallway to the kitchen.)..."

I just love that feeling. It's neat to learn about a house that way. The next house we moved into also had wallpaper but they must have super-glued it to the walls. We had a horrid time just getting it off, let alone finding what was under the two layers!

No surprise my husband is 100% anti-wallpaper now, eh?

Joy wrote: "So often with books, there's a point at which I have the "ah...this is why I'm reading this book" feeling. Usually it's somewhere in the middle, occasionally at the beginning; very rarely, it takes..."

I'm glad it happened early-ish for you, Joy. I was hooked right away, between looking out the window & seeing the owl, i was all in.

Elsewhere on these Book Nook Cafe threads, i think it was Poetry, i mentioned how owls feature in so many lores. The one which struck me when reading that first chapter stayed with me. Many Native American tribes believe that when they hear an owl hoot, the death of a loved one will soon happen. Knowing that this book will include COVID, my mind went there!

Sometimes knowing stuff like that clouds a reader's expectations or even flavors what follows. I'm not one for finding symbolism and i'm not sure that is what was meant by its presence, but there i sit!

madrano wrote:
post #13
Many Native American tribes believe that when they hear an owl hoot, the death of a loved one will soon happen. Knowing that this book will include COVID, my mind went there!"

Interesting. I've never heard that before about owls. I guess the symbolism depends on ones culture. I've always had a positive take on owls. When I was typing this I noted your post is #13 😮

From Google:
The tradition that the owl is the bird of wisdom may owe something to the sharp glaring eyes and the nocturnal habits of most species (as if they were scholars studying late), but it may have more to do with the fact that the owl was the bird of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom

madrano wrote: "Well, something wacky occurred because that chapter is on page 73 for me! We'll just have to share the first few words, i guess."

Oh, how odd! Ah well...I'm sure we'll manage :-)

Alias Reader wrote: "Interesting. I've never heard that before about owls. I guess the symbolism depends on ones culture."

I'm not aware of any particular symbolism with owls in my native culture. They do have an amusing name, though, translating literally to "cat-headed hawk"!

I haven't decided whether I think Isabel really saw the owl or whether it was, in fact, a waking dream. But it made for an interesting contrast: Isabel watching others and being watched herself by the owl, but whereas Isabel ponders the actions of those she watches, the owl doesn't distinguish between Isabel and the inanimate objects around her. She is seen, but not seen.

Joy wrote: "I'm not aware of any particular symbolism with owls in my native culture. They do have an amusing name, though, translating literally to "cat-headed hawk"!

I haven't decided whether I think Isabel really saw the owl or whether it was, in fact, a waking dream. But it made for an interesting contrast: Isabel watching others and being watched herself by the owl...."

I find that translation perfect!

The owl is what attached me to the book immediately. I also found the adult siblings interesting.

Then, suddenly, last night, i began reading the "After Dan and Nathan" section, my p. 73, the narrator began to bug me. What the?

I cannot figure out why but the voice seemed snarkier, although, in checking back, i see it's been there all along. Maybe i was in sync with that voice & its observations but ceased liking the thoughts offered?

Did you notice any change or was i "in a mood" when i read last night? Or, possibly, when i began the book? I will continue reading but my reaction surprised me.

I think part of this may have to do with the notes about the stages where the children are in their development. I liked the comment about the dress Violet selected, and the learning of "rules" stage the 5-year-old had begun.

But then i realized we could also mark the stage of development in the adults, as well. It'll be interesting to see how this progresses.

Alias Reader wrote: "I've always had a positive take on owls. When I was typing this I noted your post is #13 😮..."

LOL! What can that mean?!

For me, even the owl hooting being a way to foretell death is a positive. A warning, if you believed, that change is ahead, remind loved ones you love them, etc.

madrano wrote: For me, even the owl hooting being a way to foretell death is a positive. A warning, if you believed, that change is ahead, remind loved ones you love them, etc.."

That was an excellent reframing, deb. I need to learn to do that more often with people or situations that upset me.

Joy wrote: "I just had that moment with the chapter that starts with "A woman weeping on the subway is always a stranger" (page 52). This chapter made me cry...."

I'm caught up with this chapter & have the time to look more carefully at it. I was intrigued by the notion that Isabel could be the woman crying, yet also understand the "etiquette", if you will, of observing what's happening with others as she weeps. I suppose most of us have had that feeling--being aware of how we look, yet also knowing that the emotion just arrived, meaning we need to ask ourselves why.

The questioning itself probably isn't new. The author/narrator allows Isabel to realize this is a "white lady problem", which is curious, as it doesn't make her confusion (is that the word i want?) any less vital to the moment. She must look like the "has it all" woman, yet it is still not what she feels she wanted from her life. Maybe i'm wrong but i suspect we all have those moments. Hers, on the subway, took her by surprise.

I may be stretching things a bit here because my own daughter has watched the career she had fall away, thanks to the monumental changes in production, thanks to computers & AI, specifically. So in addition to any personal questions she may have about her life, Isabel, knowing she is the sole incoming-earning member of her family must consider that, as well. Gosh, not only am i unsure of my job security, i also am not sure i even want all this in the first place.

And i'm back to her tears on the subway. Where else could she release them? Even on the stairway in her own home, her brother interrupts. Where can she be "alone" to shed them? At work? At home? Nope, this is where it happens. And that is a sadness all its own, i think.

Actually, my in-between thought was that she could cry as she walked to the subway. However, she is still doing as she walks. It's only when she has nothing to do, other than think, that the tears flow.

I wonder where this will take us...

madrano wrote: "I cannot figure out why but the voice seemed snarkier, although, in checking back, i see it's been there all along. Maybe i was in sync with that voice & its observations but ceased liking the thoughts offered?

Did you notice any change or was i "in a mood" when i read last night? Or, possibly, when i began the book?"

I did notice it changing and thought it may have correlated with the perspective from which the story was being told. The chapters that are primarily from Robbie's perspective seem to have an edgier and almost mocking tone, whereas the chapters that are primarily from Isabel's perspective seem more pensive.

I'm interpreting this to be a reflection of where they are in their respective journeys. Robbie seems aware of the aspects of absurdity in his life--the job that barely provides a livable salary, which he may be in because he gave up on med school to spite his dad; the pseudo menage a trois with Isabel and Dan ("the gay brother lusting after his sister's husband"); the whole Wolfe thing--and this comes across in the sardonic tone.

Isabel, on the other hand, seems to be confronting for the first time the truth about her life--that everything she's achieved with her "ferocity" ("I will be sought after, I will have boyfriends, I'll be president of the senior class") still doesn't provide fulfillment.

Isabel appears to be more put-together on the surface, but it may be Robbie who has the greater self-insight.

Thank you for this, Joy. Scanning back over the highlights i made, i think you are on-target about that. Perhaps Robbie has greater self-insight because moving away from the family has been on his mind longer. Or maybe he is just more open to it.

And what about that Wolfe thing? I'm amused by the auto "likes" some of their followers give. And the fact that Robbie notes that but doesn't seem to consider it further.

Beyond this board, i do not often "like" or even read stuff where that is an option. Likely Robbie doesn't really care, he just wants as many followers as he can get. I believe this is true of most who render offerings on such venues but i'm not sure. I know they help many, too. My point is that i wonder that this doesn't bother Robbie and his mocking self.

I've made it a bit further into the book--am now at the beginning of the chapter that starts with "The park is still wintry..." (page 87).

The snark continues, more so with some characters than others and definitely more noticeably in the dialogue. I know it's intended to reflect the voices of different personalities, but I find the changes in tone jarring. Although, to be fair, I've been reading Ethan Frome concurrently when I usually only read one book at a time, so it's entirely possible my brain is simply not handling the switching between books well.

Ah, Wolfe...this could be such a big topic of conversation! I see the technological advances that have occurred over the last ~30 years, particularly the advent of social media, to be the biggest driver of behavioral, cultural, and societal change in my lifetime.

For me, social media is a means to an end and a form of entertainment. But for many, it's an avenue for "putting themselves out there", sometimes (often?) in a very curated/filtered way such that they're really creating an idealized persona of themselves. From there, and also considering the increasing involvement of AI, it's perhaps not so big a step to creating an entirely made-up persona.

I suspect the denizens of social media know that what they're getting is, at best, a blending of reality and aspiration. Perhaps the inspiration they get from Wolfe's supposed life is more important than whether it's entirely real. Perhaps this is the modern-day incarnation of the fairy tale.

I don't get the sense, though, that Robbie (and Isabel) continue with Wolfe just for likes and followers. Based on the passage below, I think Wolfe has evolved from an imaginary childhood defender to an adult representation of the type of person they wish they could be, and they create for Wolfe the life they wish they could lead. I think they're genuinely invested in Wolfe and perhaps, in a strange way, even living vicariously through him.

Wolfe is, in a sense, an adult incarnation of the older brother the two of them made up when they were children--the big brother who defended them, who feared nothing and no one, and who knew the languages of animals.

I do also want to respond to your previous comments on the "woman weeping on the subway" chapter, but work has gotten a bit hectic this week. More soon!

P.S. I'm not sure I'm loving the book, but I'm definitely loving this discussion!

Joy, i fully agree with your concluding comment! I was wondering why i am not gobbling this book up but i'm making myself read it some times. To be as fair as you are, i am reading another book and have an ongoing project at hand, so this may be a factor.

But our comments make every moment worthwhile! What you stated about social media today when you wrote, "Perhaps this is the modern-day incarnation of the fairy tale. makes such sense! As i'm not a frequenter of such venues, i have been unclear what it is. Looked at as a creative enterprise may be the best way to view it.

This means, as you note, that those who "like" Wolfe's post are really stating they wish they could...or they are happy Wolfe is...or any number of unique-to-them thoughts about the post. They are not necessarily buying into it. Thanks for this insight. I suspect it will alter they way i understand comments about social media, as well.

I completed the first segment and have begun the 2020 Afternoon "chapter". I look forward to this because i am feeling a bit at a loss with all the extra siblings/partners/children introduced. Again, it may be my fractured reading but i couldn't remember that Odin was a child, not a dog. Hmmm.

I'm so glad you're enjoying this discussion too! :-)

Your comment regarding social media--"As i'm not a frequenter of such venues, i have been unclear what it is"--prompted me to look for an actual definition. The one that best reflects my own understanding of it is below. By this definition, BNC counts as social media!

Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.
~From Tufts University Social Media Overview

In my previous musings on the blurred lines between aspirational and fabrication, I may have inadvertently given the impression that what Robbie/Isabel are doing with Wolfe is completely fine and acceptable. To clarify, they're being intentionally deceptive and, on top of that, are stealing other people's content for Wolfe's posts--both of these are, and would definitely be viewed as, wrong.

But within the realm of online deception, there's creating a fake persona that posts happy pictures of an idealized life, and then there's catfishing and even more predatory behaviors. Thus far, Wolfe's existence seems to have been relatively harmless since no one's really getting hurt by it, although I have a suspicion this may change later in the book--all the focus on Wolfe in the first segment feels like a set-up for future developments!

P.S. I tried linking to the Tufts U website on social media and to the Wikipedia entry on catfishing, and discovered that external links aren't allowed. You should be able to find both by Googling, though, if you're interested.

Thanks for that definition, Joy. When we hear that term in recent years, it's sounded more like the negative sorts, conspiracy theories & such. But it makes sense GoodReads is such a community.

And, to be honest, back in my AOL book board days, there was a woman who created other personas. I couldn't figure out why she did it, though. Maybe she was "found out" too early to her to execute any plans. It creeped me out, i must say.

We go on faith, i suppose, with social interactions online. I wonder if there is another term within the "social media" category for people who deceive, catfish or con but not technically illegal?

I understood what you meant about Wolfe. It was that taking of the works of other people which surprised me. I feel that is wrong, too, as there are ways to pay for using them. My sister sells some of her photos online this way. It's very little money but she is happy that other people like what she shoots.

I just completed reading 2020 Afternoon. It was better but partly because the interactions were limited. Possibly i'm just in the groove Cunningham is creating, so it flowed easier.

That written, i'm still not in love with the story. There are a few unique observations, outside the quirks of individuals, but nothing new. Parents feeling inadequate but not stopping. Children being children. Sometimes the writing and thoughts touch the right tone but mainly, i'm not into it.

However, i can see why people might really like it. Anne Tyler is one of my favorite authors but when people i know try her work, they are not delighted the way i am. Perhaps Cunningham has his audience and it just isn't me. Well, i should probably wait until i complete the book before i decide that, right? lol

While i have begun reading the Evening "chapter", i am still mulling over the above-mentioned snarky voice i first noticed in the first chapter. Finally, i believe, i've put my finger on one aspect of what i dislike about it. It & other "observations" made in the narrator's voice.

To wit, my problem is that what is shared seems older & wiser than the characters themselves. I don't usually notice this when reading, so am surprised to have zeroed in on it. Of course, it's the points made about the children that bothered me most--implying things which wouldn't happen for years or, indeed, might never happen. That bugged me plenty.

Now, however, i realize Cunningham has done that for all the characters. We are not observing them ourselves, but through the somewhat jaded eyes of a novelist. Perhaps he (& other authors) always do that and i've not taken note because it seemed fitting. For me, it's not fitting in this book.

That written, i must say i liked "Afternoon" much more than "Morning". Possibly this is because i had a sense of the characters, but i'm not sure. To me, it seemed the things the families did, as well as the individuals, fit well with the greater world. Regardless, it brought back the days most of us experienced, learning to live away from others, due to Covid.

I will note the following. (view spoiler)[Robbie being in Iceland surprised me, i must say. His isolation sounds like bliss to me, but i'm still in the throws of our visit to that nation this summer. I imagined being there, away from the cities we visited. (hide spoiler)]

I'm finally getting around to responding to your previous comment on the "woman weeping in the subway" chapter!

madrano wrote: "The author/narrator allows Isabel to realize this is a "white lady problem", which is curious, as it doesn't make her confusion (is that the word i want?) any less vital to the moment. She must look like the "has it all" woman, yet it is still not what she feels she wanted from her life."

Yes, in that moment, her realization that she should want the life she has, that she in fact has what many others wish for, only makes her feel worse. In her "ferocity" and drive to achieve/obtain what she wanted, she probably never questioned her assumption that these things would make her happy. And now that she knows they don't, how does she figure out what will?

I find this very interesting because "practicing gratitude" has been much talked about recently. Some of my friends even did "gratitude journaling" together for a time. I see the benefits of actively noting and remembering the positives, as it's all too easy to simply stew on the negatives. But can one really talk oneself into happiness or is "practicing gratitude" just a form of resigning oneself to the status quo?

madrano wrote: "And i'm back to her tears on the subway. Where else could she release them? Even on the stairway in her own home, her brother interrupts. Where can she be "alone" to shed them?

I find this subway scene very quintessentially NYC (or other large urban area), where one can be in a throng of people and yet be essentially alone. It's actually a feeling I've always enjoyed--being by myself while surrounded by civilization--but it can also be isolating and lonely.

With their living arrangements, we see this feeling of claustrophobia already start to build in the "Morning" segment, knowing that it will only ratchet up in the later segments due to the pandemic.

madrano wrote: "...my own daughter has watched the career she had fall away, thanks to the monumental changes in production, thanks to computers & AI, specifically.

I'm sorry to hear this, Deb. I hope your daughter has been able to leverage her skills and experience to forge a new path. Technology has advanced so quickly that we, as a civilization, haven't had time to adapt before it has overtaken us.

madrano wrote: "When we hear that term [social media] in recent years, it's sounded more like the negative sorts, conspiracy theories & such.

Social media has definitely been a major avenue for the spreading of misinformation and conspiracy theories. But when you think about all the bad things that have been perpetrated using social media (including catfishing, predation, etc.), none of these are actually new. There have always been people misrepresenting themselves, spreading lies, and preying on others. Social media has just given them access to a much larger audience and, due to the anonymity, made it easier for them to avoid suspicion.

madrano wrote: "I wonder if there is another term within the "social media" category for people who deceive, catfish or con but not technically illegal? "

Good question. I'm not an expert, but I believe misrepresenting oneself on social media is not illegal unless it's in connection to a crime. Not sure if there's a specific term for that.

madrano wrote: "And, to be honest, back in my AOL book board days, there was a woman who created other personas. I couldn't figure out why she did it, though. Maybe she was "found out" too early to her to execute any plans. It creeped me out, i must say.

I could see how, in certain circumstances, someone might want to create a different persona for themselves online. For example, someone who lives someplace where they can't be who they really are, for fear of ostracization or persecution. Sounds like that wasn't the case with this woman, though. How did you end up discovering that all of those personas were the same person?

I finally had time this weekend to do more reading and have managed to finish the book! I'll restrict my comments to the "Afternoon" segment since you've also finished that part.

Like you, I enjoyed this segment more than "Morning" but I'm still not loving the book. I'm having difficulty connecting with any of the characters. I suspect it's partly because the chapters are very short and keep jumping from one character to another--as soon as I start developing a feel for a character, the chapter's over and we're moving on to someone else. I can no longer blame Ethan Frome as I've finished that and am now only reading this book.

madrano wrote: "To wit, my problem is that what is shared seems older & wiser than the characters themselves. I don't usually notice this when reading, so am surprised to have zeroed in on it. Of course, it's the points made about the children that bothered me most....

I completely agree. I'd been having the vague feeling that the children, particularly Violet, were abnormally precocious...even to the point of creepiness. The reason for this vague feeling hadn't crystallized in my mind until I read your observation--great insight!

It's sad...the pandemic imprisoned together some people who probably needed some space from each other, and kept apart others who needed to be together. Robbie was really the glue that had been holding Isabel and Dan together, as if each of them loving and being loved by Robbie somehow made up for them no longer being in love with each other.

Time to go finish the laundry--more on Robbie in Iceland (we were there in 2017) tomorrow!

Joy wrote: "But can one really talk oneself into happiness or is "practicing gratitude" just a form of resigning oneself to the status quo?..."

I appreciate your comments about the crying on the subway section, Joy. The above question is excellent, imo. It could almost be a way to self-brainwash, couldn't it? There must be a fine line between self-talking through low points or a trying period in one's life and this Gratitude Practice. What an idea.

Maybe that the same thoughts about one's life continue to occur periodically is the key. Although, this means one has delayed truly acting on the problems. Which, i suppose, would make you feel lowly toward yourself even more.

Joy wrote: "I find this subway scene very quintessentially NYC (or other large urban area), where one can be in a throng of people and yet be essentially alone."

True. What is also oddly easy to do there, is feel at one with the universe. LOL! I suppose this is one of its charms. One of the charms of this passage, however, is that she is aware there is a certain ettiquette for such moments. Are they restricted to the subway, i wonder, or would an elevator be the same? Probably different, due to the time confined together.

Joy write: "I hope your daughter has been able to leverage her skills and experience to forge a new path. Technology has advanced so quickly that we, as a civilization, haven't had time to adapt before it has overtaken us."

Yes, she's in the process. Going through this allows us to see how devastating such changes can be. Often, if it's not our own family's experience, we cannot truly identify. Knowing many editors and tech writers are finding themselves here must enhance their appreciation of the changes they've written about in other fields--assembly lines, for instance.

Joy wrote: "But when you think about all the bad things that have been perpetrated using social media (including catfishing, predation, etc.), none of these are actually new...."

Isn't that the truth? When the Internet first entered our lives, it was wonderful and we felt safe. Afterall, for many of us, we are in our own homes. Then the creeps figured out a way to work their cons & it all changed for many. For others, there is still a sense of false security.

At least it was a challenge for the criminals, eh? But it also allowed many others to see the possibilities. And without direct access to the harm caused, some of us feel more comfortable taking that direction. I'm particularly thinking of bullying--the absence of seeing the reaction of the target must provide a sense of disbelief that what they've done could be truly harmful. Yuk.

You asked about what happened in the AOL case, how we found out. Apparently some boards figured it out earlier than my group did. When "Person B" told us "Person A" entered the hospital but that both posts were so very similar, we began to catch on. Then, other boards came to tell us their experience. So, we all knew Person A would die in the hospital. And she did!

Talk about becoming persona non grata!! She eventually left the board but not without trying all sorts of ways to "prove" they were separate women. Before that, she even had the dead woman's "sons" contacting individuals! It was all creepy because all the "voices" were the same.

SPOILERS for the entire book from this point forward!

Joy wrote: "I finally had time this weekend to do more reading and have managed to finish the book! I'll restrict my comments to the "Afternoon" segment since you've also finished that part...."

Cool. Your assessment on a primary reason we haven't felt connected to the characters--the short chapters--is perfect. If a writer is going to do this, they really need to make our exposure stronger than what we were given. At this point, i still do not know why Garth, Chess and Odin are in this book. I hope the final chapter helps me understand.

It also took me awhile to differentiate between Dan & Robbie. And Wolfe, in a way. What the heck? ANYway, i have stayed with it, mostly because i wanted to see how the pandemic impacted their lives. And this section gave their experiences, which one feels will help each.

Although, clearly pre-COVID, Robbie took action--moved, quit his job, and headed for Iceland. What timing! And what a reward.

I'll leave it there until i've completed the book, which will be tonight.

I got the novel today and hope to start reading.

I've not read any of the posts yet as I don't want to read spoilers.

Serendipitously, today as I was scrolling through my new daily podcasts, I saw the my local NPR station had selected Day for their book club and had the author on to discuss the novel.

If you don't want to hear any spoilers, you can listen after you finish the novel.

You can listen to the podcast.
All of It.
WNYC Alison Stewart
Or
here it is on YouTube

I've only read about a dozen eBook pages, but the opening
Morning April 5, 2019 where Isabel is looking out the window and describes what she is seeing (girl with ponytail jogging, the shoe repair man pulling the steel grate up is just so NYC. He catches the spirit or vibe perfectly.

However, I do wish he used chapter numbers !

Thank you for the link to the discussion, Alias. I will check that out later. I'd like to learn what others got from the book that i didn't.

Like you, the book really caught me up in it from that opening page. I was with them for several "chapters"!?!?!? It will be interesting to see how you progress and experience the different characters. I look forward to your comments.

GOOD THINKING about the spoilers, as i suspect i got sloppy a time or two. Enjoy.

I finished the book yesterday.

POSSIBLY SPOILERS BUT NOT REALLY, I THINK

While it wasn't at all awful, i just ended up not really engaged with this family. One wonders if there was a point and i missed it. I didn't really even see this as a pandemic novel, as i suspect the characters would have been in the same space whether or not they were confined for a year or not.

Upon completion, i looked at phrases or comment which caught my eye and none were outstanding. They were probably highlighted for this discussion group but, frankly, in retrospect, i don't think they are worth the time.

(view spoiler)[My biggest question is whether you think anything will really change? Obviously, the children will grow up and their personalities will change. However, i suspect nothing will change for the married couple. Isabel has pretty much followed the same pattern over the three years, including dwelling in declining living spaces, which have multiple problems needing to be addressed.

The fact that the novel ends with a "final" post from Wolfe seems to indicate Isabel might change. But such posting is just too easy to pick up again.

I suppose what really surprised me is that Cunningham didn't add a fourth day, to show us some changes that were brought about by Robbie's death. Titled "April 5, 2025: Night", perhaps. I am sure there are some permanent changes that happened, i am just not certain the life-altering ones his death seemed to anticipate will be sustained. (hide spoiler)]

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS
I’m traveling for work and using the GR app on my phone since I don’t have my personal laptop with me. I hope the html works because it was a real pain typing this with my thumbs, lol!

madrano wrote: “While it wasn’t at all awful, i just ended up not really engaged with this family. One wonders if there was a point and i missed it. I didn’t even really see this as a pandemic novel�.

Our experiences were the same, then. I have a very high tolerance for books that are more contemplative and less plot-driven—the ones that get the “nothing happened in this book� reviews—but this one didn’t do anything for me.

I felt like there were several different possible stories in there that would’ve been more interesting—the Wolfe/social media aspect, delving deeper into what it was like to live through the pandemic, even just focusing more on the Isabel-Robbie-Dan relationship�.

I will say, though, that I’m now a huge fan of buddy reads (or, at least, buddy reads with you 😊). I definitely got way more out of this book because of our discussion than I would’ve otherwise, so thank you for that! Anytime you’d like to do another buddy read, count me in.

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS
The html worked!!

madrano wrote: “At this point, i still do not know why Garth, Chess and Odin are in this book.

My guess is that Chess is intended to be a foil for Isabel. Unlike Isabel, she had a clear notion of what she wanted (or didn’t want) with Garth and she made active choices in shaping that relationship. The irony is that her situation ends up muddled and confused, just as Isabel’s does.

I was also struck by how divergent people’s memories/interpretations of shared experiences can be. Isabel frets about whether she somehow contributed to Robbie’s eccentricity and friendlessness as a child. But Robbie, when thinking of their childhood, recollects the time Isabel helped him get over his fear of dogs. Similarly, after Dan helps Isabel prepare dinner in the “Evening� segment, Isabel reflects that there is nothing left to rekindle in their relationship, whereas Dan believes they’ve taken a first step toward rebuilding their relationship.

Perhaps this is a commentary on how little we really understand the people in our lives and, correspondingly, how little control we have over our relationships with them.

Alias Reader, welcome to the party! Looking forward to your thoughts on this book.

And thanks for sharing the link to the book discussion—I’m definitely curious to hear what they have to say!

Joy wrote: "I will say, though, that I’m now a huge fan of buddy reads (or, at least, buddy reads with you 😊). I definitely got way more out of this book because of our discussion than I would’ve otherwise, so thank you for that! Anytime you’d like to do another buddy read, count me in ..."

I will start with a big I Agree! It helps that this was neither a great book nor a total stinker, imo. If it's too bad, i get grouchy & nitpick. Once i didn't even finish the book, i believe.

But i retain more and can appreciate some of the author's choices when they are discussed. In a good group, we don't end up trying to persuade one another, too, which is nice.

I don't read many popular novels, which seem to be the choice for many to Buddy Read. And i'm slow in reading informative nonfiction, too, so i will keep my eyes open for options. And what others suggest.

I'm tickled that you liked the exchanges, too.

Joy wrote: "I’m traveling for work and using the GR app on my phone since I don’t have my personal laptop with me. I hope the html works because it was a real pain typing this with my thumbs, lol! ..."

I don't know how people work the boards with a phone. I'm grateful, i just can't imagine it. When we travel, i use my iPad & complain about that "keyboard". The phone? Wow!

ANYway,
Joy Wrote: "I felt like there were several different possible stories in there that would’ve been more interesting—the Wolfe/social media aspect, delving deeper into what it was like to live through the pandemic, even just focusing more on the Isabel-Robbie-Dan relationship�

Good point. Why all in one novel? Was he trying to tell readers--who went through the pandemic, too--that those days weren't much different for many people? I just can't figure out why these relationships during those Covid years.

To be fair, however, i doubt i would have read a novel about the other topics alone. So, maybe I am the reason he combined them! Yikes.

SPOILER ALERT

Joy wrote: "My guess is that Chess is intended to be a foil for Is..."

I suppose you are correct. It is an interesting outcome, giving rise to their two-person conversation by the tree in "Evening". Again, i didn't feel any resolution, although i did end up with the sense that Chess was more clear on what she really wanted. I suppose that would be evidenced by how she constructed her family, right?

Because Isabel & Dan seemed to be going through some mid-life pondering, they didn't seem as fully-realized adults as a reader might have expected. Or is that just me, thinking that? The fact that other characters were also in flux led me to forget those two were in a fairly well-accepted place in their lives, wondering if this is really where they want to be.

I'm rummaging through my thoughts on each character. The children were interesting, as kids tend to be. Readers don't fault them because they are still just learning about life and their places. Fitting in, i suppose.

What to think of Robbie? lol

Joy wrote:
post 10

I just had that moment with the chapter that starts with "A woman weeping on the subway is always a stranger" (page 52). This chapter made me cry."

I've seen one or two women crying on the subway. One I recall vividly. A young women in her 20's or so. She sat silent with big tears running down her face. No one said anything.

I just started this chapter. Forgive me if you already mentioned this. I'm trying not to read too many posts as I don't want spoilers.

"... and a man wearing a bow tie, reading The Golden Bowl with ostentatious dignity,..."

The book is by Henry James --- The Golden Bowl
The subject matter of adultery and tangled relationships possible fits the novel we are reading.

Wikipedia
The Golden Bowl is a 1904 novel by Henry James. Set in England, this complex, intense study of marriage and adultery completes what some critics have called the "major phase" of James's career. The Golden Bowl explores the tangle of interrelationships between a father and daughter and their respective spouses.

Chapter-- Women crying on the subway.

"The trick now, it seems, is to keep wanting it, the job as well as the marriage, motherhood, the stratospherically costly handbag. The trick is learning not to despise herself for her claustrophobia and disappointment."

Sometimes the very thing you are striving for, once you get it, you realize it really isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I often wonder if sometimes people just claim to love something or do something because that is what is expected of them by society. Be it the big job, marriage, kids, or the big house etc.

Perhaps as they say it's the journey that it's important. Being present in the moment. Not in the past or looking ahead to the future. There seems to be a lot so far in the book of looking back or into the future.

A friend was just mentioning to me today what she heard on a podcast regarding exercise. You have to learn be present and enjoy the moment. It's okay to have a goal but your motivation to get up and do it every day has to be the journey.

Another podcaster that I listen to sort of said the same thing. Gretchen Rubin noted that often once people reach a goal, for example run a marathon, then they often fall off their exercise routine. For them it was the goal and not the journey.

Anyway, I'm a bit off topic, but that line in the novel resonated with me.

Chapter: Women crying on the subway.

Forgive me again for going on a tangent. This author's writing is doing that to me ! LOL

Quote from this chapter:
"Again, the fundamental question: Are you protecting your children or are you sowing the seeds of what will rove to be a lifetime of mistrust?"

Having just finished a book that is on the banned/challenged list, this quote resonated with me. Are we protecting children or making them unprepared for hard realities of life? What will a very sheltered child think when life isn't all rainbows and lollypops? Will they know how to deal with things if certain topics are off the table and never discussed? Will they think something is wrong with themselves if they never see their reality in the books they read?

I don't have kids but I still think banning reading material is wrong.

Chapter: "Robbie olds Odin on the sofa with Violet pushed up close,..."

Quote: "Oops, Wolfe is upstate with Lyla today. Driving through a fall landscape that miraculously exists in April."

A few times now Robbie has posted to Insta continuing the Wolfe lie or fantasy.

This has me wondering why his followers don't seem to notice or care.

Is it:

1- People really only really care or focus on their own lives.

2- The followers on Insta want to believe in the fantasy so ignore
anything that challenges that reality.

3- Having bought into the Woolfe story and now calling out the incongruities, will reflect badly on their own judgment/intelligence. No one likes to admit they have been duped.