The time has arrived (and no limbs were lost in the process); we’re going to spend the next two days talking about Kindred. It’s our “most popular” category Anniversary Read so I’m very interested to hear how you feel this book rates in your all-time Cannonball list.
Ground rules remain the same as they always have. For those of you who might be joining in for #CannonBookClub for the first time (hello new friends!) all are welcome. All of our topics are numbered and we ask that you refer to them below by that number to help people find the conversation topics they are looking for. If you are responding to someone else’s thoughts, please try to respond directly to them and also tell us about your own musings on the book. Also, note that while we’ve never once had to use it and don’t expect to now, comments that are not germane to our discussion or get out of hand will be deleted.
In addition to the topics here, we will also be talking on our Social Media platforms, and of course in our Facebook group, Cannonball Read Book Chat, so feel free to wander over there throughout the course of today and tomorrow.
On to the topics:
- Just what genre is this book? Does it need to be in one genre anyway?
- Why has this book never been adapted into a movie? The fantastic folks at The Dissolve were arguing for it five years ago. What are some of the issues you see preventing an adaptation?
- Butler is an evocative writer of feelings. What ones drew you out, spoke to you, made you sink more (or pull you out of) the narrative?
- Present day for the book is over 40 years ago now, and the book will celebrate its 40th anniversary of publication next summer. How would this book be different if it were written and published now?
- Dana’s actions are possibly her most powerful tool of communication. What do they tell us on the whole?
- A common thread in time-travel assumes that one should not tamper with the past; for fear that it will disrupt the present. Butler’s characters obviously ignore this theory, how does this convolute the idea of “cause and effect” in the novel?
- Grab Bag: I have thoughts and feelings I cannot fit into the above topics, meet me in the comment section.
What say you, my dear Cannonballers?