Love Anthony

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova 17th April 2013
This week we all gathered at Sue Ge..'s house for a wonderful discussion on "Love Anthony".
Thankyou Sue for welcoming us with three white balloons on the letterbox, a glass full of white rocks and some welcoming cranberry and vodka martinis. Apologies from Wendy on holidays in Tassie, Jenny heading north in school holidays and Lynn.
Kate G, Kate F, Sue Gi, Therese, Pauline, Fiona, Genny, Bronwyn, Kate S, Sue Ge and I all agreed this was a wonderful book that looked into the world of autism, friendship, marriage and love in a beautiful setting on Nantucket island.
Lynn (absent on holidays) opened the discussion via an email read out by Sue detailing her enjoyment of the book.
As the story of the lives of Beth and Olivia developed the gradual collision of the characters lives emerged. Some felt the characters were a little remiss in not remembering that they had "met" on a previous occasion, but the world of coincidence and random events has touched all our lives. The channeling of Anthony's voice through the book Beth was writing was to some a little contrived, but all agreed it was a wonderful way to introduce the life of someone with autism. The author, Lisa Genova has indeed been well researched in autism and as with the other books we have read (Left Neglected and Still Alice) learned a lot through a beautiful story.
The pictures from Pauline's book on Nantucket helped the images we had drawn in our heads come alive. A little stay on the island around Daffodil Day would be welcome to us all! At $6000 a week for a house on "Fat Ladies beach (now called Ladies beach), we'll need to put aside a few pennies to save for that holiday! Kate S pointed out that Australia has far superior beaches of greater length and access ability than anywhere in the US!
The under story of Beth's book it was felt, especially by Kate G, could have been extended more, as the voice of the life of an autistic child's world was compelling. The description of the rooms in which Anthony's world is lived was a revelation of an autistic mind.
The teacher experiences of Kate F and Sue Gi and Bronwyn with autistic children were shared. As well, many of us have had some experiences of the some of the qualities of someone with autism.
The homework assignment from the marriage councilor that Beth took so long to answer of:-
What I need to feel Wanted, - What I need to feel Safe,  -What I need to feel Happy and  -What I need to feel Loved, was the question we all ask of our lives, be it marriage, our family, our careers. It was the beautiful way she described what the reason being born with autism was all about.
The wonderful characters that made up the book club and the friendships, helped us to reaffirm what our book club means to us. Although we are not about to provide "book themed" dinners for our turn at book club hosting! Our manageable but tasty suppers with small tokens of our books is far more achievable in our busy worlds, and all we really need is a chance to catch up and enjoy chatting about our lives and our experience with the books.
We had been saddened by Therese's mothers death this month and offer her our deepest sympathies. Her life is incredibly full at the moment with her move from her house of 31 years to her new house in Kurrajong, with a month in between living out of a suitcase. Our prayer and thoughts are with you through this time and offer our love and help.


Next Book is:-
The light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman on May 15 at Kate F house.
Where we will be able to look at photos of our newest grandmothers' grandchild !!!!!!!!!!