Our meeting began by viewing a short video of the author sharing her memoir. Many felt that she was a bit bizarre and egocentric. Her background includes growing up in North Dakota, moving to California, getting married, surviving breast cancer, having her husband leave her for another man (Bob, found on gay.com), having a very bad car accident, and then moving home to her Mennonite family in California.
Rhoda and her siblings have a very unusual relationship. Her parents were tolerant of her husband, Nick, even though he was not the man that they hoped she would have chosen. They accepted Rhoda with open arms back to their home and continue to love her unconditionally.
Some book club members felt this book was written as therapy for her failed marriage. Nick and Bob were a common thread and were mentioned continuously througout the entire book.
Many of the club members shared personal experiences of people that were very conservative and not "worldly" and how the modern influences did or did not become a part of their lives. Is limiting and shielding children from technology beneficial or not? This discussion led to sharing what we should try to limit our children from. We came up with: materialism, entitlement, too much technology, wasting time, and narrow minded thinking of others.
Rhoda's humor in the book was mostly satire and sarcastic and very cutting of Mennonite society. We enjoyed "Mom" and how she was genuine and open in her thoughts and words, but especially in her deeds.
Some comments from the members were: book was choppy, some laugh out loud moments, big words with no meaning, "Mom" was a true example of the faith, black dress title associated with sophistication, the nail necklace.
Author's website: http://www.rhodajanzen.com/
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