Literary Feast Discussion: Al Capone Does My Shirts (pp. 1-59)

Hello All!  I hope you're having a fabulous Tuesday.  Al Capone Does My Shirts has certainly picked up the start of my week.  I'm having trouble putting it down in fact.  Monica and I have shared our opinions on the first 59 pages of the book below.  Feel free to chime in!  We'd love to hear from you.


PAGES 1-59:

SHEL:  I love the concept for this book.  I think I've spent too much time rereading Sanderson's Alcatraz Smedry series.  So, when I keep reading "Alcatraz" I can't help but think of it as a character instead of a place.

Monica:  I would absolutely hate to live there, though.  I’m scared of islands anyway; toss in some bars and guards with guns, and I wouldn’t leave my house.  Ever.  You do have to be impressed at his mother, though, for just rolling along with her husband’s new job.  “Sure, honey!  We can… move to Alcatraz…?” 

SHEL: I think I could live on the island...I would be freaked out by the idea that one of the criminals could be watching me from his cell.  That would be creepy and not fun.  Go team island, though.

Monica:  I just hope all goes well with Nathalie.  Her very existence seems fraught with portent.  Can you imagine her having a meltdown surrounded by criminals and thugs and whatnot?

SHEL:  I hates that Piper girl.  Hates her.

Monica:  She is a definitely a world-class jerk.  I love the fact that there Moose is, on an island with the murdering scum of the earth, and his biggest problem… is this bratty little girl.  Oh, the priorities one has at age twelve….

SHEL:  Everybody in this book nods.  The mom is nodding and nodding and nodding.  And Moose nods too.  I wonder who will nod next.

Monica:  Nathalie nods a little too, don’t forget!  Occasionally authors get hung up on one motion.  I can’t remember which book I *just read*, but every ten seconds it seemed like another person was being pensive.  Nodding pensively.  Thinking pensively.  Walking pensively amongst the ramparts of the castle.  I suppose that’s what an editor is for.  Shall we offer our services?

SHEL: I would be more than willing to help out.  I love the thought of going through a manuscript and crossing out a word over and over again and making snarky "find a thesaurus" comments.

SHEL:  I like the way Choldenko  writes the baseball game Moose plays with Scout and the others in chapter 8.  She managed to make it really suspenseful, even for a reader who doesn't like sports.

Monica:  Like, dare I say it, the scene from Twilight?  ;) 

Monica:  On a vaguely unrelated note, I *really* like the cover of this book.  I think it’s the actual photo of Alcatraz – it’s easy to sort of idealize the place, because you’re seeing it through Moose’s eyes, but that photo really shows how stark and forbidding the island was.

SHEL: That's a really good point.  I like that the photo is there as well.  It helps ground the story in the history.  

Monica:  You know what else helps?  The author notes.  Although we’re not there yet….


Shel:  Cheater!




So, that concludes our first discussion.  We'll continue with the next sixty-ish pages to finish Part One on Friday.  Hope to talk to you then!