Sammy's Hill: Discussion #1

Welcome everyone! This is our first discussion over April's Group Read, Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore.  Any and all are welcome to participate.  You can have already read the book in the past, currently be reading, start up and catch up with us, or if you just feel the need to comment on something mentioned.  We like to talk books.

Okay, so this is a painful read.  How stupid can one supposedly smart girl be? It hurts me to keep reading.  I mean really.  She is a fanatic about health care, yet is one big hypochondriac.  She is a domestic policy advisor, yet is incapable of  normal functioning half the time.  And has a HORRIBLE taste in men.  A disastrous approach to dating and I am sure if I thought some more I could keep 'em coming.  I think this is going to be a hard book to read for me because of how badly I want to wring her neck.

In theory, I love reading books about Washington and politics but this is just rough.   I want a smart girl, who makes smart decisions and kicks ass.  Not a klutzy, irresponsible, neurotic.

I think this quote from the NY times sums up how I am feeling...

This flighty bumptiousness makes ''Sammy's Hill'' a painfully frustrating read. Wacky behavior makes a poor substitute for comedy and strange tics for character; the many humiliations the author rains upon Sammy don't make her seem adorable, just slightly deranged. Sammy's little experiment in imaginary amputation, for example, results in her boarding the subway wearing nonmatching shoes -- and not just any nonmatching shoes ''but a tan sandal and a bright red sneaker.'' This is probably supposed to be a hilarious exaggeration of a mistake anyone might make, but the specifics here betray the other trait that undermines the whole book: Gore's maddeningly careless writing. I was more puzzled than amused that anyone able to dress herself could confuse tying a shoe and buckling a sandal. - Ana Marie Cox

1.) What do you think of Sammy's late night phone conversations with telemarketers? Have you or anyone you know started conversations with them? Or called them?

2.) What is your opinion of Aaron?

3.) Do you find it refreshing or heart-breakingly naive of Sammy to have such a positive/sunny view of her boss? How do you think she is going to recover from his 'betrayal' on the health care bill?

4.) Do you think that Sammy's quirks are funny and make her character or do you think there are too many quirks/weirdness that make her character unbelievable?

5.) What are your feelings on the current health care situation in America?

Next week's discussion covers Roadshow through Faded Luster (pg. 204) next Friday, April 15^th.