Im a member of a small, informal, friends and friendsoffriends book club. Book club made me read it sophies choice literate ape. William styrons writing verges on the faulknerian, if only faulker had been a bit more interested in describing the curves of a fine womans ass. If you are in a good place emotionally, then sophies choice will change all that. Sophies choice begins as a young southerners odyssey to the unimaginable northto that strange land celebrated by his hero, thomas wolfe, who took the allnight train to new york with its riches, its women, and its romance. Lee child, one of the most successful thriller writers of his generation, chooses sophies choice as the new selection for the wsj book club. Sophies choice is a 1982 american drama film directed by alan j. Free download or read online sophies choice pdf epub book. Winner of the 1980 national book award, sophies choice is william styrons classic novel of love, survival, and regret, set in. In fact, i would say that if you dont happen to be in a good place emotionally, avoid it. Hell be taking your questions about his pick, sophies. It is betraying nothing to reveal that the character of stingo is the alter ego of william styron, upon whose bestselling novel the film was based. Sophies choice, novel by william styron, published in 1979, that examines the historical, moral, and psychological ramifications of the holocaust through the tragic life of a roman catholic survivor of auschwitz set in the late 1940s, the novel is narrated by stingo, a young southern writer who is the authors thinly veiled alter ego.
Sophie s choice is a 1982 american drama film directed by alan j. This study guide consists of approximately 80 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of sophie s choice. Sophies choice topics for discussion william styron this study guide consists of approximately 80 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of sophies choice. This novel was chosen by members of on the southern literary trail as a group read for september, 2014. His stifling ninetofive job at a publishing company kills his spirit and his hopes, and the young man quickly becomes jaded. Sophies choice, novel by william styron, published in 1979, that examines the historical, moral, and psychological ramifications of the holocaust through the tragic life of a roman catholic survivor of auschwitz. This awardwinning novel of love, survival, and agonizing regret in postwwii brooklyn belongs on that small shelf reserved for american masterpieces the washington post book world. Thriller writer lee child chooses sophies choice wsj. Stingo peter macnicol, a young writer, moves to brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel.
The first edition of the novel was published in 1979, and was written by william styron. The holocaust becomes a breathtaking personal drama, in the midst of a vast cataclysm, in william styrons sophies choice, a big and questing novel with autobiographical elements and a fearless determination to explore a particular human dimension of a historical nightmare. Effective, researchbased skin care that keeps its promises. William styron 19252006, a native of the virginia tidewater, was a graduate of duke university and a veteran of the u. Jul 20, 2016 but surrounding the shocking choice sophie had to make in a holocaust internment camp is a complicated narrative that draws. Sophies choice by william styron book read online scribd. Nathan, his charismatic but violent jewish neighbor. Much is made in the book of sophies blonde, blueeyed good looks, how a certain amount of special treatment helped her survive the concentration camp, how it showed the nazis to be insane about the whole aryan thing, and how her. William styron s novel of choices, hobson s and otherwise this novel was chosen by members of on the southern literary trail as a group read for september, 2014. Books similar to sophies choice goodreads share book.
Sep 03, 2014 this months wsj book club host is thriller writer lee child, author of the bestselling jack reacher books. Stingo, a young aspiring writer from the south, and the jewish scientist nathan landau and his lover sophie, a polish catholic survivor of the german nazi concentration camps, whom he befriends. Discussion with novelist william styron library of congress profile. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are stingo, nathan landau. The bookofthemonth club the oprahs book club of its time paid my. No matter how you may feel about the story, sophie s choice is worth watching simply for the pleasure of watching meryl streep act. One is stingo, who remembers these people from that summer in brooklyn, and who also remembers himself at that much earlier age. Once again, nprs scott simon summed it up beautifully. She failed in this attempt and, ultimately, never learned of her sons fate. Sophies choice by william styron, 9780099470441, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Download or stream sophie s choice by william styron. How could sophies choice ever have been banned in america. Sophies choice tells the story of three young friends who lived in brooklyn in 1947.
Also of relevance was the celebration, in october 2006, of the birth. Buy a cheap copy of sophies choice book by william styron. His books include lie down in darkness, the long march, set this house on fire, the confessions of nat turner, sophies choice, this quiet dust, darkness. The novel speaks through the voice of styrons alter ego, a polite young tidewater virginian called. Sophies choice by william styron penguin random house audio. Best southern books for your book club best southern books for your book club. Download or stream sophies choice by william styron. Pakula, who adapted william styrons novel of the same name. Sophies choice questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on. This months wsj book club host is thriller writer lee child, author of the bestselling jack reacher books. Pdf sophies choice book by william styron free download. West iii this book first published 2007 by cambridge scholars publishing 15 angerton gardens, newcastle, ne5 2ja, uk british library cataloguing in publication data a catalogue record for this book is available from the british library. It concerns the relation between three people sharing a boarding house in brooklyn. The other narrator, contained within stingos story, is sophie herself, who remembers what happened to her during world war ii, and shares her memories with stingo.
The movie, like the book, is told with two narrators. Only at the end of the book does the reader also learn what became of sophies daughter. Sophie s choice tells the story of three young friends who lived in brooklyn in 1947. Styrons prose is engaging and fittingly achingly beautiful. Stingo insists that they start a family, but sophie has yet to tell him her final secret her choice. And sophies choice will probably draw similar accusations about styrons use of the holocaust.
In this past weekends weekend edition saturday his piece banned books remind us of the power of the written word, he said. The heroine of william styrons sophies choice is a creature of such extravagant and contradictory attributes that it isnt always easy, while reading the. More than once in this smugly autobiographical novel, styron pouts about how his last book, the confessions of nat turner, drew accusations of exploitation, accusations that i had turned to my own profit and advantage the miseries of slavery. Download sophies choice audiobook by william styron. Sophies choice is undoubtedly one of the best books of the 20th century or any century for that matter. Everyone gets an opportunity to pick a book for the book club to read. Aug 28, 2014 lee child, one of the most successful thriller writers of his generation, chooses sophie s choice as the new selection for the wsj book club. Reading strategies for sophies choice wsj book club. Stingo, a young aspiring writer from the south who befriends the jewish nathan landau and his beautiful lover sophie, a polish survivor of the german nazi concentration camps. Buy sophies choice vintage classics new ed by styron, william isbn.
This week, we discuss reading strategies for his selection, sophies choice. Sophies choice william styron page 15 read online free. Great books, beginning with the bible have the power of the word to upset and inspire. Sophies choice and the burden of commentary book marks. Picking up nathans book of emily dickinson poems, stingo recites ample make this bed, as if he were delivering a eulogy at a funeral. It contains the major themes of his previous fiction, embodying his loves of the south and of literature, his experience of war, and his quest. Shira nayman, an australian native, has just published a collection of short fiction about the holocaust called awake in the dark, a portion of which has been set to music. The choice is between two unbearable options, and its essentially a nowin situation.
It concerns the relationships between three people sharing a boarding house in brooklyn. This months wsj book club host is thriller writer lee child. Stingo, the narrator, is a southern boy, born and bred, who moved to new york with the ambition of becoming a writer. All of our books with dustjackets are shipped in fresh, archivalsafe mylar protective sleeves. Maw s at times is conceives his score as movie music with an emphasis on getting the words across. Stingo later goes back to the building where he met sophie and nathan, only to find everybody in a state of shock.
But the book garnered overwhelming praisesophies choice was. And sophie s choice will probably draw similar accusations about styron s use of the holocaust. Meryl streep stars as sophie, a polish immigrant who shares a boarding house in brooklyn with her tempestuous lover, nathan kevin kline in his feature film debut, and a young writer, stingo peter macnicol. Meryl streeps incomparable performance in sophies choice. Such an impassioned relationship gives sophies choice a strange melodramatic tilt, which is perhaps the films biggest flaw. Sophies choice by william styron overview three stories are told. Reading strategies for sophies choice wsj book club u. The wall street journal book club is hosting a discussion with thriller writer lee child. It is a bleak and tragic story told by a naive, egotistical narrator preoccupied with getting his dick wet. Winner of the national book award and a modern classic, sophies choice centers on three characters. Nazi germany and the injustices we see every day in the world around us injustices that, before reading sophies choice, we mightve been prone to gloss over or ignore. Joyce is the founder of mutig pte ltd, based in singapore. Lee child, one of the most successful thriller writers of his generation, chooses sophie s choice as the new selection for the wsj book club. Oct 16, 2014 the wall street journal book club is hosting a discussion with thriller writer lee child.
The scene in which we discover the facts behind sophies choice is a gutwrenching one. From the novel and film of the same name, an impossibly difficult choice, especially when forced onto someone. Dec 10, 1982 the heroine of william styron s sophie s choice is a creature of such extravagant and contradictory attributes that it isnt always easy, while reading the novel, to imagine her in the flesh. All of our books with dustjackets are shipped in fresh, archivalsafe mylar.
Pakula and starring kevin kline, peter macnicol, stephen d. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. Look around the world or through history and see what happens continue reading how could sophie s choice ever have. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 562 pages and is available in paperback format. Sophie s choice is undoubtedly one of the best books of the 20th century or any century for that matter. His stifling ninetofive job at a publishing company kills his spirit and his hopes, and the. That very day, william styron began writing the first chapter of sophies choice. Pakula, who adapted william styron s novel of the same name. First published in 1979, this complex and ambitious novel opens with stingo, a young southerner, journeying north in 1947 to become a writer. The choice is between two unbearable options, and it s essentially a nowin situation. Read chapter 1 of sophies choice wsj book club speakeasy. Find books like sophies choice from the worlds largest community of readers. A contemporary casebook xi portrait of vichy france.
They didnt have to ponder the choice of the book for long. Sophies choice novel project gutenberg selfpublishing. Hell be taking your questions about his pick, sophie s choice. Open since 1st december 2017, soho is the next evolution in the sophies story.
Sophie s choice is centered on a scene in auschwitz where sophie has just arrived with her tenyear old son and her sevenyear old daughter and a sadistic doctor, presumably doctor mengele, tells her that she can only bring one of her children. She loves traveling the world, and has done plenty. His books include lie down in darkness, the long march, set this house on fire, the confessions of nat turner, sophies choice, this quiet dust, darkness visible, and a tidewater morning. William styrons novel of choices, hobsons and otherwise this novel was chosen by members of on the southern literary trail as a group read for september, 2014. The main fault of the opera is that the libretto by the composer, much of it taken from the book, is overly long. As he becomes friendly with sophie meryl streep and her lover nathan kevin kline, he learns that sophie is a holocaust survivor. A contemporary casebook, edited by rhoda sirlin and james l. Hell be taking your questions about his pick, sophies choice. The opera sophies choice based on the book by william styron is a powerful story. Best southern books for your book club southern living. The plot ultimately centers on a tragic decision which sophie was. To what degree do you believe sophie shares her father s antisemitism prior to the war. Raising awareness of the importance of reading in early childhood education while spotlighting the need of early education reading programs in low income areas.
The holocaust becomes a breathtaking personal drama, in the midst of a vast cataclysm, in william. Goodreads members who liked sophies choice also liked. Shop our exquisite collection of darling girls spring and summer outfits that are perfect for play, fancy and fun. Stingo is led up to sophie and nathans room where he finds they have committed suicide.
Sophies choice is a 1979 novel by american author william styron. She recounts the night she arrived at auschwitz with her children, and of how a nazi officer forced her to choose life for one child, and death for the other. William styrons sophies choice is a landmark of mid20thcentury american fiction an impressively fat novel that most literate americans. From the novel and film of the same name, an impossibly difficult choice. He selected william styrons 1979 novel, sophies choice, and will lead a. Thriller writer chooses sophies choice lee child, the bestselling creator of toughguy jack reacher, makes a surprising recommendation for the wsj book club.
700 550 1129 472 52 1229 600 129 851 577 487 1493 313 223 1073 753 575 908 1375 777 51 137 1414 647 1269 571 1512 643 955 1471 1178 4 692 58 659 1466 1153 518 1152 433 585