This was our second morning meeting and Linda, our host, provided some lovely muffins, coffee and tea. Perfect! Present were Betty, Carla, Colette, Linda, Michèle, Sharon and Shirley.
After a great chat discussing summer projects, we discussed Michèle's book choice The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb.
Camilla Gibb is the author of four novels—Mouthing the Words, The Petty Details of So–and–so’s Life,Sweetness in the Belly, and The Beauty of Humanity Movement—as well as numerous short stories, articles, and book reviews. She has won several awards and is presently teaching at the University of Guelph and at the University of Toronto.
The story takes place in Vietnam after the American War. The Communists have taken over and life is a struggle especially for the poorer people. Hung the senior, and Pho maker, best soup in Hanoi, has several people around him that he considers family. His next door neighbour, Lan who no longer talks to him but that he still provides her with food, Tu and his father Binh who are the son and grandson of his dear friend and artist Dao. When Maggie, the American Vietnamese young woman arrives in the picture, looking for her father who was also an artist, she also becomes part of his family.
"The old man as special power - he is the heart of this place, was the heart of the Beauty of Humanity Movement - he brings people together, keeps them fed. " pg 252
All members very much enjoyed the story. All said that the writing, the text was soothing even when difficult aspects were described, the words, the descriptions were easier to read. There was romance and intrigue. The story kept you reading, wanting to know what would happen next to Hung and his family/friends. Would Maggie find clues about her artist father?
There is a happy ending enjoyed by many of our members. Some however felt that the end was too wrapped up in a ribbon, Hung has a shop again, he and Lan are talking and together serving the family and clients of the new shop. Artists and professors from the Hanoi University of Fine Arts have a table at the shop. Maggie has found her father's story and one of his paintings hangs in the shop. It is all happy endings wrapped in a ribbon, leaving you with a warm, soothing feeling.
