Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Aug 21, 2018 edugyans last man bookershortlisted novel, half blood blues 2011, featured a black teenage music genius in hitlers germany. Esi edugyans halfblood blues may never climb to the top of bestseller lists, but her novel might well claim a lasting place among books that deal with jazz, both the music and its players. Somehow in that book edugyan managed to get across the effect of a great artistic gift. The first narrative strand is set in berlin and paris in 1940. Book club in a bag discussion questions half blood blues by esi edugyan 1. In paris 1940, the three remaining hottime swingers run take after exhausted take, trying to get. Despite the books blurb tantalising us with promises of a. Halfblood blues explores, among other things, the jazz era of the 1930s.
Half blood blues is a novel about music and race, love and loyalty, and marks the arrival of an extraordinarily gifted storyteller toronto star. In what ways does jazz affect the novels structure, the voice of its characters, the tone of the book. Esi edugyans most recent novel, half blood blues, won the 2011 scotiabank giller prize for fiction. Halfblood blues is portrait of musicians that swings. The arts and science book club brings together the entire college of arts and science in the study of a chosen book, culminating in a visit by the author. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Half blood blues unfolds from the point of view of a black jazz musician in germany at the outbreak of world war ii and captures the rhythms of jazz and the desperation of that era. In this novel, the fictional hieronymous hiero falk, around whom the plot revolves, is one of them a mischling or halfbreed from the.
But by this point edugyan has squandered a good deal of momentum, and, as any great jazz soloist knows, the secret to success is keeping the audience on their toes. It swings between present and past, north and south, east and west, black and white, art and violence, war and peace. Halfblood blues is the sort of ballsy, brave, explosive novel we see too rarely, and have been conditioned not to hope for. Book club in a bag discussion guide claringtonlibrary. The brilliant, bestselling, giller prizewinning novel. Though halfblood blues is a jazz book, its greatest strength lies more in the rhythms of its conversations and griffiths pitchperfect voice than in any musical exchanges. The books dual narrative centers around sidney sid griffiths, a journeyman jazz bassist.
May 9, 2018 half blood blues launches globe books online book club. Halfblood blues next up for book club vancouver sun. In paris 1940, the three remaining hottime swingers run take after exhausted take, trying to get one right before the s. It was a finalist for the man booker prize, the governor generals literary award for fiction, the rogers writers trust fiction prize, and was longlisted for the 2012 orange prize for fiction. Halfblood blues ebook by esi edugyan 9781466802841. Author interview esi edugyan, author of washington black.
In 2018, edugyan released washington black, which was longlisted for that years man booker prize. For your reference, we provided these half blood blues quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book. The action begins in 1939 berlin and then moves between 1992 berlin and poland, and 1939 paris. Feb 02, 2012 buy half blood blues main by esi edugyan isbn. What was your impression of the book when you first began reading. It was a disappointment that half blood blues doesnt actually exist as, by the time you have finished the book, you really want to hear this record. Half blood blues is the story of a group of black musicians trying to record a successful jazz album in the middle of wwii.
May 9, 2018 halfblood blues launches globe books online book club. One of the great achievements of half blood blues was its portrayal of a wildly gifted young trumpeter. Esi edugyans halfblood blues is a beautiful, chilling story about a black jazz musician caught in the inferno of nazi germany. A novel historical blending of the jazz scene in prewar berlin and occupied france, with the story of talented musicians dealing with their legal status as africanamericans, half bloods, and stateless people under threat from the germans. The winner is half blood blues, by esi edugyan, with 28 per. Halfblood blues styled without the hyphen in the uk edition is a fictional work written by canadian writer esi edugyan, and first published in june 2011 by serpents tail. Folks think a lifetime is a thing stretched out over years. In your opinion, should sid have stayed where he was when hiero was getting arrested in the coup, or do you think he should have defended his friend.
It is apparent from her previous novel, half blood blues, also a man booker prize nominee, that edugyan is fascinated by sounds and voices within her fiction. Halfblood blues can be compared to a jazz symphony with discrete movements, shifting moods and a complex chorus of human and instrumental voices. Half blood blues half blood blues audiobook, by esi edugyan. Halfblood blues by esi edugyan halifax public libraries. The novel won or was nominated for every literary prize in canadaand many international ones, too, including the prestigious man booker prize. Edugyan lives in victoria, british columbia, with her husband and daughter. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading half blood blues. Published in 2011, halfblood blues is the second book by esi edugyan, a black canadian author. Looping from nazioccupied berlin and paris to modernday baltimore and back, esi edugyans giller prizewinning halfblood blues is a haunting song of a novel. Secrets come to light in this visceral read following bandmate sid after the disappearance of his talented musician friend in nazi occupied paris. This book continues a conversation begun then, about the power.
The novel was also a canada reads contender in 2014, when it was defended by donovan bailey. Halfblood blues, won the 2011 scotiabank giller prize for fiction. At first i was concerned that the style of the voice might get in the way of. Griffiths friend and bandmate, hieronymus hiero falk, is caught on the wrong side of 1939 nazi ideology, and is essentially. Half blood blues, won the 2011 scotiabank giller prize for fiction. Still, taken with the books immersive, toetapping pace, these are minor passing notes. The story of half blood blues revolves around two africanamerican jazz musicians, sid and chip, as well as hiero, a wunderkind half german, half senegalese trumpet player. The vancouver sun book club will be discussing victoria author esi edugyans halfblood blues in january. To ask other readers questions about half blood blues, please sign up.
Esi edugyan to join bookclub discussion the globe and mail. A novel historical blending of the jazz scene in prewar berlin and occupied france, with the story of talented musicians dealing with their legal status as africanamericans, halfbloods, and stateless people under threat from the germans. Halfblood blues unfolds from the point of view of a black jazz musician in germany at the outbreak of world war ii and captures the rhythms of jazz and the desperation of that era. Looping from nazioccupied berlin and paris to modernday baltimore and back, esi edugyans giller prizewinning halfblood blues is an electrifying, musical novel about the cultural cost of racism and what were willing to surrender for love and art. Aug 08, 2018 one of the great achievements of half blood blues was its portrayal of a wildly gifted young trumpeter. I just finished reading halfblood blues by esi edugyan and i understand now why it was a finalist for the man booker prize, the giller prize, and the governor generals award. The calgaryborn writer is also the author of 2011 scotiabank giller prizewinning half blood blues. Halfblood blues is the story of a group of black musicians trying to record a successful jazz album in the middle of wwii.
Mar 04, 2012 though halfblood blues is a jazz book, its greatest strength lies more in the rhythms of its conversations and griffiths pitchperfect voice than in any musical exchanges. Published in 2011, half blood blues is the second book by esi edugyan, a black canadian author. Half blood blues esi edugyan mcnally robinson booksellers. He is the bassist in the germanafricanamerican jazz band, the hottime swingers. Esi edugyans most recent novel, halfblood blues, won the scotiabank giller prize for fiction, and was a finalist for the man booker prize, the governor generals literary award for fiction, the rogers writers trust fiction prize, and the orange prize for fiction. The hot time swingers, a popular jazz band, has been forbidden to play by the nazis. Half blood blues series and episode guides tv from radiotimes. Sidney sid griffiths is the main voice in this novel. Halfblood blues, the second novel by an exceptionally talented young writer, is an entrancing, electric story about jazz, race, love and loyalty, and the sacrifices we ask. The bestselling, awardwinning half blood blues is an entrancing, electric story about jazz, race, love and loyalty, and the sacrifices we ask of ourselvesand demand of othersin the name of art. After that, im hoping to use my quarantine time to finally read the books ive. Halfblood blues is an entrancing, electric story about jazz, race, love and loyalty, and the sacrifices we ask of ourselves, and demand of others, in the name of art.
The winner is halfblood blues, by esi edugyan, with 28 per. Halfblood blues amnesty international book club canada. Esi edugyans half blood blues is a beautiful, chilling story about a black jazz musician caught in the inferno of nazi germany. If the product is in stock at the store nearest you, we suggest you call or email ahead to have it set aside for you.
Edugyans musically educated ear allows her to transpose notes into words and back again. Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. You chose esi edugyans awardwinning novel as the book you want to discuss first. Ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book.
It is apparent from her previous novel, halfblood blues, also a man booker prize nominee, that edugyan is fascinated by sounds and voices within her fiction. Half blood blues by esi edugyan was one such book for me and so when we were choosing titles for the readers summer book club i. Edugyan lives in victoria, british columbia, and is married to novelist and poet steven price. Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Students, staff, faculty and alumni are encouraged to read the book in anticipation of the authors visit. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. Halfblood blues, by esi edugyan clarington public library. Looping from nazioccupied berlin and paris to modernday baltimore and back, esi edugyans giller prizewinning half blood blues is a haunting song of a novel. Jan, 2012 fiction beat out biography and essays by a large margin in our readers poll to choose the first title in the globes online book club. About the author esi edugyan has a masters in writing from johns hopkins writing seminars. Edugyans last man bookershortlisted novel, half blood blues 2011, featured a black teenage music genius in hitlers germany. Half blood blues is an entrancing, electric story about jazz, race, love and loyalty, and the sacrifices we ask of ourselves, and demand of others, in the name of art. The novel won the scotiabank giller prize in 2012 and was also shortlisted for the 2011 man booker prize and the 2012 orange prize for fiction.
Top 9 quotes from half blood blues free book notes. Sid griffiths, bassist with the hottime swingers, an american group performing in europe on the eve of world war ii, narrates this elegiac tale of lost love and the search for redemption. Its a powerful narrative, but its the vivid poetic voice that has stayed with me. Half blood blues series and episode guides tv from. The novel interweaves two chronologically distinct storylines, both revolving around journeyman jazz bassist sidney sid griffiths.
Despite all its problems, half blood blues remains a compelling read, and the climactic plottwist is little short of hairraising. The story follows the main character, sidney griffiths, as he recounts his experiences while touring through europe as a jazz musician prior to the great war. Halfblood blues launches globe books online book club. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. Their young trumpetplayer hieronymus falk, declared a musical genius by none other than louis armstrong, is arrested in a paris cafe. During sids time in berlin and paris, he meets one of the greatest trumpet players in history, hiero falk. Winner of the scotiabank giller prizeman booker prize finalist 2011an oprah magazine best book of the yearshortlisted for the governor generals literary award for fictionberlin, 1939. Dec 20, 2011 the vancouver sun book club will be discussing victoria author esi edugyans halfblood blues in january. The book won the scotiabank giller prize and was nominated for the man booker prize, the. Do you think that sid, the narrator, is at the heart of half blood blues. Fiction beat out biography and essays by a large margin in our readers poll to choose the first title in the globes online book club. The novel is enhanced by reference to genuine musicians such as bill coleman and the obscure arthur briggs both of whom played trumpet like heiro.
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