I thought it was just me! We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (Hardcover), We are All Completely Beside Ourselves, by Karen Joy Fowler, 5 stars, SOLVED. She has resolutely decided not to tell anyone anything about her family. Have you had your own experience of guilt, regret, or personal responsibility for something that greatly influence your sense of yourself and actions that you took or didn't take? Can someone recommend this novel. To what extent can you consider Fern a true sibling? Compassion begins with those who are smaller, weaker, and have less advantages than us. Title Discussion Questions (From the Lit Lovers) 1. Of regret? How were she and Fern, in the language of the novel, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves has generated a lot of hype and gathered a large amount of positive reception, including praise from authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin and Andrea Barrett. Fiction book about a human girl who was raised with a chimpanzee as her twin sister [s], We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves / Karen Joy Fowler -, book description field is one long spoiler-PLEASE CHANGE IT, Author Karen Joy Fowler at Studio City Branch LIbrary, Early Spring Book: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves / Karen Joy Fowler. How does Harlow Fielding’s whirlwind entrance into Rosemary’s world alter her trajectory through life? Find books by time period, setting & theme, Read-alike suggestions by book and author. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (Fowler) Article Index; Summary: Author Bio: Book Reviews: Discussion Questions: Full Version: Print: Page 2 of 4. How were she and Fern, in the language of the novel, "Same" and "NotSame"? Feb 2014, 320 pages, Book Reviewed by:Judy Krueger And I'm tired of hearing that just because I think animals deserve to be treated with respect and compassion that I don't care about humans. But undoubtedly the biggest boost of all was the inclusion on the shortlist for the Booker Prize. Fern was the property of the university. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. $39 for a year. 1. How did being co-raised with a chimpanzee impact Rosemary’s development? How does she still differ from them to this day? What does their relationship suggest about the compatibility of humans and primates? In what ways does We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves show that identity is formed through family and kinship? Are his extreme views and actions at all justified? Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. Each member of the Cooke family was dramatically-indeed, traumatically-affected by the loss of Fern. If so, how? One is Paradise Park. In what ways was she different from other, "normal" children? 2. Is animal experimentation ever justified? What do you think? Welcome back. Reader Q&A, I don't understand why the university had so much say in what happened to Fern, and why her parents had so little influence... Obviously it works perfectly for the drama of the story, but a) I don't understand it, and b) I don't like it! How does she still differ from them to this day? Early on in WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES, the character Rosemary Cooke tells the reader that she will start her story “in the middle.” Why is it important to her to skip the beginning? How many were genuinely surprised when, about 80 pages into the book, you discovered what it was really about? 2. Very confused. I'm looking for a winner, something people will find absorbing and be glad they read it. People know it, but they don’t mind what they don’t see. Discussion Questions: Full Version: Print: Page 1 of 4. Reading Guide |  Rosemary recounts many memories of the chimpanzee Fern and their brief life together. How does it impact the Cooke family’s interactions with each other? What does the author achieve by delaying our understanding that Fern is a chimpanzee? How do their responses enrich our understanding of these people? I've long heard that writers "shouldn't" trick readers this way, but I was totally gl. Readers’ questions about We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. Think about the significance of memory and storytelling in the novel. I have a friend who says humans will never get a grip on cruelty until they stop being cruel to animals. Rosemary recounts many memories of the chimpanzee Fern and their brief life together. Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Plume. Should they have handled Fern's leaving any differently? Discuss with relation to the novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. Would you recommend this book for your book group? Discuss how the characters experience loss and grief. ‘The world runs,’ Lowell said, ‘on the fuel of this endless, fathomless misery. In WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES, Karen Joy Fowler weaves her most accomplished work to date --- a tale of loving but fallible people whose well-intentioned actions lead to heartbreaking consequences. What is your opinion of Rosemary's brother, Lowell Cooke? How is Rosemary's memory-and, consequently, her narrative-affected by the emotional trauma she has experienced? Ask the Author. The story begins as Rosemary starts college. What was the big spoiler? ISBN-13: 9780142180822 Summary From the author of The Jane Austen Book Club, the story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. Reading Guide Questions Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers! How do their responses enrich our understanding of these people? The Spinster Book...: 'We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves' Discussion Thread (Something Li… 3 12: Oct 08, 2015 05:26PM FABClub (Female A...: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves group discussion (May '15) Alexa: 29 51: Aug 16, 2015 09:04AM A Million More Pages: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves: May 11: Shelby: 11 21 BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. May 2013, 320 pages Did they share a personal sense of guilt? Of responsibility for what happened? want to find someone who has read this. I cannot find a song with that title. How are animals represented in Fowler’s text? Did they share a personal sense of guilt? Discussion Questions We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves study guide contains a biography of Karen Joy Fowler, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The relationships that she forms at college? Beyond the Book |  How is Rosemary’s memory and, consequently, her narrative affected by the emotional trauma she has experienced? If so, how did these emotions manifest themselves in each family member? How many agree? Search: Welcome back. She was placed in a human family as an experiment, and when that experiment was over, Fern was like a test tube or a bunsen burner, or any piece of laboratory equipment, except that not many laboratories wanted her. All rights reserved. How did being co-raised with a chimpanzee impact Rosemary's development? © BookBrowse LLC 1997-2020. Departmental Liaisons and Library Subject Specialists, Baruch College Archives & Special Collections, Friends of the William and Anita Newman Library, First-Year Text: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. 2. What was the twist? Could the author have meant Palisades Park, a huge hit for Freddy Cannon? Reader Reviews. Can you relate to this experience? All this sounds like rich material for a novel, but there’s more. Humans (mistakenly) believe that they are. Why is it important to her to skip the beginning? What does their … Consider Harlow Fielding and Ezra Metzger's failed attempt to liberate monkeys from the primate center, both the motivations of these co-conspirators and the outcome itself. Discussion Questions 1. Are his extreme views and actions justified? Discussion Questions Early on in We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, the character Rosemary Cooke tells the reader that she will start her story “in the middle.” Why is it important to her to skip the beginning? Wasn't it revealed that Fern was a chimp early on? If so, how? A multigenerational story about two families bound together by the tides of history. How many words did you look up in the dictionary while you read this book? How were she and Fern, in the language of the novel, "Same" and "NotSame"? Author Did the order that the story is told affect how you understood the characters? Genres & Themes |  Are they good parents? Karen Fowler demonstrates that communication is crucial. Each member of the Cooke family was dramatically affected by the loss of Fern. Ha! I was confused until the revelation, and it just knocked me out! Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. In Karen Joy Fowler's 2013 novel, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, narrator Rosemary Cooke begins as a college coed at UC Davis.We learn about her family through flashbacks. Make them look and they mind, but you’re the one they hate, because you’re the one that made them look.’ Fern was the property of the university. Early on in We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, the character Rosemary Cooke tells the reader that she will start her story "in the middle." It's a smart group of women so I don't want to recommend a book that is not worth reading.