Winning isnยt always a good thing. Just look at Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. The novel chronicles the disastrous actions set in motion when nine-year-old Eliza wins a spelling bee. Compared to her cantor/scholar father, her lawyer mother and overachieving older brother, Eliza was previously thought to be the familyยs one dull spot. But winning the bee changes everything. Her father begins to devote all his time to his budding champion, leaving her older brother out in the cold. Her mother remembers her own potential as a youngster and realizes that, despite her seemingly happy life, she remains unfulfilled. Elizaยs win starts the unexpected unraveling of her family. Discuss this acclaimed debut novel during todayยs Lit Wits Book Club meeting. Noon. Central Library, 500 McKinney. For information, call 832-393-1313 or visit www.houstonlibrary.org. Free.
Tue., Dec. 9, noon, 2008
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2008.