Intergenerational book club meeting

Our book club used the holiday to invite members of our local library's Teen Advisary Board to attend a meeting and discuss The Hunger Games.  Besides the pizza, which was awesome, we all discussed what we did, and didn't like about the book. We were divided on whether or not we would have children in such a society, but the majority of either age agreed they would take the chance and hope for a better tomorrow. Several people saw Haymitch as one of the more imortant and sympathetic characters, even viewing his alcoholism and like of children as his personal resonse to the situation (even without reading book two).  And one young man saw Katniss' mother as the most endearing character, outside of Katniss herself.

One thing all ages had in common. No, it's not great literature. Yes the story is empowering for girls. The teens were especially impressed with the parts about Katniss learning to defend herself.

Naturally talk turned to history and war, and to the current spate of reality programs (Survivor and The Amazing Race dominating). We also discussed politics and the need for personal stylists so you can look good and garner sponsors, ahem votes. The sad part was how the viewers in the capital were able to distance themselves from the idea they were watching real children be killed.  Just the way some of the adults and teens in our group admitted they could distance themselves from the all-too-real violence thy see on their TV screens.