Summer House with Swimming Pool, by Herman Koch

Review: I greatly enjoyed this book, even though at times it was disturbing.  When I visited my PCP shortly after finishing the book I trusted that he had a different attitude towards his patients than Marc and did not recommend the book to him!  Given all the great books available, I can't say I would recommend this book to friends who ask me for suggestions, but I would tell them it is an engrossing book and that it did keep me reading and wanting to find out what happens next.  I also think it would make a good pick for a book discussion group.  I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review.

 

Characters

Ralph Meier – actor Judith – wife Two sons – Alex and Thomas Vera – Judith’s mother   Dr. Marc Schlosser Caroline – mother Two daughters –Julia and Lisa   Stanley Forbes – Dutch film director Emmanuelle – model   Dr. Aaron Herzl – Marc’s medical school professor

 

For discussion:

1. What did you think as you were reading the opening section about Dr. Schlosser's thoughts regarding his patients and his role in their medical care?
2. Were you surprised to read that Marc deliberately cut Ralph so that the cancer would get into his blood stream and spread?  Did you think this was realistic given what you knew about Marc so far?
3. Do you think Marc would still have done the act in the above question if he knew the real story about what happened to Julia?
4. Would you let your teen and preteen daughters be around naked men?
5. The narrator, Dr. Marc Schlosser, several times referred to life-changing moments and events (the beginning of chapter 25 for example, when he went to the beach).  Can you think of any such happenings in your life (but possibly not so dramatic and negative)?
6. Did Ralph and Judith have the right to allow Alex and Julia to go to the bar down the beach?  Would you have taken that responsibility and given permission?
7. Were you able to find any positive characteristics in the male characters?  Is so, what were they?
8. Discuss Dr. Herzl.  What role did he play in Marc's many actions and decisions?
9. Keeping in mind that this is fiction, is it a plausible story line?
10. When the Schlossers left the summer house early in the morning, what do you think Vera was trying to tell them?  (See end of chapter 36.)
11. What did you think about the way Marc and Caroline reacted to what happened to Julia?  What do you think they should have done?
12. Were you surprised that Marc and his family went to stay with Stanley in America?  Why did they go there?
13. Once you knew what really happened with Julia, did you think her long-term reaction was legitimate or logical?
14. Did you like the ending?  Was it satisfying or did you want to know more?

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com.  Click on the upper right link.