Dear Readers

[donelsonj]

I have not finished the book, but I am about 1/3 of the way through. I have enjoyed the book so far. It is not the fastest read, but it is one of the most descriptive novels that I have read recently. When I read about Mary and Cobb and the river, I can picture where they are and what they are doing. I am a camper and love the outdoors. Reading this book makes me feel like I am there with them, experiencing the great outdoors. I do not quite understand the "bear" references. I just got to the wedding enactment with the Chungamunga girls.

When Mary takes the girls to the deer carcass and tells her crow stories, I feel like I am back in my Girl Scout days, camping and hearing tales. I have really enjoyed the experience of this book so far. Keep up the good work!

[mv5ocean]

Joseph,

Thanks so much for the opportunity to discuss what so far is an astounding read.

I look forward to relishing the rest of the book!!!

[blkeyesuzi]

Welcome, Joseph. I'm so thrilled to be joined by the author of this lovely novel. Rarely do readers have the opportunity to have an author's input regarding the books they devour. So many times I read a book and have questions regarding the book and would adore having the opportunity to ask the author my questions. It is such a wonderful layer to the reading experience! Thank you for taking the time to join us, answer questions, and provide your knowledgeable feedback. I hope you enjoy this FirstLook experience as much as I do!

[chris227]

This post will just be an echo of those before. 

Thank you so much Joseph for the opportunity to read and discuss the book with you.  The First Look discussions are great.  I am just about to start the second section and I must say that this is an amazing book!!  I have fallen in love with the story and I think your descriptions are fantastic, they give a wonderful picture without being too much.  I also think you have a wonderful way with words.  I have marked so many lines and passages that I will have a hard time later choosing just once for a favorite quote!!  Thank you again for sharing this wonderful story with us!!

[LadyMin]

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to join us in the discussions. I am looking forward it.

I'm enjoying reading about Mary and Cobb and their love of nature and I am quickly getting to know them. I too love the outdoors and the animals and even the water, although I find floating down a river somewhat intimidating.

[mgorbatjuk]

Thank you for sharing this book with us. I'm not too outdoorsy but these woods are very easy to imagine. I can envision a bear turning into a person and a person going back to the woods to turn back into a bear. I can see the crows flying thru fire and turning black which turns into all colors. I never pictured a crow in such a respected light before but I'll look at crows differently from now on.

[ethel55]

Welcome!

I think I am more intimidated by the presence of an author for the whole discussion but maybe it goes a bit both ways.

I have almost finished Eternal on the Water and I have been really enjoying it.  I want to thank you for giving us this opportunity to have a first look at it!  I don't want to say too much because of "spoilers" and where we are in the discussion on only this second day, but there are some great touches in the novel that really shine.  Thanks for writing such an eloquent story! 

[BookWoman718]

Hello again Joseph,

First of all, I want to thank you for treating Mary's resolve to decide the moment and the means of her own death in such a sympathetic and respectful manner.  I wish our laws and the ethical beliefs behind them displayed such understanding and allowed for that kind of compassion for the patient and family facing end-of-life issues.  Despite spelling out wishes in a Living Will and writing very specific instructions to an executor and heirs, most of us must live with knowing that some unwanted medical intervention may well keep us alive in some desperate situation we want no part of.  I pray books like "EOtW"  move us in a more open and loving direction. 

Second,  I think your vivid descriptions led me to persist in 'seeing' more than 'hearing' the characters you wrote.  The wonderful settings were so real and so much a part of the story, from the green wilderness of the river, right through to the round window, all the visuals were powerful.   The voices were, too, of course, but I admit I have no sense of the timbre of Cobb's voice or the pace of Mary's speech, for instance.  The words were often wise;  I appreciated that.  The stories were touching, clever, imaginative.  

In a certain sense, this story of a perfect love mirrored the animal tales.   I find Mary and Wally as charming but essentially unbelievable as Bunny and Madrid.  All the good guys (almost everybody in the book) are so completely and totally GOOD;  generous, wise, forgiving, even-tempered, faithfully loving.  Are we to understand that the book, like the stories within it, is a vehicle meant to charm and teach, rather than depict a realistic relationship in the real world?   Please understand, I enjoyed the book as a whole, and found parts of it beautifully written, instructive in an enthralling way.  This is surely how friends SHOULD be made, and how they SHOULD support, this is how a mother, a brother, a father SHOULD act.  This is, maybe, even how love SHOULD manifest itself?   But does it, really?   Over a period of years?

So I am left wondering, is this meant to be a realistic novel?  Or is it meant as a beautiful modernistic fable?

Again, thanks so much for joining us!

[kch]

I Just finished reading Eternal on the Water...

It is beautiful story and I will be sharing it with a few friends when I am done with this discussion. Thank you for sharing it with us.

As a couple other people have stated I to find the characters a little unrealistic. They are too good and too wise. Mary, herself is for the most part a good and wise person and she is surrounded by only good and wise people...In stories I guess the author gets to chose who makes it in and who doesn't, why not fill it only with the good.

I did love the story though. I live about 30 miles from the southwest end of Yellowstone Lake (it is 70 mile drive to get there though). I have seen the buffalo and love taking my daughter there to see their little red babies in the spring. We had an orphan baby moose, an early spring baby by the looks of him, live on and off this summer in my backyard. I love reading about the wildlife it is a big part of the world I live.

Thank You again.

Make it a good one.

[mediamissy]

Dear Joseph,

I am honored to be among the many who are reading this book.  I like others have stated am actually intimidated in a way because like others I hope to get the answer right.  Of course that is the beauty of reading.  So many view points on the same story.

I have begun the book and am enjoying the Mary and Cobb and the other characters and the setting immensely.  Each night I am sneaking away from the world to a quiet place where I can sit and read a little bit more.  I look forward to going on this journey with you.

[HannibalCat]

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Vermontcozy wrote:

Good Morning Joseph,Even though I posted the other day,I felt compelled to agree with PB684,I am very attached to Cobb and Mary..and will not go any further than chapter 8..We are thrilled to have you here,I think I speak for the group,and Monday will be just amazing ...Vtc

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PB684 wrote:

Dear Joseph,

I think you will find that we are a very welcoming group of voracious readers.There will be the fair share of probing questions but I am sure that is what you are hoping for. I received my book shortly after the holidays and have completed the first section. I am now finding it very difficult to put down until the discussion officially begins. I find that I can usually judge my reaction to a book in the first few chapters...In this instance it was the first few paragraphs. I recall putting the book down and telling my husband that I would be sobbing by the end of this one! I was immediately captured by your writing style and feel a personal attachment to your characters...but enough for now...I will wait for the fun to begin next week!

Good luck and welcome to First Look

Paula

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Gotta throw in my two cents worth. I love the characters, the setting and the voice of this novel. I am in agreement with you and PB684. I think I have seen a great deal of agreement on this book so far. The discussions should be amazing. Lots of interesting readers are in this club. The fun has started!!

[Vermontcozy]

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HannibalCat wrote:

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Vermontcozy wrote:

Good Morning Joseph,Even though I posted the other day,I felt compelled to agree with PB684,I am very attached to Cobb and Mary..and will not go any further than chapter 8..We are thrilled to have you here,I think I speak for the group,and Monday will be just amazing ...Vtc

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PB684 wrote:

Dear Joseph,

I think you will find that we are a very welcoming group of voracious readers.There will be the fair share of probing questions but I am sure that is what you are hoping for. I received my book shortly after the holidays and have completed the first section. I am now finding it very difficult to put down until the discussion officially begins. I find that I can usually judge my reaction to a book in the first few chapters...In this instance it was the first few paragraphs. I recall putting the book down and telling my husband that I would be sobbing by the end of this one! I was immediately captured by your writing style and feel a personal attachment to your characters...but enough for now...I will wait for the fun to begin next week!

Good luck and welcome to First Look

Paula

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Gotta throw in my two cents worth. I love the characters, the setting and the voice of this novel. I am in agreement with you and PB684. I think I have seen a great deal of agreement on this book so far. The discussions should be amazing. Lots of interesting readers are in this club. The fun has started!!

Hi HannibalCat,....   Glad to see you on board.I feel that we will be discussing 'EOTW" for a very long time.I am so glad that with all the diverse answers,we all seem to be in agreement,that "Eternal on the Water" has captured our hearts.I am into chapter 10,and next week Joseph will be joining us,that will be a chance to ask him about everything we want and need to know about this amazing book.,only up to Chapter 11...Readers who have finished the book,probably will have a chance as well..Maybe a separate thread..Thats seems fair...Vtc....

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[EiLvReedn]

Joseph, now having read your introduction I understand how Mary and Cobb work so well together. They are old friends of yours! I love them and I love this story. I literally have not been able to put the book down and will finish it tonight. Thanks for this great opportunity!

[shelley727]

Hello Mr. Monning ,

I am looking forward to reading your book.  I really enjoyed the video and seeing where you live and work.  It looks like such a peaceful place.  I just received my book today and am looking forward to taking this journey with you, the characters and the rest of the readers.  Thank you for sharing your book with us.

Shelley

[boadiccea]

Thank you so much for bringing your work to us for a first look! I appreciate your work and your trust in us to give feedback.

Beth

[Susan57]

Dear Joseph,

I want you to know that I am enjoying your book.  I am a New England girl and have enjoyed the woods that are such an important part of this story.  There's a level of existence one experiences in the wilderness that brings a sense of truth to our actions.  I love it when Cobb says "just be" as he is about to enter the rapids in either late chap. 7 or early chap. 8.  We try to control so much, but with nature, it's not a matter of controlling, but of feeling and being part of what she is about.  It brings me back to the 70s when I lived in western MA.  Life wasn't complicated, people were real, and we took the time to enjoy the rigors of nature.  I'm not sure you intended for people to reflect on what is important, but I am. 

Live simply

Susan

[brainlair]

We all need to avoid that crutch of "i'm just going to do better next time" and live like Mary, fully now.This novel reads so beautifully, I believe that's what you did. The pictures are clear and the voices ring true. I absolutely love The Chungamunga Girls and the wedding was my favorite.  I can't wait to meet my Cobb!

[CKindianCB]

Dear Joseph,

Thank you for allowing us to share this book with you. I am half way through and I love your writing style and your wonderful characters, from Mary and Cobb to the adorable Chungamunga girls.  Looking forward to the discussions.  Thank you again.

Carol

[AIRKNITTER]

Good Morning Mr. Monniger,

Your book is giving us a view of the world we may never see for ourselves. Thank you for sharing Mary and Cobb.

BTW: Where  in this world did you 'learn' all those wonderful knock-knock jokes?

Aine

[Vermontcozy]

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AIRKNITTER wrote:

Good Morning Mr. Monniger,

Your book is giving us a view of the world we may never see for ourselves. Thank you for sharing Mary and Cobb.

BTW: Where  in this world did you 'learn' all those wonderful knock-knock jokes?

Aine

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I had the same thought and actually wrote it down as a question,an icebreaker so to speak.Thanks Aine..Being a New Englander,I must say Joseph has taken all of us on a journey to places,I never really knew existed.Its a learning experience for all.The Allagash,a must visit for me...Vtc