Brad Listi (BL): Three minutes, ladies and gentlemen.

Stewart O’Nan (SO): Gotta warm up my Magic 8-ball.

BL: (He’s not referring to cocaine, ladies and gentlemen.)

SO: I was gonna say — not a Belushi reference.

Part 2 of Room: “Unlying.”  Ma and JackerJack in continued confinement.  More information about the circumstances of their entrapment, the history of it, their bleak but resourceful day-to-day. A fuller picture of Ma’s past.  Her brother Paul.  Her parents.  Her hopes that they’re still alive.  (A reasonable expectation, considering she’s only 26.)

By request, we’re gonna open up a thread for those who have finished Room and want to discuss the full novel.  So a spoiler alert for any TNB Book Club members who have not yet had a chance to finish.  Do not read the comment board on this thread.

I’ve been a little bit outta commission this week, as my wife and I welcomed a baby daughter on Thursday—great timing, kid!—but I wanted to get the conversation started about Emma Donoghue’s Room, the first title selected for the new TNB Book Club, which kicks off this week.