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Dynamics Book Discussion Club

Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend

Robert James Waller
 RC 37299, BR 9824
 Listening Time: 5 hours, 15 minutes

Abstract
 Michael Tillman is a middle-aged college economics professor in Cedar Bend, Iowa. He is a romantic loner, dedicated to questioning society, academia, traveling, and the Shadow, a motorcycle he has kept running since he was 15. He first meets 40-year-old Jellie Braden during a reception at the dean's home. They discover a shared passion for India and are immediately attracted to each other, but she is married to one of Michael's colleagues. When Jellie unexpectedly returns to India, Michael follows, and learns the secret Jellie has hidden for years. Some descriptions of sex.

Preliminary Questions
 How many people enjoyed this book? How many of you are wondering why we chose this romance novel for a book discussion?

Biographical Information [1]
Robert James Waller is a versatile artist who grew up in the tiny midwestern town of Rockford, Iowa. He attended the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls as an undergraduate, then earned his doctorate at Indiana University. He went on to become a professor of management, economics, and applied mathematics at his alma mater, eventually serving as dean of the College of Business and publishing in numerous professional journals. In addition to these accomplishments, he was also an all-conference college basketball player and is a dedicated musician and vocalist, playing guitar and flute as well as writing and performing original songs. On top of all that, Waller is a world-traveled photographer.

Discussion Questions

Michael:

  1. What are some similarities between the author and his fictional character Michael Tillman?

    • both are economics professors: the author formerly taught at the university in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the fictional character teaches at the university in "Cedar Bend, Iowa"
    • both have a long list of published works
    • both have traveled the world
    • both played basketball in college

  2. At the beginning of the novel, when Michael's first love Nadia leaves him, she says, "I'm beginning to think only children are raised to be alone." Do you think that is a valid statement, considering the only children you have known?

  3. What other aspects of Michael's background made him a loner?

    • his father's alcoholism
    • having to work extra hours in the family gas station
    • academic success

  4. What did you think about Michael's campaign to save the ducks? Did you ever find yourself crusading for an unpopular or slightly-ridiculous cause?

  5. Michael feels something akin to "love at first sight" when Jellie first walks into the faculty party. Did you ever feel that way? How did it work out?

Human Nature:

  1. Most people associate "love at first sight" with naïve teenagers, not middle-aged adults. Waller seems to be refuting that stereotype intentionally. Can you think of other stereotypes that the author debunks in this novel?

    • Jellie seems to be a typical dean's wife: stylish, proper, and educated; instead, it turns out that she struggled with weight-problems, disappeared for months in India aiding guerillas instead of completing her Master's thesis, and is disappointed with her dull husband and life
    • stereotypically, motorcyclists are not respectable college economics professors concerned about the welfare of displaced ducks
    • extramarital affairs are usually not the beginning of deep relationships

  2. The novel paints a picture of academic life, with Michael as a professor and Jellie as a student. Does this make you nostalgic for your college days? Or if you have never experienced college life, does it make you wish you had?

  3. At a dinner party, Jellie's mother tells the story behind her daughter's unusual nickname, which embarrassed Jellie for years. Did you have an embarrassing nickname "stuck" on you as a child, or know someone who did? What did you (or your friend) do about it?

  4. Jellie traces her taste in men back to her great-great-grandmother Elsa, the radical feminist and proponent of free love. Do you trace any of your traits or habits back to your relatives? Did you "inherit" a sense of humor, a knack for fixing things, a tendency to worry, athletic ability, or something else?

  5. Frequently, music can remind us of a specific memory. For instance, the first time Jellie saw Michael on his motorcycle, she heard Neil Diamond's 'Cracklin' Rosie' on the radio. It sticks in her mind, and "from that time on, she could be anywhere and hear 'Cracklin' Rosie,' and instantly she was back on the streets of Cedar Bend, looking at Michael on the Shadow." What songs take you back in time to a particular place, or remind you of a particular person or phase in your life?

Travel:

  1. When Michael describes India, from its smell of "smoke from factories, and open cooking fires, leaded gas, excrement from humans and animals" to the women in saris, the questionable transportation systems, and casual bribery of officials, do you get the feeling that he is at home there? Or at least more at home than he was as a college professor in Cedar Bend? Why?

  2. What places have you traveled to, and what do you remember best about them?

  3. One thing Michael and Jellie have in common is they have both spent time in India. This draws them together initially and creates a bond of camaraderie. Did you ever make a friend simply by discovering that the two of you had traveled to the same place, even if your respective visits were years apart?

Their Choices:

  1. Jellie eventually chooses Michael, the adventurous loner, and then India, over her husband Jimmy. She chooses to fulfill her personal needs at the expense of others'. Do you think this is justifiable? Would you make a different choice if you were her?

  2. Do you think the novel should have said more about the virtues of a peaceful, comfortable life? Do we actually like to lead the quiet life, but dream of a more exciting one?

  3. Do you think Michael and Jellie found a balance between the exciting life and the quiet life by the end of the novel?

  4. Michael chooses to follow Jellie from Iowa all the way to the heart of India. What were you expecting Michael to find at the Lake Palace? Did you think Jellie would be there for sure? Perhaps with another man? Or did you think she might have disappeared altogether?

  5. When Jellie returns to Michael at the cabin in White Bear Canyon, she does not tell him that she is coming. Why not? Do you think that she was unsure about returning?

Compare The Bridges of Madison County and Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend:

  1. Were you expecting another bittersweet ending? For example, did you think Michael was going to die after his motorcycle accident? Or did you brace yourself for Jellie to decide to stay in India?

  2. And which ending did you prefer: the tense, yet happily-ever-after ending of Michael and Jellie? Or the painful, yet understandable choices made by Robert and Francesca?

  3. Compare the characters of Michael Tillman and Robert Kincaid. In what ways are they similar or different?

    • both middle-aged, unmarried loners who like to travel
    • Michael writes essays, Robert creates photo-essays
    • both fall in love with married women, who return their feelings but eventually reject them
    • Michael fights his rejection and ultimately wins Jellie over, Robert respects Francesca's decision and resigns himself to life without her

  4. What does this comparison between Michael and Robert reveal about the author's intentions or preoccupations?

    • Waller explores two very similar characters' reaction to very similar rejections, illustrating the consequences of each one's choice

Themes:

  1. One of the novel's central concerns is love. What different kinds of love are explored in this story?

    • illicit love (Michael and Jellie)
    • deep love (Michael and Jellie gradually become soulmates)
    • passionate love (Jellie's relationship in India)
    • parental love (parents' reaction to Jellie's disappearances, Jellie's choice to leave her daughter)
    • simple affection (Jellie's almost fraternal love for Jimmy)
    • love for one's friends (Indian friend's concern for Jellie)
    • love for one's hobbies (travel, motorcycle maintenance, etc.)
    • blind love (Jimmy loves Jellie without really knowing or understanding her)

  2. Other than love, what are the main themes explored in this novel?

    • one's own needs and desires are more important than other people's expectations and feelings
    • even loners can be lonely
    • those who are proactive rather than passive will achieve their goals
    • a drastic change of scenery is a powerful tool for those seeking greater self-knowledge

  3. Does everyone understand now why we chose this romance novel for a book discussion?

    • interesting to compare and contrast two novels by the same author
    • to examine a different perspective on hard choices in life
    • happily-ever-after endings are fun!