At our last meeting, we discussed "The Film Club," a memoir by David Gilmour. One the surface, the book can be seen as just a story about a father's unusual tactics to get his son to go back to school. But there is so much more going on here. The book is as much about the son as it is about the father. Gilmour's struggle to steer his son in a more positive direction forces him to recognize his own short-comings and ultimately, I think he grows and learns as much as, if not more than, his son. One of the things that we discussed and all thought was a unique and admirable thing was Gilmour's relationship with his wife and ex-wife. He's able to do what most people only wish they could which is to put aside any grievances they may have after a relationship is over and work to build a new kind of relationship. This is especially crucial when dealing with relationships that involve children. Even Gilmour's new wife is able to join in the fold and not feel intimidated by the obvious strong bond that Gilmour continues to have with his ex-wife.
Another topic that came up was whether or not we believed that Gilmour allowing his son to quit high school was a good thing. There were view points on both sides of the spectrum.
For the purposes of the blog, here are a few questions:
How did Gilmour's plan to get his son to go back to school ultimately work?
How did Gilmour's plan affect his relationship with his son?
