Tag: book club kit

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What Will You Take? A Precious Ugly Book Club Activity

You can take five things in the canoe with you before you escape. What will you take?

In Precious Ugly, Clementine is thirteen years old and living in a van with her father, a preacher and cult leader, on a campsite in Harpers Ferry. She must decide if the miracle he promises will save her or destroy her.

It was an image that stuck with the girl, the woman standing in the middle of the road and staring at the driver and daring him to do something. And as the girl grew older she held to this image, held it close, wanting desperately to do the same, to stand in the road and stare him down, stare him down, but she was just a girl, his girl. She would always be his girl and what was in a stare anyway?

It is 1985. The country clings to faith under the threat of nuclear war, economic recession, and an AIDS crisis about which no one wants to speak. Clementine must rely on herself and strangers to survive the addictions and sins of her family and discover for herself what it means to be safe. What it means to be seen.

Book Club Activity

What five things should Clementine take with her in the canoe? Explain your choices, including how she might acquire them on the campsite.

The activity comes from the Precious Ugly Book Club Kit, along with discussion questions, historical context, music, recipes and further reading.

 

Download the Precious Ugly Book Club Kit

Explore the Book Club Kit

 

Spoiler notice: The kit discusses Precious Ugly in its entirety, including the ending.

Reading Precious Ugly with your book club? Invite Rae Cline to join the conversation.

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Rae’s Fried Catfish | A Precious Ugly Recipe

I learned to catch and clean catfish from my Pappy on the Ohio River. I learned to fry them at home from my Mammy.

In Precious Ugly, Mama doesn’t have all of these ingredients on the campsite. But this is the fried catfish recipe I use at home.

Ingredients

    • fresh catfish filets, preferably from the river
    • milk
    • olive oil
    • butter
    • fresh lemon
    • salt
    • pepper
    • onion powder
    • garlic powder
    • herbs de Provence
    • cayenne
    • sometimes Old Bay 🙂

Prep

    • Soak the filets in milk, refrigerated, for an hour or so
    • Drain filets then salt and let sit for a few minutes
    • Sprinkle pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs de Provence and a little cayenne or Old Bay, depending on your mood for heat

30 Minutes

The best part about fresh catfish from the river is that the prep is quick and the catfish is delicious.

    • Heat the skillet, high heat, add olive oil; when the oil is hot, gently lay each filet into the skillet
    • When the filets brown on  one side, turn over
    • Add butter and lemon while in pan

Remove the fillets from the skillet and rest on paper towels. When plating, add a little melted butter, lemon and salt to taste.