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Identify a passage or scene that embraces the spirit of Three Pines in The Grey Wolf. What does the phrase or scene mean to you? How does it inspire you?
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I love the moment of discovering Ruth and Rosa behind the couch.
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I thought the credit card scene was in keeping with the spirit of Three Pines. It all starts at home and with those closest to you, which wasn’t always the case as we know, but how wonderful it was to get that moment of surprise! It was an emotional moment for me.
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I think the fact that Gabri and Olivier forget to lock their doors so people like Ruth can come in and grab booze and food and Gamache can come right in to their bedroom and wake up Olivier reveals that they feel safe and trust their neighbors.
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An excellent example of the spirit portrays Armand and Rein Marie enjoying a beautifully peaceful day on their patio and as they face the phone rings, Ruth’s over-the-fence expletive because it isn’t addressed, and Rosa always there for a flair. It’s in its acknowledgment as a “haven,” and the humor surrounding the serious near-death situation where they heal by sharing jokes as to Gamache’s last words in their community living room at the inn. The times are serious and the friendship and family are up to the challenge.
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There’s one moment early in the book that stands out for me. It was when Reine-Marie was upset after Armand was caught up in the diner explosion but is reluctant to watch it on TV. Then Gabri, Olivier, Myrna, Clara, Ruth and Rosa all show up at her door at the same time to watch it with her. That they all immediately come to the same conclusion separately after seeing the news – that Reine-Marie needs emotional support – is so touching and very much the spirit of Three Pines. We all want friends we can count on in difficult moments.
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Also my choice. Again, the positivity of another’s presence. “How nice it was, how peaceful, thought Reine-Marie, to live in a place where bumbling was a virtue. Even a necessity. And where lives were intertwined.”
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I chose this same passage Tara. “Then as Clara took the chair beside her and held her hand, Reine-Marie watched.” And so it is in Three Pines. Where friends don’t ask what they can do to help they just know and act accordingly. When in your darkest hours you don’t have to ask for a hand to hold – it’s there. You don’t have to ask for a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes when we need help it’s the asking for it that is the hardest thing to say. It’s not that way in Three Pines. That’s why so many who are wounded and need to heal end up there until their wounds have healed. Sometimes they stay and become the healers.
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Beautifully and perfectly said, Libby.
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Libby, I think your comment is perfect too. Taking care of members of the community is just as important as taking care of oneself. Those who seem to understand and appreciate this are the ones who come and stay.
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Wonderfully, put, Libby. As you say, many in Three Pines have come there to be healed then in turn pay it forward by helping others heal. And sometimes the greatest gift to help someone in pain is just to be there for the other person.
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Every example fits for me but the immediately preceding example from Tara, Nancy, Libby and Susan W. is undeniably a perfect example. When individual people come to the same realization about what you might need and show up on your doorstep (Or simply walk right in, this is Three Pines after all) to be there with and for you, that is definitely the spirit of Three Pines.
Where so much of the story takes place somewhere else, this is a particularly interesting question. I find it an opportunity to go looking. But it ends in Three Pines.
Reine-Marie, Jean-Guy and Armand walk home from the bistro kicking the dried leaves on the village green. “That morning, while in his study, Armand had seen Billy Williams raking them into a large, neat pile. Ruth and Rosa were on the bench. ‘Their’ bench, as Ruth called it. Clara was walking out her front gate, through the crisp morning air, over to the bookstore to chat with Myrna. Woodsmoke was coming from the bistro chimney, as people began gathering for coffee and croissants.”
“An hour later, when he looked up from his reading, the leaves were scattered everywhere, thanks to the village children who’d leaped into the pile, laughing and rolling and throwing great handfuls at each other.”
The grandchildren were part of this crowd. I think Billy Williams intentionally did all of that raking so the village children could demolish the pile, for the fun it gave them. And kicking the scattered leaves that evening, looking at the village and their home gives Armand some respite.
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Excellent examples all. Jane, well done to find this tiny moment of raking leaves that demonstrates why the spirit of Three Pines is a place we all want to visit. Where community members go out of their way to do things for others, in this case, that thing is work. A chore that some people dislike. A thing that takes time and energy and, as with everything else in life, comes with an opportunity cost. But his choice was to provide opportunities of joy for others. To facilitate an activity that the kids could enjoy together, which could build stronger bonds between them, which could result in a closer, more tight-knit community. This is a community of people who truly care about their fellow members and the thoughtfulness they have for one another is apparent in big and small acts alike. This is the spirit of Three Pines.
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As I read all of your wonderful post about Three Pines, I wonder how much this village has influenced us to create a “village” just like it in our world. Looking at my friends in my neighborhood yoga class today I thought “these people are in my Three Pines”. Do you think reading these books has made us unknowingly create a village in our life? Perhaps it has made us a better neighbor? I know these books have influenced me in this way.
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I think you are probably right Nancy. I feel like I am more aware of who my Three Pines people are and more appreciative of their friendship. Having been introduced to Three Pines certainly has opened my eyes with regards to what true friendship is. Hopefully, I have learned how to be a better friend and neighbor.
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Wonderful point, Nancy. I would hope that these books have influenced readers to nourish and exude the spirit of Three Pines within ourselves. I believe that an appreciation for this attitude nudges us to aspire to live with the same philosophy and to seek out others who do as well.
Not only do I make the choice to surround myself with people who are more thoughtful to others in real life, I do believe I see that spirit clearly here on this site as well. Online communities sit somewhere between real life and fiction, where we see both worlds collide. We see fake profiles and keyboard warriors who are more rude and thoughtless than, I hope, they would be in real life. With bots and now Meta’s AI generated profiles, I fear that social media will become more artificial, steering groups to think and behave in directions that would not naturally occur offline and will benefit those who control the traditional and social media sites they operate.
But I’ve also seen and felt the kindness and thoughtfulness by our friends here on BCF. I see concern for others every day here. And I see, and deeply appreciate, the effort that our friends have made, and continue to make, to build and support our community. While I also appreciated the kindness and the contributions our friends made with posts and comments in our FB group, participation there was convenient. It is clearly incredibly inconvenient to participate here, which I completely understand, with reference back to luxury vs shack levels of experience. We will not see 89,000 members join us here from our FB group. But we will see our friends who value our community and are willing to take the effort to be a part of it and support it. And these are the people I want to surround myself with in real life. Everyone here on BCF is raking leaves to be here, which is why this has become a community where, in my opinion, the spirit of Three Pines truly does exist.
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Beautifully said! It does take some effort to be here, but it is more rewarding than on FB. It took some time to be comfortable here, but I participate more here than I ever did on FB.
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I feel safer here on BCF. Sure it’s taken some time to find my way around this site but what a grand place it is once I arrived here. Daily I admire the admins who work so diligently to keep this site safe, as user friendly as possible, and an online place to connect with kindness and compassion. Not only do we discuss what we share a passion for, our love for Louise Penny’s books, but we share tidbits about each other that are further building a common ground among us. We support each other with that cyber hand to hold when life gets a bit tough.
Thank you once again Jane Richmond for your dedication and working to build an online Three Pines where we can come together and enjoy each other, heal from whatever causes us aches and pains, and just be friends.
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The only perspective here that I don’t quite share is that this site is inconvenient to use; different, maybe a bit wonky at times, new and unfamiliar but I use tons of sites and not solely social media sites, City of ABQ sites, our neighborhood association site, health care sites. Everyone is different, some are more user friendly than others, some operate a bit more intuitively. But, at the end of the day, everyone was a learning curve to begin with. And, seriously, I have never found site administrators more accessible and engaged.
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Nancy, I appreciate your comment because what I value most about books in general is the meaning I can take away from my reads and apply to my own life. Can we, or do we, unknowingly or quite deliberately create a community that embodies the spirit of Three Pines? Does it influence us to be kinder to others? For me, I believe so. For other readers, I hope so.
Considering the amount of time individuals spend online, in addition to the fact that we meet to have these discussions on a social media platform, it seems fitting to speak to our online habits just as much as our lives offline. Choosing the environments we spend our time on is increasingly important.
I agree that I feel the spirit of Three Pines here. And I appreciate the effort that everyone here makes to cultivate a respectful culture of positivity and support.
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Nicely said, Susan W. And I totally agree.
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Everyone has picked the moments that stood out for me as perfect examples of the Three Pines spirit. One other passage that stood out for me was when LP describes the nature and wildlife in Three Pines. It’s in the dramatic moment where Gamache thinks he’s about to die and he envisions his backyard in Three Pines. “As David Lavigne shouted at him, he conjured up the backyard in early evening in the height of summer. Sitting with Reine-Marie. Listening to the rustle in the woods as a chipmunk scurried or a deer strolled by. On its way home. As he took Reine-Marie’s hand, he heard birdsong and the unruly cicadas, their call comforting now. And all around them fireflies danced. How lucky he’d been. To be of a last generation that believed it would last forever. The forests and clean rivers, the fresh air. His was the last generation, as it turned out.”
It’s wistful and emotional and I thought it was sad, like an elegy. Gamache is acknowledging the beauty of the natural world of Three Pines, but knows that it’s a world that is disappearing. Yet Three Pines is a haven for wildlife and the residents care and tend to nature. So I’m not sure it’s inspiring per se, but there is maybe some inspiration to be found in remembering to recognize the natural beauty around us, to be aware of it and cherish it.
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Reading the comments on this topic is giving me a sense of peace, and a lot of joy.
While all the moments that I would have picked have been described beautifully, I would add that some of the spirit of Three Pines is anchored in routines, both daily and seasonal. And the seasonal routines, like raking the leaves, connect this community with nature. Nature is my happy place (daily walks with my dog, Lucy) and I appreciate the calming effect of routines: the way they quiet my brain and put me on firm ground without effort.
And half of the fun of routines is breaking them and doing something different. Like spending the night in Montreal. Or going to Paris. Knowing that the village will be there waiting for you when you come back.-
Wonderfully, put Angie. I agree, routines do quiet the mind. There’s a quote in the book that perfectly captures this quality: “This was the Gamaches’ Sunday ritual. In lives so unpredictable, they found sanctuary in certainty. Even if just for a moment. Life was, after all, made up of tiny choices. Like a pointillist painting, no one dot, no one choice, defined it. But together? There emerged a picture. A life. Where to live, where to sit. What to eat, to drink, to wear. Whether to cut the grass or let it become meadow. What to say and, perhaps more important, what not to say.” I took it to mean that even if there are only tiny choices in a given day that may not seem to have any significant meaning, when taken all together they make a full, rich life.
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I love and appreciate all the examples you’ve all given so far. With each one mentioned, I could envision those scenes again, and remember what they conveyed. No matter where our main characters have gone in the world and whatever they’ve experienced “on the outside,” those moments of connection in Three Pines anchor them, strengthen them, and heal them. How nice to have a safe harbor to return to! A place where so much love, caring, and understanding flow. It’s a little place in a big world, but I like Armand’s thought, as he, Reine-Marie, and Jean-Guy take that moment to play with the leaves (as Jane previously mentioned): “Fall had come early. The seasons were shifting, becoming unpredictable. The weather had become turbulent, unsettled. But as they walked thought the dusk, past the three huge pine trees, to their home, all seemed right with the world. It might be an illusion, but Armand figured they could afford one, now and again.” This inspires me to try to keep that scene in mind, when I think of all the storms that the future may hold. To treasure good times and beautiful moments, and try to create them whenever possible, with people I love, if possible. In those moments, however brief they may be, things are indeed right with at least one little piece of the world, and that’s worth something.
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Beautifully said, Susan.
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Wonderful comments, everyone. This topic is always nice as a warm reminder of the heartwarming passages in Louise’s books that inspire us to be better neighbours and look for others who embrace the spirit of Three Pines. It is a big credit to Louise that she can inspire so many to be more positive, caring and grateful. Maybe the world would be a nicer place if more people read her books?
And I also have gratitude for this supportive environment because it is very clear that the spirit of Three Pines exists in everyone here.
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Thanks, mei lan! Absolutely agree about what I find here.
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Susan and Jane
Thank you for taking my thoughts and expanding on them. I agree that we need to create our own Three Pines by our choices in the people we spend time with and the way we interact with them.. When you combine my growth as a Christian, the influence of books such as LP’s, and my life experiences, I think I have unknowingly done just that by bringing some friends closer and creating distance from others. Three Pines is not perfect, sometimes we forget that, but it is a community of people who care about each other. Do you think they have withdrawn too much from the rest of the world? Do we have a responsibility to contribute to the outside world too? I struggle with that sometimes when reading the books. For example, in The Grey Wolf I’m not sure any of our favorite characters were involved in more than supporting Armand and kind of saying “go get them”. I’d love to hear the thoughts of others on this because you all have impressive memories of the books.-
Oh these are some great questions, Nancy! I am the first to admit that my memory is terrible for details, so I will not offer any insights from past books. But your philosophical questions are very thought provoking.
I don’t think Three Pines, as LP has written the village, has withdrawn from the outside world. I believe that the village is open and inviting to all who discover it and find it has something to offer to them, or as Libby mentions, it provides something the visitor needs. But I do think the to fit in well, the visitor or eventual fellow inhabitant needs to also offer something back to the community. And in that way, Three Pines is welcoming, but not a perfect fit for everyone who passes through. The village has businesses in the hospitality industry as well, so that is another indication that it is not withdrawn at all.
Do we have a responsibility to contribute? Yes, I do believe we do. And “outside” could have various meanings. Outside of oneself. Yes, definitely, unless you are self sufficient, living off-grid. But outside of oneself could just mean contributing to friends, family and local communities, because we do not live alone. We rely on others for many different things, so there is a responsibility to reciprocate. Contribute to our country and the world? That is more difficult I believe, and I was thinking about this all last night after reading the discussion comments here yesterday – mostly because of your comment and the resulting discussion, so thank you for sparking this thread.
As individuals, we can’t change elections with one vote. We can’t stop climate change by one person choosing to use a paper straw instead of plastic. But then we do know to vote and try our best not to harm the planet because if more and more people do the same, then there can really be an impact. If we take X as another example, one person leaving makes no difference, but I can see that more and more are not happy to support what is happening on that platform and whatever the owner’s agenda for its use. So now there is a huge growth in Bluesky and sometimes, one person can make a difference. When Stephen King announced his move, millions followed. I don’t like that it’s left to influencers and public personalities to make these decisions before readers or consumers follow because the influencers also follow the readers/consumers and if we all individually make choices based on what benefits society and the planet, influences and businesses would have to adjust to us.
I care about my friends and family and will drop everything to help them. As a Canadian, American politics and the American people are far outside my circles, but I do care about our American neighbours in that I would never support X or his other companies. I do think we regular people have a responsibility and if we work together and support each other, I believe we can make a difference because I care about justice, and value human life over power and extravagance.
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You pose some interesting thoughts, Nancy. You ask if the villagers of Three Pines have withdrawn too much from the rest of the world, and whether or not we all have a responsibility to contribute to the outside world as well. I think of Three Pines as a place of healing. The main characters there have, for the most part, contributed positively in many ways to the outside world, but had reached a personal limit, and could no longer exist happily in those other environments. Clara (and Peter) came from the city, immersed in an art world that was stifling them. They found their true selves at Three Pines. Clara began to create the beautiful artwork that has touched many in the outside world. Peter, had he survived, I think would have been contributing more positively as well. Art is important, and does contribute to the “wholeness” of the world. Clara continues to do her best to contribute to that; and yet she is also an active and vital member of her small community, with her kindness and sympathetic heart. The same goes for Ruth, and her devastatingly beautiful poetry. That’s her gift to the world, the one she is most suited to give; and yet she also contributes so much to the village as fire chief, hockey coach, babysitter, etc. Myrna gave so much of herself in her career as a therapist, but had to retreat to save herself in the end; yet she continues to aid and support others; she hasn’t stopped contributing, and has actively stepped in as needed. (And she hasn’t withdrawn for the outside world entirely; it was she who contributed to Haniya Daoud’s organization in The Madness of Crowds and brought her to the village). Olivier and Gabri didn’t find peace in the outside world, but now they, along with all the others, contribute in their own ways to the health and well-being of numerous people, both within the village and those passing through via the Bistro and B&B. These people are all civic minded, and help those in need when they can. That IS a contribution to the world, IMO.
And in The Grey Wolf, I see their contributions being similar to those of the people who served on the home fronts through the World Wars (and other catastrophic events). Not everyone can be on the front lines all of the time. But everyone doing their small part for the greater good can indeed be a powerful force. In this story, it was up to Armand, Jean-Guy, and Isabelle (and the abbot, et al) to play the active roles in stopping the impending disaster; the others weren’t trained for anything that could help, other than to be supportive and to keep things at home as safe as possible, not even knowing what was at stake (other than Reine-Marie, who couldn’t share that burden with anyone). Taking care of the children, housing Isabelle’s family, making sure that the “front line warriors” had one less thing to worry about was an important role to play here. -
Excellent questions Nancy! Three Pines has influenced us to create our own version of the village with trusted friends and family, bringing some friends closer and distancing us from those who don’t share the same values. Three Pines has made us better neighbours to other villagers. Now, are LP’s villagers withdrawn from the outside world and what do they do/have they done to show a greater contribution other than support other villagers? Because if Three Pines is influencing us to be better neighbours, are the villagers also demonstrating contributions to the outside world and thereby influencing readers to also contribute beyond the little groups of friends/our own little Three Pines villages? That is a very, very good question. I really appreciate your comments and questions Nancy because they do require some thought, not only about the books, but also about how the books influence readers to behave and therefore how the books influence society.
Susan has an excellent example of Myrna going outside to help with Haniya Daoud’s organization in The Madness of Crowds. So I think there could be other examples of targeted contributions. I will think about this more. With art and poetry, those are also contributions that have the potential to contribute, if the artists and poets are successful enough. I think that if the artists do not have an audience or any reach then it is impossible for them to contribute as much as they would like to. It’s unfortunate that most writers, poets and artists are not successful at all.
Katherine’s point is also important to show contributions to the outside world that can happen even if villagers never leave Three Pines. Our votes, our dollars, our clicks, our time spent on any chosen platform have real consequences. Everyone advocates buying books from independent bookstores, you cannot have one conversation online without someone commenting about that. And now we are just starting to understand how much power our eyeballs have when we spend time online, and how even where we look contributes to one cause or another. So I think there could be more examples of villagers making active, targeted contributions to bettering the outside world, but I’m not sure right now. I think there is interest in discussing the books again, starting from Still Life, and I think your points here would be excellent topics to make sure we cover for each book. Please don’t forget to bring them up for each book discussion!
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I agree with Katherine, Susan and Mei Lan, your thoughts and questions are very interesting and thought-provoking Nancy. I really appreciate the way your comments bridge the gap between content in the books and their impact on our real lives. I can’t speak to past books, but maybe someone else here can? I’m with you on how impressive our friends are here with what they can remember! Mei Lan is right that we will be discussing the books again starting with Still Life in a month or two. Please keep an eye on the Home page feed, we’ll probably have announcements or informal chats there to make some of our group decisions. For our TGW discussions, we invited everyone to pose questions, so we’ll do the same for other discussions going forward. I look forward to see your questions and thoughts for future discussions!
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Quite an amazing collection of thought provoking comments here. Thank you everyone!
Re: our capacity to create change or impact our world-
I am not sure I firmly believe this, but I have been thinking about this Margaret Mead quote lately.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
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Thank you all for taking my thoughts and adding so much to them. I love this group. Everyone is very generous with their thoughts and ideas and very supportive to those, like me, sharing my inner thoughts. I also find it so important that all of you seem to have no fear of disagreeing with a post but do it in the gentlest and most thoughtful way. Never stop, you have no idea how much influence you have and how much you add to others growth. I look forward to more discussions like these.
P.S. I do agree with Margaret Mead’s quote! She also said: “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.”-
And thank you too, Nancy, for sharing your thoughts. I agree with you; my appreciation and admiration for this group grows daily, not just in their understanding and enthusiasm for discussing books, but also, just as you said, there is an honesty, thoughtfulness and kindness with every post, comment and reply. I think we’ve found a group of genuinely good people. How lovely is that?
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And thank you too, Nancy, for sharing your thoughts and inspiring new insights and ideas. I agree with you about the kindness and thoughtfulness in this community of wonderful friends here. I’m so pleased you found your way here to join us.
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Yes, thank you Nancy, for posing interesting questions and putting a new spin on the discussion. I have to say, and perhaps apologize, because I have been reading the news and reading about all the changes that are happening, and my frustration came out a bit in my comments above. I shared some of my inner thoughts about some of the issues that have been brought up here and in past posts. And the responses have been so lovely. Not surprising that people who love to read write perfect messages.
I know our American friends were completely devastated last November, and of course as a Canadian I was shocked and dismayed as well. But I think I may have just experienced a second wave of devastation in fully recognizing the impact of the election and seeing how quickly people and companies are changing.
And to see the responses here on BCF reinforces the idea that this is our online Three Pines. Nancy posting on the main feed “sending love to all who need it” was exactly what I needed. It felt like she posted that for me! And Jane’s (perfectly couched) and your (perfectly witty) Margaret Mead quotes are…well, perfect.
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