Christmas Book Club

Let me just say for the record
That my love for you all grows stronger
Each and every year.
The words that we read together
Our shared experiences
Tears and laughter.
Was it just my good luck,
Or were we destined to meet?
I shudder to think
What life would be like
If we passed on the streets
Unaware of each others existence.
One of my greatest joys
Is you all at my Christmas Tree
Sharing our poems and letters.
Let me just say again for the record
That my love for you all grows stronger
Each and Every Year.

Ok, so maybe it's a little hokie but the sentiment is real. Can you tell that I was totally inspired by our evening of poetry? Last month we decided to submit our favorite poems to Darby. Only Darby would know who submitted which poem. At book club she passed out copies and each poem was read allowed and we guessed who made the submission. Three people submitted the Road Less Traveled by Robert Frost; two people submitted different poems by Rumi. Two people submitted different Bronte sisters. The poem I read was "The Highwayman" submitted by Janie. I had never read it before but it had been brought to my attention twice this week on a radio show about poetry. I am not sure why exactly but it brought both Laura and I to tears, but in a good way.

On this radio program they were talking about how the short and long lines of the poem move your eye across the page and the movement sends a signal to the cerebral spinal fluid. This signal sends an electrical charge through the body that changes the biochemistry. In other words, there is a scientific explanation for the healing effects of poetry.

I thought it was a beautiful and moving experience. Lou brought a binding machine and Darby had made copies and covers for everyone so that we'll have this permanent record. Each time we write our Christmas letters, exchange poetry, or discuss a novel we're brought to new levels of depth and understanding of each other that continues to strengthen the bonds of our friendship.

That said we never even got around to discussing the David Sedaris "Holiday On Ice" that we'd chosen for December's selection. There was the briefest moment where Diana and Janie expressed their distaste for the book. "Hated it!" I believe was their unanimous decision. Diana wanted to give it a zero but I wouldn't let her. It was a little joke because I'd wanted to give a book a zero but I had to give it a one since we rate 1-5. Several of us liked the book. We took it for the exaggerated, dark humor, that I think was intended. There was just too much going on with the poetry and the binding and the food. I do believe it is a first in all the time I've been to book club that we didn't discuss the book at all. Out of seven who rated the average was 2.5.

For the main dish I prepared an Etouffe with shrimp, chicken and sausage choices. Thanks to Darby for the sausage. Carla G brought a gorgeous salad, Pam brought veggies & hummus and Diana brought sausage pastries. Lou brought a chocolate cherry cake with raspberry whipped topping. Laura made Butter Beer which is Butterscotch Snapps, Cream Soda and Werther's candies topped with whipped cream and served warm. A great "hot toddy" . Janie brought coffee cake and Macaroons and Arnora brought the beautiful flowers. We had a great selection of wine also that included a Chocolate Merlot brought by Arnora.

As usual, it was just a great evening of laughs (a couple of tears), conversation and food. A great way to wrap up the year and celebrate the holidays.

We missed Lis, Barb and Denise. And, Happy Birthday to Laura and Carla this month!

Several of us went snow tubing and I include our photo here with Segway Santa! Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

November Book Club

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to Darby for hosting this month's book club. Fall has been a little confused I think, with September and October being mostly gray and rainy and November has just been a gorgeous sunny month with perfect temperatures. It was a perfect day for book club. As usual, one thing we can all give thanks for is that no one will ever starve in book club!

Darby was terribly generous and bought a fried turkey from Crab Town. It was wonderful and Laura did a beautiful carving job. Darby also made her favorite broccoli rice casserole. And we have all agreed it is the only time Cheese Whiz is appropriate. Here's the rest of the menu:

Carla G: green been casserole; Carla A; hummus, mango, salsa, a beautiful salad and a spaghetti squash. Lis: fruit salad. Janie: Pumpkin dip, Amish butter & rolls. Terry: Dressing & Pumpkin pie. Pam: Apple dessert; Laura: Cheesy potatoes. Denise: Relish tray. Barb & Sherrie: Wine. Arnora: Roses. We certainly missed Lou this month! Pam's sister-in-law, Sandra, visited us from Chicago and it was nice to meet her and she just fit right in.

The book this month was People of the Book written by Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks. The story was about the mysterious, centuries old Haggadah Jewish family prayer book and how it finally came to its current resting place in a museum in Sarajevo. The book is a fictionalized version of actual events. And, this was maybe the 3rd book that have read recently where the chapters alternate between present and past. The current story is about Hannah and her work as a rare book preservationist. It also revolves around her conflicted history with her mother and the absence of a father she doesn't know anything about. The alternating stories are about the "People of the Book", the mystery of who created it and the hands it fell into over the years. It's close calls to extinction and the unexpected people who felt compelled to save.

The book elicited a very lively discussion because it touched on so many subjects. There was love and loss on every page. The struggle to survive through war and persecution and finding solace in unlikely places. In the day the book was created the Jews did not believe in illustrations or illuminations believing that one could n0t recreate what God had done and also they viewed the illustrations and graven images or idolatry. So that this book exists at all, let alone how it survived for so long, is a true miracle.

For me there was the theme of Fate vs. Destiny again. Destiny being what you do with the cards that are dealt you and Darby quoted Dumbeldore "it's the choices we make, Harry,that we make that makes us who we are." We can always bring it all back to Harry Potter! Terry quoted the Dali Lama (I think it is his quote) that "Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional".

The group was divided about the ending. There is a strong theme of feminism throughout the book and many of the women suffer great harm at the hands of certain men. Hannah herself is betrayed by her love interest and yet, she falls into his arms at the end of the book. The book starts off by saying, "not every story has a happy ending". There seems to be a point in every one's life where you have to accept the inevitable. But Hannah's so quickly overlooking this man's behavior seemed like just a little too neat a way to tie up the story. Several of the girls agreed but preferred to project their own ending that she might have lingered momentarily but didn't stay. In any event, the ending did color the rating of the book just a bit for some of us and the final result was a 4.33 from 9 of the 13 members that rated.

Diana prepared a Seder meal for us and brought a borrowed Haggadah prayer book. Janie read us a Thanksgiving prayer from it, Diana lit the Shabot candles and we all toasted "Shabot Shallom" with Kosher wine. I found the ritual very moving.

Next month's book club will be at my house. We are reading "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris. Laura mentioned that the Alchemist had been coming back to her attention and if anyone wanted to read that for a side discussion she was up for it.

We are about to bring another year of book club to a close. As we enjoy this Thanksgiving time of year I know that I speak for all of us who are so thankful for having been brought together with this amazing group of women. Thanks, once again, to Diana who kick started the whole thing. I feel certain that the reason we formed such a close and deep bond so quickly is that we were able to reveal so much of ourselves on an intimate level through the books we read and discuss. With the books as the catalyst and the dynamics and diversity of the women, though we are not preserving one book, I think the title of this book applies to us. We are "People of the Books." Ok, call me corny but cut me some slack, it's Thanksgiving!

October Book Club; Frankenstein

This fine Saturday morning finds me still in my pj's, drinking coffee & eating a delicious peanut butter cookie (leftover from book club) and reminiscing about last nights meeting. Carla G hosted our Halloween event and this month's book was Frankenstein in honor of the holiday. There is just no predicting what you will learn when you are around these brilliant women!

Thankfully, none of us were sitting around in our "chonies" as we discussed how simulacrum relates to art and the possibility that the monster in our story was a Dingleberry, or was it Doppelganger? Terry informed us that "chonies" is a word for "whitey-tighties".

Terry & Laura had returned from Portland where they attended the art opening of Terry's son John Payne. I am posting a link to his web site on the right side of the page. Her son has titled his art work "simulacrum" which means "representative of another thing such as a god or an inferior object without substance." Darby elaborated by telling us that the Frenchman Jean Baudrillard had written at length on this subject & I discovered another definition that "accepted ideals or priviledged position could be changed or overturned through the work." There is a lot to this theory and I can see that it actually could relate to our book discussion had we gone down that road.

Carla and I had just returned from New Mexico where we went to see the Balloon Festival and spent a gorgeous day on Canyon Rd. in Santa Fe where the art astounded us and even moved us to tears at one point. This is how we ended up in a discussion with words like "simulacrum". Can you use that word in a sentence today? I've already used it 3 times and I haven't gotten out of bed yet! Denise launched both of her daughters on to the international scene and then spent a week on the beach in LA. And, Pam had just returned from Vale. It is good to come back together each month with tales of our travels!

In other astounding news, Janie has a new job. After much trial and effort and suffering in a hostile work environment she now has the job of her dreams. And we celebrated with a champagne toast and hugs all round. We absolutely could not be happier for her. We also celebrate both Pam and Barb's birthdays AND we welcome Terry back after a brief absence - all is right with the world. Thanks to her for her the wonderful "Friday Song" she serenaded us with!

Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, was an interesting and informative discussion. One thing I have learned over the years is that reading the Classics informs your modern day reading in a way that enlightens and enriches it beyond just the surface of a good story. Most Classics have some roots in the Greek/Roman mythology as did our book whose subtitle is: The Modern Day Prometheus. Prometheus was the god who stole fire from Zeus (the creator) and gave it to humans and then was punished for it. En"light"enment was one of the themes of the book. MWS used the story of the "creator" and his "monster" to argue the points of Romanticism vs. The Enlightenment. The supporters of Romanticism believed in the power of nature and the mystery of life & that some things were not meant to be known or explained. The Enlightenment camp was about science and knowledge and chasing the knowledge behind the mystery. They thought that the meaning & mystery of existence could be proven scientifically. The book argues with that point and says ultimately it is the knowledge, the knowing too much, the obsession with that knowing that is at the heart of the destruction that occurs.

In the end, it is the monster that is the more sympathetic of the characters. Dr. Frankenstein is the mad scientist, the self-involved narcissist who removes himself from family and friends as he obsesses on not just the discovery of how life is created but on becoming the creator himself. Once he has attained his goal, however, it terrifies him. He turns his back on "it" and thus "creates" the monster that does what he knows or learns how to do in order to punish Dr. Frankenstein or gain his attention. Everyone that Frankenstein loves is destroyed in one way or another as a result of this experiment. One of the lessons is that it is one thing to chase the knowledge and that in itself is not a bad thing. But Dr. Frankenstein did not think beyond the moment of creation to what possible implications this would have. And while you can never fully know ahead of time the full ramifications of any act he did not consider that it would have an impact at all and that was devastating. In the end, both creator and created wish that they had never been born. This book was way ahead of its time in the theme of man creating life but nearly 200 years later mankind has learned to clone and create life in a test tube. When we will know the ramifications of such "knowledge?" While Frankenstein sees the error of his ways and he suffers loss and grief he is unable to take the necessary actions to rectify his situation and everyone suffers.

Terry brought up the fact that the monster is often considered a "Doppelganger" which is a character that is used as a peripheral energy to the main character. One that is not an exact mirror but more a representation and is often a foreboding of danger or death. The story is not only an argument of Romanticism vs. Enlightenment but also good vs. evil and is evil born or created? Is it nature or nurture that creates us? or both?

The story is told through a series of letters, narrative and perspectives. It is understandable that she used this technique as way to compare the various characters and make her arguments through them but some found this structure laborious. The book is 192 years old and the style and language of the day is different from the more modern day storytelling we are accustomed to. While some enjoyed the passive style of the writing others were bored by it and it received a 4.14 based on the 7 of 12 that rated it.

Whether you enjoyed the writing of the story or not, this book is remarkable for a number of reasons. First, it was written by a 19 year old woman circa 1817. Women of the time were not published unless they used a man's name and for a story with such depth and complexity that it was written by one so young is a bit mind boggling. This brings to mind that we touched on the fact that all the women in the book are passive characters with doomed destinies. Another significant fact is that all modern day science fiction and horror stories owe their inception to MWS.

Carla G provided her guests with a baked potato bar, brisket, Bellini's and an Apple Crisp. Diana & Barb brought toppings for the potatoes, Denise brought a fruit salad, Carla A brought butternut squash soup, Pam brought Artichoke dip, Terry brought biscuits and peanut butter cookies, and Sherrie brought the brie/pastry. There was wine and coffee and Arnora brought the beautiful flowers. We missed Lou and Lis this month.

As always, the evening was entertaining and educational. Book club is always a delight for all the senses! November Book Club is at Darby's and the book is "People of the Book." For December we will be reading David Sedaris "Holiday on Ice" and making a collection of everyone's favorite poems. Please send your selection to Darby in a word.doc by Dec 1 and be sure to include the name of the poem, the poet and the year it was written! Happy Reading!

September's Book Club; South of Broad

It's hard to believe that September Book Club has already come and gone. The weather has cooled off considerably, football season has begun as has The State Fair. This typically means a lot of rain for us and Friday was no exception. Only 3 more Book Club meetings left for 2009. This month we wish Happy Birthday to Carla G!

(The photo is one I took of the Battery in Charleston).

There was no spillage this time on the way to Barb's, though the way Carla was taking the corners I am surprised the Shoo Fly Pie made it in one piece! Our book this month was Pat Conroy's new novel South of Broad set in Charleston, SC. Though food was not a central theme of the book, except for Benne wafer cookies, we managed a Southern theme for the meal. Barb hosted and her promised Red Beans and Rice were unlike any we'd ever had. The beans were spicy and mixed with peppers and onions, topped with a tomato salsa and sour cream. Lou brought the corn muffins. I brought Brie cheese wrapped in pastry browned and drizzled with honey (not sure it's a Southern dish but it worked anyway.) Diana brought the deviled eggs. Carla A. had gone to the farmer's market and loaded us up with tasty Collard Greens, green beans and new potatoes, corn on the cob and homemade Benne cookies and a Shoo Fly Pie. Laura also brought homemade Benne cookies. Darby brought Carrot Cake, Lis brought Pecan Pie mini muffins. Pam brought an Oatmeal Cake that is still making my mouth water . Carla G. brought wine and Arnora brought the floral bouquet and wine. Barb finished everything off with a Creme Brulee coffee.

I have to say that I think that Lou and Laura have snuck off to bar tending school. Their drinks the last couple of months have been outstanding. Lou made an Arnold Palmer with a kick, affectionately dubbed The John Daly! It is Sweet Tea Vodka and lemonade. Laura brought the Bourbon and I brought Blackberries for Blackberry Mint Juleps. The good news is I never lost the feeling in my arms.

Eventually, we did satisfy our appetites and settled in with our drinks and coffee for the discussion of the book, which got pretty mixed reviews. I am a big fan of Pat Conroy's as is Pam (who we all know met him and got his autograph, blah, blah, blah :) I had planned to read this book anyway and was very excited about it though I wasn't sure it was book club material. But when Netherland didn't seem to be going over well we ended up making the switch.

I will just toss it out there. Laura thought the book was a "big bag of downers." Diana wanted to throw it out her window. She called it boring, cliche and trite among other things. Lou had mixed feelings about it as did I. Denise, Carla A. and Barb probably enjoyed it the most. Carla loved it but doesn't want it in her Library and won't read it again. Arnora was pretty lukewarm to it but kudos to her for finishing the book. I'm proud that she has found the time! Carla G, Darby & Lis did not finish it. Denise, Janie and Terry were unable to attend.

Denise and I both enjoyed it for the setting. Denise had lived in Charleston at one time and I just got back from a vacation there. Pat Conroy was not born in the south but had a military father that moved the family around and at about 15 he ended up in Beaufort, SC. While his characters may travel to New York, Italy, or San Francisco all of his novels are anchored in South Carolina, it is his port of call and should be definitely considered one of the characters. This place is part of what shapes the character and personalities he writes about. Charleston has a long history from it's settlement in 1670. It's interesting because Charleston was one of the first colonies to succeed from the British AND it was THE first state to succeed from the union. I find it ironic that as a group they tend to be rebellious but they don't encourage that within the confines of their group. Like all societies they end up forming strict rules of hierarchy and conformance.

The first shots of Civil War were fired just off its shores at Ft. Sumter. There's a lot of wealth in the Historic district, which begins South of Broad St. and ends at the Battery on the Bay. And with wealth comes a lot of rules, protocol, and elitism. Charleston was a slave state and race has always been a big issue. This figured prominently among the characters as did suicide, AIDS, adultery and much more. The consensus among part of the group was that there were too many characters and too many dramas and dilemmas and it didn't feel plausible.

Conroy's fictionalized autobiography, The Great Santini, gives the details of his unhappy childhood with an abusive father and all his novels are about families with enormously flawed members. It is the reason that I usually love his books because, for me, he is a master at portraying the anguish of a wounded child and the ambivalence of both loving and hating the family members. For me, his books are usually cathartic. The Prince of Tides is one of my favorites. I believe I read that one of Conroy's favorite authors is John Steinbeck and I see similarities in their prose and metaphor. I think that often their prose sounds like poetry. But, for some, that ends up sounding sentimental and "smarmy".

In South of Broad, the main character Leo, named for the James Joyce character in Ulysses, forms a motley crew of friends in his senior year of high school and the book takes place both in the 60's and the late 80's recounting their high school days showing how they formed and maintained their friendships and how they supported and rescued each other time and again. Leo's big wound, his families big wound, was the suicide of his older brother. This aspect reminded both Diana and I of "Ordinary People".

I found myself being caught in the middle of this one. I absolutely agreed with Diana and Laura that at times it did seem trite and the dialogue stilted. But then I'd find myself getting lost in the story and caught up in the characters. My emotions became engaged and then it would cycle back toward the trite. When I finished the book, I closed its covers and thought, "hmmm." I really didn't know what to think until I burst into tears 10 minutes later putting on my makeup. I guess it touched a nerve somewhere. In the end, I can't say this is going on my list of favorites. I still think Santini, Tides, or Beach Music better.

BUT Lis, who had not finished the book said it might have been our best book club discussion to date. Because we had such differing opinions we spent more time talking about the storyline and the character development and why it did, or did not, resonate with us. When everyone loves a book we don't always dig this deep. I guess when some love it and others hate it we have a desire to know why and that makes for great discussion! Pam probably put it most succinctly when she said, "He writes symphonies. This one just wasn't as tight as his others." The book rated a 3.0.

Next month is Frankenstein at Carla G's house. We've decided to change books for November and put off Cutting for Stone until after the Holiday so we'll decide on a new book then.

Laura, Don't Drink All the Bourbon!

Watching food network today saw 2 recipes for Pojito, which is combination mojito and mint julep. AND a blackberry Mint Julep! I am afraid. Afraid I'm developing a taste for the Bourbon! oops!

August Book Club

The good news is I have feeling back in my arms. And my legs. And my fingers. And my toes. Most everything south of my neck went numb after the Mint Julep. Well, okay, I confess, it was after one peach Sangria, two Mojito's and then the Mint Julep! Let's just say I was about to get carried away but I pulled back and recovered in time for our book discussion.

The bad news is that we had a serious spillage issue on the way to book club. About half way to Lou's house Carla discovered the lid had slid off her sweet potato souffle and the goo was pretty much on everything in her bag. I hate to say it but it even got on her swim suit and sort of looked like a baby had poohed sweet potatoes. Luckily, Pam had some Clorox wipes in the car and we frantically managed to clean most of it up. Don't worry girls, we didn't put any of the spillage back in the bowl and there was plenty left for the meal. Which brings me to the food, which is always the first topic of conversation when recapping book club. Let me see if I can do this meal justice.

Lou made Caribbean Jerk Chicken kabobs with pineapple & pearl onions and she provided the Peach Sangria. Pam brought an Orzo Spinach Pesto Salad and two kinds of melon. Carla brought the aforementioned Sweet Potato Souffle, Quiche and Tiramisu. Denise brought brownies, Diana brought Italian Cream Cupcakes, Liz brought bread, dip and wine, Barb brought peach pie. Laura spent a King's ransom on good alcohol for Mojito's and the arm numbing Mint Juleps and Arnora brought the beautiful floral centerpiece & black bean and corn salsa. I have run out of descriptive words to describe the food these women bring. Delicious, wonderful, savory, inventive, etc. and so on just seem to fall flat. I am going to have to come up with a whole new vocabulary. Even though we might have a general theme for the meal it is pretty much pot luck. But, somehow everything always comes together and the flavors blend well or compliment each other in surprising ways. The food is never a disappointment 5 stars all the way!

Several of us came early to Lou's to take advantage of a swim in the late afternoon. Dinner was poolside as the sun set and we discussed the book under the stars basking in the cool August breeze. What luck to have such a nice evening in the usually hot Dog Days of summer! Did I just say "hot dog" days of summer? Yes, I did! Maybe I haven't fully recovered from the Mint Julep??

This months book was The Wednesday Sisters. The story revolves around a group of women who meet in Palo Alto, California in 1969. They meet in a park and bond over books and start a writer's group. Several of us thought the book was going to be about a book club and we've read several. The consensus was that it would be predictable...someone gets divorced, someone gets sick ... someone dies, the end. And it was a little predictable but no one got divorced (she should have!) and someone did get sick but no one died though everyone got a chance to try out a coffin. A clever little trick to get you thinking about end of life regrets.

It was about the bonding of the women and it was set against the tumultuous 60's. These women had come of age in a very transitional time and they were trying to navigate their place in the world and their families while trying to have some sort of life or meaning for themselves. Most thought the book was enjoyable and it rated a 2.71. Lou recommended the book; Carla A. loved it and Barb didn't like it at all and the rest of us fell in the middle.

We missed Darby, Carla G., and Janie.

There has been a change of plans for next months book & location. Netherland was getting a lukewarm reception so we've switched to Pat Conroy's new book, South of Broad, on sale now at a book store near you. Book club has been moved to Barb's house. See you there!

Movie Review

I went to see Julie/Julia this weekend. Twice! I really loved it and that is saying a lot. Other than Harry Potter and Angels and Demons I have been on a movie hiatus. I was getting bored with the same old story and worn out with violence. I will say that I enjoyed the story of Angels and Demons, however, it has its share of violence.

But, Julie/Julia is a very sweet story of Julie Powell, bored government secretary by day, intrepid cook by night, and how she gives herself a deadline of cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. Her story is juxtaposed over parts of Julia Child's life and how she came to cooking and to be an author and TV personality. I thought it was charming, laugh out loud funny, and poignant. The 3rd co-star of this movie is the food. My mouth started watering within about 5 minutes of the start of the story and didn't stop even after the credits rolled. It was almost enough to make me want to start cooking myself! ha-ha.

I did think I could start a blog called "the reluctant cook", ha-ha. But for now I will stick to this one. If you haven't seen this movie yet I highly recommend it for light hearted entertainment and mouthwatering inspiration!

Summer

Well Ladies, it has been a hot and muggy summer. This month seems a long time between book clubs for some reason. Maybe it's because I've packed a lot into this month having gone to Savannah and Charleston on my vacation and helped a friend get moved (actually Carla and I helped her with the decorating part.) I've enjoyed our intermittent rains and brief reprieves from the heat. Last nights full moon and Venus were breathtakingly beautiful. I must say that I really enjoyed my trip with my sisters. Savannah and Charleston are right up my alley with all the history and historic areas - great cities on the water are my favorite! Now, having actually been to Charleston I am even more looking forward to Pat Conroy's book South of Broad, which is set there. There is just something about being in the actual environment that anchors a book for me. I had read and seen the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and being in Savannah and actually standing in the spot in Mercer House where both the shooting of Billy and the death of Jim Williams took place on literally the same spot 8 years apart was very eerie. Oh yes, supposedly, Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in the country. It certainly has a charm and appeal that are uniquely its own.

I look forward to next weeks book club and our discussion of The Wednesday Sisters.

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Just as an update for anyone interested in Pat Conroy's newest book. The release date as been moved up to August 11. That is about a month earlier than I had first read. Thanks Pam for letting me know that! For anyone who isn't aware. Pam actually attended a lecture by Pat Conroy at OU a few years ago and got to meet him. I am sooo jealous!

July Book Club: The Angel's Game

July's Book Club was held at Diana's. The menu started off with a variety of dips: Diana, made the best Guacamole I think I have ever had. Simple is always the best. Terry brought yummo Spinach dip and Pumpernickel bread, Carla A. brought Olive Tapenade, Darby brought Fire Roasted Salsa, Carla G. brought cheese and cherry tomatoes and Lou brought a corn salsa. For the main course (like we haven't had enough already) Diana made Quesidillas and sweet corn on the cob and Lou brought a layered salad. For dessert Carla A. made a fantastic Tiramisu, Darby brought ice cream and, of course, there was wine and coffee. Janie brought home grown veggies to share with everyone and Arnora brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

We had 3 birthdays this month. Lou, Diana and Terry. Happy Birthday to all!

This months' book was The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruis Zafon. Set in Barcelona and translated from the Spanish, this book is the 2nd in his series of 4 books but is actually a prequel to the first published book, The Shadow of the Wind." Both books are set in Barcelona and his description of the city, the architecture and the weather are reminiscent of Gothic literature. Both books are stories about books, book stores and writers. There is romance, intrigue, murder, and the presence of the supernatural as the main character is pulled between poverty and vanity, good and evil, reality and fantasy, love and obsession. Early in the story a writer's work is compared to a Grand Guignol, which is a big puppet show or an amoral horror story. I thought this set the tone for the novel and certainly throughout we saw the grand marionette pulling the strings of and manipulating the other characters. Showing up in both books are the Sempere and Sons book store and The Cemetary of Forgotten Books. Zafon draws you in to the story and keeps you turning the pages. His characters are flawed and compelling and as much as I wanted to know how it ended, I hated to see it end. That is always the hallmark of a great book. The book rated 4.57 and Carla A's rating was a two thumbs up based on our discussion and a sound, "Boy, I wished I would've read it."

That said, we'll try to start of next months book club with a brief discussion of The Angel's Game to wrap it up for those who were missing: Pam, Barb, Denise, and Laura who could not be with us, and those who didn't finish. Next months book is The Wednesday Sisters at Lou's, poolside. We have tentatively picked the books through December. See the sidebar at the right for that update. However, since there were several missing we can revisit this list again in August.

Book Club Field Trip

Saturday, Gene and Lou Christian took Arnora, Barb, Diana, Carla A., Denise, Lis and me to the secure juvenile facility (COJC) in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Gene is the Director and had asked Lou to arrange for our book club to conduct a joint discussion with a group of the girls there. The book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, was the suggested book for our discussion. We had read and discussed this book and thought the subjects written about would be ones the girls could relate to. Gene had informed us that the girls would be talkative and engaging but none of us really knew what to expect.

The facility itself is quite impressive. It's clean and well maintained with lots of opportunities for education and physical activity. Superintendent James Johnson was a complete delight. A man whose passion for his work and devotion to his charges was obvious from the first moment. He has a deep sense of pride in the processes and I developed an immense respect for him in just the couple of hours we had to share. James explained that the system they used is based on rewards rather than punishment as much as possible. He and the other staff work to form a community of support that these young women have never had in their lives. Even though they are incarcerated for a variety of offenses the staff do their best to make it a positive experience.

On arrival, we were ushered in to a very nice conference room where the staff provided a snack bar of punch, cold bottled water, cookies and candy bars. We were encouraged to sit apart leaving room for the girls to sit between us. They were very gracious and polite and walked around the room and shook our hands and introduced themselves. Diana started off the discussion by explaining how we conduct book club and pick our books. She had the questions from our original discussion and we proceeded as usual. The girls, indeed, were very engaging. Though none of them had finished the book they were able to relate to the topics the story brought up. They interjected with questions and sometimes a bit of their personal history that resonated with the story. Gene and James did a great job of asking questions of the girls that further involved them in the discussion. Even though the girls had not read or finished the book, I think most decided it would be worth the effort and based on our discussion would rate the book a 3.

The girls really seemed to enjoy themselves and asked if we could come back. Gene said he is delighted to get with Volunteer Coordinator Jamie to arrange another group and will let us know. Next time, the girls will pick the book for discussion. After the discussion, James gave us a tour and some history of the grounds and then surprised us with a "thank you" gift on our departure.

One of the girls gave Diana a note about her favorite books. I was unable to link to the PDF file but her favorites are "Dream Land" about a hard life & how a woman gets out of abusive relationships; "Last Summer" about how a woman went on a summer trip and the new things she saw; and the last one had "moon" in the title about a girl's life. She says, "These are really good and I've only read 3 but I love them all and I'm not even a reader." Another young lady pointed out that her favorite author was Dean Koontz.

I was humbled by this experience because on some level many of us have suffered some of the same conditions these girls have survived. Often, it is simply a matter of degrees. I could honestly say that "except for the Grace of God..." Had I chosen a different way to deal with the circumstances in my life I only hope that I would have had people like Gene, James and their staff who are so compassionate and caring and do the best they can with what they have to give these kids hope for a better future.

This was a completely positive experience from my perspective and I think I can speak for the other ladies as well. We look forward to another opportunity to interact with the girls and I would highly encourage anyone who was not able to attend to do so at some point.

A very special thanks to Gene and Lou for suggesting this outing and for all their efforts to coordinate it.

June Book Club - The Help

Thanks to Barb for hosting the June Book Club. What a great evening. Several of us had taken a road trip to Chicago and two of us had taken a European Tour so there was a lot to catch up on while we dined on Barb's Mojito's and Rotisserie chicken, Pam's spicy beans and rice and her lemon & thyme cornbread, Darby's black-eyed peas, Lis' strawberry salad, and Carla A's fruit tray. Denise brought us wine and chocolate from Napa Valley, Lou made peach pie and Diana brought chocolate pie and that well went exceptionally well with coffee after dinner.

This month's book was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. Loosely based on the author's life growing up in Jackson, Mississippi at the height of the Civil Rights movement. The story is told through the eyes of Skeeter Phelan, recent college graduate and at least a 2nd generation Jackson Jr. League member and two of the black maids working for other wealthy white families. In Skeeter's attempts to become a journalist she comes up with the idea to interview the maids of her friends to find out what it is like for a black woman to be working for these white women. In the beginning Skeeter is aware that there is some danger in these women speaking out about their lives so she decides to write the stories anonymously and change the name of the town and all the people. However, she is somewhat naive about the gravity of the consequences. The woman could face much more than the loss of their jobs. The story is told in the first person but the chapters switch back and forth between Skeeter and two of the maids, Aibilene and Minnie.

The story starts out gently and builds gradually. You see these women in their work environment and what it is like for them to work for wealthy families and raise their children and what it is like for them to go home to their own families. Though Skeeter is a product of her environment and social conditioning she sees things differently and hopes that her stories will affect some change. And it does but not in exactly the way she had envisioned. The writing to me was deceptive as the story seems simple on the surface but subtle undercurrents of power and control, the obvious inequalities of the races, and overt violence against people of color at the time add tension and suspense. It is really a deeper look at what it was to be a black woman living in the south during the 1960's a full 100 years after the Civil War. To me the book is a testament to the sheer strength of will that these women had to muster up every day. Not only did many of them endure the condescension and contempt of their employers who were paying them a pittance to run their households and raise their children, but they also endured the continued oppression of their race, and often domestic abuse in their own homes. It's true that some fared better than others, some enjoyed the respect of their owners and the love of the children they raised. But every day was a test of their courage, their faith and their persistence as they managed to survive the times. For me, it's also a story about the choices we make to be involved in loving and supportive relationships versus harmful and destructive ones. The book rated eight 5's, one 4.75 and two "I loved it's!"

Happy Birthday to Janie! And also a big thanks to both Janie and Terry who brought us a version of the "traveling pants". Rather than wear the pants, however, the idea is to fill them up with badges, pins and other memorabilia from our trips together. Awesome idea ladies!

Sailing...Take's me away to where I've alway wanted to be

Coming soon ... a link to Tammy Tipton and her family's big adventure on the open sea. Sometime around June 5 Tammy and the fam will be embarking on a year long journey to sail around South America. She has promised to start a blog or web site where we can track their progress. Get your passports ready girls. Tammy would love us to come and meet her at a "port of call" to be determined. Tammy is a former book club member who moved to Houston to be nearer their boat and their passion for sailing. We miss you a lot Tammy but are very excited about your trip. Soon you will be writing your own version of "Maiden Voyage"!

My House Guest

Meet Elaine, if you haven't. This is Lauren's bird and she has been my house guest while Lauren was going to OU and living next door to me.

Congratulations

Congratulations to all the graduates! Denise McGough's two daughters, Lauren and Cassie have graduated, respectively, from college and high school with all kinds of honors! Lauren is planning a trip to China and then is off to study Eagles in Mongolia for 10 months. Cassie is headed to Costa Rica to teach English before starting college. Pam Boeck's daughter, Katy and her finance, Cory, both graduated with Master's Degrees and are also celebrating their engagement. Congratulations to all and best wishes for very exciting futures!

Update of June Meeting and Book

June's meeting will still be at Barb's house but the date has changed to Saturday, June 13. This month's book is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

ANNOUNCING! Two New Novels

Carlos Zafon Ruis' latest book "The Angel's Game" will be released in June. You can follow the link at the right to Amazon to get a "pre-ordered" copy. We so enjoyed his "Shadow of the Wind". According to the web site he is writing 4 stand alone novels that will be set in Barcelona and will have overlapping characters and a common thread of the Cemetary of Forgotten Books. I can't wait!

AND TA DA... Pat Conroy's newest novel is due out in September. Follow the link to the right to check out "South of Broad." He is one of my favorite writer's! I am so excited about both of these new novels.

The Big Stromboli,

Or Mark and Phil's Big Book Club Adventure May's book, Twin Motives, was suggested by Arnora. She is best friends with author Mark's sister. Mark Robinson and Phil Kemp graciously agreed to join us for book club and discuss the book and their writing experience. We met at Janie's house on Easy Street (no kidding!) and she served a deliciouso Stromboli complimented by the most eye appealing salad I do believe I have seen. Lou and Laura co-created the salad. Diana brought assorted mouth watering cookies and Carla G. brought marinated olives and cheeses. Appletini's, wine and iced tea embellished the meal.

Twin Motives takes place in my home town of Norman, Oklahoma disguised as Hall Park. Reading a story set in your home town is at once comforting and surprising as you wind your through familiar settings. The story is a romance/murder mystery and it's genre Christian fiction. One of the things we discussed was how the authors struggled with sending a message that was important to them but weaving it in subtley. Mark and Phil talked about their experience of collaborating on the book, how they worked together on the story, the characters, and their experience with the high end self-publisher they decided on.

Writing a book is a complicated, complex and time consuming undertaking. Plot devises and timelines must be considered as well as character development. Another point we discussed was the lack of an obvious time line. The story is set some 10 years after the Vietnam war but the exact timing is purposely ambiguous. It was interesting to know the authors did not know how they were going to end the story until about half way through the process.

Everyone enjoyed the book and we so appreciate Mark and Phil taking time to come by. Having them discuss their experience writing the book has enriched our experience of reading the book. The authors are currently working on a sequel to Twin Motives. To your right I have added a link to the authors web site. Be sure to drop by and leave them a comment.

April Book Club

Seems that this year is already flying by. April book club, already? Really? Where is the time going? Seems like only yesterday I was a little girl growing up in "Moore", descendant from the Bohemian Gypsies, starting school, learning to ride my bike, playing with my granny's chickens (in her city backyard) and getting into all kinds of mischievous activities as I learned to negotiate my way through life. Oh no, wait, that wasn't me that was "A Girl Named Zippy" our April Book Club book. Well, it was sort of me. In fact, most of us found elements of Zippy's life that we related to. After the last couple of books we were all begging for something light and funny and I do believe that Zippy fit that bill perfectly. I found myself laughing out loud at her antics and her perspective. Zippy was smart, precocious and lived life with full on zest. Those of us that finished the book really enjoyed it and we had a lot of laughs reading out loud our favorite parts or quotes. The book rated a 3.5 to 5.

We missed Denise and Carla G., who were vacationing, and Lou who had other business to attend to.

April's book club was at Lis' home. She graciously switched with Janie who had a weekend warriors fiasco at her home and needed to reschedule for May. We had to switch our April book, Twin Motives, to May also because the local authors had a conflict and couldn't attend. We're looking forward to this event.

Lis' made a savory Schinkennudeln, which is egg noodles, ham and sharp white cheese. Barb brought a scrumptious salad, and there were brownies, cream puffs, toffee, wine and coffee and Lis' world famous Pfannkuchen mit Apfelmus or Applesauce Crepes. To top the evening off a gorgeous night sky, illuminated by the full moon and brilliant stars, greeted us for the ride home . I'm not sure why a big luminous rock in the sky is so romantic, but it gets to me every time!

March Book Club

March book club was held at Denise's. We missed Darby and Terry. As always the food was stupendous. I think we may be running out of words to describe all of our wonderful meals. The food is always as varied as the books we read. For appetizers we had a shrimp cocktail and Diana brought two cheeses, the Pecoroni Truffaleto and an aged Gouda with walnuts whose pungent flavors melded wonderly with her olives. For the main course, Denise made a tasty pasta and white bean dish drizzled with olive oil and rosemary. Garlic bread, two salads (one by Lis and one by me) rounded out the meal. Carla and Pam brought the chocolate mousse cake made famous by La Baguette, Janie brought gorgeous chocolate covered strawberries, there were also brownies and cookies. As always, Arnora brought the floral arrangment. The usual assorted wines and coffee topped it all off.

The book, Interpreter of Maladies received somewhat mixed reviews. This was a Pulitzer Prize winning book and is a collection of 9 short stories. The title put a few of us off initially after reading, or attempting to read The Hour I First Believed. And, with short stories you have to put on the brakes and adapt your reading style as well as your expectations. There isn't time for much character development and often the stories seemed to end abruptly. Some of the girls felt they wanted more closure. The stories were little snapshots of immigrants from India living in Amercia. Stories of how they were adapting, or not, to American life but they were also stories of people going through painful circumstances that anyone in any culture would be faced with. Lou pointed out that the stories were about how, in spite of cultural differences, we are more alike than different. Some thought the stories too sad and others were satisfied with how well written they were.

Our local authors have a conflict with our April meeting so Twin Motives has been moved to May and we opted for a book we hope will be humorous; A Girl Called Zippy.

February Book Club

We just finished our February Book Club and discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird. Uh-oh...I better go back and correct myself. Ever since we read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society we've taken to referring to ourselves as a "Society". So, our "Society" met at Laura's. She made a wonderful gumbo and an even better bread pudding. That is saying a lot coming from me because I love me a good gumbo but am not so keen on bread pudding. They are different every where you try them and some I've tried have just been awful. Actually, that shouldn't be that surprising since they are technically made from stale bread. There is a nack to whipping up one that is the right consistency of "jiggly". Kudo's to the meal, which was rounded out nicely by Terry's salad, some french bread and a simple appetizer of Pecorino Trufalleto cheese and crackers brought by your's truly. Carla G. made a lovely Wine-arita and there was coffee to finish off the dessert.

The discussion of the book was lively and informative as always. Nine of the full "Society" were present and each and every one of us gave the book a 5 (out 5) rating (one might've abstained). I tried to give it a ten but apparently, we are rigid about the rating rules, ha-ha. (I've also tried to give a book a negative number but that didn't go over either, ha-ha). For me, I think Mockingbird is as close to perfect writing as you are ever going to come. Her prose is simple and concise. The story is tight, amounting to just a couple of hundred pages as it spans about 4 years. The story is told by Scout as an adult as she reminisces about a pivotal event in her life one summer. The story is graceful in its telling of the people and the history of a small town in Alabama in the 1930's just prior to WWII. It is a coming of age story of a brother and sister as they learn about life in all its humor and horror. It is the loss of childhood innocence as the kids become aware of very adult themes that include an inadequate education system, racism, prejudice, domestic violence, and isolation. The main theme of the book for me is the reverence that we should feel toward all human life.

The story is poignant and somewhat nostalgic. I realized while I was trying to describe my feelings about the book that it leaves me with the same feeling I get when I watch Charlie Brown's Christmas story. I think that is because both of these works touch the child within me. Lis also wrote a very timely short essay. Lis is from Germany and, though she's lived here for many years, has an outsiders view of the race issue. Lis was reading the book at the time of the election and made some very astute observations and comparisons of that time to this. It was agreed that, yes, we have come a long way but there is more work to be done. I will post a link to Lis' article (with her permission) as soon as I get a chance. (NOTE: someone just pointed out to me that February was also Black History Month.)

Then we also got into a bit of discussion about March's book. The long awaited (for me, anyway) novel by Wally Lamb, "The Hour I First Believed". I will start by saying that his novel, "I Know This Much is True" is one of my top 5 favorite books. I have read it twice and plan to read it again. However, that said, I was a bit disappointed to find that he had used the Columbine High School shootings as the jumping off point for this book. Not that it isn't a relevant issue but I feared the violence of that moment would be too much for me, particularly at this time of year. But we agreed to read it and I rushed out and picked up the CD's at the library. My first instinct was right. I finished it but really wish I hadn't started.

I couldn't help compare the writing of Mockingbird to "Believed". What Harper Lee did in 200 pages it took Lamb 900 (or 20 cd's). His "True" book was just as long but this new effort just didn't have the same impact. In the first book the use of the transcribed journal to tell the story of his grandfather's life was one of my favorite parts. But in this one, the letters he uses to give family history just droned on and on. Carla G. liked the letters, so obviously it's a matter of opinion but it was one of those stories where absolutely nothing good ever happens for the characters and the ending was not a hopeful one. So far, I think 3 of us have finished, about 3 have attempted it and the rest have thrown in the towel. We decided to read a slimmer volume of short stories to round out March.

As always it was a fabulous time that always leaves me wanting more!

To Kill a Mockingbird

I am listening to Sissy Spacek read To Kill a Mockingbird. I love this book and always have. I don't remember the first time I read it but it is one that I bring out every several of years and re-read. Often I think I run across the movie on TV that reminds me it's been a while and that it is time to revisit it. I just think the story is genius. Listening to Sissy Spacek read the story with her soft southern accent adds yet another dimenstion. Her voice, to me, is reminiscent of the girl, Mary Badham, who played Scout in the movie. In fact, as I am listening to the book I am seeing the scenes from the movie. Just prior to listening to Mockingbird, I finished Wally Lamb's new book. It's hard not to make comparisons though it is probably apples to oranges but I will address that after our discussion.

A New Year - A New List

As you can see, I got busy and wasn't so good about updating the book club blog. I will resolve to do better this year. I also resolve not to persecute myself if I don't. We read some great books in 2008. A couple not so good. April and December seemed to be very busy months for people and we tried to read a "classic" in April and no one was able to finish it. Perhaps because it was 19th century lit and was a difficult read or we were just too busy to get into it.

My personal favorite for the year was The Shadow of the Wind. Recommended to me by a fellow male co-worker he said, "You'll be captivated within the first two-three pages." I think it took me only the first couple of paragraphs. Written by a Spanish author, set in Barcelona just after WWII it is a book about a book and it's author. Told in first person, the narrator is 10 years old when the story opens and his father, a book seller, takes him to the Cemetary of Forgotten Books, a sort of archival store house. He tells the boy that he is to take his time but to pick a book the he will be the caretaker of and that he will be responsible for making sure that book is not forgotten. The boy is captivated by the book and when he tries to find out about the author he is taken on a mystery that spans the next 18 years. I thought the writing was eloquent and poetic and the story kept me turning the pages. The funny thing is, and maybe it was because I was savoring the language and the story, but I could not read this one quickly. Somehow I felt I was almost being forced to take my time with it. It is one I will read again and recommend it wholeheartedly to people when given the chance.

Another book that really inspired us was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Another story set just after WWII only this time in the Channel Islands of England. The story is told only through letters that the characters write to each other. We so enjoyed the vehicle of this book. In a day when most communication is in sound bytes, text, and email we had forgotten the excitment of receiving a letter and the pleasure of sitting and taking the time to compose one. So we drew names and our mission was to write "What I Did on My Christmas Vacation" and mail it to our person before the next book club. In January we shared portions of the letters. Some made us roar with laughter and others brought us to tears. It was a remarkable and unforgettable experience. Anyone among us who says we are not writers... is only kidding themselves. But of course, great readers are usually great writers. Or is it great writers are usually great readers?'

For February we have chosen To Kill a Mockingbird which will be a re-read for most of us. But it is the National Library Read. This is a favorite book of mine that I revisit every few years. I look forward to reading it again and to possibly reviewing the movie as well. This is one of those times when I thought the movie totally captured the spirit of the book.

We've picked Wally Lamb's "The Hour I First Believed" for March and "Twin Motives" for April. One of the girl's knows the local author of this book and he will be visiting us when we review his book. How scary for him....or, at least I would be. This will be the 3rd time we've had a local author visit our book club and it is always insightful and enjoyable.

Here's to a great 2009 Book Club!