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!