August Book Club 2020

Our book: The Henna Artist by Alki Joshi    

Host: Zoom

The was a small group for this discussion. Not enough members had finished the book and the discussion was postponed to September. 

July Book Club 2020

We are now seven months into 2020. We moved out of full quarantine into a "soft" reopening. Some businesses and shops are open again but with restrictions on distancing and cautions to wear masks. In some places, the numbers infected seem to be going down. In others, they are spiking. Many countries have restricted US citizens from entering. And, some cities have started mandating masks rather than making them "optional."

All things considered, we have decided to continue book club in the Zoom format. Thank you, Lis, for hosting the group on your account.

Last night we missed, Carla A, Pam, Darby and Lou.

We had a good time chatting and catching up. Tammy is back from completing her parents estate sale in Sweetwater but, looks like they are making a move soon back to that area. We've enjoyed having her closer these last few years but, with Zoom, no one is out of our reach now!

Carla G, Arnora, Barb and Lis are continuing to work from home and adjusting to the changes. The Fred Jones Museum of Art is planning to open to the public August 6. However, it's unlikely we'll be doing tours in the fall. We may be doing something along the virtual lines. The future of fall football seems undecided as a number of players are testing positive.

The good news is that though the virus is spreading, as we knew it would. it seems more people are recovering and for many that test positive, they are asymptomatic. There is nothing to do but what we can to err on the side of personal safety as it rides out its cycle. As we know from history, it will end at some point.

That said, we all enjoyed Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime." Trevor was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1984 to a black mother and a white father. At the time, interracial marriages were prohibited by law, making his birth a crime. This book came out in 2016 but it is appropriate that we are reading it now in light of recent events.

In Trevor's memoir he treats the topics of apartheid, racism, poverty, domestic abuse, crime and danger with a wry sense of humor. Some of the events are laugh out loud funny, in retrospect. The opening scene is particularly harrowing as he, his mother and baby brother hurl themselves from a mini bus to escape and run to safety. Trevor was asleep when his other surmised they were in danger from the driver. Trevor didn't understand in the moment, why they were running. Along the way, there are many close calls and Trevor never fits in to whatever community they are living in. South Africa is highly segregated. When they live in the white neighborhood, he is considered the only Black kid. When they live in the Black neighborhood, he is considered white. Even though he is of mixed race, he doesn't fit into the "colored" neighborhood. This is because most of the mixed races are Black and Middle Eastern or Black and Asian, not Black and white.

Throughout the book, it becomes obvious that the hero of the book is not Trevor but, the heroine, his mother, Patricia. Patricia has a strong sense of self. She was determined to have Trevor. She planned the pregnancy and picked the man, though they never married.  She was a person who looked for and grabbed what opportunity she could to better herself and her children's lives. And, she always impressed upon Trevor how much he was wanted and loved. With all that said, she still ended up with a man who abused her and even shot her long after they'd been divorced. But, it should be no surprise that she miraculously survived. She was a woman of strong faith and superstition but, she believed in miracles and she got them.

This book made me laugh and cry. I had sketchy knowledge about apartheid. I knew about it generally through the stories of Nelson Mandela. Trevor weaves the story of apartheid and racism through his story as a matter of fact. He is not preachy about it nor, is he reacting out of anger. Trevor, like his mother before him, took opportunity where he could find it. He started out pirating CD's and turned that into a stint as a DJ. This eventually lead him into standup comedy and then as host of his own nightly talk show in America. He took over the Daily Show from John Stewart in 2014. At only 36 years old, he has far exceeded the hopes his other had for him. Or, maybe not. Maybe this is exactly what she had in mind!

The book rated a 4.75.

Our book for August will be The Henna Artist and for September we have chosen The Hamilton Affair.

See you next time. Same Zoom Time - Same Zoom Station!

June Book Club Quarantine Part III

Blog #154 Book # 216

The world is gradually coming out of quarantine. Some businesses are opening back up using precautions. We toyed with the idea of meeting at an outdoor location where we could observe social distance but, the heat ruled that out. It was agreed we would meet again by zoom.

I had a friend's birthday party to attend. I had planned on stepping away for a few minutes to join the discussion but timing just didn't allow for it. I was sorry to miss.  On that note, Diana did a great job of reviewing the evening and I will put her comments here.

(Diana) This month's meeting was a small group. We missed Barb, Pam, Tammy, Terry, Sherrie, Carla A and Darby.

The "Bookshop on the Corner" was well received  with a rating of 3.89. We enjoyed being taken away to lovely Scotland. Nina's love of books and the interesting characters in this novel made it a fun read and/or listen. Leslie especially love the book as it reminded her of her own life journey moving to a new and different place as a young adult and the beginning of her relationship with her husband. I know most of us have read a book that we truly enjoyed and that spoke to us at the right time. Those stories become our favorite.

(Sherrie) I enjoyed the opportunity for a "light" read this month. Real life has been very heavy with issues in the collective. Also, a former boss and dear friend passed away this week and the book was a welcome diversion. Having been to Scotland, I was easily able to put myself in the setting.  I loved her idea for the mobile bookshop. I wanted to live in her "converted" barn. I liked that the author put the children in her path. Besides finding her way with her career, helping the children in need also gave her a purpose that balanced the story so that it wasn't just the romance of meeting a handsome farmer by chance.

There was a funny discussion about the lack of  "crime" novels that we have read. The funny part is that when we reviewed the titles, we had actually read about a dozen of them over the years.

(Diana) Janie shared that her daughter, Rustie,will be having her first book club in a couple of weeks. They will read "Killers of the Flower Moon." and Indian Fry Bread is on the menu. Janie will be there for the first meeting and we look forward to hearing all about it!

Janie also shared her love for the poem "Desiderata." Her grandfather had it typed and framed in the 1960's.  Janie now has this framed copy and has found comfort in reading it every day. (there is a link to the poem on the Facebook page.)

We are still playing our "in person" meeting by ear. Waiting to see how things go as the quarantine is lifted. July's book is the book of poetry by Vivian Nida. Vivian will be making an appearance to discuss the book via Zoom or in person.

There has been a change in our book for August. "Let's Pretend this Never Happened," was tabled in favor of "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah. However, for those who have read the first book or wanted to, we'll make time for discussing it as well.

"The Hired Girl" by Laura Amy Schulz, was picked for August.

Diana has also listed a number of other books that were brought up and Pam, in a separate post, also recommended several. I will  refer you to Facebook for those titles.

May Book Club Quarantine Part II

Blog #153 Book #216

May was our second Zoom Book Club meeting during the Corona Virus pandemic. Zoom and Skype have been a sort of saving grace for me during this time of isolation. I have done an art project with my granddaughters on Skype, had my therapy session, book club and virtual happy hours on Zoom. I've also been part of several group webinars on various subjects and enjoyed many celebrities reading poems, stories and sharing music. It doesn't replace personal contact, of course, But, I hate to think what a quarantine without internet might be like in our modern society.

Also, I was lucky enough to spend the week in my friend's house in Galveston. After having been shut up for 6 weeks with only infrequent trips to the grocery store... it was refreshing to be near the water and able to sit out her balcony and yell at her very funny neighbors across the street. It was a much needed respite!

As we met virtually again, I've nothing to report on food or drink. We did spend a fair amount of time chatting and catching up while we waited for everyone to join.

As we've all been dealing with complications and frustrations brought about by working at home or, just being stuck at home, we thought we'd go for something light and humorous this month. We settled on an oldie but goody, "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Why am I Standing in the Pits?" by Erma Bombeck. Published in 1971, I wondered how it might have (or not) stood the test of time.

I had a personal memory of reading this book when it came out. I was 14 and spending some time with my sisters at our cousins in Wichita Falls. My aunt received her Reader's Digest Condensed book of the month and this was one of the stories. We read it to each other aloud every night while my cousin tried to teach us to knit Afghan Granny Squares. Our squares were turning out as funny as the book and we laughed til we cried. Our squares were more fit for pot holders than a blanket.

Most of us liked the book well enough. I still found it funny but now I was reading it from a different perspective. When I was 14, I am sure I thought the things she said about her kids were funny and I could see myself. But, almost 50 years later I've been married raised a son and been divorced for 20 years. This time I resonated more with Erma as mother. I was the one picking up after everyone and watching my husband and grown son practically come to blows over who was going to take the trash to the curb. Which, by the way, was on wheels at this point. I can laugh now. It wasn't so funny at the time.

There were a couple that didn't resonate with the humor and found it dated and, honestly, were bored by it.  I can appreciate that. The book rated a 3.

I did think it was important to point out Ms. Bombeck's resume. She was a wife and mother who was on the forefront of the women's movement. She didn't start her career as a humorist for a newspaper column until she was 37. During her career she published 15 books, most of which became bestsellers. From 1965 until 1996, she wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns chronicling the ordinary life of a Midwestern suburban housewife. By the 1970's, her columns were read twice-weekly by 30 million readers of  900 newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. I have always admired her.

I kind of wished I had looked up historical events of 1971 to put a bit of perspective on the timing of her writing, though this book was more personal than political. I did a search out of curiosity and have listed below a few significant events and the cost of living in 1971.

Average cost of a new home was $25,250
Average income per year was $10,600
Cost of a gallon of gasoline was 40 cents
US Postage stamp was 8 cents
Movie ticket was $1.50

In 1971 we were in our 2nd decade of the Vietnam War which didn't end until 1975
Intel released the world's first microprocessor
The US Gov't banned cigarette ads on TV
NPR broadcast for the first time and premiered Masterpiece Theater
Disney World Opened
Mount Etna erupted
Coco Chanel died in Paris
All in the Family premiered
Jimmy Carter became President
Charles Manson et. al. convicted of murder
Apollo 14
Love Story soundtrack went gold

These were just a few of the significant happenings in 1971.

June's book will be "The Bookshop on the Corner" by Jenny Colgan. I guess we'll decided closer to our meeting whether it will be safe to meet in person.

April Book Club a la Quarantine

If this isn't the strangest time of my generation, I don't know what to call it. In the past, one or two of us have called in from a trip to participate in the discussion. But, this time, we're all on a Zoom  conference call ... keeping well more than 6 ft of safe space between us.  As we are all well aware, the Corona Virus, or Covid-19, is sweeping around the world.  Travel plans have been cancelled, people have been stranded on cruise ships and in airports while travel has come to a grinding halt. Non-essential businesses have been ordered to close and people have been admonished to "shelter at home." It is reminiscent of the Spanish Flu and other plagues. Though they say it will take less lives than the flu - it is still a huge threat.

Gas prices have dropped, people are losing jobs or being furloughed. The gov't is trying to "stimulate" the economy.  And, there was a "panic" that caused a shortage on toilet paper, of all things.

It looks like it might be June before we are out of the words as heat is said to kill the virus. Most of us have self-quarantined at home except for occasional trips for groceries. A few are still going into the office part-time but that may change as they try to stop the spread.

At any rate, I thought Zoom Book Club was a big success. This time Lou and Darby were able to join and only Tammy missed the event. One thing I can say definitively is, "Thank the Good Lord for internet!" I have been able to have group calls with friends on Facebook messenger, participated in some creative Zoom webinars and, talked to my kids in Missouri. I don't feel completely marooned though it's not the same as in person contact.

All that said ...  thank you Zoom for hosting our book club this month. The one disappointment (aside from missing hugs) was that we couldn't enjoy the meal that Laura made from the recipes in the book. But, she did send a beautiful photo and we'll just look forward to it the next time we meet.

Though our book was titled Save Me the Plums - a Gourmet Memoir, the book wasn't about food as much as it was the author's journey through the writing and publishing world of food culminating with her 10 years as Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine.

Inspired as a child by Gourmet Magazine which had begun publicationin 1941, Ruth Reichl became as a chef, restaurateur, food critic and writer before she was tapped to run the magazine. As a critic, she could make or break you as a chef and, in fact, was responsible for the rise of the likes of Anthony Bourdain. While is is regaling us with stories of the "food biz" she gives us a glimpse into what it was like growing up with a bi-polar mother and the struggles of being a working wife and mother.

I  thought it was rather timely, that we were reading this during the first pandemic in 100 years as she recounts the events of being in downtown NYC on 9/11. She also suffered through the 2008 economic crash and lost her job at Gourmet after ten years when the publisher closed the magazine. Though time are different, I think comparisons can be made.  Maybe because of how she writes about NYC, I found myself thinking about Nora Ephron. I also thought about Julie/Julia and Lou mentioned that as well.

I thought it was an interesting insider's viewpoint of the world of restaurants and food. It certainly has come along way in 50 years.When I was growing up there were very few restaurants. There were Diners, Pharmacy Soda Fountains and roadside cafes. Dining out in my family wasn't an option. Not just because we didn't have money for it but because there were no options for it. I remember when the first McDonald's opened in about 1974 ... about the same time as Sirloin Stockade. Not exactly fine dining! Now, people eat out more than they eat at home. From fast food, to chain restaurants, to "fine" dining there are plenty of options for every taste and budget. Over the years, Restaurateurs took average cooking from the masses and elevated it to fine dining. But, Julia Child's - French Cookbook for American wives who don't have cooks - and Ruth Riechl's Gourmet made gourmet cooking available for the masses again. Full Circle.

I do wonder if Ruth saw last year's poll where Americans voted "Taco Bell" as their favorite Mexican "restaurant."  I consider that fast food and not technically a restaurant. But, Gourmet has been out of print for 11 years so maybe we've lost our way ... we don't have Ruth's guiding light educating us about the world of food.

The book rated 4, two "I really liked it" and two who didn't read it but might after the discussion.

Next month - we may be meeting my Zoom again. Our book will be the classic, "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries  What am I Doing in the Pits?" by Erma Bombeck.  I read it when it came out in 1971. I was 14 and that was 49 years ago. It will be interesting to see how it has held up and how things have changed, or not.

March 2020 Book Club - The Dutch House

Blog #151 and Book #214

March book club brings the first quarter of 2020 to a close. We celebrate St. Patrick's Day this month. And, on a sad note, we send our love and prayers to Darby and Nate this month. Darby's adorable, feisty and accomplished Grandmother, Maree, passed away last week. She was quite something and several of us were fortunate enough to meet her a few years ago. She was 98 and had lived a remarkable life. I hope you all had a chance to read her online obituary that she wrote for herself.

Thanks to Terry for hosting. Her home gets prettier every time I visit. Laura, Robbie and Jordan made us comforting and delicious Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Terry made Tomato Bisque Soup. The main course was complimented by Carla G's olives and pickles, including her homemade ones. Janie brought the Cauliflower salad, Robbie also made chicken salad dip. There was a veggie tray with dip, Arnora brought mixed nuts and our floral bouquet. Assorted wines and tea rounded out the meal with Lis' Cream Puffs and Panetone bread.

Carl G reminded us that she says every time, "This is the best meal I have had all month!" I think we
all agree!

We missed Pam, Barb, Gwynne, Denise, Leslie and,  as always, Darby and Lou.

Our book this month was Ann Patchett's, "The Dutch House." The story is told through the eyes of Danny who is a young boy as he begins his reminiscence of his childhood in the home referred to as the "Dutch House."At the end of WWII, Danny's father manages to build quite a fortune and buys the house, in a suburb of Philadelphia as a surprise for his wife and daughter. The house has been built by a Dutch family and Cyril Conroy buys it "lock, stock and barrel" as the saying goes. All the furnishings, decorative objects and paintings of the former family are never changed or updated over the years and never seem to deteriorate. The home only gets more lovely as time goes by, at least in Danny's perception.

The house sets off a negative reaction in Elna Conroy who feels it is her life's purpose to serve the poor. She hates the house and eventually abandons it and her family for India. There she hopes to work with Mother Theresa but ends up on the wrong side of the Continent. This action paves the way for Cyril to remarry the wicked stepmother Andrea.  It also sets up Maeve, Danny's older sister, as a pseudo-mother by default. So, in essence, the story is dealing with three very different "mother" figures. All of these women shape Danny's life and he struggles to reconcile two mother figures who abandon him. Not only does his mother leave without explanation but, when his father dies unexpectedly, Andrea kicks him out. Maeve who has already left home takes him in and sees to it that the education trust that has been left to them provides him an excellent education.

The book was well liked by most. I have now read three of Ann Patchett''s novels. I really liked State of Wonder but wasn't impressed with Commonwealth. However, this would be my favorite so far. For me, the writing drew me into the story. I felt emotionally connected to the characters and I resonated with the dilemma of a child trying to reckon with adults whose actions you cannot begin to understand.

When we are born, we do not get to pick our parents. There is no job interview, resume or, references. We don't get to choose someone we think is "suited" for the job. We are all, at the end of the day, flying by the seat of our pants in the department of parenting and doing the best we can. Many of us had challenging childhoods. I believe it is part of our life's path to find a way to heal whatever trauma or disappointments we experience because that is what gives us our strength, courage, compassion, etc. Yes, it builds our character. We aren't meant to stay stuck in it. And, I think that, in the end Danny and Maeve did just that.

When I looked at the women in this story from a distance - it was obvious Elna loved her children but couldn't stay. She needed to mother the world. And, whether that was a higher calling or a need for penance of some kind isn't fully clear. Andrea, was the mother figure who stayed  but, she didn't mother Danny and kicked him out at the first opportunity. Andrea wanted the house above all - the opposite of Elna who hated it. Maeve was the kind and motherly figure in Danny's life.

In the end, the story comes full circle. Elna reappears, Andrea passes away. The house falls into the hands of Danny's daughter, May, who it turns out looks like the portrait of Maeve. We didn't really talk about the portrait but it serves as the cover of the book. As I write this it occurs to me that the portrait of Maeve is the only "new" object that is added to the house. Maeve has an obsession with the house and spends a fair amount of time sitting out in front of it. And, in the end, Maeve's portrait is returned to it's rightful place. Full Circle.

The book rated a 4.2.

Next month we meet at Pam's and our book is "Save the Plums for Me."

February Book Club - The Starless Sea Part 2

Thanks to all who braved the night and found their way to Etowah Road in Noble, America. The house sits in town but, off the beaten bath.Though it's only six miles from center of Norman, it feels like it's in the boonies.

I was so excited to see that everyone had caught the spirit of the evening by coming in the costume of their favorite character or author. We were having so much fun admiring everyone's creativity and catching up on news that we almost forgot to fill out plates. Thanks also to Carla A for taking the photos documenting our costumes.

We did miss Janie, Leslie, Pam, Terry and Gwynne. Congratulations to Pam! Her daughter, Katie, gave birth to Margaret Joan Moore on the day.

The weather cooperated and it was a nice night for Book Club. Carla A brought a cheesy dip and crackers and Denise brought fruit and cheese. Arnora brought the beautiful centerpiece and mixed nuts. Cheese must have been the theme as I made a cheesy Chicken Alfredo pasta. Carla G brought salad, Lis made her much desired Mayan hot chocolate, Tammy brought bread, Carla A also brought a blueberry cobbler.

Our book this month was The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. We had previously enjoyed her book The Night Circus however, this one garnered more mixed reviews. We did have a good long discussion which is appropriate given the length of the book.  This book was different than most we have read because it was actually six books woven into one through common themes and threads. The themes, coupled with metaphors, fantastical reality, the underground world and, periods of time travel, past lives, etc. did make it hard to follow at times. One of the themes that Diana and Laura brought forth was that they felt the book was really a metaphor for what is happening in the environment. That really helped me make more sense of it.

I had read that the author was attempting to write a mythological story for a modern audience. Perhaps this new age mythology is meant to remind us that things are always changing, and like the butterfly effect, each change impacts the next and so on. Denise and Carla G wanted to know the meaning of the symbolism of the bee's. It seems the author is sharing her concerns for this "keystone" insect and the catastrophic impact to our world if we do not fight for the survival of the species. Also, the rising Starless Sea could be our own oceans rising due to climate change.

Denise brought up the question, "Is it a problem that the book may have failed to connect with the likely intended audience? Or, is it satisfying that some books, when published, were initially not well received but had book champions that saved them from obscurity and opened them up to a wider audience at a later date." It does appear that some books are just ahead of their time and it takes the audience time to catch up to the message.

The book rated a 4.12 for those who finished and wanted to rate it. Carla A liked it. Carla G, Sherrie and Denise found it hard to follow - I wanted to reserve my rating as I might revisit the book after the discussion.

Our next book is Ann Padgett's, The Dutch House.