January 2010 Book Club

Happy New Year! The first book club of the year was hosted by Ms. Laura Madden. Thanks, Laura, for leaving up the Christmas decorations long enough for us to enjoy them. Everything was very festive. Janie and Darby were ill and we missed them. Laura made White Chicken Chili; warm and spicy for a cold winter's evening and served it with a cheese bread. Pam brought shrimp won tons and Barb brought a Waldorf salad. Denise brought variety of cheesecakes and an Italian Cream. Arnora brought the flowers and there was a fine assortment of wines, coffee and Diana brought Coquito, a cold creamy aperitif similar in consistency to eggnog but with a slightly different flavor.

This months book was The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coehlo. Previously we had read and enjoyed his book The Alchemist. TWoP is written by an anonymous narrator and he tells the story from the various perspectives of the people who surround the main character Athena. Athena is born in Romania to an unwed mother who leaves her on the doorstep of the orphanage. The baby is adopted by Lebanese parents and the family must flee their home during the time of Ceausceau to London where Athena finishes school. From the start Athena is a difficult child, indepenedent and willful. She has no intention of doing things by "the book" or traditional ways of her parents. Though they love her deeply they don't understand her and are frustrated by her. Athena literally dances to the beat of her own drummer as she discovers that by dancing in opposition to the rhythm she can put herself in an altered state of consciousness or trance. While she is in college she meets a young man who she is determined to marry because she desperately wants a baby. Though they do love each other, too much responsibility too soon and giving up on dreams to pay the bills wrecks the relationship. The rest of the back story is about Athena as a single working mom but more than that is about the people she meets when she travels to Transylvania to find her birth mother and the path she takes to discovering her inner Goddess or the "feminine" side of spirituality. It is a story about how "different" is often made wrong and even persecuted.

We had a very interesting discussion about "witches". Throughout history a women's feminine powers of intuition, their knowledge of healing through herbs and their ability to ease the pain of childbirth often had them labeled as "witches" and most often put to death in an effort to destroy their "power". Athena was no different. Worshipped by some, vilified by others she did what she had to do to protect herself and her son. The story takes an interesting twist at the end and the anonymous narrator is revealed.

The next day, Carla and I were discussing the book. Carla had not read it but had an interesting observation comparing the fictional Athena with her namesake the Greek Goddess. In mythology both Athena and Artemis are two Goddesses that are different sides of the same coin. Artemis is the nature Goddess and Athena is of the "city". She would represent your urban woman . However, both are considered "virgin Goddesses". During this time in Greek history "virgin" did not mean pure, it simply meant unmarried. Both Goddesses were very powerful and they loved men but had no need for marriage. They had their own personal agendas they were carrying out. That Coehlo chose Athena for the "nickname" of his protagonist is probably no accident.

This month 8 people read the book and it rated 3.6 with scores between 3 & 4.5.

Happy Birthday to me this month. I apologize that we didn't get the birthday girls last month in the book club crown. I hadn't realized it had broken and the one I had from a costume I only stumbled on to again just recently.

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!