December 2015

Dear Bookclub,
Martha and Dave were fabulous hosts for our holiday 'bash'! Was wonderful to spend our time together in their warm and beautifully decorated home, feasting on an amazing array of festive food. It was so tempting to enjoy chatting, sipping, and nibbling, (well chowing), that I neglected to take any pictures. So here is a rendering of the evening:

Shocker that the book discussion was once again a haphazard gathering of readers here and there.  Making a note to organize a method for a formal assembly next year. Beware! I personally thought "Butcher's Crossing" is a literary standout in our book list and will long be remembered in this foggy brain.

Thanks to all who brought books for the Children's Museum in Escondido.

Please stay tuned for an organizational update re:our hosting calendar.
Merry Christmas!

Happy reading,
LK

PS: up next is David Greene's "Midnight in Siberia"

November 2015 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
Kim's home beautifully glowed-Thanksgiving (with a smidge of Christmas along her eaves). An amazing spread in her kitchen led us to spread first to the dining room and then to the living room, enveloped in her plush hospitality. King's "Euphoria" was hardly debated; the enjoyment of the exposure to anthropologists and the Mead/Bateson fact-checking led our discussion-lite.

Selection suggestions were fantastic and hopefully, the remaining two will be suggested again:

"Fates and Furies" by Lauren Groff (*chosen)
"The Japanese Lover" by Isabel Allende
"The Twelve Tribes of Hattie" by Ayana Mathis

Our much anticipated Christmas gathering at Martha and Dave's is just around the corner!
"Butcher's Crossing"by John Williams is our December selection; a pre-20th century historical novel, rich in language, thought and appreciation of nature. Please read the amazing community reviews in goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/457228.Butcher_s_Crossing

Don't forget to RSVP to Martha with your party food contribution. Also, we'll participate in honoring a local literary need for our holiday gift. We decided upon donating to the Escondido Children's Museum. Please bring an unwrapped, be-ribboned children's book and/or a monetary donation (they are in the midst of a fund drive to purchase their building and all funds will be matched!):

http://sdcdm.org/

Happy reading!
LK

November 2015 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,

As the days shorten, and the temperature dropped a degree or two, the cozy reading season is upon us. Hardly a heavy-lidded read, Lily King's "Euphoria" is an invigorating tale that will inspire you to dig a bit deeper into your understanding of Margaret Mead, as this novel, loosely based on her life, takes you into the 1930's world of anthropology and the personalities involved.

Our November selection, has been a wildly popular, well-read, discussed and reviewed novel, noted for its recognition for being the winner of the 2014 Kirkus Prize, the winner of the 2014 New England Book Award for Fiction, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and a "Best Book of the Year for:  New York Times Book Review, Time, NPR, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Newsday, Vogue, New York Magazine, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, The Guardian, Kirkus Reviews, Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Our Man in Boston, Oprah.com, Salon. In a nutshell, you will enjoy this! (It really is good.)

For your 'digging'....please check out the King interview from Vogue re: Margaret Mead....
http://www.vogue.com/872367/lily-king-margaret-mead-novel-euphoria/

Also, for further referencing about the nature of the anthropologists viewpoints, the Margaret Mead- Derek Freeman controversy centered around "Coming of Age in Samoa" is neatly described in the following excerpt from a Carnegie Mellon document that my googling produced:
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/sc24/History/EnCultAntMead.pdf


Please be sure to RSVP to Kim for this upcoming Thursday, 11/12 at 7 pm.

Euphoric reading,
LK

October 2015 Recap

Dear Bookclub,

As taken with RLS as John Singer Sargent, my passionate read of "Under the Wide and Starry Sky" by Nancy Horan lingers on in my imagination. Fanny perseveres, not so veiled, in my mind. Our meeting at Karen's, under the warm and muggy sky, was extremely pleasant, emphasized by the facilitator.

The Facilitator

Karen tended to our lucky little group with Scottish treats as we reported on the progress of our reading. Only Diane had fully finished the book although we were all truly enjoying it. Life competed heavily with our optimistic plans to complete the 500 pages in time for Drambuie.

 Karen recommended "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly,  "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher, and "A Man called Ove" by Fredrick Backman. We have the most amazing array of decision avoidance, starting with hard choices! Debating the pros and cons of each suggestion brought us no closer to a finalist than having the spin of that Drambuie bottle land on a winner. Karen finally took the initiative to declare "A Man called Ove" the selected book after "I don't really care, I like them all" had been uttered 72 times.

Next, Diane presented an opportunity to meet with Chris Bohjalian on January 11th when he is in San Diego, promoting his latest work, "The Guest Room".  For more:

http://www.chrisbohjalian.com/

She has been in touch with Chris about his availability and it will be a bit unknown until perhaps November. He does remember us though! Please let me know if you are interested in going to the Warwick's event and I can coordinate a group ticket buying effort so we can all sit together. I envision having a 5:30 dinner somewhere nearby and then heading to Warwick's about 7 for the 7:30 appearance. I will call about our group and then this entails you giving Warwick's your credit card number for buying the book which will be available January 5th. Your purchase is your 'ticket'. This would be fun to do! And he may come join us for a nibble or sip of water.

Lori has some interesting thoughts regarding our holiday charity effort and a trip for next spring, which I tried to properly present in her absence. Discussion about a local effort with a literary emphasis was most passionate. Please be prepared to speak up and share thoughts and ideas in November so we can proceed. Lori's idea about Idyllwild was seriously pondered- some have been and the fact that not much beyond hiking can be viewed as a pro or con.... I like the golden chat opportunity of a good hike. Again, let's keep the discussion going and make a plan! Our last trip continues to exude lovely energy:

 Thanks to Sue for this charming gift! Sitting in my family room, a sweet reminder of our good time!

photo-bombed photo - thank you Whiskey

Thanks to Diane and Lori for your great ideas! Looking forward to seeing you all at Kim's November 12th for the amazing Lily King novel, "Euphoria".

Happy Reading!
LK

Bookclub Next Week!

Dear Bookclub,
We are meeting next week, 10/15, the third Thursday in a month of five! Hope you are enjoying Nancy Horan's second novel, "Under the Wide and Starry Sky".

     

Robert Louis Stevenson with his mother, wife and step-daughter at their temporary residence, Darlinghurst, January 1893

Please be sure to RSVP to Karen.
Happy Reading!
LK

Coronado Celebration September 2015

Dear Bookclub,
Like little Dorothy's, we hit the road last week and became transformed in a wonderful world of 1906.

The glow of our getaway still envelopes. Our adventure was filled with beautiful weather, dear camaraderie, OZ-injections, bike rides, golf cart meanderings, happy hour and a half's, good food, male-admirers, and a darn-good walking tour.

   

 

    

 

These are just a few images of our happenings; please share any more that you may have. There are never enough and I am so sorry that we didn't coordinate a picture at Chez Loma!

Thank you so much for the gifts and the card - I loved having everyone's sentiments on that Tinman card!!

Two more meetings and then we will have another opportunity to have our big bookclub family back together again at David and Martha's on December 12th for our holiday gathering! Our December selection is "Butcher's Crossing" by the National Book Award novelist, John Williams. Please read this great description on the Goodreads website:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/457228.Butcher_s_Crossing

Next up is "Under the Wide and Starry Sky" by Nancy Horan.

Robert Louis Stevenson. 1850–1894

Requiem

UNDER the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie:
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you 'grave for me:
Here he lies where he long'd to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.

Not quite "A Child's Garden of Verses"....
Robert Louis Stevenson, had a fascinating childhood and life (which I learned in a few minutes of google-sleuthing) but I'd rather not say anything. I quit reading any factual biography as I have not yet read Horan's book and would like to learn more later after delving into the sweetly imagined novel. Much more fun that way.

Please RSVP to Karen....
Happy Reading!
LK

August 2015 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
Sharing a relaxed dinner on the Veranda, our cozy group of six reflected upon Anne Tyler's "A Spool of Blue Thread".

Most of us agreed that the story was slow to engage but ultimately it was an endearing and enjoyable read. Some were not fond of the characters and we wondered about Denny and Nora at the end.. an opening to more? Personally, I really, really liked this book and I can't put my finger on why... until the Abby 'incident' I was asleep; my subsequent awakening illuminated just how profound the Whitshanks mundane story felt as I read onward. Tyler's details and writing cannot be disregarded. The peaceful shift that occurred in my posture when the spool of blue thread finally appeared - I'd been on the hunt for the title's meaning for so darn long!

Next up is our anniversary celebration at the 1906 Lodge on Coronado, September 17-19. Anything OZ! Please refer to my August 1st email (subject line "Our Coronado Bookclub 25th Anniversary Celebration trip") for more information. Updated details will follow shortly.

Happy reading!
LK

August Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,

An evening of reflection on the historic significance of the tale of Masada via Alice Hoffman's "The Dovekeepers" was aptly balanced with Kate's summery serving of margaritas and Mexican fare amidst tributes to Dr. Leahy's recent retirement. Had Hoffman's heroines mystically hovered about, they would have surely been stunned by our liberties and candy wrapper message poster board. You had to be there.

Actually a wonderful evening of female camaraderie, discussion ranged from the study of Sue's postcards and documents from her Masada visit, to courtships, marriages and childbirths. Bookclub!

Up next, "The Spool of Blue Thread" by Anne Tyler to be discussed August 20th.

Happy reading,
LK

Vista Viewing at Diane's

Dear Bookclub,
It was a spectacular summer evening to be at Diane's: perched on her terrace overlooking an amazing view of Rancho Bernardo as we delved into "The Girl on the Train", imagining the possibilities and  charged character portrayals, while sipping portable gin & tonics. Diane developed the British theme with a capping off of an exquisite English trifle:

Titles recommended for upcoming selections included "Big Data" by Viktor Mayer-Schonberger,

"Under the Wide and Starry Sky" by Nancy Horan(chosen for Karen's - October), and "Euphoria" by Lily King (chosen for Kim's - November). As always, too many books, so little time - always a tough decision with such great suggestions.

Next up: "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman, to be discussed at Kate's on July 23rd. An ambitiously crafted historical novel of ancient Judean times, Hoffman's work is best introduced in her website:

http://alicehoffman.com/books/the-dovekeepers/synopsis/

The recent movie created much fodder for panning in bird analogies. Reading those reviews became comical. Has anyone seen the film?

Please RSVP to Kate.

Enjoy your read,

LK 

Train Schedule

Dear Bookclub,
Our train schedule, or in Brit, shhhhhchhhhhhhedule, has us meeting at Diane's this Thursday, June 25th to discuss Paula Hawkins', "The Girl on the Train."

Hmmmm, should have been subtitled, "and what happens when she disembarks".

Having enjoyed the book, (although could see the train coming(!) ), I had to dig - not too deep to- discover why this was such a popular read. My 'other' book club also had it as a selection this month and I bet every other book club out there has it on their list. Good, yeah, but runaway train?? Well, from the Daily Beast,

 

The Fastest-Selling Adult Novel in History: Paula Hawkins’ ‘The Girl On The Train’

"Stephen King is a fan. Dreamworks just bought the movie rights. Your book club is definitely reading it. Author Paula Hawkins discusses her debut mega-hit, The Girl on the Train." Read the entire piece:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/20/the-fastest-selling-adult-novel-in-history-paula-hawkins-the-girl-on-the-train.html

Interesting. Still feel a bit like a baited consumer. But that's the same world that brought us this lovely computer, our phones, organic lettuce, fair trade dark chocolate, etc.




Read on! And RSVP to Diane :)
LK

Recap at Lori's May 21, 2015

Dear Bookclub,
Our beloved optimist extraordinaire, Lori, hosted bookclub despite an early morning departure for Santa Rosa, complete with a genuine Chilean spread (spare partaking of the canned tuna and packaged cookies; a nod to the miners' fare and a great centerpiece).

Most of our large group had read Hector Tobar's "Deep Down Dark:The Untold Story of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free". Our enthusiastic crowd debated the motivations of the miners, discussed their current status and contemplated the authenticity of the movie. The fascination of survival mixed with the reality of the culture gave us much to consider. Kate even gleaned a parallel to the mine in one of our previous read's, "All the Light You Cannot See" in a literary skateboard move whose name escapes me that Julie proclaimed. Our insight is ever expanding.

The next selection to choose will be for our September 25th anniversary celebration. Brainstorming for a special title included:

* "The Wizard of Oz" - Frank L. Baum (suggested because it was thought he wrote it in Coronado; actually was in Chicago!)
  http://gapersblock.com/airbags/archives/the_yellow_brick_road_began_in_humboldt_park/

He did write sequels four years later in Coronado
 http://gapersblock.com/airbags/archives/the_yellow_brick_road_began_in_humboldt_park/

It would still be fun and we could have a tour on Coronado commemorating Baum's affiliation with the island:
http://www.coronadonewsca.com/coronado_events/oz_con_international/l-frank-baum-s-coronado---a-walking-tour/article_cbdf9da4-1427-11e4-ae20-001a4bcf887a.html

I think there were formal events last August but the above mentioned would be self-guided. Does anyone know of anything different?


* a book from the 1990 - the year of our club's inception. This is quite the list - thank you Wikipedia -  and a walk down memory lane. Some ideas include-

• Booker Prize: A. S. Byatt, Possession: A Romance
• Carnegie Medal for children's literature: Gillian Cross, Wolf
• Iain M. Banks - Use of Weapons
• Hoda Barakat - The Stone of Laughter (حجر الضحك)
• Greg Bear - Heads and Queen of Angels
• Thomas Berger - Orrie's Story
• Louis de Bernières - The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
• William Boyd - Brazzaville Beach
• Ray Bradbury - A Graveyard for Lunatics
• John Bradshaw - Homecoming
• Tom Clancy - Clear and Present Danger
• Hugh Cook - The Wazir and the Witch and The Wishstone and the Wonderworkers
• Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe's Waterloo and Crackdown
• Michael Crichton - Jurassic Park
• Jim Dodge - Stone Junction
• Roddy Doyle - The Snapper
• Dominick Dunne - An Inconvenient Woman
• James Ellroy - L.A. Confidential
• John Kenneth Galbraith - A Tenured Professor
• John Gardner - Brokenclaw
• Elizabeth George - Well-Schooled in Murder
• Andrew Greeley - The Cardinal Virtues
• Elizabeth Jane Howard - The Light Years, first of the Cazalet series
• Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter - The Conan Chronicles 2
• Marsha Hunt - Joy
• P. D. James - Devices and Desires
• Robert Jordan - The Eye of the World
• Imre Kertész - Kaddish for an Unborn Child (Kaddis a meg nem született gyermekért)
• Stephen King - Four Past Midnight and The Stand
• Hanif Kureishi - The Buddha of Suburbia
• Joe R Lansdale - Savage Season
• Elmore Leonard - Get Shorty
• Robert Ludlum - The Bourne Ultimatum
• Ian McEwan - The Innocent
• Brian Moore - Lies of Silence
• Bảo Ninh - The Sorrow of War (Nỗi buồn chiến tranh)
• Tim O'Brien - The Things They Carried
• Orhan Pamuk - The Black Book
• Robert B. Parker - Stardust
• Rosamund Pilcher - September
• Belva Plain - Harvest
• Terry Pratchett - Eric and Moving Pictures
• Thomas Pynchon - Vineland
• W. G. Sebald - Schwindel. Gefühle ("Vertigo")
• Lucius Shepard - The Ends of the Earth
• Danielle Steel - Message From Nam
• James Tiptree, Jr. - Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
• Scott Turow - The Burden of Proof
• Andrew Vachss - Blossom
• Kurt Vonnegut - Hocus Pocus
• Harry L. Watson - Liberty and Power
• Banana Yoshimoto - Amrita
•  

any others?

* our first book, Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove"

*???

Please email your idea and/or vote and I will explore and share.




 

BTW, this is the 125th anniversary of Coronado

http://coronadoarts.com/coronado-celebrates-125-1/coronado-celebrates-125-1/

Hopefully, there will be events while we are visiting!



Next month we will meet on the fourth Thursday, June 25th, at Diane's, to discuss Paula Hawkins' "The Girl on the Train".

Happy Reading!
LK

A "Deep Down Dark" pre-game show

Dear Bookclub,
Tonight we meet at Lori's to discuss Hector Tobar's "Deep, Down, Dark".  I think you will really enjoy watching this great interview with clips and insight. There are videos from deep, down, dark taken with cell phones, and news clips.

http://www.france24.com/en/encore/20150303-hector-tobar-deep-down-dark-chilean-miners-book-film

Also, please read about the challenge of making the movie of a story whose ending is well-known:

http://www.laweekly.com/arts/hector-tobars-deep-down-dark-is-a-masterful-look-at-the-chilean-miners-5207320

Hope to see you tonight!
LK

May Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
A varied take on "The Husband's Secret" did not keep our group from a unified outpouring of friendship and support in our discussion of much beyond Moriarty's book. Barb's gracious soriee, much appreciated by all, spared nothing but a tour of the master dressing area - alas! We forgot to demand a viewing of the remodeling we spied last year. It's a to-do for next year.

Suggested by Barb for our August read, were two titles we already have selected and a third suggestion that was an easily accepted winner:

"The Girl on the Train" Paula Hawkins
"Deep, Down, Dark" Hector Tobar
"The Spool of Blue Thread" Anne Tyler *chosen




Up next, at Lori's on May 21, Tobar's "Deep, Down, Dark". 

 These images are meant to entice you into reading this compelling tale. You may wonder how you can be so captivated by a story whose outcome you surely know.  Tobar is a master storyteller and the details surrounding the 33 men and their journey will transport you to another realm.

   

Happy reading!
LK