Thursday, August 27, 2015

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

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Saturday, August 1, 2015

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


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Monday, July 13, 2015

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 

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Saturday, June 20, 2015

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







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Friday, May 22, 2015

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-
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


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Thursday, May 21, 2015

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


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Monday, May 4, 2015

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

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