September 2018 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,

I got carried away. Doing research on our next book, Tayari Jones' "An American Marriage", brought me to a quote:

“One of my favorite parts of summer is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit, whether it’s on a vacation with family or just a quiet afternoon . . . An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is a moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” —Barack Obama

OK then! Barack has figured out how to slow down and read during the summer. I especially find it intriguing to imagine him having a quiet afternoon. So I googled Obama reading and found this smattering of images. I bet there are no photographers around during those quiet summer afternoons so I will have to be satisfied with these scenes of him reading quite the variety of genres.

Next, I came upon this quote:

"I did not read the synopsis of this book before I read it, and I suggest that you do not either. Just trust me, this is worth it. This is my first Tayari Jones book, and it won’t be my last."

From a Barbara Fischer, who from over 1800 Amazon reviews, mentions that I shouldn't delve any further if I want to have the great feel of experiencing the reveal. I stopped reading reviews then also.
Now I will focus on reading the book.

Happy reading!
LK 

PS The San Diego Union Tribune ran an article this week about the health benefits of reading (we know!):
 http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/sd-he-reading-for-health-20180910-story.html#


Also, here is another article, from the Atlantic, citing the same study:
 https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/07/more-evidence-reading-good-you/313575/
 

August 2018 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
An intimate group gathered at Barb's, and indeed, our size increased by 25.5% with the addition of  Cassie and Henry! Aside from looking like the absolute baby doll he is, Henry was incredibly agreeable, silently on board with all thoughts and discussion. Barb treated us to an amazing late summer spread and delicious wine - yes, too bad you weren't there because check out how we left the Gaeto wine vault (see below). In truth, Tom wisely removed the collection to cooler quarters on Point Loma so not only did we leave it this way, it looked this way when we arrived. But - what a concept!

Our discussion of "The Heirs" included assessing Eleanor and her motivations, recalling the more colorful characters and circumstances, and an observation that the book did not have a lot of 'action' but rather a telling of a family's story.  I enjoyed it immensely as a good summer read and the novel will remain memorable given the varied dynamics and personalities, well-told by Susan Reiger.

Barb thoughtfully recommended the following titles to be considered for an upcoming read:

"Clock Dance" Anne Tyler *chosen
"Beartown" Fredrik Backman
"The Great Alone" Kristin Hannah


Up next:

Happy Reading!
LK

August 2018 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Susan Rieger's "The Heirs", described in this NPR review by Jason Sheehan, as the book depicted in the opening scene of the movie, "The Royal Tenenbaums", the New York version. "Love and sex and money and betrayal make for excellent storytelling" he observes. What a perfect summer page-turning read and ripe for discussion. (I want to re-watch the movie now too.)

https://www.npr.org/2017/05/27/528843001/love-money-and-betrayal-make-for-great-storytelling-in-the-heirs

Looking forward to debating Rupert’s cryptic last words in his will: “Settle my just debts.”


Happy Reading!
LK

July 2018 Bookclub News

July 2018 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Misalignment of bookclub calendar and my summer travels deprived me of yet another lively meeting. Boohoo; my loss. When sharing my latest read with family and friends, describing a book about a motley crew ever so charmingly pursuing a killer panther, a blank faced reaction was expected. A most fantastic read, "The Which Way Tree" tops my list of highly recommended.

Kim thoughtfully provided a recap of the evening:

"Outside on Julie's beautiful patio with sparkling candles lit when the sun went down,  6 Novel members drank wine, ate delicious food and discussed the memorable book "The Which Way  Tree" by Elizabeth Crook.  Julie prepared discussion questions that had us pondering and exploring the unforgettable characters; the favorites and the undesirables, the intelligent and ruthless animals and the rules and order of the south in post civil war times. The story was centered around a young girl's relentless  determination to hunt and destroy the panther that killed her mother. The narrator was her brother who was willing to risk everything to protect his sister.  It was universally agreed that this book was an outstanding read and one that will long be remembered.

Julie graciously stepped in for Kate and we send Kate love and good wishes for a speedy recovery."

As mentioned in her acknowledgments, Crook found the voice for Benjamin from a book, "Now you Hear my Horn",  in a family library, given in 1968 to her grandfather from her grandmother. Check it out:

https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/mcdnow

I found myself wondering more about Elizabeth Crook and found that her other works are also enticing. I put this one on my reading list:

https://smile.amazon.com/Night-Journal-Elizabeth-Crook/dp/0143038575/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1533051887&sr=8-2&keywords=crook+elizabeth

Kate's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"When: The Science of Perfect Timing" Daniel H. Pink

"Little Fires Everywhere" Celeste Ng

"Educated" Tara Westover *chosen

Up next: Susan Rieger's "The Heirs" 

Happy Reading!

LK

June 2018 Bookclub News

Tennessee Children's Home

Dear Bookclub,
 I am so sorry to have been out of town, missing June's bookclub meeting at Diane's to discuss Lisa Wingate's "Before We Were Yours". Rich for discussion, the author described the experience of surfing the reality in an online site, Signature, http://www.signature-reads.com/2017/06/before-we-were-yours-the-truth-about-tennessees-lost-children/  Wingate states ultimately that when learning of true accounts from Georgia Tann's criminal acts, "For any story you can write, there's someone who's lived it."
Get out a kleenex and see a reunion on a 1991 Oprah episode:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzp8ey7spO0
 
Gratefully, Diane has written an account of the evening to share:

Diane here, subbing in for our eloquent leader with a few notes about our recent June meeting.  Despite the off-schedule meeting date - Wednesday instead of Thursday - there was a great turnout of 8 Novel Group members ready to engage in a lively discussion of Before We Were Yours, Lisa Wingate’s novel based on true accounts of adoptions that were less than above board which really tugged at everyone’s heart.  Georgia Tann was running quite a business in the 1930’s-1950’s in Memphis, TN practically stealing children from disadvantaged families and selling them to desperate families unable to have children of their own. Through one such transaction we meet the 5  lovable, and endearing, children of Briny and Queenie aboard their river shanty, the Arcadia.  The book sparked many discussions about adoptions, infertility, feelings of abandonment, and even the recent headlines of family separations at our border.  The discussion was passionate and enlightening, and many remarked one one of the best discussions we have had in awhile. 

The impoverished setting of the book was definitely a food theme challenge, so I decided that as a nod to the book to share my recent experience of simple, Tuscan dishes.  A rustic Panzanella (think bruschetta in a bowl!) followed by a very simple tiramisu ended up as crowd pleasers. 

Four books were presented for future consideration:

Dead Wake, Eric Larson (chosen)

The House of Broken Angels, Luis Alberto Urrea (close 2nd)

32 Yolks, Eric Ripert

The Last Ballad, Wiley Cash

Happy campers #1

Happy campers #2

Up next: Elizabeth Cook's, "The Which Way Tree".

Happy Reading!
LK

May 2018 Recap

Dear Bookclub,

May gray days on end set the tone for our 1918 Spanish flu pandemic affair. Gathering at Lori's for our evening with author, Sue Meissner, to discuss her latest work, "As Bright As Heaven", our fabulous groups united with sweet anticipation. And sweetly welcomed, we were. Lori had created supper of nurturing soup jars, yummy meatballs, delicious salad and dainty pralines.

Susan Meissner and Lori

Fortified with flu shots(ginger beer, vodka & rosemary sprigs), we settled in to share our appreciation for Meissner's work. Sue enlightened with us her development of the book, passing around pictures depicting some scenes from the pandemic. Her revelation of plotting the novel with the deaths of certain individuals (no spoiling in this paragraph), in order to allow other character development was especially interesting, as was her admiration of the structure of Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible".

Being merrily distracted, we neglected to discuss and vote on Lori's suggestions for an upcoming selection. Let's do an email vote:

"An American Marriage" Tayari Jones
"The Wife Between Us" Sarah Pekkanen
"Circe" Madeline Miller
"My Antonia" Will Cather


Up next: Lisa Wingate's, "Before We Were Yours". Please remember our meeting at Diane's will be on a Wednesday (June 20).

Happy Reading!
LK

May 2018 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Our evening with Sue Meissner to discuss her latest book, "As Bright as Heaven", an historical novel imagining one family's journey through the most catastrophic pandemics ever, is just a few days away. A few days in 1918 could determine fate beyond our imagination as the Great Influenza Pandemic devastated populations worldwide.

To learn more about what made this flu so deadly, please read this short piece from Time about the Spanish Flu:
http://time.com/3731745/spanish-flu-history/

To prepare for our evening, please check out the Book Club Kit from Sue's website:
http://susanlmeissner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AsBrightAsHeaven_BookClubKit.pdf


Lori has recommended the following books for choosing an upcoming selection:
"An American Marriage" Tayari Jones
"The Wife Between Us" Sarah Pekkanen
"Circe" Madeline Miller
"My Antonia" Will Cather

Healthy reading,
LK