March 2020 Bookclub News

Our first Zoom ~ March 27, 2020....

... developing with the addition of Lori and some better lighting.

Dear Bookclub,
Our pandemic days have arrived, a version of those eerily portrayed in an earlier Novel Group selection, Sue Meissner's "As Bright as Heaven" (May 2018). Gratefully connecting via Zoom, our March meeting became virtual as we 'saw' each other and discussed Julianne MacLean's "A Fire Sparkling".  Everyone really enjoyed the book, noting that the twists and turns, plausible or not, kept the pages turning. Most were not fond of the present day main character, Gillian. The psychological effect of April becoming Vivian was an interesting ponder.

In addition to discussing the book, we had a great time sharing what we were up to, most notably, what's being watched. Here is a list of what Julie and I gleaned:

"Pandemic"
"Sanditon"
"Poldark"
"Sex Education"
"Homeland"
"The Stranger"
"The Imposters"
"Love is Blind"

and some of what is being read:

"Reading with Patrick" Michelle Kuo
"This Tender Land" William Kent Krueger
"Machines Like Me" Ian MacEwan

..and as captured by Julie with her iPad!

Lori's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell"  Robert Dugoni   *chosen

" The Hate You Give" Angie Thomas   

" The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper"  Hallie Rubenhold    

Up next:

In searching for a picture for Lisa See, I found this picture and great accompanying 2010 article from Los Angeles Magazine:

Carolyn and Lisa See

Does anyone else remember the author Carolyn See? Lisa's mother!
https://www.lamag.com/lastory/carolyn-lisa-see/

And please check out more about Carolyn See (who died in 2016) on her Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_See


Safe reading,
LK

January 2020 Bookclub News

Pizza party

Dear Bookclub,
Kate brilliantly fed us adored CPK take-and-bake pies as we gathered to discuss Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime". Our January selection kicked off the year with a robust discussion, as appreciation of Noah's stories and insights kept us chattering. Charmed by the author's old-soul wisdom, implausible childhood, and the purest of wit, we greedily gobbled up sugar cookies in his likeness:

Trevor-punim cookies

Kate's strips of specific statements on topics meant to encourage discussion indeed incited further chatter but their true value emerged later in the evening as they were jumbled with our members' names and put into a basket. Recognizing the need for a committee to shape our upcoming June bookclub excursion, names were drawn from said basket by yours truly:

And just in case you can't believe your eyes:

Sue, Karen and Lynne will be 'designing' the get-away!

Kate's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Alice Network"  Kate Quinn
"The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane"  Lisa See *chosen
"Blow Out" Rachel Maddox


Up next, the National Book Award Winner for Fiction 2017:

Happy reading!
LK

December 2019 Bookclub Recap/January 2020 Bookclub News

***

Dear Bookclub,
Ahhhhh.... Our annual bookclub holiday party, this year at Dave & Martha's, was absolutely delightful! Atop their hill, the house glowing Christmas, all were welcomed to a festive evening of good cheer, amazing food and great conversation. Fannie Flagg's "A Redbird Christmas" was enjoyed by most and but a murmur among the other more compelling discussions. The kick-off to the holidays put us on the path to brave December and now brings us into the new year and new decade...

Read on!

Embroidery by Sarah K. Benning

New York Times Book Review best books of 2019:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/books/review/best-books.html

 Washington Post best books of 2019:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/entertainment/books/best-books-of-2019/


.... and here is a list of lists!

 https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/2019/best_of

 So interesting how many we have not read. Something to study for upcoming ideas perhaps. What was your favorite in the last year?

BuzzFeed's best books of the decade:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomiobaro/best-books-2010s-decade\

Can you remember what you read in the last decade?! This is actually a fascinating list. Enjoy!




 Up next:

Trevor!

Trevor Noah's "Born a Crime"

For a quick read on Comedy Central's press page:
https://press.cc.com/series/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah/bio/435697


Finally Kate's suggestions for an upcoming read:

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
Blow Out by Rachel Maddox


Happy reading,
LK



*** Castle Hotel Thannegg Gröbming, Austria

November 2019 Recap

Thanksgiving Bookclub at Kim's

Dear Bookclub,
Gratefully gathering at Kim's for a festive evening of discussion, we were treated to a feast themed to Beth Duke's "It All Comes Back to You". Not pictured but much appreciated: ham and homemade icebox cake!

Kim herded us from the captivating kitchen to the formal dining room for a more formal discussion, complete with questions on cards. In true Violet style, we gladly complied - for a few minutes and then broke from the discussion points bursting with the need to bare our true feelings. Amazingly ordered, (thank you Martha!), each of us revealed our disappointment in realizing it was not a great book. The underlying current of "romance novel" overpowered our literary sense and despite admission that it was a fast read, it was not well-liked. Murderous, unbelievable, and flat characters were tied up in a bow at the book's end. Something must be noted about the beautiful cover... think we were bamboozled!


Kim's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"A Fire Sparkling" by Julianne MacLean *chosen
 "Olive Again" by Elizabeth Strout

"The Dutch House" by Ann Pachett

 'Tis the season!

 While visiting my mom in October, she shared this article from the Boston Globe. Please enjoy!

The following appeared on BostonGlobe.com:

Headline: A precious holiday family heirloom tells the story of generations - The Boston Globe

Date: Nov 2, 2019

Sixty years later, Mom’s Christmas tablecloth captures our family history.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2018/11/22/precious-holiday-family-heirloom-tells-story-generations/HlnQ2f8eKBBsekyqFsRQIM/story.html?s_campaign=8315


Up next, for our Christmas party:

Jolly reading,
LK

November 2019 Bookclub News

Beth Duke*

Dear Bookclub,

"I accompanied my mother to pick up her cat at a veterinary clinic in Alabama. The place also catered to birds; cockatoos and the like. I began chatting with a woman waiting for her cockatiel, and she had the strongest Eastern European accent. I was enthralled listening to her; she had dramatically dark hair and eyes, and in my mind she was some sort of exotic Gypsy. I finally asked her where she’s from, expecting the Czech Republic or Hungary. Instead, she answered, “Mobile (Alabama).” She gestured to her head. “Eees spider bite. Eees make me talk this way ever since from toxin.” I told her how fascinating I found that, and she nodded to her husband across the room. “He like it very much.” The man grinned and nodded emphatically."

Beth Duke is a storyteller. And the above is a true story, according to her. How much is fiction in "It All Comes Back to You"? *Duke appears to be a little bit Violet.. a little bit Ronni in this depiction. Inspired to write in a voice she misses, her grandmother, Duke claims that every book she writes features a magical old lady. To read more of the interview with Beth Duke that includes the above story, please enjoy:

https://curledupwithagoodbook.co.uk/meet-the-author-beth-duke/

For more on Beth Duke, please check out her website:

 https://www.bethduke.com/



Kim's suggestions for an upcoming read:

  "A Fire Sparkling" by Julianne MacLean

 "Olive Again" by Elizabeth Strout

"The Dutch House" by Ann Pachett

Happy reading,

LK

October 2019 Recap

Karen's October "touch"

Dear Bookclub,

A much anticipated bookclub evening exceeded expectations as the cozy Ferrette home cast its spell. If Halloween were a comfort food, it would be bookclub at Karen’s. Yes, there is the delicious autumn inspired food, and in addition, fall colors and pumpkins envelope, transporting our spirits into a holiday-inspired focus. Frightening enough that Halloween was just two short weeks away, I have perpetuated the terror in writing about this on November 2nd. We are captive in the speeding time vortex! But just in time:

Back to our meeting; Gail Honeyman's  "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" generated good discussion as we agreed the well-written account of this woman's life presented much to ponder. Never really knowing what one's story entails, Eleanor gave us a glimpse into what happens as one ages out of the foster care system. Add to that, an horrific event, and the unimaginable further rocked our beliefs. Julie summed it up with these thoughts: "There are no dramatic acts of valor... No one swoops in and saves her. Little gestures enable her to save herself. We can all fight loneliness by doing random acts of kindness." Discussion of the upcoming Reese Witherspoon movie production can be updated as it is now reported that the screenplay is in the process of being written and that Reese will play a part in the movie (the 'imagined' evil mother?) and Felicity Jones may play Eleanor.

Cheers!

Delighting in the endearing parts of the book, Karen treated us to some Irish cider:

Magners for all!

 Karen's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Born a Crime" Trevor Noah *chosen

"Little Fires Everywhere"  Celeste Ng

"The Silent Patient" Alex Michaelides

My suggestions for a December read:

"The Night Before Cbristmas" Nikolai Gogol
"Redbird Christmas" Fannie Flagg * chosen
"Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel" Samantha Silva

Martha's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Sing, Unburied, Sing" Jesmyn Ward

"Manhattan Beach" Jennifer Egan

"There There" Tommy Orange

Up next:

Happy reading!

LK
 

October 2019 Bookclub News

Stanley Street statue

 "All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?"

Lennon-McCartney

Dear Bookclub.

Eleanor is two of them. Rugby and Oliphant. The lonely people. Gail Honeyman’s first novel deftly enters the world of a lonely woman. Not explaining if the name is a coincidence, Honeyman does describe (in her honeyed Scottish accent) her experience in writing this book in a short interview from PRX:

http://exchange.prx.org/pieces/246396

Gail Honeyman

And again in this article:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/12/gail-honeyman-didnt-want-eleanor-oliphant-portrayed-as-victim


And of course, the movie. Reese Witherspoon is behind the workings of a production:

Reese/Eleanor

https://the-bibliofile.com/eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine-movie-what-we-know/ 


 Karen's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Born a Crime" Trevor Noah

"Little Fires Everywhere"  Celeste Ng

"The Silent Patient" Alex Michaelides

My suggestions for a December read:

"The Night Before Cbristmas" Nikolai Gogol
"Redbird Christmas" Fannie Flagg
"Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel" Samantha Silva

Looking forward to our discussion.

Happy reading!
LK