Sunday, June 5, 2011
Don't Forget!
Next book club meeting is Tuesday at Jessica's house! We are reading and discussing "classic" novels!!!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Upcoming Months
If there are any that are following along with our reading list, or who have missed the last few meetings, here are the books we are reading for the next three months:
May 9 (Erin's house)
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert or Life of Pi by Yann Martel
June 6 (Jessica's house)
Any Classic novel...try searching for "best novels of all time", or "classic novels" and you will find lists of suggested titles. One member is reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, and two others are reading Emma by Jane Austen!
July 11 (Billie's House)
Infidel by Aayan Hirsi Ali or The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Happy Reading!
May 9 (Erin's house)
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert or Life of Pi by Yann Martel
June 6 (Jessica's house)
Any Classic novel...try searching for "best novels of all time", or "classic novels" and you will find lists of suggested titles. One member is reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, and two others are reading Emma by Jane Austen!
July 11 (Billie's House)
Infidel by Aayan Hirsi Ali or The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Happy Reading!
April Book Club
This month's book was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
From Booklist
Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960s is a city of tradition. Silver is used at bridge-club luncheons, pieces polished to perfection by black maids who “yes, ma’am,” and “no, ma’am,” to the young white ladies who order the days. This is the world Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan enters when she graduates from Ole Miss and returns to the family plantation, but it is a world that, to her, seems ripe for change. As she observes her friend Elizabeth rudely interact with Aibileen, the gentle black woman who is practically raising Elizabeth’s two-year-old daughter, Mae Mobley, Skeeter latches ontothe idea of writing the story of such fraught domestic relations from the help’s point of view. With the reluctant assistance of Aibileen’s feisty friend, Minny, Skeeter manages to interview a dozen of the city’s maids, and the book, when it is finally published, rocks Jackson’s world in unimaginable ways. With pitch-perfect tone and an unerring facility for character and setting, Stockett’s richly accomplished debut novel inventively explores the unspoken ways in which the nascent civil rights and feminist movements threatened the southern status quo. Look for the forthcoming movie to generate keen interest in Stockett’s luminous portrait of friendship, loyalty, courage, and redemption. --Carol Haggas
Everyone agreed this was a great book - a few had trouble getting into the book, but all were sorry to put it down by the time we came to the last page. Thank you Erica for hosting this month's meeting!
Monday, December 13, 2010
December Book Club
This month's meeting was hosted by Christy. She had candles lit, tea and cookies, and a crackling fire to sit around; the perfect atmosphere, considering this month's theme - Christmas!
Some opinions shared:
Next Year It Will Be Different: A Christmas Treasury by Maeve Binchy
*According to Jessica, this book (a selection of short stories) was a bit of a downer. Most of the stories dealt with unhappy people trying to get through the holiday the best they could. Of the 15 stories, she only liked 3 - but Maeve Binchy is a great author!! This just wasn't her best showing.
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
*Christy informed us that Charles Dickens wrote this story to highlight the problems faced by the very poor, and that this story was pivotal in reforming the workhouse policies of 1800's England. She read some excerpts from the familiar story that reminded us why some stories become classics...not everyday, lighthearted reading, but enjoyable all the same.
Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham
*Joy shared that she felt thankful for the truth many times as she read this book. The story deals with the commercialism and material side of Christmas, and how one family's attempt to boycott Christmas really backfires. The plot was interesting, but Joy had a hard time liking some of the characters in the story.
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
*Donna enlightened us on the history of the Nobel Peace Prize, and how Mr. Nobel (who previously had been known as the creator of dynamite) went about changing his legacy by creating the Nobel Prize for Peace. This story is basically about second chances, or how a person would like to be remembered. Donna thought the story was syrupy and predictable, a "feel good" book that tries a little too hard.
The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman
*Erin told us about this book, which is about a group of friends who meet once a year to share Christmas Cookies, and how their relationships intermingle. The interesting thing about the layout of this story is that each chapter is headed by an ingredient, like butter, and includes a history of the ingredient. The ingredient foreshadows the plot of the chapter. Sounds interesting!
Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs
*Dorena was expecting a book that would work as a stand-alone novel, but apparently this is one of a series, and so it was difficult to make out how characters were related to each other with little history given. However, it does become a "feel good" book as the main character travels to Scotland and learns more about her family history.
Erica read a two-book set of Debbie Macomber's (can't remember the title), but she said that it was disappointing. Erica has read many of Macomber's books and usually enjoys them more than she did this one. Perhaps it was because both books were shorter, so there wasn't time to develop the characters, but she felt this wasn't a book she would recommend to others. The author, however, is a favorite of several book club members!
It was very interesting hearing about a different book from everyone! I hope I managed to do justice to everyone's book...not verbatim by any means...everyone had so much to bring out, I just wanted to get a snippet for those who couldn't be there.
How about those of you who didn't get a chance to come to the meeting? What books have you been reading? Please leave a comment, or send Jessica an email at jrwaldo6@yahoo.com to share your thoughts with us - we look forward to hearing from you!
Some opinions shared:
Next Year It Will Be Different: A Christmas Treasury by Maeve Binchy
*According to Jessica, this book (a selection of short stories) was a bit of a downer. Most of the stories dealt with unhappy people trying to get through the holiday the best they could. Of the 15 stories, she only liked 3 - but Maeve Binchy is a great author!! This just wasn't her best showing.
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
*Christy informed us that Charles Dickens wrote this story to highlight the problems faced by the very poor, and that this story was pivotal in reforming the workhouse policies of 1800's England. She read some excerpts from the familiar story that reminded us why some stories become classics...not everyday, lighthearted reading, but enjoyable all the same.
Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham
*Joy shared that she felt thankful for the truth many times as she read this book. The story deals with the commercialism and material side of Christmas, and how one family's attempt to boycott Christmas really backfires. The plot was interesting, but Joy had a hard time liking some of the characters in the story.
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
*Donna enlightened us on the history of the Nobel Peace Prize, and how Mr. Nobel (who previously had been known as the creator of dynamite) went about changing his legacy by creating the Nobel Prize for Peace. This story is basically about second chances, or how a person would like to be remembered. Donna thought the story was syrupy and predictable, a "feel good" book that tries a little too hard.
The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman
*Erin told us about this book, which is about a group of friends who meet once a year to share Christmas Cookies, and how their relationships intermingle. The interesting thing about the layout of this story is that each chapter is headed by an ingredient, like butter, and includes a history of the ingredient. The ingredient foreshadows the plot of the chapter. Sounds interesting!
Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs
*Dorena was expecting a book that would work as a stand-alone novel, but apparently this is one of a series, and so it was difficult to make out how characters were related to each other with little history given. However, it does become a "feel good" book as the main character travels to Scotland and learns more about her family history.
Erica read a two-book set of Debbie Macomber's (can't remember the title), but she said that it was disappointing. Erica has read many of Macomber's books and usually enjoys them more than she did this one. Perhaps it was because both books were shorter, so there wasn't time to develop the characters, but she felt this wasn't a book she would recommend to others. The author, however, is a favorite of several book club members!
It was very interesting hearing about a different book from everyone! I hope I managed to do justice to everyone's book...not verbatim by any means...everyone had so much to bring out, I just wanted to get a snippet for those who couldn't be there.
How about those of you who didn't get a chance to come to the meeting? What books have you been reading? Please leave a comment, or send Jessica an email at jrwaldo6@yahoo.com to share your thoughts with us - we look forward to hearing from you!
Monday, November 8, 2010
November Meeting
Book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
This month's meeting was hosted by Barbara. The chosen book received mixed reviews, but all agreed the writing was very descriptive and insightful. Although the conversation was spirited, all had a good time!
To any who have read this book, we would love to hear your opinion! Please leave a comment!
Looking forward to next month's meeting, which will be hosted by Christy on December 13th.
This month's meeting was hosted by Barbara. The chosen book received mixed reviews, but all agreed the writing was very descriptive and insightful. Although the conversation was spirited, all had a good time!
To any who have read this book, we would love to hear your opinion! Please leave a comment!
Looking forward to next month's meeting, which will be hosted by Christy on December 13th.
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