Daybreak Book Club

Welcome to 2012!

2012-01-05T16:24:00.001-07:00

Hello to all -

The blog was sorely neglected last year. Sorry about that. For the few of you who actually look at this blog, I promise to try and keep it updated regularly with information about the Daybreak Book Club, and other great and cool information as well.

To keep things brief, at our December cookie and book exchange we selected the books and hosts for the first three months of the year, and also determined the dates for book club. It was a unanimous decision to start our meetings a little bit later this year (7:30 or 8:00 pm, depending on the hosts preference) and to keep our club meetings on the fourth Thursday of the month, pending major holidays.

So, here are the details:
January 26: "Life of Pi"
February 23: "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake"
March 22: "The Sweetness at the bottom of the Pie"

Yes, the books for the year have food related themes. We thought it might be fun to keep with the theme throughout the rest of the year so to those of you who are members of book club or anyone interested in joining, be thinking of foodie themed or titled books to read for the new year.

The other meeting dates for 2012 are as follows so mark your calendars:
April 26
May 24
June 28
July 26
August 23
September 27
October 25
November 15
December 13 (Book and Cookie Exchange!)

October Meeting: Passionate Marriage

2011-09-29T08:15:00.001-06:00

Our book for October is: "Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy alive in committed relationships" by David Schnarch. This is a book unlike one we've read in the past and should provide for interesting discussion about marriage and relationships in our next book club meeting.

A brief description from the authors website (www.passionatemarriage.com)

In PASSIONATE MARRIAGE: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships, he makes available to the general public his highly successful and untraditional approach to sex and marital therapy. He reveals how a passionate sex life requires each person to face the anxiety of defining himself/herself while getting closer to their partner, a process he calls differentiation.

Differentiation involves changing the way we think about marriage: Instead of seeing it as the merging of two people into one, as has often been taught, we must learn to maintain a sense of ourselves as distinct from our partner in order to become closer to him/her. Gaining more differentiation is not easy-and Dr. David warns that any "expert" who promises Eros and intimacy in ten easy steps should not be trusted. Sexual encounters provide perfect opportunities to differentiate and develop the strength to love deeply.

Mixing humor and compassion, Dr. David describes couples' explicit sexual encounters and dramatic therapy sessions to demonstrate how they found personal, marital, and sexual fulfillment far greater than they ever dreamed possible. Every sexual exchange, from kissing to daring erotic behaviors, is a graphic picture of how you and your partner feel about yourselves and each other outside the bedroom. He goes beyond simply curing sexual dysfunctions to help people achieve their sexual potential. For some that means the jolt of "wall-socket sex" and experiences of sexual transcendence.

Passionate Marriage offers explicit discussion of sexual behavior, practical tips, and details of couples' going through the "people-growing" crucibles inherent in emotionally committed relationships.

***

Click this link if you'd like to watch a video interview of Dr. Snarch and a transcript of the interview (I couldn't get it to embed!)

August, September and so on

2011-08-23T14:26:00.001-06:00

Okay, it's been months, sorry.

The summer definitely got the better of us book clubbers and we sort of fell apart. But, what else is summer for?

Our August meeting will be spent watching "The Help" at the local theater. A perfect chick flick for all us chicks who read the book last year.

Our September meeting will be at Robyn's house. It's fall, so time for us all to get back on the ball and back into literature, right?

The book for September is "Left to Tell" by Immaculee Ilibagiza, about Rwanda. Robyn has already read it and loved it so it should be a good selection for all of us. Watch this powerful video of Immaculee from the CBS Early Show.

June Book Preview - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

2011-06-19T18:17:00.000-06:00

From Wikipedia:

The book chronicles both the life of Oscar de Leon, an overweight Dominican boy growing up in Paterson, New Jersey who is obsessed with science fiction and fantasy novels and with falling in love, as well as the curse that has plagued his family for generations.

The middle sections of the novel center on the lives of Oscar's runaway sister, Lola; his mother, Hypatia Belicia Cabral; and his grandfather, Abelard. Rife with footnotes, science fiction and fantasy references, comic book analogies, and various Spanish dialects, the novel is also a meditation on story-telling, the Dominican diaspora and identity, masculinity, and oppression.

Most of the story is told by an apparently omniscient narrator who is eventually revealed to be Yunior de Las Casas, a college roommate of Oscar's who dated Lola.^[4] Yunior also appears in many of Diaz's short stories.^[5]

Of Mice and Men

2011-05-27T18:11:00.001-06:00

Though it's a classic by a pulitzer prize winning author, "Of Mice and Men" comes off as a pretty rough and abrasive text to these modern gals. Why does Lenny take care of George? Why are women so misrepresented in the novella? What is wrong with Lenny?

It's a good story and provided us with a great conversation about Steinbeck, the Great Depression, and some other interesting works of literature.

Book and Meeting Updates

2011-04-06T15:58:00.000-06:00

Hey Girls -

We had a great going away party for Rika. We will all miss her while she and her family are adventuring in Darwin, Australia.

Our April meeting will be on April 21 at Erin's house.
The book is: "A vintage affair" by Isabel Wolff

A quick synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
Every dress has a history. And so does every woman.

In Isabel Wolff’s captivating A Vintage Affair, a treasured child’s coat becomes a thread of hope connecting two very different women.

Her friends are stunned when Phoebe Swift abruptly leaves a plum job at the prestigious Sotheby’s auction house to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream. In the sunlight-flooded interior of Village Vintage, surrounded by Yves Saint Laurent silk scarves, Vivienne Westwood bustle skirts, cupcake dresses, and satin gowns, Phoebe hopes to make her store the hot new place to shop, even as she deals with two ardent suitors, her increasingly difficult mother, and a secret from her past that casts a shadow over her new venture.

For Phoebe, each vintage garment carries its own precious history. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe is rewarded whenever she finds something truly unique, for she knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life.

Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of smart suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.

In May, we'll be meeting at Annie's house on May 26.
Our May book is, "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.

Yeah!

February book club this week

2011-02-21T15:41:00.005-07:00

Thursday (the 24th) 7:00 pm, Annie's house. Annie lives on harvest crest way- if you need the house number, you can text Melinda at 801.971.5781, and I'll let you know.

The book was "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. I found the discussion guide online, and so here's some of the questions - I tried to edit for brevity, but they were all so interesting, sorry! This is just going to be a long post!

(SPOILER ALERT)
3. Marion observes that in Ethiopia, patients assume that all illnesses are fatal and that death is expected, but in America, news of having a fatal illness “always seemed to come as a surprise, as if we took it for granted that we were immortal” (p. 396). What other important differences does Cutting for Stone reveal about the way illness is viewed and treated in Ethiopia and in the United States? To what extent are these differences reflected in the split between poor hospitals, like the one in the Bronx where Marion works, and rich hospitals like the one in Boston where his father works?
4. In the novel, Thomas Stone asks, “What treatment in an emergency is administered by ear?” The correct answer is “Words of comfort.” How does this moment encapsulate the book's surprising take on medicine? Have your experiences with doctors and hospitals held this to be true? Why or why not? What does Cutting for Stone tell us about the roles of compassion, faith, and hope in medicine?
5. There are a number of dramatic scenes on operating tables in Cutting for Stone: the twins' births, Thomas Stone amputating his own finger, Ghosh untwisting Colonel Mebratu's volvulus, the liver transplant, etc. How does Verghese use medical detail to create tension and surprise? What do his depictions of dramatic surgeries share with film and television hospital dramas-and yet how are they different?
6. Marion suffers a series of painful betrayals-by his father, by Shiva, and by Genet. To what degree is he able, by the end of the novel, to forgive them?
7. To what extent does the story of Thomas Stone's childhood soften Marion's judgment of him? How does Thomas's suffering as a child, the illness of his parents, and his own illness help to explain why he abandons Shiva and Marion at their birth? How should Thomas finally be judged?
8. In what important ways does Marion come to resemble his father, although he grows up without him? How does Marion grow and change over the course of the novel?
9. A passionate, unique love affair sets Cutting for Stone in motion, and yet this romance remains a mystery-even to the key players-until the very conclusion of the novel. How does the relationship between Sister Mary Joseph Praise and Thomas Stone affect the lives of Shiva and Marion, Hema and Ghosh, Matron and everyone else at Missing? What do you think Verghese is trying to say about the nature of love and loss?
10. What do Hema, Matron, Rosina, Sister Mary Joseph Praise, Genet, and Tsige-as well as the many women who come to Missing seeking medical treatment-reveal about what life is like for women in Ethiopia?
11. Addis Ababa is at once a cosmopolitan city thrumming with life and the center of a dictatorship rife with conflict. How do the influences of Ethiopia's various rulers-England, Italy, Emperor Selassie-reveal themselves in day-to-day life? How does growing up there affect Marion's and Shiva's worldviews?
12. As Ghosh nears death, Marion comments that the man who raised him had no worries or regrets, that “there was no restitution he needed to make, no moment he failed to seize” (p. 346). What is the key to Ghosh's contentment? What makes him such a good father, doctor, and teacher? What wisdom does he impart to Marion?
13. Although it's also a play on the surname of the characters, the title Cutting for Stone comes from a line in the Hippocratic Oath: “I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.” Verghese has said that this line comes from ancient times, when bladder stones were epidemic and painful: “There were itinerant stone cutters-lithologists-who could cut into either the bladder or the perineum and get the stone out, but because they cleaned the knife by wiping their blood-stiffened surgical aprons, patients usually died of infection the next day.” How does this line resonate for the doctors in the novel?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

See you Thursday, Happy Presidents day!
Melinda

Back in Action..

2011-01-29T11:56:00.002-07:00

Yes, the book club blog has been stagnant since September. I apologize. The lives of mothers who read, and work, and blog, and quit jobs, and have their grandmothers suddenly pass away are pretty busy. That being said however, here's to getting things back on track.

Our January meeting was at Melinda's house. Thanks Melinda for hosting. The book for January was, Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor.

I thought the book was great. It was an interesting juxtaposition of a very deep thinking, soul searching mother and her young quick witted, trying to figure life out daughter.

For our meeting on Thursday, February, 24, 2011, we'll be at Michelle's house and reading, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. It's a little bit on the long side so start reading now.

And, for our meeting on Thursday, March 24, 2011, we'll be at Rika's house and reading Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg.

A review posted on Amazon.com:
Michael Greenberg's spare, unflinching memoir begins with a bang: "On July 5, 1996, my daughter was struck mad." Hurry Down Sunshine chronicles the summer when fifteen-year-old Sally experienced her first full-blown manic episode—an event that in a "single stroke" changed her identity and, by extension, that of her entire family. Simply told and beautifully written, Greenberg's memoir shines a stark light on mental illness, painting a vivid picture of a brain and body under siege—mania as a separate living thing squatting within the patient. As a writer who lives "so much in his head," Greenberg is particularly anguished by his daughter's fractured psyche, and his honesty about being both sickened and fascinated by his daughter's condition is breathtaking: "During the worst moments, I think of her as my disease—the disease I must bear...I am intoxicated with Sally's madness in both senses of the word: inebriated and poisoned." So desperate is he to understand her, that he relentlessly researches mental illness (the book is peppered with fascinating insights into drug therapy and anecdotes about writers who struggled with madness), and even goes so far as to sample a full dose of his daughter's medication. Startling, heart-wrenching, and yet unwaveringly unsentimental, Hurry Down Sunshine is an unforgettable story of a young girl's descent into madness, told through the eyes of a harried and helpless father trying desperately to bring her back. --Daphne Durham

Getting close to wrapping up the year

2010-09-03T14:45:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's only September, but that is bringing us very close to the end of the year.

Here's the rundown for those of you playing at home.

September book:
Thursday, September 23 at 7:00 pm

A Girl named Zippy by Haven Kimmel

Robyn's house

October book:

Thursday, October 28 at 7:00 pm

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Erin's House

Spooky Halloween Party

November book:

Thursday, November 18 at 7:00 pm

No one has claimed November. Get it while the gettin' is good.

December book:

Thursday, December 16 at 7:00 pm

Book and cookie exchange.

Come prepared to talk about your favorite non-book club book you read during the year.

Annie's House

Pope Joan

2010-09-03T14:37:00.000-06:00

Our August book was Pope Joan. It was a great book based on the "unknown" of whether or not a woman was really elected Pope in the 9th Century (the 800's)

As a group, we discussed the fact that the historic evidence leads to the fact that Joan probably really existed, but that the Catholic church truly did erase her from history. It's an awesome thought, for a book club of women, that one singular, strong and educated woman could rise to such a position of power. It sucks that she had to pretend to be a dude to do it, but still.

The general consensus was that we liked the book, and that living in this time period - of crazy beliefs in God(s), poor health and super unsanitary conditions - we're happy to be where we are now as women and members of society.

Summer Fun

2010-06-28T11:47:00.000-06:00

Though our June club attendance was low (isn't it so hard in the summer?) we had a great meeting last week and we had a new member attend. Thanks for coming, Carrie! I hope we didn't scare you away.

We talked and talked and talked. The group consensus after reading, "lost on planet china" was that though the people of China may be good, the machine of China is not. And, who wants to live in a place where you truly cannot breath the air, drink most of the water, and might get bird flu. SARS!

That aside, the smores were yummy using the worlds biggest marshmallows, thanks to the local grocery store and going to bed smelling like smoke is awesome. A sure sign that summer is here.

For July, we'll be reading, "Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts. It's also a movie. You can read the book and watch the movie and I bet you can get both at Wal-Mart. Wouldn't that be a nice homage?

For July, I think we'll be at Rika's house but I'm not sure. Or maybe it was Melinda's? Either way, we'll work it out and look forward to seeing everyone at the end of July.

Lost on Planet China

2010-05-27T22:40:00.000-06:00

Lost on Planet China is the hilarious and eye opening tale of traveler Maarten Troost and his journey through the land of China.

This is our book for the month of June. It may change the way you think, shop, and breath.

Seriously.

Watch this video of the "Number One Toilet in Heaven and Earth"

Watch this video of Maarten Troost giving a talk at Google about his book.

Good Treats, good conversation

2010-05-27T22:32:00.000-06:00

Tonight we talked about AJ Jacobs, "The Year of Living Biblicaly". We liked the book. We liked Mr. Jacobs initiative and dedication to his cause - living the rules of the Bible for a year - something that none of us felt we could truly to - commit to such a radical life change for an entire year. I mean, it's hard enough to make sure we shower every day, let alone find someone to stone for violating Mosaic law.

I do wear skirts most days and don't shave my legs but once a week....maybe I'm closer than I thought.

As with most of our book club meetings, if Robyn doesn't bring a set of discussion questions, our conversation wanders. Lately, it seems to wander ahead a month to our next book. June is about China and we are all a little bit excited about that.

Updates for the next little while

2010-04-23T10:08:00.000-06:00

Oh, I love book club. I really, really do. I was just telling my husband when I got home last night that I feel very lucky that we've all found each other over the last five years. What a great group of brilliant, funny, witty, beautiful and talented women I get the chance to talk with.

And eat great treats with.

Group hug!

Here are the details for the next little while:
May 27
Makayla's House (or Heather's if they decide to switch)
"A Year of Living Biblically"

June 24
Annie's House
"Lost on Planet China"

July 22
Melinda's House (Melinda, are you okay with that?)
book TBD

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

2010-04-23T10:02:00.001-06:00

I joined the conversation late last night, but it was interesting.

It seems that we all enjoyed the book though a few of us found Ms. Kingsolver to be a tad bit (okay, a lot bit) self-righteous in her bold endeavor to live off the land and scold those of us who oh, drive cars to the local market and eat food. Sorry - I'm not a farmer, I'm a consumer.

We all agree though that her idea is a good one and that there are many ways that we can take small to large steps that can translate into huge (and positive) changes in our lives and the lives of the food we consume, like:
Buy local products from local stores
Visit farmers markets regularly and buy fresh produce and products
Go herbal when possible
Have a small garden
Buy from friends and family who have connections to locally grown items (eggs, vegetables, meat)
Donate money to organizations like Heifer International (heifer.org) to provide livelihoods for peoples in remote and often sad places of the world.
Be a stay at home mom and have no life. Then, you don't have to drive your car and kill the environment.

A few other items that were discussed last night:
herb club sjherbclub@yahoogroups.com;

holistic club/group in the neighborhood. Amy Jones is a doula and herbalist and she's the moderator. Amy Jones thebirthsource@gmail.com;

a link to the holistic conference
http://www.holisticldsliving.com/

http://www.heifer/. org/ (buy cows for poor countries)
http://www.kiva/. org/ (micro-lending)

The Help

2010-03-30T09:27:00.002-06:00

Thank you all who came to book club this month! As I said in the email, I adored The Help. It was recommended to me and right after I read it I wanted us to read it as a book club, and apparently someone else did too because it was thrown into the mix.

If you haven't read it, I would suggest you do so. The story follows the lives of several different women in the 1960s, predominantly young white women and the African-American (let's be PC here) women who are employed as their maids (hence the name of the book "The Help.") The main character, Skeeter, writes a book about the lives of these maids, and in doing so ends her relationship (I didn't like him anyways) and her friendship with her childhood best friend (the uppity white woman.)

The racial issues in the book brought out great discussion for our little book club. I think we can all agree that racism is blatantly wrong, but can all admit to prejudging others or possibly even practicing reverse racism. It was interesting that even in our time we were still able to discuss people in our lives who were or are racist, and the effect that has had on us. We also discussed how people generally tend to form social groups based on similarities, like we in book club like reading, talking over each other and probably look down on people who don't read!

To summarize book club this month, the majority liked the book, I made homemade cookies that were edible, racism is wrong, although still exists and most of us have had some experience with it, Diana's last name is German, the only STD you can get from a toilet seat is crabs and Robyn now knows what crabs are, things made in China are bad, and free Tibet. I look forward to seeing you all next month!

Mockingjay

2010-03-04T17:23:00.002-07:00

The third book, Mockingjay, in The Hunger Games series is on pre-sale at Amazon for $8.50. I know a lot of you loved these books.

We're really just a bunch of foodies....

2010-02-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

It seems that at most of our BC meetings, we always end up talking about things other than the book we've read.

We always read the book, and talk about it at some point, but lately our book club seems to be a bit more cathartic and social in nature. I'm not sure about the rest of you girls, but I look forward to our one evening a month all month long. It's the one night - the few hours - where I get to socialize with a bunch of women who are my friends, who are like me, and who like me.

Ahhh....group hug.

That being said - we always seem to end up talking about food. Oh, how I love to eat really good food.

We all love Guy Fieri and his DDD and in light of our food addictions, we've started sending lists around of some of our local favorite places to dine.

For the sake of posterity, here they are.

Rika:
Cafe Trio
Porcupine Pub
Market Street
PF Changs
Thaifoon
Blue Plate

Makayla:
1- Takashi
2- Tsunami
3- Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana
4- San Gelato
5- Rocky Mountain Chocolate
6-Hofbrauhaus-www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com
7- The Corner Office-thecornerofficedenver.com
8- Rockin' Baja Lobster-www.rockinbaja.com
9- Isabella's Catering for catered events only

Annie:
Rio Grande (this is my absolute most favorite place to eat....ever)
Red Iguana
Neils FIsh Place in Draper (Good chicken fingers and fantastic fries)
Settebello Pizzeria
Lone Star Taqueria
Downtown Philly
Salt Lake BBQ
Q for U (BBQ in WVC - very authentic and yummy)
Litzas Pizza
Hires
Red Butte Cafe (Foothill)
Desert Edge pub/brewery (Trolley Square)
Robintinos
In and Out
Smashburger
So Cupcake
Mini's Cupcakes
Beyond Glaze

Angela:
Mazzas (meditteranean and middle eastern) http://www.mazzacaf e.com/
Fresco
India House in Midvale (80th south and state?)
The Original Pancake House in the sugarhouse area.

Chocolate Cake

2010-02-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

Super Duper Yummy Crock Pot Chocolate Cake
(Courtesy of CJane)

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 container of sour cream (8 oz)
1 cup chocolate morsels
1 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.
mix cake mix, sour cream, chocolate morsels, water, egss, oil
and pudding mix in a bowl by hand.
pour into crock pot.

cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours

NOTE: I've made this cake a couple of times. It was best with little dove dark chcolate squares and chocolate chips because they got all ooey and gooey. I also recommend watching it closely and "undercooking" it. I've got a fast, hot crock pot and on low, it cooked beautifully in about 3.5 hours.

February Meeting

2010-02-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone that could come tonight to "discuss" The Mysterious Benedict Society. Although we really just chatted and ate delicious chocolate cake (Annie can you post the recipe!?) I wanted to say that I really did like this book. I thought it was creative and cute and I can't wait until my boys are older because this is the type of book I can see reading aloud to them chapter by chapter at bedtime. I've got the 2nd book on hold at the library and can't wait to read that one, either. Thanks Melinda for bringing it to the Christmas party so that we could read it!

Upcoming:
Next month is discussing "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett at Michele's house on March 25th, and then we're discussing "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver at Rika's house on April 22nd. Makayla volunteered to host for May 27th but the book is still being decided. Wow, are we really planned this far in advance?!

Thanks again to all who came tonight!

Another Bookclub baby

2010-01-15T15:52:00.005-07:00

Even though most of you have already met him ... and he's going on 5 months old .... thought I'd introduce you to MY bookclub baby ..

Grahm Ferrol Singleton ... August 18th, 2009

Now we just need London and Amelia ... right?

New Year - New books

2009-12-21T14:39:00.004-07:00

Yeah - 2010 is just around the corner. Another great year for book club I'm sure.

In an attempt to be on the ball, for those of you that look at the blog, here are the proposed dates for 2010 - and books when applicable, for the first few months anyway.

January 28 - Annie's House
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

February 25 - Erin's House
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

March 25 - Michele's House
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

April 22
May 27
June 24
July 22
August 26
September 23
October 28
November 18 (The week before Thanksgiving)
December 16 (The week before Christmas)

Mark your calendars now and we'll plan to see you at BC.

Oh, Merry Christmas, too.

End of the year

2009-11-20T16:19:00.001-07:00

We have no plan for the end if the year. Well we have a plan, we just don't have a date or a host.

A book and cookie exchange however will take place in December. Send your suggestions to Annie.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

November and December

2009-11-01T14:58:00.001-07:00

November mtg:
angelas house
November 19
Catching Fire

December mtg:
Location tbd
December 10
Book and cookie exchange
Come to talk about one of your favorite books of the year.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Updates, Updates, Updates

2009-09-13T10:32:00.001-06:00

Okay, here we go.

For August's meeting we had few members in attendance but a great meeting none-the-less. We didn't actually discuss, "Farewell to Arms" but it's still one of my favorite books.

Our September book is "Knit Two", the sequel to "The Friday Night Knitting Club". We'll be meeting at Erin's House this month.

The book for October is: "Guernsy Literary and Potato Peel society" by Mary Ann Shaffer. We'll be meeting at Michelle's new house for this meeting.

And, we've even picked out November book - "Catching Fire" the sequel to our much loved "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Oh, I love Peeta!

July Meeting and September Book

2009-08-13T20:51:00.002-06:00

We had a lovely time at Robin's discussing "The Hunger Games". It was the best discussion we've had in a long time (about the book that is) - even if the discussion was largely based on our imaginary versions of Gale and Peeta and who was better looking.

Hypothetically of course.

Peeta was so much hotter.

Moving on we've picked a book for September.
We will be reading, "Knit Two" by Kate Jacobs. Kate is the author of "The Friday Night Knitting Club" which we read last year. Or maybe two years ago.

And....
As a reminder, our August meeting will be on Thursday, August 27 at Annie's house.

We'll be discussing "Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway.

Be there or be square.

Maybe if your lucky I'll make a fabulous desert.

June Meeting and August Book

2009-06-30T13:30:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Melinda for hosting us this past week for our June book club discussion.

We all seemed to like the Laments - and found it very "relatable" (I love inventing new words). We all seem to know someone who is adopted, have all felt the sense of urgency in giving our kids quality names, and get an itchy trigger finger with husbands who like to be on the move - even if it's a bit figurative in nature.

Our July meeting will be a great one - I think that everyone has already read "the hunger games" and is excited to talk about the book - and what the sequel might be like. And, if it's really made into a movie, we'll have to have a book club night at the theater for sure.

twilight who?

For August - We'll be meeting at Annie's house, probably on the back patio (or maybe at Shavy Jones?). Our book for August is a true classic - at least in my opinion.

"Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. A great, tragic love story for the end of the summer. This is one of my most favorite novels, and I've probably read it a dozen times. When I was in high school I cheated on a book review for my AP English Class. I didn't read a book, I just did a review of this one because I'd already read it so many times. As I was giving my oral review, I realized that my teacher wasn't paying attention to a thing I was saying.

So, as part of my review - I gave an alternate ending for the book - the ending is a bit tragic and I changed it to a "happily ever after".

I got a perfect score.

Either my teacher had never read the book

or

she really wasn't paying attention.

Either way - it's a great book.

Enjoy reading.

The first book club baby of the year!

2009-05-29T08:27:00.002-06:00

There is something in the water this year in our neck of the woods - everyone is having babies.

Well, not everyone....

but,

I just had a baby and three other book clubbers are expecting this late summer/fall.

Babies everywhere.

This one is mine.

Welcome to the club, little squirt.

May meeting + July pick

2009-05-28T21:09:00.003-06:00

Thanks Makayla for hosting a great May meeting! The general consensus about "Three Cups of Tea" was that those that read it, loved it, but most of us just weren't into it this month. We all agreed that someone that could put their life on hold to go out and make such monumental changes in others lives was someone that was pretty amazing though!

We picked a book for July and Michelle graciously offered her home to have the meeting. I recently read "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins in about 4 hours because I COULD NOT put it down. I loved it. It's a Young Adult novel so the writing is easy to digest but the story is so good -- at least I thought. It's set in the future (but isn't too sci-fi for those of you that don't like that genre) and is a great mix of action with a love story - and it leaves you with a great cliffhanger at the end - enough that you're smacking the couch in frustration that the 2nd book doesn't get released until September 1st. Or maybe that was just me.

Either way - I hope you guys like it as much as I did. The library system seems to have a lot of copies - when I put myself on the list I was #98 in the queue so I thought I'd be waiting forever, but actually got it in about a week.

See you in June to discuss "The Laments"!

Book Updates for April, May, and June

2009-03-27T08:21:00.003-06:00

We had a great meeting last night. Thanks Rika for hosting. I love your puppy (a great dane for those of you who weren't there) and was glad that she liked me, too.

Even though none of us seemed to finish actually reading, "Out of Africa", most of us watched the movie and agree - Robert Redford, particularly in his youth, was super dreamy.

Totally dreamy, actually. Or is that just me?

Anyway, here are our picks for the next few months. Enjoy!

April:
Our meeting has been changed to April 16th and we'll be meeting at Heather's house.

The book du jour is Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. Being a new but huge fan of Sedaris - you'll love the book and might want to pick up Naked, another collection of short stories about his crazy family.

May:
For May, we'll be meeting at Makayla's house on May 28 and will be reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin> I've got no idea what this book is about - so if you do, leave a comment.

June:
The June meeting will be at Melinda's house on June 25 and we'll be reading a book called, The Laments.

It's awesome. You'll love it. The ending sucks.

Happy Reading.
Oh - one more idea for those of you who check the blog....
if you've got a book suggestion, leave it in the comments. That way, we've got a running list of what to read.

March, April, and then some...

2009-03-09T19:55:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it's already March? Crazy, isn't it?

The book club is going great - our regular set of girls sure do host a party and put on a great discussion.

We did have a few changes at our February meeting that need to be addressed.

We changed the March book from "the book borrower" to "Out of Africa" by Isak Dinesen, a nom de plume used by the Danish author Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke. This book should be a good read, especially if you like the movie with Robert Redford, right?

March meeting will be held on Thursday, March 26 @ 7 pm.

For the month of April, we'll be meeting at Heather Jackson's house and our book du jour is "Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim" by David Sedaris. If you haven't read anything by Sedaris - you're in for a comical treat - there aren't many families out there more functionally dysfunctional than his as a kid.

April meeting will be on April 23 @ 7 pm.

Hope to see everyone there.

Oh, anyone want to do treats for March or April? Volunteers to host in May?

January Meeting & Schedule

2009-01-28T11:22:00.004-07:00

We're back after a long break! Hope everyone had a good holiday season and are ready to read some good books this year.

Last week we met to talk about the January book - "The Ladies Auxiliary". I think we all agreed we all had someone in our lives that reminded us of a character in the book. Thanks to Mary for hosting and Heather for the yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

A reminder - we're meeting for February's book pick "The Glass Castle" at Erin's house on February 26th at 7pm.

March's book pick is "Out of Africa". Meeting at Rika's house on March 26th at 7pm.

April's book pick to be determined, meeting at Annie's house on April 23rd.

January & February book picks

2008-12-05T14:52:00.003-07:00

(Thank goodness that horrible head cheese picture is not the top post anymore.)

Last Thursday night we got together to discuss the book pick for November, which was "For One More Day" by Mitch Albom. The general consensus was that everyone liked the book - with most of us agreeing that there was someone in our own lives we would love to have the chance to spend one more day with. We had a book exchange and a cookie exchange - taking platefuls of yummy cookies home to share with our families. Thanks to Robyn for hosting us in her beautiful home!

The book pick for January is "The Ladies Auxiliary" by Tova Mirvis. We
will resume our normal schedule and start meeting on the fourth
Thursday of the month. The January meeting will be held January 22nd
at 7:00 PM.

The book pick for February is "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls. The February meeting will be held February 26th.

Head Cheese

2008-11-06T21:53:00.004-07:00

Tonight at book club we were wondering what a head cheese is. In the latest book, "Little Heathens" the author talks about making it and we all did not understand. If you are truly curious about this and are not of weak constitution, have a look. It is a little, well really a lot, disgusting.

It will make you think twice about using the term lightly.

October & November Book picks

2008-10-14T23:53:00.003-06:00

Just a quick update to get posted the upcoming books for October and November.

This month we're reading Little Heathens by Mildred Kalish. We will be meeting to discuss this book on Thursday, November 6th.

For November the book that was picked was For One More Day by Mitch Albom. We will be meeting to discuss this book on Thursday, December 4th.

We decided not to pick a book to read for the month of December because of the busy holiday season -- we'll pick up again with a book in January.

Hope everyone can join us in the upcoming months!

September Book

2008-09-09T12:02:00.004-06:00

The book we're reading for the month of September is "Dishwasher" by Pete Jordan. Here's a couple of reviews from the authors site:

“Dishwasher is an instant American classic. It should be required reading for every high school student in the nation, paired with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Few people are audacious enough to lead a memoir-worthy life. Even fewer people are talented enough to write said memoir. By the grace of the literary gods, Pete Jordan is both.”
— San Francisco Bay Guardian

“Jordan has an eye for devastating detail, but he wraps what he sees in humor. No matter how grim his situation, the reader senses he couldn’t wait to write it down, check the place off his map and keep going.”
— Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“A good story, well told...ironic...worth reading.”
— San Francisco Chronicle

We'll be meeting on September 25th at 7pm at Rikas' house. See you then.

The Pleasure of My Company

2008-08-03T07:11:00.003-06:00

Thank you Amazon for the info.
Readers expecting something zany, something crudely humorous from Steve Martin's second novel, The Pleasure of My Company, will discover much greater riches. While the book has a sense of humor, Martin moves everywhere with a gentler, lighter touch in this elegant little fiction that verges on the profound and poetic.

Daniel Pecan Cambridge is the narrator and central consciousness of the novel (actually a novella). Daniel, an ex-Hewlett-Packard communiqué encoder, is a savant whose closely proscribed world is bounded on every side by neuroses and obsessions. He cannot cross the street except at driveways symmetrically opposed to each, and he cannot sleep unless the wattage of the active light bulbs in his apartment sums to 1,125. Daniel's starved social life is punctuated by twice-weekly visits from a young therapist in training, Clarissa; by his prescription pick-ups from a Rite Aid pharmacist, Zandy; and by his "casual" meetings with the bleach-blond real estate agent, Elizabeth, who is struggling to sell apartments across the street. But Daniel's dysfunctional routines are shattered one day when he becomes entangled in the chaos of Clarissa's life as a single mother. Taking care of Clarissa's tiny son, Teddy, Daniel begins to emerge from the safety of logic, magic squares, and obsessive counting.

Martin's craftsmanship is remarkable. The tightly packed novella paints rich portraits with restraint and balance, including nothing extraneous to Daniel's world. The book does not try for pyrotechnics but is contented with a Zen-like simplicity in both prose and plot. Avoiding the crushing bleakness of much contemporary fiction, Martin insists through Daniel--a man haunted by horrors of his own making--that there is possibility for compassion, that broken lives can actually be healed.

We will see you August 28th.

June Book

2008-05-29T19:59:00.003-06:00

Note: Thank you wikipedia for your wonderful information

The Screwtape Letters is a work of Christian satire by C. S. Lewis first published in book form in 1942. The story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, so as to advise him on methods of securing the damnation of an earthly man, known only as "the Patient."

Screwtape (along with his trusted scribe Toadpipe) holds an administrative post in the bureaucracy ("Lowerarchy") of Hell, and acts more as a mentor than a supervisor to Wormwood, the inexperienced tempter; almost every letter ends with the signature, "Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape." In the body of the thirty-one letters which make up the book, Screwtape gives Wormwood detailed advice on various methods of undermining faith and promoting sin in his Patient, interspersed with observations on human nature and Christian doctrine.

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis provides a series of lessons in the importance of taking a deliberate role in living out Christian faith by portraying a typical human life, with all its temptations and failings, as seen from the demon/devil's viewpoint. Wormwood and Screwtape live in a peculiarly morally reversed world, where individual benefit and greed are seen as the greatest good, and neither demon is capable of comprehending or acknowledging true human virtue when he sees it. A preface included in some older publishings of the book included a short dialog on the subject of whether Lewis believed demons to be fact or fiction, exemplifying Lewis' belief that despite the fictional storyline of the book, he believed Satan and demons are not fictional; further, that he held a view that they exist for a decidedly evil purpose which must not be portrayed innocuously in art and culture at the risk of obfuscating their true nature.
Versions of the letters were originally published in The Guardian, and the standard edition contains an introduction explaining how the author chose to write his story.

While The Screwtape Letters is one of Lewis' most popular works, Lewis claimed that the book was distasteful to write, and he vowed never to write a direct sequel. However, in 1959 he wrote an addendum, Screwtape Proposes a Toast, which takes the form not of a letter but rather an after-dinner speech given by Screwtape at the Tempters' Training College for young demons. It first appeared as an article in the Saturday Evening Post. The Screwtape Letters, along with Screwtape Proposes a Toast, has also been released on both audiocassette and CD narrated by John Cleese of Monty Python and Joss Ackland.

Join us the 4th Thursday in June for a fun filled night of chatter and treats.

May Book

2008-05-01T12:41:00.002-06:00

The May book club book is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

In this book, you can journey with Gilbert in a year of travel and healing after a tumultuous divorce in the states. She travels to Italy, India, and Bali to find herself, her God, and then happens to find the love of her life, too.

The reviews of the book are great. We hope that you enjoy the read and join us in May.

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“If a more likable writer than Gilbert is currently in print, I haven't found him or her...Gilbert's prose is fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible, and makes the reader only too glad to join the posse of friends and devotees who have the pleasure of listening in.” by Jennifer Egan

TIME MAGAZINE
“An engaging, intelligent and entertaining memoir…her account of her time in India is beautiful and honest and free of patchouli-scented obscurities.” by Lev Grossman

LOS ANGELES TIMES
“Gilbert’s journey is full of mystical dreams, visions and uncanny coincidences…Yet for every ounce of self-absorption her classical New-Age journey demands, Gilbert is ready with an equal measure of intelligence, humor and self-deprecation…Gilbert’s wry, unfettered account of her extraordinary journey makes even the most cynical reader dare to dream of someday finding God deep within a meditation cave in India, or perhaps over a transcendent slice of pizza.” by Erika Schickel

If you are interested in more information about Ms. Gilbert, EPL or any of her other works, visit her website at: www.elizabethgilbert.com

April Book

2008-04-11T11:45:00.003-06:00

It's time for a bit of nostalgia for this month's book club selection. We will be reading Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie.

Second to the right and straight on til morning - that's the way to Neverland, an island filled with adventure and hidden danger. It's home to beautiful mermaids and fairies...as well as dastardly pirates ruled by the evil Captain Hook. It's a place for lost boys, hungry crocodiles, and, most of all, people who don't want to grow up. The Darling children don't know anything about Neverland - until a magical boy named Peter Pan shows up and leads the way.

Start thinking back to what it was like when you were a kid and never, ever wanted to grow up.

We'll be meeting on Thursday, April 24 at Annie's house. See you then.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963

2008-03-28T21:19:00.001-06:00

The book this past month was The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963.

It reminded me of my family. My Grandma Katherine (who Kateka, my sister, was named after) was from Toxey, Alabama. We drove out there one summer after she had passed away it was about three weeks of hot sticky sibling love in the mini-van, in short a dream vacation.

I remember when Grandma Katherine used to cry when we would get to her house and when we would leave. She lived pretty far out in the country, and pretty far from most people, but especially the people she loved. It reminded me of this, "Grandma Sands squeezed me hard and cried all over me. She wiped a bunch of tears aways with a twisted-up hand and blinked a couple of times before she looked at me. She was so short she didn't even have to look down!

"She tried to say something but she couldn't talk, she just stuck her bottom lip out some and nodded her head up and down a couple of time, then pulled me back to her and squeezed me like crazy."

The book reminded me of my slightly wacky family, but mostly it made me think about the relationships we have with each other. Our relationships are never perfect and mostly we are dancing around each other trying to figure out the correct footing of living together.

"Some of the time it was hard to figure Byron out. He was very right about some things and he was very wrong about some things...

"He was also very wrong about there not being anything like magic powers or genies or angels. Maybe those weren't the things that could make a run-over dog walk without wobbling but they were out there.

"Maybe they were in the way your father smile at you even after you'd messed something up real bad. Maybe they were in the way you understood that your mother wasn't trying to make you the laughing "sock" of the whole school when she'd call you over in front of a bunch of your friends and use spit on her finger to wipe the sleep out of your eyes. Maybe it was magic powers that let you know she was just being Momma. Maybe they were the reason that you really didn't care when the kids would say, "Yuck! You let your momma slob on you?" and you had to say, "Shut up. That's my momma, we got the same germs."

"Maybe there were genies in the way your sister would throw a stupid tea party for you and you had fun even though it was kind of embarrassing to sit at a little table and sup water out of plastic teacups.

"Maybe there were magic powers hiding in the way your older brother made all the worst thugs in the neighborhood play basketball with you even though you double-dribbled every time they threw you the ball..

"And I am sure there was an angel in Birmingham when Grandma Sands wrapped little arms around all the Weird Watsons and said, "My fambly, my beautiful, beautiful fambly."

But aren't we all angels to each other. Didn't a neighbor call and tell you how great you are? Did your baby tell you he loved because you played with his markers with him today? Didn't your sister help everyday when you felt so completely trapped in your life? Isn't there always someone there to lift and help you? I love finding these people. I love when you meet someone and you feel they have been your friend forever even though you have only known them for 7 minutes. Some are lucky enough to have this in their families, some find and make their families as they go.

I appreciate these people, the true and constant people. Honesty. Loyalty. Strength.

"These people are the true American heroes. They are the boys and girls, the women and men who have seen that thing are wrong and have not been afraid to ask that things are wrong and have not been afraid to ask "Why can't we change this?" They are the people who believe that as long as one person is being treated unfairly, we all are. These are our heroes, and they still walk among us today. One of them may be sitting next to you as you read this, or standing in the next room making your dinner, or waiting for you to come outside and play.

"One of them may be you."

March Book

2008-03-01T17:22:00.003-07:00

They're called Weird Watsons, and sometimes Kenny, Joetta, and delinquent big brother Byron, deserve the name, like when Byron gets his lips frozen to a car mirror while he's practicing kissing. But when they visit Grandma Sands in Birmingham, they head into a nightmare. At first hilarious, but by the end devastatingly powerful, Curtis's first novel packs a terrific punch.

Ten-year-old Kenny introduces readers to his family; his parents, little sister Joetta, and tough, cool, delinquent-wannabe Byron. When Byron's antics escalate, though they are mild by today's standards, his parents decide he needs a dose of the iron hand of Grandma Sands. So they load up the car and head off to Birmingham for the summer.

Humorous incidents abound, but when the Watsons arrive in Alabama, they find themselves caught up in something far more serious than dealing with a mildly delinquent adolescent. Racists bomb Grandma Sands's church, and Kenny's little sister is feared dead. Kenny, who witnessed what happened, sinks into depression and believes that only magic can heal him. But when his parents don't know how to help him, he finds comfort in the words of the person he least expected.

(Plot review courtesy of Matt Berman @ commonsensemedia.org)

The Friday Night Knitting Club

2008-02-29T10:35:00.005-07:00

Forgiveness? Acceptance? The joy in hating and then hooking up (again) with the long lost boyfriend who got you pregnant all those years ago? Any of these themes or more could be the overarching idea behind The Friday Night Knitting Club.

A great story and a quick read, "TFNKC" was an enjoyable book, though markedly cliched and a bit predictable. Birth, death, reunion, regret, acceptance, and peace all find their way into the lives of the women who find themselves alone and seeking friendship every Friday night at the Walker and Daughter Yarn Shop.

(I ran out of energy writing this review - I just didn't have it in me. If anyone else wants to take a stab at it, let me know)

February Book

2008-02-13T11:41:00.003-07:00

February's book club book is The Friday Night Knitting Club and proves to be a winner.

A charming and moving novel about female friendship and the experiences that knit us together—even when we least expect it.

Walker and Daughter is Georgia Walker's little yarn shop, tucked into a quiet storefront on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The Friday Night Knitting Club was started by some of Georgia's regulars, who gather once a week to work on their latest projects and to chat—and occasionally clash—over their stories of love, life, and everything in between.

Georgia has her hands full, juggling the demands of running the store and raising her spunky teen daughter, Dakota, by herself. Thank goodness for Anita, her mentor and dear friend, and the rest of the members of the knitting club—who are just as varied as the skeins of yarn in the shop's bins. There's Peri, a prelaw student turned handbag designer; Darwin, a somewhat aloof feminist grad student; and Lucie, a petite, quiet woman who's harboring some secrets of her own.

However, unexpected changes soon throw these women's lives into disarray, and the shop's comfortable world gets shaken up like a snow globe. "James", Georgia's ex, decides that he wants to play a larger role in Dakota's life—and possibly Georgia's as well. Cat, a former friend from high school, returns to New York as a rich Park Avenue wife and uneasily renews her old bond with Georgia. Meanwhile, Anita must confront her growing (and reciprocated) feelings for Marty, the kind neighborhood deli owner. And when the unthinkable happens, they realize what they've created: not just a knitting club, but a sisterhood.

If you are interested in more information about the book, click HERE.

We'll see you on February 28, 2008.

January, 2008

2008-01-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

The blog has gotten a bit of a face lift and hopefully, we will all benefit physically, mentally, and emotionally from a new year of book club.

For the month of January, we didn't select a book to read as a group. Rather, come prepared to discuss some of the key points of one of the best books you read in 2007.

As always, be prepared for great food, conversation and fun.

Here's to 2008!

November Book

2007-10-26T16:32:00.000-06:00

For the month of November, we will be reading, Stumbling on Happiness, by Daniel Gilbert.

Do you know what makes you happy? Daniel Gilbert would bet that you think you do, but you are most likely wrong. In his witty and engaging new book, Harvard professor Gilbert reveals his take on how our minds work, and how the limitations of our imaginations may be getting in the way of our ability to know what happiness is. Sound quirky and interesting? It is! But just to be sure, we asked bestselling author (and master of the quirky and interesting) Malcolm Gladwell to read Stumbling on Happiness, and give us his take. Check out his review below. --Daphne Durham

If you are interesting in more information about the book and the reading guide, click here .

We'll see you all in November.

October Book: The Hiding Place

2007-10-02T09:28:00.000-06:00

The Hiding Place is a 1971 book on the life of Corrie ten Boom, written by Corrie together with John and Elizabeth Sherrill.

The idea of a book on Corrie's life began as John and Elizabeth Sherrill were doing research for the book God's Smuggler, about Corrie ten Boom's fellow Dutchman, Brother Andrew. Corrie was already in her mid-seventies when the Sherills first heard about her. She was one of Brother Andrew's favorite traveling companions and many of his recollections were about her. In the preface to the book, the Sherills recount:

...his [Brother Andrew's] fascinating stories about her in Vietnam, where she had earned that most honorable title "Double-old Grandmother" - and in a dozen other Communist countries - came to mind so often that we finally had to hold up her hands to stop his flow of reminiscence. "We could never fit her into the book," we said. "She sounds like a book in herself." It's the sort of thing you say. Not meaning anything.

It was later made into a film of the same name.

The title refers to both the physical hiding place where the ten Boom family secreted Jews from the Nazis, and also to God, as in Psalm 32:7: "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."(NIV)

If you are interested in more background information, check out these sites:
Corrie ten Boom Museum
Wikipedia article
IMBD movie site

The Magic of Ordinary Days

2007-09-23T08:26:00.000-06:00

I love to watch the snow fall on an early winter morning just as the sun is starting to rise. I sit on my sofa with the blinds open and a glass of hot chocolate (with a little bit of vanilla ice cream on top) and just watch the snow float gracefully to the ground. My chances to do this are pretty fleeting so on the rare occasions where I get to watch the snow drift, I'm forever happy.

The novel, "The Magic of Ordinary Days" reminded me of one of my own personal "magics". Those ordinary activities turned extraordinary because of time, place, and mind. Those chances we have, when we're paying attention, to be truly happy, content and in love with life. Whether it's watching the snow, the contagious laugh of a child, or being curled up in bed with a good book, we all have the opportunity to find contentment and peace in our lives. As a line from the text tells us, "Sometimes you do find what you're looking for closer than you think."

On the flip side, we've probably all been faced with a similar situation as Livvy, the main character in the book. We might not have gotten ourselves in "trouble" as she did, but we've all found ourselves in uncommon surroundings sometimes out of our control. The key to surviving these situations, however big or small, seems to be looking for life in a barren land...trying to find the good in the bad...forging relationships out of seemingly nothing because one day, those relationships might save us.

The story, set to a back-drop of World War II shares with us not only a glimpse into history, but a love story for the ages. A young girl, finding that her "love", a soldier about to be sent to Europe to fight a war he probably wouldn't come home from, gives of herself in a way she imagined would be forever. That act left her in trouble, alone, and shunned from her family, sent far away from home to make as much of a respectable existence as possible by marrying a shy, seemingly innocent farmer. The story unfolds with us watching (in our minds anyway) the slow progression to love and safety that Livvy makes towards Ray. In the end, truly falling in love with him, forgiving herself, and making a new life for herself and her new little family.

What is so lovely about this story? Ray. The farmer. He decided to love Livvy regardless of circumstance, regardless of whether or not she loves him back, and regardless of the fact that she'd forgotten how to love herself. When Livvy says to Ray, "Do you love me just because I came here?" he replies, "I love you because you came here to me."

This was a sweet, unassuming novel about some of the things that are important in life. Our friends, our family, our history, and most importantly finding the people to share it all with.

FYI: Hallmark turned "The Magic of Ordinary Days" into a made for TV movie. It's a little corny, but you can watch the whole thing in 15 segments on YouTube if you want. Skeet Ulrich is "Ray". He's much more attractive than the Ray I pictured in my head.

September Book

2007-08-27T10:30:00.001-06:00

For the month of September, we will be reading, The Magic of Ordinary Days, by Ann Howard Creel.This book is so good that it was recently turned into a Hallmark movie. If you are a former Felicity fan and love Keri Russell, then click here to find out information about the movie.

If you are interesting in more information about the book and the reading guide, click HERE .

We'll see you all in September.

My Sister's Keeper

2007-08-06T16:49:00.000-06:00

by Jodi Picoult

There are lyrics from the song What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie that say, "And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to father time."

Isn't it true? We plan on vacations months in advance we start buying for Christmas when we find the perfect gift a year early. We plan long lives with the people we love surrounding us. But we never know what is really going to happen. We don't know how unlimited or limited our time together really is. In your mind you aren't thinking, I hope you are around in three months so we can go on vacation. You just assume your people will be around. No questions asked.

"I wonder if all mothers feel like this the moment they realize their daughters are growing up--as if it is impossible to believe that the laundry I once folded for her was doll-sized; as if I can still see her dancing in lazy pirouettes along the lip of the sandbox. Wasn't it yesterday that her hand was only as big as the sand dollar she found on the beach? That same hand, the one that's holding a boy's; wasn't it just holding mine, tugging so that I might stop and see the spiderweb, the milkweed pod, any of a thousand moments she wanted me to freeze? Time is an optical illusion--never quite as solid or strong as we think it is. You would assume that, given everything, I saw this coming. But watching Kate watch this boy, I see I have a thousand things to learn."

I wonder when we learn how little control we actually have, and how lucky we are to share the special moments we do.

In this book, Kate the oldest daughter has some form of Leukemia. Her brother is not a perfect match for her and so her parents have another daughter, Anna, and genetically make sure she is a perfect match to be a donor for her. Anna was created and born to keep Kate alive. As soon as she was born they harvested her cord blood cells, which seems fairly mild. What else would you do with it? Throughout her life Anna keeps giving blood and bone marrow, trying to save her sister. But when Anna, as a teenager, is supposed to give her sister a kidney, she decides she does not want to give anymore of herself to keep her failing sister alive. She gets a lawyer and tells her parents she no longer wants to keep her sister living.

But she loves her sister and she wonders...

"If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?"

Her father, studies stars. He later relates the following.

"There are stars in the night sky that look brighter than the others, and when you look at them through a telescope you realize you are looking at twins. The two stars rotate around each other, sometimes talking nearly a hundred years to do it. They created so much gravitational pull there's no room around for anything else. You might see a blue star, for example, and realize only later that it has a white dwarf as a companion-that first one shines so bright, but the time you notice the second one, it's really too late."

Isn't it rare and beautiful to find people in your life who want to share their lives with you.

"I wonder if Julia feels like it has been moments, not years, since we've been together. If sitting at this counter with me feels as effortless for her as it does for me. It's like picking up an unfamiliar piece of sheet music and starting to stumble through it. Only to realize it is a melody you'd once learned by heart, one you can play without even trying."

Isn't that what life is about? Finding your melody, the people who enter and leave, place their song along with yours, creating a beautiful masterpiece. It is your song, your life, and your love that create the beauty that surround you. If even just for a few moments, people can add to your life in the most beautiful ways.

August Book

2007-07-26T08:19:00.000-06:00

For our August Book, we'll be reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

If you are interested in some more information about the book or the author, click HERE.

All That Remains....

2007-07-26T07:12:00.000-06:00

After a great book club meeting, there isn't a whole lot left.

Marley & Me

2007-07-21T14:28:00.000-06:00

I really didn't think this book would apply to me. I have not had a dog ever growing up. I like other peoples dogs, kind of. My family would not describe me as an animal lover, more of an animal torturer. They can tell you stories from my youth as the time I turned their cat neurotic, or the time I tried to walk the cat around the block using nylons on the head as a leash. It did not really work, but was the most hilarious thing my 10-year old mind had ever seen. A cat unable to see with nylons on its head streaking through the neighborhood.

There were parts I related to though. The raising of children. Seeing things through another's eyes and the depression brought on by having babies.

I have never had a dog of my own to love. But there is one dog (sorry, A&T) that holds a special place in my heart. C.B. Was her name. Short for SeaBiscuit. Named after the horse. She was my cousins dachshund. This is the closest I have come to dog love. We have tried several times to replace her and there is no way to do so.

When my cousins would go on vacation, they would bring C.B. over to our house to stay. I was the one she loved to sleep with. I would wake up in the morning with a long warm body burrowed under my covers and wrapped around my feet.

When you would talk to her, she would tilt her head to one side and furrow her brow like she was trying to hard to let you know she understood.

She loved us and we all loved her. My brother has a wiener dog now, Frankie, who looks so much like C.B., but she is still a puppy. We never knew C.B. as a puppy. But we sure liked to get her excited. We would talk about going outside. Do you wanna go outside! Do you wanna go outside! Do you wanna go outside! She would start dancing by the front door. We would do this with almost anything. Talking excitedly to get her prancing. She was our constant companion. Following us everywhere. Nuzzling us at night. The sweetest, most loving dog I have known.

I remember when she started to get old. Her hair started to turn gray. She got cancer lumps on her body. She eventually stopped going up and down the stairs and my aunt had to take her up or down with her. She could not stand to go potty. Someone had to hold her. I think that we did not want to let her go. No one wanted to face the fact that she was going to leave us soon. And how could we want her to leave us? She had been with us through the years. It is hard to let go of something that has been with you as you grow from child to adult. A constant in your changing world.

I remember when she died. I was in college. My mom called to let me know. We cried. My aunts family buried her in their backyard. She would have loved my baby. She would have wanted to pick him up by the scruff of his neck and put him in her bed. She would have licked him until he cried out for her to quit.

I still miss her. It has been about 10 years. I rarely understand the connection between animal and man. This book reminded me that I have felt it before. And that there are so many others who feel it too.

And then there is this. The blog of my friend Natalie's dog. World meet Boogie. I don't know if there is any more potent way of showing the love you have for your animal.

Marley and Me...need some inspiration?

2007-07-12T16:26:00.000-06:00

If you haven't picked up the book yet, or finished it a while back and need a refresher, check out the official website for the book at Marley and Me dot com.

Or, if you are now in love with Labrador Retrievers, visit the American Kennel Club

Have fun reading and see you all on July 25.

Food, Fun, and Good Conversation

2007-06-28T07:43:00.000-06:00

Last night's book club was a success. The book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan , led us down all kinds of paths of discussion from renewed and broken friendships, to braces and botox, to rearing children and daughters.

Thanks to Tiffany for bringing such extravagant treats and Heather for the tasty cookies.

(Yes, I know the pictures are fuzzy. I wanted to protect your identities)

June Book: "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See

2007-06-18T13:28:00.000-06:00

Foot binding, women's chambers, and laotong friendships. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, is a wonderful journey through mid 1800's China and the often times, secret life of women a man's world.

Lily and Snow Flower are matched as laotong's early in life to help them each find success in marriage and life. They're deep "true love" friendship runs the span of nearly 40 years of trial, tribulation, joy, deceit, and enduring love, loss and the trouble with forgiveness.

If nothing else, this book taught me several important personal lessons:

Friendships are important and should be cherised because we don't have them forever.
It is a wonderful thing to be a woman in a country where we have a voice, a vote, and the opportunity to be educated. Being stuck in a "women's chamber" your whole life, having your feet broken to be beautiful, and being regarded as your parents problem instead of their joy is just too rough.
Having the right to choose who I marry and how I live my life takes on a whole new meaning after reading the book. Choice is such a key element of life, and even though we don't think about it very much during the day, we make so many decisions, large and small, that others could never even fathom.

What were some of your thoughts on the book? Please share!

Makayla wrote a great review. You can read it HERE

Interested in more information on foot binding? Check out these links:
Color Photos of Chinese Women with Bound Feet

Listen to a story on NPR about foot binding with this link

Wikipedia article on foot binding