January Book Club -- The Snow Child

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

My enjoyment rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Hangover rating:  4

Source:  Personal copy

Genre: Literary fiction

Objectionable material:  None

Is she real? Is she not? A child conceived of snow?

After creating a "snowman" on their Alaskan farm, Jack and Mable are left to wonder if the child they see on their frontier wearing Mabel's homemade clothing, is a blessing or a fantasy.

What a marvelous novel!

Steeped in glorious storytelling tradition author, Eowyn Ivey, has created an Alaska where only a special girl like Faina could exist.

It was a delight to read and I was completely immersed in the richness of the narrative and the descriptions of the hearty landscape, where families survived by trapping, farming and all manner of early frontier life.

The relationship between Jack and Mable was complex, yet tender. Two souls who longed for a family, and receive one in the end, but certainly not the way they expected.

And Faina -- she was everything you'd expect from a sprite, and more.

This was a special novel -- and one our book club adored.

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September Book Club -- The End of Your Life Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hangover rating: 2

Source:  Personal copy

Genre:  Memoir/Biography

Objectionable material:  None

 

In a tender tribute to his mother, Will Schwalbe writes of the final two years of his mother's life and their shared love books. In waiting rooms, pharmacies, car rides, vacations -- Will and Mary Anne discussed the many books they read together -- their very own two person book club, minus the refreshments.

Will's mother was an amazing woman: Radcliffe- educated, theatre trained, she went on to direct auditions for the London Academy of Music and Drama, was an educational administrator at Harvard, volunteered for months in a Thai refugee camp, founded the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, and in her final years, raised funds for traveling libraries in Afghanistan.

I was a bit surprised I'd never heard of her.

I appreciated the author raising my awareness of his mother's accomplishments, her charity work, her friends, her love of literature and a life well lived.

However, I'm not sure if the author was trying to write a book club book, a biography, a family history. Or what exactly. In many ways this book was, as my friend Becca mentioned, a 300 page obituary with an attached reading list. There was no clear narrative, no clear direction, no clear focus. The books almost seemed an afterthought.

But my main issue with his memoir/tribute was its tone: Between the name dropping (they lived next to Julia Child), the overseas travel (we all could be so lucky to visit London and Geneva whilst undergoing chemo), the political slant, and overall affluence, the entire story was laden with pretension. My take -- if you get cancer it's better if you're rich, because you can still vacation in Vero Beach, and upstate New York, and have your townhome in Manhattan. Oh and lots of books too.

Ultimately though, in a world where mother's are berated in print by their offspring, this book was a generous outpouring of love for a beloved mother.

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July Book Club -- The Art Forger

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

My enjoyment rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Book hangover: 3

Source: Personal copy

Genre: Fiction

Objectionable material: Some sexual innuendo; one F bomb.

July Book Club selection

 

Claire Roth, trying to resuscitate her career after being humiliated by a former art professor, accepts a nefarious offer from a gallery owner to “copy” as Degas painting – one that is eerily similar to a piece stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum some 20 years earlier.

With clever twists and loads of information, author B. A. Shapiro, treats the reader to a fascinating “art” mystery, which at its heart is based on an actual event.

There was so much to love about this novel: an education in art forgery, museum hierarchy, art experts, art galleries, and internal moral conflict -- it was really a ton of fun to read.

My only complaint – the ending. I was expecting something more – startling – gasp worthy. But the end was nothing more than a Disney-Nicholas Cage-National Treasure cop-out.

Oh well.

I know now why I will never be an author – endings are really difficult to write.

However – this made an AWESOME book club discussion! There was so much to discuss – everything from the actual heist to the recovery of art during WWII. It totally made up for the lack of satisfying conclusion.

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Book Review -- The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

My enjoyment rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Book hangover rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: Personal copy

Genre: Classic fiction

Objectionable material: none (I would let my 12 yr old read it)

(Ladies of Literature and Big Love Book Club May book choice)

 

In Old Testament fashion, F. Scott Fitzgerald created a story of greed, decadence, inequality, and moral decay that led to utter destruction. All in turn of the century America.

I was completely captivated by the excess Fitzgerald created in such a sparse novel spanning only a few months.

It oozed lusciousness.

It celebrated temptation.

Souls were sold.

Dreams were shattered.

Lives ruined.

What an amazing piece of literature.

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April Book Club -- My Cousin Rachel

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars

My book hangover rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source:  Personal copy

Genre:  Classic fiction; mystery

Objectionable material: None

April Book Club choice

 

 

 

My Cousin Rachel…the original Gone Girl.

Rachel Ashley has buried 2 husbands…now she is after the wealth and trinkets of her deceased husband’s cousin…or is she?

Daphne du Maurier does what no other author can do – keep you guessing until the very last word.

She creates tension, doubt, atmosphere, and character tone that changes instantly.

More than once I wanted to vocally scream at the page – “Philip Ashley – are you crazy? What are you doing?” How many authors have the literary power to evoke such audible emotions?

This was a psychological thriller, with the beauty of a Cornish estate. Or possibly…Gone Girl meets Downton Abbey.

Final word of caution…be wary of your house guests and their tea.

 

May Book Club choice:

 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

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January 2013 Book Club -- Cross Roads

Cross Roads by Wm. Paul Young
 
Did Not Finish (barely started)
 
January Book Club choice
 

I didn’t read this.

I managed 15 pages and gave up.  It was horribly written.  And from what I gather from those who did finish it, it didn’t get any better.

The entire group thought it was bad – but surprisingly, like a Phoenix, a remarkably good discussion emerged from an unpleasant reading experience. My book clubbers know how to create a discussion out of most anything!

So, 2013 didn’t start off so well – our books can only get better – because they can’t get any worse!

Our February selection -- Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

 

October Book Club -- Destiny of the Republic

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: Personal copy

Genre:  Non-fiction; presidential history

Objectionable material: none (unless you get woozy at descriptions of oozing infectious masses).

 

Clorox wipes? Hand sanitizer? Soap and water?

So many “sanitary” tools that we use to keep our modern day world germ free.

Not so in the late 1880s. And it ultimately proved fatal to our 20th president, James Garfield.

Candice Millard builds an engaging multi-layered narrative around the humble life of James Garfield, his insane stalker Charles Guiteau, his team of highly trained (for the time period), but completely inept doctors, and one very popular inventor, Alexander Graham Bell.

To look at this work with modern 21st century eyes you gasp with the thought of -- how on earth could this have happened: A president unguarded with a stalker on the loose, medical professionals probing an injured body with filthy instruments and fingers, and a family waiting in agony as their beloved father and husband writhes in septic infection.

This was a very informative book – I knew nothing of Pres. Garfield. He was a footnote at the bottom of any history book. But he was a man beloved by a nation, who had no desire to become President of the United States. But when called upon, he accepted the nomination.

My only grumble – the writing was a bit flat and a few of the storylines felt incomplete. For instance, when describing Garfield’s romance/courting with his wife Lucretia, in once sentence you get the sense that it is a glorious romance, in the next line you aren’t sure whether they love each other at all. It was fuzzy at best.

Overall however, this was a remarkable history lesson about a man and a president where you can honestly say, “oh, what might have been...”

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July Book Club & Review -- Nineteen Minutes

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

My enjoyment rating: 1 of 5 stars

Book source: Library copy

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Objectionable material: I'm trying to forget all of the material

July Book Club selection

  Summary from the publisher:

"In Sterling, New Hampshire, 17-year-old high school student Peter Houghton has endured years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of classmates. His best friend, Josie Cormier, succumbed to peer pressure and now hangs out with the popular crowd that often instigates the harassment. One final incident of bullying sends Peter over the edge and leads him to commit an act of violence that forever changes the lives of Sterling's residents. Even those who were not inside the school that morning find their lives in an upheaval, including Alex Cormier. The superior court judge assigned to the Houghton case, Alex - whose daughter, Josie, witnessed the events that unfolded - must decide whether or not to step down. She's torn between presiding over the biggest case of her career and knowing that doing so will cause an even wider chasm in her relationship with her emotionally fragile daughter. Josie, meanwhile, claims she can't remember what happened in the last fatal minutes of Peter's rampage. Or can she? And Peter's parents, Lacy and Lewis Houghton, ceaselessly examine the past to see what they might have said or done to compel their son to such extremes. Rich with psychological and social insight, Nineteen Minutes is a riveting, poignant, and thought-provoking novel that has at its center a haunting question. Do we ever really know someone?”

This was our book club choice for July.

I hated every page.

Was it author Jodi Picoult’s fault?  No…she was a master at weaving a story of angst and conflict and emotion among multiple characters. 

However masterful she was, I couldn’t tolerate the subject matter or the absolute cruelty inflicted by so many people on one another. It was misery in 500 pages.

Surely there are teenagers out there that are not intent on shooting their classmates, or hating their parents.

Regardless of my dislike of the book – our book discussion was electric with commentary.

So, if you want an engaging discussion – I recommend this book.

August book choice:



The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (I read this 4 years ago...I'm eager to read it again).

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June Book Club & Book Review -- Women Food and God

Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth

My enjoyment rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book source:  personal copy

Genre:  Non-fiction; self-help

Objectionable material: None

June Book Club selection -- our book club discussion was 5 stars!

I was put on my first diet at in kindergarten. Needless to say…my issues with food have been screwed up since then.

In her book, Women Food and God (there are no commas in the title), Geneen Roth tries to shed light on compulsive eating habits and how we as women can take control of our “voice,” our bodies, and our relationship with food.

My first issue with this book was her mantra – that if we just listened to our bodies and when we were hungry, we’d solve all our problems. Well duh! Don’t you think I know that?? That’s the point – after 40 years of obliterating my natural ability to gauge my hunger, it’s not quite so easy to say, ‘well yes, I am full…I really don’t need another piece of cake.” Fat people know this, trust me.

Also, that people with food issues have them because their parents sucked. Her's may have, but my parents rocked. I blame the psycho doctor that put a 6 year old on a diet.

There are a few quotes that are clever – like, “overeating does not lead to rapture. It leads to burping and farting and being so sick that you can’t think of anything but how full you are. That’s not love, that’s suffering.” And, “We don't want to EAT hot fudge sundaes as much as we want our lives to BE hot fudge sundaes. We want to come home to ourselves.”

I suppose there is some value in the things she said…it just took her an entire book to say what she accomplished on the last page:

“The Eating Guidelines"

1. Eat when you are hungry.

2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.

3. Eat without distractions. Distractions include radio, television, newspapers, books, intense or anxiety-producing conversations or music.

4. Eat what your body wants.

5. Eat until you are satisfied.

6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.

7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto, and pleasure.”

Save yourself the time…that’s all you need to read or know.

Our July book club selection:  Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

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Book Review -- State of Wonder

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre:  Literary fiction

Book source: personal copy

Objectionable material:  Only if you have snake phobia; one F bomb

Ladies of Literature book club

Pharmaceutical giant, Vogel, has lost contact with their lead research manager, Dr. Annick Swenson, in the heart of the Amazon forests. After colleague Anders Eckman, who is sent to investigate Dr. Swenson’s incommunicado, is reported dead, Dr. Marina Singh is sent to find out the nature of Dr. Eckman’s death and to bring the rogue Dr. Swenson back in line with Vogel’s research objectives. What Dr. Singh discovers is a mythical tribe with lifelong fertility, magical mushrooms, a research group determined to keep the fertility elixir quiet, and a Doctor who has earned both trust and fear from those around her.

Ann Patchett has created a provocative novel about science, nature, friendship, exploration, morality, and endurance, and how they all collide in the jungles of the Amazon.

I was amazed at Ms. Patchett’s writing style. She so gloriously creates the flora and fauna of the jungle that I was tempted to swat mosquitoes away and seek suitable shelter from the animals lurking therein.

The story was so multifaceted --- was it the magical drug that was so important? Was it Dr. Eckman’s disappearance? Was it Dr. Swenson’s despot-like rule over the research team and tribe? It was all deftly woven with balance and intrigue.

After reading Ms. Patchett’s novel, I am convinced, now more than ever that A) I have no desire to “vacation” along the tributaries of the Amazon, and B) to extend my fertility beyond normal limits. God knew what He was doing.

Overall, a good read, and a good book club discussion.

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A Book Week in Review…

My Dad with my then newborn son, Max

My Dad had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery last week.  He is 80 years old.  No time is a good time to have a heart attack…but at 80, it’s even tougher.

So, I dropped everything and drove 4 hours to my home in Oklahoma to be with my family at the hospital.  (Update: Doctors are thrilled at his recovery…but because of his age, it will be a long process).

Needless to say, I dropped all my book related issues:   I was in the middle of reading a book, had a review to post on our May book club book, and a myriad of other book related balls up in the air when I had to grab the batmobile to speed out of town.

Here are my expedited thoughts on my unfinished book week:

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

My enjoyment rating:  Did Not Finish

Genre:  General fiction

Source: Library copy

Objectionable material:  None (to the point where I stopped reading at least).

This was the first collateral damage of my sudden departure.

Grace Winter was on day 5 or 6 in a lifeboat, along with 40 or so other survivors, after the ship in which she was sailing, sank. 

The first 20 pages or so were rather enthralling.  I was eager to find out their fate.  But the longer they were on the boat, the less I cared.  So when I forgot to put it in my bag, and then it was due to be returned to the library, I had very little remorse that I hadn’t finished.  I haven’t thought another thing about Grace and her shipmates since.   

If someone has read this and thinks it’s worthy to check back out again, let me know.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

My enjoyment rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Genre:  Southern fiction

Source: Personal copy

Objectionable material:  the odd cuss word; veiled rape scene.

May Book Club Choice

Swan Lake (yes…that is her name) and her family have descended on her grandparents’ farm for the summer.  After a suicide, her father losing his job and a threatening, abusive neighbor shake up their idyllic summer plans, Swan and her family must learn to depend on one another and God through faith. 

This was a typical southern novel – juvenile characters facing the battle of good vs. evil with added family angst.  The writing was lovely, but the storyline meandered a bit.  Lots of characters, but not all necessary or well developed.  However, the book club ladies liked it, and our discussion made me like it better than I first thought (which is often the case).  I would be willing to give this author another chance, should she choose to write another book. 

June book club choice:  Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth

Don’t Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani

My enjoyment rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Family memoir/self help

Source: Nook

Objectionable Material: None

Popular author, Adriana Trigiani, has written a poetic memoir about her Italian immigrant grandmothers, Lucia (Lucy) and Viola: their families, their growing up years, their professions, their talents, their heartbreaks, and their joys.  Loved reading about these two very unique and special individuals.  But the book turned “self help” through some of the chapters, and that wasn’t nearly as successful (and almost awkward) as reading about Lucy’s and Viola’s lives.  

Made me reminisce about my own very special grandmothers. 

However, I’m so glad I read this first before starting The Shoemaker’s Wife – I think it really sets the stage for Ms. Trigiani’s newest novel.

Book Review -- Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Book source:  Public library

Genre:  Classic fiction

Objectionble material:  None...that I can remember

Read it for Ladies of Literature book club

Dear Ms. Hurston:

I must admit – I was a reluctant at first. I got bogged down with the afro-centric dialog. I was reading pages over and over again, just to understand. But suddenly, like reading Shakespeare or Jane Austen, it all started to make sense – beautiful, beautiful sense. It wasn’t always easy – but it was worth it.  

You have written a coming of age story like no other: Janie Woods -- granddaughter of a former slave, no memory of either her mother or father, who sets her sights on a life of love and adventure.

But her grandmother marries her off, against her will, to a man twice her age. Unhappy, she leaves him for Jody Starks, the man she thinks will make her dreams come true. But he belittles her and forces her to work in his store, while he reaps all the glory and money. 

Finally, you provide Janie with Tea Cake – a man full of adventure and ideas. In spite of the murmurings of the town folk – Janie leaves with Tea Cake to work the “muck” – the growing fields of the everglades -- where they befriend characters like, Motor Boat, Stew Beef, Coodemay, Bootyny – and a whole host of others who laugh and gamble and dance the days away.

But you still don’t make things easy for Janie – you take her to the depths of degradation as an abused wife, to surviving the devastation of a hurricane. Then you put her in a position know woman should have to face – choosing one’s own life over that of your spouse.

Finally Ms. Hurston – you give us Janie – a woman who survived it all – who lived to tell about it. And did so with love, honor, and without regret.

Thank you for the privilege of marveling over your brilliant words.

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April Book Group & Book Review -- Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind



Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross
My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book source: Library copy
Genre: Fiction -- Southern
Objectionable material: None
April Book Club choice

Julia Springer’s life has been turned upside down – she’s a recent widow who has been left a sizeable estate, thanks to the financial planning by her late husband. However, when a young boy is dropped off on her doorstep and she is told, “This here is Wesley Lloyd Jr…I got to leave him with you,” by one Hazel Marie Puckett, the boy’s mother, Miss Julia has no idea how topsy turvy it will all end up.

Miss Julia was a delightful, whimsical novel, full of over the top characters and plot lines: newly discovered mistress, crazy televangelist, selfish pastor, loyal maid, and a misplaced little boy. Who all end up in Miss Julia’s living room, much like a Mel Brooks movie.

This was our book club selection for April. The group, overall, thought it was a hilarious book. However, it lacked significantly on discussion merit – to the point that I questioned why our local library has this designated as one of their “book club kits.” Our only real discussion centered on questions like, “what did you think was the funniest antic?” Luckily, there was a lot of good food to enjoy.

This was a nice change of pace…but I doubt I will continue on with the series (and there are A LOT of them!)

Our May selection:

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield (AR author, and recent attendee at the Arkansas Literary Festival)

Summary:  Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core and setting the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change. 

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March Book Group -- Half Broke Horses

Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Source:  Personal copy

March Book Group Choice

Genre:  "Real life" fiction

When you seek shelter in a tree with your siblings because of a flash flood, and subsequently spend the night there too – you know your life is destined to be an adventure.

Lily Casey Smith did it all – rode on a horse across the state of Arizona at the age of 15, broke horses, taught school, lived in Chicago, worked a ranch, played poker, boot-legged moonshine – oh, and married and had 2 kids. One of them being Rose Mary Smith Walls – the eccentric mother of Jeannette Walls of The Glass Castle. Half Broke Horses is Jeannette’s second book and homage to her fiercely independent and unique grandmother.

This was our book club selection for March and we all loved it. Not as much as The Glass Castle – but that book was such a dysfunctional masterpiece that it would be hard to measure up.

Lily was an amazing woman – especially at a time in our history when independence, free thought, and escapades were not valued traits in women. Lily made it seem “normal” to hold a pistol to the head of a disagreeable elder, or transport your kids to each school where you teach, or beat most men in a game of poker. Maybe not the perfect mother…but she did what she thought was best. We need more women in the world like Lily Casey Smith.

This is the perfect companion to The Glass Castle…but I need to re-read it again to put all the puzzle pieces together.

Highly recommended for book clubs/groups.

Listen to the author talk more about her grandmother here:

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February Book Club -- The Pact

The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Sampson Davis

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars (5 stars for inspiration; 3 stars for mediocre writing)

Source:  Personal copy

February Book Club choice

Black History Month choice

Born in the projects of New Jersey, the future seems bleak for Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. Their neighborhoods are saturated with drug dealers, crime, and hopelessness. But when they forge a friendship in junior high, these three young men make a “pact” that their lives will be different – that they will finish high school and graduate from college. It’s a tough road – so many influences trying to derail their dreams – but with the help of many mentors and their own determination – they succeed.

One of the blessings of being in a book club is the opportunity to read books you have either never heard of or would not normally pick up on your own. This is one of those. I’d never heard of “The Pact” and I’m so glad our discussion group leader made this our choice.

My life is so VASTLY different from these young men. I’ve never been arrested for the simple fact that my skin color is different. I’ve never been threatened with violence or drugs. I’ve been raised in a stable family with a mom and dad: So many things that can change the outcome of one’s life.

What they were able to accomplish with so little is truly amazing – when so many of their friends were succumbing to the pull of peer pressure, drugs, and street life.

The only negative to this book was the writing. For what was a truly inspirational story, the writing was uninspired – which really took the gloss off trying to read about their accomplishments.

It was an excellent book club choice – so much to discuss about race issues, the plight of inner city education – and education in general really – and giving back to one’s community: A Pandora’s box of social issues discussion. But also guiltily so as we were a group of very naïve white women.

For more on The Pact -- check out the related video:

 

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January Book Club -- The Forgotten Garden




The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: Personal copy

January Book Club choice

Child abandoned on a ship, two continents, a lost identity, an English estate, creepy relatives, a “forgotten garden” -- the perfect equation for a luscious, twisty novel!

Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden has all the elements for a cozy read, in a big chair, by the fire (OK, I didn't have a fire, but read it anyway!). She beautifully weaves elements of Gothic tradition with brilliantly described landscapes and characters.

Nell is surprised by her father with a secret on her 21st birthday – she is not his. This sets in motion a spiral downfall of memories which Nell tries to put back together like a jigsaw puzzle. She nearly attains her goal – but the arrival of her granddaughter, Cassandra, puts an end to her search, and she dies without the knowledge of the origins of her birth.

The author, in alternating chapters of past, recent past and present, tells Nell’s story and that of Cassandra, who takes up Nell’s quest to determine their combined heritage. It leads Cassandra to a forsaken cottage on the grounds of and English estate, and there she finds her answers.

This was the perfect book club choice! Our group devoured it and had a tremendously fun discussion! One of the few books in recent memory that kept me guessing until quite literally the last page. Bravo to the author for keeping me on the edge of my page until the very end.

My only complaint was the alternating time periods was a bit confusing in the beginning – enough that I had to make a list of characters and what century they came from.

Highly recommended for book groups.

Our February choice: The Pact by Sampson Davis et. al.





Summary: They grew up on the streets of Newark, facing city life's temptations, pitfalls, even jail. But one day these three young men made a pact. They promised each other they would all become doctors, and stick it out together through the long, difficult journey to attain that dream. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt are not only friends to this day-they are all doctors. This is a story about the power of friendship. Of joining forces and beating the odds. A story about changing your life, and the lives of those you love most...together.

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