Dear Book-loving Friends,
Let's meet in just under a week's time. Wednesday at say...7 pm, the 4th of November. (I am shocked by this change in months.)
Amanda has volunteered to provide goodness of food. Parker volunteered (or I think I volunteered him) to provide goodness in directing our conversation.
Reminder: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (not Stout OR Trout) Page 140
Much Love,
KLH
PS. I have yet to purchase or begin reading. How are those endeavors treating everyone else?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Enumclaw reader finishes Book Thief
I finished reading the Book Thief today; a little later than the rest of you.
I enjoyed the book. The characters were well developed. What a difference literacy made for Liesel. But receiving and giving love really impacted her character.
The book painted a picture of what life in war torn Germany was like for everyday people.
Even though the book was at times through Death's somewhat negative view, the goodness of a such a variety of people was clearly evident.
I'm looking forward to reading the next Wednesday Book Group selection. Although my copy is on hold with the King County Library System and my hold is 220 of 248 holds on 67 copies. It could be awhile.
I enjoyed the book. The characters were well developed. What a difference literacy made for Liesel. But receiving and giving love really impacted her character.
The book painted a picture of what life in war torn Germany was like for everyday people.
Even though the book was at times through Death's somewhat negative view, the goodness of a such a variety of people was clearly evident.
I'm looking forward to reading the next Wednesday Book Group selection. Although my copy is on hold with the King County Library System and my hold is 220 of 248 holds on 67 copies. It could be awhile.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
And the winner...........
OLIVE KITTERIDGE, by Elizabeth Strout.
This book looks like a delightful read. We're going to love it, I just know. After only a cursory glance at the back cover and first chapter (way to own the book already, Parker), I'm up-and-ready to read it.
the plan: read the first half by two-Wednesdays. I don't remember the page number right now. Josh? A little help? Oh I just found my scribble:
Be on page 140 on Wednesday November 4.
as a PS: I'm in a floral design class. I made some boutonnieres this week. Boys of book group, if you have anything fancy coming up in your lives, let me know. I have a boutonniere for you to wear.
This book looks like a delightful read. We're going to love it, I just know. After only a cursory glance at the back cover and first chapter (way to own the book already, Parker), I'm up-and-ready to read it.
the plan: read the first half by two-Wednesdays. I don't remember the page number right now. Josh? A little help? Oh I just found my scribble:
Be on page 140 on Wednesday November 4.
as a PS: I'm in a floral design class. I made some boutonnieres this week. Boys of book group, if you have anything fancy coming up in your lives, let me know. I have a boutonniere for you to wear.
Monday, October 19, 2009
VOTE on the right side of this page. Here are the options, described:
(WARNING. I tried to keep this short, but.....failed.)
Here's a glimpse at the options. Why not be an educated voter?
Please pick two on the poll on the right of this page. That should narrow down our options. By the way, these look great. Way to pick out some fabulous literature. Several....well I'll just have to read them, whether or not we get to them in book group or not.
Olive Kitteridge
Elizabeth Strout
Thirteen linked tales in this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel delve into small-town life in coastal Maine, unveiling ordinary people’s lives including retired schoolteacher Olive Kittredge.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Barbery
“This story of an aging concierge and a 12-year-old girl in an exclusive apartment house in Paris was a huge hit in France. Pithy, erudite, and full of heart, this book should be on everyone’s must-read list”
The Sound and the Fury
William Faulkner
This Faulkner novel is considered one of the key works of the century. It explores loveless family relationships through four (masterfully) fractured narrator voices.
The Trial
Franz Kafka
[opening line] “Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph K., for without having done anything wrong he was arrested one fine morning…”
This psychological novel follows an ordinary man, Joseph. Repeatedly required to appear in court, Joseph grows frustrated and desperately watches his life spiral out of control.
Peace Like a River
Leif Engel
When his older brother is arrested for murder, Rube—an 11-year-old in 1960s Minnesota—and his father and sister take to the road, hoping to find Rube before the law does. In the end it's not Rube who haunts the reader's imagination; it's his father, torn between love for his outlaw son and the duty to do the right, honest thing.
Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion
This is a memoir of a year of the author’s life, in which she grapples with the grief of her husband’s sudden heart attack and death that accompanied the coma of their only child. It’s about “Didion's efforts to make sense of a time when nothing made sense.” Tribute to life and marriage.
The Turn of the Screw
Henry James
This terrifying psychological/supernatural(take your pick….seriously. Ambiguity at its finest) tale about follows a (maybe neurotic) narrator, a (mostly crazy) governess, and two innocent little kids.
Tinkers
Paul Harding
Harding's debut unfurls the final thoughts of a dying New England grandfather who made his living repairing clocks. “His deathbed revisits his turbulent childhood as the oldest son of an epileptic smalltime traveling salesman…The real star is Harding's language, which dazzles whether he's describing the workings of clocks, sensory images of nature, the many engaging side characters who populate the book, or even a short passage on how to build a bird nest.”
The Idiot
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Erm. This one is too tricky for me to give a synopsis. Seems like a really innocent sort of figure gets into some tragic mess in his society that’s all about money, power, and manipulation.
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortensen
Mortensen fails climbing K2—the world’s second tallest mountain—and ill, is cared for by a small Pakistani village. In return, he promises to build the town’s first school—a project that grew to constructing other schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Cat's Cradle
Kurt Vonnegut
This science fiction thriller (did I just characterize that right?) follows a random mix of characters in search of the world’s most dangerous substance: ice that freezes at room temperature. One review explained its thematic issues as nuclear terror, the complications of science, American imperialism, global capitalism and the role of religion in public life.
Picture This
Joseph Heller
(Here’s what Britt tells us: He also wrote "Catch-22," which was so bizarre and fascinating. A review of "Picture This:" "Mr. Heller treats the whole panorama of history past and present with the bravado of Mark Twain in one of his sassier moods." Aristotle discusses history with Heller's main character.)
Here's a glimpse at the options. Why not be an educated voter?
Please pick two on the poll on the right of this page. That should narrow down our options. By the way, these look great. Way to pick out some fabulous literature. Several....well I'll just have to read them, whether or not we get to them in book group or not.
Olive Kitteridge
Elizabeth Strout
Thirteen linked tales in this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel delve into small-town life in coastal Maine, unveiling ordinary people’s lives including retired schoolteacher Olive Kittredge.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Barbery
“This story of an aging concierge and a 12-year-old girl in an exclusive apartment house in Paris was a huge hit in France. Pithy, erudite, and full of heart, this book should be on everyone’s must-read list”
The Sound and the Fury
William Faulkner
This Faulkner novel is considered one of the key works of the century. It explores loveless family relationships through four (masterfully) fractured narrator voices.
The Trial
Franz Kafka
[opening line] “Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph K., for without having done anything wrong he was arrested one fine morning…”
This psychological novel follows an ordinary man, Joseph. Repeatedly required to appear in court, Joseph grows frustrated and desperately watches his life spiral out of control.
Peace Like a River
Leif Engel
When his older brother is arrested for murder, Rube—an 11-year-old in 1960s Minnesota—and his father and sister take to the road, hoping to find Rube before the law does. In the end it's not Rube who haunts the reader's imagination; it's his father, torn between love for his outlaw son and the duty to do the right, honest thing.
Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion
This is a memoir of a year of the author’s life, in which she grapples with the grief of her husband’s sudden heart attack and death that accompanied the coma of their only child. It’s about “Didion's efforts to make sense of a time when nothing made sense.” Tribute to life and marriage.
The Turn of the Screw
Henry James
This terrifying psychological/supernatural(take your pick….seriously. Ambiguity at its finest) tale about follows a (maybe neurotic) narrator, a (mostly crazy) governess, and two innocent little kids.
Tinkers
Paul Harding
Harding's debut unfurls the final thoughts of a dying New England grandfather who made his living repairing clocks. “His deathbed revisits his turbulent childhood as the oldest son of an epileptic smalltime traveling salesman…The real star is Harding's language, which dazzles whether he's describing the workings of clocks, sensory images of nature, the many engaging side characters who populate the book, or even a short passage on how to build a bird nest.”
The Idiot
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Erm. This one is too tricky for me to give a synopsis. Seems like a really innocent sort of figure gets into some tragic mess in his society that’s all about money, power, and manipulation.
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortensen
Mortensen fails climbing K2—the world’s second tallest mountain—and ill, is cared for by a small Pakistani village. In return, he promises to build the town’s first school—a project that grew to constructing other schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Cat's Cradle
Kurt Vonnegut
This science fiction thriller (did I just characterize that right?) follows a random mix of characters in search of the world’s most dangerous substance: ice that freezes at room temperature. One review explained its thematic issues as nuclear terror, the complications of science, American imperialism, global capitalism and the role of religion in public life.
Picture This
Joseph Heller
(Here’s what Britt tells us: He also wrote "Catch-22," which was so bizarre and fascinating. A review of "Picture This:" "Mr. Heller treats the whole panorama of history past and present with the bravado of Mark Twain in one of his sassier moods." Aristotle discusses history with Heller's main character.)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
WHAT do you think we should read next?
As discussed at tonight's fabulous gathering, to help pick our next read you need to:
1. post your suggestion(s)*
2. vote on a yet to be set-up poll (on this blog) based on the suggestions
3. come next wednesday where we will vote between the top three or so novels
That would be 7.00 pm, October 21. This will be a quickie---without any pre-reading attached. Be excited.
*A note on suggestions: try to pick widely-likable books that we hopefully haven't read. And if you pick it, be ready to convince us to read it.
one last thought: Wow. Loved the discussion tonight--beautiful contributions and insights.
1. post your suggestion(s)*
2. vote on a yet to be set-up poll (on this blog) based on the suggestions
3. come next wednesday where we will vote between the top three or so novels
That would be 7.00 pm, October 21. This will be a quickie---without any pre-reading attached. Be excited.
*A note on suggestions: try to pick widely-likable books that we hopefully haven't read. And if you pick it, be ready to convince us to read it.
one last thought: Wow. Loved the discussion tonight--beautiful contributions and insights.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
I'm not convinced anyone looks at this blog, but...
Just in case someone does take a gander:
BOOK CLUB.
7 PM. TOMORROW. Wellington II # 33 (that's 732 N 800 E #33)
Last thoughts on THE BOOK THIEF
......plus we'll probably end up brewing some hot cocoa (if there's an autumn chill in the air) and munching on pumpkin cookies.
......and we need to talk about our future book (excitement)
Come with all your brilliant thoughts and insights.
NOTE. this book club is all about increasing your life happiness. if coming tomorrow will make your life happier, then come. if it won't, then don't come. (and secret: we'll still be friends. BFFs). hope to see you, all the same, though.
BOOK CLUB.
7 PM. TOMORROW. Wellington II # 33 (that's 732 N 800 E #33)
Last thoughts on THE BOOK THIEF
......plus we'll probably end up brewing some hot cocoa (if there's an autumn chill in the air) and munching on pumpkin cookies.
......and we need to talk about our future book (excitement)
Come with all your brilliant thoughts and insights.
NOTE. this book club is all about increasing your life happiness. if coming tomorrow will make your life happier, then come. if it won't, then don't come. (and secret: we'll still be friends. BFFs). hope to see you, all the same, though.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
in a week
Hello All.
I saw Britt today in the HBLL and she has actually finished Book Thief. Which must mean that: (a) I'm.....behind.....in reading and (b) you probably are too and (c) our next successful gathering is approaching.
Final Discussion of Book Thief will be held 7 pm on Wednesday October 14th. (As always, location will be 732 N 800 E #33. And contrary to some book group members' beliefs, the fireplace in that location is fake, so won't be flickering). Anyone want to volunteer to lead our thoughts and musings? Bring a divine eatable?
AND. (What's been keeping everyone from sleeping at night): what book will house our next reading experience?
Here's how we're going to do this:
1. Think of a book you'd like us to read (remember our group, what you think would encourage spritely conversation, something that has some good sort of merit, something we haven't all read)
2. Voice your suggestion as a comment to this blog post. Include the book's title and author
3. We'll assemble the choices and the secret book-choosing committee of the Book Group will hopefully pare them down to 2 or 3 fantastic stand-outs.
4. We'll vote on Wednesday (secret ballots or blind voting or some such no doubt), and start the flow of excitement for our next book.
final thing I'll say: happy TUESDAY. and.......why aren't you all on the first floor of the hbll? it's basically THE place to be. if you're an accounting major.
I saw Britt today in the HBLL and she has actually finished Book Thief. Which must mean that: (a) I'm.....behind.....in reading and (b) you probably are too and (c) our next successful gathering is approaching.
Final Discussion of Book Thief will be held 7 pm on Wednesday October 14th. (As always, location will be 732 N 800 E #33. And contrary to some book group members' beliefs, the fireplace in that location is fake, so won't be flickering). Anyone want to volunteer to lead our thoughts and musings? Bring a divine eatable?
AND. (What's been keeping everyone from sleeping at night): what book will house our next reading experience?
Here's how we're going to do this:
1. Think of a book you'd like us to read (remember our group, what you think would encourage spritely conversation, something that has some good sort of merit, something we haven't all read)
2. Voice your suggestion as a comment to this blog post. Include the book's title and author
3. We'll assemble the choices and the secret book-choosing committee of the Book Group will hopefully pare them down to 2 or 3 fantastic stand-outs.
4. We'll vote on Wednesday (secret ballots or blind voting or some such no doubt), and start the flow of excitement for our next book.
final thing I'll say: happy TUESDAY. and.......why aren't you all on the first floor of the hbll? it's basically THE place to be. if you're an accounting major.
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