Wow! Thanks so much to Peggy (and Brittny too) for the amazing night of honey and hot topics. The food was amazing, including such delicacies as honey mango salsa, pecan honey brie, fresh fruit and veg with honey-spiked dips and honey glazed orange slices that were to die for, the array was rounded out with a heavenly beehive shaped cake that was doused in a honey glaze. It was beyond delish. Attendance was high and spirits were too. Conversation jumped from racial tension to motherhood and love and growing up. Always the gracious hostess, Peggy made everyone feel welcome and comfortable to share their thoughts. It was lovely. Thank you so much.
What's next? The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls...here is a little summary:
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. Aregular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
Our next Book Club meeting will be hosted by Kelly Martinez and Betty Richardson in Betty's home on Tuesday, July 24th.
Finished already? July's book will be The Covenant by Beverly Lewis
Friday, June 6, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Muy Interesante
Book club last night was very interesting.
First of all, let me thank Jill Adams for hosting it in her home and providing wonderful, artistic treats. So good. Another positive...a couple of new girls in the mix...Susan and Laura. So nice to have you. One more enjoyable moment...Tobey tormenting Melissa...Janice...Cia...
Now..."on with the show!" There has been some concern with the content of books that have been chosen. I feel like this was very inhibiting to the discussion of the book last night. Many people seemed not to voice opinions (out of fear?), due to the like/dislike voiced by others. Solution?
We agreed that books will have to be previewed in the future by those recommending them. Fine. However, if you do not like the content of the book, follow Bonnie's example; close the book, go on with your life, come to book club and say that you didn't like that book. You're allowed not to like it...it's okay. Thanks Bonnie.
I personally liked the book. I won't house it on my bookshelf. I didn't love it. It wasn't my favorite book ever, in fact it will probably get sold at the next garage sale I host, but I thought the writer did a great job of storytelling. Also, as we discussed in book club, she wrote from a male perspective very convincingly. The flashbacks were great. The old man was grouchy and determined and hilarious. The things that go on in a circus are horrific and disgusting (glad that I'm not a circus worker). That's about the gist of it for last night. Like I said...inhibited conversation.
The next book we will be reading (or not...your choice) is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Here is a little blurb that may spark your interest:
Set in the American South in 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act and intensifying racial unrest, Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees is a powerful story of coming-of-age, of the ability of love to transform our lives, and the often unacknowledged longing for the universal feminine divine. Addressing the wounds of loss, betrayal, and the scarcity of love, Kidd demonstrates the power of women coming together to heal those wounds, to mother each other and themselves, and to create a sanctuary of true family and home.
Book club will be hosted at Peggy's house on Tuesday, May 27th at 7 pm. Happy reading. Happy lives. Happy women. That's what it's all about.
First of all, let me thank Jill Adams for hosting it in her home and providing wonderful, artistic treats. So good. Another positive...a couple of new girls in the mix...Susan and Laura. So nice to have you. One more enjoyable moment...Tobey tormenting Melissa...Janice...Cia...
Now..."on with the show!" There has been some concern with the content of books that have been chosen. I feel like this was very inhibiting to the discussion of the book last night. Many people seemed not to voice opinions (out of fear?), due to the like/dislike voiced by others. Solution?
We agreed that books will have to be previewed in the future by those recommending them. Fine. However, if you do not like the content of the book, follow Bonnie's example; close the book, go on with your life, come to book club and say that you didn't like that book. You're allowed not to like it...it's okay. Thanks Bonnie.
I personally liked the book. I won't house it on my bookshelf. I didn't love it. It wasn't my favorite book ever, in fact it will probably get sold at the next garage sale I host, but I thought the writer did a great job of storytelling. Also, as we discussed in book club, she wrote from a male perspective very convincingly. The flashbacks were great. The old man was grouchy and determined and hilarious. The things that go on in a circus are horrific and disgusting (glad that I'm not a circus worker). That's about the gist of it for last night. Like I said...inhibited conversation.
The next book we will be reading (or not...your choice) is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Here is a little blurb that may spark your interest:
Set in the American South in 1964, the year of the Civil Rights Act and intensifying racial unrest, Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees is a powerful story of coming-of-age, of the ability of love to transform our lives, and the often unacknowledged longing for the universal feminine divine. Addressing the wounds of loss, betrayal, and the scarcity of love, Kidd demonstrates the power of women coming together to heal those wounds, to mother each other and themselves, and to create a sanctuary of true family and home.
Book club will be hosted at Peggy's house on Tuesday, May 27th at 7 pm. Happy reading. Happy lives. Happy women. That's what it's all about.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
What's Next?
Our next great read is a book by Sara Gruen, titled "Water for Elephants." We will be meeting at Jill Adams home on April 22nd at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!
Yet Again
Last night's book club was wonderful. It was lovely to have smart women in my home and noisy children elsewhere for the evening (thank you so much to Kirts girls for sitting). We discussed Peony in Love by Lisa See. We talked of the protective love of a mother, the drama of teenage girls, "The Mother-in-Law" phenomenon, and the mutilating things women do for beauty (both here and in other cultures). It was so wonderful. Thank you to all who took the time from their busy lives to come. As the hostess, you try your best to make it a nice evening and at the last minute, after candles are lit and music is on, you think, "I hope someone shows up!" So, thank you all for coming.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Success is Sweet
I am happy to report that the book club meeting this month was a huge success. Multiple reasons enter my mind. Reason number one: WE READ! So many women read, whether it was our chosen book (These Is My Words) or the other book (Condie), there was reading going on and that makes me so happy! Reason number two: Janice Hastings. Enough said, no elaboration needed....okay, I'll elaborate: Holy cow! Food, sweets, displays, quizzes with prizes, parting gifts that went with the book...the list goes on. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making it wonderful, Janice. Reason number three: Engaging conversation about everything from Sarah to segregation, pioneers to pecan trees! It is wonderful to be around women with voices. We have chosen book two, as most of you know. It is "Peony in Love" by Lisa See. Here is a synopsis for you:
I finally understand what the poets have written. In spring, moved to
passion; in autumn only regret.
For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, the lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amidst the scents of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing choice scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few girls, even women, have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony too is cloistered and from a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own.
Peony's mother is against the production: “Unmarried girls should not be seen in public.” But Peony's father prevails, assuring his wife that proprieties will be maintained. Women will watch the opera from behind a screen to hide them from view. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave -- and is immediately overcome with too many emotions.
So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow -- as Lisa See's haunting new novel takes readers back to 17th century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed. Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place -- even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence . . . a vividly imagined place where one’s soul is divided into three, ancestors are worshiped, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth.
Based on a true story, Peony in Love uses the richness and magic of the Chinese afterlife to transcend death and explore the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, it’s about universal themes: the bonds of female friendship, the power of words, the desire all women have to be heard, and finally those emotions that are so strong that they transcend time, place, and perhaps even death.
If you want to know more about the author Lisa See, visit her website here. Our next meeting will be at Karalea Richards home on Tuesday, March 25th at 7 pm. See you there! FYI: If you want to read ahead, our April read is "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen.
I finally understand what the poets have written. In spring, moved to
passion; in autumn only regret.
For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, the lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amidst the scents of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing choice scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few girls, even women, have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony too is cloistered and from a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own.
Peony's mother is against the production: “Unmarried girls should not be seen in public.” But Peony's father prevails, assuring his wife that proprieties will be maintained. Women will watch the opera from behind a screen to hide them from view. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave -- and is immediately overcome with too many emotions.
So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow -- as Lisa See's haunting new novel takes readers back to 17th century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed. Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place -- even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence . . . a vividly imagined place where one’s soul is divided into three, ancestors are worshiped, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth.
Based on a true story, Peony in Love uses the richness and magic of the Chinese afterlife to transcend death and explore the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, it’s about universal themes: the bonds of female friendship, the power of words, the desire all women have to be heard, and finally those emotions that are so strong that they transcend time, place, and perhaps even death.
If you want to know more about the author Lisa See, visit her website here. Our next meeting will be at Karalea Richards home on Tuesday, March 25th at 7 pm. See you there! FYI: If you want to read ahead, our April read is "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
It Has Begun!
We've made a decision! Our first book club read will be "These is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner. Here is a synopsis:
"Inspired by the author's original family memoirs, this absorbing story introduces us to the questing, indomitable Sarah Prine, one of the most memorable women ever to survive and prevail in the Arizona Territory of the late 1800s. As a child, a fiery young woman, and finally a caring mother, Sarah forges a life as full and fascinating as our deepest needs, our most secret hopes, and our grandest dreams. She rides Indian-style and shoots with deadly aim, greedily devours a treasure trove of leatherbound books, dreams of scarlet velvet and pearls, falls uneasily in love, and faces down fire, flood, Comanche raids, and other mortal perils with the unique courage that forged the character of the American West. This action-packed novel is also the story of a powerful, enduring love between Sarah and the dashing cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot. Neither the vast distances traveled nor the harsh and killing terrains could quench the passion between them, and the loss and loneliness both suffer only strengthen their need for each other. While their love grows, the heartbreak and wonder of the frontier experience unfold in scene after scene: a wagon-train Sunday spent roasting quail on spits as Indians close in to attack; Sarah's silent encounter with an Indian brave, in which he shows her his way of respect; a dreadful discovery by a stream that changes Sarah forever; the hazards of a visit to Phoenix, a town as hot as the devil's frying pan; Sarah's joy in building a real home, sketching out rooms and wraparound porches. Sarah's story leads us into a vanished world that comes vividly to life again, while her struggles with work and home, love and responsibility resonate with those every woman faces today."
If you would like to know more about this book and others by Nancy, check out her website here. Janice Hastings will be hosting on February 26th. Happy reading!
"Inspired by the author's original family memoirs, this absorbing story introduces us to the questing, indomitable Sarah Prine, one of the most memorable women ever to survive and prevail in the Arizona Territory of the late 1800s. As a child, a fiery young woman, and finally a caring mother, Sarah forges a life as full and fascinating as our deepest needs, our most secret hopes, and our grandest dreams. She rides Indian-style and shoots with deadly aim, greedily devours a treasure trove of leatherbound books, dreams of scarlet velvet and pearls, falls uneasily in love, and faces down fire, flood, Comanche raids, and other mortal perils with the unique courage that forged the character of the American West. This action-packed novel is also the story of a powerful, enduring love between Sarah and the dashing cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot. Neither the vast distances traveled nor the harsh and killing terrains could quench the passion between them, and the loss and loneliness both suffer only strengthen their need for each other. While their love grows, the heartbreak and wonder of the frontier experience unfold in scene after scene: a wagon-train Sunday spent roasting quail on spits as Indians close in to attack; Sarah's silent encounter with an Indian brave, in which he shows her his way of respect; a dreadful discovery by a stream that changes Sarah forever; the hazards of a visit to Phoenix, a town as hot as the devil's frying pan; Sarah's joy in building a real home, sketching out rooms and wraparound porches. Sarah's story leads us into a vanished world that comes vividly to life again, while her struggles with work and home, love and responsibility resonate with those every woman faces today."
If you would like to know more about this book and others by Nancy, check out her website here. Janice Hastings will be hosting on February 26th. Happy reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)