Gunn's Golden Rules

Oh how we love Project Runway!  So when we discovered Tim Gunn had penned a book, we simply had to add it to our lineup.  We were expecting something light and witty, and for the most part, Tim delivered.

Gunn's Golden Rules:  Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work.  It's part ettiquitte, part story-time.  Our main complaint:  the book can rabbit-trail, and lacks an overall cohesiveness.  Sometimes the chapters just end, and you can't remember which "rule" you started with because the storytelling went to a completely different place.  We also thought the ending was a little weak.  We wanted more of a "final thought" or something that would wrap it all up and leave us ready to "Make it work!"

That being said, Gunn's writing is very true to his voice.   He's warm and witty and sarcastic and slightly snarky (though he claims he constitutionally incapable of being so).  The crazy stories from the fashion world and the glimpses behind the scenes of Project Runway were consistently funny and satisfying.  And we enjoyed the stories from his personal life too.  We love Tim Gunn and we're happy that we read his book.

Next up:  Here Burns my Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

Still Alice

Out book for April was "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova.  It's a book that tackles the issue of Alzheimer's, and is told from the perspective of the woman who is struggling with the disease.  Our group's reaction:  This was the first book we've truly enjoyed since reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak in March 2010.  I would highly recommend this book to other book clubs.

We talked about the characters, issues, and plot.  We thought Lisa Genova did a wonderful job of writing so that you really identify with the main character and experience her stuggles and losses with her.  We loved the diverse, yet believable, reactions of her family and friends. 

Our longest discussion topic was around the question: "Would you want to know if you had an unavoidable illness?"  The characters in the book face this question specifically on the topic of Alzheimers.  Would you want to know if you were going to go through it?  Or would you rather face it (or not) as it came?  We had people that answered differently, and for very different reasons.  It made for a wonderful conversation, and I think we all learned about each other in the process.

Next up:  Gunn's Golden Rules:  Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work by Tim Gunn

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Our nomal meeting night fell on St. Patrick's day...and we had green-frosted cupcakes to celebrate.  Also, we discovered triskits + Irish cheese + bruscetta = one delicious appetizer.  But on to the book.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver.  We didn't hate it, but we didn't love it either.  Kingsolver often weaves multiple storylines together.  To us, one of the storylines grabbed us much more than the others.  It featured a believable lead role, and a believable struggle.  I think it would have been nice if the whole book centered on that storyline.  The other characters could have been woven in through shared scenes or conversations. 

One thing we really enjoyed was the language.  Kingsolver truly gives each character their own voice, and has her characters use their unique voices to help them describe how they percieve their world and how they work through their problems.  That was very neat to read.

The conclusion of the story was a little sudden and convenient for our taste.  (With the exception of our favorite storyline.  We felt that one ended in a realistic place and we enjoyed the journey to get there.)  I would like to read some of her other books to see if this one just rubbed me the wrong way, or if Kingsolver...while very talented...just isn't for me.


Next Month:  Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  I'll be a little transparent here.  It would be nice to find a book our whole group can be excited about again.  That hasn't really happened since "The Book Thief"...and that was several months ago.

The Magicians

After a very hectic fall, the Paige Turners are back to normal.  And with the presence of brownies, banana bread, veggies, and five eccentric girls, we had a lovely gathering last night.

The topic of conversation was Lev Grossman's book The Magicians.  The back cover describes it as a grown-up version of Harry Potter blended with Narnia.  Our collective group opinion was slightly different.

It wasn't one of our favorite books.  A few girls were deeply bothered by some of the content and language.  We did discuss several interesting topics:  growing up, teenage ennui, revisiting childhood stories, the affect of power, maturity, sexuality, dynamics of small groups, faith and confidence.  But what frustrated us all was the lack of something to root for.  We didn't feel any like the story took us (or the characters) anywhere, nor was there someone we could get get behind as a hero (tortured soul variety included). 

We've put this one behind us and are looking forward to Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I do believe this is the "most trendy" book we have read as a group.  Meaning:  Right now people are reading it, wanting to read it, talking about how much they liked it....it seems to be everywhere.  We're cool girls, don't get me wrong.  But our meandering literary path took us very mainstream this month.  Having said that, everyone really enjoyed this book.

A large number of our regular attenders were out of town, so we welcomed a few new faces to make up for it!  They fit right in.  Rabbit-trailing like pros.  *wink*  It's a beautiful thing.  Balancing fellowship with jabbering and managing to fit a meaning discussion about the book in as well. 

We talked about the characters and their voices.  We talked about racism, self-esteem, social dynamics, and choices.  We talked about the bravery of Skeeter and her friends.  And we talked about how sometimes the brave thing and the right thing may cause waves, but leave things pretty much unchanged, and yet somehow still be the right thing to do.  (That was actually something that bothered me a little bit.  How nothing was really different at the end of the book.) We talked about how class distinctions in any form don't have to be inherently degrading.  And we talked about how these issues, prejudices, and mindsets might be reinterpreted in the years to come.  Will we be able to recognize flawed thinking and injustice when we see it?  Will we have the courage to listen, to stand up, and to tell the meaningful story...even if there's a chance it won't change anything?  I enjoyed listening to Anna and Lynn share stories about the beautiful houses of West Annapolis and the families that make homes.  Good discussion indeed.

And of course there was chocolate pie for all.  No extra ingredients included of course!

So...Lynn and Anna, welcome!  Erinn and Amanda, thanks for holding down the fort.  Everyone else, you were missed.  I hope to see you soon.

Next up:  The Hunger Games by Suszanne Collins.

In My Hands by Irene Opdyke

This month's gathering marked a first for me:  it was the first time I hadn't read the book.  (Shame on me!)  In my defense, I honestly thought I was going to miss the meeting.  I loaned my copy out to one of the other girls.  I made arrangements for us to meet at Panera Bread instead of our normal living room.  I was resigned to my fate. And then my hindrance dissapeared and I happily joined everyone for the discussion. All I have to say is this: Thank goodness that this book was based on a real life!  I was able to do some research on the real facts of Irene Opdyke's life (the truth really is better than fiction), and I was able to engage in the conversation.

What a woman!  Her story gave us so much to talk about.  How much a person can change in 5 years.  How some people become heroes and legends by simply responding to the situations in front of them.  It could be said that all Irene did was rise to the opportunity.  But we talked about how there are thinkers, and there are doers.  Some people would have weighed and pondered and re-weighed every consequence.  Irene just looked at things and said, "this is what I can do." 

We talked about hard choices.  About how sometimes people are forced into supporting a system they don't agree with.  How does a person deal with that?  Respond to it?  Fight the system even while 'supporting' it? 

One of our amusing side conversations was on languages.  Irene knew a few, and her friend (fiance was it?) knew several more.  Most of us were lamenting that we are still fighting to learn a second.  But then we decided to divide up the globe, so no matter where we travel someone will know the local tongue.  (Krisitn has Spanish and she'll have to take Portuguese for the team, Erinn has Russian, Mandie has German, I'm all about Arabic and Hindi....).  How is this a bad plan?

I'm looking forward to actually finishing this book.  From what I understand, this book is very easy to read.  It's inspiring.  It's true.  And it's worth keeping around.  It was a delightful way to end our WWII theme on a hopeful note, and we highly recommend this book to others.

Up Next:  The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

This month, we continued with our theme and decided to read Dick's Hugo Award-winning 1962 alternative history, which considers the question of what would have happened if the Allied Powers had lost WWII.

Of the four people who came to the meeting, only one had read the book completely.  One was nearly done and finished the last 20 pages during our discussion.  One had only attempted a few chapters.  And one wasn't able to start at all (though she brought amazing cupcakes.  All is forgiven. *grin*).

For all the praise this book is given, we all thought it was dry, uninteresting, a bit disjointed, and...strange.  Even by the end of the novel, the reader still has large questions about what Dick was trying to communicate.  We chatted for a while about the different voice Dick tried to portray for different parts of the country -- based on whether the states had been controlled by Japan or Germany after the war.  We chatted about the use/misuse of the I Ching throughout the book's plot.  We chatted about some of the main characters.

And then we abandoned the strange book and played Dutch Blitz while we watched Glee.

Dutch Blitz is a card game that is part Solitaire, part Skip-Bo, part Speed, and part "Egyptian Rat Screw."  The latter is what makes my sister so dangerous.  She didn't join the Dutch Blitz game until the 4th or 5th round, but when she did she proceeded to stomp us.  Soundly.  (Which was mostly ok.  Grrr.  *wink*)

Imagine all that insanity with Glee as a backdrop.  For one of us, it was her first Glee episode ever.  She started out looking at us like we were all insane.  "What?" And ended by laughing with delight that Neil Patrick Harris would guest star on an upcoming episode. "What?!"

Good times (and delicious cupcakes) were had by all.

Next month we will conclude our WWII theme with the book:  In My Hands:  Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Opdyke.

A Night of C.S. Lewis

Instead of having a specific book this month, we had a specific author:  C.S. Lewis.  We each chose whatever book by Lewis that we wanted. 

These were the books represented last night:

• Regina - Screwtape Letters
• Kristin - Pilgrim's Regress
• Kate - The Dark Tower and Other Stories
• Amanda - The Magician's Nephew

A few of our other members were reading Lewis's non-fiction works, but last night it was all about his imagination and storytelling.

It was actually a really interesting evening.  Kate started by telling us about the short stories in her book. Her ability to summarize is quite fantastic.  Her conversation flowed well into the themes I loved in the Screwtape letters, which led into the Pilgrim's Regress, which led.... needless to say, we could all see Lewis's personality and philosophy in all his works.  Displayed differently of course, but it was all there.  It would have been interesting to see how they were echoed in his non-fiction works.  But we'll just have to catch up with those girls later.

We discussed the power and effectiveness of analogy -- a tool C.S. Lewis used very often.  We also discussed time and perspective.  Lewis wrote Pilgrim's Regress at the beginning of his Christian life.  He included a forward (or afterword...I can't remember) that he wrote several years after he wrote the initial book.  In it, he says that looking back, he can see all his book's flaws, but he still stands by it.  That sentiment reminded me of a forward that Tolkien wrote for Lord of the Rings.  We wondered last night if the two were related.  After all, Lewis and Tolkien were friends.  Perhaps after of banter and growth they both felt compelled to both acknowledge their flaws, but to embrace them and stand by what they did.  In the case of Lewis, his honesty is one of the reasons his books have had so much staying power. 

One of the prompt questions I found asked:  What part of this book inspired you in some way?  While it was supposed to be for a non-fiction book, we were all able to identify thoughts in Lewis's works that we found inspiring.  This was especially true for me.  I've tried to read Screwtape Letters several times in the past, and haven't made it past page 30.  But this time, I couldn't put it down.  There was so much that I wanted to mull over.  As I shared with the girls last night, maybe this was just the right book for the right time.

All in all, it was a wonderful night.


Next month: We continue our WWII theme with an alternate reality - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Hands down, "The Book Thief" was one of the best books we've read.  It's unique.  It's engaging.  And we all decided that it actually lives up to the praise on it's cover:  "BRILLIANT and hugely ambitious...It's the kind of book that can be LIFE CHANGING."

It's set during WWII, narrated by Death, and centers on Liesel Meminger - a young German girl with a huge heart, an indomitable spirit, and a love of books and words. 

We were amazed by the structure of the story, the depth of the characters, and the obvious intention that went into putting this whole book together. 

Read it.  Savor it.  You won't be disappointed.


After reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" and "The Book Thief", we've decided to stay with the WWII theme for a while.  Next month, we're trying something new.  Everyone is picking a book by C.S. Lewis, and we'll share our collective thoughts and reactions during April's meeting.  Then we'll conquer a WWII fantasy, and alternative history, and a memoir.  We'll conclude our theme with a trip to D.C. to visit the Holocaust Museum.  I'm really looking forward to the next several months. 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I fell in love with this month's read while I was traveling in Europe.  After a very busy week, I was ordered to sit and watch the world go by, armed only with a view of the Irish coast, and the delights of this book.  In a letter to my friends at home, I described it as deliciously engaging and refreshing.  Needless to say, it was immediately put it on the Paige Turner's "To Be Read" list. 

And after our meeting on Monday, I can happily report that the other members enjoyed it as much as I did.  *whew!*  In fact, several ladies said it was one of their favorites from all the books we've read together as a group.  High praise indeed!

Getting everyone together this month was no small feat.  We had to cancel our original meeting because of Snowmageddon.  And with so much snow remaining on the side streets, we were worried about having enough extra space to park in our normal neighborhood location.  Enter our solution: invade Panera Bread.  It was our first non-livingroom gathering, but I think it worked rather well.  I'd definitely be open to meeting at an eatery again.

In any case, on to the book!  We talked about what it was like to read an epistolary novel.  We thought that the authors -- Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows -- did a wonderful job of capturing so many different voices.  We talked about the characters, the ones we loved and the ones we loved to hate.  I thought it was interesting that one of our members commented that she didn't feel very connected to the main character, Juliet.  We talked about how that might have been because most of the letters are from her (sharing about others), or to her (again, sharing about others).  There were very few letters that gave an outside glimpse of Juliet, sharing anecdotes, etc. 

We talked about the different stories shared through the books letters - what life was like, how the war impacted people from both side, how the experiences of the war changed those who lived through them, and impacted those who came after.  For example, could you imagine having to decide in one day between sending your child away to live in a foreign country or choosing keep them close knowing the invading army is on it's way?  What would you do?  How would you handle it?  


We hope that this novel will survive it's current popularity and become a modern classic.  It's smart, funny, clever, and warm and still finds a way to share important bits of the WWII era throughout the book. 

Let's hope for warmer weather and clearer roads in March.  Our next book continues the WWII theme.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

P.S. - If you'd like to read what the Storie Delle Sorelle book club thought of the Potato Peel Pie Society, click here.

A Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

We started the new year off with a new location, and a new friend!  (Plus, it was great to have Sarah back with us.  She doesn't get to come often, but when she does it's always a treat.)

The book for this month was "A Change of Heart."  For some of us (myself included), it was our first trip into the land of Jodi Picoult.  I enjoyed how the book had many narrators, and how the characters and plot developed.  With that being said, I found myself not really engaged in the book until about halfway through.  Not everyone had that experience, but it was that way for me.

We talked about the core subject matter:  muscle-memory and how that may impact organ donation.  We talked about parenting, forgiveness, revenge and faith.  We talked about how Picoult -heavily- borrows from the movie "The Green Mile," but how you almost excuse her for it.  (We thought she was clever to acknowledge the influence by one character giving the nickname "Green Mile" to another.  *wink wink nudge nudge*)  We talked about the many 'changes of heart' that emerged through the book.  ...We talked a lot!

And we also did a lot of laughing and catching up and rabbit trailing.

It was a good month, and a great way to start the year!  Thanks to Katie for suggesting this one.  I think I'd like to read more by Picoult. Any suggestions?  I've been told that "My Sister's Keeper" and "Handle with Care" are particularly good.

Next up: "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox

First, let me give a very public "Atta girl!" to Kristin.  She finished the book with time to spare (That's a big deal for Kristin.  She's super busy and stuff.  Go ahead and do a quick happy dance with her.) 

On to the book.  It was our first thriller, and could best be described as "Victorian Noir."  It's written as a confession, so you spend the entire book inside one character's head.  As the book progresses, you're able to make more sense of what that character is like, and in turn, that knowledge changes how you view the supporting characters.  This is what I mean:  Have you ever had a friend who exaggerates, and who usually views himself as completely innocent in every situation?  That's the frame of the main character.  So later in the book, when he's talking about how horribly unjust something is, or how terrible someone used to treat him, I gave those comments less weight because I had more insight on his character.  I found that phenomenon interesting.

At the end of the day, we thought the book could have been a few hundred pages shorter and still included all the details it needed to work.  (Translation:  it gets pretty slow at times.)  But I think we enjoyed it.  Our conversation centered on the topics of justice, revenge, parental influence, self-centeredness, betrayal, and guilt. 

Speaking of guilt, here's the thing we found most interesting about Cox's book.  It opens with the murder of an innocent man.  The main character then goes on a reminiscent journey to fill you in on all the factors leading up to that moment. Those factors and paths consume all the primary characters.  The protagonist doesn't regret any of it.  But at the very end, he admits that he feels guilt over the murder of that innocent man.  It makes me wonder of that guilt was why he wrote the confession in the first place?  Not just to share his story, but to absolve for the one crime he truly regretted.  (That's a bonus thought for you).

Paige Turners, what do you think?

A Murder Mystery!

Our next book choice was quite long, so we decided to take mercy on our reading schedules and have a party this month.  I'd never hosted or even attended a Murder Mystery before, but I think our get together worked out quite nicely.

The plot of our story revolved around a death at the Annual Superhero Assembly.  Due to a horrid oversight on my part, I don't have any pictures of the evening, but this was our cast of characters:

• Electra (played by Regina) - Electrical powers - Electra is a medical doctor by day and a super hero by night. This healer is able to draw upon electrical energy to fight her foes. Electra is one of the preeminent superheroes in the Justice Confederation and some say she is the unspoken leader.
• Shiver (played by Katie) - Powers of ice - This cold hearted hero is rumored to be in the superhero realm for purely selfish reasons…attention. There have been many recent reports in the news of Shiver not coming to the aid of victims around the city because she is out shopping, getting her nails done or doing self-centered things. However, when Shiver does come to help damsels in distress, her rescue rate is 100%.
• Stingmata (played by Kristin) - Powers of poison - Stingmata’s toxic personality can be rather annoying to those around her. She is full of energy and sometimes loses herself in the moment. However, she is typically the first superhero on the scene of a crime and does her job with vigor and integrity.
• Blue Blaze (played by Erinn) - Powers of fire - Blue Blaze is known for her fiery personality. An attorney by day, she is outspoken and can be quite callous on occasion. She is one of the most powerful superheroes in the Justice Confederation and sometimes she walks a fine line on what side of the law she is truly on.
• Nerdon (played by Christine) - Powers of all things nerdy - Nerdon is the quintessential nerd with amazing but nerdy super powers. Nerdon is able to draw upon all things nerdy to battle enemies. So watch out for Nerdon’s flying protractorangs, robotic monkeys and her ergonomically created sword.
• The Red Wonder (played by Mandy) - Magical rap lyric powers - The Red Wonder is a famous rap artist by day and super rapper by night! Her lyrics of iron will counteract any evil villain’s attacks. The Red Wonder is a force to be reckoned with…especially with her faithful microphone.
• The Wisher (played by Amanda) - Powers of wishes - The Wisher is one of the most caring and accommodating superheroes in the Justice Confederation. However, watch out for her sneaky side if she tricks you into making three wishes.
• Ms. Fabulous (played by Kate) - Powers of being completely fabulous - Ms. Fabulous is…well…she’s completely fabulous! Her perfect body, perfect hair, charismatic personality and trusty hand-held mirror are all that she needs to bring the criminals to justice. The lawbreakers stop in awe at the sight of Ms. Fabulous… just in time for the other superheroes to take control of the scene.
  
• The Jester (played by special guest Laura) - Powers of humor - This comedian (comedienne) is a hoot to be around and was once voted everyone’s favorite super hero in the Justice Confederation. The Jester uses the power of humor to defeat villains. Criminals don’t know what’s hit them when the jokes start flying!

We had such a great time!  Nerdon was the star of the show.  Christine's costume was completely rockin', and she stayed in character the whole night.  That was no easy task.  After a few rounds of games and clues, we made our final predictions and found our killer.  We thought the ending was a little "Scooby Doo"ish (meaning, you didn't quite have all the clues you needed to find the answer), but we certainly had a good time trying to piece it all together.

I hope the night of mystery and mayhem helped us all to look forward to our December book:  The Meaning of Night.

Romeo and Juliet

The timeless Shakespeare love story. Some of us had to read Romeo and Juliet in high school, others read it for the first time this past month...but all of us were familiar with the story. How can you not be?

What makes Shakespeare so wonderful to read is this: he can play linguistic gymnastics with a familiar story. In Romeo and Juliet, the chorus tells you the end of the story right off the bat. "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life." But then you start reading, and laughing, and hoping... and becoming drawn into the comedy and drama of the story. It was very fun for our group to re-visit this story as adults... because we can read between the lines to get all the bad jokes! *grin*

Our conversation jumped all over the place (as usual), but we touched on all the major themes and topics of the play. Also, many of us associate "Romeo and Juliet" with the Baz Luhrman movie. It was interesting how we kept comparing what we read in the play to what we remember seeing in the movie. We love the Montagues and aren't really big fans of the Capulets. Tybalt is lame. Benvolio rocks. Romeo and Juliet have it bad. Paris really gets a raw deal in this story. And Friar Laurence wasn't doing anyone any favors with his meddling. Two of our favorite quotes: "You kiss by the book" and "By my heel I care not."

We concluded the night by finding a 9th grade final exam for Romeo and Juliet and testing our knowledge. I'm proud to report that we passed with flying colors! Whoo hoo!

Next month will be a bit of a treat. We are reading "The Meaning of Night" by Michael Cox, and will have a murder mystery theme to our next gathering. I've never done one of these before, so I think it will be lots of fun!

Till then... Happy Reading!!

While the Daffodils Danced

After a busy Labor Day weekend, it was nice to sit down and chat with my book club pals. We were a slightly smaller group this month, and we stayed remarkably on topic. Even with some later arrivals and opening chit-chat, we were able to get through our thoughts in time to see the Nadal/Monfils match of the US Open. Not bad, girls! Not bad.

Our basic synopsis of "While the Daffodils Danced" -- it feels like a Lifetime movie written down. You can see major plot points coming, and everything wraps up in nice little bows. (While some readers may find that annoying, I think others don't mind.)

I loved the minor characters in this book. We thought most of the major characters remained the same throughout the story, but the journeys of the mother and father were quite beautiful. Another minor character that we all loved was Nurse Sarah. She comforts Cara just after she gives birth to the baby girl she is giving up for adoption. She tells Cara, "What a wonderful thing, to give someone life." As a group, we discussed adoption, and how this was a beautiful way to frame that decision.

One thing we giggled about: finding the chapter title in the chapter. You could make it a little game with yourself as you read. Kind of like waiting to eat your popcorn at the movies until the reason for the title happens. Example: In FoTR, halfway through the movie at the council meeting in Rivendale, Elrond makes the proclamation, "So be it. Nine companions. The Fellowship of the Ring." --> You are now free to eat your popcorn!


Looking ahead: Our next meeting is on Tuesday, October 13th. We will discuss Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare.

November's meeting has been moved to Tuesday, November 17th. We will discuss The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox. I'm working on some fun things for this night. You won't want to miss it...or be late!

Cookout

On Sunday, I hosted a cookout for the Paige Turners, and company. We had a full menu: burgers, grilled caesar salad (sometimes with ranch), greek pasta salad, potato salad, fruit, veggies…and dessert! Key lime pie and brownies. (Thank you everyone for all the yummy goodness). No one left hungry. Well done!

We sat and chatted. We played Balderdash in special honor of Sarah. (We missed you!) And then we moved inside to talk about important things. Like lists. And M.A.S.H. (Not the show, the game. Poor Kate. She ended up with most of the yucky options. But at least she got her dream job!) We wrapped up the day with an almost-finished-game of Disney Trivial pursuit.

Of course, the cutest part of the day was Charlotte. When we were eating lunch, she and Gallaudett got to know each other. They were chasing each other around and around the desk. My dog is 15 years old. He doesn’t interact with anything. In fact, he usually runs away. But for some reason, he fell in love with Charlotte. It was so cute. Then Charlotte discovered the BIG teddy bear. Partially because Erinn attacked her with it (good job). But she loved playing with that thing. It made her ecstatically happy.

And I love when people are happy.

I hope everyone else enjoyed the day as much as I did.

Looking ahead: Our next meeting is on September 8th. We are discussing While the Daffodils Danced by Cathie LaMarsh. Happy Reading!

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Our book club meeting this month was a casualty of summer schedules and Harry Potter. Of our nine girls, four came to the meeting, and only two had the chance to read the book. But we still had a lovely time, even with a smaller group.

Katie and I were able to talk about our reactions to the book. We both enjoyed reading it, but also both were of the opinion that it would make a perfect “bathroom” or “leave it in the car” book. There really isn’t an overarching plot, nor does the book grip you in such a way that you can’t put it down. The book is a conglomeration of little stories and filler chapters, and each one wraps up nicely before moving on. If the rest of the series is like this first book, we can understand why it has been translated to the small screen as a TV show. But the heroine is likable, and can be quite hilarious at times with her matter-of-fact approach to life and case solving. So for those whose schedules got the better of them this past month, this one is worth reading. Keep it in your car or on your dresser for those *cough* slow *cough* moments in your day. They’re bound to happen….sometime. :-)

The overarching lesson this month was: IPhones are quite nifty, and camel spiders are big and creepy.

Looking ahead: I know July is historically our slowest month, but after our meeting a few weeks ago I’ve been brainstorming. I’m planning some different things for the fall. Keep your eyes on your mailboxes. Good things are in your future.

Upcoming meetings/events: We will have no book discussion for August. Enjoy a reading vacation! We will have a cookout on Sunday, August 23rd starting at 1:30. I’ll provide the burgers/buns/ and the porch. Bring your family and a side dish or dessert, and let’s just enjoy the afternoon. Our next book discussion will be on Tuesday, September 8th. Stay tuned for more details.

The Shack

I must admit that I was surprised by our discussion this month. Our book was “The Shack” by William Young. I put it on the list because I kept hearing about it: from various friends, from church programs, from Amazon, etc. In fact, the Amazon description is as follows:

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment, he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!

So I dutifully searched and found some discussion questions, and eagerly waited for our Paige Turner discussion.

And I was surprised.

"The Shack" is a polarizing book. Some readers really loved it, and others truly did not. More than not liking the writing style or the pacing or the (insert literary element here), they were genuinely bothered by the content -- The journey travelled and conclusions reached by the main character.

So our discussion that night went to some places I never would have guessed. But you know, that’s the great thing about our book club. I’m genuinely glad that we were able to talk about the different things we liked and didn’t like. I’m glad that our little group provides an atmosphere of openness and trust so that people can talk about negative responses and reactions. Kudos to us. (I hope everyone else felt the same sort of atmosphere I did.)

And in coming back to the book. There’s a lot to love. One of the things we all enjoyed: a recurring phrase used by the character portraying God. “I am especially fond of ____.” God says this about group of Californian Euro-funk musicians who have yet to be born, of Missy (the child murdered in the beginning of the book, of Mack (the main character), and of several other people along the way. In fact, God tells Mack to pass this message on to his best friend. When Mack gives the message, it’s incredibly apparent that these words touch a very deep place in his friend’s heart. And why wouldn’t they? As a group, we all agreed that this particular element is both true and encouraging. No matter who you are, or how you view yourself: God is especially fond of you.

I won’t list the things that gave us pause. Those worms can stay canned. Suffice it to say that “The Shack” reads like a parable. Therefore, there’s a lot of pictures, statements, and conversations can raise a lot of questions. So, dear reader, if you do pick up this book and you find that in reading it you have questions…please feel free to contact one of us and start a conversation. (You can find my email address on my profile page.)

For the Paige Turners – our next book is “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith. Big surprise, they’re making this one into a movie! (Who’s surprised? Anyone? *wink*)

We’ll meet to discuss it on July 14th. (A date much anticipated by Harry Potter Fans….the sixth movie releases that day at midnight. Whoo hoo! You coming?)

Much Ado About Nothing

Our group was a little smaller this month, but we were not lacking in discussion! Leave it to Shakespeare to whip our little group into a frenzy.

We opened our meeting with something a little different: a quiz! (I wish I could take credit for crafting it, but I just stumbled upon in during an internet search for good discussion starters.) But whoever *did* draft the quiz certainly had fun with making up the multiple choice answers. For example, one of the potential answers for “Why did Claudio refuse to marry Hero?” was “She smelled like a rotten orange.” Pretty funny stuff. Mandy squeaked out a victory and won the super cool prize of glow in the dark flip-flops. I found them at Michaels, and they’re pretty fun!

I don’t think it’s possible to read a Shakespeare play and *not* have something to talk about. And this particular play has lots of quippy lines and sensational characters. After laughing at chatting, we also watched the Kenneth Branaugh version of the movie. It stays very close to the text of play, although we were disappointed that only the first and last lines of this interaction were included in the movie:

Dogberry Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.
Don Pedro First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge.
Claudio Rightly reasoned, and in his own division: and, by my troth, there's one meaning well suited.
Don Pedro Who have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this learned constable is too cunning to be understood: what's your offence?

For me personally, watching the movie dramatically impacted my view of one of the main characters. But I’ll save my thoughts on that for a Leakey Faucet post.

For this post, I will simply say adieu.

Thanks for a great meeting everyone. Next month we will meet on June 9th to discuss The Shack by William Young.

Explanation Required

For the first time since November, we had all our Paige Turners in attendance. It was especially nice to have Sarah there, since it was her birthday…and she is not as giraffe-crazy as some of the other girls. But thanks to Erinn and Amanda, we had cupcakes and decorations. And thanks to everyone who came we had a night of smiles and laughs and chatter about our chosen giraffe books – Tall Blondes and Giraffes? Giraffes!

Tall Blondes was picked because it had several reviews like this one: “This book contains the most captivating journey through the history and lives of giraffes that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. As a giraffophile myself, I was amazed at the extent of new, fascinating information contained within each page. It has wonderful illustrations that complement and enhance the reading. "Tall Blondes" is a must-have for every giraffe lover; it's a graceful, distinctive work that is truly deserving of its unique subject matter.

As a group, we feel that the book falls very short of this review. It is very quote heavy. And the quotes aren’t necessarily all related to each other or arranged in a way that reads well. There are certainly some interesting facts about giraffes, but we wouldn’t call it “a captivating journey.” It isn’t until the last couple chapters when the author moves away from listing facts and quotes and actually creates something of a narrative. Those last chapters were ok, but it took a lot to get there.

Highlights from Tall Blondes:

• We learned a giraffe can kick in all directions. With this skill, they can decapitate a lion. Can you imagine that?


• We also learned that giraffes have amazing circulatory systems. Valves in their neck veins keep blood moving one direction so they can lower their head without all the blood rushing downhill and pooling there. Also, their leg veins have thicker walls, and their skin is stretched tight to keep blood moving back up toward their heart. Scientists are trying to use the design of giraffe’s legs to design space suits that will keep astronaut’s circulatory systems from weakening while they are in space. Pretty cool right?


• The story of Victor – a giraffe who tragically passed away after he fell and did the splits in a Great Britain zoo in 1977. I’ll have to borrow a copy of Tall Blondes (mine went back to the library) and share the tribute that was printed in the paper. It’s quite something. Many of the girls who read Tall Blondes said they teared up as they read Victor’s story.

Giraffes? Giraffes! was picked because it looked ridiculous and hilarious. It definitely lived up to our expectations. It’s kind of like “Napoleon Dynamite” – you have to be in the mood for that kind of movie, but if you are, it’s hilarious.

My personal favorite correlation between the two books: space travel. As mentioned above, science is trying to take some giraffe wisdom to improve the design of space suits. This makes complete sense, since according to Giraffes? Giraffes!, these majestic creatures migrated to Earth from Venus by way of a conveyor belt. Coincidence? Most certainly.

Overall, I think it’s totally appropriate that the books this month were both a conglomeration of nonsequitors. Why is that? Because it was Katie’s month to pick our books. And as her own blog suggests…with Katie, there’s usually some explanation required.

Looking forward: It’s the last month of our round robin season. We will be reading Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Picked by Christine.

See you in May!