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.