Book for May--E's pick

We had a great book club tonight, thanks for hosting Eleanor!!  

Our next book...Survivor: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk

April Meeting

. . . will be on April 9th at 6:30, hosted by the lovely Eleanor (insert evil laugh) :)

We will be discussing Tasha's latest pick, Driving with Dead People: A Memoir by Monica Holloway.

March Meeting

The March meeting will be held on Thursday, March 12th at 6:30 pm at Tasha's house. See her email for the address.

We will be discussing The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things and How to Do Them by Peter Sagal. I can't wait for the discussion!!

The next book has already been chosen (and some of us have already read it :)). It is Driving With Dead People: A Memoir by Monica Halloway. Tasha and I found copies on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble. According to the website, Northgate, Downtown, U Village, and Bellevue all have bargain copies in stock. You can reserve one online and then pick it up if you like. I can't remember what the price was, but it was under $10 I believe. I have also finished mine, so someone can borrow it (the first to ask) as long as they promise to give it back.

Naughty Things

Our next pick...The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them) by Peter Sagal. Hee hee :)

CURRENT: The Poisonwood Bible

Another great meeting!  Dana selected the next book and chose The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.  It should be widely available as it has been out for awhile and was former Oprah book club selection.  The next meeting with be hosted by Leslie and will be held on Thursday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m.

 

From Publishers Weekly
In this risky but resoundingly successful novel, Kingsolver leaves the Southwest, the setting of most of her work (The Bean Trees; Animal Dreams) and follows an evangelical Baptist minister's family to the Congo in the late 1950s, entwining their fate with that of the country during three turbulent decades. Nathan Price's determination to convert the natives of the Congo to Christianity is, we gradually discover, both foolhardy and dangerous, unsanctioned by the church administration and doomed from the start by Nathan's self-righteousness. Fanatic and sanctimonious, Nathan is a domestic monster, too, a physically and emotionally abusive, misogynistic husband and father. He refuses to understand how his obsession with river baptism affronts the traditions of the villagers of Kalinga, and his stubborn concept of religious rectitude brings misery and destruction to all. Cleverly, Kingsolver never brings us inside Nathan's head but instead unfolds the tragic story of the Price family through the alternating points of view of Orleanna Price and her four daughters. Cast with her young children into primitive conditions but trained to be obedient to her husband, Orleanna is powerless to mitigate their situation. Meanwhile, each of the four Price daughters reveals herself through first-person narration, and their rich and clearly differentiated self-portraits are small triumphs. Rachel, the eldest, is a self-absorbed teenager who will never outgrow her selfish view of the world or her tendency to commit hilarious malapropisms. Twins Leah and Adah are gifted intellectually but are physically and emotionally separated by Adah's birth injury, which has rendered her hemiplagic. Leah adores her father; Adah, who does not speak, is a shrewd observer of his monumental ego. The musings of five- year-old Ruth May reflect a child's humorous misunderstanding of the exotic world to which she has been transported. By revealing the story through the female victims of Reverend Price's hubris, Kingsolver also charts their maturation as they confront or evade moral and existential issues and, at great cost, accrue wisdom in the crucible of an alien land. It is through their eyes that we come to experience the life of the villagers in an isolated community and the particular ways in which American and African cultures collide. As the girls become acquainted with the villagers, especially the young teacher Anatole, they begin to understand the political situation in the Congo: the brutality of Belgian rule, the nascent nationalism briefly fulfilled in the election of the short-lived Patrice Lumumba government, and the secret involvement of the Eisenhower administration in Lumumba's assassination and the installation of the villainous dictator Mobutu. In the end, Kingsolver delivers a compelling family saga, a sobering picture of the horrors of fanatic fundamentalism and an insightful view of an exploited country crushed by the heel of colonialism and then ruthlessly manipulated by a bastion of democracy. The book is also a marvelous mix of trenchant character portrayal, unflagging narrative thrust and authoritative background detail. The disastrous outcome of the forceful imposition of Christian theology on indigenous natural faith gives the novel its pervasive irony; but humor is pervasive, too, artfully integrated into the children's misapprehensions of their world; and suspense rises inexorably as the Price family's peril and that of the newly independent country of Zaire intersect. Kingsolver moves into new moral terrain in this powerful, convincing and emotionally resonant novel. Agent, Frances Goldin; BOMC selection; major ad/promo; author tour.

Holidays on Ice

What a great time last night! The food was wonderful (Jackie will give me the recipes to post) and the discussion was very lively. I have been doing some research on our big topic and will let you know what I find out :)

As our hostess with the mostess, Jackie selected our next book and chose Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris. She recommended getting the 2008 edition because it contains a couple of stories that are not in the paperback version. Amazon.com has the book for $11.55. Barnes & Noble has it for $11.89 online ($10.70 if you are a member) and appears to have it in stock at several local locations (though it might not be discounted in store).

Here's what amazon has to say about it:

Product Description

David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favorites the diaries of a Macy's elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris's tales of tardy trick-or-treaters ("Us and Them"); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French ("Jesus Shaves"); what to do when you've been locked out in a snowstorm ("Let It Snow"); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations ("Six to Eight Black Men"); what Halloween at the medical examiner's looks like ("The Monster Mash"); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry ("Cow and Turkey").No matter what your favorite holiday, you won't want to miss celebrating it with the author who has been called "one of the funniest writers alive" (Economist).




Dana will be hosting our next meeting on Wednesday January 7, 2009 and after all of the grief that she was giving Jackie about the book exchange, I expect something fun and exciting from her :)

If anyone has any book reviews or books that they want to read, etc., send that info to me and I will post it here (or you can post it yourself--4 of you accepted the invitation to become blog authors so you have access already). Just let me know. I don't mind posting if that helps. I don't mind the self-appointed title of Administrative Goddess!

Is anyone having trouble getting the books and being able to read them within the month? I know that ordering online can save money, but it might shorten your time. If we find that is an issue, we can have the selections announced a couple of weeks early. Thoughts?

Also, newbies, feel free to jump in to host--we want to see what books you will pick!

Chloe, feel free to post info about your trip and photos from it if you would like as well. And anyone else that has stories, ideas, etc. Eleanor, you can even post in your secret code! :)

Okay, enough rambling for now!

Three Cups of Tea

I next selection, chosen by moi is Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Amazon has it for $9 (click here).

Here's a synopsis taken from Barnes & Noble's website:

Synopsis
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban's backyard
Anyone who despairs of the individual's power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan's treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools-especially for girls-that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson's quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.


Next meeting will be at Jackie's place on Wednesday December 3rd at 6:30 pm (Note different day than usual).

We will be doing a book exchange for the holidays, so bring a book to share!

World War Z

Eleanor picked World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

From B&N:

Synopsis
“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie WarThe Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War. Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brookssays in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?”

Shoe Addicts Anonymous

Leslie picked Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison

From B&N

Synopsis
For fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin—a hilarious, heartwarming novel about four women, one addiction, and the unlikely friendships they forge over a common love of shoes

Empire Falls

Tasha picked Empire Falls Richard Russo.

From B&N:

Synopsis
With Empire Falls Richard Russo cements his reputation as one of America’s most compelling and compassionate storytellers. Miles Roby has been slinging burgers at the Empire Grill for 20 years, a job that cost him his college education and much of his self-respect. What keeps him there? It could be his bright, sensitive daughter Tick, who needs all his help surviving the local high school. Or maybe it’s Janine, Miles’ soon-to-be ex-wife, who’s taken up with a noxiously vain health-club proprietor. Or perhaps it’s the imperious Francine Whiting, who owns everything in town–and seems to believe that “everything” includes Miles himself. In Empire Falls Richard Russo delves deep into the blue-collar heart of America in a work that overflows with hilarity, heartache, and grace.

Inheritance of Loss

Chloe chose The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai.



From B&N:



Synopsis
Published to extraordinary acclaim, The Inheritance of Loss heralds Kiran Desai as one of our most insightful novelists. She illuminates the pain of exile and the ambiguities of postcolonialism with a tapestry of colorful characters: an embittered old judge; Sai, his sixteen-year-old orphaned granddaughter; a chatty cook; and the cook’s son, Biju, who is hopscotching from one miserable New York restaurant to another, trying to stay a step ahead of the INS. When a Nepalese insurgency in the mountains threatens Sai’s new-sprung romance with her handsome tutor, their lives descend into chaos. The cook witnesses India’s hierarchy being overturned and discarded. The judge revisits his past and his role in Sai and Biju’s intertwining lives. A story of depth and emotion, hilarity and imagination, The Inheritance of Loss tells a story of love, family, and loss.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Dana picked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon.

From Barnes & Noble:

Synopsis
Christopher Boone is a fifteen and has Asperger's, a form of autism. He knows a great deal about math and very little about human beings. When he finds his neighbors's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his world upside down.

When I was Puerto Rican by Esmerelda Santiago

Jackie picked When I was Puerto Rican by Esmerelda Santiago.

From Barnes & Noble:

Synopsis
Esmeralda Santiago's story begins in rural Puerto Rico, where her childhood was full of both tenderness and domestic strife, tropical sounds and sights as well as poverty. Growing up, she learned the proper way to eat a guava, the sound of tree frogs in the mango groves at night, the taste of the delectable sausage called morcilla, and the formula for ushering a dead baby's soul to heaven. As she enters school we see the clash, both hilarious and fierce, of Puerto Rican and Yankee culture. When her mother, Mami, a force of nature, takes off to New York with her seven, soon to be eleven children, Esmeralda, the oldest, must learn new rules, a new language, and eventually take on a new identity. In this first volume of her much-praised, bestselling trilogy, Santiago brilliantly recreates the idyllic landscape and tumultuous family life of her earliest years and her tremendous journey from the barrio to Brooklyn, from translating for her mother at the welfare office to high honors at Harvard.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

The first book that the club read by Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult.

Synopsis (taken from Barnes & Noble):

The acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author presents a spellbinding tale of a mother's tragic loss and one man's last chance at gaining salvation. Can we save ourselves, or do we rely on others to do it? Is what we believe always the truth? One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart. Now her life is a waiting game. Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice. In short, waiting for a miracle to happen. For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises. The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world. In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him. Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June's eleven-year-old daughter, Claire. But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child. Would you give up your vengeance against someone you hate if it meant saving someone you love? Would you want your dreams to come true if it meant granting your enemy's dying wish? Once again, Jodi Picoult mesmerizes and enthralls readers with this story of redemption, justice, and love.