Two titles

The Omnivore's Dilema

The Art of Fielding

Wench

Wench
Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Discussion Questions

We had mixed reviews on this one. Personally I loved this book. It was a quick read (which is often tough for me with adult books) and it was historical fiction (my favorite genre). Set pre-civil war, Wench tells the story of the slave mistresses of white masters. The women are brought into free territory to "vacation" with their masters.

Many of us loved hearing a story from a point of view we had not heard before. This thought provoking book brought about good discussion. Many members said it was very "Oprah Book Club" (which it is!) and a bit depressing without enough action.

Check it out for yourself--and rate below.

The 19th Wife

David Ebershoff

Just Kids

Just Kids
Patti Smith

Fifty Shades of Grey

Trashy Romance month is back with a vengeance. And this month was really trashy.

I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I have already read two of the three books--I'm hoping someone in book club has number three, as I just can't spend any more cash on these books, yet I feel compelled to see this story through. Akk-- what is wrong with me?!

Don't read this one on a work owned device--very spicy.

Middlesex

An interesting conversation about hermaphrodites. I didn't complete the book-- but a detailed retelling from the group gave me enough info... Everyone agreed it was interesting, but way too long.

Sweetness and the Bottom of the Pie

Nancy Drew for adults.

Will Grayson Will Grayson

Bossypants

Bossypants by Tina Fey

3 2.5 3.5 5 4 3.5

It was a fast read. Pleasant, but not gripping. You really have to like Tina Fey. "I really like Tina Fey."

"I am going to give it a five since I love Tina Fey"--Elizabeth

Last time we read "Unbroken"

Who Wants to go to the Movies?

Wow!  So excited!

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff Christ's Childhood Pal

 The story of Christ before age thirty has never been told, until  Biff--Christ's childhood pal is resurrected in the present day to write his gospel.

This untold gospel shows a side of Christ that has never been told.  Moore uses humor to tell the life story of one of life's most famous men, and his best friend. The novel was enjoyed by our group.  "I liked it a lot.  It had a lot of thinking, yet it was light.  Moore presented it in a very common sense way--like the walking on water.  (Why wouldn't Christ walk on water when the crowds were so big?)  It was a heavy topic, but it was a light book," said Carla.

We had a great discussion about religion and the actual Bible.  I really liked this book, and felt like I could understand Jesus in a way I never had before.  I liked seeing him as a "real" person.  His relationship with Biff and the experiences they had learning to be the Messiah made Christianity a religion that finally made sense to me.  "It was nice to see that there were other religions. [as Christ was on his journey]  That religions were based on each other," said Sara.  "I never thought about Jesus studying religion.  I just pictured him preaching.  It was nice to think of him learning about the Old Testament," Carla said.

The novel was intelligent and humorous.  It showed the good and the bad of religion.  It showed that the world can be cruel and that sometimes religion is as well.  The heart of Lamb though shows Biff's undying love for the Messiah.  I gave it 4 stars.

Movie Night

We all went to see "The Help" tonight at a screening of the film.  KAS had to be snuck in since she arrived late (felt just like high school again), and Sara accidently went to Rosedale although we were at Southdale.  Some classic bookclub moves.  We all loved the film (maybe even more than the book--is that ok for a bookclub to admit?!)  It was 2.5 hours long, and it didn't seem like it.  We were all a bit sad that some of our favorite scenes were left out.

Bonk, by Mary Roach was a fun "science" read.  We all learned a bit more about the study of sex, and had a discussion as humorous as the book itself.  Roach, looks at the research and science of sex with an honest straightforward approach. From canoodling pigs (and farmers) to rats in underpants--to humans and sex--nothing was off the table.

While some of the group (me) did not complete the book (It just wasn't fitting into my elementary school reading list for the summer!) after discussing, even I could agree that the book was funny and educational at the least.

We didn't take a rating, as a group--but overall, most everyone agreed it was interesting--while some thought it was downright funny! 

Carla made us some delicious treats to go with the book.

A Bunch of Titles I missed...

The Hours

Little Bee

The Hunger Games

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Handmaids Tale

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Jane Adams: Champion of Democracy
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Sarah's Key

One Day

Unbroken

What can I say--I slacked off.  Lost the ratings.  I suck.

The Help

3.66 Stars

"This is the best pie I ever had."  
"We are just two people.  Not that much separates us.  Not nearly as much as I thought."

"The Help" are good enough to raise the white woman's children that they work for, yet can't sit down at the dinner table with the family they work for.  And, God forbid they think about using the restroom in the home that they clean and cook for.  The Help takes place in the 1960s and is written from the viewpoints of several maids in the south and a woman (Skeeter).  A story of love, justice, injustice, and the lives of a variety of women in the south as the Civil Rights Movement is in its boom.


Everyone in the Group loved this book--although Elizabeth really would have preferred to not lug the hard copy around the country.  A small price to pay for a great read.

Paradise--Judith McNaught

2.2 Stars


A good summer book....although totally predictable.  "I wouldn't tell anyone I read it but....it kept my attention," said one member.  We all thought this was a fun summer romance that packed in the plot.  We found some things to discuss around the time era of the late 1980s and the compelling characters.  Not sure if we are getting old, "But... of course the romance was great--they only knew each other for 6 days--it had to still be fun."  Although not high in ratings, for what we were reading, it was a fun light book.

The Master Butchers Singing Club--Louise Erdich

Monday, June 28 2010

____ Stars

Fidelis, a master butcher from Germany moves to North Dakota after fighting in World War One.  His life becomes inexplicably entwined with Delphine's--a woman born and raised by a drunk on the plains. 

The Master Butcher's Singing Club had mixed reviews from our group--although everyone agreed it would have been better if it was half the length.  The character development that took up the first third of the book made it a slow read for everyone to get into.   The themes of family, love, and war and all of the events in the book made for good discussion, although there was much confusion about why different events were included in the novel.  We look forward to seeing what the play adaptation has to offer.

At the Guthrie

review and discussion questions

The Book Thief--Markus Zusak

3.71 STARS

Narrated by Death, this touching story of humans and all they are capable of was loved by most members.  Through conversation, even our most hesitant readers were able to see the beauty of Zusak's story and usage of words.

Liesel Meminger is a stealer of books.  Set in Nazi Germany, Liesel sees the value of words as she and her foster family hide a Jew in their basement.  This award winning book is not an easy or fast read, but one we all enjoyed talking about.

Markus Zusak--Book Thief

FLIGHT--Sherman Alexie

2.7 Stars
 

Our first real meeting was off with a start! It was great to see everyone--and have an intelligent conversation about our book choice. Nothing can compete with an intelligent group of women talking about books and life.


Sherman Alexie's Flight brought out some thoughtful conversations on current issues of youth, foster care, Native American History, and violence.


Although the book was not loved by all, everyone agreed that they thought it was interesting, and thought provoking.