Sunday, June 26, 2016

July 2016 Bookclub News





Dear Bookclub,
On the move; I am in Boston, Wanda in Pennsylvania, TG in Utah, TF, Val, and Trudy: where are you? Hope wherever this finds you, you are able to enjoy a good read.... Either "On the Move" or if you have moved on from the Oliver  Sacks' autobiography, some other compelling and entertaining read.

Please enjoy this last interview of Dr. Sacks from Radiolab:
https://www.wnyc.org/radio/#/ondemand/453321


We'll be meeting, per Wanda's choice, at Cork & Craft this Wednesday, 12:30- see you then...


Happy Reading,
LK

On the Move

Related Poem Content Details

The blue jay scuffling in the bushes follows
Some hidden purpose, and the gust of birds
That spurts across the field, the wheeling swallows,
Has nested in the trees and undergrowth.
Seeking their instinct, or their poise, or both,
One moves with an uncertain violence
Under the dust thrown by a baffled sense
Or the dull thunder of approximate words.

On motorcycles, up the road, they come:
Small, black, as flies hanging in heat, the Boys,
Until the distance throws them forth, their hum
Bulges to thunder held by calf and thigh.
In goggles, donned impersonality,
In gleaming jackets trophied with the dust,
They strap in doubt – by hiding it, robust –
And almost hear a meaning in their noise.

Exact conclusion of their hardiness
Has no shape yet, but from known whereabouts
They ride, direction where the tyres press.
They scare a flight of birds across the field:
Much that is natural, to the will must yield.
Men manufacture both machine and soul,
And use what they imperfectly control
To dare a future from the taken routes.

It is a part solution, after all.
One is not necessarily discord
On earth; or damned because, half animal,
One lacks direct instinct, because one wakes
Afloat on movement that divides and breaks.
One joins the movement in a valueless world,
Choosing it, till, both hurler and the hurled,
One moves as well, always toward, toward.

A minute holds them, who have come to go:
The self-defined, astride the created will
They burst away; the towns they travel through
Are home for neither bird nor holiness,
For birds and saints complete their purposes.
At worst, one is in motion; and at best,
Reaching no absolute, in which to rest,
One is always nearer by not keeping still.


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

June 2016 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
Our June rendezvous at the Bernardo Winery's Cafe Merlot, had us occupying a tucked away table on a sunny afternoon and holding court on Anthony Marra's "Constellation" among other topics. Tiptoeing around key aspects of the richly told tale, Terry and I tried not reveal any uncovered developments to Trudy and Val, who had not yet finished. Our Chechnya-knowledge increased thousands of percent and the awe over Marra's talent was undeniable.



Hopefully, when all are done with the read, discussion to be continued.....

Trudy presented three choices, (actually four, I groaned away"A Man Called Ove" - sorry!!!) for October's read:

"When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi

"Heat and Light" by Jennifer Haigh *chosen

"The Gene:An Intimate History" by Siddhartha Mukherjee


Discussion turned towards great books, podcasts, interviews, etc:

"The Sympathizer"- interview with the author Viet Thanh Nguyen:
http://www.npr.org/2015/04/11/398728517/a-dark-funny-and-vietnamese-look-at-the-vietnam-war

Encouragement to listen to "Born with Teeth:A Memoir" by Kate Mulgrew.

"The Hedge" - help! My list just says "The Hedge" and googling is not ringing any memory bells for me. Does anyone remember what this was please?

"Zoo" TV Series on Netflix

"The Life We Bury" by Allen Eskins

Please note that our July meeting will be June 29. Wanda to announce location.

Visiting with Ginger last Wednesday was wonderful! Wish we had taken a picture... we must when she returns in a few short weeks. In the meanwhile, here is Wednesday, who we visited last Wednesday. So many of our Wednesdays are so special!


And my little cousin of Wednesday, nestled into the dining room hutch:




Happy Reading,
LK