December 2017 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Preparing to discuss our latest read, Candice Millard's, "Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill", I had a moment..... what, wait, what??? Boer War? What exactly is the Boer War.....  Boer, the Dutch and Afrikaans name for farmer, tags the revolution against the British Empire. Really so much more but let's get prepared with a little 3 minute video from youtube:

Stop!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-9sd5Q_ifQ


More curiosity ensued with descriptions of Lady Randolph Churchill, Winston's mother. Feeling every so dowdy and dumb, I had to see what this lovely creature. Jenny Jerome(named after Jenny Lind), was all about.  Two hundred lovers indeed:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1083772/Earls-counts-future-King--200-lovers-younger-son-As-new-documentary-reveals-wonder-high-society-wits-called-Winston-Churchills-wayward-mother-Lady-Randy.html

Look!

Listen! Churchill's speech impediment, not an impediment at all, given his passion to speak. Hear his linguistic gift:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYajy1quyr4


Looking forward to our desert escape with WC.

Which is your favorite? From Trudy:

"The Baker's Daughter" Sarah McCoy
"Beneath a Scarlet Sky" Mark Sullivan
"Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder" Caroline Fraser

See you soon and happy reading!
LK

November 2017 Recap

crashing the Veranda

Dear Bookclub,
Amazingly discovering unknown facts and concepts in Graham Moore's "The Last Days of Night", the theme developed, as we amazingly discovered the fact that the Veranda was not truly open at 3:30 pm for our tea & 'tea' bookclub. As boldly as an Agnes Huntington, Fanny or Marguerite Westinghouse, we settled ourselves into a Veranda corner after storming the bar to spin the napping servers' heads with requests of chamomile tea and a bottle of wine. So began the discussion.

Model S

Adoring the book, we shared our remarkable revelations and enjoyment.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/10/tesla-quotes_n_7771358.html

 Aside, favorite quote from Tesla:

"The female mind has demonstrated a capacity for all the mental acquirements and achievements of men, and as generations ensue that capacity will be expanded; the average woman will be as well educated as the average man, and then better educated, for the dormant faculties of her brain will be stimulated to an activity that will be all the more intense and powerful because of centuries of repose. Woman will ignore precedent and startle civilization with their progress."

Back to our meeting: Layers of history and character development, shaken with a novelist's constructs, produced a forgiving collection, described at the end of the book, of 'what was real'. Initially put-off by the idea that any of Moore's telling was a fabrication, the reasoning and weight of fact to fiction became understood and accepted. Validation of what was needed to create an historical narrative was embraced by all. We are brighter for it.

Val's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Young Jane Young" Gabrielle Zevin
"Little Fires Everywhere" Celeste Ng* chosen
"Rule of Capture" Ona Russell
"Ramblings with My Family, starting in China" Wendy Maitland



Up next:
adventures in Palm Springs Paradise via Candice Millard's "Hero of the Empire".

Happy reading,
LK

November 2017 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Thinking that George Westinghouse's salad dressing recipe had to be something amazing, I searched and searched and searched, spending waaaaaaaayyy too much time, and found nothing. Except a gentleman's request to author Graham Moore on Facebook for the recipe - no response. My tenacity has worn thin - hardly the stuff of the War of the Currents. Enjoying "The Last Days of Night", this recipe hunt will not be my big 'take-away'. But I am curious.

Moore's descriptions have also piqued my interest about Marguerite which led to discovering their home, "Solitude":

..... which led to an architect's blog, 'At Home and Afield', that has the most interesting article with wonderful pictures, fun and 'enlightening': 'On Buildings and "The Last Days of Night"'


https://michaelgimberblog.com/2016/11/11/on-buildings-and-the-last-days-of-night/


Val's discovery of Moore's website, 'illuminates' the  cast of characters along with a timeline:

https://mrgrahammoore.com/books/the-last-days-of-night/cast-of-characters/

Finally, suggestions from Val for an upcoming read:

"Young Jane Young" Gabrielle Zevin
"Little Fires Everywhere" Celeste Ng
"Rule of Capture" Ona Russell
"Ramblings with My Family, starting in China" Wendy Maitland



 Looking forward to an electrifying 'tea' at The Veranda!

Bright reading,
LK

October 2017 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
Our philosophical-love-story read, "American Philosophy" steeped in Piacere Mio, 'my pleasure', was just that. I adored the references to the American Transcendentalists(Concord!) while we all took pleasure in Kaag's story, savoring Del Sur-authentic-Italian. Val, we missed you.

My recent trip to Concord included a walk around Walden Pond with my mom. It is a peaceful place, especially the day we were there (it can get touristy). Check out the man, pond-side. From afar we imagined he was a plein air painter. Upon further inspection, clearly his 'paints' were a computer inside a box on his lap. A laptop. Maybe he lives under a tree up the hill.

laptop man on left shore

Finally Terrie's suggestions:
Elizabeth Strout "Anything is Possible"
Eowyn Ivey "The Bright Edge of the World" * chosen
Emily Ruskovich "Idaho"


Up next: Graham Moore's "The Last Days of Light"

Happy reading,
LK

October 2017 Bookclub News

 'Tis the good reader that makes the good book; in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakenly meant for his ear; the profit of books is according to the sensibility of the reader; the profoundest thought or passion sleeps as in a mine, until it is discovered by an equal mind and heart."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

West Wind, Hocking Library, Chocorua, NH

Dear Bookclub,
John Kaag's challenge, "is life worth living", takes the author/philosopher on a strange path, with fate-driven opportunities propelling him on an upward journey into freedom and choice. In researching just who is this John Kaag, I discovered some of his other published works.... surprisingly "Drone Warfare(War and Conflict in the Modern World)" and "Idealism, Pragmatism, and Feminism the philosophy of Ella Lyman Cabot". Not kidding. Just to be clear, I adore this book. Googling further had me reading an Australian article about Carol Hay, John's wife, and John taking the same job and the quickly divergent paths their careers have taken due to her being a woman. Fascinating:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/what-happens-when-a-husband-and-wife-take-the-exact-same-job/news-story/a7ed57b6f3d7f053a508cb6a992b3765

Look forward to discussing the book this Wednesday!

Happy reading,
LK

September 2017 Recap

"What you don't know would make a great book."

Sydney Smith

Dear Bookclub,
A reprieve from the heat while being enveloped in a perfect setting at the Maderas Grill, set the stage for a most enjoyable bookclub. Val, we missed you! It truly was so pleasant.

"History of Wolves" delivered good discussion as anticipated. The descriptions and character developments were much appreciated; some parts - the creepy teacher specifically, had questionable relevance.

Mary Baker Eddy

Wondering about Church of Christian Science, I found much information on both the official website and our beloved Wikipedia:

http://www.christianscience.com/what-is-christian-science

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Christ,_Scientist

Après lunch meeting of the minds

"Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate was chosen for our February selection.

Up next: John Kaag's "American Philosophy".

Thoughtful reading,
LK

September 2017 Bookclub News

 "To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting."  Edmund Burke

 

"Origami Wolf" by Todd Gilloon

 

Dear Bookclub,

Wanting to read a bit of "History of Wolves" before writing our blog, I ended up reading the whole thing, trying to find a hook for this entry. Not easily categorized but being a tantalizing mash-up, Fridlund's novel pokes your heart and mind with images, characters and events that will be marvelous to discuss. I don't want to say much for fear of any revealing; the book itself is one big slow reveal. Once you start to read, you will be 'hooked'.

"Mystery Wolves" by Walt Barker

Trudy's suggestions for an upcoming selection:

"What She Ate" by Laura Shapiro

"Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate

"Endurance" by Alfred Lansing

Please research and be ready to vote next week.

Finally, I came across a lovely article about Elizabeth Strout - well lovely sounds like lace and tea and really this is more black linen and saltines. A great piece.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/01/elizabeth-strouts-long-homecoming

Happy reading,
LK

August 2017 Recap

Dear Bookclub,
Very pleased with ourselves, we relished Via Capri's coddling environment, with the privacy, good service, delicious pizzas and salads, and perfect acoustics. Discussion of "Florence Gordon" flowed, adding to the enjoyment of adoring the miserable main character. I am trying to analyze why it is we were so endeared to Florence Gordon as we were to Olive Kitteridge, rationally- irrational- happy to be not happy. I don't know! Hats off, Brian Morton.

Terry's selections for an upcoming read:

"The Rent Collector" Camron Wright *chosen
"All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation" Rebecca Traister
"we are all completely beside ourselves" Karen Joy Fowler

Up next: Emily Fridlund's "History of Wolves".

Happy reading,
LK

August 2017 Bookclub News

Florence Gordon by Jon Williams

Dear Bookclub,

July has slipped away and summer reads must be of upmost priority as August zooms in. Brian Morton's "Florence Gordon" is a good summer read. Chapters fly - they are about two paragraphs long- and who could be more fun to read about than an 'unlikeable' older woman? When Val suggested this book, I recognized that I had it stashed away in my 'to-read' bookshelf, ok, 'to-read' room, and I do remember why:

http://www.npr.org/2014/10/06/352763474/florence-gordon-isnt-friend-material-but-youll-appreciate-her

Maureen Corrigan's book reviews are so persuasive that I often have one of her featured books in my amazon cart before she finishes her piece.


Terry's suggestions for our January 2018 read:

"All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation" Rebecca Traister
"The Rent Collector" Camron Wright
"We are Completely Beside Ourselves" Karen Joy Fowler

Oh Terry, Terry, Terry.. this is so hard! A great list. Please do some research and come prepared this Wednesday to cast your vote.

Happy reading,
LK

July 2017 recap

Superwomen

Dear Bookclub,
The din at Cork & Craft, not originating from our table, was owned by the super power girls at the adjacent table. We were upstaged and even followed in their footsteps for a  photo-op on the stage they had also occupied. But any perceived envy stops now- would not trade our beloved group, graced by Ginger's presence, for any magical persona-babes. How nice to be together!

"Hillbilly Elegy", well-received by our group, endeared us to J.D.'s journey, especially Mamaw, a character deservedly immortalized.

Wanda's suggestions for an upcoming selection:
"Lab Girl" Hope Jahren
"The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu" Joshua Hammer
"Hero of the Empire" Candice Millard *chosen

 And here before you know it, our August read. "Florence Gordon" by Brian Morton.

Happy reading,
LK

July 2017 Bookclub News

The Hatfield Clan 1897

Dear Bookclub,

J.D. Vance has put the hillbilly culture onto our radars, compelling because of the timeliness in describing a culture that contributed to an understanding of November 8, 2016. In "Hillbilly Elegy", Vance cites:

'In a December 2000 paper, sociologists Carol A. Markstrom, Sheila K. Marshall, and Robin J. Tyron found that avoidance and wishful-thinking forms of coping "significantly predicted resiliency" among Appalachian teens. Their paper suggests that hillbillies learn from an early age to deal with uncomfortable truths by avoiding them, or by pretending better truths exist. This tendency might make for physchological resilience, but it also makes it hard for Appalachians to look at themselves honestly.'

There's a little leap here to our society's swing towards wishful-thinking. But that's another story. Vance's story became wildly popular with our last election's outcome given the spotlight he directed to the working-class whites. No easy answers but a personal breakout that is eye-opening for the revelation of addiction and stagnation, among other related obstacles.

J.D. and Mamaw

Vance's official website includes a photo section of family and one caption that characterizes a noted trait in this culture:  "(Mamaw would murder me if she knew I put this photo on the internet.)" - not to be taken lightly. And he wasn't referring to this picture.

 http://www.jdvance.com/family.html  


Thoughtful reading,
LK

June 2017 Recap

Robuchon dot creations

dot..dot..dot..

dot..dot...

dot...dot...dot..

!!!

Dear Bookclub,
Our culinary love, tantalized by Eric Ripart's "32 Yolks", was indulged at The French Market Grill with round table discussion centered on Ripart's development as a chef. No recipe shared in his memoir but a rendering of a colorful childhood tortured with a stint or two under the tutelage of an extreme chef and voilà: Master Èric Ripart! We felt another book must be in the works since so much is yet to be told. 

Hollandaise à la 32 yolks

 

Personally, the gastronomical mindset set off a smattering of bold ordering: calf's liver, wine, lemon tart, a latte and cappuccinos. We were all sure to clean our plates lest someone in the kitchen would suffer punishment. Le Bernardin is calling.

 Menu:
https://www.le-bernardin.com/menus/dining-room/dinner

Val's impressive suggestions for an upcoming read ignited the challenging choosing-debate-&-dance to decide on a worthy book for  stimulating discussion. Vows are always made to read them all anyway - haha:

"The Leavers" Lisa Ko
"Last Days of Night" Graham Moore *chosen
"Shelter" Jung Yun
"To the Bright Edge of the World" Eowyn Ivey

Up next: "Hillbilly Elegy"

Happy reading!
LK

May 2017 Recap

Bad Science

Dear Boocklub,
Discussion of Mukherjee's "The Gene" led to the topic of bad science/bad scientists. I could not grasp bad science, only bad scientists, as science feels firm as basic chemistry, mathematics, physics, etc.  Bad scientists are self-explanatory. Mulling over bad science, I began to imagine what TG was trying to represent. Doing (bad) research online, I did come across an entertaining TED talk by Ben Goldacre on "Battling Bad Science":

https://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_battling_bad_science


Selected for an upcoming selection:
"American Philosophy" John Kaag

 

Also considered: 

"Lincoln in the Bardo" George Saunders

"Exit West"  Mohsin Hamid

The Gallery:

 

 

  


 Up next: Eric Ripert's "32 Yolks"

Happy reading,
LK

May 2017 Booklub News

Triple Point

Dear Bookclub,
Have not watched or listened to news, NPR shows, read newspapers, barely walked the dog, sleeping more..... I'm binging on "The Gene" and loving it. Surfing on some new level of understanding of most interesting science and thought, an fMRI of my brain would show fireworks as I trip on Siddhartha Mukherjee's "intimate history" of the gene. Unfortunately, I have a mind like a Looney Tunes animal whose head has been riddled with bullet holes and the information keeps leaking out. I have read and reread, listened and re-listened to sections and chapters over and over again, trying to lock in the concepts. The stories of the scientists are fine enough but the biology, chemistry and engineering are super-cool. Who is Siddhartha Mukherjee besides the Pulitzer prize-winning author of  "The Emperor of All Maladies"? Merely a gene carrier(!) who, along with Sarah Sze (artist- see above) produced these two genetically blessed daughters:

Check out mom from this 2012 New Yorker article:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/05/14/a-million-little-pieces

Looking forward to getting together to discuss....
Mindful reading,
LK

April 2017 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Gathering at  Capri Blu to reminisce about "Foreign Affairs", our thoughts turned to Professor Alison Lurie. Cornell professor published on the topic of children's literature and travels frequently to Britain vs. Corinth professor published on the topic of children's literature and travels frequently to Britain,  the novel suggests a biographical shadow. Much of Lurie's work indulges in the paths of her personal history:

http://www.alisonlurie.com/html/bio.html

Delving into descriptions of her other works tempts this reader as "Foreign Affairs" was unanimously a much enjoyed read.

Terrie's ideas for an upcoming selection:

"History of Wolves"  Emily Fridlund*
"Moonglow" Michael Chabon
"Everyone Brave is Forgiven" Chris Cleve

*chosen


The round-table:

Up next, "The Gene" ......bravely lifted by Val.

Focused and happy reading,
LK