February 2024 Bookclub News

as you like it*

Dear Bookclub,

Meeting at Piacere Mio*  to discuss William Kent Krueger's "The River We Remember", seven of us stretched out at a long table establishing our presence. The challenge of having one conversation across this configuration became apparent and we just tried harder, talked louder and did our best. We were not unnoticed (hard to ignore) as a neighboring table stopped to chat on their way out. The threesome correctly identified us as being a bookclub - they were part of one too. Finding they were also familiar with William Kent Krueger, (one of them being from Minnesota), fueled our widening presence in volume, both auditory and physical. Yet the restaurant remained endeared and presented a most delicious panna cotta.

Meanwhile, back at the river, most of us enjoyed the mystery while a couple of us were not as enthralled. Richly drawn characters magnetized while the mounting number of characters confused. The descriptions of the Alabaster River and its power with analogies lent Krueger some poetic prowess. I hope he is done with this genre and gets back to writing with emotional intelligence, free of forced drama.

  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabaster

Alabaster River is fictional in this novel, but the qualities of the mineral,  a snow-white translucency in particular, grounded the reader to the magic of the river. As depicted in this Italian workshop above, the softness of the stone allows for a variety of definitions. Please peruse the Wikipedia page in preparation for our visit to Gem Institute.

My suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Wager" David Grann *chosen

"Womb" Leah Hazard

"Grant and Twain" Mark Perry

 

 

Up next:

 

 

Happy reading,

LK

January 2024 Bookclub News

 

 

Sibylle of Cleves, wife of John Frederick I, 1526 by Lucas Cranach the Elder

 

Dear Bookclub,

Fascinated by Stéphane Breitwieser's dastardly deeds, I googled-galore weeks ago before our discussion of Michael Finkel's "The Art Thief". Sixteen rabbit holes are still open on my computer, one in Japanese (and one about how to translate a website into English). Panic at not having yet woven together the bits and pieces, did not get this blog written, as other tasks prevailed. Anne Lamott's title essay for "Bird by Bird" comes to mind:

"Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.'" 

Ok, blog hardly a huge task, but here goes, rabbit hole by rabbit hole.

My three wishes:

*Finding a photo of Anne Catherine Kleinklaus. 

I read dozens and dozens of articles, most repetitive in content. The same images are used over and over again. Not one has an image of Anne Catherine. She has done an excellent job of erasing any media/online presence. Here is a smattering of other fine images from these articles:

The home where the Brietwiesers lived and stashed the treasures.

Breitwieser visiting 'his' first piece in 2018.

Authorities searching for art in the Rhône-Rhine Canal.

Mon Dieu

*Finding a photo of Mireille Brietwieser. See Anne Catherine above. Not one image. I want those 35 hours of my life back. Also, would be very grateful to anyone who can find an image of either one.

Here is something I did find, on that Japanese website:

 The nifty translation is: 

'Steve's story has become the subject of a movie and drama, and a painter has painted his portrait.'

*Learning about any updates in the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum theft. No news there but some interesting stories about dead end leads:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Stewart_Gardner_Museum_theft

One of the stolen works from The Gardner, "The Concert" Vermeer

  

Our meeting was a welcome reprieve from the holiday madness.

We were deeply appreciative of Finkel's writing as he crafted this non-fiction work into a page turner. For more on Finkel, the link below is an interview; interesting to see and hear him... a bit long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TOgbvLVkjs 

 

This bit came up in a Reddit thread. It is a bit odd and perhaps just to be slightly entertained by what is being created for the heck of it (think cat or toddler videos), give it a try and don't forget you can slide through it with your mouse, searching for 'good' parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVBU_Dpdbl0

 

 

Terry's suggestions for an upcoming read: 

"Prophet Song" Paul Lynch

"The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post" Allison Pataki *chosen

"Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" Lori Gottlieb

 

 

Up next:

 

Happy reading,

LK