January 2026 Bookclub News

 

 

Mary & one VIP Dalmation

Dear Bookclub,

Penny Haw's "Follow Me to Africa" did not impress our group. While most found it enjoyable to learn more about Mary Leakey, the novel's format of oscillating between the tale of Mary's youth to the tale of another young woman's experience many years later, tired our interest. Both time frames included Mary, yet the story's focus blurred as the chapters progressed. 

A more coherent dive into Mary's life and contributions with my keyboard search-collaborator broadened my understanding. Please check out this short, comprehensive video (which is charming in its original French) for some great visuals, above snap included, and a 30 second bio:

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jlYvSLC6t4o 

 

https://leakeyfoundation.org/

The Leakey Foundation website has a fascinating drop down tab, "Learn & Explore" that I encourage you to investigate. The mission of the foundation:

"The Leakey Foundation combines science and education to explore our shared past, understand our present, and inspire a better future. We’re on a mission to uncover the story of human evolution and share this knowledge with the world. Join us."

is well-represented in the website's offerings.  Please be sure to listen to something from the Oral History of Human Origins Research. I recommend paleoanthropolgist Yoel Rak's interview (the 5 minute snapshot if nothing else):

https://leakeyfoundation.org/oral-history-yoel-rak/ 

Yoel Rak

 

 

 

Back to Mary Leakey and her beginnings with Louis, who'd asked her for illustrations for his upcoming book, "Adam's Ancestors", published in 1934. In can be yours for about $16 on Biblio. Also, The Huntington has an original copy in their Rare Book Collection. 

Finally, the Leakey family tree is impressive. Please be sure to scroll down past the list of notables and click on the tree itself:

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

Princess Louise Leakey

 

Wanda's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Correspondent" Virginia Evans *chosen

"A Flower Traveled in My Blood" Haley Cohen Gilliland

"Atmosphere" Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Up next:

 

Happy reading, 

LK
 

December 2025 Bookclub News

 

'A Flat Dutch Cabbage' *

Dear Bookclub, 

We gleefully gathered at the Grand Colonial in La Jolla to reset between holidays and enjoy each other's company. Glorious king tides thrilled and a full moon beamed. Walks, talks and lots of good food and drink helped. We missed Ginger.

 

 

Edna Ferber's "So Big" enchanted. Transcending the century between its publication and our reading, any expectations of being dated vanished. Ginger generously shared her thoughts read by Wanda during our breakfast discussion. We were awed by her input:

Where do I start? First of all the writing was incredible. From the first page I was drawn in to the emotions of Selina and the description of the surroundings.  Her Dad instilled an optimism in her that kept her going through her days of struggle and really throughout her life, but she was disappointed by Dirk’s choice of occupation. 

My favorites:

She and Dirk lying in straw their night selling vegetables at the market. Looking at the stars in peace like another woman who had lain in the straw with her child 2,000 yrs before.

When Julie asked her security guard why he was surprised that this vegetable peddler could not be her friend..a lesson maybe for all of us

 The nights Selina was lonely and sat by the fire entertaining old friends and new, from when Dirk was a baby, her husband, Roelf Poole , and the beautiful cabbages. 

It spoke to me of her deep love  for her family and friends. 

I didn’t like the last chapters about Dirk’s direction in life but I didn’t get a chance to reread the end except she did meet Roelf again.

It was a pleasure to read literature! 

Liking the book very much, we all felt the let down of the end of the novel. Understanding the art of an open-ended imaginative technique, a desire for just a little more nagged. Did Dirk get what he 'deserved'? Did Dirk get just what Dirk really wanted? Selina's drive to set Dirk in a direction that she didn't own, stays with me. Edna Ferber's talent and feminist strength put me in a google dive that was excellent. 

She wrote "Show Boat"!!!

 

Edna Ferber

 

Please read this article about Ferber from the Jewish Women's Archive,  a wonderful biography that enlightens with statements such as:

"Unhindered by gender in her own ambitions and aware of ways in which her mother had surmounted the trials of her early life, Ferber had little patience with women who allowed themselves to be limited by the constraints of femininity." 

https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/ferber-edna 

 No wonder we loved Selina! 

 The Cabbage Lady above came to me in a John Derian email the last day of our trip: 

* https://www.johnderian.com/products/cdp-a-flat-dutch-cabbage-copy-png?_pos=2&_sid=788c4b047&_ss=r

 

Happy Holidays!

Terrie's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Buckeye" Patrick Ryan

"Wild Things" Sue Prideaux *chosen 

"The Rush" Beth Lewis

 

Up next:

 

 

Happy reading,

LK 

 

 

November 2025 Bookclub News

 

Dear Bookclub,

Val generously indulged us with a gorgeous salad, filled with our favorite ingredients, as only a friend who really knows her friends can do. The weather cooperated perfectly as we sat outside, enjoying our lunch,  in anticipation of discussing Doris Kearns Goodwin "An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960's". 

A unanimous positive reception of Goodwin's account of her life story with her husband Dick Goodwin kicked off reminisces of the times, emphasizing the optimism and energy of the activists. Terry's father had transported Lady Bird in a helicopter during her visit to Vietnam. Please enjoy this short two minute video of the Johnsons' arrival in Saigon, noting the white gloves on the ladies and the delighted welcoming received. 

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

Terrie's Aunt Frances, as a newscaster in Clarksburg, West Virginia, interviewed then candidate, John F. Kennedy in 1960. Terrie shared a copy of the letter she received afterward:

Seeing this letter, reminded me of the letter pictured in Goodwin's book, that Jacky had written to Dick on her rice paper. If you are a former First Lady, you never need to use a stamp again; your signature is USPS currency:

The history of this practice, franking privilege, is described in depth on the U.S. Senate website:

https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senate_Ends_Franked_Mail_Priviledge.htm 

Comparing today's political environment with that of the 60's brought us some hope that an energized revolt could be lurking.  Take a peek at this October 24, 2025 interview with Doris KG on GBH Boston discussing the now 20 year-old book, "Team of Rivals" and putting today's politics in the context of Lincoln.

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

Plagiarism! Trudy's mention of Goodwin's plagiarism sent me diving into that story. Disappointing a gifted writer with a unique perspective, mass appeal and wide-reaching audiences has muddy boots in that muck. The truth is there in print and I find her toughness in persevering with her craft despite the moral missteps and consequences remarkable. Please google away and see for yourself.

Val's suggestions for an upcoming read:

 "Octavo" Marty Neumeirer

"The :Lack of Light" Nino Haratiscwhili

"The Secret Life of Sunflowers" Marta Molnar *chosen 

Up next is Edna Ferber's "So Big". First published in 1924 and receiving the Pulitzer in 1925, the book is out in many editions:

 

Happy reading,

LK 

 

 

October 2025 Bookclub News

 

 

Dear Bookclub,

Another day in our little paradise, to lunch and chat up our latest read: Isabelle Allende's "My Name is Emilia del Valle". With a variety of opinions about the book, the lowdown:

* great read to learn about the Chilean Civil War of 1891

* got a bit bogged down covering many topics 

* hit the right notes with the depiction of characters at that time

* well-written and appreciated for the translation involved

 

Please enjoy this charming 10-minute interview with Isabelle Allende by NPR's 'Here and Now', Deepa Fernandes, for more insight into Allende's inspiration for this book. Fun to hear the author's voice revealing a bit of her personal history:

 https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/1250811342/nprs-book-of-the-day-isabel-allende-my-name-is-emilia-del-valle

Emilia's writer's retreat at the the end of the novel sparked my longtime fantasy of being in a retreat to do nothing but write - and of course, find baskets of nourishing meals at my doorstep throughout the day. Emilia's 'retreat', a cave, on her Chilean wilderness property is not exactly what I have in mind, although, impressively, it worked for her. I would rather have something like Yaddo:

 

https://yaddo.org/who-we-are/

 

 

My suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Mother Mary Come to Me" Arundhati Roy *chosen

"The Secret Life of a Cemetery" Benoit Gallot

"What the Bears Know" Steve Searles and Chris Erskine

 

Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK 

September 2025 Bookclub News

Macquarie Island photo by NASA Earth Observatory

 

Dear Bookclub,

An enthusiastic discussion of Charlotte McConaghy's "Wild Dark Shore" emerged as our group gathered at Sammy's in Scripps Ranch, germinated by a satisfying lunch in air conditioned splendor. Well-liked, our discussion bounced around from appreciating the scientific and environmental aspects to feeling the burden of the dramatic aspects. Our attempt at editing, slowed to a standstill as the tightly woven plot just had too high a thread-count and no wiggle room easily presented. We might have extracted a few dead scientists.

 

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

 https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/food-fisheries-and-agriculture/svalbard-global-seed-vault/id462220/

The deep dive into the concept of a seed vault will keep this novel in focus in our memory banks. The existence of them, while known to us, has an interesting history. According to the website "How Stuff Works", there are about 1400 seed banks around the world:

https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/seed-bank.htm

Truly informative, this seemed like an elementary website - literally! - with a younger set in mind. But it is not, being the brain child of Marshall Brain (https://marshallbrain.com/ ), who specialized in making complicated concepts easily understandable. 

 

 

Marshall Brain, according to wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Brain) was an author, public speaker, futurist, businessman and academic. Sadly, he died in November 2024; please read further about how he is remembered in this North Carolina State publication:

"From stories shared over the past several weeks, Brain is remembered by the NC State community and broader entrepreneurship community for his curiosity and ability to explain complex topics clearly to all audiences. Many shared that he made them feel seen and encouraged their ideas." 

https://entrepreneurship.ncsu.edu/news/2025/03/12/remembering-and-honoring-marshall-brain/ 

Climbing out of the rabbit hole and circling back to Charlotte McConaghy, this young Australian author's talent in weaving together the poetry of nature with fear is undeniable. This novel is just one of many the 38 year-old has published. I counted eleven on one list and then found another that appeared to list seventeen.

 

ausromtoday.com

 

Beginning at age 14, she wrote fantasy comics for young readers and continued with series of books in that same genre. McConaghy has a degree in scriptwriting and film studies from Australian Film Television and Radio School. Please enjoy this American Booksellers Association short interview with her:

https://www.bookweb.org/news/qa-charlotte-mcconaghy-author-march-indie-next-list-top-pick-%E2%80%9Cwild-dark-shore%E2%80%9D-1631636 

Terry's suggestions for an upcoming read: 

“Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love” Dani Shapiro

 
“The Wide, Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook” Hampton Sides *chosen

“Listen for the Lie”Amy Tintera

 

Up next:

Happy reading,

LK 

August 2025 Bookclub News

 

        Image: Jean Pierre Lassus, View and Perspective of New Orleans, 1726

 

 Dear Bookclub,

With four members absent, three under the weather, Terrie, Terry and I took one for the team and convened to discuss Joan DeJean's "Mutinous Women". I feel confident those not present are grateful that this book is a big-check-mark-done. DeJean's work, dense with fact was a slog. It would be a treasure-trove as a launch for an author to weave an historic novel. 

Researching DeJean and her deeply academic writings and contributions I discovered, sadly, that Joan DeJean died in December 2023, from ALS. Please read this synopsis of her life and accomplishments:

https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/joan-dejean-romance-languages 

DeJean created an interactive map of the French Quarter, pictured above, which can be accessed here: https://mutinouswomen.sas.upenn.edu/.   It's an interesting tool in appreciating the lives of the 37 deported women who lived in New Orleans. 

The interview below captures DeJean's fascination with the content of her book in a very spirited voice (wish that had been conjured up in her writing); I know you will enjoy it:

 https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/Joan-DeJean-Mutinous-Women-French-Louisiana

 

Contemporary engraving depicting the departure of "comfort girls" to the New World. My twisting dives into the French women relocated to Louisiana, brought me this Wikipedia page about casquette girls. The page presents different aspects of the 'practice' of populating the New World by the French:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casquette_girl#

 

Trudy's suggestions for a upcoming read:

"Atmosphere" Taylor Jenkins Reid

"The Jackal's Mistress" Chris Bohjalian

"The River is Waiting" Wally Lamb

"Follow Me to Africa" Penny Haw *chosen

 

Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK 

 

July 2025 Bookclub News

Geraldine Brooks at her Martha's Vineyard pool

Dear Bookclub.

We adored Geraldine Brooks"Memorial Days" for its intimate share of her experience with grief in the loss of her husband, Tony Horwitz. I loved this book so much that I feared someone would see something different and pick it apart. Hardly! Brooks' ability to let us into her life with detail enough to fulfill curiosity about the literary couple's journey, Tony's sudden death, and the aftermath is a gift. Terrie reminded us all to take the advice given at the end of the book: knowing how things work in all details of life. Her point is to make space for grief amidst the rude bombardment of taxes, finances, credit cards, passwords, records, etc. when the time comes. I did get a shiver when I read Brooks' reference to a Massachusetts oddity in dealing with an estate. 

 

Please enjoy this listen of Terry Gross remembering Tony with a replaying of a 1998 interview with his publication of "Confederates of the Attic" and a 2019 review by Maureen Corrigan of "Spying on the South". Enjoyable to hear Tony's voice and get a sense of the remarkable content in each of these books. I hope this inspires you to read some of his work.

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/29/727874768/fresh-air-remembers-pulitzer-prize-winning-writer-tony-horwitz 

 

Battle of Resaca reenacting 2015

 

Frederick Law Olmstead

 

 

 

Ginger's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"So Big" Edna Farber *chosen

"The Many Loves of Mama Love" Lara Love Hardin

"Broken Country" Clare Leslie Hall 

 Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK