August 2026 Bookclub News

 

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

Dear Bookclub,

A tidy foursome sat at a Cafe Luna table, catching up before settling into a discussion of Kiran Desai's "The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny". The epic novel has been stewing in my reading realm since I read the August 11, 2025 New Yorker short story, "An Unashamed Proposal" by Desai. To my surprise, the excerpt was from this novel, which when released, got loads of attention. I was very happy when it was the chosen selection from Trudy's suggestions last February, as it was already in my possession and being sampled between reading bookclub books. I've read/listened to this lengthy tale 2.3 times counting all the start-overs and going-backs; the prose deserved cherishing, characters begged understanding. Days before our meeting, I stood in the shower thinking how everyone would be so excited to discuss this book that they loved. Then TG sent out her email! Little did I l know the loneliness of liking the book.  

Terrie's points about her annoyances with the characters and the negativity about both the U.S. and India, coupled with the arduous read, were shared by several other members. Only Val and I loved the book, relishing the details and delighting in the underlying humor and satire. Val noted that each chapter could be a stand-alone short story. Next came Trudy's share of the New York Times article about "DNF":

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/09/books/review/dnf-goodreads-finish-books.html?searchResultPosition=1

Igor Bastidas - New York Times

 

 

This timely debate again illuminates the variety of thoughts and style amongst groups of readers. I am in the category of DNS (does not start) just as I would not eat or wear something unappealing; I know what I like. Reading a book I do not enjoy for a discussion is not a problem, for as Terrie pointed out, the bookclub commitment rises above personal choice and often makes for spicy conversation!

Spicy, please enter stage left. Startled by AI when researching Sonia and Sunny: "People also ask ..... Is the Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny spicy?" Really? This is asked?? The reply was 'No' and also "Low Spice: Any intimate scenes are mostly descriptive or kept out of focus rather than graphic or central to the plot." (Readers looking for spice will turn to DNF once this is learned.) The spicy I noticed was Ulla's dislike of curry and Sunny's vexation of said dislike and her misunderstanding of curry. The significance of the out-of-step cultural element is fundamental to the roiling waves mismatched relationships navigate throughout the novel.

 

Anita Desai and Kiran Desai

More research on Kiran Desai, revealed a most interesting string of characters and events. Anita Desai, Kiran's mother, is an Indian novelist and the emerita John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Desai

Please enjoy this conversation between mother and daughter (from November 11, 2011) to appreciate the unique brilliance of this family: 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/11/kiran-desai-anita-desai-in-conversation 

Wanda's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"This Vast Empire: A New History of Lewis and Clark"  Craig Ferhman

"London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth" Patrick Radden Keefe *chosen

"The Pirate Queen" Ariel Lawhon

Up next:

 

 

 

Happy reading,

LK 

 

July 2026 Bookclub News

 

 

Dear Bookclub,

Homa and Ellie ignited our imaginations, delivering a Tehran unfamiliar to our group through the story of a friendship woven over thirty years. The influences, both women's history as we know it and the unique experience of the Iranian environment during that period, were deftly crafted into Marjan Kamali's well-liked "The Lion Women of Tehran". 

Meanwhile, another friendship woven over decades was ours to enjoy as Cheri Navidi and Jacky Izadi joined our groups and shared stories. Both being married to Iranian engineers, their insights into the Persian culture widened our impressions, deepened our understandings, and frankly, entertained us. Many thanks to Julie for arranging their attending and huge gratitude to both women for being our noble speakers!

Jacky and Cheri

 

Blending my two bookclubs is always a cause for celebration. The luncheon delightfully brought me the opportunity to try the recipes the author shared (see link below) and revisit the significance of the food in the novel.

https://marjankamali.com/wp-content/uploads/Recipe-Booklet_LION-WOMEN-OF-TEHRAN_Kamali-Marjan.pdf 

 

Kamali's passion for Persian food surfaced in her inclusion of two food blogs she shared in the interview link below. As a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, Marjan Kamali is interviewed in the link, discussing her novel, "The Stationery Shop". Please enjoy listening to her talk about the Persian culture and "the centrality of poetry in the lives of Iranians and Iranian-Americans, living on the hyphen between Iranian and American, her plans for the 2022 NEA Literature Fellowship, and the absolute joy of writing about the food at the heart of Persian culture".

 https://www.arts.gov/stories/podcast/marjan-kamali

Apologies for inadequate photography of our event - never my strong suit! But here is a smattering to remember the day:

 

Up next:

Happy reading,

LK 

June 2026 Bookclub News

 

Dear Bookclub,

Devouring our lunches with Olympiad speed, Terrie's gift of a gourmet meal surrounded by her luscious garden filled our hearts (and stomachs). Virginia Evans' "The Correspondent" pleased nearly all of us:

Val, not so much

 

 

Evans entertained us with the letters of one older (!) woman, Sybil. Cleverly written and with a forward motion to an otherwise slowing life, the letters endeared most of us; Val was less tolerant of the character's temperament.

 

As many of the readers of this book, I was reminded of the joy (and drudgery - re: childhood thank you notes) of letter writing. I know our group is still in the habit of writing lovely notes, as I have appreciated them over the years. I also still write longer letters to several friends and relatives, relishing the idea of them receiving, reading and responding. Recently, we have been sending outdated cards, laughing about the irrelevance of the messages and squirming about the passage of time - (how is it these items are still squirreled away in our drawers?) 

 

 

one of my many jammed drawers

 

Please enjoy these two short articles about the inspired letter writing Evans has set into motion:

 

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/22/nx-s1-5677630/the-influence-of-the-sleeper-hit-novel-the-correspondent 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/well/handwritten-letters-habit-connection.html?unlocked_article_code=1.slA.nDTu.lGa3Pwq68rcf&smid=url-share 

Terrie's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Whistler" Ann Patchett *chosen

"Kin" Tayari Jones

"Country People" Daniel Mason 

 

Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK 

 

May 2026 Bookclub News

 

 

Dear Bookclub,

An enthusiastic discussion of Sue Prideaux's "Wild Thing" bubbled around the picnic table at the Bernardo Winery on a not-May-gray day. Luxuriating with healthy lunches while angling into shade, Prideaux's discovery of new truths set us off and running with our discoveries. We talked about the threads between some of the books we have read recently and the comprehension boost enjoyed. Our opinions of Gauguin shifted with the new understandings revealed.

 

The teeth.  Prideaux's inspiration to write about Gauguin was rooted in the discovery of the teeth shown above (note the humongous cavity in the molar) which debunked the syphilis rumors surrounding the artist. Showing no signs of mercury or arsenic, the treatments given at the time, Gauguin was in the clear. 

 

Dr Petrus le Roux

Please check out this entertaining article from the University of Cape Town about the analysis (above pictured Dr. Petrus le Roux, the head of geological sciences' radiogenic isotope lab, examining molar):

https://science.uct.ac.za/articles/2016-09-26-mystery-tooth-linked-paul-gauguin 

 

Vincent Cassel as Gauguin in biopic

Returning to our squirmy discomfort with the artist's reputation, the article below discusses the practice of ignoring artists' questionable actions, as was done in the 2018 biopic Gauguin:Voyage to Tahiti:

https://hyperallergic.com/gauguin-voyage-to-tahiti-edouard-deluc/ 

Sue Prideaux is a marvel and our admiration of her writing style cannot be understated. Please check out her website to explore her other works and accomplishments. The second link is a short video of her reading from the book in what is called "Wild Thing" Book Trailer - it's excellent. Hear her voice, enjoy the scenes, and appreciate her message.

https://www.sueprideaux.com/  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ4uBc4vxqc 

And now, for some objects of beauty:

 

 

 

Val's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"The Silent Element: On the Intelligence of Water" Evgeny Basov 

"Land: A Novel" Maggie O'Farrell *chosen

"Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage" Belle Burden

 

Up next:

 

Happy reading,

LK 

 

 

 

April 2026 Bookclub News

 

Dear Bookclub,

Our April discussion of Marta Molnar's "The Secret Life of Sunflowers" began with an imagining of "Little Red Flags Everywhere". When Val mentioned, while reading the book months ago, she thought we should pick another because she strongly disliked it, I thought we could give it a chance, not wanting to set a precedence for dismissing our selections. Red flag #1. When I began reading it, I wanted to contact Val and beg for forgiveness; I hated it too. Red flag #2. As I read further, I realized everyone would probably be rolling their eyes by now. Red flag #3. Googling research. Red flags #4, 5 & 6 including the revelation that twenty rejections from publishing houses meant a little something. Oh well; what a beautiful day it was to be together on The Veranda, enjoying Ginger and missing Trudy. 

While researching the woman who was truly the center of Molnar's book, I found Jo van Gogh-Bonger's story succinctly well-told on the Van Gogh Museum's website. Please take a moment and enjoy:

 https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/art-and-stories/stories/the-woman-who-made-vincent-famous

Of course, I had to check out the museum store (see blindbox keychain, one of seven, above). 

The Van Gogh Museum has a fascinating history as Vincent's nephew, also Vincent, was impressively responsible for keeping the collection together and now preserved at the museum. Be sure to see pictures of the art hidden in a bunker during WWII:

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/art-and-stories/stories/without-family-no-museum-the-beginnings-of-the-van-gogh-museum 

Jo van Gogh-Bonger with her son Vincent, 1890

 

Vincent, the nephew, at museum opening, 1973

Returning to the misalignment our group felt with the writing, Marta Molnar's use of the dual-timeline structure annoyed our reading sensibilities. The modern-day tale smacked of cheesy romance novels, which we do not enjoy. This is precisely the cheese that has been sustaining the author with her publication of over 60 romance novels under the pen name, Dana Marton. Pink flag?

My new knowledge of Vincent van Gogh through Molnar's depiction of Jo van Gogh-Bonger in this book has been appreciated with my reading our current selection. Paul Gauguin's life intersections with van Gogh has a new depth, and the timeliness of our back-to-back reads cannot be overlooked!

My suggestions for an upcoming read:

"What We Can Know" Ian McEwan

"Catherine the Great" Robert K. Massie *chosen

"Kutchinsky's Egg" Serena Kutchinsky

Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK 

 

 

 

March 2026 Bookclub News

 

 

Dear Bookclub,

Arundhati Roy's "Mother Mary Comes to Me" jolted as anticipated. Mrs. Roy dances in the chorus line of abusive mothers yet perhaps she is the one your eye gravitates to on stage; her whirlwind of oddity cannot be overlooked. Arundhati's memoir accentuates the unconventional upbringing, amazing us with her independent break, the reunion with her no-less-colorful father, and ultimately bucking the system with unexpected choices. We felt bogged down with the interlude of political history and social advocacy. Terrie was distracted by her dislike of the author. Many of us never considered that aspect but I must admit, I have thought about it since her mention. The powerful writing carried me through with admiration of Roy's artfully crafted phrases. Astonishing stories presented poetically, thrilled.

 

 Pallikoodam is a very impressive school; please check out the website: https://pallikoodam.org/

 

Terry's suggestion s for an upcoming read:

"The Lion Women of Tehran" Marjan Kamali *chosen

"Everyday Movement" Gigi L.Leung 

"Burn Book: A Tech Love Story" Kara Swisher

Up next:

 Happy reading,

LK 

 

 

 

February 2026 Bookclub News

 

 

Dear Bookclub,

Perched at tables in "Trudy's" new restaurant, Harland Brewing, we braved new territory like a crew on Captain James Cook's HMS Resolution. Actually, the luxury of fresh salads, fish tacos, lobster roll, Japanese ale and carafes of fresh water hardly shadowed what Cook and his crews ate and endured. Enthralled by the vastness of the voyage, topics developed, cultures revealed and the beautiful, wild environment, we loved the book. Like flying fish on high seas in our minds, fascinating facts were tossed about page after page. 

 

 

Cheers to Hampton Sides for crafting "The Wide Wide Sea" from his brilliant research. Wade Hampton Sides, named like a rugged fictional hero, sticks to the literary non-fiction as an American historian, author and journalist. Also having written about Kit Carson in "Blood and Thunder", Sides declares he is "drawn to these heroic characters that have become controversial in modern times".  Please enjoy this Lorene Mills' interview of Hampton Sides on "Report from Santa Fe":

https://www.pbs.org/video/new-mexico-author-hampton-sides-crg7c8/ 

Mills is a character.... 

 and Hampton Sides is just lovely....

 

Sides' other works presented here are enticing. Hope that we will read another. Also discussed in this program was the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. If we could ever concoct a week long trip, this would be awesome:

Santa Fe Community Convention Center

 https://www.sfinternationallitfest.org/

Discussion of the atrocities that exploration brought about to the cultures and the environments through introduction of disease and non-native animals was disheartening. If it hadn't been Cook, perhaps another explorer would have been the troubling pioneer. However much is owed to Cook the cartographer. 

 

Please excuse my share of, and admittedly enjoyable for its brevity and visual value, this three minute 'Daily Dose' video about James Cook:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORa2QQlFzFA&t=4s 

 

Trudy's selections for an upcoming read: 

"The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny" Kiran Desai *chosen

"How to Read a Book" Monica Wood

"Emperor of Gladness" Ocean Vuong

 

Up next:

 

Happy reading,

LK