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 

 

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