August 2018 Bookclub News

***

Dear Bookclub,
Fantasizing about spending 5 days in Aspen, doing nothing but read, actually came to fruition as I felt way less than my 110%, handicapped by altitude sensitivity and a cold.  Truly drained and drugged, 'lounging', i.e., trying to get through the days, I began and finished "The Power" in two dreadful days. I had planned to participate in far more: a bike ride designed for conference spouses, historic tour and fly fishing for the same, shopping in a mecca designed for Lynn Kaufman. Instead, cocooned in a vast suite in Snowmass, I entered Naomi Alderman's fiercely imagined world of power. Devouring the first half or so of Alderman's "The Power", I transitioned to a 'get-this-over-with' mode as discomfort from the pages overpowered, pun intended, any other distress. The parallels to a reversed society are eerie and clever. Looking forward to talking this one inside out and backwards.

'... in my world, nothing happens to a man that is not happening to a woman in the world we live in today. So if we find my world to be a dystopia, then we are already living in a dystopia.'

Naomi Alderman on "The Power"

...from little NPR blurb:
https://www.npr.org/2017/12/26/573507226/in-the-power-women-develop-a-weapon-that-changes-everything

The girls: Margaret Atwood and Naomi Alderman

***(Hiking around Maroon Bells, above, once I had acclimated, was cleansing - it smelled sooooo good!)



Wanda's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"My Way Home" Michael Gaulden
"Educated: A Memoir" Tara Wetover
"The Electric Woman" Tessa Fontaine

See you tomorrow!
LK

June 2018 Bookclub News

Al fresco* at TG's

Dear Bookclub,
A perfect afternoon on Terrie's patio for our discussion of "The Baker's Daughter", with an amazing lunch complete with German, well... Edelweiss, rolls and butter. The book was enjoyed by all although conversation was heavy into catching up - so much news every month! I do believe the lasting impression from our June 2018 meeting will be Michael and Kelsey's engagement. Our excitement for TF bubbled over like the champagne!

Back to the book... the alternating narrative allowed much character development and an ease with the alternating time frames. Despite this technique not so unique anymore, as yet another book on WWII, both the format and content were again appreciated. Thinking about Elsie's hidden Jewish boy, exploited for his musical talent, made me wonder if Tobias was based on a real character or more likely, an imagined composite. Some sleuthing did not produce a solid answer but I did find this:

https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/hidden-children/insideX/

Please read through this website and explore the many links... it is heart-breaking.

Suggestions for an upcoming read:
"The Great Alone" Kristen Hannah **chosen
 "Educated" Tara Westover
"Alternate Side" Anna Quindlen

Up next:

Finally, I want to mention that the many tragedies of Anthony Bourdain's passing include the very sad occurrence of Eric Ripert being the one to discover his dear, best friend unresponsive in a French hotel room. Ripert's memoir was something we much enjoyed as our June 2017 selection, "32 Yolks". So sad.

Bourdain and Ripert

Thoughtful reading,
LK


*check it out - from that know-it-all, Wikipedia:

 'The phrase al fresco is borrowed from Italian for "in the cool [air]", although it is not in current use in that language to refer to dining outside. Instead, Italians use the phrases fuori or all'aperto. In Italian, the expression al fresco usually refers to spending time in jail.' 

Whoa. Hardly. Thanks again, Terrie, for a beautiful meal outside in your beautiful garden.

May 2018 Recap

Dear Bookclub,

May gray days on end set the tone for our 1918 Spanish flu pandemic affair. Gathering at Lori's for our evening with author, Sue Meissner, to discuss her latest work, "As Bright As Heaven", our fabulous groups united with sweet anticipation. And sweetly welcomed, we were. Lori had created supper of nurturing soup jars, yummy meatballs, delicious salad and dainty pralines.

Susan Meissner and Lori

Fortified with flu shots(ginger beer, vodka & rosemary sprigs), we settled in to share our appreciation for Meissner's work. Sue enlightened with us her development of the book, passing around pictures depicting some scenes from the pandemic. Her revelation of plotting the novel with the deaths of certain individuals (no spoiling in this paragraph), in order to allow other character development was especially interesting, as was her admiration of the structure of Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible".

We neglected to chose a new selection for an upcoming read, but we are months and months out there so not adding to our calendar this month may actually be helpful.

Up next: Sarah McCoy's "The Baker's Daughter".

Terrie's suggestions for an upcoming read:
"The Great Alone" Kristen Hannah
 "Educated" Tara Westover
"Alternate Side" Anna Quindlen

This will be a tough decision!

Happy Reading!
LK

May 2019 Bookclub News

Dear Bookclub,
Our evening with Sue Meissner to discuss her latest book, "As Bright as Heaven", an historical novel imagining one family's journey through the most catastrophic pandemics ever, is just a few days away. A few days in 1918 could determine fate beyond our imagination as the Great Influenza Pandemic devastated populations worldwide.

To learn more about what made this flu so deadly, please read this short piece from Time about the Spanish Flu:
http://time.com/3731745/spanish-flu-history/

To prepare for our evening, please check out the Book Club Kit from Sue's website:
http://susanlmeissner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AsBrightAsHeaven_BookClubKit.pdf

Our combined meeting with A Novel Group at Lori's, will include the opportunity to vote on one of her recommendations for that group's upcoming selection, to also be an upcoming selection for our group. Just a thought - it would be fun to share another month through a shared read. So if you like, here are her titles to ponder....

Lori has recommended the following books for choosing an upcoming selection:
"An American Marriage" Tayari Jones
"The Wife Between Us" Sarah Pekkanen
"Circe" Madeline Miller
"My Antonia" Will Cather

Healthy reading,
LK

April 2018 Bookclub News

my dream dog to thwart visitors (MOCA Chicago)

Dear Bookclub,
A strangeness ensued upon my arrival for our much anticipated April meeting at Madeiras, to discuss "Little Fires Everywhere".  As a realization that someone had been in my home to 'adjust' the family room big screen, panic set in and I had to return to the scene. No explanation still for the odd happening (don't even ask about the strange fork found at my feet in the driver's side of my car). A great discussion of Celeste Ng's novel must still be had - please! Apologies for the interruption.

artwork from Elizabeth, Chicago http://www.elizabeth-restaurant.com/

It was decided to move our May meeting (see below) but our next gathering will be to lunch with Ginger(!) on April 24, 12:30, Vintanna.


Considered for a future read from Val:

"The Atlas of Forgotten Places" Jenny D. Williams *chosen
"Pachinko" Min Jin Lee
"Being Mortal" Atul Gawande
"A Spy in Canaan, My Secret Life as a Jewish-American Businessman Spying for Israel in Arab Lands" Howard Schack

Our next meeting will be May 24 at Lori Kimball's for an evening with Sue Meissner discussing her latest book, "As Bright As Heaven".

Happy reading!
LK

March Bookclub News

The Copper River

Dear Bookclub,
An afternoon on the Veranda contrasted mightily to Col. Allen Forrester's 1885 Alaska expedition in our latest read. Ahhh, the limited vision and comfort of routine. Why did we not seek lunching on chinook salmon and sipping hearty spirits instead of imbibing water and nibbling Cobb salad (ex. TF with spicy tortilla soup)? An immersion of the adventure invited by Eowyn Ivy's "To the Bright Edge of the World" proved to be a delight for our group despite omitting the culinary parallel. How did I not think of it?!!

The tale of the explorer never fails to captivate. The mystical blurring of man and animal enticed. The saccharine unnecessary. Especially appreciating Ivy's method of bringing the present day characters into focus to expose the adventurers' tale while developing Sophie's journey, we had no problem grasping the scope and absorbing the incredulous.

Books I recommended for an upcoming read:

"Behold the Dreamers" Imbolo Mbue
"Pachinko" Min Lin
"Sing, Unburied, Sing" Jesmyn Ward *chosen

Up next:

 

Happy reading!

LK

February 2018 Bookclub News

Eden Rose

Declan Patrick

Dear Bookclub,
In trying to imagine the meeting that I'd missed, a setting was necessary. Opening a bottle of wine seemed appropriate (The Barrel Room) for a thoughtful discussion of the page-turning "Before We Were Yours". But I must get on a plane soon, so drinking alone is out (Whiskey doesn't imbibe), and discussing anything with a deaf dog is fruitless. A report of just the facts must make due:

*Wanda  also missed, out with pneumonia(!).... hope you are feeling much better.
*Trudy was present and on baby-watch (welcome to Declan Patrick born 2/9!)
*TG reported on her new granddaughter, Eden Rose.
* Finally, I am guessing that Val and Terry ordered the caprese sandwich or tomato soup with half a grilled cheese sandwich. (not really a fact but sounds good)

I am hoping we can do a mini discussion of  Lisa Wingate's "Before We Were Yours" next time, as it was a thought provoking read. The fact that the book is based on an actual account of horrific incidents makes it all the more powerful.

Terry's suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Botox Nation:Changing the Face of America" Dana Berkowitz
"Killers of the Flower Moon:The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" David Grann *chosen
"The Heart's Invisible Furies" John Boyne

Next up:

Eowyn Ivey's "To The Bright Edge of the World" 

Happy reading,
LK


PS Please check out this news report of a dump collapsing in Mozambique this past week. Eerily reminiscent of "The Rent Collector".

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43117116