December Book Club: Poetry Night

Thanks Tanya for hosting a great evening. We thoroughly enjoy discussing the life of  “Aunt Shirley”.  Her attitude about life in a wheel chair is so positive and catching. She truly saw the good and enjoyed herself and made a difference to so many. We also want to welcome our new friend Rachelle. We are so glad to have you join us and share your insights and love of a good book.

Our next book club meeting is going to be a first! Sue Mitchell is hosting a poetry night. Everyone is going to bring a favorite poem and then we will enjoy talking about them and looking for the imagery and all the cool stuff that makes poems so awesome. If you can’t bring a poem don’t let that stop you from coming. We want you there!

We also want to try a book exchange and December is a great month to do so. Everyone bring a wrapped book to give away. It can be one from your shelves or one from Value Village and then we will all go home with a book. Sounds fun!

We will be meeting at Sue’s home on Wednesday Dec 4th at 7pm . We will be changing our days to meet starting in January. This last year we meet on Tuesdays and we will be changing to the first WEDNESDAY of each month.

Get started looking for a poem to share and see you next month.

November Book Club: The Perils of Being Permanently Seated by Shirley Watson

 

We enjoyed another wonderful evening together discussing Heathers book The Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. How grateful we are for the circumstances of our lives and how amazing those in seemingly less than favorable circumstances can be an inspiration and a teacher to the world. Thank you Heather for exposing us to an insightful book. We can all do more together to make the world a better place for everyone.

Next month we will be meeting again on WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6TH at 7pm. Tanya will be our host and her book pick is:

 Amazon review says:    When Shirley Watson became a quadriplegic from a car accident at age twenty, she decided not to be defined by her paralysis but would meet her challenges with humor. This narrative is a collection of 55 years of Christmas letters she wrote to family and friends. Laugh along with Shirley as you read about the many Perils of Being Permanently Seated in a society designed for those who are mobile...

Being one of the first to attend a University in a wheel chair in the 1960's, where no concessions like ramps, elevators, or handicapped designated parking spaces were made for her immobility, Shirley is a true pioneer.

She went on to advocate for and inspire hundreds of students during her 25 year career teaching Special Education in her home town of Toledo, Washington.

A Reader review says:      This book takes you through years of experiences that an amazing woman has had since her car accident which left her paralyzed from the chest to her toes. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be captivated by some of the things that she has accomplished in her life. She is an adorable woman who has made the very worst situation one of the best. She is loved by many and I am proud to say that I am related to her and that I love her dearly. This is a must read book for everyone in whatever circumstances you find yourself. It will give you courage to go on with life and make the best of it.

Tanya is going to try and get a group discount for us to purchase this on amazon. She will get us further details on that. If you are a prime member you can borrow it at no charge.

See you next month!

October Book Club: Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

We had a great evening together again sharing our thoughts and ideas about our shared love of literature. The Rent Collector, although not strong in character and voice, was certainly a novel to treasure for it’s snippets of truth and message of hope and redemption. Life is hard in most any setting and all could relate with our own daily struggles to find meaning and hope in our own lives.

We are so excited to welcome our newest friends. Shauna, Tanya and Alicia we hope you will come again and share with us our friendship and love of books. We welcome your ideas and insights.

We will need to adjust our scheduled day for next year so be thinking of which day will work for you.

Our next book club meeting will be hosted by Heather on WEDNESDAY (a change in the day for this month only) October 2nd at 7pm. Her book pick is:

                                

Goodreads review says: 

Meet Denver, a man raised under plantation-style slavery in Louisiana in the 1960s; a man who escaped, hopping a train to wander, homeless, for eighteen years on the streets of Dallas, Texas. No longer a slave, Denver's life was still hopeless-until God moved. First came a godly woman who prayed, listened, and obeyed. And then came her husband, Ron, an international arts dealer at home in a world of Armani-suited millionaires. And then they all came together.

But slavery takes many forms. Deborah discovers that she has cancer. In the face of possible death, she charges her husband to rescue Denver. Who will be saved, and who will be lost? What is the future for these unlikely three? What is God doing?

Same Kind of Different As Me is the emotional tale of their story: a telling of pain and laughter, doubt and tears, dug out between the bondages of this earth and the free possibility of heaven. No reader or listener will ever forget it.

A Goodreads reader says:  

This was a book that made me think about the people that I come into contact with and what I can, or have, learned from them. It made me ponder if I have ever really added some sort of value to someone else's existence. I have not had an experience like the relationship in the book (coming together with someone from the opposite side of the track), but I do have people in my life that I can't imagine not having met. It is a rare occasion when a book makes me cry but I found myself choked up as I read by the light of my flashlight in bed. Maybe I was tired? Maybe I am too sensitive? Or maybe it is because the story is a true account of their lives, which always seems to be more vulnerable.

Here are the requested recipes:

Apple Dump Cake:

One package Yellow Cake Mix, 2 cans apple pie filling ( I used my own canned apples), 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1 c. pecans, chopped, 1 cup unsalted butter. ( I only used 1/2 cup). Preheat oven to 350. Place apple pie filling in a 9x13 and spread evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon and then the brown sugar over apples. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the apple mixture evenly. Do not stir. Spread the pecans over top. Cut the butter in thin slices and cover the top of the cake mix. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Frozen Banana Ice cream:

Freeze 2 bananas (peel first and then freeze them). Cut into slices and place in blender. ( I used a Ninja with the 72 oz jar). I added several chunks of frozen pineapple cut into smaller pieces and a handful of frozen raspberries. You really could add any kind of frozen fruit here.) Pour in about 1/4 cup of milk. (I used organic light coconut milk). Blend for about 3 minutes or until everything is mixed up well. This would make about 3 good servings. Enjoy!

You can always check out our blog at libertylakebookclub.blogspot.com

Thanks for a great evening and see you next month!!

September Book Club: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

What a great evening we had together discussing a topic that was unimaginable and hard to wrap our minds around. Left to Tell is a book you will not forget, but one that teaches us about forgiveness and God’s love for all of his children. Thank you Beth for making us aware of such a beautiful women and her strong faith in overcoming stunning atrocities.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday September 3rd at 7pm at Diane’s home. Her book pick is:

                           

Goodreads review says:   Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the bad-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money--a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past. The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one woman's journey to save her son and another woman's chance at redemption.

A Goodreads reader says: 

Struggling to survive, Ki Lim and his wife Sang Ly pick their way through Cambodia's largest municipal garbage dump, looking for recyclable goods that can be sold for cash. Add to the fact that the place is reeking with refuge and human waste, the rains cause rivers of filth to constantly flow through their shack, not to mention the ever present threat of fires as a result of methane gas build up under the piles of trash. It's a terrible place to live, let alone raise a family. But Sang Ly is determined to make the best of it and help her sick son have a better life. She knows in her heart the way to a better life is learning to read, and the only teacher available is the hated rent collector; an old woman by the name of Sopeap Sin.
What Sang Ly discovers is that reading is more than just words; reading is the story of our lives. The story she discovers in Sopeap Sin will change her life forever.
This beautifully written work of fiction can change all of our lives if we look at the stories all around us, those that are obvious and those that are not. Wright reminds us of the spark of hope that can exist even in the most unlikely place, we need only recognize it.

Happy Reading!

July Book Club: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan

What a wonderful, relaxing evening we had together discussing Debbie’s book pick of The Honest Truth about Dishonesty by Dan Ariely. We found the book to be well presented with just enough humor and research (perhaps lacking in numbers!) to be enjoyable. We laughed as we talked about our own experiences with honesty and our perceptions of others. It was nice to gather outside under the lights of the umbrella and share our insights with each other. Love you guys! And so yummy fruit pizza. Please share that recipe, Debbie.

Our next meeting will be hosted by Beth Nelson on July 2 at 7 pm. She lives at 704 N. Madson Ct. in Liberty Lake. Her book pick is:

                            

Goodreads review says: Evelyn Ryan, wife of an alcoholic husband and mother of ten children, lived in a small town in a time and place when women did not seek jobs outside the home. When finances ran low, feeling desperate, she turned to her parish priest who suggested she "take in laundry." Ryan had to laugh at the advice because she could barely keep up with her own family's washing and ironing. A lesser woman might have succumbed to poverty, but she was determined to keep her family financially afloat and to teach her children that the life of the mind was important. In the early 1950s, Ryan started entering contests, composing her jingles, poems, and essays at the ironing board. She won household appliances, bikes, watches, clocks, and, occasionally, cash. She won a freezer, and several weeks later, she won a supermarket shopping-spree. When the family was faced with eviction, she received a $5000 first place check from the regional Western Auto Store. Ryan's unconventionality and sense of humor triumphed over poverty, and her persistence makes the reader cheer her on.

A goodreads reader says:  Mix together “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” or “The Glass Castle” (for the drunken dad and the poverty) and “Cheaper by the Dozen” or even our own home in Orem, Utah, in the 50's, and you get the feel of this book. Author Terry Ryan lived in my own era, and she captures it perfectly. Hey, their family was even more deprived than we were! And I remember entering those contests, where you complete a jingle in 25 words or less. But I had no idea I was competing against women who wrote jingles full-time, while they did their ironing, and I didn’t know you could submit dozens of entries for each contest. But I’m not bitter. I don’t mind that I never won, especially now that I know the prize money went to a family who needed it so much. So I highly recommend this book.

Looks like this one will be lots of fun to read and talk about.

Coming up for July 30 is Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza and August 27 The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

Happy Reading!!

June Book Club: The Honest Truth about Dishonesty by Dan Ariely

What a great “summer evening” in May to gather and discuss a classic by Wallace Stegner. Crossing to Safety was well liked by everyone and we loved his writing style and the beautiful phrases found throughout the book.  Strong women and complex personalities were what made the Langs and Morgans so believable.  They each had to learn and experience their own “crossing to safety” and what would bring them peace. Thank you Margaret for an enjoyable evening, and thank you Kathryn for the yummy smoothies. A warm welcome to our new friend Tansy.  We hope you had fun and will join us again.

Our next meeting will be June 4th at 7pm at Debbie’s home. Her book pick is:

                                

Goodreads review says:  Does the chance of getting caught affect how likely we are to cheat?
How do companies pave the way for dishonesty?
Does collaboration make us more honest or less so?
Does religion improve our honesty?
Most of us think of ourselves as honest, but, in fact, we all cheat. From Washington to Wall Street, the classroom to the workplace, unethical behavior is everywhere. None of us is immune, whether it's the white lie to head off trouble or padding our expense reports. In The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, award-winning, bestselling author Dan Ariely turns his unique insight and innovative research to the question of dishonesty. Ariely also identifies what keeps us honest, pointing the way for achieving higher ethics in our everyday lives. With compelling personal and academic findings, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty will change the way we see ourselves, our actions, and others.

A goodreads reader says:  This was an intriguing and occasionally amusing book about the behavior of dishonesty and how dishonest people are in general. The author provided a variety of experiments and show cases where he demonstrated that there is some degree of dishonest in most people's behavior, though not so much that everyone is a thief or a crook. A lot of dishonesty ends up being based partially on altruism and in general people don't always weigh the benefit of being dishonest, so much as decide to do so for less rational reasons. It's a book I'd recommend anyone read to better understand the role of dishonesty in our lives, and how it shows up in our own behaviors as well as the behavior of people around us. 

Sounds like a great book, honest.

Here are some of the books we will be reading in the next few months:

July 2: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How my Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan

July 30: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

August 27: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

Just a reminder: you can visit our blog at libertylakebookclub.blogspot.com

Happy Reading!!

May Book Club: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

Thank you LuAnn for a wonderful discussion on such an interesting topic. We all enjoyed reading Proof of Heaven and found many comforting and uplifting concepts to talk about. The idea of Love, pure unconditional love found in his NDE and the idea that love and compassion towards our fellowman would solve many of our earthly problems is spot on. It was a great book to share with us.

We loved meeting Phyllis and Debbie and hope you will come back. We really love getting together and talking about…well, just about anything.

Margaret will be hosting our next meeting on Tuesday May 7th at 7PM.  Her book pick is:

                           

Goodreads review says:   Called a "magnificently crafted story . . . brimming with wisdom" by Howard Frank Mosher in "The Washington Post Book World," "Crossing to Safety" has, since its publication in 1987, established itself as one of the greatest and most cherished American novels of the twentieth century. Tracing the lives, loves, and aspirations of two couples who move between Vermont and Wisconsin, it is a work of quiet majesty, deep compassion, and powerful insight into the alchemy of friendship and marriage.

A Goodreads reader says:   I liked this even better than Angle of Repose, his Pulitzer winner. Stegner's descriptions of people and places put me in the story and drive me to tears and smiles. I can practically smell the New England hardwoods and hear the creaks of doors and old floors. This is a gem of a story about two couples--their relationships, their friendship, and their lives--told across decades. The truths he tells about marriage and friendship are sometimes beautiful and sometimes merely hard to read, but always poetic and worthwhile. I say truths, because if you're married or if you have a friendship that has stretch over time like this, you'll see yourself and your spouse/friends reflected in the story at some point. Great book.

Some upcoming books we will be reading are:                                  June 4th: The Honest Truth about Dishonesty by Dan Ariely    July 30th: Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza                            August 27th: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

See you next month at Margaret’s home.

April Book Club: Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander

Thank you Telarry for a wonderful, cozy evening together. Her book Murder on the Rocks is classified as a “cozy mystery”. It was a quick, easy read meant to entertain us rather then make detectives out of us. We loved the descriptive writing and the desserts from the book were yummy.

LuAnn will be hosting our next evening together. We will meet at her home on Tuesday April 9th at 7pm. This is one week later then usual to accommodate spring break.  Her book pick is:

 

                           

Goodreads review says: 

A SCIENTIST’S CASE FOR THE AFTERLIFE:  Thousands of people have had near-death experiences, but scientists have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those scientists. A highly trained neurosurgeon, Alexander knew that NDEs feel real, but are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress.
Then, Dr. Alexander’s own brain was attacked by a rare illness. The part of the brain that controls thought and emotion—and in essence makes us human—shut down completely. For seven days he lay in a coma. Then, as his doctors considered stopping treatment, Alexander’s eyes popped open. He had come back.
Alexander’s recovery is a medical miracle. But the real miracle of his story lies elsewhere. While his body lay in coma, Alexander journeyed beyond this world and encountered an angelic being who guided him into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. There he met, and spoke with, the Divine source of the universe itself.
Alexander’s story is not a fantasy. Before he underwent his journey, he could not reconcile his knowledge of neuroscience with any belief in heaven, God, or the soul. Today Alexander is a doctor who believes that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is not the end of personal existence but only a transition.
This story would be remarkable no matter who it happened to. That it happened to Dr. Alexander makes it revolutionary. No scientist or person of faith will be able to ignore it. Reading it will change your life.

Sounds like a good one. Enjoy!

March Book Club: Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney

Aren’t we glad that we have such a wonderful book club? The Bridge of San Luis Rey was a book that needed a discussion.  Thanks Sue for guiding us to see the irony and the beautifully written, thought provoking words. . The author in part based his book on the scriptural passage of Luke 13:4 which now makes a lot of sense. The last lines of the book were said to be quoted by Tony Blair after the September 11 tragedies.  It was a great evening together. A warm welcome to our new friend Beth Nelson. We loved sharing the evening with you and hope you will come back.

Our next meeting will be hosted by Telarry on March 5th at 7pm.  Her book pick is:

                                      

Goodreads review says:  Natalie Barnes buys the Gray Whale Inn, a bed and breakfast in Maine, and publicly opposes Bernard Katz's proposed resort development, which threatens a colony of black-chinned terns, and when Katz is found dead, Natalie must find the true killer in order to clear her own name.

A Goodreads reader says:    I came upon this book at a used book sale by accident. When I picked it up I realized that it was a series that had been recommended by a friend. What luck that was! It's a cozy mystery with the locale being a bed and breakfast (the Gray Whale- an old mansion) on a fairly remote Maine Island. I loved the locale. The things Natalie, the proprietress, cooked made my mouth water. I decided to look on the internet for those recipes- when I got to the end of the book, there the recipes were! Natalie is a grown-up girl heroine like those of my favorite series- Judy Bolton, Nancy Drew, etc- curious and looking too close into what's going on so she's often in danger. In this case, it was murder, and her main reason for getting involved was a lazy law enforcer who wanted to pin it on her! The pace was perfect and the book flows along very nicely.

Happy Reading!

Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander was a book that was recommended.

February Book Club: The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

We had a wonderful time gathering at Debbie’s house for our annual movie night. We watched To Kill a Mockingbird. Some of us had never watched this classic movie and others just finished reading the book for the first time. Such a good book. Debbie spoiled us with her concession stand of movie theater goodies. It was a perfect evening.

Our next book club meeting will be on Tuesday February 5th at 7 pm at Sue Mitchell’s home. Her book pick is:

                               

A Goodreads review says:

"On Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below." With this celebrated sentence Thornton Wilder begins The Bridge of San Luis Rey, one of the towering achievements in American fiction and a novel read throughout the world.
By chance, a monk witnesses the tragedy. Brother Juniper then embarks on a quest to prove that it was divine intervention rather than chance that led to the deaths of those who perished in the tragedy. His search leads to his own death -- and to the author's timeless investigation into the nature of love and the meaning of the human condition.

A Goodreads reader says:

Beautiful prose, fascinating tale about the collapse of a bridge and the lives of the people who died there. The premise of the story is that there was a monk who was convinced that each of these people had died for a reason, and who wrote a book trying to prove the existence of God based on the life stories of the five people who died - but the narrator of the story goes on to fill in all the things the monk didn't know or misunderstood, giving this short novel layers upon layers of story. Absolutely wonderful.

Telarry will be hosting in March and her book is Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney. It is available in librarys and on the kindle.

See you in February at Sue’s home.

Diane