November's Book - Big Russ and Me

Bethany's pick for November 4th



"A profoundly satisfying story of a father and his son"--Wall Street Journal

"A testament to solid values,hard work and filial devotion"...New York Times

A letter from Tim from bigrussandme.com

Dear Reader,

In the spring of 2004, I published a book about my father--about the lessons I have learned from him, the way he has influenced me, and my enormous love and respect for this steady, hardworking, and modest man. Big Russ and Me came out in May, and my publisher sent me on a publicity tour in the hope that people around the country would see the book as an ideal Father's Day gift.

Early in the tour I was in Chicago, where to my great relief, customers were lining up to buy the book and have me autograph it. What happened next really surprised me.

"Make it out to Big Mike" somebody told me, which was followed in rapid succession by,

"This is for Big Mario"

"Please inscribe it out to Big Manuel."

"For Big Irv."

"Big Willie"

"Big Stan"

I had expected that my book would appeal to readers in my home town of Buffalo, New York, but I didn't know whether the story of a young man coming of age in a blue-collar Irish-Catholic neighborhood, whose father was a truck driver and a sanitation man, would strike a cord with a wider audience. As soon as I discovered there were many Big Russes out there--good, industrious, and patriotic men who has a lot in common with my dad, even if they didn't share his religion or his heritage. By writing a book about my father, I was affirming not only his life, but the lives of many other fathers as well.

Sincerely,

Tim Russert

Sue's Pick for our October Book - A Lesson Before Dying

We will meet at Sue's house on October 7th. Thanks Sue!
From the on-line review at The Big Read - National Endowment for the Arts ...

Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying (1993) poses one of the most universal questions literature can ask: Knowing we're going to die, how should we live? It's the story of an uneducated young black man named Jefferson, accused of the murder of a white storekeeper, and Grant Wiggins, a college-educated native son of Louisiana, who teaches at a plantation school. In a little more than 250 pages, these two men named for presidents discover a friendship that transforms at least two lives.

The novel has a long history of championing social justice. Fiction has the signal ability to embody social ideas in a compelling narrative that possesses both emotional and intellectual power.

Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying offers a painful yet inspirational tale of institutional injustice and personal redemption. It addresses the biggest theme possible-how one affirms life in the face of death.

Sept's Book Club - hosted by Debbie

Michelle Holdaway is swamped with new baby and all the fun that that brings.... so Debbie Mullin will be doing Book Club in Sept. Since we will be reading in August - hopefully on vacation, relaxing on those lazy summer days - I picked a light and fun read. I picked this up in the Seattle airport on my way home from a vacation on the recommendation from a book club readers list. I loved it. Hope you will too. :) We will meet on Sept 2 at 7 pm at Debbie Mullin's house. See you then. If there is a conflict with the date, I am open to pushing it to Sept 9th. Just leave a comment with a vote as to which date works for you!

Church of the Dog by Kaya McLaren

From one on-line review....

"How often can you pick up a book and think right from the very beginning, "As soon as I finish reading this book, I am going to write my own."? That is what Kaya McLaren's words did for me. They were an absolute inspiration. Her style is crisp and refreshing - not intimidating. She tells a wonderful story in a narrative that lopes.

"Church of the Dog" is a work of fiction, but it is about people who are real. People you have met if you have ever lived in the rural west. Mara is the extremely creative and energetic single woman any single woman would like to emulate. She has dreams that help her and her friends navigate through life. Edith is the exuberant grandmother who has not let life's tragedies embitter her. In her advancing years, she is still singing the song, "It Is New Every Morning." Her practical, taciturn rancher-husband has not cramped her style one bit, but it is too bad her love of life did not rub off on Earl a little bit more. He might have wanted to stick around a little longer. The somewhat-troubled grandson evades true involvement in life by hiding behind his camera lens. The pictures he takes capture events and scenes - recording them more clearly than memory.

In the end of the book, love and family and hope prevail. I cannot think of three better reasons to read a book."

Next Book Club is Sept 2

We all thought that it is Michelle Holdaway's turn for September's book club. Check back and I will post her pick when I talk to her....

July Book Club - Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

Heather Otte's pick for our July Book Club meeting is Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson.

We all agreed we wished for a happier ending! But what a great night sitting out on Heather's deck watching the osprey and enjoying talking about books. Thanks for bringing your Kindle Margie! Now we all want one for Christmas!

From one on-line review....

This fine novel, translated from the Norwegian by Anne Born, was the surprise winner of the 2006 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and it really is a book to cherish and remember.

Out Stealing Horses eschews the knowing realism of much contemporary fiction in favour of the episodic ebb and flow of the "unending conversation" in the mind of the narrator, as he looks back upon a series of traumatic war-time incidents in the past, and in the face of approaching old age. The narrator, Trond, has returned, following the death of his second wife, to a remote settlement in Norway where he and his family spent their childhood holidays under German occupation. Not only do old faces re-appear, but he has to try to finally understand the familial and political betrayals of that bitter period of resistance and collaboration, and the breaking of families.

June's read- Prince of Foxes

Prince of Foxes by Samuel Shellabarger

We will meet June 10th at Valerie Johnson's home. This is a change from the first Wednesday of the month because Valerie is out of town. See you there!

And thanks to Diane for a great May read! We had a good discussion about WISH YOU WELL and everyone agreed that it was a terrific book. We missed you if you weren't there.

All of the on-line reviews spoke highly of this book! Everyone gave it 5 stars!

Set in Renaissance Italy, this classic of American popular fiction is the story of Andrea Orsini, a peasant boy who rises to perform delicate political, military, and romantic missions for Cesare Borgia.

A clever and decidedly well written story of both heroic deeds and great deceptions, true love and the pride of men. You won't be wasting your time on this book, it's five-star material.

One reviewer shared this:
"I heartily agree with other readers who have given Prince of Foxes 5 stars. This novel is fast-paced, informative, believeable, beautifully written and a fantastic blend of history and fiction.

Mr. Shellabarger manages to educate the reader about the warring Italian city states of the period while holding their attention with a wholly credible depiction of people and places of the time.

The characters in these pages are not the stick figure cartoons of so many bodice-rippers, but display actual psychological development and manage to engage the reader into caring about them - a rare occurrence in much of what passes these days as historical fiction.

Once I got past about the first two chapters, I couldn't put this one down. There are no contrived coincidences to spoil the plot development, none of the artificial saving of the day that too often destroys believability. This has to rate as one of the most enjoyable reads I have had in a long time, not to mention, has captured my attention to the extent that I now want to learn more about the Borgias and the times they lived in. Highly recommended."

May Book Club on Wednesday this week!!

Just a reminder to everyone that book club will be on Wednesday this week at Diane Walker's home. That is Wednesday May 6th at 7 pm. Hope to see y'all there.