June Book Club: The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim

We had a wonderful time at Sue’s house last night. We braved the road repairs and even discussed staying until 2am. (It was quickly nixed!) We all agreed that A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith was a great book with very strong women characters. It was interesting to break down this book and look for themes and meaning. Thanks Sue for an enjoyable evening. We missed all who could not be there.

LuAnn will be hosting our next meeting. It will be Wednesday June 1st at 7pm. Her pick for June is:

                                    

A goodreads reader writes:

This is truly a heartwarming and lovely tale, one of those novels that touches you in such a way, you hate for it to end. It is story of a Korean girl and her mother, a story of a proud nation battling the aggressiveness of another, a story of a man coming to understand and accept that old ways and lifestyle must change, and a story of love that survives many hardships. All these stories in one magnificent novel. The Korean girl, Najin, is growing up in a very Confucian household. Her mother, however, strives for Najin to get an education and to make something of herself. Throughout the many years, wars, and tribulations, Najin's mother is there for her, supporting her and fighting for her, even standing up to her strict husband to save Najin's future. Najin, does indeed, make something of herself despite her nation's constant battles with Japan and being separated from her husband and even imprisoned. Readers also see things from Najin's father's point of view, as he comes of age in a society that is straying from his traditional beliefs and he comes to slowly accept that his daughter is not so "worthless" after all. Though taking a minor role in the novel, a love story also thrives. Being married for only a day and separated for eleven years, reader's will find out if love is enough for Najin and her husband. The ending will leave reader's dabbing their eyes. Truly, a gem and absolute must read. Highly recommended.

Jane Bishop let us know of a website where you can buy books. It’s Thriftbooks.com   Check it out.

On a sad/happy note Jane has finally sold her home and will be moving to Utah mid June. We will miss your contribution to our book club and your friendship.

Happy Reading!

May’s book club pick: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I am so glad that we have such a wonderful group of friends who meet together each month to discuss such a variety of books. We had a wonderful discussion at Jane’s house this past week. Even though we all knew of Nelson Mandela, we walked away with a respect for his vision and his strength to see it through to it’s conclusion. Thank you for a great evening.

On May4th at 7pm, Sue Mitchell will be hosting. Her book pick is:

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

A goodreads review says: The title of this novel refers to a tree that grows persistently up through the concrete and harsh conditions of a poor tenement neighborhood in early 1900s Brooklyn. But it is also a metaphor for the novel's protagonist, Francie Nolan. She is a sweet, innocent girl who grows and flourishes despite a harsh environment of neglect and poverty.
I fell in love with Francie. I loved her childlike innocence and the way she could be so delighted with things we take for granted: things like a flower in a brown bowl, freshly sharpened pencils, dancing shadows on her pillow, shiny stars. I love her pluckiness; I loved the way she refused to conform to the mold her teacher tried to force on her, the way she pulls herself out of poverty by working hard, even though it means giving up on some dreams.
But the novel is about so much more than just Francie. This is a beautifully moving portrayal of the human condition and the plight of the downtrodden, similar to the work of Steinbeck, though more hopeful. There is so much American pride coming from the point of view of poor immigrants and their children. The heroes of this book are not great men. They are ordinary people. They are flawed. And they are beautiful.

Some book recommendations:

A Candle in the darkness by Lynn Austin

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

Escape by Carolyn Jessup

Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton (We read this at the very beginning of this book club. It was our 2nd book.)

Happy Reading!

April’s book club pick: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

It was great to be together again at book club this month. Thank you Debbie for hosting. It was a wonderful evening. Again, we enjoyed a book with a very strong woman. It is an incredible story of love and perseverance and how our love for our family can get us through anything. If you didn’t get a chance to read this book, we would highly recommend it. We must give credit to Mike Mullin for his wonderful swan centerpiece. It was truly a work of art. Thanks so much!

                        

Margaret passed this message from a friend of hers to all of you: 

I heard a radio announcement from Gonzaga University that Greg Mortensen, the author of the book "Three cups of tea" will be in Spokane on March 28th at Gonzaga University Athletic building at 7:00 p.m.

Very Cool. We read that book and all enjoyed his story. Thanks Margaret for letting us know.

Our next book club meeting will be hosted by Jane Bishop on Wednesday March 30th at 7 pm. Her pick is:

                                      

The riveting memoirs of one of the great moral & political figures of our time, an international hero whose accomplishments won him the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. Mandela shares the epic story of his life--its struggles, setbacks, & ultimate triumph.

A goodreads review:

This excellent autobiography details the struggles against apartheid in South Africa spanning almost 80 years. It is hard to believe that the first non-racial, one-person, one-vote election in South Africa took place as recently as April 27, 1994. Nelson Mandela chronicles the hardship and sacrifice that he and many, many others made to ensure the existence of that election and the subsequent establishment of true democracy in that country. My motivation in reading this book was to understand better how a man could be imprisoned, abused, isolated from his family and friends for 27 years and come out of prison preaching forgiveness and reconciliation. He was able to do this because the government never broke Mandela's spirit or his basic belief in the common goodness and humanity of each human being. Mandela tells the reader at the very beginning that he is a stubborn man -- that stubbornness, along with his iron will, his trust in true friends, his love for his family and his sense of dedication to the people of his country carried him through very difficult times. South Africa was blessed to have this man -- he & his associates kept South Africa from descending into violence and civil war. As the head of a transitional government, he managed to steer South Africa into a multi-racial, united country that values the culture, language and unique heritage of all of the people that live there.

 
This book is highly readable and well written. Mandela writes with humility and understands his faults. He makes clear that because he was a freedom fighter he gave up the ultimate joy that comes from being part of a loving, united family. He blames himself for the failures within his family, primarily his two divorces and being an absent father. So while this book is about the ultimate triumph of his & the cause of Black, Colored, and Indian South Africans, it is also a story of loss and heartache.

Enjoy your reading this month. Here are a few recommendations from our book club:

Richer by India by Myra Scovel

Matched by Ally Condie

An Epic Polar Adventure: Endurance by F.A. Worsley. This was Jenna’s pick for March but we will need to reschedule her hosting month.

We also had some ideas about purchasing books. Some of these will be for electronic copies. Try GoHastings.com or Fetchbook.com or ebookfling.com

February’s Book: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

We had a great time at the movies this week and missed all who could not attend. We enjoyed the movie Gifted Hands and felt very inspired by this story.  Thank you Heather D. for getting the movie. We also appreciated Rachelle Haggerty opening up her awesome home theater for our viewing pleasure. It was a wonderful evening.

February’s book is going to change due to a scheduling conflict. Heather Demars will be hosting instead of Debbie Mullin. Debbie will host in March with her same book, Daughter of the Forest. This will give us a bit more time to find and read her book.

 Heather D. will host on Wednesday February 2 at 7pm. Her pick is:

                                    

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"—and the heart of the reader—in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

A goodreads reader says:

This is a book about Cassandra. About her life...and about life in general, really. Her reflections are so real and insightful. Honesty is the main focus of the story...from my point of view anyway. She ultimately learns that there is nothing but temporary solace to be found in settling for anything less than honesty with yourself. I think that is what every character in the story realizes at the end.
I think Dodie Smith really accomplished something in making this a story about life and not a story driven by a plot. By the end of the first paragraph, you should already have fallen in love with Cassandra-and the beauty of the book is that it doesn't really matter what the actual events of her life are-it is about how she describes her experiences, and then understands and grows from them.  Loved it!

Enjoy reading and we hope to see you at Heather Demars home on February 2nd at 7pm.  Heather is living at Ted Demars home. Their address is 3315 N. Idaho Rd. I am always open to carpooling so give me a call if you are interested. 

February’s Book Club pick: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

I thought I would do a review for our February’s book because you may need to find it outside of a library. This way, you will have plenty of time to find it and read it. Debbie Mullin will be hosting on Wednesday Feburary 2. Her pick is:

                                     

A beautiful retelling of the Celtic "Swans" myth, Daughter of the Forest is a mixture of history and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love... To reclaim the lives of her brothers, Sorcha leaves the only safe place she has ever known and embarks on a journey filled with pain, loss and terror. When she is kidnapped by enemy forces and taken to a foreign land, it seems that there will be no way for Sorcha to break the spell that condemns all that she loves. But magic knows no boundaries, and sorcha will have to choose between the live she has always known and a love that comes only once.

A goodreader’s review:

I have to admit that when a colleague of mine lent me this book, I didn't really have all that much hope for it. Sure, she couldn't stop raving about it, but there was something so dull and lacklustre about the cover that it took me a good while to actually get around to reading it.
But, I can safely say that I really, really loved this book.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while. Like my colleague, I initially thought that this book was intended for a much younger audience, but I truly think that older and younger readers alike will be completely and utterly charmed by this magical little tale…
Juliet Marillier has a gift for writing. Not only that, she has a gift for creating characters that are incredibly multilayered, complex and unbelievably likeable. I loved Sorcha's character from the minute I started reading and couldn't help but laugh, cry and rooting for her throughout the novel. She's brave, flawed, strong and courageous and has a strong sense of loyalty towards those that she loves.
That's not the only reason I love this book though. The writing itself is beautifully descriptive; old Celtic folklore coming to life under the hands of Marillier, who demonstrates a vivid understanding of Celtic myths and legends.
The world she creates is filled with magic, legends and wonderfully crafted heroes, while at the same time also managing to create villains that are so dripping with menace, you actually feel like you have to find some hiding spot for fear of having them find you.
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book.

Hope to see you in February at Debbie’s home.

January’s Book Club Meeting: Movie Night

We had a wonderful visit together at Michelle’s home last night and  really missed all of you who could not be there. The universal truths found in The Alchemist are indeed hidden treasures worth seeking and we enjoyed discussing it together. Welcome back to our friend Jenna Lake. She is one of the original members of this book club and we are thrilled to have her coming again. 

Book club will be changing from Tuesday to Wednesday nights next year.  We will meet the first Wednesday of every month. A hosting schedule was put together for next year but there are still some openings. We will look to complete  that at our next meeting together.

We wanted to continue the tradition of a movie night in January. We have some ideas on a gathering place for that and will get details out soon.

Looking ahead for February, Debbie Mullin will be hosting our book club. She has chosen Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. This book has been hard to find in a library but is available on Amazon. I will do a review on that next month.

In the meantime, keep reading and enjoy your Christmas season with friends and family. Here are some suggestions for reading from  last night:

• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
  by Ishmael Beah
• The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent
• Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
• Authentic Happiness by Martin E.P. Seligman
• Winter Solstice and The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
• Amazing Grace by Eric Mataxas
• The Chinese Ginger Jars by Myra Scovel
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
• Eleni by Nicolas Gage
• Positivity by Barbara Fredickson
• The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews
• Gifted Hands by Ben Carson
• Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
• Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Mouk

Reminder: Book club is next Tuesday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. It is time to be thinking about our next book club meeting.  Book club will be next Tuesday, December 7th at Michelle Holdaway’s home. Her book pick is THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho.  Also, if possible, come prepared with a month in mind  that would work for you to host. That way we can get our calendar ready for next year. We will need to change our day of the week we meet. It was suggested that we meet the first Wednesday of each month starting in January. Hope to see everyone this month at Michelle’s home.