Book Club February Retreat

Hopefully we all survived Christmas with our good cheer intact but it may be time to rejuvinate just a bit. So it's time for our annual February retreat! This year we are going to be going to my family's cabin in Liberty, Utah which is about an hour and twenty minutes north of Draper. There are plenty of beds for everyone who may want to come. The dates are February 2-4. I'll be going up as soon as I can have a babysitter show up on Thursday afternoon and plan on staying until Saturday evening. Because of the close proximity I'm not too worried about all leaving at once. Come with me or come when it is convenient, just come. There is plenty to do. There are two major ski resorts within 15 minutes and a cross country ski trail just around the corner. There is a tiny little spa called the Spa of Eden. I know they couldn't take us all at once but I bet we could get in in groups of two or three. There are a couple of little restaurants that we could try or we could just dig in and read our books around the fire

So let me know if your in. Just shoot me an email at tarawalker2007@gmail.com. Once I know who is coming we can make some final plans.

p.s. Thanks to Alicia who had to help me yet again figure out how to post to this blog.

I misspelled dynamics...embarrassing!

I misspelled dynamics...I am so embarrassed!

I am so un, unhappy I missed book club...I'm afraid I had an attack of mommy guilt and stayed home with Bella since I have been gone a lot of nights with RS stuff, work stuff, and the vague attempts to stay healthy at the gym.

I read Stegner's book last year and found it to be so, well, REAL. The subtleties of the marriage/friendship dynmics were painfully and beautifully delineated...I saw so much of my own life and the lives of those I know in this book.

I miss you all...please forgive my sporadic attendance...I am just in a "whirling" place right now and feel torn to go in so many directions.

Arna

The Cosmopolitan Book Club Christmas Get-together

We will be meeting tomorrow night, November 30th, at 7 PM at Cami Talbot's home (896 Rocky Mouth Ln) to discuss Wallace Stegner's Crossing to Safety, and to enjoy our annual White Elephant Gift Exchange!...no real gifts, please (ie: useful, classy, tasteful or stylish). Come and enjoy the kick-off to the holiday season!

Rachel

The Christmas Chronicles

If you haven't heard yet, it's officially the Christmas season. And now I feel like I can officially share with all of you my new Christmas FIND!!!: "The Christmas Chronicles, " a radio drama about the true story of Christmas exclusively on Classical 89.

Last year I began catching bits of it as I would drive to and from Christmas rehearsals and performances. I soon began leaving earlier, and planning my commutes around when TCC would be airing on Classical 89. I was so enchanted by the story that I swore that next year I would get my own CD copy of it and my family would listen to it on our 8-hour drive back from Idaho at Thanksgiving, as a sort of "kick-off" to the holidays.

Well, I found the series on CD (at Deseret Book!) and we did listen to it all the way home this last Sunday. My kids were riveted. We have NEVER had so little arguing or whining in the car on that long drive home. Whenever we had to turn off the radio for something they BEGGED us to turn it back on. They asked us to rewing certain parts so they could hear it again. And I remembered again how enchanted I became with the story last year.

I attached a post from the Classical 89 web-site about the author of the story, and bit of the background to The Christmas Chronicles, as well as the air-times of the series. This will be a tradition that we will enjoy from now on. I hope you get to listen to it, too, and "Spread the word!"
http://www.classical89.org/support/article/

Rachel

Just finished the book!

Hi Ladies,

I finished Crossing to Safety yesterday, and have to say that I loved it! With this being my first exposure to Stegner's writing, I was blown away by the raw and accessible beauty of his prose. After I read the first chapter, I literally turned to Sterling with the book clasped to my chest, and sighed saying, "I feel like I just tasted from a gourmet meal. I going to savor this one!"

Truly, I feel like the story is something all of us can relate to on one level or another. It left me meditating upon the dynamics of my own marriage, wondering what those characters reflected for me, and what I could change. It also helped me to savor much of what I have. I feel like Stegner's ability to enwrap us in the lives of those characters is incredible. It felt as though I was sitting down for a cozy conversation with a friend, who shared with me his story in a very personal, reflective, and intimate way. Stegner's genius is that it seems so effortless.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw out a shout-out for this book, and thank Cami for introducing us to it. I will be thinking of Charity, Sid, Larry, and Sally for years to come.

November Book

Our book for November will be....Crossing To Safety by Wallace Stegner.

Book club will be Wednesday, November 30th at my home: 896 Rocky Mouth Ln at 7:00...

This will also be our annual White Elephant Exchange so let the closet digging begin!

Schedule for Next Year, plus some

January-
    Daphne McGill
February-
    Emily Sherman
March-
    Clara Somers
April-
    Andrea Tubbs
May-
    Lisa Conley
June-
    Lisa Moon
July-
    Arna Clark
August-
    Tara Walker
September-
    Kerstin Olcott
October-
    Alicia West
November / December-
    Rachel Bodell
January-
    Amanda Oaks
February-
    Ana Fraga
March-
    Cami Talbot

The Glass Castle

Hi Ladies, I hope you've enjoy TGC. Just a reminder Book Club this Wednesday October 26th - 7:00pm at my home 1227 E Hickenlooper Way. Come for some fun, great company, Yummy food.

Check this page.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW0XVno-0gM

See you all!

Comments on The Glass Castle

Hey Ladies! I hope the reading is going well out there. In light of the book this month, I found this comment I found on the Segullah blog very touching. This lady responded to a blog entry about which bokk or books have made the greatest impact in your life. Most books people mentioned could be described as "classics," but I found her description of why The Glass Castle meant so much to her very touching. If you'd like to read the post, or other responses, go to www.segullah.org.

"There are far too many books in my past to keep track of, but one that will forever stand out for me I only read six years ago: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls.
It’s probably the best account ever written of a dysfunctional family, and I marveled at the courage she had to recount the details of her rather bizarre childhood, which although it’s like none other and is so dramatic, I completely related to. I found bits and pieces of my own parents in Rex and Rose Mary Walls, and suddenly wanted desperately to find pieces of Jeanette in myself, because I was expending so much energy hiding my past that I had nothing left over for the present.
Her book illustrated for me how someone who had a very difficult upbringing could turn out to be a person others would enjoy knowing, and not just feel sorry for or pity. She managed to tell her experiences without manipulating the reader’s emotions, and never with any hint of victimhood. Even more amazing to me was the affection and deep love she had managed to retain for her parents. I yearned to be in that same place.
Before reading TGC, I felt like if anyone knew the details of my childhood, that would be the end of that. I spent so much energy suppressing the past there was little left to really start healing and moving on. Her book helped me come to terms with my own life.
My journey isn’t over yet, but I really do credit Jeanette with helping me get started."

Scary Symphony, Part 2

PS: 3 years of age and under are free

Scary Symphony, anyone?

The Utah Symphony is taking their Scary Symphony to Thanksgiving Point this year. Its Monday, the 24th, in the Barn. I just called and they are not anywhere near being sold out, so I think we are going to get tickets for our family and go. The concert includes a Costume Contest, for all of you who love to dress up! (not me). Anyway, the tickets are $15, and its first come first serve seating...anyone up for a little FHE fun?

November Book Selection Quandary

Hi ladies...

It's time to unveil the book for November, but I find myself with mixed feelings. All year long I have planned to choose "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. It's about her family's quest to spend a year eating only what they could grow themselves or was produced within 100 miles of their small family farm in the Appalachians. It is clever, funny, insightful, and beautifully written.

However...

It seems this year we have spent a lot of time outside of fiction. I know that Arna especially expressed a hope for a novel to discuss. In that case, I have long wanted to do a work by Wallace Stegner. I love "Angle of Repose," but actually would rather discuss "Crossing to Safety." It's a shorter novel which would be helpful as we move into the holiday season, but still a wonderful work of literature.

So...

What are the thoughts of the collective? I could go either way, but thought I would open it up for discussion.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I just saw in the paper that the French author Muriel Barbery's novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog has been adapted for the screen, and the film, "The Hedgehog", is playing with subtitles at the Broadway Cinema downtown.  I read the novel in English earlier this year and loved it.  I had been thinking about it as a Book Club choice when my turn rolls around next year.  But now that the film is playing, I want to recommend it to you now and throw out the idea of another girls' night out to the movies!  The story is a character study of the inhabitants of an apartment building in Paris and revolves around the concierge and a 12 year old girl.  I don't want to elaborate on the plot, as I believe strongly in picking things apart only after reading them.:) 
Here is the wikipedia link if you want more info-the first part is a fairly good description without giving too much away:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elegance_of_the_Hedgehog
I am looking over the calendar for a time to see the movie.  I doubt we will have the luxury of planning a few weeks out since I am not sure how long it will be in the theater.  I will email a proposal soon........... 

Book Club this Wednesday

Hi everyone! I hope you've all been able to get your hands on a copy of the book. I do have it on CD if anyon still needs it. We will meet this Wednesday night at 7 PM at my house, 14084 Stone Canyon Dr. Can't wait!

"Two Good Laughs on Me":

Anderson Cooper, REM Breakup, The Ridiculist

"The Help"

I am really dying to go see "The Help" this weekend.  I am thinking Friday night or even a Saturday matinee.  Anybody want to come?

Book Club This Week!

Jamie wanted me to remind everyone about book club this week.

7:00 p.m., Jamie's house, 1142 Wild Hay Lane.

Jamie is a great cook so I'm sure our brains will be as happy as our bellies :).

Any Austenland fans out there?

While snooping around on IMDB (internet movie database).com tonight, I came across some interesting news...I don't know how many of you are Shannon Hale fans, I've read several books and enjoyed them, but she wrote a little book entitled Austenland a few years ago about a young lady who is obsessed with Colin Firth in the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice (and who, praytell, is not?) and ends up spending her holiday at a Jane Austen-theme park. Its cute, romantic, and super-fluff (albeit its CLEAN super-fluff, which is hard to find anymore!). Anyway, as I was looking around on IMDB, I see something about the FILM Austenland...what??? So I did a little more digging, and lo and behold, Shannon Hale has written the screenplay along with Jerusha Hess, (she co-wrote and directed Napoleon Dynamite with her husband, Jaren Hess. Both LDS, too.) Now, it gets funny. The PRODUCER of the film??? None other than our darling little Stephenie Meyer! I am laughing out loud! However, they have a few serious actors on the project, like Keri Russell, JJ Field, Jane Seymore...anyway, I'm laughing because I think it could be a cute film, but there's part of me that cringes, too...could it be an embarrassing flop? FYI: if you would like to read Austenland, I own it. It'll probably take you smartie-pants like 15 minutes to read. Its not that long. Anyway, check out this HI-larious blog I found when I googled Austenland! Can't wait to see everyone on Wednesday!
www.austenblog.com/2011/07/08/austenland-to-be-a-film/

Book Club for August

To avoid confusion, I will clarify our meeting for August:

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
at Jamie Brough's home on Wednesday, August 31st at 7 PM

Be there or be square!

Book For October, too!

So, for all of you overachievers out there, you can now read ahead 2 full months for Book Club! October will be hosted by Ana Fraga, and the book choice is The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls. I have not read it, but just picked up a paperback copy of it at CostCo for $9.49 (not including tax). It looks to be a very interesting read. Also, they have paperback copies of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for the same price. Happy Reading!!!

September book club book

So, for the September book club we will be reading a fascinating book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot. I have a copy, as does Tara. I don't know if Tara has read it yet. It is a 300+ page book, so it doesn't seem daunting. However, the first time I read it, I had to continually take breaks to sort of process the tragedy of the story, as well as really think about the scientific terminology and the underlying issues of ethics and race. This is not an easy read, and I found myself uncomfortable at times as I thought about the questions the author poses about the price many unnamed people have paid for the advancement of modern medicine, a price from which we have all undoubtedly benefitted...but I was very moved by the family's story, and the author's passion for telling it.

Children's Literature

I am currently compiling a list of wonderful children's literature for another page here on our blog.  I know many of you have great ideas for all ages of kids, so just e-mail me your suggestions!   -Clara

St. George

Thanks for a fabulous trip girls!  I had such a great time.  I really appreciate Rachel arranging everything and letting us stay in her house.  Thanks again!

Book for August: Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book club for this month will be at Jamie Brough's.  She has chosen the Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  I'm not sure if she has any copies but if I find out I will let you know.

Shakespeare Road Trip

I'm in on the adventure! I am planning on staying through Sunday now so that at some point I can run over and see my sister-in-law in St. George who just had a baby yesterday. I can also drive...my car will seat 4 comfortably and 5 if we need to squish someone in the middle.

I guess I need to know what the plan is on plays so that I can buy tickets asap...I am leaving for Trek next Tuesday and will be gone most of the week. Is someone buying tickets as a group? I'm most interested in seeing "Richard III," and "The Music Man."

So looking forward to this break!

Shakespearean Festival, and another note

Hello Favorite Ladies of mine,

On Sunday I saw the most wonderful review of this year's Utah Shakespearean Festival production of Richard III, which made me so excited. As a result, I called Rachel yesterday to get a better idea about some of the particulars on our Girls' Weekend with an especial request that Richard the III is on the docket. Happily, it is playing on Friday night, the 5th, so it will work out fo most of us who are planning on going that weekend.

Because I had previously bought 4 vouchers off of that 2 for 1 online KSL deal, I called to see what I needed to do about possibly redeeming them for that night. I was totally frustrated to find out that the vouchers are only good Monday-Thursday, (argh), but they thankfully made a one-time exception for my ignorance. Because the lady I had over the phone was being lenient, I went ahead and booked my 4 tickets for that night (5th), not knowing if I'd have that chance again.

So, who's in? Based on what she described, the seats are wonderful, and the play is amazing!

This also brings up an important point, who else bought 2 for 1 vouchers? We ought to coordinate and book those as soon as possible since tickets are going fast.

Also, though this is totally unrelated, I wanted to make all of you aware of something else going on that same weekend, (Sunday August 7th). Many of you have heard me speak about the Starfish Foster Home, and the time Sterling and I spent there when we went to China. To refresh some of you, this orphanage is run by an incredible woman named, Amanda DeLange, who I became friends with years ago as a missionary in Taiwan. Amanda's role as a foreigner in China is incredibly unique as she rescues babies who are medically fragile, and then sees that they have the necessary surgeries or medical care that will keep them alive, and help them thrive until they can be adopted out by families. So far she has saved well over 100 children in this way, and after being in her facility, I felt like I had a brush with the divine. It really is the work of angels.

Interestingly enough, one of the little starfish (Gao-Rei) was just adopted by an LDS family from Utah, and Amanda is flying here in a couple weeks to be there at their temple sealing. See little Gao-Rei below:

In tandem with this visit, the adoptive mother of this little girl has asked Amanda to give a fireside in their ward. The fireside is the evening of August 7th, and will be at the chapel that the adoptive family attends (which is close to Ogden canyon).

If any of you are interested attending, please let me know and I can send you the information. I'm sure it will not disappoint--in fact, I think I'll be taking my kids with me since they've been bitten by the spirit of Starfish already.

Here's Sterling with little Emerson on the morning of his surgery, courtesy of a visiting Dutch medical team.

Here's Baby Luke, donning one of the new blankets that Jenn Sorensen's daughter, Ellie, collected for the babies at her birthday party (in lieu of regular presents).

July Book Club - Keep it on the Last Wednesday of July

We'll be missing quite a few of you but I think we are going to keep book club on our regularly scheduled Wednesday night. Hopefully the books are making the rounds. Would you please send me an email if you currently have one of the copies. There are people that are wanting to be next.

Also, would you please RSVP if you are planning on attending. tarawalker2007@gmail.com I know that is not the norm but I am not totally convinced that we will have enough people to even have a discussion. I promise to have delicious food and a nice patio.

I hope all of your July has been as crazy and enjoyable as mine!

Tara

Change of Date for Book Club II

Yup. It's taken me two attempts (and about 15 minutes) to post this to the blog. Oh well.

It seems that half of the women in book club are going on trek, which is taking place on the night that we normally hold book club. The week after that is the Cedar City/St. George trip. The week before I will be on vacation. So here are a couple of options. We can move book club to the middle of July. Or we can cancel for July and see if the book comes up for discussion during the girls trip. Or we can take a poll and see who is planning on attending the last week of July. So get back to me and we will see what works best for everyone.

Tara

Change of Date for Book Club

New!!!

Hey everyone. Up Top, up there just under the title bar, is a new button which will take you to our archives. Please take a minute to read through the list, if you can fill in any blanks or know where one of the books at the bottom belong, leave a comment!

Hi gals,

Just a friendly reminder about June's read, The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain. If you have any extra time (insert loud guffaw), feel free to read anything by Hemingway himself. I am actually not a Heminway fan, per say, but I did love reading about his life and about his first wife Hadley. Wow...what a different life those two had from my own!

Let's meet, eat, and discuss at my house, 13991 Crested Wheat Circle, on Wednesday evening, June 29 at 7 p.m. See you all then! Phone: 801. 572.5956 or email arna.clark@canyonsdistrict.org


Arna Clark

Middlemarch Reprise

In the interest of those who could not make it last Wednesday, and those, like me, who never tire of discussing the book and chatting with you all in general-, we will be continuing our discussion of Middlemarch over lunch at Kneaders on Monday, Jun 6th at 12:30 pm.  See you there! 

Missed out!

I'm sorry I couldn't make it to Book Club last night. I was looking forward to the discussion of a fascinating book! Unfortunately May for means trying to fit in about 4 events every night, and even my attempts to come late were thwarted by extra innings at a baseball game. Now I feel a void in all my planned discussion topics for the book...I guess I will have to make my husband read it so I can talk to someone about it.

Past Book Club reads

I really think it would be a good idea to begin an archive of what we've read over the past 5 years. What if everyone brings a list of what they personally have suggested for reading over the years to Amanda's house on Wednesday night, and then we can compile it and give it to Clara to post here. We can then play "Fill-in-the-Blanks" if we need to, as well. What do you think?

Middlemarch in May

Apparently the weather this month is cooperating to help us feel more of an English countryside atmosphere. I apologize for any influence my book choice may have had on the weather, but hopefully by next week, things will be a bit more warm. Just as a reminder, book club will be held this coming Wednesday (25th) at my place at 7 p.m. For any of you who need my address, or don't know how to get here, just email me and I'll send my address to you. (I feel a little funny about posting in on the web.)

In the meantime, I wanted to share some of my latest finds from the book. Some of the writing is just so darned romantic, I love it!

From a conversation between Will Ladislaw and Rosamond:[from Rosamond]:

'I quite envy your acquaintance with Mrs. Casaubon. Is she very clever? She looks as if she were.'

'Really, I never thought about it,' said Will, sulkily.

'That is just the answer Tertius gave me, when I first asked him if she were handsome. What is it that you gentlemeen are thinking of when you are with Mrs. Casaubon?'

'Herself,' said Will, not indisposed to provoke the charming Mrs. Lydgate.

'When one sees a perfect woman, one never thinks of her attributes--one is
conscious of her presence.'

'I shall be jealous when Tertius goes to Lowick,' said Rosamond,
dimpling, and speaking with aery lightness. 'He will come back and think nothing
of me.'

'That does not seem to have been the effect on Lydate hitherto. Mrs.
Casaubon is too unlike other women for them to be compared with
her.'

And please bear with me on another:

"Everything seemed dreary . . . even the spring flowers and the grass had a dull shiver in them under the afternoon clouds that hid the sun fitfully: even the sustaining thoughts which had become habits seemed to have in them the weariness of long future days in which she would still live with them for her sole companions. It was another or rather a fuller sort of companionship that
poor Dorothea was hungering for, and the hunger had grown from the perpetual effort demanded by her married life. She was always trying to be what her husband wished, and never able to repose on his delihgt in what she was. The thing that she liked, that she spontaneously cared to have, seemed to be always excluded from her life; for if it was only granted and not shared by her husband it might as well have been denied. About Will Ladislaw there had been a difference between them from the first, and it had ended . . . This afternoon the helplessness was more wretchedly benumbing than ever: she longed for objects who could be dear to her, and to whom she could be dear. She longed for work which would be directly beneficent like the sunshine and the rain, and now it appeared that she was to live more and more in a virtual tomb, where there was the apparatus of a ghastly labour producing what would never see the light. To-day she had stood at the door of the tomb and seen Will Ladislaw receing into the distant world of warm activity and fellowship--turning his face towards her
as he went."

What great writing!

Middlemarch Quotes

I was doing a little bedtime research and came across this review from the Atlantic Monthly, April 1873, by Arthur George Sedgwick.  I love the Internet.  
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/classrev/middlema.htm

Here are a couple of his thoughts:

"That she is an acute delineator of character, a subtle humorist, a master of English, a universal observer and a comprehensive student, a profound moralist,--all this is part of her established reputation."

"The destiny which surrounds her characters, which leads to their several allotted ends ............... is the compounded destiny of natural laws, character, and accident which we call life. It leaves nothing out of view; neither the material nor the moral forces; neither the immutable fixity of physical succession, nor the will. Man is, in these novels, neither a creature who controls nor who is controlled by nature; he is himself part of nature."

And here are a few of my favorite quotes from the narration of the book:

"Has anyone ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintanceship?"

"Sane people did what their neighbors did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them."

"Mary was fond of her own thoughts, and could amuse herself well sitting in twilight with her hands in her lap; for, having early had strong reason to believe that things were not likely to be arranged for her particular satisfaction, she wasted no time in astonishment and annoyance at that fact.  And she had already come to take life very much as a comedy in which she had a proud, nay, a generous resolution not to act the mean or treacherous part."

"If youth is the season of hope, it is often so only in the sense that our elders are hopeful about us; for no age is so apt as youth to think its emotions, partings, and resolves are the last of their kind.  Each crisis seems final, simply because it is new.  We are told that the oldest inhabitants in Peru do not cease to be agitated by the earthquakes, but they probably see beyond each shock and reflect that there are  plenty more to come."

"Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible.  Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth.  But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive:  for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully in hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs."

OK, I love this book and have read it several times.   I am jealous of Eliot's ability to use the stories and lives of her individual characters to illustrate broad truths about human nature and interaction.  I also must share, that I love her sentence structure and masterful use of punctuation. :)  The use of the semi-colon is a lost art, and the comma is somewhat neglected these days, too. 

Happy reading!

PS  The Jane Eyre outing really helped me put to rest my  'issues' with Charlotte Bronte.  I used it as an excuse to play hooky from wedding prep to reread the book, do a little research, and to discuss it in the car-thanks for listening, friends.  I still don't love it, but I think I understand it better- and, the movie was lovely. 

A Date with Shakespeare

The final dates for the Shakespeare getaway, (and whatever else you'd like to do in St. George getaway!) will be August 4-7. So, put it on your calendars and get your fake tans ready, 'cuz Dixie, here we come!

Thursday movie night to see Jane Eyre!

Hello Ladies,

I just returned home from China on Friday night, and immediately called Emily the next day to figure out a time to see Jane Eyre. In order to keep family distruptions to a minimum, we thought that going Thursday night (May 5) at about 9:30 p.m. might work. That way, we could put our kids to bed and head out.

Fortunately enough, Jordan Commons is now carrying the film, so we won't have to drive too far. So, who's in? I've heard it's really good . . .

Amanda

p.s. - Speaking of film adaptions of classics, I just saw the preview of the Atlas Shrugged, Part 1. Though I've always been fairly skeptical of how one could adequately adapt that book to film, the preview honestly looks awesome! We might need to later do another book club movie night, part deux.

If you liked Outliers...

Hello Ladies- Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at my house. (14047 Pine Mesa) Hopefully you are enjoying Outliers.  I thought I might list some of my favs that are similar in content and feel in case you want to read more in this genre.  See you tomorrow- Kerstin

NurtureShock
by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

Supposedly the latest and greatest parenting book out there. It's sort of like Outliers but focused on parenting. Two journalists gathered the latest studies relating to raising/teaching children. It isn't really a "how to" book but it has a lot of fascinating ideas and it really made me think about things I can do better. (Something I love in any book.)

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking

By Malcolm Gladwell
I've been reading a lot of Gladwell in the last year and I'm definitely a fan of his work. This book wasn't as good as The Tipping Point or  Outliers, but it was still interesting. The main topic is rapid cognition thinking or relying on first impressions and our adaptive unconscious.  Pretty interesting stuff. 

Freakanomics by Steven D Leavitt and Stephen J Dubner- THIS IS THE BETTER OF THE FREAKANOMICS BOOKS

The results of an economist and columnist researching a random sprinkling of topics. The authors explore how incentives matter and how actions have unintended consequences.  It is hilarious.  I was a little traumatized over the chapter on the importance of choosing the right name for your child.

SuperFreakanomics
By Steven D Leavitt and Stephen J Dubner 

 I enjoyed the chapters on global warming and car seats the most. It was entertaining and well written but the research feels random for randomness sake. They were trying a little too hard this time. I liked the book but not nearly as much as the first one. Maybe it's because it isn't as much of a surprise to me this time around 

What the Dog Saw is a collection of Malcolm Gladwell's New Yorker columns written during the same time period as his first three books. I have a bit of love/hate relationship with books made up of newspaper or magazine columns. I always end up bored and enthralled even by the best writers. The first three chapters of this book nearly bored me to tears but then there were chapters I found absolutely fascinating. The chapter on hair dye and its impact on feminism was great. The chapter on the cost of homelessness in America was witty and intriguing. I also enjoyed the chapters on the inventor of birth control and the fall of Enron. The whole last section of the book is great.

 

The Tipping Point- It's a business book the same way Freakanomics (a book I LOVED) is about economics. The book basically talks about how to start an epidemic in your business but it talks about everything from the broken window theory, selling ipods, or the aids epidemic to how painting subway cars in New York City supposedly dropped the crime rate almost overnight. It was fascinating and well written and I recommend it to anyone. I'm not sure how it applies to my business but still a great read.

First meeting

I am looking forward to joining you for my first meeting with the Cosmopolitan Book Club! Can I bring anything?

Jane Eyre

I am sure most of you know by now how much I like Jane Eyre-which is not much.  I won't bore you with a repeat of the details- I am completely comfortable in standing by myself on this.  However, I am planning on seeing the new movie.  Amanda has expressed a desire to go when she gets back from China and I hope we can put together a group outing.  To get us all thinking about it, here is a quote from a recent review of the film: 
"To be sure, the dark hero of the story, Rochester, is not a vampire, but that’s only a technicality."
Hee Hee....I could not have said it better myself!!  The review goes on to make the movie sound pretty great.  I am looking forward to it.  For the rest of the review-Jane Eyre Plumbs the Gothic Depths, by Roger Ebert- click here:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1237531.html

Clara had a great idea!

Clara had an idea that maybe we could post some of the books that are on our 'To Read' lists so that in case anyone is having a hard time choosing a book for book club or just looking for a good book in general, they will have a great reference list.  Maybe we could just post our lists on the blog so they will always be available and easily accessed?  Just a thought :).  Looking forward to seeing you all again :).

Book Announcement for May

Hello Fellow Bookworms!

As I have been ruminating upon my book choice for May, I have been itching for another classic. And, since there is one that I have long wanted to read, I figured I would venture in that direction. Seeing as the book itself is a bit on the longish side (i.e. 800 pages), I thought you might appreciate some advance notice. So, here you go.

The book I have chosen for May is Middlemarch, by George Eliot. Eliot was actually a woman, whose real name was Mary Anne Evans. The book was extremely popular when it was written in its several installments, and has since found its place as one of the greatest English novels of all time--particularly when viewed through the lens of other English authors, (such as Virginia Woolf, for instance).

I was first introduced to the book via its BBC film adaption that I saw several years ago. The film has long stayed with me, and when the book was brought up in an unexpected place, (a BYU Education Week class on mothering), it intrigued me all the more.

For those of you who might be intimidated by the length of the book, I think now is a good time to introduce you to one of my latest and greatest finds: Librivox. This is an free online source of mp3 recordings of books that are held in the public domain. (It is compatible with an IPOD). I initially used this when I recently read Jane Eyre, and found it incredibly useful. Just in the last couple of days I've listened to well over 100 pages as I've been cleaning my kitchen or doing laundry. It's fabulous!

Also, speaking of free downloads, for those of you who haven't noticed the Salt Lake County Library website, there is a free service available to all library card holders. It's called Freegal, and it allows you to get 3 free music downloads a week when you input your library card number and pin. That may not sound like much, but I use all of our library cards, which adds up to a lot of free downloads for a whole family. If you get on there and look around, you'll be amazed how much available music there is. I've downloaded everything from Carrie Underwood, to Jascha Heifetz playing the Beethoven vln concerto, to the Backyardigans. Fun stuff . . .

Also, speaking of fun and (previously) Jane Eyre, there's a new film adaption of the book out, and it looks fabulous! Anyone interested in going? I can't think of anyone I'd rather see the movie with more than with my book club . . .

Bell Organic

Hi Ladies- As requested, here is a link to the farm I get my vegetable and cheese shares from.
http://www.bellorganic.com/
The produce is fabulous and the cheese divine. It's community supported agriculture right here in Draper and local cheese makers. The early spring shares are already sold out but they still have summer shares left.

April

Hello Ladies- The April bookclub will be at my house (14047 Pine Mesa) on April 27th. We are reading Outliers. Happy reading!

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell is a New Yorker columnist who has written 4 books (all of which I have read and loved.) His work tends to be more of a political/economical commentary than a story but I think it would provide interesting discussion topics. Outliers is a fascinating look at what sets people apart from each other. How kismet translate to success in the modern world. Gladwell suggests that things like timing, income level, and culture contribute as much to a person's success as hard work and tenacity do. "These are stories, [about] people who were given a special opportunity to work really hard and seized it, and who happened to come of age at a time when that extraordinary effort was rewarded by the rest of society. Their success was not just of their own making. It was a product of the world in which they grew up." Gladwell points out "steady accumulations of advantages" that seem to add up to success in business and education.

Who has my library copy?

Hi Ladies,

I just got an email notice about my library copy of the Happiness Project being due back at the library by tomorrow. Do we know who as it at this point?

thanks,

Amanda

movie, anyone?

i finally bought a copy of the excellent film version of shakespeare's twelvth night. would anyone like to get together, maybe next week, and watch it? i also bought kenneth branaugh's a misummer's night dream...

OK, I know this is nuts, but I have already selected our June book. An easy, breezy read with a high literary interest factor :) It's called The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. A story told from the perspective of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. Below is a website promoting the book and a link to a review from USA Today (spoiler alerts-but you'll still want to read the book!)

-Arna

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/reviews/2011-02-22-mclainrev22_ST_N.htm

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/features/paula_mclain/index.php

Who has a copy of THP book available that I can borrow?

Thanks for inviting me to join - this is my first blog experience so it took me a little while to work up the courage to do it! What book are you reading and when are you going to review it?

Hi gals,

Happened upon an interesting little interview on NPR about a concept called GNH (Gross National Happiness) in a little country called Bhutan...the concept is spreading apparently. It ties in with our March book. Check out the link below.

Arna

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127586501

Outliers

By the way, Outliers was such a facinating read...I couldn't put it down! Great suggestion, Kerstin!

book copies

I have just finished Outliers, and am half-way thru THP, and will let you all know when I have it available. Anyone interested in Outliers? I think Marty's almost done with it, too, so I could get it to someone after this weekend?...

Two Copies of "The Happiness Project" Available!

Hi ladies,

I'm done with Alicia's copy, and have another that I just picked up from the library. Anyone interested?

-- Amanda

Just got my copy in the mail tonight.

Anyone who would like to borrow my copy of the Happiness Project, just let me know.  My email is alijwest@gmail.com or you can call me 801-541-0476. 

Shakespeare Festival

Okay, ladies, after a wonderful book club night, I'm happy to discuss further our plans for The Great Shakespeare Getaway. If Arna has meetings the 2-3 of Aug, what if we took off on the 4th, and planned to stay thru that weekend in August, coming back on the 7th? I still have to check with Marty about the High Adventure dates, etc., but lets all check our schedules and see if this is even a remote possibility. I can schedule the house in May, I think.

Having just looked on the Festival web-site, www.bard.org, they are doing A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard III, and Romeo and Juliet (which I have never seen on stage!), as well as The Music Man (FUN!), The Glass Menagerie and Dial M for Murder. The summer schedule goes thru Sept. 3, so we could hit most of those, or any combination of them, in 3 days.:) Plus, swimming, golfing, hiking, a trip to the spa...oh! Precious Bane! When shall winter be over!

(And, yes, no baby yet...)

Also, I put a hold on both Outliers and The Happinees Project. I have not gotten THP yet, but Ouliers came in yesterday, and have started reading it...Facinating read. I think its going to be a great discussion book:) I'm excited to get THP and read it, too! Thanks, Alicia, for providing all the info from the author. What a great idea!

Precious Book Club

It was wonderful to be at book club last night...all elements, from food, setting, friends, and freaky anecdotes only added depth to the experience of reading Webb's charming book.
Rachel, I have summer workshops on August 2,3, 9-11; then I start back full time with teacher meetings on August 16. I can drive down on my own should that be necessary (or perhaps fly!) if someone could pick me up at the airport in St. George.
Thank you for putting this opportunity out there for us. I find I need less therapy and anti-depressants when I have these experiences with wise and witty women! (I'm serious!)
Arna
P.S. I vote for Outliers :)

Book for March: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

This will be the book for March.  Book club will be Wednesday, March 30th at 7:00 p.m. at my house.  My address is 14023 Hawberry Road.  I will be making desserts but I may throw in something savory just so we are not on sugar overload for the rest of the evening.  I also emailed the author and she sent me a list of book club questions.  While, I don't think it would be fun to go through the list systematically, I do think that having the questions in mind for book club could be fun.  Here they are:

1. Gretchen argues throughout The Happiness Project that striving to be happy is a worthy, not selfish, goal. Do you agree? Do you think that Gretchen was right, or not, to devote so much time and attention to her own happiness? Do you spend much time thinking about your happiness?
2. The Happiness Project is packed with quotations. Which quotation resonated most with you? Do you have a quotation that has been particularly meaningful in your own life—that you’ve included in your email signature or taped to your desk, for example?
3. One of Gretchen’s resolutions is to “Imitate a spiritual master.” Do you have a spiritual master? Who is it? Gretchen was surprised to realize that St. Therese of Lisieux was her master. Do you know why you identify with your spiritual master?
4. Gretchen observes that “Outer order contributes to inner calm,” and many of her resolutions are aimed at clutter-clearing. Do you agree that clutter affects your happiness?
5. One of Gretchen’s main arguments is that “You’re not happy unless you think you’re happy,” and she spends a lot of time thinking about her happiness. However, many important figures have argued just the opposite; for example, John Stuart Mill wrote, “Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.” What do you think? Does striving for happiness make you happier? Or does it make happiness more elusive?
6. Did reading this book make you want to try one of the resolutions? Which one?
7. A criticism of The Happiness Project might be that writing a “year of…” book is gimmicky. Did you like the “experiment for a year” approach, or did it strike you as a cliché? Why do you think so many authors are drawn to this structure?
8. Many memoirs recount the author’s struggle to be happiness in the face of a major challenge like cancer, divorce, an unhappy childhood, massive weight loss, and the like. In the book’s opening, Gretchen admits that she has always been pretty happy. Did you find her reflections on happiness helpful, nevertheless? Or do you think it’s more valuable to read an account by someone facing more difficulties?
9. Gretchen writes, “Everyone’s happiness project will be different.” How would your happiness project be different from Gretchen’s? How might it be the same?
10. What was the one most valuable thing you learned from The Happiness Project about happiness—for yourself?

There is also a discussion list for spiritual book clubs.  I think that the questions are really great too so here they are:




1. Gretchen Rubin observes that “Everyone’s happiness project will be different.” How do your spiritual beliefs shape your concept of happiness? How would your happiness project reflect those beliefs?
2. Gretchen emphasizes that resolutions seem to work best when they’re concrete and manageable. What concrete, manageable resolutions might you undertake to give spiritual values more emphasis in your ordinary life? For example, you might choose to keep the Sabbath technology-free.
3. Consider the resolution to “Imitate a spiritual master.” Who’s your spiritual master? Why? What are some concrete, simple ways to weave your spiritual master’s teachings into your usual routine?
4. Now choose a spiritual master from outside your own faith. What attracted you to this figure? What does this spiritual master teach you about your own beliefs? Even though Gretchen isn’t Catholic, she realized that St. Therese of Lisieux is her spiritual master.
5. What books have given you the most insight and encouragement in your spiritual development?
6. Gretchen points out that rituals and traditions play an important part in a happy life, and of course, they’re a key element in religious and spiritual practice. Do you agree that they play an important role—or not? How might you give greater prominence to observations of spiritual rituals and traditions in your life?
7. Did reading The Happiness Project make you want to try one of the resolutions? Which one?
8. Where do you feel most spiritually awake? When you’re praying by yourself, singing in choir, walking in nature, meditating in your living room, checking on your sleeping family, developing a deeper understanding through study?
9. Gretchen observed, “When life was taking its ordinary course, it was hard to remember what really mattered.” Do you find that true, for yourself? What resolutions might you adopt to keep “what really matters” in the forefront of your ordinary life?
10. Gretchen describes her Twelve Personal Commandments. What would your Personal Commandments be?
11. Gratitude, mindfulness, service, obedience, study, enthusiasm, humility, selflessness, faith, and kindness are among the virtues emphasized in spiritual practice. When she was starting her happiness project, Gretchen reflected, “I think if I felt happier, I’d behave better.” Do you think being happier helps you to be more virtuous? Or is happiness beside the point?

Thank you Emily!

Thank you so much Emily!  The food was AMAZING as was the discussion this evening.  Thank you for choosing such a provoking book :).

A Thought...

Can I just say that I am so happy that we have the blog up and running. I have come to enjoy the posts and discussion here so much. I find that I'm checking up on the blog just as much as I do my personal email, in hopes that there is a new post about something we're reading, or just some intriguing conversation. Thank you to all of you intelligent, amazing ladies! I'm truly fortunate to count you all as good friends. I learn so much from your thoughtfulness, your skills and strengths, and your passions about book and all other good things. If anyone ever has a desire to "review" or discuss some classical music, please let me know:) Thats my (not-so-secret) love! But I'm learning so much from listening to, and participating in, the lively discussions about books, and I am so grateful for that!

On a side-note, I don't host until the fall, so LONG ways away, but I just picked up the CUTEST book: The Sweetness as the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley. Has anyone read it? I don't know if I'll choose it or not, but if anyone has aready read it, I'd love to chat about it. I am totally charmed with 11-year-old Flavia de Luce!

On ANOTHER side-note, I am tentatively hatching a plan in my head: to have a "Back-to-School" Book Club St. George retreat in August, and we all head down to the Bodell's place and attend a few days of the Shakespeare Festiveal in Cedar City, and get some good hiking/climbing in before the school-year starts! I know that is 6 months away, but in our busy lives, we need to plan ahead.:) It's only a plan in my head, but I thought I'd share it, and see where it goes. I'd probably try to plan it in early August, so that Arna could join us before she has to go back to work. Lets discuss at Emily's next Wednesday...

Is it crazy that I don't want to have my baby until AFTER book club next week?!?

Books For April

Here are my reviews of two books I'm thinking about for April-any comments on what people would rather read and discuss would be appreciated!

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

By David Sheff

A grueling and heartbreaking read. I think it is fair to say that just about everyone I know has had a drug addict in their life in some capacity. We are all affected by this insane siege of evil that seems to be destroying families everywhere. I admire Sheff's candid writing and found his journey riveting and disturbing. It is agonizing to go through each triumph and each relapse in the book. It tears at your heart. His denial, his guilt and his struggle to believe in hope is hard to read. Sheff battles his own demons as he tried to save his son and comes to understand and accept the disease of addiction. I think the book is incredibly honest and I'm planning on reading Sheff's son Nic's book Tweak about the same journey but through his own perspective.

I think it could provide an interesting discussion on pop culture, parenting and the current drug culture.

From Publishers Weekly

Expanding on his New York Times Magazine article, Sheff chronicles his son's downward spiral into addiction and the impact on him and his family. A bright, capable teenager, Nic began trying mind- and mood-altering substances when he was 17. In months, use became abuse, then abuse became addiction. By the time Sheff knew of his son's condition, Nic was strung out on meth, the highly potent stimulant. While his son struggles to get clean, his second wife and two younger children are pulled helplessly into the drama. Sheff, as the parent of an addict, cycles through denial and acceptance and resistance. The author was already a journalist of considerable standing when this painful story began to unfold, and his impulse for detail serves him personally as well as professionally: there are hard, solid facts about meth and the kinds of havoc it wreaks on individuals, families and communities both urban and rural. His journey is long and harrowing, but Sheff does not spare himself or anyone else from keen professional scrutiny any more than he was himself spared the pains—and joys—of watching a loved one struggling with addiction and recovery. Real recovery creates—and can itself be—its own reward; this is an honest, hopeful book, coming at a propitious moment in the meth epidemic.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell is a New Yorker columnist who has written 4 books (all of which I have read and loved.) His work tends to be more of a political/economical commentary than a story but I think it would provide interesting discussion topics. Outliers is a fascinating look at what sets people apart from each other. How kismet translate to success in the modern world. Gladwell suggests that things like timing, income level, and culture contribute as much to a person's success as hard work and tenacity do. "These are stories, [about] people who were given a special opportunity to work really hard and seized it, and who happened to come of age at a time when that extraordinary effort was rewarded by the rest of society. Their success was not just of their own making. It was a product of the world in which they grew up." Gladwell points out "steady accumulations of advantages" that seem to add up to success in business and education.

Obviously this book appeals to me on a business level but it also makes me think about opportunities in my personal life. Plus- the stories about how huge mogals and well respected people have made themselves stand apart are fascinating. Outliers makes me wonder what kind of cultural legacy I am leaving with my kids, how I can create opportunities for them and what unknown factors are going to affect them. Basically the same stuff I've been stressing about for years. The environmental minutiae I can't even fathom, let alone control.

From Publishers Weekly

SignatureReviewed by Leslie ChangIn Outliers, Gladwell (The Tipping Point) once again proves masterful in a genre he essentially pioneered—the book that illuminates secret patterns behind everyday phenomena. His gift for spotting an intriguing mystery, luring the reader in, then gradually revealing his lessons in lucid prose, is on vivid display. Outliers begins with a provocative look at why certain five-year-old boys enjoy an advantage in ice hockey, and how these advantages accumulate over time. We learn what Bill Gates, the Beatles and Mozart had in common: along with talent and ambition, each enjoyed an unusual opportunity to intensively cultivate a skill that allowed them to rise above their peers. A detailed investigation of the unique culture and skills of Eastern European Jewish immigrants persuasively explains their rise in 20th-century New York, first in the garment trade and then in the legal profession. Through case studies ranging from Canadian junior hockey champions to the robber barons of the Gilded Age, from Asian math whizzes to software entrepreneurs to the rise of his own family in Jamaica, Gladwell tears down the myth of individual merit to explore how culture, circumstance, timing, birth and luck account for success—and how historical legacies can hold others back despite ample individual gifts. Even as we know how many of these stories end, Gladwell restores the suspense and serendipity to these narratives that make them fresh and surprising.One hazard of this genre is glibness. In seeking to understand why Asian children score higher on math tests, Gladwell explores the persistence and painstaking labor required to cultivate rice as it has been done in East Asia for thousands of years; though fascinating in its details, the study does not prove that a rice-growing heritage explains math prowess, as Gladwell asserts. Another pitfall is the urge to state the obvious: No one, Gladwell concludes in a chapter comparing a high-IQ failure named Chris Langan with the brilliantly successful J. Robert Oppenheimer, not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires and not even geniuses—ever makes it alone. But who in this day and age believes that a high intelligence quotient in itself promises success? In structuring his book against that assumption, Gladwell has set up a decidedly flimsy straw man. In the end it is the seemingly airtight nature of Gladwell's arguments that works against him. His conclusions are built almost exclusively on the findings of others—sociologists, psychologists, economists, historians—yet he rarely delves into the methodology behind those studies. And he is free to cherry-pick those cases that best illustrate his points; one is always left wondering about the data he evaluated and rejected because it did not support his argument, or perhaps contradicted it altogether. Real life is seldom as neat as it appears in a Malcolm Gladwell book. (Nov.)Leslie T. Chang is the author of Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China (Spiegel & Grau).
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Anyone need the book?

I just finished the book last night, and boy, am I itching to talk about it with someone! I have Amanda's copy, so if someone needs a copy, let me know

Another Quote

I haven't finished yet, but here's a line that I just loved:

Ah! Those be the ways grouse laugh, and that was how I laughed in those days. But now I sit here between the hearth and the window, with tea brewing for one that will be home afore sundown, and the clouds standing upon the mountains, and when I laugh, I laugh easy, like the woodpecker in spring...Ah, the woodpecker's a good laugher, and the laughter's sweet as a sound nut. If we can laugh so at the end of long living, we've not lived in vain.

Lovely idea, Cami

Here is one of my favs:

"I got together all the pails and buckets, and thought it seemed a pitiful thing that with all that great mere full of water we could only slake our fire with as much as we could get into our little buckets.  And I've thought since that when folk grumble about this and that and be not happy, it is not the fault of creation, that is like a vast mere full of good, but it is the fault of their bucket's smallness."

Quotes

Loved the book! I thought it might be fun to build "hype" for our next meeting by sharing some of our favorite quotes.

Here's one I have found myself thinking about:

"He was ever a strong man, which is almost the same, times, as to say, a man with little time for kindness. For if you stop to be kind, you must swerve often from your path. So when folk tell me of this great man and that great man, I think to myself, Who was stinted of joy for his glory? How many old folk and children did his coach wheels go over? What bridal lacked his song, and what mourner his tears, that he found time to climb so high?"

Enjoying Precious Bane sooo much

For those of you who haven't started Precious Bane yet, its fabulous. Emily, I have to laugh because so much of the "language" of the characters reminds me of the lilt and clip of the Newfoundlander:). i was afraid I would struggle to follow, but, alas, I find myself reading something that seems strangely familiar.

Sorry I missed Chinese New Year! I have now put the blog to favorites, and will begin checking daily what is going on!

Alicia, I'm so glad you posted your book choice early. This is exactly what I hoped a Blog could do for us! Thanks!

Rach

We are celebrating Chinese New Year at my house with spring rolls prepared by Lance and screenings of Mulan and Eat, Drink, Man, Woman.  Coincidentally, we have also been following the publicity that has followed the publication of Amy Chua's book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother-a description of her 'Chinese' parenting style.  I haven't decided to read it, but the debate has been 'amusing and diverting' as well as somewhat stimulating.  Has anyone actually read it-or does anyone plan to?  

Here is Amazon's page(with publisher descriptions)

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Hymn-Tiger-Mother-Chua/dp/1594202842
This is a commentary that resonated with me:    http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2043298,00.html
I also enjoyed Steven Colbert's interview with Chua: 
http://tv.gawker.com/#!5743483/tiger-mother-amy-chua-defends-herself-to-stephen-colbert

Pretty much every news and commentary outlet has covered this-check out your favorite: npr, cnn, etc, etc.  And, Kevin and his colleagues have been sending ideas and commentaries about it around by email and chewing it over from their professional points of view.

Any thoughts from all you smart, ambitious and devoted mothers?  Which animal describes your parenting? 

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture

Just thought I would share. It was a fascinating book and I'm sure it would provoke a great discussion but I feel like I can't recommend it for April because of some strong language in some of the quotes and a couple chapters that I didn't make it through. I would however love to discuss it with anyone else who has read it!

I loved the first chapter about the rise of raunch culture and the decline of the women's liberation movement. Women have become equal opportunity chauvinists. It's as if someone said we couldn't be seen as equals of men so we decided to become "one of the guys." Women can objectify other women just as well as other men. Women wear accessoires emblazoned with playboy bunny logo. Porn stars like Jenna Jameson and Paris Hilton are idolized. Girls Gone Wild has become an empire built on women desperate for attention. These are not the self confident, powerful free individuals that the women's liberation movement fought for. It's an important topic for women to address and I feel like it is especially important because I am raising two daughters. The pervading raunch culture is not what I want for them...

Read More

Book for March

Hi ladies, I hope it's not too early to decide on the book for March.  It has been really hard for me to pick something.  I would like to choose, The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.  I am reading it now (along with Precious Bane (sooo good!)) and I really feel like this is the book I'm supposed to choose.  If you have read it before for Book Club, let me know though and I will choose something else. 

Calendar for 2011

February - Emily Sherman 
March - Alicia West
April - Kerstin Olcott
May - Amanda Oaks
June - Arna Clark
July - Tara Walker 
August - Jamie Brough
September - Rachel Bodell
October - Ana Fraga
November - Cami Talbot
December - Daphne McGill


If you are not on the calendar for this year, but are dying to host, leave a comment and we'll switch it up.

Precious Bane by Mary Webb

For February 2011, we will read Precious Bane by Mary Webb. 

       This is my favorite novel of all time- which, somewhat oddly,  makes me feel vulnerable.  I am still trying to figure out why this is so-where is Wendy when we need an analysis? :) Actually, I do have some ideas that perhaps I will share when we meet.  That way I can test whether my reactions are my own sentimental journey or possibly similar to universal aspects of life, love and the human experience.  I try to read Precious Bane once a year so that the imagery, symbolism and language can inform my thoughts and feelings continually.

        Mary Webb was an English romantic novelist and poet who wrote during the first quarter of the 20th century.  She was a contemparary of C.S. Lewis.  Amusingly, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons-which we read a while ago-is a parody of her stories. 

        I mispoke yesterday at lunch, the title is actually taken from Milton's Paradise Lost:

                                              

Let none admire

That riches grow in Hell; that Soyle may best

Deserve the precious bane.

         I encourage you all to read the novel first and then do some research if you are so inclined.  All articles I have seen, including the forward in the current edition of the book, contain specific plot details.  In my opinion, previewing the characters and these details will spoil the dramatic tension of the story for a first-time reader.

         I did some checking:  the library does have a copy, which I have placed on hold.  I will post if I actually get it.  I have one lending copy.  Otherwise, it is available in paperback on Amazon.  Barnes and Noble may actually carry it in the store- I will check.  For your planning, I would not describe it as a quick read unless you can tie your family in a closet and devote yourself to it entirely for a few days.  And, when I first read it, I looked up a number of words.  These words are readable in context, but I wanted to make sure as it is written in the local dialect of Shropshire in the early 1800's. 

        Whether or not you love the book as I do, I think it will make for a great discussion of both the story itself and of how it relates to our own experiences.  It has some of everything:  history, women's issues, love, romance, treachery, villainy, nature, Christian imagery, symbolism, the supernatural, etc, etc.

        Happy Reading!  See you on February 23, at 7pm!

Emily