December Book Exchange Discussion
Thursday January 4th, 2007
Location: Marci's House at 6:00 pm
Kristine finished two books over break: Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Island by Gary Paulsen. However she is still reading Tomcat in Love by Tim O'Brien as recommended by Larry for her Dec. book exchange book. She found that she was unable to empathize with the narrator and liked the bits with Viet Nam best. He is a bit of a scoundrel and she is hoping that the book will resolve itself by the ending (Larry assures us it will, though he points out that our "Tomcat" becomes less likeable as the story goes on). Ultimately Kristine is determined to find out if Lorna Sue (Tom's ex-wife) is, in fact, involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother... Hmmmm......
Larry is reading Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Lardvick as recommended by Pam. It's Lardvick's first novel and it focuses on two sisters in Minnesota who have faced hardship and loss and bond to form a collective strength and a hair salon. In some ways it compares to Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes in spirit and to Steel Magnolias with its fellowship of women gathered in a hair salon. Larry read part one and had to put the book down to deal with the almost predictable plot-driven tragedies... "It was almost melodramatic--it grosses me out!" were the words he used. However part two is where the salon comes in and the women begin to rebuild their lives. Larry's connection to the story can be found in his own memories of his mother's hair salon that was part of his childhood home... smelling of permanent waves and housing a Coke machine full of those curvy cold Coke bottles.
Marci read about 1/3 of The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter as recommended by Judy. So far she likes it but doesn't "love it." The thing she DID enjoy was the different perspectives on the various love stories. Feast of Love is a book about writing a book and that was somewhat annoying to Judy when she first read it, but later it all gets even more connected and that makes it better. She was glad she read it and Marci is eager to finish it as well. Marci thought she might still try to read Picture Bride by Yoshika Uchida as recommended by Judy.
Carmyn read W;t by Margaret Edson as recommended by Kristine. This play is typical in its brevity but powerful in its message. I really enjoyed it and am thinking about buying a copy for myself. I had once seen a few minutes of the film version of the play starring Emma Thompson and oddly enough the bit I'd seen ended up being one of my favorite bits. The one thing I regretted is that I didn't know as much about John Donne as I ought. I felt that this book was one that explored the ideas of life and death and illness and regret, but it also emphasized the power of literature. Now, I'm afraid I'll need to start to study Donne's poetry. I also started the The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez as recommended by Pam but am only about 1/3 of the way through the book. I was just consumed by reading a biography of Woody Guthrie over break and that left far too little time for other reads. I still plan to at least "taste" The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs as recommended by Kristine.
Judy read The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich as recommended by Larry. This book is different from the typical Erdrich in that it is initially set in New Hampshire. The story begins with some nominally Native American folk who live there and it connects to North Dakota with the drum which one of the main characters steals from an estate sale in order to return it to its home in North Dakota... a sort of spiritual quest. Since Judy LOVES Erdrich books she wasn't disappointed and though it didn't take the place of her favorite (Tracks) it was a pleasure to read Erdrich's latest.
Pam read The Chill by Ross MacDonald as recommended by Carmyn and she really appreciated the older style of mystery: the sort that gets solved not by CSI teams or forensic squads but by interviews, questioning and old fashioned putting two and two together. Her other book was The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland as recommended by Marci.
Thursday January 4th, 2007
Location: Marci's House at 6:00 pm
The Food:
Soup season continues
Judy brought a roasted pepper bean soup. We drank wines brought by Larry and Kristine. Carmyn brought sour dough and french bread from the Dakota Harvest Bakery, and Marci provided a yummy spinach dip and fresh veggies. Pam and her dessert were missed but Marci found some jam and so we had jam and bread for dessert as we sat by the fire and discussed our books from the exchange.
The Books:
One theme emerged.... few of us had time to read all the delicious books we brought home from the last meeting. Christmas vacation always seems like such a gift of days upon days off and then the reality hits and well.... only Judy completely finished her selection: The Painted Drum. Though I did finish ONE of my three options, Wit and Pam, who couldn't make it, did finish one of hers as well: The Chill.Soup season continues
Judy brought a roasted pepper bean soup. We drank wines brought by Larry and Kristine. Carmyn brought sour dough and french bread from the Dakota Harvest Bakery, and Marci provided a yummy spinach dip and fresh veggies. Pam and her dessert were missed but Marci found some jam and so we had jam and bread for dessert as we sat by the fire and discussed our books from the exchange.
The Books:
Kristine finished two books over break: Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Island by Gary Paulsen. However she is still reading Tomcat in Love by Tim O'Brien as recommended by Larry for her Dec. book exchange book. She found that she was unable to empathize with the narrator and liked the bits with Viet Nam best. He is a bit of a scoundrel and she is hoping that the book will resolve itself by the ending (Larry assures us it will, though he points out that our "Tomcat" becomes less likeable as the story goes on). Ultimately Kristine is determined to find out if Lorna Sue (Tom's ex-wife) is, in fact, involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother... Hmmmm......
Larry is reading Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Lardvick as recommended by Pam. It's Lardvick's first novel and it focuses on two sisters in Minnesota who have faced hardship and loss and bond to form a collective strength and a hair salon. In some ways it compares to Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes in spirit and to Steel Magnolias with its fellowship of women gathered in a hair salon. Larry read part one and had to put the book down to deal with the almost predictable plot-driven tragedies... "It was almost melodramatic--it grosses me out!" were the words he used. However part two is where the salon comes in and the women begin to rebuild their lives. Larry's connection to the story can be found in his own memories of his mother's hair salon that was part of his childhood home... smelling of permanent waves and housing a Coke machine full of those curvy cold Coke bottles.
Marci read about 1/3 of The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter as recommended by Judy. So far she likes it but doesn't "love it." The thing she DID enjoy was the different perspectives on the various love stories. Feast of Love is a book about writing a book and that was somewhat annoying to Judy when she first read it, but later it all gets even more connected and that makes it better. She was glad she read it and Marci is eager to finish it as well. Marci thought she might still try to read Picture Bride by Yoshika Uchida as recommended by Judy.
Carmyn read W;t by Margaret Edson as recommended by Kristine. This play is typical in its brevity but powerful in its message. I really enjoyed it and am thinking about buying a copy for myself. I had once seen a few minutes of the film version of the play starring Emma Thompson and oddly enough the bit I'd seen ended up being one of my favorite bits. The one thing I regretted is that I didn't know as much about John Donne as I ought. I felt that this book was one that explored the ideas of life and death and illness and regret, but it also emphasized the power of literature. Now, I'm afraid I'll need to start to study Donne's poetry. I also started the The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez as recommended by Pam but am only about 1/3 of the way through the book. I was just consumed by reading a biography of Woody Guthrie over break and that left far too little time for other reads. I still plan to at least "taste" The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs as recommended by Kristine.
Judy read The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich as recommended by Larry. This book is different from the typical Erdrich in that it is initially set in New Hampshire. The story begins with some nominally Native American folk who live there and it connects to North Dakota with the drum which one of the main characters steals from an estate sale in order to return it to its home in North Dakota... a sort of spiritual quest. Since Judy LOVES Erdrich books she wasn't disappointed and though it didn't take the place of her favorite (Tracks) it was a pleasure to read Erdrich's latest.
Pam read The Chill by Ross MacDonald as recommended by Carmyn and she really appreciated the older style of mystery: the sort that gets solved not by CSI teams or forensic squads but by interviews, questioning and old fashioned putting two and two together. Her other book was The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland as recommended by Marci.