Mesa 8 Book Club

"'The time has come,' the walrus said, 'to talk of many things....'"

2010-08-06T18:32:00.003-07:00

Can you name the source of that quote? Just curious. It popped into my head when I was thinking about some things today and seemed to apply. Literary inspiration, as it were. Sort of.

I am no good at this kind of thing, so I'll just jump right in. I'm afraid that, unless someone else is willing to step in, I'm going to have to call a gradual end to our book club. Things have been changing for everyone over the past few years, and it seems that life is a little busier for everyone. I know that for me, these next couple of weeks are going to bring a lot of change as I start a part-time teaching job and my son starts kindergarten. I've got a lot to do to get ready for school and two subjects to prepare for and I'm simply having trouble keeping up. I feel like I'm bailing on everyone, but I am having trouble keeping up with everything. I apologize for that because it has definitely affected the quality of our book club meetings these past few months and I never want to feel that I'm wasting your time when you make the effort to get your family taken care of and leave your home for a couple of hours in an evening in order to, hopefully, have an intellectually stimulating discussion about something you have read.

We've had a pretty good run of it. Would having quarterly meetings be an option? Is it best to stop altogether for awhile? Perhaps one of you is interested in taking the reins at this point - if you are, please let me know!

Here is what I propose for August:
With our scheduled meeting falling the day before school starts, I'm sure I will not be the only one spending that day getting a lot of things ready and wanting to get to bed a little early to be prepared for the early start and busy day to follow. I don't know what your progress has been with Rain of Gold, but I am only 200 pages into a 552 page book and I don't see it happening by next Tuesday evening. What about you? If enough of you have finished it and someone wants to host it, then let's go ahead and have a meeting. Otherwise, my suggestion is that you read as much of it as you can or would like to, and then return your book to me by Thursday, August 19th. The kit is due back on the 21st and that will give everyone enough time to return their books and enough time for me to return them to the library. What do you think?

We will still have our book club meeting on September 14th to discuss Mockingjay! That book will be out in just a couple of weeks and I'm sure it will be a fast read and a great discussion encompassing all three books in the series. Let's have some food at this one. We need to have a party - if Julie is okay with all of that, since she is hosting that meeting at her house.... :)

Thank you all for being part of this book club. You've been very patient with and very supportive of me over these past few years. I have truly enjoyed your company and the discussions we've had.

Your comments and questions are welcome. Please post them here rather than replying to the Goodreads email as they will be easier to follow here than in multiple emails.

Speaking of Goodreads, that will be a great forum for us to continue staying in touch about the books we're reading and what we think about them. It wouldn't be too difficult to have an informal book club meeting via the discussion board on our group page, which I will be happy to leave open and running. Is that an agreeable compromise?

Touching base with everyone

2010-07-26T16:18:00.002-07:00

Things are getting busy with school about to start, so here are a couple of things to be aware of:

I still have copies available of Rain of Gold. We will discuss this book on August 10th - the day before school starts! You've still got two weeks if you'd like to give it a try.

September's book is Mockingjay. If you didn't order a copy earlier this year (which should arrive at the end of August), then you're on your own to find a copy to read before September 14th. I think there is a good chance that those who will have their own copies may finish them quickly enough to loan them out, but we'll have to see.....

September's book club meeting will be at Julie's house. Thank you, Julie!

October's book is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It is available at Amazon for $13.72 and Walmart for $13.70. If we order at least two books through Amazon, we'll get free shipping. Let me know if you are interested in ordering.

I apologize for letting the discussions kind of wander at the last couple of book club meetings. I will certainly try to be more prepared this next time, and I would ask the same of all of you. I'm not trying to sound cranky, but even though it's a great chance to get together and visit I would still like to make sure that we spend more than half of our time actually talking about the book! :)

Any questions/comments/concerns? Please let me know.

Peace Like a River discussion questions

2010-07-13T17:08:00.002-07:00

Better late than never, right? Here they are:

1. As the novel begins—indeed, as the very life of this novel's narrator begins—a miracle happens. Describe it. How does it happen? Who accomplishes it? Begin your discussion of this book by recounting the major and minor miracles that occur throughout. What role do they play in Peace Like a River?

2. Born with a severe case of asthma, Reuben Land, our young hero and narrator, must often struggle to bring air into his lungs. Throughout the book, Reuben is preoccupied with his own breathing, and the act of breathing functions in this story as a metaphor for life itself. How does Reuben cope with his ailment, and how is his character influenced by it? Provide instances where breathing takes on special meaning in the narrative.

3. Consider the details of the double homicide committed by Davy, Reuben's older brother. Does Reuben see Davy as a murderer, or as one who acted in self-defense? Does he want Davy brought to justice, or does he think justice has already been served? What about the other main characters: how do they feel? And what about you, the reader? How was your impression of Davy—and of this novel—influenced by his actions? Discuss how the novel explores the idea of loyalty.

4. Peace Like a River is set mainly in rural Minnesota and the Badlands of North Dakota during the early 1960s. Like early American pioneers, or perhaps like mythic heroes, the Lands set out to rescue one of their own amidst the beauty and cruelty of the natural world. How does the Land family contend with this raw, uncivilized, and sometimes brutal landscape? Identify events or circumstances in which the novel's setting contributes to its elemental or mythic quality.

5. Swede, Reuben's imaginative, prolific, and precocious younger sister, creates an epic poem about a cowboy named Sunny Sundown. Talk about Sunny's ongoing saga as an ironic commentary on Reuben's larger narrative. What are the parallels?

6. Besides the Sunny Sundown text, several other outlaw tales, literary allusions, biblical legends, and historical asides are offered—by Swede or by Reuben himself. Identify a few of these stories-within-the-story, explaining how each enriches or influences the main narrative.

7. Discuss the character of Jeremiah Land, Reuben's father—and the center of his moral compass. What are Jeremiah's strengths, as a person and a parent? Does he have any weaknesses? Why did his wife leave him, all those years ago? And why does he "heal" the grotesque employer who fires him (p. 80)? Explain how the novel's dual themes of familial love and ardent faith are met in this character.

8. Both during Davy's trial and after his escape from prison, we encounter a variety of public viewpoints on what Reuben's brother has done. Such viewpoints, usually presented as personal letters or newspaper editorials, are always steadfast yet often contradictory. What does Reuben seem to realize about the so-called "court of public opinion," in light of these viewpoints?

9. Prayer is described in many ways, and on many occasions, in Peace Like a River. Reading this book, did you discover anything about the activity of, reasons for, or consequences of prayer? What larger points—about religion and human nature, say—might the author be making with his varied depictions of people at prayer? For instance, when remembering a prayer he said that included blessings for even his enemies, Reuben comments thus regarding Jape Waltzer: "Later I would wish I'd spent more time on him particularly" (p. 285). Why does Reuben feel this way? What power does he recognize in his own prayers? Discuss the impact prayer has on Reuben, and how it transforms him.

10. Recovering from a near-fatal asthmatic collapse, Reuben muses: "The infirm wait always, and know it" (p. 290). Given Reuben's physical condition, and given what we know about his ancestry and the story at hand, what is Reuben "waiting" for? How is his waiting resolved? Can this analogy be applied to any of the other characters?

11. The final miracle in Peace Like a River occurs, of course, when Jeremiah surrenders his life for Reuben. But why, at an earlier point in the story, does Reuben observe, "Since arriving at [Roxanna's] house, we'd had no miracles whatever" (p. 257). Discuss the truth and falsehood of this remark. How might Roxanna herself be seen as a miracle?

12. What does the character of Roxanna bring to the Land family? What does she provide that the Lands had lacked before her arrival? Over the course of the novel, Reuben's attitude and his physical descriptions of Roxanna change. In what ways does it change, do you think Roxanna’s attitudes toward the Lands as a family and Jeremiah as a person undergo a similar metamorphosis?

13. In "Be Jubilant, My Feet," the next-to-last chapter, Reuben and Jeremiah enter a world beyond this one. "Here in the orchard," our hero recalls, "I had a glimmer of origin: Adam, I thought" (p. 301). Where exactly are Reuben and his father? What happens to them? How have these crucial events been foreshadowed, and how are they new or unprecedented?

14. Much of this novel concerns the inner life of childhood: imagination, storytelling, chores, play, and school life. Discuss the author's portrayal of childhood. Do the children depicted here seem realistic? Why or why not?

15. Remembering his own childhood, author Leif Enger recently noted: "I grew up squinting from the backseat at gently rolling hills and true flatlands, where you could top a rise and see a tractor raising dust three miles away. So much world and sky is visible, it's hard to put much stock in your own influence." Does this type of relationship between the individual and the natural world appear in Peace Like a River? If so, where? Identify key passages or scenes where the characters seem inferior to the landscape, or even at the mercy of it.

16. Finishing his story, Reuben notes: "You should know that Jape Waltzer proved as uncatchable as Swede's own Valdez" (p. 309). What do the characters of Jape and Valdez represent in this novel? Conclude your discussion by comparing and contrasting Peace Like a River with the traditional morality play—the symbolic drama (dating back to medieval times) based on the eternal struggle between Good and Evil.

Stones for Ibarra discussion questions

2010-06-06T19:14:00.002-07:00

The discussion questions in the binder for this book were very generic. ReadingGroupGuides.com didn't have any questions for this book either. So my request to you is that you each post a comments with one or more discussion questions that have come to your mind based on your reading of this book. Please.......

Mesa Library Summer Reading Program

2010-06-06T19:11:00.002-07:00

Do you think you may not have as much time to read in the summer with the kids home from school? Here's an idea: Sign them up for the Mesa Library summer reading program and read when they do! Set aside reading time every day, challenge them to a reading contest, search the web for some games that involve reading...there are plenty of options. Here is the link to sign the kids up for the reading program at the library:

http://www.mesalibrary.org/Kids/SRP_kids.aspx

If you stop by the library, you can sign up there as well on dedicated computers in the children's library. They also have cute reading charts for the kids and stickers they can use to track their progress.

The Bonesetter's Daughter - Discussion questions

2010-04-08T19:40:00.001-07:00

1. Memory plays an important role in The Bonesetter's Daughter. How is Ruth’s life affected by her childhood memories? How do LuLing’s memories affect her behavior around Ruth?

2. How does LuLing attempt to convey the difficulties of her formative years to Ruth? Does she succeed? Why/why not? In the constant sparring between Ruth and LuLing, who do you think is at fault?

3. Much of The Bonesetter's Daughter revolves around superstition. How does this aspect of Chinese culture affect LuLing’s actions? Is Ruth superstitious? Does she realize that she is manipulating her mother as a child?

4. Why does Ruth try so hard to distance herself from her Chinese heritage?

5. Why does Ruth lose her voice once a year on August 12th? In what way does Ruth "regain" her voice by the end of the novel?

6. How does Ruth use her professional talents to her advantage? In what way does her job stifle her ability to communicate? Are there any inherent advantages of Ruth’s uncanny ability to "spin gold out of dross"?

7. How is LuLing affected by the family curse? How does she react when she learns of her mother’s true identity? In your opinion, was it wrong for Precious Auntie to keep this secret from her daughter? Why does Precious Auntie keep this information from LuLing for so long?

8. What is the significance of Ruth’s learning the family name at the end of The Bonesetter's Daughter? What does Ruth learn about her name that helps change her opinion of her mother?

9. How does LuLing rebel against Precious Auntie? Is Ruth similar to LuLing in this respect? What are the consequences of Ruth’s insolence in her teenage years? Whose rebellion causes more lasting results?

10. What does Ruth learn about her mother and about her own cultural heritage that helps to mend her strained relationship with Art, as well as with Fia and Dory?

Questions obtained from http://www.readinggroupguides.com

Want to buy some books? Make a few reading schedule changes?

2010-03-22T08:41:00.002-07:00

I will put this on the Goodreads site as well, but just in case anyone is checking the blog:

I know I've been very resistant to reading beginning books of series before, but I'm much more open to the idea of reading the final book in a series that most everyone seems to have read and enjoyed. The final book of The Hunger Games series will be out this fall. We can get a hardcover copy of Mockingjay from Amazon for $9.71. Anyone interested? We can pre-order now.

I have also read wonderful reviews and recommendations for As a Man Thinketh. This one is available for $5.94. Check it out on Goodreads and post a comment with your opinion on whether you'd be interested in purchasing this book and possibly replacing a future reading selection with this one.

If we combine the order to get these two books at the same time, we can get free shipping, even though the Mockingjay book won't be out for a few more months.

The calendar for the year is already listed here, but it is mostly a list of ideas of books to read unless something else comes along that we're more interested in. So if either or both of these suggestions appeal to you, make a comment!

The History of Love - discussion questions

2010-03-08T09:33:00.002-07:00

1. Leo Gursky and Alma Singer make an unlikely pair, but what they share in common ultimately brings them together. What are the similarities between these two characters?

2. Leo fears becoming invisible. How does fiction writing prove a balm for his anxiety?

3. Explore the theme of authenticity throughout the narrative. Who's real and who's a fraud?

4. Despite his preoccupation with his approaching death, Leo has a spirit that is indefatigably comic. Describe the interplay of tragedy and comedy in The History of Love.

5. What distinguishes parental love from romantic love in the novel?

6. Why is it so important to Alma that Bird act normal? How normal is Alma?

7. When Alma meets Leo, she calls him the "oldest man in the world." Does his voice sound so ancient?

8. Uncle Julian tells Alma, "Wittgenstein once wrote that when the eye sees something beautiful, the hand wants to draw it." How does this philosophical take on the artistic process relate to the impulse to write in The History of Love?

9. Many different narrators contribute to the story of The History of Love. What makes each of their voices unique? How does Krauss seam them together to make a coherent novel?

10. Survival requires different tactics in different environments. Aside from Alma's wilderness guidelines, what measures do characters in the novel adopt to carry on?

11. Most all of the characters in the novel are writers - from Isaac Moritz to Bird Singer. Alma's mother is somewhat exceptional, as she works as a translator. Yet she is not the only character to transform others' words for her creative practice. What are the similarities and differences between an author and a translator?

12. What are the benefits of friendship in the novel? Why might Alma feel more comfortable remaining Misha's friend rather than becoming his girlfriend?

13. The fame and adulation Isaac Moritz earns for his novels represent the rewards many writers hope for, while Leo, an unwitting ghostwriter, remains unrecognized for his work. What role does validation play in the many acts of writing in The History of Love?

14. Leo decides to model nude for an art class in order to leave an imprint of his existence. He writes to preserve the memories of his love for Alma Mereminski. Yet drawings and novels are never faithful renditions of the truth. Do you recognize a process of erasure in the stories he tells us?

15. Why might Krauss have given her novel the title The History of Love, the same as that of the fictional book around which her narrative centers?

Borrowed from readinggroupguides.com

The Help - Possible reading selection

2010-02-25T20:41:00.001-07:00

I keep hearing, reading, and seeing good reviews of this book. We can get the hardcover of this book from Amazon.com for $9.50! Anyone interested? We can take a look at our schedule and maybe swap out a book club kit for this book. What do you think?

Change of location for tonight's meeting

2010-02-09T15:09:00.001-07:00

Due to a family emergency, Amy is unable to host tonight's meeting. So the meeting will be at my house! Please spread the word.....

Discussion questions for Cold Sassy Tree

2010-02-03T13:50:00.002-07:00

The discussion questions in this month's binder are fairly generic this time around. Amy may have some specific questions she would like to bring up since she's hosting next week's meeting at her house. However, I decided to post these questions just in case anyone checks the blog:

1. What did you enjoy about this book?

2. What have you read that is similar to this book?

3. What are some of the major themes of this book?

4. Who was your favorite character?

5. What did you appreciate about him/her?

6. Did you find this book a quick read? Why or why not?

7. What are your concerns about this book?

8. How did you feel about the main character?

9. What are the most important relationships in the book?

10. What makes a minor character memorable?

11. What are the most revealing scenes?

12. Are any of the events in the book relevant to your own life?

13. What did you think of the style of the writer?

14. Was the story credible? Were the characters credible?

15. Did you find any flaws in the book?

Here are a few "Suggested Essay Topics" that were on another page in the binder:

1. How is Rucker's behavior in his marriage with Mattie Lou different from his behavior in his marriage to Miss Love Simpson?

2. Discuss each of the prominent female characters in Cold Sassy Tree. Are the relevant to contemporary ideas of womanhood, or can they be read only as figures from a bygone era?

3. Why is Rucker initially so resistant to technology, both inside and outside of the home? What makes him change his mind?

4. At any point, is the marriage of Miss Love and Rucker in serious jeopardy? What causes the problems that threaten the marriage, or what prevents them?

5. Do Will's feelings toward Hosie Roach change over the course of the story? If so, how do they change?

6. How do you think we are supposed to feel about the modernization of Cold Sassy? Overall, is it a change for better or worse?

Cold Sassy Tree books available

2010-01-20T14:23:00.002-07:00

There are still some copies of Cold Sassy Tree available to borrow. Please let me know if you want one! I'm not too far into it, but so far I am enjoying this one.

Pride and Prejudice discussion questions

2010-01-11T15:13:00.002-07:00

There are seriously 38 questions in the binder for this book, so I'm going to post them all, but I'll use small print! I looked up a guide at Readinggroupguides.com but didn't like those questions as well.

1. Austen's title suggests two different qualities that frequently appear in the personalities of the characters in the novel -- pride and prejudice. How does "pride" function in the novel?

2. What does Austen mean by "prejudice" and how does it work in the novel?

3. Who tells the story and how does this style of narration affect our reading of the novel?

4. How does Austen define the ideal marriage in the novel?

5. What exactly is the contrast in the way that Elizabeth views marriage as opposed to the way her mother views marriage?

6. Literary critics have frequently noted the extent to which Austen removes the setting of her novel from any "real" events. How do we explain the complete absence of any such events?

7. Why is Mr. Collins' visit of such importance to the Bennet family?

8. How do we explain Austen's extensive use of personal letters in the novel?

9. Consider the kinds of marriages that appear throughout Pride and Prejudice, including the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy. What kinds of relationships between a man and a woman did Jane Austen idealize?

10. Throughout Pride and Prejudice, Austen makes many statements about personal relationships. What are these statements? Are they still valid today? Why or why not?

11. The members of British society in Pride and Prejudice are very class conscious. Debate whether class consciousness is a part of American society. If not, do you think that affects our enjoyment and understanding of Austen's novel? Why or why not?

12. Identify the main characters in the novel and discuss what you feel is Austen's attitude toward each of them. Are the verbal portraits she paints flattering or otherwise?

13. Debate whether Elizabeth Bennet would still be considered a remarkable woman in the modern-day United States.

14. Although its setting and characters are certainly "dated," Pride and Prejudice has remained a popular novel for over 200 years. Why do you think this is the case?

15. An earlier version of Pride and Prejudice was entitled First Impressions. What role do first impressions play in the story? In which cases do first impressions turn out to be inaccurate, in which cases correct?

16. After Jane becomes engaged to Bingley, she says she wishes Elizabeth could be as happy as she is. Elizabeth replies, "If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness." Do you think Elizabeth's statement is true? Is it better to be good, to think the best of people, and be happy? Or is it better to see the world accurately, and feel less happiness?

17. Mr. Bennet's honesty and wry humor make him one of the most appealing characters in the book. Yet, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that he has failed as a father. In what ways does Mr. Bennet let his children down? How does his action, or inaction, affect the behavior of his daughters? His wife? The course of the story?

18. Charlotte doesn't marry Mr. Collins for love. Why does she marry him? Are her reasons valid? Are they fair to Mr. Collins? Do you think marrying for similar reasons is appropriate today?

19. Both Elizabeth and Darcy undergo transformations over the course of the book. How does each change and how is the transformation brought about? Could Elizabeth's transformation have happened without Darcy? Or vice versa?

20. Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh are famously comic characters. What makes them so funny? How does Elizabeth's perception of them affect your trust in Elizabeth's views of other people in the book, particularly of Wickham and Darcy?

21. For most of the book, pride prevents Darcy from having what he most desires. Why is he so proud? How is his pride displayed? Is Elizabeth proud? Which characters are not proud? Are they better off?

22. Editor Tony Tanner points out in the Notes to the Penguin Classics edition that Austen did not mention topical events nor use precise descriptions of actual places in Pride and Prejudice, so that the larger historical events of the time did not detract attention from the private drama of her characters. "This perhaps contributes to the element of timelessness in the novel," he concludes, "even though it unmistakably reflects a certain kind of society at a certain historical moment." In what ways are the themes and concerns of Pride and Prejudice timeless? In what ways are they particular to the times in which Austen wrote the book?

23. Pride and Prejudice was originally titled "First Impressions." Critic Brian Southam notes that this phrase comes from the language of the sentimental novels Austen often criticized, where it connoted the idea that one ought to trust one's immediate intuitive response to things. It is widely believed that Austen derived the later title from the fifth book of Cecelia, a novel by Fanny Burney, where the phrase appears (according to Austen biographer Park Honan, however, the phrase dates earlier, to a 1647 book by Jeremy Taylor called Liberty of Prophesying, and also appears in Gibbon's 1776 Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire). Anna Quindlen, in her Introduction to the Modern Library edition, indicates her preference for the second title ("Austen originally named the book 'First Impressions,' thank God for second thoughts!"). Which do you think is the more appropriate title and why?

24. The famous opening line of Pride and Prejudice - "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" - magnificently displays the irony that suffuses the novel at both local and structural levels. What is the purpose of irony in Pride and Prejudice?

25. Austen was writing during a time when novels in the form of letters - called epistolary novels - were very popular. There are nearly two dozen letters quoted in whole or in part in Pride and Prejudice, and numerous other references to letters and letter writing. How do you think letters function in the novel? How do the letters - a narrative element - interact with the dramatic element manifested in the dialogue?

26. A number of critics have maintained that Darcy is not a particularly well-developed or believable character, and that his transformation is a mere plot contrivance. Others have argued that this suggestion fails to take into account the fact that the reader in large part only sees Darcy through the prejudiced eyes of Elizabeth. Which side would you take in the debate, and why?

27. Pride and Prejudice has often been criticized for the fact that it appears unconcerned with the politics of Austen's day. For example, in a letter (written before World War I) to Thomas Hardy, Frederic Harrison refers to Austen as a "heartless little cynic" who composed "satirettes against her neighbors whilst the Dynasts were tearing the world to pieces and consigning millions to their graves." Is this charge fair?

28. Charlotte Bronte wrote in an 1848 letter to G. H. Lewes: "Why do you like Miss Austen so very much? I am puzzled on that point. What induced you to say that you would rather have written Pride and Prejudice, or Tom Jones, than any of the Waverley Novels? I had not seen Pride and Prejudice till I read that sentence of yours, and then I got the book. And what did I find? An accurate, daguerrotyped portrait of a commonplace face; a carefully-fenced, highly-cultivated garden, with neat borders and delicate flowers; but no glance of a bright, vivid physiognomy, no open country, no fresh air, no blue hill, no bonny beck. I should hardly like to live with her ladies and gentlemen, in their elegant, but confined houses." Do you agree with Bronte's claim that there is no poetry or passion in Pride and Prejudice, and her conclusion that "Miss Austen being...without sentiment, without poetry, maybe is sensible, real (more real than true), but she cannot be great"?

29. What is your definition of a snob? Do you think Mr. Darcy is a snob? How does he change? Do you think that Elizabeth is a snob?

30. What is each distinctive personality of the Bennet girls? How do Elizabeth's choices differ from Jane and Elizabeth's choices?

31. Discuss the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Is it a happy one? Do you think that Mrs. Bennet is a good person?

32. What does the title mean? How is Elizabeth both proud and prejudiced? What about Mr. Darcy? How do they come around?

33. How are first impressions important in this novel? What are Elizabeth's first impressions of Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy, and Miss Darcy?

34. What is Elizabeth's relationship with her family? How does her relationship between her mother and father differ? What do you think of her parents?

35. Discuss the relationship between Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Is Mr. Darcy a good friend to Mr. Bingley?

36. How would this novel be different using modern "rules" for dating and courtship? What do you think about the romantic relationships in this book?

37. Have you seen/read Bridget Jones' Diary or seen Bride and Prejudice? How does this book compare to those retellings or Pride and Prejudice? What other books or movies imitate Pride and Prejudice?

38. How do minor characters play a role in this story and eventually bring Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy together?

Books to borrow

2009-12-30T12:20:00.002-07:00

I received a copy of A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory and a copy of From Away by David Carkeet from readinggroupguides.com. If anyone would like to borrow them, please let me know!

No December meeting

2009-12-07T21:42:00.002-07:00

I have decided to cancel the December meeting. I have a yucky cold - again - and so far it didn't look like anyone else was coming anyway. There were 4 'maybe' responses and 3 'no' responses and 6 people who hadn't responded, so it looks like it may be best to just look ahead to January for our next meeting.

I do have a book club kit for next month: Pride and Prejudice. Please let me know if you would like a copy.

I apologize for the short notice. Thanks for your patience!

January's book

2009-12-03T15:41:00.002-07:00

For those of you who don't make it to next week's book club meeting (and based on the responses so far it looks like I'm the only one who will definitely be here), please try to stop by some time in the next week to pick up your copy of Pride and Prejudice for next month's meeting. It's a book club kit, so there are 10 copies.

Changes for 2010

2009-11-28T20:52:00.003-07:00

Hello all - I really tried to get to this sooner, but that has been difficult. That's part of the reason why I'm writing to let you know of the changes I am considering for book club for 2010. I just emailed the book kits rep at the library to find out how far out I can reserve kits. I feel like for at least the last half of this year, I've been doing too much last-minute planning and preparation. So I've made a list of books from the book club kits and am going to try to plan out as much of the year as I can, just to be sure that we always have something on hand.

That being said, the list will not be set in stone. For budget purposes, I prefer to check out book club kits when possible, but if there is occasionally a book we are interested in that can be purchased for a decent price, it is also easy to change the reading schedule and cancel a book kit reservation in favor of something else.

That is where you come in. If you have a specific suggestion and are willing to research the availability and price of the book, then we can present that information to the group and make a decision. If that is the case, I would ask that you also run the discussion for that book, also hosting the group meeting at your house (or another place of your choice) if possible.

Even if another book has been chosen for a particular month, I would greatly appreciate it if any of you are willing to host the book club at different times throughout the year. There are enough of us who regularly attend that if everyone were willing to host once, it would spread the responsibility out a little bit. If you already know a month that you would be able to host the meeting, please let me know and I will keep a calendar. It doesn't even have to be at your house. If you'd like to meet at a park or somewhere else, that might be a nice change. We're open to other ideas! I am certainly still willing to have it at my house several times - just not every time. It's become a little difficult for us to have it here every month and I need a little bit of help.

I appreciate you all so much and am so grateful that you've been a part of this group for these past few years. It's great that we're all excited about reading and are willing/able to make the time to get together and discuss the things we read. I want it to keep going, but I need to delegate a little more in order for that to happen. Nothing doom and gloom, just some changes that need to be made.

Please let me know what you think. I am not sure how this is coming across. I'm all for open communication, so be honest. You can post a comment here, or feel free to give me a call.

I've listed the first couple of books for 2010 in the calendar to the right. As soon as I have the rest of the reservations set up I will post those too.

Thanks for your patience. In another couple of days I will post some information about the December meeting. I truly hope you will all be able to come. If you haven't picked up your book from Lori, give her a call. You still have plenty of time to read The Christmas Box.

Invitation from another book club

2009-11-14T17:10:00.001-07:00

Author's Night

Josi Kilpack and Julie Wright are coming to US!!

We have the OPPORTUNITY to have two wonderful authors come and talk to us. Josi Kilpack's "Lemon Tart" has been on the best seller list and Julie Wright has recently released "Eyes Like Mine"
You can read about the authors and other books they have written: www.juliewright.com and www.josiskilpack.com

When I emailed them about coming ... Josi replied:
"...you don't need to read our books before we come, we're happy to talk about literacy in general, how our lives led us to writing, how writing can bless our lives, how to write, etc. Or we can just come hang out"
Josi did say that they would be delighted to sign books ...
Bring friends, teens, and anyone that would be interested in this event. I feel that it will be very motivating.

Free book downloads

2009-11-07T21:37:00.002-07:00

Alena sent an email to me this week containing the following information. Each book is not an MP3 download, but it is a file that you can download and save on your computer as a document.

As part of his doctoral studies, John Hilton III is "studying what happens when books are made available for free." He worked with "Deseret Book and they have made 8 of their books available for free." They can all be downloaded at http://deseretbook.com/free. Several of the books are ones you might be interested in. The books are:

1. Please Pass the Scripture (by me).
2. What I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Single (by John Bytheway).
3. Women at the Well (by Richard and Jeni Holzapfel).
4. Digging Deeper (by Robert Eaton).
5. 10 Secrets Wise Parents Know (by Brent Top and Bruce Chadwick).
6. Growing Up: Gospel Answers About Maturation and Sex (by Brad Wilcox).
7. Saving Kristen (by Jack Weyland). (fiction)
8. The Hidden Path (by C.B. Andersen). (fiction)

If nothing else, I recommend that you go download them all and save them for future reference as they will only be available online for free for a short time.

"Could you forward this information on to others who might be interested? I want to help share these great, free resources with as many people as possible. Some of the books help you get more out of the scriptures. Others are good for parenting. Some are just plain fun. Go check out http://deseretbook.com/free. I hope you like the books!" --John Hilton III

Discussion questions for The Persian Pickle Club

2009-10-02T13:03:00.002-07:00

1. The Denver Post called this "A book about how times can never be so hard that they can't be eased when people come together." How do the gatherings of the Persian Pickle Club ease its members' troubles?

2. Queenie says "It was marrying that made women appreciate other women." Grover is a nice man who listens to Queenie's fears and shares his own. What do the women characters provide each other?

3. Does Rita think she is a good friend to Queenie? Is the aware of the trouble her insensitive questions cause?

4. Tom bends down and tests the dryness of the dirt, realizing there's no way of growing crops in it, but then turns up the road, apparently happy. How is this ability to ignore disaster echoed elsewhere in the book?

5. Quiliting is central to this story. How is Harveyville like a quilt? What are the patterns? What is the stitching that holds it together?

6. Tyrone, the Reverend, and his sister are the only characters in the book who loudly profess devotion to God, yet they are the most disliked members of the community. How else does this book turn morality and religion on its head?

7. Rita is a different kind of woman from the other members of the club - she doesn't seem to want to empathize with anyone. Discuss how her goals and feelings differ from those of the members.

8. At the end, Rita sends a "Friendship Forever" quilt to Queenie and the club. What is Rita trying to tell the club?

9. Rita includes a card with her quilt that says, "If you wonder who's responsible, I did it." Who really did do it? Does it matter?

If you've got another question you'd like to discuss, please post it here as a comment so we can all see it and start thinking about it! I enjoyed this book and I think it's going to be a great discussion.

1 more week, 3 more copies...

2009-09-29T14:14:00.002-07:00

One more week until our meeting to discuss The Persian Pickle Club. I'm looking forward to this one. What a pleasant, enjoyable book.

After that we start reading Bridge to Terabithia. Julie still has 3 copies left that are available for purchase from her at $1 each. Quite a bargain! Thanks again, Julie, for getting all those books for us! You can contact Julie to get your book ahead of time, or just bring your buck to book club (say that five times fast...carefully...) and buy it from her on Tuesday!

2009-09-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

There is one book left to borrow...first come, first served! Let me know if you're interested in reading the book!

The Persian Pickle Club

2009-09-14T21:01:00.003-07:00

We will be discussing The Persian Pickle Club on Tuesday, October 6th. Please note that this is the first Tuesday of the month. The second Tuesday is during October Break, and the third Tuesday is during parent/teacher conferences, so we moved up a week. This is a book club kit, so let me know if you would like to borrow a book. I think there are four left to borrow.

Let's start coming up with our 2010 reading list. Take a look at the book by Emily Watts posted below and let me know what you think of it. Also check out the book club kit list on the Mesa Public Library web site (link on the right side of this page) and see if any of the titles there strike your fancy. The sooner we request them for specific dates, the better chance we have of getting them.

2009-09-05T12:54:00.003-07:00

I am not posting the discussion questions for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society here because they are listed in the back of the book. You can also look up discussion questions at the Reading Group Guides web site.

Change in meeting location

2009-09-02T20:29:00.002-07:00

Due to a scheduling conflict that might make me late for the book club meeting next week, we will be meeting at Deb Crittenden's house. She is also going to run the discussion. THANK YOU, DEB!!!!!

Same time: 8:30 p.m. I will make sure that she has the book club kit for October's book, just in case I don't make it to the meeting.

Thinking ahead....

2009-08-31T13:35:00.002-07:00

What do you all think of this for a New Year book in January? We'd have to plan ahead and buy it now to get the TOFW discount ($11.21 would be our price), but I will check it on Amazon when it's officially out and see if they have a better price - and if they do, we can buy it whenever we want!

Author Emily Watts has done it again! Written in her classic conversational tone, I Hate It When Exercise Is the Answer, is a fun and invigorating written workout designed to condition the soul. She focuses on 31 ways (one for each day of the month) to strengthen the spiritual and emotional core and help you get into top spiritual condition. If you find yourself spiritually out of shape or needing to add a little spice to your spiritual �workout�, then this is the book just for you!

Pick a discussion question

2009-07-30T14:00:00.001-07:00

Please read the discussion questions below and post a comment saying which question you would like to particularly discuss/answer/direct. Everybody gets to be a discussion leader of sorts this time around!

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Discussion questions

2009-07-30T12:29:00.003-07:00

1. Unlike most other mysteries, in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency , Mma Ramotswe solves a number of small crimes, rather than a single major one. How does this affect the narrative pacing of the novel? What other unique features distinguish this novel from the conventional mystery novel?
2. What makes Precious Ramotswe such a charming protagonist? What kind of woman is she? How is she different from the usual detective? Why does she feel "called" to help her fellow Africans "solve the mysteries of their lives?"
3. What is surprising about the nature of the cases Mma Ramotswe is hired to solve? By what means does Alexander McCall Smith sustain the reader's interest, in the absence of the kind of tension, violence and suspense that drive most mysteries?
4. Mma Ramotswe's first client, Happy Bapetsi, is worried that the man who claims to be her father is a fraud taking advantage of her generosity. "All he does," she says, "is sit in his chair outside the front door and tell me what to do for him next." To which Mma Ramotswe replies, "Many men are like that." What is Mma Ramotswe's view of men generally? How do men behave in the novel?
5. Why does Mma Ramotswe feel it is so important to include her father's life story in the novel? What does Obed Ramotswe's life reveal about the history of Africa and South Africa? What does it reveal about the nature and cost of working in the mines in South Africa?
6. Mma Ramotswe purchases a manual on how to be a detective. It advises one to pay attention to hunches. "Hunches are another form of knowledge." How does intuition help Mma Ramotswe solve her cases?
7. When Mma Ramotswe decides to start a detective agency, a lawyer tells her "It's easy to lose money in business, especially when you don't know anything about what you're doing...And anyway, can women be detectives?" To which Mma Ramotswe answers, "Women are the ones who know what's going on. They are the ones with the eyes. Have you not read Agatha Christie?" Is the right in suggesting that women are more perceptive than men? Where in the novel do we see Mma Ramotswe's own extraordinary powers of observation? How does she comically undercut the lawyer's arrogance in this scene?
8. As Mma Ramotswe wonders if Mma Malatsi was somehow involved in her husband's death and whether wanting someone dead made one a murderer in God's eye, she thinks to herself: "It was time to take the pumpkin out of the pot and eat it. In the final analysis, that was what solved these big problems of life. You coul think and think and get nowhere, but you still had to eat your pumpkin. That brought you down to earth. That gave you a reason for going on. Pumpkin." What philosophy of life is Mma Ramotswe articulating here? Why do the ongoing daily events of life give her this sense of peace and stability?
9. Why does Mma Ramotswe marry Note? Why does this act seem so out of character for her? In what ways does her love for an attractice and physically abusive man make her a deeper and more complicated character? How does her marriage to Note change her?
10. Mma Ramotswe imagines retiring back in Mochudi, buying some land with her cousins, growing melons, and living life in such a way that "every morning she could sit in front of her house and sniff at the wood-smoke and look forward to spending the day talking with her friends. How sorry she felt for white people, who couldn't do any of this, and who were always dashing around and worrying themselves over things that were going to happen anyway. What use was it having all that money if you could never sit still or just watch your cattle eating grass? None, in her view; none at all." Is Mma Ramotswe's critique of white people on the mark or is she stereotyping? What makes her sense of what is important, and what brings happiness, so refreshing? What other differences between black and white cultures does the novel make apparent?
11. Mma Ramotswe does not want Africa to change, to become thoroughly modern: "She did not want her people to become like everybody else, soulless, selfish, forgetful of what it means to be an African, or, worse still, ashamed of Africa." But what aspects of traditional African culture trouble her? How does she regard the traditional African attitude toward women, marriage, family duty, and witchcraft? Is there a contradiction in her relationship to "old" Africa?
12. How surprising is Mma Ramotswe's response to Mr. J.L. B. Matekoni's marriage proposal? How appropriate is the ending of the novel?

Last minute change for September

2009-07-28T17:43:00.006-07:00

We are going to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for our September book. I had originally chosen Snow Falling on Cedars, but after reviewing it and receiving some comments about both these books, I decided that Guernsey will definitely be a better book club selection. They don't have this as a book club kit yet, so we're going to purchase it. I was told Costco has it for $8.39, but Amazon.com has it for $7.70. Let me know if you want to pick it up at Costco, or if you want me to order it for you at the slightly lower price. If at least 4 people order, we get free shipping. I plan to get one, so I guess (without doing math on my fingers) that if 3 people order, we get free shipping! No, wait - - there is another book I want to order anyway, so if just two people want to order, we get free shipping. ;) Thank you for your patience with my stream-of-consciousness typing...

If you have a copy that you'd be willing to loan out, please post a comment.

Please let me know ASAP. I apologize for the last minute change.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

2009-07-18T14:45:00.003-07:00

I have the book club kit now for the book we will discuss on August 11th. That gives us a little over three weeks and that should be plenty of time.

Donna, Marie and Julie have already spoken for copies, so let me know when you'd like to come pick those up. That leaves 6 more copies up for grabs, so post a comment or send me a direct email if you'd like to come get a copy of the book.

In a couple of weeks I'll post discussion questions. Thanks for your patience on the books this time around. I got them as soon as I could! :)

Books to borrow

2009-06-25T07:38:00.002-07:00

Once in a while I'll enter the monthly contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com. They give away a certain number of copies of new releases. So far it's been a lucky year and I have a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and a copy of The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener, if anyone would like to borrow them. My disclaimer is that I haven't read either one yet, so I'm not necessarily recommending them based on my own experience - simply offering them because they're available and free. :)

Bridge to Terabithia

2009-06-13T14:46:00.003-07:00

Julie was able to get brand new copies of Bridge to Terabithia for $1 each!!!! We will be discussing this book toward the end of the year. If you'd like to buy a copy, please contact Julie as soon as possible. She has 9 copies available right now.

2009-06-10T20:53:00.003-07:00

I thought last night was fun. I hope those of you who were able to make it did enjoy the movie. I thought it was a fairly good adaptation of a sweet and simple book. Thank you to Ruth and Marie for bringing yummy popcorn, and thank you to first-time attendee Deb for the DELICIOUS cake!!! We told Deb we are SO glad she came and she is welcome to come back forever....let me just say banana pudding mix in the cake, mango puree, kiwi, strawberries, cool whip.....yummmmmmm................

On a less sweet note (pun intended), we will not be meeting in July. Too many conflicts. Time for a tiny break. However, I will have the book club kit for The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by July 10th and will notify you all when the books are ready to be picked up. Let me know if you would like a copy. Even if you will be out of town in July, let me know if you would like a copy. I will be out of town on the day we would have had book club, but I'm still saving a copy for myself, so I'm still reserving the books on a "first-reply, first-reserve" basis. If we run out of copies, we may adjust it so that people who live near each other are sharing (i.e. one reads it first and then passes it along).

We will be back in business on August 11th. Get the kids in bed before school starts and come enjoy a little down time with us!

By the way, pool day for my ward is at my house on Thursday, June 18th from 9:30 until 11 a.m. You all, and anyone you know, are more than welcome to come join us!

Have a good summer everyone. Happy reading....

Oops.........

2009-06-09T08:12:00.002-07:00

I just realized that I made a huge mistake: I don't have a book for us to read in June and discuss in July! The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency isn't available until July and for some reason I put that down for our July discussion, when in reality I will pick it up in July and we'll discuss it in August. The whole schedule for the next few book club kits needs to be pushed back one month. I am SO sorry! So let's think of some options:
1. We could discuss Winn Dixie tonight and watch the movie next month.
2. We could discuss WD and still watch the movie tonight and then maybe pick another movie next month.
3. I can see if there are any book club kit titles immediately available and get them out to you by the end of the week.
4. We can discuss our summer schedules and see what next month looks like and decide if it would be better to simply not meet next month. I may be out of town the second Tuesday of next month, but that doesn't mean we have to cancel. We could change the date or someone else could host it on the normal night.

Please consider this to be a poll and post your comments. We can make a final decision tonight. I will still contact the library to see what is immediately available, just in case.

I truly apologize for messing this up. I will adjust the calendar later and we'll get this all sorted out ASAP!

Next week...

2009-06-02T16:43:00.002-07:00

One more week before our next meeting to discuss Because of Winn-Dixie. Do you have a copy yet? It's a very fast read, so if you need a copy let me know because I still have four here ready to be read!

We're doing something a little different next week and turning book club into movie night! We'll discuss the book first, but then we'll watch the flick. So please wear comfy clothes (e.g. pajamas) and bring anything you'd like to munch on and share with others (e.g. popcorn, chocolate).

The movie is 106 minutes long, so we'll get started with the discussion right at 8:30 and try to start the movie by 9. A little bit of a late night, but I think it will be fun.

Because of Winn-Dixie

2009-05-14T18:31:00.002-07:00

I have 5 copies of this book if anyone needs to borrow one. Erin was kind enough to bring some of her school copies home for us!

Next month's book club meeting is going to be a little bit of discussion of the book, and then we're going to watch the movie! Pajamas are encouraged, popcorn and chocolate are required.

Book Thief - discussion questions

2009-05-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

1. Discuss the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel. What are Death’s feelings for each victim? Describe Death’s attempt to resist Liesel. Death states, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.” (p. 491) What is ugly and beautiful about Liesel, Rosa and Hans Hubermann, Max Vandenburg, Rudy Steiner, and Mrs. Hermann? Why is Death haunted by humans?

2. What is ironic about Liesel’s obsession with stealing books? Discuss other uses of irony in the novel.

3. The Grave Digger’s Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why did she take the book? What is significant about the titles of the books she steals? Discuss why she hides The Grave Digger’s Handbook under her mattress. Describe Hans Hubermann’s reaction when he discovers the book. What does the act of book thievery teach Liesel about life and death? Explain Rudy’s reaction when he discovers that Liesel is a book thief. How does stealing books from the mayor’s house lead to a friendship with the mayor’s wife? Explain how Liesel’s own attempt to write a book saves her life.

4. Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann’s eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him than to Rosa Hubermann. How does Hans gain Liesel’s love and trust? Debate whether Liesel is a substitute for Hans’s children, who have strayed from the family. Why is it so difficult for Rosa to demonstrate the same warmth toward Liesel? Discuss how Liesel’s relationship with Rosa changes by the end of the novel.

5. Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. The reader knows that Liesel feels abandoned by her mother and by the death of her brother. How does she equate love with abandonment? At what point does she understand why she was abandoned by her mother? Who else abandons Liesel in the novel? Debate whether she was abandoned by circumstance or by the heart.

6. Guilt is another recurring theme in the novel. Hans Hubermann’s life was spared in France during World War I, and Erik Vandenburg’s life was taken. Explain why Hans feels guilty about Erik’s death. Guilt is a powerful emotion that may cause a person to become unhappy and despondent. Discuss how Hans channels his guilt into helping others. Explain Max Vandenburg’s thought, “Living was living. The price was guilt and shame.” (p. 208) Why does he feel guilt and shame?

7. Compare and contrast the lives of Liesel and Max Vandenburg. How does Max’s life give Liesel purpose? At what point do Liesel and Max become friends? Max gives Liesel a story called “The Standover Man” for her birthday. What is the signifi cance of this story?

8. Death says that Liesel was a girl “with a mountain to climb.” (p. 86) What is her mountain? Who are her climbing partners? What is her greatest obstacle? At what point does she reach the summit of her mountain? Describe her descent. What does she discover at the foot of her mountain?

9. Hans Junior, a Nazi soldier, calls his dad a coward because he doesn’t belong to the Nazi Party. He feels that you are either for Hitler or against him. How does it take courage to oppose Hitler? There isn’t one coward in the Hubermann household. Discuss how they demonstrate courage throughout the novel.

10. Describe Liesel’s friendship with Rudy. How does their friendship change and grow throughout the novel? Death says that Rudy doesn’t offer his friendship “for free.” (p. 51) What does Rudy want from Liesel? Discuss Death’s statement, “The only thing worse than a boy who hates you [is] a boy who loves you.” (p. 52) Why is it diffi cult for Liesel to love Rudy? Discuss why Liesel tells Mr. Steiner that she kissed Rudy’s dead body.

11. How does Zusak use the literary device of foreshadowing to pull the reader into the story?

12. Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he would like to tell the book thief about beauty and brutality, but those are things that she had lived. How does her life represent beauty in the wake of brutality? Discuss how Zusak’s poetic writing style enhances the beauty of Liesel’s story.

Upcoming Titles

2009-05-04T21:40:00.002-07:00

This is short notice, but here is the snap decision for our June book: We're going to read Because of Winn Dixie. I was trying to get a different book (Daughter of Fortune) that has a kit, but I am not sure there will be enough time to preview it before next week. So we're going to go with the Winn Dixie book. It's shorter (182 pages), a Newbery Honor book, a New York Times bestseller...I'm not as nervous about this one. I personally haven't read it, but I did see the movie :) so I think it will be a good one.

Copies of this book are available on Amazon.com for $6.99. Please let me know ASAP if you'd like to order it and if we can get enough orders (4) to get the free shipping, then I'll take care of the order.

The rest of the summer is lined up with book club kits. See the schedule to the right.

Also, check out the link for The Book Thief that is listed to the right.

A small update

2009-04-26T22:56:00.002-07:00

It's been awhile since I've updated this site and I do apologize! I've been trying to find some options for the upcoming months and have read one that was truly boring and one that, so far, is truly not boring but would not be appropriate for our book club. :) My goal, however, is to have a book club kit title chosen and available for pickup at our next meeting on May 12th. We will be discussing The Book Thief and I am very much looking forward to that discussion. Would anyone be opposed to starting at 8:00 so that we can have a little more time before it gets too late?

Here are the titles I've been looking at for the upcoming months: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Daughter of Fortune, Because of Winn Dixie, Persian Pickle Club, and Snow Falling on Cedars. With the exception of the Winn Dixie book, these are available as book club kits, and I think a few of us have copies of Winn Dixie, so that would work out fine too. Please look these up (there is a link on this page to the book club kit titles at the library) and post your opinions. I need, want, crave (insert other appropriate words here) your input.

Also, how is everyone coming along with The Book Thief? Let's keep the extra copies moving along if possible. Is anyone interested on posting some discussion threads on our group site at goodreads.com?

A suggestion

2009-03-24T14:53:00.002-07:00

If you have already finished Austenland, get started on The Book Thief! It's a longer and more complicated story, so it's going to take a little longer to read. If you have a copy you're willing to loan out, please spread the word.

Austenland discussion questions

2009-03-23T18:19:00.003-07:00

1. Austenland opens, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a thirtysomething woman in possession of a satisfying career and fabulous hairdo must be in want of very little, and Jane Hayes, pretty enough and clever enough, was certainly thought to have little to distress her" (1). How does this sentence set the stage for the novel? Compare it to the famous first sentence of Pride and Prejudice: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Which of these universal "truths" is actually true, if either?

2. Austenland, besides chronicling Jane's stay at Pembrook Park, lists all thirteen "boyfriends" she's had in her lifetime. How well does the reader get to know Jane's past? How much has she changed from her first relationship at age twelve to the one that is now just beginning?

3. Jane observes of the BBC's Pride and Prejudice: "Stripped of Austen's funny, insightful, biting narrator, the movie became a pure romance" (2). What would Austenland be like without Jane's own insightful, biting narration?

4. Looking at the gallery of portraits in Pembrook Park, Jane feels "an itch inside her hand" to paint a portrait, "but she scratched the desire away. She hadn't picked up a paintbrush since college" (36). How is Jane's artistic itch intensified during her stay at Pembrook Park? How does she come to the realization that "she wanted to love someone the way she felt when painting - fearless, messy, vivid" (125)? In the end, has she found that type of artistic love?

5. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth's mother, Mrs. Bennet, is known for her determination to marry off her daughters and for her frequent social blunders. How does Miss Charming, Jane's fellow visitor to Pembrook Park, resemble Mrs. Bennet? What are some of Charming's funny faux pas and verbal blunders?

6. Jane realizes, "Wait a minute, why was she always so worried about the Austen gentlemen, anyway? What about the Austen heroine? (105). Is the heroine given short shrift by many Austen fans today? Why or why not?

7. Jane calls herself and Mr. Nobley "Impertinence and Inflexibility" (133). How do these nicknames originate? How do these traits compare to the pride and prejudice of Darcy and Elizabeth in Austen's novel?

8. Jane's great-aunt Carolyn set the whole Pembrook Park adventure into motion. What do you think Carolyn's intentions were in sending Jane to this Austenland? Do you think Jane fulfilled those expectations?

9. Jane comes to wonder what kind of fantasy world Jane Austen might have created for herself: "Did Austen herself feel this way? Was she hopeful? Jane wondered if the unmarried writer had lived inside Austenland with close to Jane's own sensibility - amused, horrified, but in very realy danger of being swept away" (123). Is it possible to guess at Austen's attitude toward romance by reading her work? Why or why not?

10. Looking at Henry Jenkins, Jane realizes that "just then she herself was more Darcy than Erstwhile, sitting there admiring his fine eyes, feeling dangerously close to falling in love against her will" (190). Are there other occasions in which Jane is more Darcy than Erstwhile? Is it possible that today's single, thirtysomething woman is more Darcy than a so-called spinster?

11. Jane walks away from Nobley and Martin at the airport with the parting words, "Tell Mrs. Wattlesbrook I said tallyho" (186). Why does Jane enjoy her last line so much? What does she mean by "tallyho"?

12. What might Jane Austen think of Austenland, if she were alive today? Could she have possibly anticipated how influential her novels would become, even for twenty-first-century audiences? Could she ever imagine a fan like Jane Hayes?

13. Shannon Hale reveals on her Web site (www.squeetus.com/stage/austen_journey.html) that the original title for Austenland was Ostensibly Jane, and that evolved from a short story, to a novella, to a screenplay, to this novel. Can you imagine a shorter version of Austenland? A feature film? What would each be like?

14. Hale lists her "fantasy casting" of a movie version of Austenland at www.squeetus.com/stage/austen_casting.html. What is your own fantasy cast of Austenland? How does it compare to Hale's?

Discussion questions for The Good Earth

2009-03-04T15:23:00.002-07:00

1. The novel begins with Wang Lung's expectation of rain, the daily boiling of water for his father, and his bathing for his wedding. What might this water imagery foreshadow?

2. Why does Wang Lung feel compelled to purchase the rice field from the House of Hwang? Why does he at first regret it?

3. "And so this parcel of land became to Wang Lung a sign and a symbol." What does the author mean by this?

4. Wang Lung considers the birth of his daughter to be a bad omen. How does he come to regard this girl, who grows up to become a fool?

5. As the family works and begs in the city, what do they think of the foreigners they encounter? What purpose does the author serve in including these descriptions?

6. The abundance of food in the city contrasts with the characters' impoverished lives. Discuss the emotionally complex relationship Wang Lung develops with the city.

7. The poor laborers in the city lack knowledge even of what they look like, a fact illustrated by the man who mocks himself in a mirror. How does a new self-awareness come to manifest itself?

8. When Wang Lung becomes swept up with the mob and enters the rich man's house, is the gold he receives there a curse or a blessing? Do you feel any pity for the rich man? What do you think the author intended you to feel?

9. After O-lan steals the jewels, do they function as a bad omen or good luck? Why does O-lan want to keep the two pearls? Why is Wang Lung so astonished by this? What do the pearls signify?

10. As O-lan dies, she bemoans her lack of beauty and says she is too ugly to be loved. Wang Lung feels guilty, but still cannot love her as he did Lotus. Neither woman can control destiny. Lotus was an orphan who had been sold into prostitution because she was beautiful, and O-lan had been sold as a kitchen slave because she was plain. For whom do you feel sympathy? Why?

11. Toward the end of the novel we encounter the belief that things will change "when the poor become too poor and the rich are too rich." Discuss the ambivalence of this statement - a mixture of both hope and despair- and how it reflects upon the whole of The Good Earth.

12. Pearl Buck wrote a first-person novel from the point of view of a Chinese man, which was controversial because she was of a different culture. What are some of the challenges of this undertaking? How might this book have been different had it been written by a Chinese person? Compare Buck's novel to other books written by authors striving to transcend culture or gender (e.g. Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha, James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room, Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone).

Austenland

2009-02-19T19:22:00.003-07:00

I just picked up my reserved copy of Austenland at the library today and I noticed online that all of the books and CDs of this book are checked out right now, so if you're planning on checking it out of the library for April's book club meeting, you may want to put your hold request in now.

Just a couple of things....

2009-02-18T15:37:00.002-07:00

I found a neat little feature on goodreads.com that lets you list books you have that you would be willing to "swap" with other people. If you get the chance to look that up, and you're willing to loan out some of your books, please try filling out your list and help us create our own little lending library!

I've tried putting this out there a couple of times and not really had much response, but I'm going to try one more time: The whole "Mesa 8 Book Club" name came from our beginnings as a Time Out for Women book club. They assigned us a name based on our city and a number based on the order of clubs established in our area. It's not an incredibly exciting or accuratively descriptive name. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Author web site & Discussion questions from book club kit

2009-02-07T20:02:00.002-07:00

http://www.mitfordbooks.com/ - This is the author's web site. You can read first chapters of all her books there and access all the readers' guides as well. These questions came from the web site:

1. What role does Barnabas play in Father Tim's life? What other characters seem to invade Father Tim's already busy life, only later to prove enriching elements? Are there any that are a permanent drag on his spirits? How does Father Tim come to terms with them?

2. Dooley appears on the scene untamed and uninvited. What is it that finally makes Father Tim and Dooley aware that they need each other? How does Dooley contribute to Father Tim's life? Have you had "Dooleys" in your own life?

3. Which characters did you dislike at first, only to later come to appreciate or at least understand them? What characters in the book react that way to someone new?

4. Compare Miss Sadie and Miss Rose. They are very different characters, but both make a powerful contribution to the books. What makes them such vivid characters? What would Mitford be like without them? What unique contributions do they make?

5. Priests seldom have people they can confide in. Who are Father Tim's confidants? What secrets does he entrust to them? What role does prayer play in giving Father Tim a chance to truly vent his feelings?

6. "Mitford takes care of its own," says Mayor Cunningham. How does this happen in the book? Is this limited only to small towns? What other types of communities can it take place in?

Upcoming Books

2009-02-06T20:49:00.003-07:00

The votes are in and counted: April's book will be Austenland by Shannon Hale. This book is at Amazon.com for $10.39.

May's book is The Book Thief and is at Amazon for $7.19.

If we order $25 worth, we get free shipping. I would recommend that we order these books together for that reason, and also because The Book Thief is 576 pages and it wouldn't hurt if you were able to start it more than a month before the meeting, just in case. :)

$17.58 if you order both books. Please let me know if you're interested in ordering.

2009-02-03T15:29:00.001-07:00

Here's your one week reminder: We're meeting next Tuesday the 10th to discuss At Home in Mitford. This is one where I would say to try really hard to finish it if you can, because we will be discussing the entire book and if you haven't finished it there will be plot spoilers!

Be sure to vote about April's book! Poll is to the left, or on www.goodreads.com under our book club.

2009-01-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not communicating much about upcoming titles. I have dropped the ball on this one, but I'm trying to catch up! We've got the next two months set up and are trying to finalize April & May. Here's what I've got and here's what I'm thinking:

February 10th: At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon - If you are currently reading this book, I hope you are enjoying your literary trip to Mitford, N.C. This is not a fast-paced high drama book, so if you're having any trouble getting into it, please give it a chance. Try reading it with a southern drawl in mind if that helps you get into the characters a bit more. I went to high school with a few people like this, so I'm finding it kind of amusing. If you've started it, keep going. If you haven't started it, get going. :)

March 10th: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck - This is also a book club kit and I will have them available to hand out at next month's meeting. If you don't think you'll be there in February but still want a copy of this book, please send me a message and we'll work it out.

April 14th: I'm posting a poll on the blog for this one. So many of you have recommended Shannon Hale that I'm very interested in reading one of her books. The question is which one. The main options will be Austenland, or The Goose Girl. The first one is geared more toward adults while the second one is a young adult title. If you'd rather read something else, mark the third option and we'll work on that if that's the majority. Neither of these titles is a book club kit, so we'll either be passing around copies people already have, seeing how many of the individual copies we can get from the library, or buying it. The best prices I've found so far were on Amazon - Austenland is $10.39 and Goose Girl is $9.91.

May 12th: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I'm only 9 pages into this one but I'm hooked and it's interesting. Unfortunately, it's not a book club kit either. Once again, Amazon is where I ended up. They have it for $7.19.

If we end up purchasing books for April and/or May from Amazon.com, all we need is a minimum order of $25 to get free shipping.

So, please vote on the April book and once that's done we'll work on a book order for April and/or May.

TOFW featured titles for January

2009-01-07T09:09:00.002-07:00

If you're interested in either of these titles, we could always purchase them now and save them for later. These are the January features and are only available for discount this month.

http://deseretbook.com/time-out/bookclub

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T13:53:00.003-07:00

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a happy beginning to the new year. Let me tell you my Christmas wish: a really fun, rewarding, entertaining, and mentally stimulating year of reading and sharing books and experiences with all of you. Let me tell you my New Year resolution: to try to find fun, rewarding, entertaining, and mentally stimulating book club selections for us all to share this year. "Oh, but Emily," you say, "how is that going to happen? Are such miracles even possible?" :) My answer is a resounding "YES!" but I need your help.

I know the holidays are busy and I hope that is why the past few meetings have been rather small. I'm also hopeful that the new year will bring a renewed resolve to everyone to read more and to want to share that experience with others. I'm really loving book club but I can't do this without all of you. I've had a few comments about people not coming recently because they didn't care for the reading selections. My answer to that is to please give some suggestions! We have the schedule set up through March but need to come up with the next few months after that. If you have ideas, please post them! Check out the link to the left for the book club kit titles from the library. Check out the other link to the left for Deseret Book to see if you'd like to read any of their featured titles. Suggest any that you've read recently or had recommended to you. There are many options!

Thank you all for being a part of this book club. This was not intended as a guilt trip - more as an invitation to be involved and help enrich our group. I'm grateful to know you all and that you have chosen to be a part of this. It's been a very positive experience for me and I hope that it has been and/or will be for you as well.

January books available

2008-12-26T16:45:00.002-07:00

If you haven't read Just Hold Me by Don Staheli yet, Lori Evans still has copies available for purchase. Our meeting is Tuesday, January 13th! Plenty of time to read this short book.

New book club member

2008-12-14T09:35:00.003-07:00

Everyone please join me in welcoming Barbara Barker to our book club! She found us on the Goodreads web site (link posted to the left - if you haven't checked it out and signed up, please do so I can add you to the group there). Look up our group on Goodreads.com to see her profile and send her a message!

New baby

2008-12-14T09:30:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Susan on the birth of her baby last Friday! If anyone has any details and knows how she is doing, please post a comment. I'll try to have a card on Tuesday for everyone to sign for her.

Meeting change

2008-12-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

I've been given an opportunity to go out of town next week and I would be gone next Tuesday. Since that is our next book club meeting, I am writing to you with two options. Please let me know what you would like to do:

1) We keep the book club meeting scheduled for next Tuesday and someone else hosts it and "facilitates" the discussion. :) Any volunteers?
2) We move the meeting to the following Tuesday, the 16th.

Updates from TOFW book club

2008-11-22T22:33:00.001-07:00

This is an email I received from the TOFW book club coordinator. Please let me know if you are interested in any of these books. I do have the Mother in Me book if anyone would like to borrow it.

We are so thrilled to bring you an incredible set of books for your November reads, along with some great new resources.

MOTHER IN ME (256 pages, TOFW $13.97) has become one of my personal favorites this year, and think it will be one of yours as well. I have found myself recommending it to my single girlfriends, my sister who has older children, and my friend who is expecting her first. It really is a book for every woman, since, as stated in this book, “there is a mother in all of us.” Whether you are looking for a book that you can escape with or just something you can read a little here and there, this really is the perfect book!

And in addition to a DISCOVERY GUIDE, we have worked with the authors of this book to create an Interview with the Editor as well as a Q&A with the contributing authors. This should be a great addition to your experience with the book as well as your group meeting.

BROKEN THINGS TO MEND (217 pages, TOFW $17.47) is an incredible compilation of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s most powerful talks, all tied together with his teachings on the healing power of the atonement. This has quickly become a part of my personal studies this Fall, since it touches on topics that cover many areas of my life. You will find many classic talks in this book for mothers, families, youth, leaders and more.

We have put together a LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF ELDER HOLLAND that includes stories from his youth, his mission, and many of the insights into his service as an apostle. There will be a discovery guide

We hope that you and your group enjoy these books!

And while we are still under construction, and our site is not as easy to navigate, here is a sneak into DECEMBER'S TITLES

I have attached the DECEMBER HANDOUT for you to share with your group members at your meeting this month.

Happy Reading!

Chrislyn Barnes
Time Out for Women, specialist
801.517.3225
www.DeseretBook.com/tofw

Recovering Charles discussion questions

2008-11-20T14:25:00.002-07:00

Here is the link to the web site for Recovering Charles where the author has listed a Reader's Guide: http://recoveringcharles.com/readersguide.html

You can also hear a performance of the song "Love Me If You Can" from the end of the book on this web site.

Book available to borrow

2008-11-19T20:16:00.003-07:00

I just finished reading Recovering Charles and my book is available for anyone to borrow. If anyone else who bought the book is willing to loan out their copy as well, please spread the word. We don't meet again for nearly three weeks - PLENTY of time for the books to be shared around and read.

Also, I am trying to get a copy of the discussion questions from TOFW for this book. Their web site has been "under construction" for quite a while and I haven't been able to access anything that was available for past features (this book was featured in October). As soon as I have it, I will post it.

Next couple of months

2008-11-12T09:23:00.002-07:00

Last night was a small group, but things are busy right now, so if you didn't make it just know that you were missed! It was a longer book and more involved read to get through, but it made for a good discussion.

Next month's book is Recovering Charles by Jason F. Wright. It's 279 pages, it's fiction, bigger print - should be a faster read. There are at least 4 of us who bought the book, so if you're interested in borrowing send me a message. They do not have this one at the library, but it is at Deseret Book. This author seems to be a pretty nice guy, so I bet we could get him on a conference call if we ask nicely! :)

For January we are going to read Just Hold Me by Don Staheli. Several of us bought this a few months back when Lori did a big order, so there should be plenty to go around. 81 pages (!), positive message for the holidays and new year. Send me a message to be on the borrow list for this one as well.

The calendar is set now through next February and that month will be a book club kit. I'm looking into a couple others for March that will also be book club kits. Our discussion last night centered on wanting to read a few more classics. Any suggestions? Post some ideas.

Commentaries on Reading Lolita

2008-11-09T20:42:00.004-07:00

One more reminder that book club is at my house tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE BOOK, COME ANYWAY! This is the type of book that won't be ruined for you if you hear about something you haven't read yet, and there's plenty to discuss.

Here are a few references for reviews/criticisms of Tuesday's book:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60490-2004Jul18.html

http://www.powells.com/review/2003_05_27.html

This is a rebroadcast of an interview with the author. Here is my disclaimer: I have not viewed it, so I have no idea if it's any good or not!

http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2005/07/20050728_a_main.asp

About last month's meeting...

2008-11-02T21:03:00.002-07:00

One thing I forgot to mention - and which I should have done immediately after October's meeting where we discussed The Five People You Meet in Heaven:
I really enjoyed that meeting. It was great to have a discussion where different views where expressed and to have a group in which people felt comfortable expressing those views, even if everyone didn't agree. It has been my hope that people would feel like they can speak their mind about a book, or more specifically about a topic, or a character without feeling awkward in doing so. This book naturally led us toward some religious topics and I loved to see that even in that area, people could express how they felt about something without everyone's feelings having to match up exactly. This is a book club, not a gospel doctrine class and it is therefore a completely appropriate place for us to preface religious comments with "I think..." or "I feel..." People were able to disagree without being disagreeable. It was a stimulating discussion and I'm grateful to have been able to spend the evening with those of you who were there.

Reading Lolita in Tehran - Discussion questions

2008-11-01T15:59:00.001-07:00

There is one copy of this book available if anyone would like to borrow it. You may not finish it before the book club meeting on the 11th, but that's okay. I'm certain you'll find plenty of things you want to discuss in however much you read.

Because this is a longer book and a little more complicated, I'd like to try something a little bit different this time. Let's use the forum this week to start our book discussion a little early. I've already got a full page of notes and I'm only halfway through the book! I'm going to start a few discussion threads on the forum and I'd love to see some comments. Also, feel free to start your own if I don't mention something that caught your attention.

In the next couple of days I will also post some links to web sites about the book and the author. I wasn't wowed out by what they provided in the book club kit, so we're going to look at some outside sources.

Reading Lolita in Tehran

2008-10-15T09:20:00.003-07:00

I decided this month that I was going to start the next book right away! And I am only 10 pages into it, but I think this is going to be a very interesting book. If you weren't able to make it last night and you want a copy of the book, please contact me ASAP. There is one book left to borrow. It is not a short book (343 pages), so let's get started!

Here's a quote from the very first page of part one, where the author is reminded by one of her students of a warning she often gave to them: "...do not, under any circumstances, belittle a work of fiction by trying to turn it into a carbon copy of real life; what we search for in fiction is not so much reality but the epiphany of truth."

the five people you meet in heaven - Discussion questions

2008-10-12T20:00:00.001-07:00

Call me lazy, but I didn't feel like retyping the 20 discussion questions from the book club kit when they took it straight from a web site. Click here to see the discussion questions for The Five People You Meet in Heaven: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/five_people_you_meet1.asp

See you on Tuesday!

November books available

2008-10-04T17:04:00.003-07:00

Just in case you want to get a jump start on the book for November's meeting, the book club kit for Reading Lolita in Tehran came in early. I have the books here if you'd like to come by this weekend or Mon/Tues of next week to pick one up. Give me a call first to make sure I'm here!

Carroll Morris from the Almost Sisters series

2008-10-03T16:13:00.003-07:00

Wow, the authors are coming fast and furious to the valley this week (I suppose "quickly and furiously" would be more grammatically correct, but it's a Friday afternoon, so who cares?)!

Carroll Morris left a message this afternoon saying she just found out she will be signing books at the Deseret Book on Chandler Boulevard for Ladies' Night tomorrow - Saturday - evening from 5 until 7 p.m.

Meeting Jason F. Wright

2008-10-02T22:00:00.004-07:00

I had a great time at the book signing last night! There was some rough competition for it in the way of short notice of the event and...what was it...oh right, the highly anticipated vice-presidential candidate debate, so there were only about 5 of us who stayed there for a little bit and a couple of other ladies who came by and picked up a couple of books to have signed. Two of the other ladies were from my ward, and the other two were from the book club we combined with last year when Carroll Morris visited with us.

One of the ladies who stopped by for just a few minutes was looking for a book club to join, so I gave her my card - literally. :) I had a business card with me that has my email address on it, and I wrote our blog address on the back, so I'm hopeful that she'll come visit with us some time. She had some suggestions for future readings too, so I'll start checking those out.

Anyway, back to the main event: It was a pleasure to meet Jason Wright and I look forward to reading the rest of Recovering Charles, as well as his other books. He sat and talked with us all for about an hour, answering questions, listening to comments - it was a fun evening. I love hearing how authors get their ideas and develop their characters and what their writing process is.

Also, for those of you who are planning on picking the book up by this Saturday, he stopped by Deseret Book yesterday and signed copies of it there, so if you get there by tomorrow you should be able to get a signed copy for $10!

One of the other ladies there who is in my ward was asking Mr. Wright when he might be back in the valley. He wasn't exactly sure but he did say that the next time he came back he would try to set up a time when we could combine a couple of book clubs and speak with him again. So we'll watch his schedule and see if we can get that set up for next year. Perhaps if we promise to have "baked goods" available, that might 'sweeten the deal' (pun completely intended).

If you'd like to send comments or questions to Jason Wright as you read the book, I think he would love to hear from you. One thing we learned about him was that he loves his iPhone, so feel free to visit his blog and send him a message if you'd like to. http://jasonfwright.blogspot.com/

Copies of Recovering Charles

2008-10-01T09:12:00.004-07:00

The copies I have are all spoken for now. But you can still go get your own copy at Deseret Book for $10.78 - through this Saturday only!

Right now it's looking like this will be our December book since we've had 5 'yes' votes and 0 'no' votes. But I'll leave that poll up through Friday, just in case.

2008-09-30T17:25:00.002-07:00

I was just told by someone from another book club that copies of Recovering Charles are marked down at Deseret Book to $9.99 - maybe because he's visiting here this week. Check the poll to the left to vote on if we want to pick up copies at such a great price and read that one for our December meeting. It wouldn't hurt to get it now and simply hold on to it for a couple of months!

Here is a link to his blog: http://jasonfwright.blogspot.com/

Here's what I'm thinking: If we pick this one up now, we can read it for the December meeting. Then either Angle of Repose or Toss the Guilt, Catch the Joy for January, and then we've already got our February one chosen (At Home in Mitford), and we've made it through the holidays with all those decisions made ahead of time and only one book to purchase, and that one at a great price! Please either post your opinions/questions here or start a thread on the forum.

Meet author of Christmas Jars, Recovering Charles, Wednesday Letters

2008-09-30T15:49:00.001-07:00

I just got this email this afternoon from TOFW. If you see this before you see the email I sent out, please contact me if you're interested in either having a Wednesday meeting or going to the book signing on Thursday:

We just found out that Jason Wright, author of Recovering Charles, The Wednesday Letters and Christmas Jars, is in Mesa this week and has some extra time that he would love to use meeting with your book club. We apologize for the short notice, but hope that one of you might just be able to squeeze it in.

He is available tomorrow, Wednesday evening, and then has a signing at the Barnes & Noble in Mesa on Thursday. He would love to have you join him there on Thursday if Wednesday night is not open for you.

2008-09-29T20:43:00.001-07:00

One day left to vote for the November selection. Right now it looks like we've got a majority, but if you want something different and haven't voted yet, please do it now!

November 11 - Reading selection - Poll to the left

2008-09-22T10:16:00.004-07:00

I have had to change the poll for the November selection. At Home in Mitford is not available until January of next year, so since it had so far received the majority of the votes, it is now the book for our February meeting.

I left one of the TOFW selections on there and one of the book club kit selections, and then added one other book club kit. Please check them out and respond to the poll.

Also, please visit the forum to post some ideas for future reading. We need to start forming our list for December and for next year! The sooner we plan book club kits, the better chance we have of getting them when we want them. I will post a thread on the forum listing some of the book club kit titles that are less frequently requested and therefore more readily available. We can always pick up a TOFW featured title that captures our attention and place it on the calendar at a later date.

November options:

Toss the Guilt, Catch the Joy, Merrilee Boyack
http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=5005466

Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner
http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/showdetail.html?sid=6515&isbn=0679603387&buyable=&list=Book+Club+Kits&cnlcode=CNL2&opacoption=&skin=

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/showdetail.html?sid=6515&isbn=0375504907&buyable=&list=Book+Club+Kits&cnlcode=CNL2&opacoption=&skin=

2008-09-12T16:23:00.003-07:00

Here is a link for the trailer for "Secret Life of Bees." Perhaps we should do a "book-club-movie-night-out" when this movie opens! http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie-trailers-and-clips/the-secret-life-of-bees/

2008-09-10T11:32:00.002-07:00

We had a really great meeting last night! It was nice to have so many of you there. It was wonderful to see Rachel and Donna, our "newbies," and we're also very grateful to Sheila, Marie and Ruth for the yummy treats they brought (see, if you don't come, you miss treats!). :)

Sheila, we are going to miss you and truly wish you the best as you move to Oklahoma. Start blogging - we'd love to see where you're going and stay current on how you and your family are doing!

I hope those of you who were able to make it enjoyed the discussion. For those of you who weren't able to make it, all the copies I have of Five People You Meet in Heaven were passed out, but send me an email to be put on the "borrow list." And for those of you who did get a copy, please let me know if you finish the book and would be willing to pass it along.

November and December selections

2008-09-09T13:08:00.002-07:00

I know there are some groups that don't have meetings toward the end of the year because of the holidays, but we will be. There are two main reasons: 1. We meet at the beginning of the month, far enough ahead of the actual holidays that there shouldn't be as much conflict with family in town and that sort of thing. 2. The holidays can be overwhelming, whether it's things we take on ourselves, or things that are out of our control. I think it's important to still have something just for ourselves that can take us out of all the craziness in a way, and reading is a really good vehicle for that kind of escape.

So take a look at the TOFW features for the rest of the year and start thinking about what you'd like to read. We can choose from the October/November features for our November meeting and from the November/December features for our December meeting. Keep in mind that the featured titles are now only available for discount during the month they are featured, but if we pick from a previous month for a later month (e.g. an October feature for our November meeting), then it's still easy to get the book and read it for the next meeting.

If you're part of the rewards club, you also should have received the Deseret Book catalog a little while ago. I believe there was a coupon in there for a free copy of Christmas Jars. That may be a nice selection for our December meeting.

Or post a suggestion as a comment here or on the forum. We can pick something from the library book club kits, or something else that appeals to the majority of the group.

2008-09-02T21:24:00.002-07:00

Here is the TOFW BOOK of the MONTH schedule for the rest of the year, so that you can start thinking about what you would like to read. All of this should be posted on the Deseret Book website by the end of the week:

SEPTEMBER
· The Cost of Winning, Dean Hughes http://deseretbook.com/time-out/featured?id=4721
· The Temple, Truman G. Madsen http://deseretbook.com/time-out/featured?id=4722
OCTOBER
· Recovering Charles, Jason Wright http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=5007305
· Toss the Guilt, Catch the Joy, Merrilee Boyack http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=5005466
NOVEMBER
· The Mother In Me, Kathryn Lynard Soper http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=5008956
· Broken Things to Mend, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (further info to come)
DECEMBER
· Believe In What You’re Doing, Hilary Weeks http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=5005460
· Great & Terrible Vol. 6, Chris Stewart

I have italicized the titles of the ones that I will have copies of, just in case we don't choose those but you would still like to borrow any of them.

We'll talk about these next week. I'd like to plan out the rest of the year, if possible, just to simplify as we head into the holidays.

Book Club discussion forum

2008-08-26T21:43:00.002-07:00

After the blog was set up a suggestion was made about adding a "books read" list to the blog - a place where people could write about other books they have recently read or heard about. I thought that a discussion forum might be a great place for something like that, so I have set one up. This is pretty new to me and I haven't had the chance to explore it much, but it was free and seemed to serve the purpose, so let's give it a try! This forum also seemed like it would be easier to use than trying to read through any comments made on the various blog postings - the forum would have specific postings. It's getting late and perhaps I'm not making any sense, but I'm adding the link to the left for the discussion forum. You will need to sign in and create a user name and password. Right now we'll leave it as a public forum, but if we like the idea and it seems to be working, we can always change it to a private forum for members only. Check it out and tell me what you think.

October book selection

2008-08-26T21:31:00.003-07:00

Well, it looks like Five People You Meet in Heaven just edged out The Cost of Winning. Thanks for voting! I have put in the book club kit request for Five People. If for some reason we are unable to get it in time, then The Cost of Winning will be our second choice for October and I will ask for book orders and pick those up at Deseret Book. I should know by tomorrow.

4 copies left of Secret Life of Bees!

2008-08-11T14:47:00.003-07:00

Send me an email, give me a call, or stop by if you're in the neighborhood to pick up a copy! You still have plenty of time to read it.

There are a great "discussion with the author" and discussion questions in the back of the book, so I'm not going to post them here after all. If you've got the book, you've got those already, so read up - let's include some of the author's comments about her own book in our discussion on September 9th.

The Secret Life of Bees

2008-08-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

I have 9 copies available of Secret Life of Bees. This is a book club kit, so there is no cost. Please contact me ASAP to be put on the borrow list. First come, first served!

Discussion questions for The Hiding Place

2008-08-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

We are meeting next Tuesday at 8:30! Here is a link to a web site with some historical background and also some discussion/thought questions for The Hiding Place: http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Hiding_Place_Summary/Hiding_Place_Study_Guide01.html

This is simply a school study guide, so some of it may give you flashbacks to high school literature class, but it gives some basic info. Here are the "essay questions" they have, which seemed like good discussion topics:

Analyze how Corrie’s religious faith gave her strength not just when she was in prison, but also at other tragic or stressful times in her life.
2. Discuss how Father was such an important moral example in the lives of his children by citing specific examples to prove this point.
3. Why does Corrie never marry (be sure to cite at least two reasons) and what are the consequences of this decision in her life?
4. Why do the ten Booms choose to hide Jews who are fleeing the Nazis? What are the consequences, both good and bad? Why can this be said to be part of God’s plan?
5. What problems does Corrie have coexisting within her faith and the Resistance Movement?
6. Why does Father refuse to accept the Germans’ offer to let him go home? What are the consequences of his decision? Why do Corrie and Betsie later feel glad that he made this decision?
7. How does Corrie gain strength from her time in solitary?
8. Describe the horrific experiences of Ravensbruck from the trip that takes them there until Corrie is released. Why does Corrie come to feel that God had placed them there for a reason?
9. Explain the many predictions that Betsie made during her final illness and how they came true.
10. What did Corrie later learn about her release from Ravensbruck? How might that have reinforced her deep belief in God?