Mark your calendars book groupers (and everyone else too!). The holidays are ont their way, and this means a slight change in schedule. December book club will not be meeting our usual first Tuesday- that is the night of the fabulous holiday Enrichment Party. Instead, we are going to meet on Saturday December 5th. We aren't reading a book for the December meeting, instead we are going to have brunch, watch some fun from the Santaland Diaries, and best of all have a book exchange!
So here is what to plan for:
Brunch at 11:30-bring yourself! (Usual place, my apartment)
Book Exchange-wrap and bring a favorite read (old or new) you are ready to part with. Don't worry, you'll go home with something great.
Santaland Diaries-this entertainment is provided.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
so much to learn...
Book group gathered last night to review March, and who knew such a small book would be jam-packed with big issues. After touching on topics including slavery, racism, religion, gender roles, war, and the evolution of human dignity in modern society, the conversation certainly wasn't lacking for depth and passion!
Thank you Tina who diligently facilitated from afar, sending us her poignant questions and thoughts to guide discussion.
Pepper was kind enough to send the link to the documentary she was telling us about; for those interested in learning more about the church's history with African-Americans: Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons
(And thanks to everyone who brought those delicious treats! They soothed the passing of my quarter century)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Banned Book Week
After venturing to the library last week I discovered September is the month of Banned Books, and that various libraries, cities or organizations have official weeks in which we are encouraged to pick a banned book, and, well, read it. The American Library Association has officially declared September 26th-October 3rd Banned Book Week for 2009, during which you are invited to read a banned book, old or new. (Nice of them to give us two weeks to get the task done)
Lists of banned books contain anything and everything, from Harry Potter and Twilight, to The Diary of Anne Frank and 1984. While the merits book banning is one of those subjects that can and will be argued over endlessly, I think we can all celebrate the freedom and ability to censor for ourselves and read, or not read, what we choose.
As with many statements of opposition, banning books often brings far more attention to a piece of literature than the work would have received if simply ignored by nonsupporting groups, organizations, cities, states, etc. Certainly books on recent lists haven't currently been on my radar, but in researching this topic, there are a whole list of titles I can't help but be curious about. Why did they make the list?
If you are interested in participating, here are some sites to browse on the subject:
American Library Association on Banned Book week
Time Magazine- A Librarians Perspective
Wiki's thoughts
DetectCensorship.org
Wiki on Book Burning
I have selected my book:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky.
Now go read a book. Of your choice!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
October & November reads
October 6th book:
March
by Geraldine Brooks
Winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
As the North reels under a series of unexpected defeats during the dark first year of the war, one man leaves behind his family to aid the Union cause. His experiences will utterly change his marriage and challenge his most ardently held beliefs. Riveting and elegant as it is meticulously researched, March is an extraordinary novel woven out of the lore of American history.
From Louisa May Alcott's beloved classic Little Women, Geraldine Brooks has taken the character of the absent father, March, who has gone off to war, leaving his wife and daughters to make do in mean times. To evoke him, Brooks turned to the journals and letters of Bronson Alcott, Louisa May's father—a friend and confidant of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. In her telling, March emerges as an idealistic chaplain in the little known backwaters of a war that will test his faith in himself and in the Union cause as he learns that his side, too, is capable of acts of barbarism and racism. As he recovers from a near mortal illness, he must reassemble his shattered mind and body and find a way to reconnect with a wife and daughters who have no idea of the ordeals he has been through.
Spanning the vibrant intellectual world of Concord and the sensuous antebellum South, March adds adult resonance to Alcott's optimistic children's tale to portray the moral complexity of war, and a marriage tested by the demands of extreme idealism—and by a dangerous and illicit attraction. A lushly written, wholly original tale steeped in the details of another time, March secures Geraldine Brooks's place as an internationally renowned author of historical fiction.
November 3rd book:
Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light-The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta
by Mother Teresa, compiled by Brain Kolodiejchuk
Mother Teresa was one of the most revered people of the 20th century, so it is no surprise that 10 years after her death people still want to know what impelled this poor, humble Albanian woman to give her life to God so completely. Kolodiejchuk, a Catholic priest and friend of Mother Teresa’s who is actively promoting her cause for sainthood, assembles a startling and impressive collection of her writings, most of which have never been seen by the public. Two themes especially shine through in Mother Teresa’s letters, namely, her absolute conviction that she was doing God’s will, and a deep and surprising chasm of darkness within her that some would call the dark night of the soul. It is also apparent that this saintly woman was no pushover. In her quest to found the Missionaries of Charity, she aggressively pursued approval from her bishop, fully confident that God desired this work to be done. Kolodiejchuk is at times a bit presumptive in his interpretations of Teresa’s letters, as no one can say for certain what was in her mind and heart at all times. What we do know, in part thanks to this volume, is that Mother Teresa’s vocation to care for the poorest of the poor will continue to inspire people for generations.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Great Female Writers
A gal I went to school with writes for Eliza magazine, and I thought his article about famous ladies in literature was fun:
http://www.elizamagazine.com/article.php?ID=30
http://www.elizamagazine.com/article.php?ID=30
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Thanks Ladies
Just a quick shout out... "Thank You!" to everyone who has been participating in book club-either by voting or commenting on the blog, attending the group, or just reading the book! We've had a lot of fun, there is nothing quite look a delightful group of gals discussing their musings of quality literature.
A friendly reminder: READING NOT REQUIRED TO PLAY! Everyone is welcome, regardless if you've read the book or not. We often spend our time discussing other books, whether read or potential options, and of course we must catch up with the latest and greatest in life.
Also, if you've read something awesome lately, LET US KNOW! Email me if you want to post it on the blog and I can add you as an author! Or you can just email me your thoughts and I'll post them for you.
Thanks again for all of your participation, and input and feedback is always welcome.
Cheers,
Martha
November 3rd choices:
Teresa Boyd has conjured up a delightful selection for the Novemeber 3rd meeting. Browse and vote on whatever suits your fancy!
Peony in Love: A Novel
by Lisa See
Set in 17th-century China, See's fifth novel is a coming-of-age story, a ghost story, a family saga and a work of musical and social history. As Peony, the 15-year-old daughter of the wealthy Chen family, approaches an arranged marriage, she commits an unthinkable breach of etiquette when she accidentally comes upon a man who has entered the family garden. Unusually for a girl of her time, Peony has been educated and revels in studying The Peony Pavilion, a real opera published in 1598, as the repercussions of the meeting unfold. The novel's plot mirrors that of the opera, and eternal themes abound: an intelligent girl chafing against the restrictions of expected behavior; fiction's educative powers; the rocky path of love between lovers and in families. It figures into the plot that generations of young Chinese women, known as the lovesick maidens, became obsessed with The Peony Pavilion, and, in a Werther-like passion, many starved themselves to death. See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) offers meticulous depiction of women's roles in Qing and Ming dynasty China (including horrifying foot-binding scenes) and vivid descriptions of daily Qing life, festivals and rituals. Peony's vibrant voice, perfectly pitched between the novel's historical and passionate depths, carries her story beautifully—in life and afterlife.
The Secret Founding of America: The Real Story of Freemasons, Puritans & the Battle of The New World
by Nicholas Hagger
Ask most Americans where the country’s origins lie and they’ll point to the Mayflower and its settlers—whom we often think of as the earliest arrivals to our shores. But something existed even before that: Jamestown. Its founders had thoroughly different values than the Puritans, and their Masonic beliefs indelibly shaped America’s future. This authoritative, accessible, and absorbing history takes a fresh look at the past to reveal the truth about why the United States is now run by Freemasons who are Christians, too. Drawing on original findings, and exhibiting a rich, in-depth understanding of the political and philosophical realities of the time, acclaimed author Nicholas Hagger argues that the new nation, conceived in liberty, was the Freemasons’ first step towards a new world order. He charts the connections between secret societies and libertarian ideals, explains how the influence of German Illuminati worked on the framers of the new republic, and shows the hand of Freemasonry at work at every turning point in America’s history—from the Civil War to the Cold War to today’s global struggles for democracy. It’s a fascinating subject, and one that will also be at the center of Dan Brown’s next book—so interest is sure to be high and the tie-in potential immense.
Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light-The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta
by Mother Teresa, compiled by Brain Kolodiejchuk
Mother Teresa was one of the most revered people of the 20th century, so it is no surprise that 10 years after her death people still want to know what impelled this poor, humble Albanian woman to give her life to God so completely. Kolodiejchuk, a Catholic priest and friend of Mother Teresa’s who is actively promoting her cause for sainthood, assembles a startling and impressive collection of her writings, most of which have never been seen by the public. Two themes especially shine through in Mother Teresa’s letters, namely, her absolute conviction that she was doing God’s will, and a deep and surprising chasm of darkness within her that some would call the dark night of the soul. It is also apparent that this saintly woman was no pushover. In her quest to found the Missionaries of Charity, she aggressively pursued approval from her bishop, fully confident that God desired this work to be done. Kolodiejchuk is at times a bit presumptive in his interpretations of Teresa’s letters, as no one can say for certain what was in her mind and heart at all times. What we do know, in part thanks to this volume, is that Mother Teresa’s vocation to care for the poorest of the poor will continue to inspire people for generations.
Peony in Love: A Novel
by Lisa See
Set in 17th-century China, See's fifth novel is a coming-of-age story, a ghost story, a family saga and a work of musical and social history. As Peony, the 15-year-old daughter of the wealthy Chen family, approaches an arranged marriage, she commits an unthinkable breach of etiquette when she accidentally comes upon a man who has entered the family garden. Unusually for a girl of her time, Peony has been educated and revels in studying The Peony Pavilion, a real opera published in 1598, as the repercussions of the meeting unfold. The novel's plot mirrors that of the opera, and eternal themes abound: an intelligent girl chafing against the restrictions of expected behavior; fiction's educative powers; the rocky path of love between lovers and in families. It figures into the plot that generations of young Chinese women, known as the lovesick maidens, became obsessed with The Peony Pavilion, and, in a Werther-like passion, many starved themselves to death. See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, etc.) offers meticulous depiction of women's roles in Qing and Ming dynasty China (including horrifying foot-binding scenes) and vivid descriptions of daily Qing life, festivals and rituals. Peony's vibrant voice, perfectly pitched between the novel's historical and passionate depths, carries her story beautifully—in life and afterlife.
The Secret Founding of America: The Real Story of Freemasons, Puritans & the Battle of The New World
by Nicholas Hagger
Ask most Americans where the country’s origins lie and they’ll point to the Mayflower and its settlers—whom we often think of as the earliest arrivals to our shores. But something existed even before that: Jamestown. Its founders had thoroughly different values than the Puritans, and their Masonic beliefs indelibly shaped America’s future. This authoritative, accessible, and absorbing history takes a fresh look at the past to reveal the truth about why the United States is now run by Freemasons who are Christians, too. Drawing on original findings, and exhibiting a rich, in-depth understanding of the political and philosophical realities of the time, acclaimed author Nicholas Hagger argues that the new nation, conceived in liberty, was the Freemasons’ first step towards a new world order. He charts the connections between secret societies and libertarian ideals, explains how the influence of German Illuminati worked on the framers of the new republic, and shows the hand of Freemasonry at work at every turning point in America’s history—from the Civil War to the Cold War to today’s global struggles for democracy. It’s a fascinating subject, and one that will also be at the center of Dan Brown’s next book—so interest is sure to be high and the tie-in potential immense.
Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light-The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta
by Mother Teresa, compiled by Brain Kolodiejchuk
Mother Teresa was one of the most revered people of the 20th century, so it is no surprise that 10 years after her death people still want to know what impelled this poor, humble Albanian woman to give her life to God so completely. Kolodiejchuk, a Catholic priest and friend of Mother Teresa’s who is actively promoting her cause for sainthood, assembles a startling and impressive collection of her writings, most of which have never been seen by the public. Two themes especially shine through in Mother Teresa’s letters, namely, her absolute conviction that she was doing God’s will, and a deep and surprising chasm of darkness within her that some would call the dark night of the soul. It is also apparent that this saintly woman was no pushover. In her quest to found the Missionaries of Charity, she aggressively pursued approval from her bishop, fully confident that God desired this work to be done. Kolodiejchuk is at times a bit presumptive in his interpretations of Teresa’s letters, as no one can say for certain what was in her mind and heart at all times. What we do know, in part thanks to this volume, is that Mother Teresa’s vocation to care for the poorest of the poor will continue to inspire people for generations.
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