Lit Lovers

"Unbroken" by Lauren Hillenbrand

2012-02-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

Our book for this month is "Unbroken" by Lauren Hillenbrand. The following review was taken for amazon.com:
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

So far I am riveted by this book. I can't wait to discuss it with all of you. We will meet at Amy's house on February 23rd at 7:00 PM. Please comment if you have questions or need a copy of the book. See you all there!

"Running Out of Time" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2011-12-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

Our book for January is Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix:

Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana, in 1840 -- or so she believes. When diphtheria strikes the village and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother reveals a shocking secret -- it's actually 1996, and they are living in a reconstructed village that serves as a tourist site. In the world outside, medicine exists that can cure the dread disease, and Jessie's mother is sending her on a dangerous mission to bring back help.
But beyond the walls of Clifton, Jessie discovers a world even more alien and threatening than she could have imagined, and soon she finds her own life in jeopardy. Can she get help before the children of Clifton, and Jessie herself, run out of time?

Copies are floating around, and also available at the local libraries. Please leave comments if you have a copy available or need a copy.
Book club will be held on January 26th, 7:00 PM at Johanna's house. Please do your best to be on time. Let Mindy know if you have any questions.

Christmas Party/ December Book Club

2011-12-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

For December we will be having our annual Christmas party in conjunction with our regular book club. This month we will be reading The Autobiography of Santa Clause by Jeff Guinn.

Where exactly did Santa Claus come from? How did he meet Mrs. Claus? Who named the reindeer? We've all asked these questions and a million more, and Jeff Guinn uses a wonderful mix of scholarship, fantasy, folklore, and faith to answer them all. According to this "authoritative" autobiography, St. Nicholas began giving gifts in the third century A.D. and never looked back. John H. Mayer's warm and leisurely reading certainly puts one in mind of the classic nineteenth-century Claus, but it's the generous sprinkling of facts that draws one in. Did you know the Roman calendar had only 10 months and 355 days and that Christmas caroling was introduced to the world in the thirteenth century? A fine way for the whole family to receive a dash of history and humor relating to holiday cheer.

We will also be doing a book exhange this year. Please bring a wrapped book to exchange at the party. We will have the chocolate fountain again! The following items are a suggestion only. Bring what you want if you don't like your list item.

Mindy- chocolate
Krista- bananas
Caron- peanute butter goodness, ie: cookies, pb balls, ect.
Linda: large marshmallows
Leah- potato chips
Angie- strawberries
Shanna- cinnamon bears
Becca- pineapple
Amy- pretzels
Ann- angel food cake/pound cake
Missy- gummy orange slices
Johanna- brownie bites

Book club will be held on December 15th, 7:00 PM at Krista's house. Let me know if you have any questions. See you all there!

Retreat time is here!

2011-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

Retreat is on for THIS FRIDAY! Here is the scoop:

Meet at my house at 3:00. We will leave from there. We will meet Logan people at Smith's at 3:30ish. Please bring the following:
~$10 for food
~a treat to share
~any personal items/sleeping stuff you need
~a paper product to donate to the cabin ie: a roll of paper towels, some napkins, some TP

This will probably be a very laid back retreat. I have a little craft to do (bookmarks) that will basically be free. We will put off the book exchange because of the late notice of retreat. Just come ready to enjoy hanging out with each other. Please let us know if you can drive. I do not trust myself behind the wheel of a car in the canyon. Also let us know if you have any questions. See you all on Friday!!

October's Book

2011-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

FYI: The book changed for this month. Please note that we will be reading "Watchers" by Dean Koontz for October's book. If we aren't able to have retreat this month we will review it at Shanna's house - we aren't sure at this point. Johanna is looking into what dates we can use the cabin. Leah will then do "Room" for November. If you have problems with this... TOO BAD!

Retreat????

2011-10-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was writing things down on my October calendar and realized I didn't know when the retreat was. Are we having one this fall? I noticed that book club is at Shanna's this month.

SO... are we doing a November retreat or skipping it this time?

August's Book Club Date Change

2011-08-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

Hey, girls. I posted about this on Facebook already, but if you weren't in the loop (or have yet to cave and join the Facebook cult), here is the rundown:

I have my last night of class (of the quarter) on the night we originally had planned to have book club. This means I really can't miss. And since I am hosting, I figured that wouldn't work out. So I'm changing the date... and I really, really hope you all can come! I tried to choose a date that was out of the way of birthdays (Happy Soon-To-Be Birthday, Leah!!) and the start of the school year, which I'm sure is super crazy for all of you. Again, I really hope it works for all of us and that we all can come! It's never the same if someone is missing.

So... the new date is: WEDNESDAY, Aug. 31st! Let's plan for 7:45pm (meaning 8pm, but no one makes it on time - myself included). I'll hope the kiddos cooperate with me and go to bed on time. :)

We'll be reviewing Artichoke's Heart (which if you haven't read, you now have time to do so) and introducing September's book. And having a TON of fun and delicious food. So please come.

Love to all of you. Hope you survive the back-to-school crazies! :)

Club pick for August: Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee

2011-07-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

this review was taken form the blog The Book Reader

Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee

Rosemary Goode is smart, funny, and a nice person. Not to mention the best eyebrow waxer in Spring Hill, Tennessee. But no one really cares about all those things, because she's overweight. Rosemary's only friends are the chocolate bars she has stashed under her bed. Everyone constantly reminds her of the weight she needs to lose. Like with the treadmill her mother bought her for Christmas, which she's probably never going to use and the rickets to the weight loss convention that she got from her aunt. And since her mother runs the best beauty shop in town, blending in with her surroundings is not as easy as she hopes for. So when she finally resolves to lose the weight after hitting an all time high of two hundred three pounds after Christmas, she realizes that this is about more then just the extra pounds. And with the help of two unexpected allies from her school, an always happy and popular cheerleader and bluebird, Kay-Kay Reese, and a jock from her study hall, Kyle Cox, she realizes that not all people judge her by her weight and some can see her inner beauty that she has trouble seeing on her own.

Book club will be held on Thursday, August 25 at 7:00 PM. Just as a note: let's all do our best to be on time. I was 40 minutes late to the last book club so I am not blaming anyone here. But we need to be more considerate of the person who is hosting. It is frustrating to hustle to get ready, kick your family out of the house, and then have nobody show up for an hour. As an incentive...I will have a *PRIZE* for anyone who is at book club at 7:00 this month. Let's show our love and be on time, ladies!

Also, just FYI, I will be bringing the READ letters to book club in August. Many of you have already paid me for these letters. For those of you who haven't you can buy one if you want. I thought I would have time to host a night where we painted these letters but it is not looking like that is going to happen. So I will bring the letters so you can take them home and paint them on your own time.

Book Club Pick for July: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

2011-06-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

This month's book was chosen by Johanna. Battle Hymn of the Tiger mother was written by Amy Chua.
The following review is from amazon.com: Chua (Day of Empire) imparts the secret behind the stereotypical Asian child's phenomenal success: the Chinese mother. Chua promotes what has traditionally worked very well in raising children: strict, Old World, uncompromising values--and the parents don't have to be Chinese. What they are, however, are different from what she sees as indulgent and permissive Western parents: stressing academic performance above all, never accepting a mediocre grade, insisting on drilling and practice, and instilling respect for authority. Chua and her Jewish husband (both are professors at Yale Law) raised two girls, and her account of their formative years achieving amazing success in school and music performance proves both a model and a cautionary tale. Sophia, the eldest, was dutiful and diligent, leapfrogging over her peers in academics and as a Suzuki piano student; Lulu was also gifted, but defiant, who excelled at the violin but eventually balked at her mother's pushing. Chua's efforts "not to raise a soft, entitled child" will strike American readers as a little scary--removing her children from school for extra practice, public shaming and insults, equating Western parenting with failure--but the results, she claims somewhat glibly in this frank, unapologetic report card, "were hard to quarrel with."
I will be ordering this book from amazon.com on Wednesday, Jun 29. I have had several people say they would like to order a book as well. The book is $15.57 with free shipping if you order through my account. As this is a fairly new book, the only used copies available through Amazon started at $10 plus $4 shipping. You have to order these on an individual basis and I didn't want to get into paying a different price for each book. Trying to figure out who owed me what would be too confusing. If you want to order a new book through my account let me know ASAP. I will be placing the order on Wednesday, June 29.
We will meet at Johanna's house on Thursday, July 21st, at 7:00 PM. Note that this date is different from our usual forth Thursday night.
This looks to be a great read! I am exited to get my hands on this one. Let me know if you have any questions. I will see you all in July!

Book Club Pick for June

2011-05-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

Linda had some family obligations come up this month so we have rearranged a few things. The changes are listed on the side bar.

Our book this month is "One Thousand White Women" by Jim Fergus.
The following was taken from reviews on amazon.com: This novel is about an 1875 treaty between Ulysses S. Grant and Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne nation. Little Wolf comes to Washington and suggests to President Grant that peace between the Whites and Cheyenne could be established if the Cheyenne were given white women as wives, and that the tribe would agree to raise the children from such unions. The thought of miscegenation naturally enough astounds Grant, but he sees a certain wisdom in trading 1,000 white women for 1,000 horses, and he secretly approves the Brides For Indians treaty. He recruits women from jails, penitentiaries, debtors' prisons, and mental institutions offering full pardons or unconditional release. May Dodd, born to wealth in Chicago in 1850, had left home in her teens and become the mistress of her father's grain-elevator foreman. Her outraged father had her kidnapped, imprisoning her in a monstrous lunatic asylum. When Grant's offer arrives, she leaps at it and soon finds herself traveling west with hundreds of white and black would-be brides. All are indentured to the Cheyenne for two years, must produce children, and then will have the option of leaving. May, who keeps the journal we read, marries Little Wolf and lives in a crowded tipi with his two other wives, their children, and an old crone who enforces the rules. Reading about life among the Cheyenne is spellbinding, especially when the women show up the braves at arm-wrestling, foot-racing, bow-shooting, and gambling. May's personal journals, loaded with humor and intelligent reflection, describe the adventures of some very colorful white brides (including one black one), their marriages to Cheyenne warriors, and the natural abundance of life on the prairie before the final press of the white man's civilization.

We will meet on Thursday, June 23 at 7:00, at Angies house. I am excited to see you all there!

Retreat Tonight

2011-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

Alright ladies, just wanted to give you all a head's up on how rides are developing for this afternoon:
There will be two (probably) vehicles leaving my house at 3:15. If you want to go early with us please be on time. I am not sure who all is going when and if you are not on time it is likely you will get left, and I don't want to do that! We will leave promptly at 3:15. Johanna we will pick you up on our way through town. We will stop at Smith's. Missy, if you are meeting us early we will be there about 3:30.
Angie is going over at 4:30. I know there are some people riding with her already. If you need a ride for the later time, give her a call.
There is at least one car coming back on Friday night. Becca I think that is you. The rest of us will plan to be back in Cache Valley by noon.
Also for food: I am just getting pizza and breakfast this time. Bring your own drink for dinner. I will provide paper products for dinner and some juice and milk with breakfast. I am trying to keep the cost as low as possible- we will see how we do with $5 this time around. Also please bring a paper product (tp or paper towels) to donate to the cabin.
That is what I know. Let me know if things are different than I stated or if you have questions. I am SO EXCITED to hang out with all of you. Yay for book club!!!!

Lip Balm UPDATE

2011-05-18T11:59:00.001-07:00

Hey, ladies. Here is a picture of what the lip balm looks like, size etc. It looks SUPER pink in the pot but is really light on. We can make it lighter for sure (or a different hue if you have different lip stick you wanna try), and you'll probably want to if you're doing it for your little girls. We can play with it.

Also, I worked it out and think that it will cost $1 a pot. That's including everything: wax, oils, flavor, color, shimmer, the little container, etc.

The recipe and ingredients/materials I will bring will be for peppermint, pink shimmer lip balm (seen above... the OPI nail polish is just for size comparison). If you want any other variation (flavor, color, or container), please feel free to bring whatever else.

I'm excited to make these! I really like these and think you'll enjoy them. (Hope so.)

NOTE: Unless I hear otherwise, I will plan to bring enough materials to make about 3 pots a person. It's totally fine with me if you want less, but if you want more (especially if you want lots more), I need to know. I figure this is our first time doing it, so you'll probably just want a couple as souvenirs. (wink)

Thanks for being patient with me while I try to figure this all out. Love you girls! I'm excited to play with you in TWO DAYS!!

Chao.

RETREAT CRAFT?? Homemade Lip Gloss/Balm!!

2011-05-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

Hey, girls! So this weekend is our book club retreat (see the post below for specs), and I just came across a SWEET tutorial that I absolutely want to try! Homemade lip gloss (or balm... there are two different but very closely related tutorials; we could try both)!! Does that make anyone else giddy? It does me! I want to try it regardless of whether we do it at retreat or not, so I went out this afternoon and bought the stuff.

I want to know if you're interested in doing this.

I think it will cost up to $5 per person and should get you at least a couple of little pots of gloss/balm. Keep in mind, I've never tried this. I probably will before Friday, but I can't guarantee that. So it may be a gamble.

Does anyone else want to gamble with me?? :)

I won't be offended if it sounds lame to you. Or if you just don't feel like potentially wasting your time/money. But I think it will turn out great, and I think it will be FUN!

I will buy everything and figure out more definite costs if you'll let me know (soon, preferably). So- what say you? Lip gloss/balm craft at bookclub retreat???

Check yes or no.

*Note: Image from here. Tutorials (if you're curious, or if it'll help you decide) here and here. And Mindy (or others), Castor oil can substitute almond oil if nut allergies necessitate this.

For May: Book Reviews and RETREAT

2011-05-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

May is RETREAT TIME! This event always makes me so excited! I can't wait to hang out with all of you. Retreat will be held on Friday, May 20th and Saturday, May 21st. We will again be going to Johanna's cabin. We will also be doing book reviews for this month. Come prepared to share a book of your choice with all of us. This might be a good time to hear about some of those books we have exchanged at retreat in the past. I will not be doing a craft this time, but if anyone else wants to spearhead that, let me know and you can take it on. So here is a list of the specs:

Date: May 20-21

Time: Leave Mindy's house at 3:15, we will meet Logan people at Smith's at 3:30- if this time is a problem please leave a comment. We will accommodate whatever time works best for the majority.

Bring: Your personal and sleeping items, $5 for food, a treat to share, and your book to review.

Please let me know ASAP if you have any questions or concerns or if you are willing to drive. As always, retreat is one of the highlights of my year! Hooray for all of you!

One Thousand White Women

2011-04-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

This is {Ang} making this post :>! I have finally figured out what I want to read for my month. I read this book years ago and forgot about it until I saw it on a recommendation list this morning. It is an interesting read.

TIME CHANGE

2011-04-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

Please note that book club next week has been changed to 8:00 PM. The date remains the 28th. Just the time is different:

April 28th

Ann's house

8:00 PM

Pass the word along to anyone you see. See you all there!

A Proposal

2011-04-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Dear ladies:

First off please be sure to read the post below this one for news on this month's book.

Now for a discussion: I have felt a lack of enthusiasm for reading lately from club members. I am not blaming I am just saying. This is for many reasons: we are all busy. There have been new babies, illnesses, sick kids, stressful schedules, etc. I just feel like reading for book club has not been a priority. That's okay. That is life. But I think I am right in saying that staying in touch and spending time with each other is still a high priority. So here is what I propose: How about we take a step back? How would you all feel if we bumped everyone's scheduled month back by one or two months and took 1-2 months of a breather. We would still hold book club. We could have it at my house or at the houses of the people who were originally over those months. We would just do reviews for a couple of months. Bring a book that you have read and share it with the rest of us. This might take some of the pressure off of reading for a bit. That way we are not expected to read a specific book for the month, and the person who spent the time and effort picking the book will not have to get their feelings hurt when people are unprepared for a discussion.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. I really need your feedback on this because I cannot make a decision for all of us by myself. Please let me know what you think of this plan. Like it, hate it, whatever, just let me know. I will not change anything until we have a majority of opinions gathered in. I would like to have a consensus by next book club which is on April 28. Leave a comment. Let me know.

I love all of you and I want our book club meeting to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience for everyone. For those who come and for the person who is hosting. Please let me know how you feel.

Love to all of you,

Mindy

For April: "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton

2011-04-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

This month's book was chosen by Ann. The Forgotten Garden was written by Kate Morton. Following is a review of the book from Amazon.com:

Like Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic The Secret Garden, Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden takes root in your imagination and grows into something enchanting--from a little girl with no memories left alone on a ship to Australia, to a fog-soaked London river bend where orphans comfort themselves with stories of Jack the Ripper, to a Cornish sea heaving against wind-whipped cliffs, crowned by an airless manor house where an overgrown hedge maze ends in the walled garden of a cottage left to rot. This hidden bit of earth revives barren hearts, while the mysterious Authoress's fairy tales (every bit as magical and sinister as Grimm's) whisper truths and ignite the imaginary lives of children. As Morton draws you through a thicket of secrets that spans generations, her story could cross into fairy tale territory if her characters weren't clothed in such complex flesh, their judgment blurred by the heady stench of emotions (envy, lust, pride, love) that furtively flourished in the glasshouse of Edwardian society. While most ache for a spotless mind's eternal sunshine, the Authoress meets the past as "a cruel mistress with whom we must all learn to dance," and her stories gift children with this vital muscle memory. --Mari Malcolm

Book club will be held on April 28 at Ann's house and 7:00 PM. If you have any questions let me know. Happy reading!

Babies, Babies, Babies

2011-03-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

Baby JJ is here! Shanna had her baby boy yesterday afternoon. Here are some pictures and details:

Baby JJ born March 15, 4:00 PM

7 lbs. 2 oz.

21 inches

Shanna and the baby are both doing great. They will probably be home today. Everything went really well. We are so excited for you Shanna!! Can't wait to hold that little guy.

And other big news: Angie is a mommy again! She adopted a little boy this week. This was a sudden and fast thing. Make sure you check your facebook accounts for more news on this from Amy and Linda, or call them if you want to help gather a few things that Angie might need. She will be in Nevada for a few more days. I cannot wait to meet this new baby boy!

For March: "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute

2011-02-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Nevil Shute’s most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from the Malayan jungle during World War II to the rugged Australian outback.

Jean Paget, a young Englishwoman living in Malaya, is captured by the invading Japanese and forced on a brutal seven-month death march with dozens of other women and children. A few years after the war, Jean is back in England, the nightmare behind her. However, an unexpected inheritance inspires her to return to Malaya to give something back to the villagers who saved her life. But it turns out that they have a gift for her as well: the news that the young Australian soldier, Joe Harmon, who had risked his life to help the women, had miraculously survived. Jean’s search for Joe leads her to a desolate Australian outpost called Willstown, where she finds a challenge that will draw on all the resourcefulness and spirit that carried her through her war-time ordeals.

Copies of this book are available at all the local libraries and I will also have a copy I can pass around when I am done reading it. Book club will be help on March 24, 7:00 PM, at Mindy's house. I am looking forward to seeing you all there!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

2011-02-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

Review taken from amazon.com:
Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can--he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold. The story is by turns thrillingly scary and very funny. You'll love goofy, earnest Tristran and the talking animals, gnomes, magic trees, and other irresistible denizens of Faerie that he encounters in his travels. Stardust is a perfect read-aloud book, a brand-new fairy tale you'll want to share with a kid, or maybe hoard for yourself. (If you read it to kids, watch out for a couple of spicy sex bits and one epithet.)
Book club will be held on February 24th, 7:00 PM, at Missy's house. See you all there!

Shower for Shanna

2011-01-30T18:45:00.000-08:00

UPDATE UPDATE

We will be having the shower on Feb 19th. The 12th didn't work for many. You will be getting a invite in the mail soon.

We are having a shower for Shanna!! We are looking at February 12th right now. Please leave me a comment if this is a good date for you (especially SHANNA)! More detail will follow but I wanted to feel out the date. Let me know, ladies!

2011-01-28T12:03:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Mindy!
We are so glad that you chose to celebrate your birthday with us!
We love you!

Book Club Meeting

2011-01-26T18:41:00.000-08:00

Hi ladies! Just a reminder that book club is tomorrow night at Caron's house. I am excited to see you all there!

Also, I was thinking about our recipe book. I have not given up the idea. So here is my new plan: each month I am going to assign a recipe for the month (like this month is appetizers or snacks). Bring a recipe or recipes to book club that fit into this catergory. Next month we will do something different. By the end of the year wil will have a cook book!
I know this is late notice but do your best. Bring recipes tomorrow for appetizers and snacks. I will love you for it.
See you all tomorrow!!

We Must Be Happy!

2011-01-26T17:31:00.000-08:00

I was watching Oprah today (please don't judge :>) and they were talking about "Happiness". I missed bits and pieces while I ran kiddos here and there, but thought this was interesting...

The "happiness guru" guy said that joining a club that requires your attendance once a month is equal to doubling your income in terms of your happiness. SO... who needs to double their income - we have our Lit Lovers Book Club! Ok - so I wouldn't mind a doubled income, but now I know why I want to shoot anyone who messes with my ability to go to book club (which is usually my husband, who is thankfully still alive!).

Absolutely LOVE you guys... see you tomorrow!

Books We Have Read

2011-01-05T20:14:00.000-08:00

As per requested here is a list of the books we have read in years past. It is fun to look back and see everything we have read. good job, ladies! Remember to add your book to the side bar when you have chosen what you want to do this year.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Night by Ellie Wiesel
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
The Doll in McCallaway’s Window by Kevin Krogh
The Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Kite Runner Khalid Hosseini
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Book Thief by Markus Zasak
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Holy Fools by Joanne Harris
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Platt
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Dan Santos
Moonraker’s Bride by Madeleine Brent
Beneath My Mother's Feet by Amjed Qamar
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Zorro by Isabelle Allende
Jayhawk by Dorothy Keddington
Driving Sideways by Jess Riley
These Is My Words by Nancy Turner
The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate
Follow the River by James Alexander Thom
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Sarah's Key by Tatiana DeRosnay
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gundenkauf
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Still Alice by Lisa Genova

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARON!!

2011-01-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to you, Caron. We all love you so much!! Here are a few things I love about you:

You are one of the truest friends I have. You have my back and I know it.
You are so much dang fun! You are a blast to hang out with and always game for anything. I promise next time I do donuts in the church parking lot I will come get you first.
You make awesome rolls and salad. They are delicious.
You are sweet and kind and thoughtful and just plain wonderful.
Remember all those times we have shared night toots? That was pretty fun.
You are seriously one of my favorite people in the world.

We hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy your birthday. I am so glad you are in our book club and more importantly that you are my friend. Love you much my dear!

Book Club Pick for January

2010-12-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

Neuroscientist and debut novelist Genova mines years of experience in her field to craft a realistic portrait of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Alice Howland has a career not unlike Genova's—she's an esteemed psychology professor at Harvard, living a comfortable life in Cambridge with her husband, John, arguing about the usual (making quality time together, their daughter's move to L.A.) when the first symptoms of Alzheimer's begin to emerge. First, Alice can't find her Blackberry, then she becomes hopelessly disoriented in her own town. Alice is shocked to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's (she had suspected a brain tumor or menopause), after which her life begins steadily to unravel. She loses track of rooms in her home, resigns from Harvard and eventually cannot recognize her own children. The brutal facts of Alzheimer's are heartbreaking, and it's impossible not to feel for Alice and her loved ones. "Still Alice" is a moving tale about the devastating affect Alzheimer's can have on a family. (A portion of the sale of each novel will go to the Alzheimer's Association.)

This book was chosen by Caron. We will meet at her house on Thursday, January 27th at 7:00 PM.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all of you! I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Check back next week for updates on next months book: Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Change in Plans

2010-12-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

Hey ladies-
A little change of plans for Friday:
A few of us were talking and thought that instead of white elephant gift it would be cool to do something with some meaning behind it. So we thought about donating children's books to the local CAPSA shelter. They could use any gently used children's book and were so excited when Amy called them to find out if there was a need. So I think we will change the plan. I know it is kind of late in the game so if it is a problem let me know.

So officially: Let's all try to donate at least one children's book. Bring it to the party on Friday and then we will run them in next week. The DI is a great place for cheap, used books that are generally in good condition. Please pass this word along to any book club member you see. Again if this is a problem for you please let me know. You are not obligated to do this. I am excited to see you all on Friday! Bring on the chocolate!!

Books Available

2010-12-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Ladies-
I went in and picked up the book club kit for The Glass Castle from the Logan Library. I have lots of books available for anyone who needs a copy. Please call me or just drop by and I will hook you up!

Also please note that I have posted the monthly assignments for next year. You are welcome to add your book to the list as soon as you have decided what you want us to read.
Happy reading.

Jump for Joy

2010-12-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

Ummm, Amy don't kill me but. . . check it ladies! Can you believe her mad skills! Looking at this picture makes me want to pee my pants.Oh, and Amy,

CONGRATS ON BABY #3!!!

Newsletter clarification

2010-12-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hey ladies. In the newsletter I talked about hosting a craft night this weekend. The night I planned on is the same night as our ward party. So, um, never mind. I will have to do it some other time. If you are dying to get your read letters done before Christmas let me know and I can get them to you. If not, I think we had better plan on doing them after Christmas sometime. The craziness of the holidays has definitely hit. Hope you are all well. :)

watch faces

2010-12-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hi girls... we've talked about it, and I really just need to do it. I am going to try to do an order soon... like by next Monday at least.... I think the website is ewatches.com? If that is wrong... tell me. If anyone wants to order too, let me know. See you all soon!!!

Christmas Books

2010-11-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good Christmas book for adults? Each year I read a Christmas book and am running out of ideas. I'd love some title suggestions :>!

2010-11-23T18:24:00.001-08:00

Congratulations Shanna!!!!!

Yea ! We are all so excited for you!

For Review in December: "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

2010-11-23T10:13:00.000-08:00

In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's child-rearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover.

We will review this book at the Christmas party held at Mindy’s house on Friday, Dec. 17 at 7:00 PM. We will review the book until 8 PM and the exchange white elephant gifts and party after 8PM. We will do the chocolate fountain again this year. Please check below for your food assignment. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

The Christmas party is scheduled for Friday, December 17th. We will start at 7:00 PM and review The Glass Castle. Around 8:00-8:30 we will switch to party mode. We will exchange white elephant gifts and do the chocolate fountain. Please bring a white elephant gift (don’t spend a lot of money, these are suppose to be silly) and your following food assignment. Be reminded that the list is just a suggestion. You can really bring whatever you want. Please RSVP on the blog so I can know how people to plan for. Also, jammies are encouraged.

· Mindy: chocolate and fountain

· Missy: potato chips

· Linda: cinnamon bears

· Shanna: marshmallows

· Krista: pound cake cubes

· Johanna: banana or apples slices

· Caron: pretzels

· Ann: nutter butter cookies or something with peanut butter

· Leah: pineapple chunks

· Amy: Oreos

· Angie: strawberries or brownie bites

· Becca: Gummy orange slices

RETREAT, RETREAT!!

2010-11-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Book Club retreat will be held on November 12-13. Please be reminded that retreat attendance requires that you have attended book club regularly over the past 6 months. We will meet at Mindy’s at 4:00 PM. Please give me a call if you are willing to drive. As always, thank you so much Johanna for hosting us at your great cabin!

Ladies, please bring the following items:

· All personal items you need for an overnighter.

· $ for food and craft: I am asking $10 for food. The craft will be wooden stand-alone letters that say “READ”. These letters will be one-of-a-kind. They are being made especially for our club. Does that make you feel exclusive and special? It better! They will cost $15 each to make. If this is more than you want to spend, please let me know ASAP. As of now I have ordered one for everyone. I have black and barn red paint. If you want me to get you a specific color contact me ASAP and I will do it for you.

· A book for the book exchange

· A treat to share

· Movies or games

Caron will be bringing her mom’s beads so if you want to make things out of them bring some extra money for that.

Please call Mindy if you have any questions. I will assume the following if I DO NOT hear from you: That you are coming to retreat, that you want a letter set, and that you are okay with one of the two colors that I chose.

Please be aware that we have to pick up our craft on the way out of town and he is expecting us there no later than 5 PM. It is very important that we leave Smithfield no later than 4:30, preferably earlier. If this is a problem let me know.

I can’t wait to hang out with all of you!

November's Book Club Pick

2010-11-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Weight of Silence

by Heather Gudenkauf

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler.
Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.
Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.
Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

We will review this book at book club retreat held on November 12-13. Details about retreat will be in this month's newsletter. Please be reminded that retreat attendance requires that you have attended book club regularly over the past 6 months. Please contact Mindy if you have any questions.

Book Club Meeting on Thursday!!

2010-10-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies, just a reminder that book club is this Thursday, 7:00 PM at Johanna's house. I actually had a newsletter all ready to send out and then my printer went on the fritz so no newsletter. Maybe if I get my printer fixed you will get a double issue next month. So anyway, what I'm saying is that I'm not positive that everyone knows about book club this week. So if you see each other, please spread the word. Also, I have a copy of the book if anyone wants to cram it in over the next few days.
Love to all of you! Mindy

Crafty Crafty

2010-10-07T18:02:00.001-07:00

Hey ladies.

Please leave a comment if you are planning on coming to craft at my house Friday night, 8:00 PM (read the post below for more details). I need to know how much junk food to buy. Also let me know what color of glitter you are planning on using. That is all. Love to you.

Book Club for October PLUS Craft Night

2010-09-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! Here is the plan for the upcoming month. Please note the change in book club retreat. Book club will be held OCTOBER 28 at Johanna's house at 7:00 PM. The book the month is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Here is a short review of the book:

What perfect timing for this optimistic, uplifting debut novel set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history, this one has bestseller written all over it. (Feb.)

I know there are copies of this floating around. Comment here if you need a copy.

Also, we are going to have a craft night and make this craft:
From this blog: Eighteen25

We will get together on October 8 at 8:00 PM at my house. You are in charge of getting your own supplies. Look at the blog listed above for what you need. I will provide the glue and glitter and little foam brushes. I will have green, orange and black glitter. If you want something different you will have to bring it. If you have questions leave a comment. I will be gone until Oct. 6, so if you have questions you need answered before that I know that Amy has made one of these and Linda also knows about them. Have a good week ladies!

8:00 pm !!!

2010-09-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

I am really worried someone will show up at 7:00 at my house for book club this Thursday so I thought I better do an official post.
BOOK CLUB IS AT 8:00 PM AT SHANNA'S HOUSE THIS THURSDAY THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER!
If I am not back from volleyball yet please come in and make yourself at home:) I will be there shortly. (Jake doesn't care, I promise).

Once Upon a Time...

2010-09-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hey, ladies. I need your advice.

Because I simply CANNOT tell a short story, let me back up a bit.

Last winter, I read James and the Giant Peach to my son, James. He was only 2 1/2, but he did really well with it. It made me happy because:

a) My dad read "chapter books" to us as kids, and I fondly remember it.

b) It helped us pass those dreary, never-ending winter days.

c) James learned to sit still for a decent amount of time, and

d) to use his imagination a bit since there weren't all that many pictures.

There are more reasons, but those are a few.

Anyway, I now want to read another "chapter book" to him (and Jolie) this winter- possibly giving him one for Christmas. But (now here's where I need your help) I don't know what book to choose.

What suggestions do you all have for a book that I can read aloud to my kiddos? I want one that is interesting to a 3 1/2 year old boy, one that has some pictures scattered throughout, and one that won't bore me to tears reading it. I want him to get it. He is only 3ish, but he's pretty smart. I just don't want the general concept to be beyond his comprehension level (ie. excessively magical, necessitating that he have a good grasp on what's normal in order to get the magic aspect, etc. Does that even make sense?) I want it to be a fun, memorable experience for all of us. I know that many of you similarly read to your children, and all of you have some pretty sweet "book smarts," so I figured I'd ask you.

Let me know your ideas, and THANK YOU!

PS. I have considered the following (but am very open to other ideas) in no particular order:

The Boxcar Children (the first/original)

Mouse and the Motorcycle

Amelia Bedelia (though I think the humor of it is over his head)

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle

Charlotte's Web (too sad? The movie is...)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Matilda

A Couple Items of Business...

2010-09-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

FIRST:
Book club is at my house this month and I will be at Volleyball (yay for volleyball) until 8:00ish. Are you all fine with starting that late, or would you like to change it to a Wednesday night or....??? I am sorry. I would much rather be with you all, but that is the way it is. So let me know if you have any ideas.

SECOND:
When we went to dinner with Bonnie to say good-bye we talked a little about the Snow Canyon 1/2 Marathon in St. George. Linda and I are for sure doing it (right Linda?!) and we think it would be great if more people came. If you don't think you are up to the 13.1 mile run you could do the 5K they have that same morning or just come cheer (or stay in bed and be there to hang out:).

Here is the info:
Saturday November 6th
1/2 Marathon @ 8:30am
$35 Pre-registration (before 10/30)
$45 October 30th and after

5K @ 9:00am
$25 Pre-registration (before 10/30)
$35 October 30th and after

To register Google "Snow Canyon Half Marathon 2010" and it will take you to a link, or call Shanna if you have questions.

Book Available

2010-09-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

I am not good with blogging, but... I have finished Shanna's copy of The Help (Oct book)- she said I can offer it to anyone that needs it. Let me know... otherwise I will be returning it to Shanna soon!
It is GREAT! Happy Reading!!

Pics from August's Meeting

2010-09-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here you go, ladies... a couple of pics from last month's book club meeting. It was absolutely fun, and I'm glad so many of you could come! I really love you girls. Thanks for being so fabulous!

Spetember's Book Club Pick

2010-08-25T13:35:00.001-07:00

I know that you all know that Eat, Pray, Love is our book for September. I just wanted to announce the date and the movie options. We could go to the movie the same night (which may be pushing it time-wise) or we could go to the movie the next night, or a week later, or etc. Please leave a comment and let me and Shanna know your opinion.
Thanks for a great book club at Becca's house. We will see you all in September!

Book Club for September:
Date: September 23, 2010
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Shanna's house

2010-08-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Even though I know you're all just dying to read about my life, I'm sorry for the random post about my kindergartner. (I deleted it, but it will still show up if you use a blog reader.) I accidentally posted on the wrong blog. :)

Book Club Tonight!

2010-08-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! I am excited to see you all tonight! If any of you want to carpool with me to Becca's house meet at my house at 6:30. See you all tonight! XOXO Mindy

Official September Book Pick

2010-08-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, since it won by a landslide the book for September is "Eat Pray Love" and of course when we are finished with it we have the movie to look forward to seeing! I do apologize it will be a little hard to get a hold of since it is a new movie sensation. I have a copy and I think Mindy has a copy so as soon as I am finished I will start trying to pass it around.
Side Note: October's book is "The Help" (Johanna's pick) which is still just in hardback and also little hard to get a hold of. So you may want to start trying to find a copy of it.
Good Luck and see you next month at my house - XOXO Shanna

THIS is what's for dinner TONIGHT!

2010-08-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hey, ladies! Bonnie doesn't have internet access currently, so she asked me to post this for her. She decided on a place for dinner: Costa Vida, baby! Mmm... I just might have to rearrange my schedule to fit this in. ;) So meet at Mindy's at 6:00 if you're out that way and want to carpool. Otherwise, just meet at Costa Vida at 6:30. Awesome. See you there!

We Love Bonnie!

2010-08-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! We are getting together tomorrow to show Bonnie how much we love her and are going to miss her. We are going to dinner and possibly a movie. Meet at Mindy's house at 6:00 or in Logan at 6:30. Bonnie is deciding on a restaurant and I will update this post as soon as she lets me know. Please leave a comment if you are planning on coming so we will know if we need a reservation. I am excited to see all of you!!

September (or October?) Book

2010-08-07T16:59:00.001-07:00

Hey gals! Obviously I am having a really hard time picking a book for September. I saw that on the side bar it says we are meeting at Johanna's on the 23rd of September so if that is the case I guess this is a book for October. Anyway. I have narrowed it down to two: "The Glass Castle" and "Eat Pray Love". I know a lot of you have read one or both. I read Eat Pray Love a long time ago but really want to read it again before I see the movie and I have been wanting to read The Glass Castle for long enough I decided I should just pick it for book club (since those seem to be the only books I get around to reading!). - Sorry for the long sentence Becca!
So leave a post with your vote (hopefully you have an opinion) and I will try and post again next weekend with my choice. Sorry for the wait. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer, it is going way to fast for me:)
-Thanks Shanna

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Vote which you want for Shanna's Pick

Book Club pick for August: "What I Saw and How I Lied"

2010-07-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

READ THIS FIRST
The following plot summary gives quite a bit away. If you would rather be surprised just check the sidebar for book club meeting time info.

Becca got 6 copies of this book from Logan Library in a book club bundle. If you have a copy please comment when you are finished so we can pass the copies around. Also if you need a copy leave a comment so we know who is next in line. Thank you for your support. Read on.

In 1947, 15-year-old Evie, her mother, Bev, and her stepfather, Joe, leave Brooklyn for a vacation in Palm Beach, FL, during the off season. There they meet Arlene and Tom Grayson, who lavish attention on the family and convince Joe to go into the hotel business with them. When Peter, an army acquaintance of Joe's, appears, Evie is smitten by his charm and attention. Her budding interest in romance, while protectively discouraged by her parents, is actually encouraged by Arlene, who helps Evie develop a sense of style. Evie enjoys her outings with Peter and interprets her mother's insinuating presence as protective, when in reality Bev is having an affair with the younger man. Joe's jealous distrust of his wife, established while he was at war in Europe, does not obviate the intimacy between Bev and Peter. Evie's closeness to her mother will not permit her to acknowledge the affair even when it becomes impossible to deny. Meanwhile pervading anti-Semitism sours the hotel deal, and the Graysons are forced out of Palm Beach. When Joe insists on one last boat trip, Peter dies during a storm and Joe is accused of murder. It is during the ensuing hearing that Evie learns that adults, even those closest to her, are not always what they seem.
Blundell navigates this multidimensional plotline with unique, well-developed characters and insightful dialogue. Yet it is Evie and her rapidly maturing perception of herself and those around her that carry the story. In many ways she becomes the adult in the group, motivated by truth and justice rather than greed or superficial appearances.

Book Club Meeting Reminder

2010-07-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! I am just shouting out a reminder for our meeting tomorrow. I was confused and told some of you that it was next week (sorry Becca!). I have had the strangest month ever and am more of a space cadet than usual. If you want to hear all about my weird month come to book club. It is tomorrow, JULY 22, at Krista's house. Sorry for any confusion. Can't wait to see you all!

A Camp Flashback

2010-07-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from YW camp. My favorite is the cuddly couple sharing a bunk!

For July: "My Cousin Rachel" by Daphne DuMaurier

2010-07-01T07:46:00.001-07:00

My Cousin Rachel is the gripping story of a Victorian young man whose placid life in the English countryside is turned inside-out by an older woman. The young man is Philip Ashley, the novel's narrator. Orphaned at an early age, he's been raised by his bachelor uncle Ambrose, who falls in love and marries while traveling in Florence, then dies there in suspicious circumstances. Shortly after her husband's death, Ambrose's widow turns up in England, setting the stage for the unfolding of a relationship between the callow Philip and the beautiful, sophisticated, mysterious widow. And while Philip impetuously embraces the role of the moth flapping full-tilt toward the flame, the widow never puts a foot wrong. Is she designedly luring Philip to his doom? Might she even have had a hand in Ambrose's death? Originally published in 1951, My Cousin Rachel was made into a film in 1953.

We will meet at Krista's house on July 22nd at 7:00 PM. Happy reading!

PS- I want pictures from Heber Valley Camp posted here!

For Review in June: "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana DeRosnay

2010-06-06T16:36:00.001-07:00

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. De Rosnay's U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d'Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél' d'Hiv' roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand's family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski family to survive—the more she uncovers about Bertrand's family, about France and, finally, herself. Already translated into 15 languages, the novel is De Rosnay's 10th (but her first written in English, her first language). It beautifully conveys Julia's conflicting loyalties, and makes Sarah's trials so riveting, her innocence so absorbing, that the book is hard to put down.

We will meet at Caron's house on June 24th at 7:00 PM. I am looking forward to seeing you all there!

May's Meeting

2010-05-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies-
There has been a change of plans. Book club will be held at my house on Thursday. Regular time. So here are the specs:

Book Club meeting
Thursday, May 27
Mindy's house
7:00 PM

We may watch the movie if enough people are interested. So if you are one of those people, feel free to bring your jammies along with you. See you Thursday!

Health Days Weekend

2010-05-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

Yay for Linda completing her first 10K!!!
It was a great day of running, eating and ...
-3 for me! (Shanna)

For review in May: "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

2010-04-27T13:57:00.001-07:00

The Grapes of Wrath is a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on a poor family of sharecroppers, the Joads, driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, and changes in the agriculture industry. In a nearly hopeless situation, partly because they were trapped in the Dust Bowl, they set out for California along with thousands of other "Okies" in search of land, jobs and dignity.

The book was chosen by Bonnie and will be reviewed on May 27th. I will post the location after I talk to Bonnie. We can't all fit in her cute apartment so we will meet at a yet undisclosed location.

This book is quite a read. If you need help, like me, there are several places to look. There is a great article at Wikipedia with links to more info. The above synopsis of the book is from Wikipedia. Sparknotes also has a great section on this book, with everything from a plot synopsis to analysis of major characters, to possible essay topics (just in case you get ambitious). Please post a comment when you have a book to pass around. Please also post a comment if you are looking for a copy of this book. I look forward to seeing you all in May. Happy reading!

Group pic

2010-04-26T13:23:00.001-07:00

Thanks for such a fun time, ladies! :)

P.S. Sorry it's teeny! Hopefully you can click to see it bigger.

A few Retreat pictures

2010-04-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

Becca, I put this on because I thought your eyes looked pretty with your shirt. Don't be mad!

Thank you to everybody for the AMAZING time. Can't wait until the next one!

RSVP

2010-04-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Can I get an RSVP from you ladies? I am kind of assuming everyone is coming, but just to make sure, could you leave a message if you are in for next week?
Love you all!

Request Recipes Here

2010-04-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

Let us know what recipes you love! Do you love Johanna's fudge, or Ann's popcorn? Maybe is Krista's rolls, or her peanut butter cups? Caron also has a great roll recipe, and Linda makes a mean scotch-a-roo.
Leave a comment and let us know what recipes you love!
Look over the comments and if one of your recipes is requested please
bring it to our next meeting.

"Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs

2010-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

Our book for April is Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Following is a partial review from Amazon.com(scroll down if you want to read the whole review) that I thought gave a good plot summary and spoke a little of the books place among classics.:

The outline of the story told in Tarzan of the Apes--the first of what would be 24 Tarzan novels written by Burroughs--will be familiar. It begins with the story of Tarzan's parents, who were generously put ashore by a mutinous crew rather than killed, abandoned on an island that was inhabited only by wild beasts and cannibals. John Clayton is an Englishman's Englishman, brawny and brave and possessed of an innate nobility. His pregnant wife Alice strives to be a suitable companion to such a man. They survive in the jungle for a time, until their son is a year old, and then they both die from separate causes. Tarzan is adopted into a family of apes, where he eventually thrives because he is able to compensate for his physical shortcomings (compared to apes; compared to your average man he is a god) by employing his intellect. Tarzan teaches himself to read from the books he finds among his dead parents' possessions, and so he is able to communicate when the island is finally visited by Europeans, Jane Porter and her bumbling father, who've been marooned themselves. A romance ensues, which leads Tarzan to civilize himself and follow Jane to America.

Many elements of Burroughs' story are of course fantastic, but the author makes much seem credible because of the details he provides--he describes how John Clayton was able to build a sturdy dwelling, for example, from limited supplies; or how Tarzan could teach himself to read; or how he could track someone's progress through the jungle by minute signs which to his practiced eye were like flashing neon. The details bring Tarzan's jungle to life.

Despite the familiarity of Tarzan's story and any shortcomings in the book, Tarzan of the Apes is actually quite a gripping read. I was able to put the book down, to be sure, but there were many times when I was lost in the story while reading, eager to see how things would play out. I can understand how Tarzan came to be such a beloved icon given this introduction.

This book was chosen by Amy and will be reviewed on April 23rd.

Movie Night - TONIGHT

2010-03-13T16:16:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the last-minute-ness (sure, that's a word).

MOVIE NIGHT at my house (Becca's) TONIGHT!!!

Yes, that's Saturday the 13th.

Starting around 8:30pm (or whenever your kids go down)

and preferably done midnight-ish

(so we don't all hate ourselves tomorrow)

Maybe watching a bookclub-related movie. Maybe watching a random chick-flick. Maybe just chatting and never getting around to a movie at all (typical for us, I think).

Jammies welcome (I'll be in mine.)

Bring your favorite snack if you want.

We also can whip up some popcorn or cookies or something.

(This really is that un-planned and/or prepared for.)

Come one; come all!

March's Pick: When Crickets Cry

2010-02-27T20:46:00.001-08:00

A man with a painful past. A child with a doubtful future. And a shared journey toward healing for both their hearts.

It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he's restoring at a nearby lake. But the little girl's pretty yellow dress can't quite hide the ugly scar on her chest. The stranger understands more about it than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives.

Before it's over, they'll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry...and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.

This month's book was chosen by Linda. Book club will be held at her house on Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 PM.

Also mark April 23-24 on your calendars. This is when our spring retreat will take place. More to come later.

Movie Night

2010-02-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

It's kind of last minute, but. . .

Movie Night at Mindy's house tonight
9:00
8:30 if you want to watch Survivor with me and Ang
Wear your jammies. I will be in mine.
Bring a treat if you want. I have lime chips.
We will watch "Speak". I promise.
Spread the word.
Come hang out!

Announcing. . .

2010-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

Jolie Elizabeth Anderson

Born Feb 13, 2010
1:15 PM (Approx)
9 lbs. 8 oz.
21 inches

Congrats Becca! She is beautiful. We love you!

Fabric Order

2010-02-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hey ladies!
I am going to order fabric from this website. My favorites are under Mod and Retro Fabrics. These are the heavier weight fabrics that would be good for pillows, bags, a duvet cover, etc. Leave a comment or call me if you want in on the order. That way we can save on shipping! I am going to order on Friday, Feb 12.

BFFs... and February's Pick

2010-01-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

Hello, ladies. Becca here. I figured I'd post about this next book (to relieve Angie/Mindy of the job) since I am really feeling like posting anyway. What did I want to post? Oh, you know, just a whole lotta LOVE! Really, girls... you all are my BFFs for sure! I'm so glad we have this lil' book club, and that we all ended up being so close and compatible. It's hard to find women you genuinely get a long with and have so much in common with and admire and... :) But I found you all. You are my best friends, and I'm so, so happy to have you.

Ahem. Okay, cheesiness over (really, my husband rarely gets love letters that 'squishy' - lol). Now for next month's book:

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Here is a quick intro, from the blurb on the back:

"In 1946, writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name."

I actually just finished this book, and it was fabulous! I found it witty, cleverly made, enjoyable to read, definitely interesting, and even educational. I was going to do it as my book club choice if no one did it first. I'm glad Angie picked this one. I'm excited to talk about it with you all. So... what are you waiting for? Go get it!

{Note: L library has 1 copy, but it has 6 current holds on it- yikes! NL library has like 6 copies, though, and I think Johanna put a book club hold on them (sweet!). S library... who knows? Sorry, I'm no help there. Borders has it for about $10, cheaper ($7?) if you use their coupons. And Amazon has it for as little as $5.}

Book Club will be at Angie's place this month, on February 25th at 7pm.

Book picks for 2010

2010-01-25T11:26:00.001-08:00

Hi ladies! It seems like forever since we have gotten together! I just wanted to put out a quick word about book picks for this year. Please be thinking a little bit about your choices over the next couple of days. It would be good if we could get the next couple of months solidified. Let me know if you have questions or need ideas. I can't wait to see all of you on Thursday!

Book pick for January

2010-01-01T20:38:00.000-08:00

Claire Pendleton, newly married and arrived in Hong Kong in 1952, finds work giving piano lessons to the daughter of Melody and Victor Chen, a wealthy Chinese couple. While the girl is less than interested in music, the Chens' flinty British expat driver, Will Truesdale, is certainly interested in Claire, and vice versa. Their fast-blossoming affair is juxtaposed against a plot line beginning in 1941 when Will gets swept up by the beautiful and tempestuous Trudy Liang, and then follows through his life during the Japanese occupation. As Claire and Will's affair becomes common knowledge, so do the specifics of Will's murky past, Trudy's motivations and Victor's role in past events. The rippling of past actions through to the present lends the narrative layers of intrigue and more than a few unexpected twists. Lee covers a little-known time in Chinese history without melodrama, and deconstructs without judgment the choices people make in order to live one more day under torturous circumstances.

This book was chosen by Leah. Sounds a bit like a bodice-ripper. I am looking forward to it! We will meet at Leah' s house on January 28 at 7:00 PM. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Please note that the monthly assignments have been posted on the side bar. As you pick your books, log into blogger, then click on the tool icon in that side bar and you can edit your name to let us know what book you have chosen. That was a really bad run-on sentence. If you still need an invite to be a blog contributor, shoot me an email and I will add you. Also please be aware that I am going to start keeping track of attendance and who had read the book. The people who attend/read the book the most will have first priority for who gets to pick the books for next year.

I am excited to see you all in a couple of weeks!

Let's do some SHOPPING!

2009-12-19T02:34:00.000-08:00

Ok girls. As promised, here is the cute bag website! Check it out. I know there are a lot, so make sure you've got a little time to look through them all. Mine is found under Summer/Spring bags. Let's get an order together in January sometime. BAGSREP.COM

Stephanie

Hooray for Book Club!

2009-12-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

I am so looking forward to seeing you all tonight! I can't wait to see you!
My chcolate fountain is prepped and ready to go.Bring your jammies, or wear them whatever suits you. I am liking the idea of just wearing them right now. That sound comfy. Besides, stretchy pants might be a good thing tonight!

December's Book Choice: "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-11-28T23:34:00.000-08:00

Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis." What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute...

I read this book about a month ago and found myself dwelling on it for days. It is a fast moving, easy to read book that really grabbed my attention. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a comment if you have an available copy of the book.

Book club will be held on Friday, December 18 at 7:00 PM at my house. We will discuss the book for approximately 1-1 1/2 hours. After that we will break out the chocolate fountain, exchange white elephant gifts, and watch the movie of the book for those who want to. It will most likely be a late evening so come prepared. By prepared I mean bring your jammies and pillows if you want to. More info on the party (food assignments for the chocolate fountain, info on white elephant gifts) to come soon so be sure to check the blog often this month. I will also be sending out the newsletter in the next couple of days so watch for that.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Love you all much and see you soon!

Turkey Trot 5K

2009-11-22T10:28:00.001-08:00

I just had to post this picture of Linda, Mindy, and Me after our 5k yesterday! This is post race (I can't believe we're still smiling) You guys did awesome, it was so fun to hang out with you!
P.S. I also have a picture of them sprinting to the finish line they forbid me to post, but if anyone wants to see it...let me know ;)

Book Sale

2009-11-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

I just heard this announcement on the radio and thought I'd pass it on. There is a book sale at a place called Jensen's Books. They are a book wholesaler that is opening a retail store. The sale is this Friday from 10-7 and Saturday from 10-8. (I am not positive about the hours on Saturday, it was a fast ad). The address is 450 W. 1700 S. in Logan. Most books are a dollar, or stuff a bag for $7. I will probably go first thing Friday morning. Come with me! Let me know if you are interested. I can't wait to see you all tomorrow night. Remember, our meeting starts at 7 PM instead of 6:30.

More retreat pictures

2009-10-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time! Thank you to everybody who was involved in the planning. Can't wait until the next one!
~Steph

Only 6 more months...

2009-10-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures I took at the cabin. Hopefully I can get Stephanie to post her picture of the group, mine was too far away and not very clear. Oh well. It was a blast and I am already counting down the days until we get to do it again! See you in a few weeks. You know I love you, XOXO - Shanna

Répondez, s'il vous plait!

2009-10-11T00:13:00.001-07:00

Mindy mentioned in the (oh-so-fabulous... love those!) bookclub newsletter that we need to RSVP as to who is coming to Bookclub Retreat. I figured a new post for that very purpose would be fitting. So here you have it.

Who's coming?

Comment on this blog to let us know your plans. {{Woohooo for Retreat!!!}}

LAST CALL

2009-09-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Ladies, this is the last call for watch face orders. I will place the order on Sept. 29, Tuesday night. If you want something let me know by then. So far I have orders from Becca, Johanna, Ann, and Krista. Leave a comment, email me, or call me, whatever you choose. I will put in the order TUESDAY NIGHT. The link is HERE. There are 3 pages of faces to choose from. Let me know what you want. :)

Book recommendations and other stuff

2009-09-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

Hey ladies! I can't wait to see you all at book club on Thursday! Hooray! I lost track of who got a newsletter in the mail and I know that not everyone got one. So if you see fellow members while you are out and about this week, give them a reminder that book club will be at Angie's house at 6:30. I also have the movie of Follow the River. We will watch it at my house around 8:00-8:30. I have YW volleyball so I won't be at the actual meeting (little sob) but I will call Angie when I get home so you can all come crash my house. I will be wearing jammies for sure, so you should too if you want to. Now on to book recommendations:

I picked up these book last week and have not been able to put them down since. The Hunger Games and it's sequel Catching Fire are by Suzanne Collins. The basic plot line is as follows. The US as we know it has fallen. The people are divided into 12 Districts and are governed by the iron hand of the Capitol. Every year each District is made to offer up 1 male and 1 female child to compete in The Hunger Games, a fight to the death tournament. Last man standing wins. The whole nation is required to watch these children kill each other off as a reminder of the power of the Capitol. Katniss is 16 when her 12-year-old sister's name is called. Katniss volunteers to go in her place. Thus begins the Hunger Games.
These books are absolutely fantastic. There is a little of everything in these books: Action, romance, theories on morality. That being said there is also violence, and there are some very disturbing scenes. I have to admit I have had some of the craziest dreams ever over the last week. I would highly recommend these books! I would have done them for book club except the books are very interdependent on each other, thus making it a bad match for our club. If you want to borrow them let me know. Both will be available by Thursday, but you have to read them in order!

Now, concerning watch faces: I will be placing a order on Friday after book club. If you want to order a face let me know by then. If you need help or have questions, we can go through the website pages at my house on Thursday night.
One more thing: I found a very cool blog: The Well-Read Child It is a blog dedicated to reviewing children's (infant-young adult) books. Very cool! Check it out. I will also add it to our side bar. I am excited to see you all this week!

Retreat Time!

2009-09-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! It is that time again. Retreat Time!! I am super excited to hang out with all of you! Here are the particulars:
Date: October 23-24
Time: Meet at my house at 4:00. We will meet Logan people at the Smith's parking lot at 4:30
Bring: A blanket and a pillow if you want. There are lots of beds.
~A inexpensive paperback to use in a paperback swap. A book that you love and would like to share with others.
~A treat to share
~$10 for food and craft
~Beads for watches
Craft: Yes, we are going to make beaded watch bands! Hooray! This is a personal taste thing. You will need to go into Beadles or Hobby Lobby/Micheal's and pick out your beads. There are some great ideas on this website.I will let you know approximately how many beads you need soon. I will also provide the beads that hook the two sides of the bands together(if you want something particular or fancy get it at Beadles), lobster clasps, and elastic cord. If you want to order a watch band leave a comment. I would choose something from this page. Call me if you have questions or want help choosing. I will be placing an order ONE TIME ONLY in a week so let me know which one you want ASAP.

I will provide dinner and breakfast with the pooled money. I need a couple of volunteers to drive. Anyone? I love you all and can't wait to hang out! Let me know if you have questions or comments(newbies especially). If you want to know how much I love you click on the comic. If you are not on the comic just know I ran out of little people, and maybe be grateful I didn't take a jab at you! Yay, yay, for slumber parties!

Book Club Meeting for September

2009-08-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! First of all, thank you Johanna for hosting book club this month. It was so great to get together with all of you. For some reason I feel like I haven't seen you all forever. I had a great time. The pie was yummy and the company was great! It was also great to go finally see "My Sister's Keeper" with a bunch of you. What a fun evening.
Now on to our book for next month.

Angie has chosen "Follow the River" by James Alexander Thom:

Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return to her people.
This is a great read the will probably haunt you for days after reading it.

We have decided to try moving book club to the 4th Thursday of the month. We will try this out and see how it goes. Let me know what you think. With that, book club will be held on September 24, 6:30 PM at Angie's house.
Also our retreat for October is in the planning stages. Please vote on the poll to let us know what weekend will work best for you. Bear in mind that the date we pick will be most dependent on when the cabin is available. It's just helpful to know what is best to most of you. Again, let me know if you have any questions.
Love to all of you! If you love me leave a comment because I kind of live and breath for them! (I am working on being more subtle).

My Sister's Keeper

2009-07-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Let's go see My Sister's Keeper!

Date: Thursday, July 23
Time: 9:25 show
Place: Providence Stadium 8 (it is the only place showing it)

Meet at Mindy's just before 9 PM if you want to car pool in. We will leave my house promptly at 9:00. I like previews. Call me if you have questions. Leave a comment if you are going to come, just so I know. Hope to see you there!

August's Book Club Choice

2009-07-14T09:50:00.001-07:00

Johanna hos chosen our book for this month. Here is a synopsis from amazon:

First-time author Lisa Wingate drew upon her relationship with her grandmother for inspiration in writing Tending Roses. Her sensitive and able crafting of language, character, and situation pierces through the turmoil and stress of everyday life, illuminating its message with almost painful intensity: "Maybe you should start wanting less." Wingate's words resonate as readers are introduced to Kate Bowman, her architect husband Ben, and their infant son. Kate, on maternity leave from her high-profile Chicago job, has been given the unenviable task of convincing her increasingly frail and forgetful grandmother that she can no longer live alone on the Missouri farm that has been her home for almost half a century. Kate and Ben are struggling to deal with mounting debts and medical bills as they strive to build a lifestyle, rather than a life. Frustrated by dealing with her stubborn, if well-meaning, grandmother, Kate finds solace and clarity in Grandma Rose's handwritten journal. The simple stories of earlier, less complicated times renew Kate's understanding of the truly important things in life. Through the journal, Kate discovers the essence of the remarkable Grandma Rose and is forced to reevaluate her priorities and those of her family. Simply put, Wingate's aim is to exhort readers to "stop and smell the roses." The daily race to achieve and have more, more, more is clearly and all-too-accurately portrayed in these pages. I guarantee readers will stop to think of their own lives and where they are spending their energies. Let's hope Lisa Wingate has other relatives as inspiring as Grandma Rose for future novels.

Our meeting will be on August 13th at 6:30. We will meet at Johanna's house.

July's Book: Peter and the Starcatchers

2009-06-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

Our book for July is Peter andthe Starcatchers. Here is a short review of the book:

Fourteen-year-old Peter is an orphan who doesn't exactly know how old he truly is, just like he doesn't know his last name. So when St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys places him aboard a ship called The Never Land, along with four of his mates, on a trip to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff, where they will be forced to serve as slaves, Peter doesn't know exactly what to think. But when he meets up with fourteen-year-old Molly Aster, a rich passenger, traveling with her governess Mrs. Bumbrake, mysterious things begin happening. For instance, Molly can speak to porpoises, and she's hiding information about the strange trunk located in a holding cell upon The Never Land. Information about the magic, and mystery, that the trunk is holding inside. But when the notorious Black Stache learns about the treasure, the passengers upon The Never Land are in for a lot of trouble. Trouble that leads them all to fight with pirates, and become stranded on a desert island.

Our meeting will be held 6:30, Thursday, July 9 at Linda's house. Please let Mindy know if you have any questions.

Movie Night

2009-06-15T13:51:00.001-07:00

We are going to hit the movies Tuesday night! I know this is late notice, but hope you can come.

Date: Tuesday, June 16
Time: 9:50 showing
Place: Cinefour Movies

The Pianist

2009-05-16T20:21:00.001-07:00

The Pianist, by Wladyslaw Szpilman, is this month's book. {The full title is actually "The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945" ... but who honestly wants that as a post title?} It's a memoir, which is sorta-new to us and should be awesome. It is Bonnie's pick, it has had FANTASTIC reviews, and really- it looks phenomenal!

Here is an Editorial Review I found on Amazon:

Written immediately after the end of World War II, this morally complex Holocaust memoir is notable for its exact depiction of the grim details of life in Warsaw under the Nazi occupation. "Things you hardly noticed before took on enormous significance: a comfortable, solid armchair, the soothing look of a white-tiled stove," writes Wladyslaw Szpilman, a pianist for Polish radio when the Germans invaded. His mother's insistence on laying the table with clean linen for their midday meal, even as conditions for Jews worsened daily, makes palpable the Holocaust's abstract horror. Arbitrarily removed from the transport that took his family to certain death, Szpilman does not deny the "animal fear" that led him to seize this chance for escape, nor does he cheapen his emotions by belaboring them. Yet his cool prose contains plenty of biting rage, mostly buried in scathing asides (a Jewish doctor spared consignment to "the most wonderful of all gas chambers," for example). Szpilman found compassion in unlikely people, including a German officer who brought food and warm clothing to his hiding place during the war's last days. Extracts from the officer's wartime diary (added to this new edition), with their expressions of outrage at his fellow soldiers' behavior, remind us to be wary of general condemnation of any group. --Wendy Smith

Yeah. I know! Stop drooling and go get it, then! ;)

The L. library has 2 copies {I've got one}. The N.L. library has one. And Amazon has them for as low as 38 cents.

We'll be meeting at my "new" house {slash Bonnie's in-law's} on Thursday, June 11th @ 6:30pm. Bonnie also has hook-ups to an edited version of the movie and will have it there if anyone wants to watch it afterward. Woohoo! I'm pumped already. So go get the book, then sit out in your yard and read. Ah... summer!

"These Is My Words"

2009-05-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lateness of this post. I have been super-busy.
Book club will be held on May 14th (THIS THURSDAY) at Shanna's house at 6:30 PM.
Our book is These Is My Words by Nancy Turner. Again I am sorry for the lateness of this all but if you can READ THIS BOOK! It is so, so, SO good. I think it is one of the best we have ever done.
I know there are several copies floating around. Give me a call if you need help tracking one down.
Love to all and see you on Thursday.
PS- I have a super cool gift for all of you from Jess Riley. (See comments on previous post). Also I have the newsletter for this month but it is late enough I will just give it to you at the meeting. I know, kind of lame, but again, I have been busy. If you want these treats, you have to come to our meeting on Thursday. . . did I convince you to come? :)

Another Fantastic Weekend

2009-04-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had as great of a time as I did at retreat this weekend. Thank you Johanna for letting us use the cabin (again), it the perfect place to go!
Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Till next time... keep reading.

Get Crackin on the Read for May!

2009-04-23T18:45:00.001-07:00

Hey girls! I just wanted to say please start reading "These is My Words" so we have something to discuss in May! And I can't wait to see you all at retreat. I hope you have all been looking forward to it as much as I have. I was beaming all day at work and when anyone would ask why I told them I was so excited to go to my Book Club Retreat, yeah. Here are some pictures from the past to get you excited as well.

WHO'S EXCITED???

2009-04-21T19:30:00.001-07:00

Things you should bring:
1) Yourself! COME, COME, COME!!!!!
Meet at Mindy's house at 4:30 or meet us at Mandarin Garden at 5:15 ish. I will make the
dinner reservation for 5:30. Yes you all know it will take us that long to get into town.
2) A blanket and a pillow if you want to. There are beds to sleep 12.
3) A treat to share. There should be nothing small about it, Becca!
4) $10 for breakfast and craft. This might be more than I need but I don't know for sure yet, so if it is I will reimburse you the extra. There were issues with the pendants (I made some and they were fugly) so we will be making picture frames this time. I will also bring my hair bow stuff so bring some extra cash if you want to do those.

If you are reading this and it is anytime before we leave, go take a nap because you know we will be up all night. I will only have happy girls, so go sleep now! Becca, that was for you.

Much love to all. I am so excited to hang out with you. Please call me if you have any questions!

Trying to Decide...

2009-04-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to decide which book I should have everyone read when it is my turn. It's not until September, but I thought since most of you have yours listed here that I should try to make a decision too. Here are a couple I have been contemplating:

Follow the River

I loved this book. It was one of the first ones that I borrowed from Mindy. Read it in a few days. I don't want to pick it if most everyone has already read it though. It is a pretty intense book. Who all has read it already?

The Glass Castle

I've been wanting to read this one because I love memoir's. This has really great reviews. Again, I don't want to choose it if most have read it. So let me know.

Our Book for Review in April

2009-03-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Twenty-eight-year-old Leigh Fielding has a new chance at life thanks to Larry Resnick, a man she's never met - or more precisely, thanks to Larry's kidney. After five years on dialysis, Leigh is given the gift of a new kidney and a renewed sense of optimism; after all, for a long time she thought she wouldn't see her thirtieth birthday. Inspired by Larry and his gift, Leigh does what anyone who has been hooked up to a machine three days a week would want to do - she gets out of her hometown of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A road trip seems like the perfect way to start her new life. Planning out stops along the way (visiting friends Meg and Jillian, dropping in unannounced on Larry's grandmother to thank her for his gift and find out more about him), her ultimate destination is California. There her mother disappeared to when she left Leigh, her brother, James, and their father, who killed himself about a year later. However, along the way, something unexpected happens - Leigh picks up a hitchhiker. Seventeen-year-old Denise is a runaway from her foster home, hiding from a bad boyfriend. She asks Leigh to take her along to California and Leigh, feeling daring with her new lease on life, agrees to the companionship, though she doesn't entirely trust Denise. Together they embark on a hilarious and unforgettable journey across the country and find parts of themselves scattered along the way.

This book was chosen by Missy. We will review Driving Sideways at our retreat on April 24-25.

the color purple

2009-03-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

Has anyone read this book? I just did the other day, and ... well... it was... interesting. I'm pretty sure I loved it, but I hated lots of it. It's really well written and cleverly so {each chapter is a letter... sort of. The first page starts out, "Dear God"}. It is beautiful, sad, hopeful and true. The best word for the book {that I could come up with} is RAW. Its honest, this-is-life kind of telling speaks a kind of truth, touches you, but also makes you really sad and sometimes nauseated {ie. the incestual rape scene on page one}. Yeah. I don't know if I can recommend it... or at least don't know if I can recommend it to YOU. But I loved it... I think.

Lit Lovers

"Unbroken" by Lauren Hillenbrand

"Running Out of Time" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Christmas Party/ December Book Club

Retreat time is here!

October's Book

Retreat????

August's Book Club **Date Change**

Recommended Reads

Club pick for August: Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee

Book Club Pick for July: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Book Club Pick for June

Retreat Tonight

Lip Balm UPDATE

RETREAT CRAFT?? Homemade Lip Gloss/Balm!!

For May: Book Reviews and RETREAT

One Thousand White Women

TIME CHANGE

A Proposal

For April: "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton

Babies, Babies, Babies

For March: "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Shower for Shanna

Book Club Meeting

We Must Be Happy!

Books We Have Read

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARON!!

Book Club Pick for January

Merry Christmas

Change in Plans

Books Available

Jump for Joy

Newsletter clarification

watch faces

Christmas Books

For Review in December: "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

RETREAT, RETREAT!!

November's Book Club Pick

Book Club Meeting on Thursday!!

Crafty Crafty

Book Club for October PLUS Craft Night

8:00 pm !!!

Once Upon a Time...

A Couple Items of Business...

Book Available

Pics from August's Meeting

Spetember's Book Club Pick

Book Club Tonight!

Official September Book Pick

THIS is what's for dinner TONIGHT!

We Love Bonnie!

September (or October?) Book

Book Club pick for August: "What I Saw and How I Lied"

Book Club Meeting Reminder

A Camp Flashback

For July: "My Cousin Rachel" by Daphne DuMaurier

For Review in June: "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana DeRosnay

From Publishers Weekly

May's Meeting

Health Days Weekend

For review in May: "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Group pic

A few Retreat pictures

RSVP

Request Recipes Here

"Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Movie Night - TONIGHT

March's Pick: When Crickets Cry

Movie Night

Announcing. . .

Fabric Order

BFFs... and February's Pick

Book picks for 2010

Book pick for January

Let's do some SHOPPING!

Hooray for Book Club!

December's Book Choice: "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Turkey Trot 5K

Book Sale

August's Book Club Date Change