November

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE IMPORTANT BOOK SELECTION CHANGE IN PARAGRAPH #3!

November 13^th, 2008

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last night’s meeting to discuss The Shack proved very interesting. Overall we gave the book 3.5 stars. Donna did a fantastic job of facilitating the conversation on a book that touched on the very personal topic of one’s beliefs. As Marion mentioned, I think it points out the very special nature of our group that we can derive so much from one another even when we are discussing issues on which we may have to agree to disagree. Thanks again to all who brought refreshments and to Donna for doing such a great job as hostess and leader.

Next up is the co-ed night on Wednesday, December 3^rd at my place. Remember the earlier start time of 6:45 PM and that a “dinner” of substantial appetizers will precede the discussion. If you plan on attending and have not signed up for something to bring yet, call me. In case you haven’t been reminded enough times, the book is Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. We will also be choosing the book for next year’s co-ed function. Please refer to the last newsletter to give your guys a sneak preview about what’s up for consideration. If you were the proponent of one of the suggested co-ed books, you might be called on to give a few brief comments on the selection after I read a synopsis.

Speaking of upcoming selections, I was forced to make an executive decision today regarding the January pick, Northern Borders by Howard Frank Mosher. As discussed last night, the book is not readily available on Amazon, and is available only by special online order through Borders. Sue Payne checked with the Book Worm in East Aurora today. They would be able to order it from their warehouse, but there are only 15 copies left, and they were unable to hold any of them until I could gather up a consensus of how many we need. In an effort to not have people rooting around for copies at the last minute, I made the decision to scrap the idea and go to the book that narrowly missed the list in the tie-breaking vote, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. That is commonly available right now and I can order it for anyone on Amazon for $10.20. My apologies to whoever recommended this book and to anyone who already purchased it. I heard through the grapevine that the one person who started it is enjoying it, but I felt the logistics were going to be a little daunting at a busy time of year.

Please remember the holiday crafty open house thing on November 29^th and to keep Gert in your thoughts during her recovery. Also contact Marion or see her at the next meeting if you are interested in attending a film and discussion of The Shack at the Hamburg Wesleyan Church on December 10^th.

I think that’s all the stuff I had to say for now.

Jan

October

Dear Book Clubbers,

Sorry to take so long to get this newsletter out. It’s been a busy time! Last week’s meeting to discuss The Book Thief was outstanding. Our group scored the book with an overall rating of 4.8 which is our highest since we started doing this. I think that the only thing keeping it from being a perfect 5.0 was the disturbing subject matter. Nancy was a super hostess and Linda did a terrific job of leading the lively discussion. Thanks also to Grace who handed out bookmarks she brought home for us from her African adventure.

The next meeting is at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, November 12^th at Donna Deyermond’s. The book for that night is The Shack by William P. Young. Snack people for this gathering are Linda, Polly and Loraine. Please let Donna know if you will be attending diewrite@hotmail.com.

In other news, huge CONGRATULATIONS to Katie and family who were recently blessed with the arrival of Alisette Philomena. Last we heard, things are going well, and Katie is still planning on hosting the January meeting with the help of Pam.

That reminds me of an idea which came up. Since our group has recently grown in number (which is a good thing) the suggestion was made that perhaps people who have houses on the smaller side could buddy up with another member to help out with hosting and leading the discussion. Please keep that possibility in mind as we continue to work our way through the member roster alphabetically. Gert Forde also reminded me that the Springville Historical Society building is available for group meetings.

For those of you who weren’t in attendance, I issued a “save the date” reminder for Saturday, November 29^th when there will be an open house at my home from 11 AM – 2 PM. The purpose of this is to showcase the jewelry of Marilyn’s daughters-in-laws, Beth and Freeda, Ina’s unique wool hats and purses, Liz’s beaded creations, my friends, Suzanne and Bill’s, laser engraved, personalized wood gifts, and Grace’s husband, Roger’s, wood sculptures. I think this is a great chance for us to have a relaxing post Thanksgiving gathering as well as to get a jump start on holiday shopping by buying handmade, unique gifts and perhaps avoiding the malls on that crazy shopping weekend.

Just a few short days later on Wednesday, December 3^rd, we will be having our co-ed meeting to discuss Out Stealing Horses. The time for this event is 6:30 PM since we will be serving substantial appetizers prior to getting into the book. If you did not sign up to bring something yet, you may do so at the November 12^th meeting or by contacting me. Please remind the guys that we will also be choosing our co-ed selection for next year. The choices which we will vote on are: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, Big Russ & Me by Tim Russert, The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Tolle and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

Finally, the date of the January meeting has been set for January 14^th and the selection is Northern Borders by Howard Frank Mosher.

Hopefully, I haven’t forgotten anything. Now that the weather is colder, it is time to hunker in with a good book!

Jan

August

Dear Book Clubbers,
Last night’s meeting at Joanne’s to discuss The Time Traveler’s Wife was super. It was terrific to see some old faces back in the mix and to add another new one. Welcome to new member, Natalie Rinaldi, and welcome back to those of you we’ve been missing. The group gave the book pretty close to 4 stars. Part of what made the discussion great is that there was a wide range of how we felt about the book. The other nice aspect is that we were able to help each other “get” some of the confusing aspects of the time travel. I think all agreed that the book’s premise was pretty creative and that the love story was moving. Of course, the company and refreshments were excellent and no neighbors called the sheriff when we sang “Happy Birthday” to Marilyn. Thanks to Joanne for hosting such a successful gathering.

Those of you in attendance know that we spent a lot of time on the logistics of our Book Selection Night (and used book swap) which is coming up very soon at 6:45 PM on Wednesday, September 10th. The details are:
Location: Pool shelter (foul weather back up site is 8 Woodstock*)
Time: 6:45 PM
Bring: In addition to what you sign up for please bring along your own wineglass, coffee cup, folding chair (if you don’t want to sit on a picnic table bench), used books to pass on (optional) and most importantly…ideas for books for our group to read in the coming year.

When researching possible books, please be prepared to present a brief synopsis and summary of reviews as well as information regarding the books’ length and availability in paperback. Books chosen must be currently in print! Bring along a printout from Amazon or a bookstore, a newspaper clipping, or a handwritten summary…something for us to place on the table to represent that book and jog people’s memories regarding content during the voting period.

If you weren’t there last night and plan on attending, please call Shirley to get an assignment.

Our next book will be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Please note that we have switched that meeting to Wednesday, October 15th to avoid a holiday conflict. The location of that meeting is still being confirmed and will be announced at the September 10th gathering. I can order the book for anyone from Amazon for $9.59 plus tax.

I think I have covered all the important stuff. I hope you all enjoy the long weekend and that we get a September that makes up for our cool, wet summer.

Jan

July 2008

Dear Bookclubbers,
Thank you all for turning out and giving such a great welcome to our visiting author, Ann McCauley, on Wednesday night. I think all will agree that we had a delightful discussion with her, gaining new insight into the writing process and the creation of Runaway Grandma. Especially great was the reappearance of several members who have been missed of late. Welcome back to them and welcome to Polly McCauley and Joan’s friend, Jan. We hope to see you all again in August.

Speaking of August, there has been an important date and location change for the August meeting. We will now be getting together on Thursday, August 28^th at 7:15 PM at Joanne Richter’s. Joanne is currently between computers, so you will have to call her by phone to let her know if you are coming. Hopefully, the people who volunteered to bring snacks remember who they are. The book is still The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Just let me know if you would like the book ordered from Amazon.com. The cost is $11.20 plus tax. Amazon now has to charge sales tax in NYS, so please take note of the amount on the receipt which accompanies the delivery when you reimbursing me.

The next important date is Wednesday, September 10^th. This is the night we will be meeting to make our book selections for the remainder of the year. I think we decided that we will meet at the pool shelter. The idea is for everyone to bring a few ideas for possible reads. Each suggestion will be briefly presented. It is important to bring a printout about the book, the actual book or a short handwritten summary. These will then be laid out on a table and each of us will go around with poker chips or pennies to place on the books we would like to see selected. At the end of the evening the books with the most votes go on the upcoming schedule. This will also be our night for an informal used book exchange. We will discuss details for that process and make a plan for eats and drinks at the August meeting. It probably would be a good idea to have a volunteer to provide a little organization for the refreshments that evening. The hope is that by having this book selection night, we should gain more time to actually discuss the books at regular meetings and …of course for socializing.

The choices made in September will begin after the October 8^th meeting which will still be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ($7.19 on Amazon.com). This is a great read that I think you will all enjoy.

Finally, thank you all for your contributions to make our summer event so successful. Special appreciation goes out to Jill for all her hard work in bringing Ann to us, purchasing the books, picking up the gift certificate, etc.

Jan

June 2008

Dear Bookclubbers,
Sorry to take so long to get this out after last week’s meeting at Sue K’s to discuss Wicked. I guess with the nice weather, I tend to be doing outside stuff and ignoring the stuff that requires sitting at my desk. Anyway, it was an excellent discussion even though the book only ranked 2.4 stars on our rating scale. Sue did a great job of uncovering some areas for discussion, which will also make for interesting points of comparison for those going to see the musical at Shea’s. Welcome to new member, Kristin Bradley!

I think we are doing pretty well getting organized for the author night on Wednesday, July 16th to discuss Runaway Grandma by Ann McCauley. We have decided to have the meeting begin at 6 PM so that we can be leisurely about our dinner. I can still order people the book from Amazon.com for around $15. Jill has offered make another run to Bradford to get them from the author (same price), but I’m thinking we should save her that hassle. Anyone who gets one from someplace other than the author can still have their copy signed the night of the event.

Below you will find the list of things we still could use for the party. Each of you on the e-mail list will also be getting a reminder saying what you have committed to bring. If you didn’t sign up at Sue’s, call or e-mail me to let me know what you will bring. Also, please remember that I need an accurate head count in order to set up enough chairs for this meeting which often has a larger attendance.

Speaking of which, that reminds me to remind you that this author night is a good time to invite friends who might want to see what our group is about or just hear what Ann McCauley has to say. Also, PLEASE bring questions for her and ideas for discussion topics. I always feel pressure to have an especially chatty discussion when we have a guest author and I can sure use your help with that.

Don’t forget that we will be collecting $5 to pay for chicken breasts, paper products, some drinks, condiments and rolls as well as to fund some sort of honorarium for the author. That is another reason we need a fairly accurate head count ahead of time, so that we can gage what we have available to purchase a gift certificate for her. I am going to say that you should let me know if you plan to attend by July 7th. For those of you who signed up for food already, I will assume you are coming unless I hear otherwise between now and 7/7.

After this, our next meeting will be Wednesday, August 27th. We are still planning on it being at Orie Hebard’s in Buffalo. The book is The Time Traveler’s Wife (Amazon $11.20) by Audrey Niffenegger. For dates beyond that, check our wonderful blog at www.crbc.blogspot.com.

Food still needed for Summer Author Night:

• Chardonnay
• Shiraz
• Appetizer (1)
• Green salad
• Pasta salad
• Desserts (2-3)

I think that covers it for now.
Jan

April 2008

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last night’s meeting at Jill’s to discuss the classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, was a huge success. I think the book receive 5 stars from just about everyone in attendance. We had a great turnout and welcomed new member, Diane Knight. The discussion of the book was excellent and we made good progress with tidying up the house keeping aspects of the club. As usual, the treats were delicious. Thanks Jill for doing such a great job of leading our book chat and for your awesome work on the blog and the meeting schedule.

Our next meeting is at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, June 4th at Sue Kellner’s. We will be reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Please don’t forget to give Sue a heads up if you are planning to attend. Snack members for that night will be Shirley, Sue Payne and Grace with Sarah helping out with wine. If anyone wants me to order the book for them from Amazon for $11.20, just let me know. It isn’t a super short read, so get going!

Following that, our summer meeting will be an author night to discuss Runaway Grandma by Ann McCauley (her pen name). The tentative date for that event is July 16th, but Jill will have to verify the author’s availability before that is written in stone. Also your hostess for the evening (that would be me) has to check with her sister-in-law regarding the timing of their visit this summer. I can order this book on Amazon for $14.95, but I am going to suggest that we hold off on that as well since Jill may be able to get us copies directly from the author. Stay tuned on all that.

Keeping on a six week schedule will take us to August 27th for the next meeting. The book for that meeting is going to be The Time Traveler’s Wife (Amazon $11.20) by Audrey Niffenegger. The location is still pending at this writing. After that we will read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Amazon $9.59) on 10/8 or thereabouts.

The biggest news is that we made a decision regarding how to streamline the book selection process so that we are not spending so much of our meeting time choosing books. This should allow us to focus on the book under discussion that night, the refreshments and socializing. Several members brought suggestions based on how other book clubs handle making their choices. After we hashed it all out, it was decided that we would have a meeting in the fall with the sole purpose of choosing the books for the year. Everyone would bring ideas and give a short synopsis to the group. Hopefully, they could also bring the actual book or a printout with some reviews or something for everyone to look at. After we heard a little about all the books, we would wander around looking at the books or reviews. Each of us would have the same number of pennies as the number of meetings we have in a year. We would put our pennies down on the books which most appealed to us, and the books with the most pennies (top 7 or so) would make the list for the upcoming year. We would continue to choose the next co-ed book at the co-ed meeting and would remain open and flexible in the event that a special opportunity such as an author night or a timely “must read” came up. We have tentatively picked September 10th as the night for this selection process. We are thinking of having the meeting at the pool shelter and making it a wine and cheese party as well. As you read above, we have picked books up through early October, so we would start with the new way after that.

Phew, that was a lot to say. If you have any questions about all of this…check our trusty blog at www.crbc.blogspot.com or call me.

Jan

March 2008

Dear Book Clubbers,

We had an excellent turnout for Wednesday’s meeting. Welcome to new member Katie Korn. It is so wonderful that our group continues to grow as we enter our 10th year! Most who attended had seen Pillars through to completion and on the average gave the book 4.5 stars. The discussion was lively, although perhaps limited somewhat by the amount of time we spent choosing books for the future. More about that later…

Following our 6 week rotation, our next meeting will be at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, April 23rd at Jill’s house. Our selection for that night is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Please let Jill know if you are coming by contacting her on her cell phone or via e-mail. The snack members for that night are Jennifer, Katie and Beth. I am sure there are tons of copies of this book around, but if anyone wants me to order one for them on Amazon, the regular paperback is $6.99 and the larger, trade paperback size is $10.85.

There were a lot of excellent selections proposed for future discussions. Unfortunately, when I attempted to research them quickly on the internet during the meeting, some were difficult to obtain (no recent printings) or only available in hardcover. Since Wednesday, I have had some member feedback suggesting that we dedicate part of one meeting every 6-12 months to choosing all the books for the upcoming gatherings. This way, ideas could be brought to the meeting with all the “background checks” already done and we could speed through the process faster. My input is that once a year seems like we would be less flexible to jump on “hot reads”. I think that what happened is that we usually know our books one to two meetings in advance, but between the co-ed get together and my absence at the January meeting, we fell behind. Perhaps we can think about an every 6 month power session? We’ll talk about that next time. Of the suggestions proposed Wednesday, only four satisfy our criteria at this time. They are:

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (lost out this time in a hat draw)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (not a light choice, but one we should do)
Wicked by Gregory Maguire (unsure regarding “discussability”)
Into the Wilderness by Sarah Donati (too lengthy after Pillars)

We all agreed that we will have Jill pursue the possibility of having Ann McCauley (actually that’s a pen name), the author of Runaway Grandma, as our guest for the summer meeting. Joanne is still working on reaching the author of Scatter My Ashes over Havana, but has been unsuccessful so far.

After the April meeting, our next date is June 4th. Don’t forget you can see the tentative schedule well in advance on the blog at www.crbc.blogspot.com.

I hope I haven’t forgotten anything.

Jan

P.S.
I forgot to say that I did follow up on our search for a possible selection about the Great Race of 1908 as we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of that event and the tie to Springville. The only books on the subject that I could find available were children’s books. Sorry.

January 2008

Dear Book Clubbers,
Jill filled me in today on what transpired at last week’s book club meeting. I will try to recap the details and hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything.

I understand that the discussion of Lovely Bones was quite interesting. Thanks Ann for doing such a great job of hosting. Welcome to new members Pam Kozlikowski and Liz Strong who are next door neighbors on the Ridge. Apparently, Gert Forde is experiencing some serious health problems.

The decision was made to go with an every 6 week meeting schedule. Exceptions will be made for holidays and other times when the scheduled time falls on an obviously bad date. The tentative schedule for some time in the future can be seen on the blog at www.crbc.blogspot.com. Thanks again to Jill for continuing what Beth got started.

Our next meeting will be at 7:15 on Wednesday, March 12th at Marilyn’s. The book for that night will be Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. This book is receiving a lot of recent attention due to the release of the (sort of) sequel, World Without End, this fall. Snack people for that night are Liz, Shirley and Jill. The book is available on Amazon for $12. I am happy to order it for anyone with my free shipping deal, but you need to let me know right away since we will be leaving town later this week. Pillars is a nice long winter read, so get going!

A suggestion was made for a lighter read, Whistled Like a Bird by Sally Putnam-Chapman, for the April meeting. We will see if any progress has been made on our proposed author night before firming up our spring choices. It was also brought up that this July, there will be a 100th anniversary reenactment of the Great Race from NYC to Paris. Possibly, there might be a book about that event which might be a fun summer choice.

We are still looking for the recipes for some of the co-ed night yummies to put on the blog. Specifically, there have been a lot of requests for Barb’s Swedish meatballs, Ina’s Extreme Brownies and Sue’s Pumpkin dessert. Please get the recipes to Jill or by regular mail to Jill.

Hopefully, I’ve covered all the important items for the moment.

Stay warm and well read! See you in March.

Jan