Dear Book Clubbers,
Last night’s meeting to discuss The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was another great one. All seemed to agree that this book, with its lighter feel and unique style was just the type of read we needed. We gave the book an overall rating of 4.3333 stars. Many thanks to Beth for hostessing and for leading the excellent discussion. Incidentally, Marion found the reference to 42,000 inhabitants on the Island of Guernsey on page 55 of the book. Welcome to new member Terry Twichell who just moved onto Ridge trail with her husband, their dog and cats.
In other business, we sent around a food signup sheet for the co-ed meeting to be held on Wednesday, December 2nd at my house. If you signed up for something to bring last night, I will count you as coming unless I hear otherwise. If you didn’t sign up, please let me know if you are coming and what you would like to bring. Right now we could use a few more desserts and a couple more appetizers. Remember, we try to have substantial appetizers for this meeting. Please plan on coming hungry and arriving at 6:30 PM. We will be discussing A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Tolle. This book is a little tricky to find. It can be ordered through Amazon (new or used), but I don’t get my free shipping on the paperback version. It can also be ordered through Borders and Barnes & Noble. The guys can bring any suggestions for their choice for 2010 to the 12/2 meeting. We currently have 5 selections under consideration, the titles of which can be found in last month’s newsletter or on the blog. It would be great if the men would actually review the choices before the meeting so they could think a bit about what appeals to them.
We also chose David Copperfield by Charles Dickens as our “long classic book” selection for 2010. As you may recall, we decided that those who wanted to would read a huge book with a deadline a year off. We thought that there were some lengthy classics out there that we have always wanted to read, but never pushed ourselves to tackle. 17 people cast a ballot in this selection process…we will see how many make it through the book and to the meeting!
Thanks again to Jennifer for organizing our group to provide more efficient help to neighbors who could use an extra hand due to illness, injuries, births or other trying life circumstances. As a group, we brainstormed and came up with “CRBC Caring Tree” as the official title of this facet of our club. Basically, the idea is we will network to provide support to neighbors in need in an organized way so that, as Jennifer puts it, “Someone doesn’t receive 22 tuna casseroles in the same week.” If anyone knows of someone who could use this type of help, please call Jennifer.
In some Halloween notes, Jackie reminded us that she is considered the “Halloween Lady”. Apparently, she really gets into decorating her home inside and out. Kids and parents are invited to step inside to check out the scariness. I also extended our usual invitation for families to make our house their last stop on Halloween night and to come in and hang out. Bring a snack or bottle to share if you feel like it. If you have any questions call me.
Ina will host the January 13th meeting. The book for that night is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
I am probably forgetting some important stuff yet again, but I am running out of room, so I hope I have gotten most of it down.
Jan
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 05, 2009
September 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
Last week’s meeting to plan our upcoming year’s selection was a huge success. I think we all came away feeling not only like we had some picks to look forward to, but also that we had plenty of other ideas of books that we might want to read on our own. We even came up with some decent choices for the 2010 co-ed meeting.
As promised, here is the list of what made it, what will be proposed to the guys and the extra ideas that were left over:
October 14th Book:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by M. Shaffer & A. Barrows
2010 Selections:
Fahrenheit 451 by R. Bradbury
The Falls by J.C. Oates
Shanghai Girls by L. See
Olive Kitteridge by E. Strout
The Help by K. Stockett
Revolutionary Road by R. Yates
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by M. Barbery
2010 Men's Selections:
Inventing Niagara by G. Strand
River Horse by W. Least-Heat Moon
The Lassa Ward by R. Donaldson
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by M. Chabon
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by J. Barendt
Other Suggestions:
The God of Small Things by A. Roy
Oxygen by C. Cassella
The Life of Pi by Y. Martel
The Shipping News by A. Proulx
Luncheon of the Boating Party by S. Vreeland
The Graveyard Book by N. Gaiman and D. Mckean
Love in the Time of Cholera by G. Marquez
Mutant Message Down Under by M. Morgan
The Middle Place by K. Corrigan
Audition by B. Walters
The Alchemist by P. Coelho
Jane Eyre by C. Bronte
Next up is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by M. Shaffer and A. Barrows. We will meet to discuss it at Beth’s on Wednesday, October 14th at 7:15 PM. I lost my sheet of paper saying who was bringing what for that meeting, so I sure hope you guys remember. At this meeting we will also be selecting one long classic book as an extra book for anyone who wants to read something hefty (e.g. War and Peace) between now and next fall. So if you have something of that nature you’d like to propose, bring that idea to Beth’s.
Beyond that, we are tentatively set for Wednesday, December 2nd at my house for the co-ed meeting to discuss The Confederacy of Dunces. Although we have come up with a handful of suggestions, the guys should feel free to add to the list.
Loraine mentioned that a group called the Silver Foxes is sponsoring some luncheons at (but not affiliated with) her church. The October one is a magician and the November meeting is about the Roycroft. They sound really fascinating. Unfortunately for me, they are on Thursdays. Please contact Loraine if you would like more details. The gatherings include a catered lunch and were very economically priced.
The Buffalo organization, Babel, is hosting A.S. Byatt (Possession) on October 9th and Aza Nafisi (Reading Lolita in Tehran) this year. To purchase tickets go to http://www.justbuffalo.org.
I think that is all for now. Thank you all so much for bringing your well researched suggestions to the meeting. I think we are really going to have a great year thanks to everyone’s efforts!
Jan
Sunday, September 20, 2009
2010 Selection List
Here is the list of books suggested at the October 2009 Selection Meeting.
2010 Selections:
Fahrenheit 451 by R. Bradbury
The Falls by J.C. Oates
Shanghai Girls by L. See
Olive Kitteridge by E. Strout
The Help by K. Stockett
Revolutionary Road by R. Yates
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by M. Barbery
2010 Men's/Co-Ed Selections:
Inventing Niagara by G. Strand
River Horse by W. Least-Heat Moon
The Lassa Ward by R. Donaldson
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by M. Chabon
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by J. Barendt
Other Suggestions:
The God of Small Things by A. Roy
Oxygen by C. Cassella
The Life of Pi by Y. Martel
The Shipping News by A. Proulx
Luncheon of the Boating Party by S. Vreeland
The Graveyard Book by N. Gaiman and D. Mckean
Love in the Time of Cholera by G. Marquez
Mutant Message Down Under by M. Morgan
The Middle Place by K. Corrigan
Audition by B. Walters
The Alchemist by P. Coelho
Jane Eyre by C. Bronte
2010 Selections:
Fahrenheit 451 by R. Bradbury
The Falls by J.C. Oates
Shanghai Girls by L. See
Olive Kitteridge by E. Strout
The Help by K. Stockett
Revolutionary Road by R. Yates
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by M. Barbery
2010 Men's/Co-Ed Selections:
Inventing Niagara by G. Strand
River Horse by W. Least-Heat Moon
The Lassa Ward by R. Donaldson
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by M. Chabon
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by J. Barendt
Other Suggestions:
The God of Small Things by A. Roy
Oxygen by C. Cassella
The Life of Pi by Y. Martel
The Shipping News by A. Proulx
Luncheon of the Boating Party by S. Vreeland
The Graveyard Book by N. Gaiman and D. Mckean
Love in the Time of Cholera by G. Marquez
Mutant Message Down Under by M. Morgan
The Middle Place by K. Corrigan
Audition by B. Walters
The Alchemist by P. Coelho
Jane Eyre by C. Bronte
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
OK, first things first...FOR ONCE I was rendered speechless and surprised by your kind and thoughtful celebration of my birthday at our book club gathering! I regret that I was unable to immediately come up with a voice to express my gratitude for your outpouring of good wishes. To be acknowledged for (almost) turning an age that many of you have attained and some still aspire to, touched me deeply. The cake and other goodies are tasty caloric memories that will eventually be burned off, the Barnes and Nobles gift card and sleep shirt will no doubt be put to good use, but the recognition of a group where I number all of you among my close friends will last forever. I really appreciate all the thought and consideration behind your efforts and highly value our friendships. You got me!
OK, first things first...FOR ONCE I was rendered speechless and surprised by your kind and thoughtful celebration of my birthday at our book club gathering! I regret that I was unable to immediately come up with a voice to express my gratitude for your outpouring of good wishes. To be acknowledged for (almost) turning an age that many of you have attained and some still aspire to, touched me deeply. The cake and other goodies are tasty caloric memories that will eventually be burned off, the Barnes and Nobles gift card and sleep shirt will no doubt be put to good use, but the recognition of a group where I number all of you among my close friends will last forever. I really appreciate all the thought and consideration behind your efforts and highly value our friendships. You got me!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
July 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
Sorry to take so long to get the notes out from our meeting last week at Jennifer’s. She and Kathryn did a terrific job of leading the duel discussion of The Double Bind and The Great Gatsby. We gave Gatsby a 3.8 rating and Double Bind a 4.3. Doing the books together really facilitated some interesting probing into the intricacies of Bohjahlian’s novel. A big thank you to both our hostesses… but especially to Jennifer for cramming us all into her house when it was too cool to be outside.
We talked at length (sorry about that) about some “housekeeping issues” which are a byproduct of the success and growth of our group. All the topics raised came to me in the form of constructive criticism from members, and all seemed to fit under the general category of simplification. With some discussion and a few calls for a consensus (a.k.a. “majority rules”) the following items were agreed upon:
1. Less food is required at the meetings. There will be 4 “snack volunteers” for each regular meeting – 2 bringing a simple appetizer and 2 bringing dessert. The hostess will provide coffee, tea and wine (if she wants). A reminder was also issued that if you signed up to bring something and cannot attend, you should make arrangements for someone else to take your place.
2. When we go around the room rating the book, we should each provide a very brief reason for our rating, why we liked it or didn’t. Any points for open discussion or questions on interpretation should be saved for later. Perhaps any ideas for topics could even be shared with the hostess ahead of time since just about everybody would love a little help steering the discussion when it is their turn!
3. Hostesses are still having a tough time knowing how many people to prepare for. Jennifer raised the suggestion that, since she isn’t one to keep track of who called, members only call if they are unable to come. After the pros and cons of our current system vs. a “regrets only” policy were discussed, we voted to maintain the current plan of contacting the hostess to let her know that you are coming. It would be nice if this was not the day of the meeting. Also if it is your turn to host and you would like to go the “regrets only” route, we can put that in the newsletter.
4. The “getting to know you” questions at the beginning of the meeting will be eliminated for now. If anyone comes up with a great one that can be answered in just a few words, we might bring it back. Otherwise, we are thinking that with such great attendance of late, it only takes time away from the discussion of the book.
5. Of course no talk of how we run the club would be complete without the reminder that we can only have one person talking at a time during the discussion. With more people, side conversations become so tempting because you want is on your mind about what we are talking about now without waiting your turn…but side conversations make it hard to hear and enjoy the discussion.
In other news, Jill handed out detailed written instructions on the care and feeding of our book club’s online forum. If you didn’t get a copy and would like one, or would like some help setting it up on your computer, please feel free to ask Jill for help. She is a whiz at this!
Our summer meeting will take place at Barb’s instead of my house. Thank you so much, Barb for giving me a break. As in the past, we will make an expanded evening out of it. Please plan on arriving at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, August 19th for a dinner of substantial appetizers on Barb’s deck. If you signed up to bring something on the sheet we passed last week, you DO NOT need to call Barb to let her know you are coming. In this one case, you’re in unless you let her know otherwise. Anyone who did not sign the sheet, but is planning on attending should contact Barb to find out what else she needs. The book for discussion is Possession by A.S. Byatt. ***Please be careful…there are several books with this same title in circulation!***
We will meet Wednesday, September 16th at Shirley’s again for our 2009-2010 selection night and book swap. Details will follow, but please start thinking about books that you would like to have the group consider. With rare exception, choices must be available in paperback and audio book and should not be so long that no one will finish them. This will be your chance to trade some of the used books that are kicking around your house for some new ones to fill the same space! Below is a list of the books that did not quite make the cut last year. I am printing it here on a member’s suggestion in case there are any we want to include in our choices for the coming year.
The Whistling Season – Ivan Doig
Big Russ & Me – Tim Russert
The House the Rockefellers Built – Robert Danzell, et al
Bridge of Sighs – Richard Russo
The Scandal of the Season – Sophie Gee
Marjorie Morningstar – Herman Wouk
Goodbye, Mr. Chips – James Hilton
Plain & Simple – Sue & Richard Bender
The Luncheon of the Boating Party – Susan Vreeland
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Chasing the Bard –Philippa Ballantine
Harvest Home – Thomas Tryon
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle – David Wroblewski
The People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
The Glass Castle – Jeannette Walls
Dreams of My Father – Barack Obama
Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson
Peace Like a River – Leif Enger
A Good House – Bonnie Burnard
Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
Oranges – John McPhee
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
The Eight – Katherine Neville (Wasn’t formally discussed, summary was on table, I remember as great read)
Our first meeting of the fall is scheduled for October 14th and the co-ed meeting (A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Tolle) is tentatively set for December 2nd.
I think (and hope) that covers everything. I apologize for taking so much meeting time addressing these mundane matters of procedure. I am so glad that our club continues to thrive and that we are constantly working to make it even better as our membership grows in number and closeness. If I got anything wrong that was mentioned or decided, let me know and I will try to get it right.
Whew, now you can see why it took me so long to sit down to write this newsletter.
Jan
Sorry to take so long to get the notes out from our meeting last week at Jennifer’s. She and Kathryn did a terrific job of leading the duel discussion of The Double Bind and The Great Gatsby. We gave Gatsby a 3.8 rating and Double Bind a 4.3. Doing the books together really facilitated some interesting probing into the intricacies of Bohjahlian’s novel. A big thank you to both our hostesses… but especially to Jennifer for cramming us all into her house when it was too cool to be outside.
We talked at length (sorry about that) about some “housekeeping issues” which are a byproduct of the success and growth of our group. All the topics raised came to me in the form of constructive criticism from members, and all seemed to fit under the general category of simplification. With some discussion and a few calls for a consensus (a.k.a. “majority rules”) the following items were agreed upon:
1. Less food is required at the meetings. There will be 4 “snack volunteers” for each regular meeting – 2 bringing a simple appetizer and 2 bringing dessert. The hostess will provide coffee, tea and wine (if she wants). A reminder was also issued that if you signed up to bring something and cannot attend, you should make arrangements for someone else to take your place.
2. When we go around the room rating the book, we should each provide a very brief reason for our rating, why we liked it or didn’t. Any points for open discussion or questions on interpretation should be saved for later. Perhaps any ideas for topics could even be shared with the hostess ahead of time since just about everybody would love a little help steering the discussion when it is their turn!
3. Hostesses are still having a tough time knowing how many people to prepare for. Jennifer raised the suggestion that, since she isn’t one to keep track of who called, members only call if they are unable to come. After the pros and cons of our current system vs. a “regrets only” policy were discussed, we voted to maintain the current plan of contacting the hostess to let her know that you are coming. It would be nice if this was not the day of the meeting. Also if it is your turn to host and you would like to go the “regrets only” route, we can put that in the newsletter.
4. The “getting to know you” questions at the beginning of the meeting will be eliminated for now. If anyone comes up with a great one that can be answered in just a few words, we might bring it back. Otherwise, we are thinking that with such great attendance of late, it only takes time away from the discussion of the book.
5. Of course no talk of how we run the club would be complete without the reminder that we can only have one person talking at a time during the discussion. With more people, side conversations become so tempting because you want is on your mind about what we are talking about now without waiting your turn…but side conversations make it hard to hear and enjoy the discussion.
In other news, Jill handed out detailed written instructions on the care and feeding of our book club’s online forum. If you didn’t get a copy and would like one, or would like some help setting it up on your computer, please feel free to ask Jill for help. She is a whiz at this!
Our summer meeting will take place at Barb’s instead of my house. Thank you so much, Barb for giving me a break. As in the past, we will make an expanded evening out of it. Please plan on arriving at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, August 19th for a dinner of substantial appetizers on Barb’s deck. If you signed up to bring something on the sheet we passed last week, you DO NOT need to call Barb to let her know you are coming. In this one case, you’re in unless you let her know otherwise. Anyone who did not sign the sheet, but is planning on attending should contact Barb to find out what else she needs. The book for discussion is Possession by A.S. Byatt. ***Please be careful…there are several books with this same title in circulation!***
We will meet Wednesday, September 16th at Shirley’s again for our 2009-2010 selection night and book swap. Details will follow, but please start thinking about books that you would like to have the group consider. With rare exception, choices must be available in paperback and audio book and should not be so long that no one will finish them. This will be your chance to trade some of the used books that are kicking around your house for some new ones to fill the same space! Below is a list of the books that did not quite make the cut last year. I am printing it here on a member’s suggestion in case there are any we want to include in our choices for the coming year.
The Whistling Season – Ivan Doig
Big Russ & Me – Tim Russert
The House the Rockefellers Built – Robert Danzell, et al
Bridge of Sighs – Richard Russo
The Scandal of the Season – Sophie Gee
Marjorie Morningstar – Herman Wouk
Goodbye, Mr. Chips – James Hilton
Plain & Simple – Sue & Richard Bender
The Luncheon of the Boating Party – Susan Vreeland
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Chasing the Bard –Philippa Ballantine
Harvest Home – Thomas Tryon
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle – David Wroblewski
The People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
The Glass Castle – Jeannette Walls
Dreams of My Father – Barack Obama
Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortenson
Peace Like a River – Leif Enger
A Good House – Bonnie Burnard
Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
Oranges – John McPhee
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
The Eight – Katherine Neville (Wasn’t formally discussed, summary was on table, I remember as great read)
Our first meeting of the fall is scheduled for October 14th and the co-ed meeting (A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Tolle) is tentatively set for December 2nd.
I think (and hope) that covers everything. I apologize for taking so much meeting time addressing these mundane matters of procedure. I am so glad that our club continues to thrive and that we are constantly working to make it even better as our membership grows in number and closeness. If I got anything wrong that was mentioned or decided, let me know and I will try to get it right.
Whew, now you can see why it took me so long to sit down to write this newsletter.
Jan
Saturday, May 30, 2009
May 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
We had an excellent meeting at Sarah’s last week. The weather was perfect to enjoy her new digs, and the setting sun provided an excellent back drop to our lively discussion of Suite Francaise. I am not sure what we ended up rating the book, but there seemed to be a wide range of opinions on the plot and writing style. All agreed that the French perspective on WWII was fascinating. Big thanks to Sarah and also to all who brought such delicious food that night.
Our next meeting is at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, July 8th at Jennifer’s with Kathryn helping out. Please call Jennifer to let her know if you are coming. Snack people for that night are Elizabeth, Natalie and Shirley. This is the meeting where we are discussing two books, The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian and the classic it refers to, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Since our meeting, I have received some member feedback that the part where we go around the circle and answer a question and give our take on the book is taking so long that it leaves less time and enthusiasm for the actual discussion. Instead of giving up on that portion, which allows everyone to weigh in on the book and share a little, I would like to suggest that we all try to keep our comments concise at that point. Perhaps if any of us have a particular aspect of the book that we would like to see discussed in more depth, we can save it as a topic for the general discussion which follows. (I’m sure the hostesses would welcome other people raising discussion points!) My hope is that by keeping the opening comments down to just a few words we can still hear everyone’s opinion of the book without getting too far afield before we get into the meat of the meeting. Let me know if you have any further thoughts on this.
Our field trip to Graycliff is scheduled for Saturday, June 13th at 11:15 AM. Marion has arranged for our tour. We all need to assemble there by 11:00 AM…no later! Because we signed up for a private group tour, we need to not be casual about the numbers. If you signed up the other night and have since changed your mind, please contact Marion. If you were not there last week and would like to attend, you should contact her as well. If our group falls below 15, the charge will be $15 per person instead of $14. If you have any additional questions, call Marion.
Finally, our summer meeting is set for August 19th at my house. We are currently contemplating Possession by A. S. Byatt. If you are having trouble finding the book, know that there is a new paperback edition being released on June 23rd. I think the book looks very intriguing, but if we come up with some wonderful author opportunity or unusual idea in the meantime, we can still modify our plan.
I think that is a wrap for now. Put down your garden tools, get out the lounge chair and get reading.
Jan
Thursday, April 16, 2009
April 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
Whew, what a great meeting we had tonight! We rated A Thousand Splendid Suns as a 4.3 which is behind only To Kill a Mockingbird and The Book Thief since we introduced this rating system. Sue not only did a great job hostessing, but she also arranged a great sunset for us tonight. One consistent point to come out of our discussion was how fortunate we are to live in the country we do with the rights and opportunities we have.
Our next meeting will be at Sarah’s at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, May 20th. The book for that night is Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Call Sarah to let her know if you are coming. Directions to Sarah’s home in N. Boston will follow at a later date. Please bring ideas for a summer, fun, food & bookish thing to the May meeting as well as a possible suggestion for the fall before we start in on the next year’s books that we will select in early September.
After the May meeting we will be at Jennifer’s on July 8th to discuss The Great Gatsby and The Double Bind. Katherine O. will be co-hosting that night, and we will likely be outside on the deck. In other new business, those of you with Internet access will receive an e-mail containing an invitation to join the Craneridge Book Club’s Google Group. This is something Jill has set up to allow us to communicate within the group in a way that isn’t out there in front of the public. Hopefully, this forum can serve as a place to share stuff about books we’ve read, books we have available to loan out or are seeking to borrow, and whatever else is on our minds. You will have to set up a Google account to access this location, but I tried it earlier and it was quick and easy. Let Jill know if you have any questions or need help getting set up.
Marion is working on lining up a visit to Graycliff for this summer. She will have more information at the next meeting.
Ina reminded us that Alternative Arts show at the Springville Center for the Arts continues until May 2nd. The Gallery hours are Wednesdays from 12-6, Thursdays from 12-8, Fridays from 12-6 and Saturdays from 10-3. Don’t forget she is a featured quilter at the Clarence Log Cabin Quilters show May 15-17 at the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse. Ina also brought fliers on the current Springville Players production, The Odd Couple, which is running 4/16-4/26 with shows at 8 PM Thursdays-Saturdays and at 2 PM on Sundays. Tickets can be obtained by calling the theater at 592 - 9038 or at the box office. Call Ina REALLY SOON if you are interested in going with a group on Thursday, April 23rd.
Shirley also informed us that we do have a slot for outgoing mail in the 5th bank of boxes at the mail center. Apparently, our blue mailbox is gone for good, but it is nice to know that we do have an option for getting mail out without driving to the post office.
Finally, please remember to vote on the Craneridge budget on Saturday. If you are unable to attend and need to submit an absentee ballot, contact Katie.
I think that is all the business. I am hoping that if we get the Craneridge Book Club Google Group running, we can use it to share some of the community event dates and so forth because these newsletters sure are getting long!
Jan
Monday, March 16, 2009
March 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
Wednesday night’s meeting to discuss Loving Frank by Nancy Horan was a tremendous success. We had another super turnout and the discussion seemed to point out that, while people derived very different things from the book, most found it very readable and enjoyed it on some level. Our overall rating was a 3.8. Natalie did a terrific job of hostessing and she and Rory have done amazing things with their home! Welcome to new member Jackie Wells…we’re thrilled to have you!
Our next book is (finally) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. We will discuss it at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, April 15th at Sue Payne’s. Sue’s place is about 10 minutes away on Heath Road near Hayes Hollow. At that meeting we will firm up date, book and destination for somewhere around 5/20 or 5/27.
In other news, Jill announced that she is hosting a Pamper Chef party on Saturday, April 4th at 2 PM. She emphasized that this is just a chance to enjoy food and fellowship and there will be no pressure to purchase. All (even guests) are welcome.
Ina reported that the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries have a “Book Club in a Bag” program. Basically, you get 10 copies of the book, discussion questions as well as large print and audio copies if available. Although you can keep the materials for 6 weeks, you are not allowed to reserve them for a specific time which makes the planning a little tough. Definitely something we can consider in our planning for next year. None of the books that are in our queue are on the list. Go to this link for more details.
Ina also reported that her wonderful creations will be part of an Alternative Arts show at the Springville Center for the Arts from April 11th to May 2nd. The Gallery hours are Wednesdays from 12-6, Thursdays from 12-8, Fridays from 12-6 and Saturdays from 10-3. She will also be a featured quilter at the Clarence Log Cabin Quilters show May 15-17 at the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse. Congratulations to Ina for earning this honor.
Jennifer Parsons had the idea of sharing with one another books that we have read and enjoyed so that we all have plenty of things on our reading lists even if they are not book club picks. Because our meetings seem plenty full with the business stuff, “circle time”, book discussion and snack and social hour, we thought it would make sense to do this outside the meeting setting. Jill will show us in an upcoming meeting how to post these suggestions on the blog. In the meantime, if you want to share ideas with each other, just select “reply to all” when reading your book club e-mail and shoot your ideas back at your fellow members. Please keep in mind that not everyone has e-mail and keep Marion, Polly, Ann and Gert in the loop.
I think that is all for now. Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything.
Jan
Wednesday night’s meeting to discuss Loving Frank by Nancy Horan was a tremendous success. We had another super turnout and the discussion seemed to point out that, while people derived very different things from the book, most found it very readable and enjoyed it on some level. Our overall rating was a 3.8. Natalie did a terrific job of hostessing and she and Rory have done amazing things with their home! Welcome to new member Jackie Wells…we’re thrilled to have you!
Our next book is (finally) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. We will discuss it at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, April 15th at Sue Payne’s. Sue’s place is about 10 minutes away on Heath Road near Hayes Hollow. At that meeting we will firm up date, book and destination for somewhere around 5/20 or 5/27.
In other news, Jill announced that she is hosting a Pamper Chef party on Saturday, April 4th at 2 PM. She emphasized that this is just a chance to enjoy food and fellowship and there will be no pressure to purchase. All (even guests) are welcome.
Ina reported that the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries have a “Book Club in a Bag” program. Basically, you get 10 copies of the book, discussion questions as well as large print and audio copies if available. Although you can keep the materials for 6 weeks, you are not allowed to reserve them for a specific time which makes the planning a little tough. Definitely something we can consider in our planning for next year. None of the books that are in our queue are on the list. Go to this link for more details.
Ina also reported that her wonderful creations will be part of an Alternative Arts show at the Springville Center for the Arts from April 11th to May 2nd. The Gallery hours are Wednesdays from 12-6, Thursdays from 12-8, Fridays from 12-6 and Saturdays from 10-3. She will also be a featured quilter at the Clarence Log Cabin Quilters show May 15-17 at the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse. Congratulations to Ina for earning this honor.
Jennifer Parsons had the idea of sharing with one another books that we have read and enjoyed so that we all have plenty of things on our reading lists even if they are not book club picks. Because our meetings seem plenty full with the business stuff, “circle time”, book discussion and snack and social hour, we thought it would make sense to do this outside the meeting setting. Jill will show us in an upcoming meeting how to post these suggestions on the blog. In the meantime, if you want to share ideas with each other, just select “reply to all” when reading your book club e-mail and shoot your ideas back at your fellow members. Please keep in mind that not everyone has e-mail and keep Marion, Polly, Ann and Gert in the loop.
I think that is all for now. Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything.
Jan
Monday, January 19, 2009
January 2009
Dear Book Clubbers,
Last week’s meeting was a blast. Someone commented that we yucked it up a lot over this book! Overall we gave the book 4 stars. Apparently, books that leave some room for interpretation make for lively discussion. Katie and Pam did an outstanding job of coming up with a “kick off” question for our “go around the group circle time”. They also did an excellent job getting the book discussion rolling and the refreshments were delicious.
The business part was a little chaotic as we tried to pair upcoming book selections with dates and locations to try to make things work for as many people as possible. The next meeting is Wednesday, March 11th at Natalie’s. The book for that night is Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. I can order the paperback from Amazon for $11.20 plus tax for anyone who wants it. Snack people for that night are Elizabeth, Ina, Jennifer and Beth.
After that we will be at Sue Payne’s on Wednesday, April 15th to read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Basically you have 14 weeks to read two books, although the spacing is a little weird. Tentatively we will be at Sarah’s house sometime in late May for Suite Francaise…I think.
In other news, Beth brought it to our attention that Geraldine Brooks, the author of some reportedly excellent books including, People of the Book, A Year of Wonders, and March, is speaking at Buff State in early February. Details should be posted on the blog soon.
I guess that is about all there is to say for now. Hopefully, the hustle and bustle of the holidays has quieted and you can curl up with a good book in front of the fire and stay cozy during these cold winter days.
Jan
Friday, November 14, 2008
November
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE IMPORTANT BOOK SELECTION CHANGE IN PARAGRAPH #3!
November 13th, 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 3rd 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 29th 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 10th.
I think that’s all the stuff I had to say for now.
Jan
Saturday, October 25, 2008
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 12th 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 29th 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 3rd, 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 12th 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 14th 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
Saturday, August 30, 2008
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
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
Saturday, July 26, 2008
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 28th 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 10th. 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 8th 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
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 28th 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 10th. 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 8th 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
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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:
Jan
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)
Jan
Friday, April 25, 2008
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
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
Sunday, March 16, 2008
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 100th 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.
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 100th 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.
Monday, January 21, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
November/December 2007
December 11, 2007
Dear Book Clubbers,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get the newsletter out. Those of you who were there know that we had a really lively discussion of The Road. Love it or hate it, the book seemed to generate some strong feelings in just about everyone, so that made for an interesting meeting. We did hash out the co-ed book club choice for next year which will be Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. This comes well recommended not only from within our group, but also from my son-in-laws’ mom, who reads a ton. Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth was a close second, largely because of its overwhelming length (pushing 1,000 pages).
The first meeting of 2008 will be at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, January 16th at Ann’s house. The selection for that night will be Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I can order that book for any who want it from Amazon. Unfortunately, the trade paperback size that is available with my free shipping deal is $11.55. You may recall that I am not going to be there that night and will be gone until early March. One suggestion that was made is to select Pillars of the Earth as our next book after that and allow a good stretch of time in between…until perhaps early to mid March. That would give everyone a big thick book to get into for the winter. You guys decide at the meeting. If we picked volunteers to bring “snack” that night, I did not write it down…or I did and I lost it. Please let Ann know if you are coming and a couple people should offer to bring a treat.
The other suggestion that has been raised is to lock the night of book club in to the same week every month. That would make it so all could plan on the second Wednesday of the month (for example) as being book club night. The drawback I see to that is that we had originally thought that 4 weeks was a little quick to get a book read and still have time to read other things as well. I think going 8 weeks between meetings would be a little too long. Again, you all can discuss it in January.
On a personal note, thank you all for the help in getting the house back in ship shape prior to Rob’s surgery the day after book club. The surgery went fine and Rob has been recuperating well. Thanks also to all of you for the well wishes, offers of “guy job” help and everything else that you have done. What a great community we live in! I better get back to my holiday preparations before Rob rings his bell to be waited on.
Happy Holidays,
Jan
PS: Someone left their copy of The Road on our stairs. Please let me know so I can get it back to you.
Dear Book Clubbers,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get the newsletter out. Those of you who were there know that we had a really lively discussion of The Road. Love it or hate it, the book seemed to generate some strong feelings in just about everyone, so that made for an interesting meeting. We did hash out the co-ed book club choice for next year which will be Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. This comes well recommended not only from within our group, but also from my son-in-laws’ mom, who reads a ton. Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth was a close second, largely because of its overwhelming length (pushing 1,000 pages).
The first meeting of 2008 will be at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, January 16th at Ann’s house. The selection for that night will be Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I can order that book for any who want it from Amazon. Unfortunately, the trade paperback size that is available with my free shipping deal is $11.55. You may recall that I am not going to be there that night and will be gone until early March. One suggestion that was made is to select Pillars of the Earth as our next book after that and allow a good stretch of time in between…until perhaps early to mid March. That would give everyone a big thick book to get into for the winter. You guys decide at the meeting. If we picked volunteers to bring “snack” that night, I did not write it down…or I did and I lost it. Please let Ann know if you are coming and a couple people should offer to bring a treat.
The other suggestion that has been raised is to lock the night of book club in to the same week every month. That would make it so all could plan on the second Wednesday of the month (for example) as being book club night. The drawback I see to that is that we had originally thought that 4 weeks was a little quick to get a book read and still have time to read other things as well. I think going 8 weeks between meetings would be a little too long. Again, you all can discuss it in January.
On a personal note, thank you all for the help in getting the house back in ship shape prior to Rob’s surgery the day after book club. The surgery went fine and Rob has been recuperating well. Thanks also to all of you for the well wishes, offers of “guy job” help and everything else that you have done. What a great community we live in! I better get back to my holiday preparations before Rob rings his bell to be waited on.
Happy Holidays,
Jan
PS: Someone left their copy of The Road on our stairs. Please let me know so I can get it back to you.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
July 2007
July 16, 2007
Dear Book Clubbers,
I am writing this letter late because the food at tonight’s meeting was so good that I have “agita”! Look it up in an Italian dictionary if you don’t know what that means. Thankfully, the weather held and we were able to have a great meal and discussion of the light read, The Black Madonna outside. Welcome to new member Donna Deyermond! It was great to see Nancy doing so well after her surgery and Joan getting around well after her foot operation. Thanks to everyone who cooked and helped. It really was pretty yummy.
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 18th at 7:15 PM at Linda Hoffman’s. We forgot to ask for volunteers to supply goodies, so if three people can confirm that they will bring something to Linda’s that would be super. The book for that night will be The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Let me know (if you didn’t tonight) if you would like it ordered from Amazon for $10.88. You have 8-9 weeks, but it is a long one so get cracking.
After that, we are pursuing having author, Olga Karman come to discuss her autobiography, Scatter My Ashes Over Havana. That will be at Joanne Richter’s house in October. More details should be available on that at the September meeting.
We also are going to give the guys a kick in the butt to get together to select a book for the co-ed meeting in late November or early December. Remember that they said they would like to pick the book this time, so we are trying to let them, but they need to come up with it by the September 18th meeting. I will try to light a fire under Rob to get something moving, but you ladies bug your guys as well.
Grace mentioned that this month the Springville Center for the Arts is celebrating the art, history and natural beauty of the Zoar Valley. Guided nature hikes are available on the weekends. Wednesday night at 6:30 PM there is a lecture being given at the center on this topic. Deb Barone suggested that people heading to the discussion might want to stop for a fund raising chicken BBQ at the old Orsini’s restaurant which is now home to the 10 Lives Cat Sanctuary.
I guess that is it in a nut shell. Good night. I wish you all lots of lazy reading days as we enjoy our fine Glenwood summer.
Jan
September 2007
September 18, 2007
Dear Book Clubbers,
Tonight’s discussion of The Other Boleyn Girl at Linda’s was superb. Turns out that the Tutor period of English history is a bit of a special interest for Linda and she did an awesome job of facilitating the discussion. We welcomed new member Jill Gregory to our ranks and greatly appreciated her dessert contribution as well as the other yummies! Sounds like this book is going to be a movie come December, so there may be a night out in our future.
Joanne Richter has been unsuccessful in her recent attempts to reach the local author of Scatter My Ashes Over Havana which was going to be our October book. Since it is probably not realistic to ask someone to come out here in the winter, we will put that author night off until the spring.
The consensus was that Wednesday nights will work for most everyone and will eliminate many of the Tuesday meeting and class conflicts that plaque us. We will next meet at 7:15 PM on Wednesday, October 24th at Joan’s house to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Snack people that night are Sue P., Sue K. and Marilyn. Nancy will bring some wine.
Following that, we are up to the co-ed night. We didn’t get a ton of help from the guys, but Marty proposed The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I have heard that although this book is somewhat disturbing at times, it is absolutely riveting and should generate a ton of excellent discussion. We will discuss food for this get together at the next meeting. Get those guys reading!
If anyone who didn’t order the books tonight would like me to order them from Amazon, the prices are $8.99 for Eat, Pray, Love and $8.97 for The Road.
Linda will keep us posted on a fund raising art auction that she is involved with which will be held on Saturday, January 26th. She promises a good time will be had by all…details to follow.
I think that is all for now…someone speak up if I forgot something.
Jan
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