Lit-Wits Book Club

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

2011-11-11T19:24:00.004-05:00

Barb chose the book and hosted the meeting.

Barb took a trip to Ikea and served us a table full of Swedish-inspired dishes including Swedish meatballs, Swedish cookies, ginger cookies, and a homemade pumpkin dip. Yummy!

There was no need to give an author bio since this was a repeat author from last month.

This book expanded our knowledge of Lisbeth, especially her family background. It gave us details on her parents and her crazy life. Many of us thought the middle of the book was a bit confusing because of all the characters and some unfinished story lines. We all agreed that it had a "stay up all night" kind of ending.

Lisbeth was the product of her parents. Raised in a dysfunctional family, she kept trying to do the right thing but had to figure it out on her own as she went along. She had a couple of good, supportive friends along the way; her boxing mentor and, of course, Mikael who always gave her the benefit of the doubt. The trust and respect of a true friend is hard to find, but Lisbeth and Mikael had that for one another.

It was suggested by Lori that we not read sequels so if a member did not enjoy the first book, she would not have to read the author's subsequent books. We agreed. Many in the group loved the book and did not want to have to wait until January to read the third installment anyway. So Lucia will choose a different book and switch months with Judy so she has time to make a selection.

The Blue Orchard by Jackson Taylor

2011-10-08T11:16:00.004-04:00

Kelly chose the book and hosted the meeting.

In this book, Jackson Taylor wrote a biographical account of his grandmother’s life. Research for the book took 14 years. Even though the author got his facts from his family and research, he did fictionalize the story with what he presumed were actual conversations and some events. The Blue Orchard was especially interesting to us because of its setting and landmarks. We wonder if it would be as interesting to readers outside of Central Pennsylvania. It probably represented mid-size cities across the country with regard to politics, the era, racism and human rights.

Most of our discussion centered on the main character, Verna Krone. She was driven and a hard worker. We did not understand her never-ending bad choices in men. She seemed to be desperate for love and gullible to anyone’s advances. We felt she was a bad mother; she never bonded with her son Sam and was uncomfortable around him. Especially in that era, it was an embarrassment to be pregnant out of wedlock. She did work hard to get Sam’s girlfriend into the country and so she may have been trying to make some amends. She had a tough life and made the most out of it. She was self-reliant and survived in spite of it all.

One of the criticisms we had was the lack of consistency in what we thought was the theme of the book, which was the trial for illegal abortions performed by Doctor Crampton. Considering that the book started with the trial, there was very little written on the “business” of abortion and the patients.

This book was driven by the politicians, most crooked, and of course the almighty dollar. The “good old boys” network was as strong in Central Pennsylvania in the 1940’s as it is today. (Sorry if I am editorializing). Once again our eyes were opened to another time in our history.

Book's website: http://www.theblueorchard.com/
Publisher's website: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Blue-Orchard/Jackson-Taylor/9781439186688

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2011-08-13T15:31:00.002-04:00

Diane chose the book and hosted the meeting (her first!).

In Diane's review of the author's biography, we discovered an extraordinary life. Stieg wrote from experiences in his own life and of people who impacted his life. He was born in 1954, was raised by his grandparents, and was given a typewriter at age 12. He witnessed the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl and lived his life with regret and sorrow of not having intervened. He and his long-time partner, Eva Gabrielsson, hid from neo-Nazis, rarely leaving the house and keeping the drapes drawn. This is the first book in a series of three published posthumously. Stieg died at the age of 50 after climbing 7 flights of stairs when the elevator was broken. Some consider his death suspicious.

This book was very well received by the group although the graphically violent sex scenes were difficult. The many characters were confusing and we needed to refer to the family tree often. We had lots of different theories, showing that it was truly a complex mystery. Not only did it have lots of twists and turns, but it was at times "twisted."

The Swedish title of the book is Men Who Hate Women. We probably would not have chosen a book with that title. We wondered if the tattoos on Lisbeth were symbolic of the events in her life. Many questions were unanswered about Lisbeth and her life. Carol W. assures us that the next book delves into Lisbeth's past and explains why she is the person she became.

Some found the book difficult in the beginning but, after the first 80-100 pages, were hooked and could not put the book down. We were sometimes overwhelmed by the number of characters. A map of the island compound and of Sweden would have been helpful.

The official website for Stieg Larsson's books: http://stieglarsson.net/

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2011-06-15T09:09:00.002-04:00

Missy chose the book and hosted the meeting.

This book received our greatest reviews since reading The Help. We loved the writing style and the unique perspective of Death. We even sympathized and liked Death at times.

Missy reviewed each of the amazingly crafted main characters. Specifically, we noted:
Mama (Rosa) - the growth of her character, she was the glue that held the family
Papa (Hans) - he loved everyone, was a dreamer and sympathetic man
Max - his enduring spirit
Isla - she was saddened over the loss of her son, loved Liesel
Rudy - all boy, faithful to Liesel, giving
Liesel - resilient, haunted, adventurous

We loved all the characters and many had a special fondness for Rudy (Jesse Owens!). We were surprised at how the author chose to have his character die.

The foreshadowing was annoying at times, but it did help to lessen the shock when a character was killed.

We found the power in the words of this author. He had a way of giving us a complete picture with few words. He gave analogies; the use of colors to describe the spirits of the humans or of the day was unique. His description of Hitler's rise using words and scare tactics was powerful. He showed us that not all Germans were bad, that there were sympathizers who happened to be victims as well.

Missy ended the meeting with a question: "Would you hide a Jew in your basement?" Think about it.

Publisher's website: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/

Markus Zusak discusses The Book Thief:

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

2011-06-13T13:36:00.003-04:00

Carol W. chose the book and hosted the meeting.

Note: "Spoiler" info contained in this review.

In keeping with the theme of the book, Carol served cheeseburger pie (Sunny left to pick up cheeseburgers which gave Tony time to murder Heather), caramel corn, Escape drinks, and many other yummy treats.

The author, Laura Lippman, was a Baltimore Sun reporter and has won many crime fiction awards.

May of the club members tried to figure out the ending of the book. Just who was this mysterious stranger who knew so much? Could it all have been learned with research on the internet? The author kept us hanging until the end, making many of the characters suspects to the crime of kidnapping or a cover-up.

Who is Ruth???? The author introduced characters and aliases frequently, and it was a bit confusing at times. Sunny had assumed identities and, at times, we did not know who was who. That made it a bit hard to follow but, if you kept at it, things eventually made sense. Reading the chapter titles really helped since the story jumped between past, present, and in-between. There were a lot of people to keep track of in the book, and many of the people seemed to be dead end characters.

In Carol's research, she found the author's intention and theme was to show how differently people mourn the death of a loved one. In our discussion, it seems she hit the mark. Miriam moved away and chose to start over in a land where nobody knew her story, her heartache. Dave chose to memorialize his daughters, keep on looking for answers and closure until there was no hope left, and then end his life. Sunny seemed to have such guilt having not protected her little sister that it left her alone with no one to turn to, not even her parents.

The book received high marks from most with an average of 7.69 out of 10.

Author's website: http://www.lauralippman.com/

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

2011-04-17T20:55:00.002-04:00

Carol M. chose the book and hosted the meeting.

Crafty Carol passed out teepee questions for our discussion. Much of the discussion centered on the believability of the story. Pat D. lead the charge that it was not a believable story by citing examples of how the white women were modern in their independent thinking. Carol W. gave examples of phrasing in the book that seemed to be contemporary. How the white women assimilated so easily and quickly into the Indian culture seemed to be unrealistic to some. The women were treated by the Indians with a certain respect, which also seemed unbelievable especially in the cases of May Dodd and Phemie. Others found the book to be quite believable and were sucked in from the beginning.

This book left us feeling ashamed. . . ashamed to be the "white man." It clearly showed how the Indians were treated by the "progressive" white man in the name of money. The white men trampled through the Indian homeland to gain access to gold and mines. It's embarrassing, shameful, and humbling to know that this culture was lost, all for the sake of progress. Even though the book is fiction, the facts seemed to be presented as truths. We were disturbed and silenced by the humiliation of what transpired 150 years ago.

The Indians were named by their physical features, actions, or personality. . . Tangled Hair and No Brains. We decided to name the book club members an Indian name during the rating portion of the book. Can you remember which member was . . . ?

Walks in the Dark - 8.0
Picks the Wrong/Right Team - 8.74
Last Page First - 7.5
Talks A Lot - 8.0
She Who Wears White
Great Thinker - 6.5
Warrior Woman - 8.0
Dying Brain Cells - 7.9
I'm With Her - 6.0
Medicine Woman - 7.0
Shiny Belt - 7.5
Grandma With Twins - 7. 0

Author's website: http://www.jimfergus.com/

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

2011-02-03T19:29:00.004-05:00

Stacy chose the book and hosted the meeting.

In our first order of business, we welcomed Diane to the Lit-Wits. She knew everyone but Pat D. Diane fit right in with the group and seemed to have a good time at her first meeting. We then congratulated Carol M. on her new "Doctor" status with flowers and a cake.

Our book discussion was more informal than usual. Stacy asked us to recall something memorable that happened in our lives with regard to a pet we may have/had. We heard some unusual stories, some funny, some sad. Stacy also asked us to recall a time when we may have taken a risk or a leap of faith as Homer did every day in his life. Kelly and Carol W. each shared the bold moves they put on their now husbands that started their relationship, since the guys were slow in making the first move.

Then we discussed the book and all agreed that the first half was very slow. How can you possibly have that much to say about a cat? Pat D. disliked Gwen, the author, feeling that she took advantage of her friends and family to much for a woman of her age. She was such a fanatic about cats that it became annoying. Although we felt that the author is a good writer, the subject was a bit boring. She did put together a profound picture of 9/11, and the walk she made across the Brooklyn Bridge. Learning about the efforts to rescue the animals left behind was something we never really thought about. What other acts of heroism were performed that day and the days that followed? We also liked the author's insertion of quotes from The Odyssey.

Most felt that the book was just average, scoring 5s and 6s.

Gwen Cooper's website: http://www.gwencooper.com/

Christmas Celebration

2011-02-03T18:57:00.005-05:00

We again thank Lori for hosting our Christmas celebration. We were so happy to have Lucia back with us for this night.

We started, of course, with food. Each member brought an appetizer or dessert to share, and everything was delicious. Then Kelly distributed the photo books she made on Shutterfly of our 5th year anniversary celebrated in Mt. Gretna. It turned out great! Thanks to Kelly and all of the photographers who contributed pictures. Carol W. announced that we will be adding a new member to our book club in January - another neighbor :-).

Judy created the game we played, called "How well do I know the Lit-Wits members after 5 years?" We had to identify members by clues which we had provided Judy a few weeks prior to the party. The game turned out to be so difficult that some of us didn't even remember our own trivia! Carol M. was the winner. We plan to do another similar type of trivia game in the future.

Next came our book exchange. They were wrapped to reflect their title or subject. Pat D. took honors in the wrapping category for her efforts in knitting a cover for her book. All of the titles looked interesting and are sure to make it back to our book bag for sharing.

The book discussion was short and sweet. We had all read The Christmas Train by David Baldacci, and we were all disappointed. It seemed too contrived, and the ending was weird. No vote needed!

Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

2010-12-03T13:39:00.004-05:00

Lori chose this book and hosted the meeting at the Mt. Gretna Inn.

Sandra Dallas lives in Denver, CO, and is writing her tenth book.

The themes of the book were forgiveness and survival in the hardest of times and conditions, and the lesson that life goes on and continues through love. We learn that forgiveness takes time and sometimes a great deal of time. Hennie (Ila Mae) needed many years and miles to finally forgive Abram for his part in the deaths of her husband and daughter. Hennie taught Nit how to forgive and not blame herself for the death of her child. The people of the town learned to overlook each other's flaws. Everyone had a story and each included highs and lows. Acceptance of everyone was reflected everywhere in the town.

The people of the town were survivalists. The climate, job opportunities, and poor economics of the day were huge obstacles for the folks who lived in Middle Swan. Through their hard work and friendships, they not only survived but thrived in the mining town. The quilting club gave the women a social group much like our book clubs, play groups, and Welcome Wagons of today.

Many members loved the stories that Hennie shared with Nit about the townspeople and some tired of them. Finding out about the town minister was a surprise to everyone!

Author's website: http://sandradallas.com/

Additional notes: We had a delightful weekend at the Mt. Gretna Inn to celebrate our first five years. The weather was perfect for a hike, and the Inn was beautiful and just the right place to honor our club. The matching game brought back many themes of the books we've read and the timeline was a fun way to remember the past five years. Frank and Harry were very accommodating. Dinner at the Blue Bird Inn was great too. Here's to many more years together as The Lit-Wits!

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

2010-10-10T20:02:00.002-04:00

Pat D. chose the book and hosted the meeting.

Bill Bryson is 59 years old, and married with four children. He and his family live in Great Britain. As a young man he quit college to backpack across Europe for four months. After meeting and marrying his wife in England, he returned to the U.S. to complete his education. He has written many books including his latest titled At Home.

The first part of our meeting centered on categories of the book: social, humor, fitness and ecological.

Social: We enjoyed the many hikers met along the trail, and the writer's descriptions of the people. Some saw the relationship between Bill and Stephen Katz as an odd friendship. They had little dialog unless they were plotting or in a desperate situation, but maybe that's just men :-). Bill's relationship with his wife was also different. They seemed so disconnected. Without today's modern conveniences such as cell phone and computers, their communication was limited.

Humor: Everyone enjoyed the writer's sense of humor throughout the book. There were many laugh-out-loud moments and great one-liners.

Fitness: We were surprised by their lack of fitness or preparation for the hike. There little focus on sore muscles and aching backs. Also astounding was their poor diet. Was that the optimum and best choice of foods to sustain one's energy for the ty[e of hiking they were attempting?!

Ecological: For the most part, we enjoyed the facts and history of the AT. They were sprinkled throughout, some felt a little too generously. We learned a lot about the National Parks Service, conservation or lack thereof, and the people and groups dedicated to preserving the trail and our forests.

The second part of our meeting was a chance for each to share whether they would like to attempt the hike, their opinion of the book and their rating.

Hikers: Carol M. would love to hike the trail and enjoys camping; Pat S. would hike, but days only; Barb would research and hike only certain parts of the trail since there are other trails in the U.S. she would also like to hike; Judy would hike, but only in the daytime, holding hands or a rope and is afraid of wild animal attacks; Missy would like to hike a portion of each state; Kim would hike, but not camp; Carol W. would love to hike.

Non-hikers: Lori would not hike, has never camped and has no desire to camp; Kelly has no desire to walk the trail; there's no way Stacy would hike; Pat D. would not hike the AT.

Book opinions: Carol M. loved the book, humor, and facts; Pat S. thought the book was very funny; Barb loved the book and could relate since she has hiked; Judy thought it was an enjoyable read, loved the facts and history; Lori especially liked the book's humor; Missy was disappointed with the fact that the author bashed the PA portion so badly and that he quit and did not finish what he had started; Kelly thought it was OK; Stacy liked the book's humor and has recommended it to others; Kim enjoyed the book because it helped her related to her sons who have hiked portions; Carol W. enjoyed the book and bought it for her brother who does maintenance on a portion of the trail; Pat D. like the humor and ecology elements of the book.

Away weekend, November 6-7: Meet at Judy, Carol & Carol's houses at 2:30 on Saturday dressed to take a short hike, weather permitting. After the hike, we'll check into the Inn and change for dinner. Reservations for dinner will be at approximately 6:30~7:00pm. Then we'll return to the Inn for dessert, book discussion, and activities.
Wine: Lori, Carol M., Carol W., Barb
Snacks (not dessert): Pat S., Pat D., Judy
Apple cider: Stacy
Dessert: Kelly, Lori
Other drink: Missy

Author's website: http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/billbryson/

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2010-08-31T12:58:00.003-04:00

Pat S. hosted the meeting and chose the book.

Our book discussion was delayed by a presentation of ideas regarding a get-away to celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the Lit-Wits. Kelly and Carol W. researched possible locations and Mt. Gretna was chosen for a one night stay in November. A decision was also made on setting the dates for our meetings. Beginning in January, we'll set the dates for every 6th Monday with flexibility around the holidays.

Because of our long discussion on business items, Pat was unable to present the program she had planned. Instead, we each gave the book a score and gave our views. This book received the highest scores of any book we've read, by far. Most felt that it was the best book we've read since our inception and some even declared it the best book they've ever read. There were very few negative comments. Some wished the character of Celia had been more developed, and some thought the ending could have wrapped up a little better. We did not want the book to end and hope for a sequel. We became very involved in these character's lives to the point of worrying about the safety of Skeeter and the "help" when they were sneaking about. We also ached for the children who were witnesses to their parents' prejudices.

What a fantastic book by a first time author! Of the eleven who rated the book, it received 8 perfect 10's. The other scores were in the 9's.

A link to the author's website: http://www.kathrynstockett.com/

First Family by David Baldacci

2010-07-18T16:19:00.002-04:00

Judy chose the book and hosted the meeting.

This book was chosen by Judy because Baldacci is one of her favorite authors. It was a comfortable, fast, summer read. Carol M. observed that it would have been a great beach read if she had only been on a beach. David Baldacci has written nineteen books. All have become national and international bestsellers. He lives in Virginia with his wife Michelle and their two children.

Our discussion centered on the book’s characters. Each of us was given a character to assess which led to storyline discussions. Many of the people in the book were disliked, the charismatic president, Dan Cox, and his deceitful wife, Jane, Jane’s lying, cheating brother, Tuck and his sleazy girl, Cassandra. Sam Quarry was certainly one to be despised but, at times, we did have compassion for him. The children, Gabriel and Willa, were the bright spots. They were intelligent, logical and both brought out the best in Sam. Our heroes, Sean and Michelle were likable and good together. As always, some questions arose. Why did the author treat the mothers as he did? We felt it odd that Frank Maxwell took pictures of license plates to try to catch the murderer instead of be with his wife. Some even thought the whole sidebar storyline of Michelle's mother’s murder was unnecessary.

Overall the book was well-received. It was difficult to figure out and certainly kept one’s attention, and was written so it was not easy to put down. Many in the group had never read a Baldacci book and were anxious to read more. At the end of the meeting, we had a round robin get-to-know-you activity called “Tell us about” where we pulled a topic to talk about and answered with personal views or history. It was enlightening and many want to do it again.

Author's website: http://davidbaldacci.com/

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

2010-07-05T16:35:00.003-04:00

Book suggested by Lucia and meeting hosted by Judy.
This was the first book written by the author. It was turned down by 25 publishers before it was finally put into print. The book mirrored the author's life so closely that it was almost autobiographical. He was abused by his father; he drank, used drugs, was promiscuous, and was a cutter. He had a sad life and we can only assume he wrote the book as some form of therapy. He has also written a biography.

Most of the members strongly disliked the book. We did not like the themes or the people. It was just too dark. It raised a few questions though. Why did Ralph allow himself to be poisoned? How much did Ralph know about Catherine and Antonio? Was Catherine a "Reliable Wife?"

The best part was Catherine's need to fully educate herself on a subject. She learned as much as she could about a subject, and had a lot of talents and skills. Her love of the hot house and flowers made her almost likable.

Kelly, Kim, Carol M., and Lucia enjoyed the read, but most felt it was a waste of time. So many books, so little time!

Here's a link to the author's website: http://robertgoolrick.com/

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

2010-06-13T21:43:00.003-04:00

Book suggested and meeting hosted by Barb in her new home.

Once again we read a first-time author, Mary Ann Shaffer. She was encouraged to write a book by her book club friends and we are very glad she was able to do so before her recent death in February 2008 (the copyright date is 2008). Her niece, Annie Barrows, helped with the completion of the novel.

This book received some of the highest marks of any book we have read to date. Most loved the letter format although some found it difficult to keep the characters straight in the beginning. Many kept a list of the people as they were introduced through their letters and it became quite a long list!

The Guernsey Literary Society gave the characters a diversion to the reality of their sad, depressing lives. It gave them a purpose and they were able to maintain a sense of community even through the great invasion of their town and their souls. We wish a clearer picture had been painted of Dawsey; we all had a different image of him. Was it a deliberate move by the author to give so few details of him?

This book was tragic, yet humorous; hopeless, yet hopeful. The characters had just that - character. They were resilient, strong, good people and it made us feel good just reading about them. The subject matter of the book could have been overwhelmingly sad but, because the book was told post-war and dealt with people who made it through alive, we were able to step back and see it as history rather than real-time tragic events.

Of the members who chose to rate the book, it received an impressive 8.4 average. Missy declared it the best book we have read to date!

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

2010-06-13T21:12:00.006-04:00

Book suggested by Kelly, meeting hosted by Lucia.

This book was well-received by most. The author lives in Minnesota. His family, and especially his children, gave him many of the ideas and themes for the book. He wanted us to be a "Witness to the Wanders" of the world, the land, in which we live.

Kelly had a "novel" idea when it came to the discussion or, more appropriately, the dissection of this month's selection. We created our own questions and played a very inventive game. Great idea Kelly! Loved the dice!

This book raised a lot of discussion points. The miracles that popped up every so often seemed to be the underlying theme. The characters were quite likeable especially Swede and Rosana. Most felt that Swede was quite unbelievable and her ability to write and her vocabularly were unrealistic. Swede seemed to be Matilda in a cowgirl outfit. The ending was sad for all of us.

Some thought the book was contrived and that the story did not flow, and seemed disjointed. Others loved the writing style and the perspective of an 11-year-old boy. How would the book be different if it had been told from another character's point of view?

Evaluations ranged widely again. Will we never agree wholly on any book chosen? Scores ranged from 5 to 9.5, averaging 7.3.

Learn more about the author here: http://www.groveatlantic.com/grove/bin/wc.dll?groveproc~enger~bio

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

2010-02-13T16:12:00.004-05:00

Book suggested by Missy, meeting hosted by Kelly.

This book came highly recommended by Missy's sister. It's the first book for this part-time author who is a computer engineer by trade. It was an Oprah Book Club selection. Mr. Wroblewski was born in 1959 and grew up on a farm in Wisconsin where they raised dogs. He feels there is a strong connection between dogs and people.This book had a vague writing style that had us interpreting the same paragraphs differently and wondering at times if we had read the same book. Some questions asked included how Almondine died and whether Trudy died at the book's end. We seemed divided on the answers.

The author put a lot of dark elements in the story, including poison, murder, storms, a mute main character, ghostly apparitions, and a crazy fortune teller. One reader pictured the whole story in black and white.

With many of us wondering about the value in reading a tragedy, Missy read us a profound quote by Franz Kafka: "I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us...We need the kind of books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us." David Wroblewski, the author, added to this quote during his interview with Oprah when he said, "It is only in times of great comedy and great tragedy that, for a moment, our veils are lifted and we see life clearly."

Lori, Pat D., and Carol W. all strongly disliked the book, but Kelly, Judy, Carol M., Missy, and Pat S. all really liked it (until the very end).

Link to author's website: http://www.davidwroblewski.com/

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

2009-11-09T20:31:00.002-05:00

Book suggested by Carol W., meeting hosted by Missy

Carol chose this book because she loves baseball and expects the Phillies to be in the World Series (right on!) and feels that King is a master storyteller. His first book was Carrie. He wrote under a pseudonym, Richard Bachman. He writes during the daytime because it is too scary to write at night as the subject matter generally involves things that scare him. The King family lives in New England and one of their sons is also a writer. Many of King's novels and short stories have been made into movies. He likes to terrify his readers, horrify his readers, and, if all else fails, gross them out. Weird!

We discussed, in an open forum, subjects that ranged from Tricia's survival knowledge, the mosquitos, the fake phone call (throwing us a curveball), and her estranged parents. We found the "sub audible" perspective interesting. Pat D. searched for symbolism in the weak story line and wondered whether the story was meant to be a metaphor for life (overcoming obstacles). Lori and Barb wondered if Tricia lived or died at the end of the book. We chose to believe that she lived happily ever after.

It was interesting that even though a baseball player was in the title of the book, there was little discussion of Tom Gordon or baseball. Most thought the story was weak in content, but well written and we would like to read another Stephen King novel if it's not too scary.

Stephen King's website: http://www.stephenking.com/index.html

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

2009-11-09T19:49:00.008-05:00

Book suggested by Carol M., meeting hosted by Stacy

The author's life is outlined pretty clearly in the book. We note that he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this year for his outstanding contributions (he didn't get it, President Obama did). He continues to make Montana his home with his wife and two children. There is a children's version of this book available to help inspire them in a life of service and show that one person can make a difference.

We all agreed that Dr. Greg is one-of-a-kind. He truly had a calling that we have difficulty comprehending. To give so much of oneself and live in the conditions that he did is hard for most of us to fathom. He is a flawed but humble man with a purpose.

We appreciated the education we received by reading this book. We learned a lot about the people and just what poor really means. It is nice to live in a country where we don't have to gather yak poop to fuel our homes in the winter. We are a country of over-indulgent, wasteful gluttons (sounds harsh but it is something to think about). Unlike most Americans, the Pakistani people honor hospitality, tradition, and even education to a great degree. We agreed that his wife is a saint to have enabled him to follow his dream to this extent over such a long period of time, but that is what love should be. We just felt that his children are missing out on having their Dad around.

We certainly admire Gret Mortenson for all that he does to better the world through education, but most did not like how the book was written. The messsage was great, the delivery not so great. Although Pat D. felt it was the best book we read to date, the rest of us did not share that view. Missy suggested we put together a gift of books for the Central Asia Institute. Carol M. will be asking for contributions to the Central Asia Institute in lieu of Christmas presents from her family.

Three Cups of Tea website: http://www.threecupsoftea.com/
Central Asia Institute website: https://www.ikat.org/

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

2009-08-21T20:50:00.004-04:00

Book suggested by Stacy, meeting hosted by Carol W.

Stacy chose this book because it was on the New York Times Bestseller list, and she also likes to read about WWII. This is the first book the author wrote in English. Her previous seven books were in French.

This book was disturbingly real that haunted most of us after we read it. None of us were aware of the French involvement in the round-up of the Jews. It brought to the surface again the brutality of the human race and how much we can learn from our past actions. The moral of the story seems to be "Never Forget" and it makes us wonder how much will be forgotten and forgiven by generations to come.

The book raised questions that sparked lively discussion. Could we live in a house that had that kind of history if we were aware of it? Julia had a hard time balancing her life between her family, friends, and job. How do we do it, and is it healthy? Is it good or healthy to keep deep dark secrets?

Most of us liked the first half of the book and the chapters involving Sarah more than the Julia chapters. Julia seemed selfish, not a very giving mother, and seemed almost possessed with her quest to uncover and expose the past. We were disappointed in the ending and saw it as contrived and rushed. We were surprised by the revelation about Sarah near the end.

We are an optimistic group, and we held out hope that Michael had been rescued and we were hoping for a reunion of Sarah and Michael. Lucia and Kim liked the possibility of romance at the end of the book. It was also great to have a quick read after Pillars of the Earth. The scoring was average.

Here's a YouTube link to hear an interview with the author: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy0lnc76RaQ

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

2009-07-10T21:33:00.003-04:00

Book suggested by Pat D., meeting hosted by Carol M.

Pat D. read this book previously and thought it was one of the best books she ever read. She also loves historic fiction, and this book takes place in a time period unfamiliar to her. She brought along printed pictures of different cathedrals and quick facts about medieval times to share with all of us.

The author, Ken Follett, is from Wales. He was raised in a very conservative family. This was his first historical fiction novel; all previous novels were thrillers. It took him 3 years and 3 months to write.

We all thoroughly enjoyed reading this book although the sheer length was a bit overwhelming at times. We liked the writing style and found it easy to read. The characters were woven together from start to finish, and he would give a little background on characters and their relationships when reintroducing them after a time which we really appreciated.

We loved the people in the book, but not William. Prior Phillip provided great guidance and vision. Aliena was strong and intelligent and was able to adapt to any situation. Jack had such artistic talent and unwavering love for Aliena. We never knew what Ellen was going to do next! The villains of this book, William, his boil-faced mother, Waleran, and Alfred, were great characters to read about (and dislike!). Watching Richard develop into a military leader was interesting and inventive.

The book seemed to be quite an accurate depiction of life in the 12th century. Life was so difficult, food, travel, disease, and natural disasters took such a toll and the church provided the only hope and sanctuary in an otherwise violent and, at times, depressing life. But we did love this book! We think it was probably our highest rated book ever!!

Watch for the eight-hour miniseries in production now.

The author's website: http://www.kenfollett.com

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

2009-06-02T19:22:00.006-04:00

Book suggested by Lori, meeting hosted by Lori.

The book was chosen by Lori who led with some little known facts about the author (including that she hates to exercise). Kim observed that the Middle Place represents that time in our lives when we are caring for our children and our parents.

We discussed our relationships with our own fathers. Barb and Lori both felt that they had a "Greenie" in their lives, while others did not feel that way. It was interesting that the author's cancer seemed to take a backseat to her father's cancer. She seemed to focus on him and his treatment more than her own. Some wanted more of the illness brought to the forefront, while others did not want to hear about the cancer. We felt that the book was more about the people and their relationships than the diagnoses.

We felt that the author was a bit of a prima dona, a rebel, and very independent. We were surprised that she revealed what we considered character flaws, including the time she went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and re-did her mother's house, or how it upset her when her husband talked enthusiastically to his parents. Some in the group liked her while others did not.

In general, the consensus was good for this book. (We missed Carol W., Carol M., & Missy at this meeting.)

Some adjectives heard when discussing this book were: great, fine, recommendable, incomplete, disappointed, likable, pushy, self-centered, and relatedness.

At the end of the book discussion, Kelly moved that we discontinue the policy of scoring the book to avoid any hurt feelings if members are sensitive to negative critique of their book choice. So, no scoring, thumbs up or thumbs down. Everyone agreed that we should still make sure everyone has the floor to voice their views. As before, the book selector chooses the format of the meeting. We will keep the scoring policy open to revisit as we may see necessary.

Link to Kelly Corrigan's website: http://www.kellycorrigan.com/

The Grace That Keeps This World by Tom Bailey

2009-05-14T20:30:00.007-04:00

Book suggested by Pat S. , meeting hosted by Pat D.

Tom Bailey is a professor at Susquehanna University where he teaches in the creative writing department. Kelly invited him to speak at our meeting, but received no response. Carol's daughter-in-law had two classes with him and found him to be charismatic and handsome.

This book brought more questions than answers as the discussion continued. Pat led with the question of "whose story is this?" Was it Gary's or Susan's? Ideas were mixed.

The style of writing was liked by most (chapters written in first person from different perspectives). There was only one chapter written in the first person of Gary David, and we would have liked to have had more knowledge of him and his thoughts. Why was he reluctant to expose his personal relationship with his family and why did he resort to sneaking out the window at his age? Did he enjoy hunting or were there other things he wanted to do?

How could an experienced hunter like Gary have had an accident as he had? Did the heavy snowfall contribute, or hypothermia, or even "buck fever?" It seemed odd that Gary David would take the ring with him when he went deer hunting.

We did not understand the purpose of the snowmobile episode, lake drowning chapter, or even the movie production, to the story.

Most agreed that it had a slow start although it is interesting to note that three members read the ending first to see who died (Pat D., Kelly, and, of course, Judy). Scores were across the board on this one.

The Writers Institute at Susquehanna University - Tom Bailey: http://www.susqu.edu/Writers/bailey.htm

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

2009-03-02T17:21:00.005-05:00

Book suggested by Kim, meeting hosted by Kim

Kim chose this book because she wanted to read a classic novel and learned that this book is John McCain's favorite. Since she is a fan of Mr. McCain, this was a logical choice for her. She has emailed him and is hoping for a response (he didn't show up at our book club meeting though!).

In her research of Ernest Hemingway, Kim found that his life was as tragic as many of his writings. He wrote books that mirrored many of his own life experiences. Hemingway ended his life by committing suicide as did his father, siblings, and granddaughter. Yet, when Robert Jordan's, the book's main character, father committed suicide, Robert viewed him as weak. It makes us wonder if he may have seen his own life as a failure.

We discussed what makes a book a classic. We concluded that it must be based on the author's body of work. Kelly shared her research that the book must be able to stand the test of time, have historical value and accuracy and have believable characters (documentary-like). Few seem anxious to read another book deemed a classic for awhile.

We had a general discussion of the book. Most did not like reading a war story although it was probably accurate in its depiction of the horrors of war and humanized war for us. Since there was so much description, we were easily able to picture the cave, land, people and bridge. We felt Maria was a tragic figure. The book was tedious to read, repetitious in its phrasing, and ended in a predictable way. A study guide or Cliff's Notes would have been helpful and a few in the group used them. Carol W. used the audio version; she even found the movie to be boring!

A few liked the book, but generally the scores were very low.

Here are a few links to learn more about Hemingway:
Hemingway Adventure from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/hemingwayadventure/
Timeless Hemingway: http://www.timelesshemingway.com/
From Nobel Prize: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1954/hemingway-bio.html

A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman by Joan Anderson

2009-02-20T22:05:00.005-05:00

Book suggested by Judy, meeting hosted by Pat S.

Judy was creative in her approach to leading the discussion. We started with a game that was supposed to stimulate our creative thinking (we were not very imaginative though). Then, rather than limiting our discussion to Joan's activities, we related them to our own lives. We found that most of us had much in common in the way we, as women, orchestrate our families' lives and take responsibility for others, often leaving our own needs as a low priority. Most of us could not step away for an entire year, though a few nights or weeks might be welcomed! We thought Joan was somewhat callous in the way she (seemingly easily) abandoned her loved ones. The book led us to believe that she was weak in her attempts to communicate and resolve her issues before taking such a drastic approach. We got the impression that she led a privileged life (especially since she had a summer home to go to), and thought she was somewhat unappreciative of the good things (and people) in her life. We were a little mystified by her relatioships with her new friend (Joan) and others. We did not respect the fact that she chose to "run away," rather than work through her difficulties with her husband, and were troubled by the way she dealt with him and her children. One of us questioned why such a personal quest would be documented for others to read unless there were motives other than self-realization.

This book got a lower average score than most because some of us thought it was too deep and others just didn't like it. A few appreciated the depth and chose to read and re-read sections for full understanding. They believed that some of Joan's thoughts were very insightful and profound, and they chose to earmark or take notes on some of the passages. Others thought the book was very depressing and that Joan had a terribly sad life and, therefore, did not enjoy the book.

Few, if any of us, could identify with Joan and her choices. We understood and agreed that everyone must "recharge their batteries" occasionally, but what she did was extreme. A few liked the book enough to want to return to it later, and will read the sequel.

Joan Anderson's website: http://joanandersononline.com/

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

2009-02-20T21:58:00.005-05:00

Book suggested by Lucia, meeting hosted by Judy.

We held our third annual Christmas party at Judy's house, and had a lot of laughter and good fun with our book club friends, not to mention very good eats. We also played a couple of games that helped us learn things about each other like our favorite childhood games and desired first names.

Discussion on A Redbird Christmas was brief. It was a quick, light read and just right for the holidays. We all enjoyed the book, and it earned good scores. We also enjoyed reading the recipes at the end of the book, and several people recommended the corn pudding recipe.

Random House website for Fannie Flagg: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/fannieflagg/

Run by Ann Patchett

2008-10-31T13:43:00.005-04:00

Book suggested by Barb, meeting hosted by Lucia.

This book received an assortment of reviews by our readers. Some liked it a lot and others were not as impressed, primarily because of the story line. A few readers were disappointed by the lack of connection between the opening chapter (about the statue) and the rest of the book. We thought a lot happened in 24 hours, and some found it incredulous that Tennessee's connection to the Doyle family could possibly have progressed as it did in such a short time. Some of us also thought that it was unrealistic that a Boston Irish Catholic family choose this adoption path, but others enjoy books like this that end up "happily ever after." Though the book was easy to read, some thought the story line was anti-climatic and not very memorable. Others like a book like this where apparently mismatched characters, all with their own problems, come together and help each other along.

We thought that Doyle was a good dad and his heart was in the right place, even though he so fiercely wanted his boys to go into politics and did not support their chosen occupations. When his political aspirations were quashed by the scandal surrounding Sullivan's accident, he began to live his life through his boys. Sullivan lived with the guilt of Natalie's death, and was surprisinly empathetic toward children. He dealt with the guilt by escaping in any way he could, but began to heal after he was able to talk about that tragic night with Tennessee. We thought it was sad that Father Sullivan remembered their last family gathering as Natalie's funeral, forgetting that Sullivan was still in the hospital and not with them.

Most of the discussion surrounded Tennessee and her life struggle. We were disappointed that she never told Kenya about her true parentage, but understood that she may have feared losing this daugher as she had lost her sons. We found it interesting that, through the power of suggestion, Tennessee convinced everyone that Tip, Teddy, and Kenya all shared the same mother. Some thought it inappropriate that Tennessee involved her child in the stalking of Tip and Teddy, while others didn't think of it as stalking. Tennessee was very capable and had so much potential, but chose to work in lower paying jobs in order to maintain her secret identity and reduce the risk of losing her daughter.

We found some of the proper names in the book to be interesting - Kenya for successful Kenyan runners, Tip (O'Neill), and Teddy (Kennedy). We also agreed that the book was very suitably titled. All of the characters seemed to be running from something in their past, and a few were running toward a yet-unachieved goal. We also thought the main theme of the book was effectively presented - that a sense of "family," and all its feelings and relationships, have very little to do with biology.

Website for Ann Patchett's Run: http://www.annpatchett.com/run.html

The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

2008-10-28T23:05:00.008-04:00

Book suggested by Kim, meeting hosted by Barb.

This book portrays much of the true life story of its title character, Carrie McGavock, who lived near Franklin, Tennessee, during the Civil War. It is based on actual events and people, and as readers, we had to continually remind ourselves that this is an historical novel, and that not all the characters truly existed. That said, most of us liked the book and gave it good scores. We thought the writing was well done, particularly since it was the author's first book. The characters were interesting, though many of us needed cheat sheets early in the book as the characters seemed to be all introduced at once in the early chapters.

In discussing the book, we debated over the parentage of Theopolis, and did not all agree if he was John's son. We really liked Mariah, and talked about how she seemed to make the most of her limited choices in life. We questioned Mariah's psychic ability, but did not focus on it, and we briefly talked about the other characters. We liked Eli, found Becky's pregnancy predictable, thought the character development of John was weak, and discussed Mr. Baylor's apparent lack of morality.

But mostly we talked about Carrie. We agreed that she seemed to have a calling in life, and that she came alive when this wartime disaster gave her an opportunity to answer that calling. We couldn't understand her attitude toward her two surviving children, but then surmised that, due to her previous losses, she feared the risk of attachment. We had trouble understanding why Carrie gravitated so much toward Zachariah, and decided it must have been some need, maybe even lust, that was the attraction. His injuries forced him into being a captive audience for her. We could not understand AT ALL why Carrie brutally beat him, and thought that section of the book was really strange. It indicated that Carrie was unbalanced at best, and we wondered how her present-day descendants must feel about that scene in the book. Of course, none of us can imagine how we might react if we were subjected to similar horrific conditions.

We really liked the historical significance of this book, and were somewhat embarrassed to admit that we had never heard of the Battle of Franklin. Some of the gruesome details, like the staggering amount of deaths and the piles of amputated limbs were difficult to read about. But we appreciated the education that this book provided us and were glad that it brought out the true horrors of war, rather than romanticize it like so many Civil War novels do. Some of us prefer not to read this type of book as we find it depressing. One of us was unable to finish it, and some others thought that the book left too many questions unanswered.

But once again, most of us who would not have normally read this type of book were glad that we did read it, and appreciate how our Lit-Wits participation made that happen.

The official website for the Widow of the South: http://www.widowofthesouth.com/

Night Fall by Nelson DeMille

2008-09-01T20:33:00.004-04:00

Book suggested by Carol W., meeting hosted by Kelly.

Creativity at our meetings is really amazing. First we were greeted by a Barbie/Ken beach scene that Kelly constructed to depict the opening scenes of the book. Then Kelly’s daughter acted as the piano player from the World Trade Center and played a New York Broadway tune. Finally, Carol’s husband “popped” in to test our powers of observation in an unexpected situation (we performed marginally at best). All this happened while drinking Sex on the Beach cocktails (recipe at end of post). Then we talked about our eye witness accounts and the book!

This book was rated highly by most of the group. We gained an understanding of the events surrounding TWA flight 800 and appreciated the way that the author wove a fictional story through those actual events. We were somewhat surprised to hear that families of the actual victims actually supported the printing of this book, as we doubt we would feel the same way.

We talked about the various theories regarding the crash, and could only speculate on what we think really happened. If it had been an act of terrorists, they probably would have taken credit for the incident in an effort to create more terror. If it was the result of a government missile testing accident, too many individuals would have known and eventually it would have come out.

Many of us strongly disliked the ending of the book and wanted more closure after reading an entire book that was sometimes tediously descriptive. But after discussion, most of us agreed that the book had a fitting ending considering that it had to remain true to the actual events and remain a mystery. We were curious to know what happened to the tape that was in the hotel safe though, and could not agree as we speculated on the subject.

We thought the book was well-written and enjoyed the humor that we found throughout the book. Some of us thought there was too much detail at times, and sometimes we had trouble distinguishing who was speaking in some of the narrative sections. But we also thought the characters were well-developed and most will recommend the book to others.

Kudos to Judy who read the book carefully enough to catch an error: the sun does not sink over the Atlantic, as viewed from this continent anyway!

Recipe for Sex on the Beach cocktails: (from epicurious.com)
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce peach schnapps
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces cranberry juice
Stir well; pour over ice.

Nelson DeMille's website: http://www.nelsondemille.net/

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

2008-06-26T20:26:00.011-04:00

June 17, 2008
Book suggested by Missy, meeting hosted by Missy

This meeting was a little different than the others in that we did not use prepared questions to stimulate our discussion. We used assorted props (punch bowl, water, seashells, floating flowers) to symbolize the island and our take on the circumstances of the characters. Good job Missy!

We first discussed our preconceptions of leprosy, and each of us revealed what we learned about it from the book. Most of us had heard of the debilitating illness and even knew about leper colonies, but associated it with biblical times rather than relatively recent history. Few of us knew that the disease continues to persist today in some areas of the world, and even has occasional incidences in the U.S. Missy had done some research and filled us in on some current theories as to its causes, as well as treatments.

Next, we each took a character and talked about their hardships and losses and how they dealt with them. We talked about the resilience of the characters, especially Rachel. We also discussed that many of the hard times were faced by the characters even if leprosy were taken out of the picture. After that, we talked about something we found uplifting about each character. Some of the themes that came out of this discussion were hope, love, friendship, and enduring in spite of their circumstances.

In evaluating the book, it was a favorite for some of our readers, and not good for others. Some found uplifting moments and really appreciated some profound statements and outlooks conveyed by the author. They found the book to be a page-turner and liked the way true historical facts were woven through the plot. They found a beacon of hope in what they read. They saw love, generosity, and hope in a beautiful natural backdrop.

Others thought the book was terribly, terribly sad and depressing. Rachel was faced with one heartache after the other. They found the combination of events such as separation from her parents, the rejections, the death of her husband, and the discovery that her daughter also endured captivity to be too much of heavy burden to read about. Some thought that the book should have had a glossary, or at least a pronunciation key to make our reading of Hawaiian words easier.

We all agreed, though, that this book had outstanding character development and that we did learn some things while reading the book. Some had a problem with the story line, but most of us thought the author’s writing style and skill were above average. Overall the book had a very good rating by the group.

Alan Brennert's website: http://www.alanbrennert.com/

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2008-05-11T16:44:00.009-04:00

May 6, 2008
Book suggested by Carol M., meeting hosted by Carol W.

This book gave us a lot to talk about. Though set in modern times, many of us thought it was like reading about events that happened many years, or even centuries ago. The way of life that was portrayed in the book, particularly the plight of women, was so foreign and appalling to all of us. We are so thankful to be born in a place that promotes free thought and not the oppression of thought and freedom. We couldn’t imagine raising children in such surroundings. As shocking as it was though, we believed that the book gave true examples of circumstances and occurrences in that region of the world, and we questioned what we, as individuals could, or should do to offer some remedy to those dire living conditions.

Most of us were glad to be exposed to a culture that we knew little about, but some were disappointed that the book did not provide us with more knowledge of the area’s history. However, we did learn that most of Afghanistan's history is fraught with violence, oppression, and tyranny, and surmised that it would take volumes of books to explain all of that. It was suggested then, that the intent of the author was to convey a story of love and relationships, and believed he did an excellent job of that.

We felt so sorry for Mariam and how she had little chance to overcome the adversity she was dealt in life. Her terrible situation was due in large part to her parentage and birthplace. We wish she would have reconciled with her father, and were glad that she did find love in her relationships with Laila and Aziza. We were glad that she finally conquered Rasheed and wondered why she didn’t attempt to escape with Tariq and Laila because we doubted that anyone would have cared enough about Rasheed to hunt her down. We appreciated that, in the end, Mariam felt like a hero and that her life had value after all because of the way she helped those that she loved. We liked the ending of the book as it gave a glimmer of hope that things could get better. The fact that the school was resurrected with the help of Mariam’s contribution was a great ending.

Parts of the story evoked a broad spectrum of emotions for many of us, and to some, that is indicative of a very good book. The few derogatory remarks that were made related to how the book was depressing and sad and therefore a burden to read. Some prefer to “keep their heads in the sand” and not read about graphic, depressing but accurate world circumstances that must be endured by some. Most of us liked the book a great deal though, and some gave it their highest scores to date.

Khaled Hosseini's website: http://www.khaledhosseini.com/
Search for Khaled Hosseini on http://www.youtube.com/ to see and hear him talk about his books.

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

2008-04-13T18:04:00.008-04:00

April 8, 2008
Book suggested by Stacy, meeting hosted by Carol M.

Stacy gave us an excellent review of the author’s background (a PA native), and gave us some great insight as to how the author’s personal story paralleled that of the book’s main character, Andrea Sachs. She even showed us a photograph of the author’s previous boss who was clearly used as a model for Miranda Priestly. Those were interesting and entertaining facts, and we appreciated Stacy’s efforts in digging up that information.

As interesting as that was though, most of us did not like this book. We found it to be monotonous, and redundant. Miranda’s personality flaws were evident early in the book, and most of us thought there was no need to repeat that over and over with so many examples. A couple of us thought the book could have been wrapped up in 100 pages instead of > 300. At least two of us did not finish the book. We thought there were some unfinished story lines too (whatever happened to Christian, and Lily’s alcoholism?).

We were glad that Andrea eventually broke away from Miranda. Though some of us thought she was unprofessional in the way she handled her departure, others thought it was great. We did like when Andrea remained true to herself, and thought she was genuine. We liked when she gave treats to the unfortunate people that she passed when she went to the coffee shop.

Some of us saw the movie, and we were split on whether we liked the movie or the book more. But we did agree that it was good to read a book that is more appealing to a younger audience since we’ve recently read a number of books that provided some nostalgia for the more mature members of our group. We thought the acknowledgement in the beginning of the book was amusing, but the rest of the book was not that funny.

We strayed from discussing the book a little bit and talked about some personal experiences with our former bosses. We discussed whether or not it was better to work for a male or female, and it was agreed that gender is ususally irrelevant if the boss is supportive. One interesting anecdote conveyed the idea that it can be very valuable to wait at least a year and then thank a boss, (or anyone else) for what they’ve done for you. It means so much that way because such a simple gesture can let someone know how they had a permanent impact on you.

Lauren Weisberger's website: http://www.laurenweisberger.com/

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

2008-03-03T10:35:00.006-05:00

February, 26, 2008
Book suggested by Lori, meeting hosted by Stacy.

This book was scored relatively highly by the members of our group. It is an historical fiction that most of us thought was well-written. Though some of us couldn’t put it down, at least one of us thought it somewhat uneventful especially in the beginning. We all agreed that it was difficult to keep all the characters’ names straight in the early part of the book and were glad to have the page with family tree available to us. We were able to clearly visualize the change in scenery and culture as Dinah moved from place to place.

We appreciated the interpersonal relationships between all of the women in the book, and observed that they had a women-only society within the larger society. Their subculture included a caste system that was clearly depicted in the book. Of course we had a little bit of trouble with the lower status level of the women in those times and were glad we were not living then.

We couldn’t agree with one another on whether or not Jacob knew about, or even ordered, the slaughter of the men. The book led us to believe he was involved, but the Bible does not indicate that. It reminded us of the book The Kommandant’s Girl where we still argue over whether or not the Kommandant would have shot Anna!

We especially liked the ending of the book when Dinah learned that her story would not be forgotten. She was pleased when her niece was able to accurately re-tell many of the events in Dinah’s tragic life. We concluded that, though many things in her life were very difficult to bear, she was content in the end. This was due in part to the acknowledgement she felt when she was given Rachel’s ring. She did find peace, and was not troubled when she died surrounded by her loving husband and others that were dear to her.

We appreciated the author’s creativity in developing a whole story from just a few lines where Dinah’s name was mentioned in the Bible. Overall, we liked this book.

Anita Diamant's website: http://www.anitadiamant.com/

Starting Over by Robin Pilcher

2008-01-29T18:58:00.000-05:00

January 15, 2008
Book suggested by Pat D., and meeting hosted by Lori.

Once again, we read a book that had an assortment of reviews from our readers. Most of the disparity of opinion centered on the very descriptive writing style of Robin Pilcher, and the fact that some thought the plot was relatively uneventful. Some of us liked his very descriptive writing style while others couldn’t tolerate it and admitted to skipping full paragraphs to read sections in the book that were more eventful. Some appreciated the way the reader could envision the setting in great detail (even the sounds and scents), but others did not want to read the description of “every blade of grass” on the golf course! There was a comment that this story was “vanilla” and some readers wanted more in the plot.

We did think, though, that the story was very believable and appreciated the character development. We liked the characters themselves who we thought were very entertaining in their eccentricity. Johnny and Annabelle ran a B & B that we would all like to visit, though Kelly would want to help with the dishes! Roberta was a wealthy old spitfire that we thought could be played in a movie by Cathy Bates! We couldn’t quite understand Arthur’s past and why the estrangement from his family was so enduring because we saw things in him that we liked.

We talked about the relationships of the individuals, particularly that of Liz and Gregor, and we were all very disappointed in the ending. In fact, the end of the book ruined it for some of us and resulted in some of the low scores that were given.

We noticed some differences in the vocabulary and phrasing of this book in comparison to others we’ve read as it was written by a Scotsman. (Yes Judy, it’s Gregor, not Gregory.) We were all proud of Judy, because she did not read the ending first, like she usually does and thought that was worth mentioning in the minutes!

In summary, the book was easy to read and held the interest of most, if not all, of our members.

Lori did a great job coordinating the food with pretzel sticks and cheese shaped into golf clubs, brownies as divots, meatballs as golf balls, and sand tarts as sand traps! She even brought Spain into it with Spanish wine and Spanish olives.

Robin Pilcher's website: http://www.robinpilcher.co.uk/

Whistling in the Dark by Lesley Kagen

2008-01-01T19:04:00.001-05:00

November 29, 2007
Book suggested by Pat S., and meeting hosted by Pat D.

This book had a wide range of scores by our readers. Some of us liked the book a great deal, but one member disliked it so much that she couldn't even get through the book! Because the nostalgia of the 50's was a recurring theme, many of those members that lived during that period enjoyed the book much more than those that didn't.

Most of us thought the book was very believable, and agreed that the perspective of the 10-year-old story-teller was very age-appropriate. We thought that the setting as described in the book was very true to the times and period that was presented. We also liked the very descriptive writing style of the author.

We were kept in suspense as to who the killer was, and none of us guessed the truth about Rasmussen. We felt sorry for the two little girls who were left to fend for themselves, but discussed the idea that, unlike today, life was not centered around children, so maybe this situation was not so unusual for the times. We were saddened by the fact that the girls were so uninformed about their mother's health, and didn't even have a chance to visit her in the hospital, but some of us remembered that hospital visiting hours were very restrictive in those days, and children were not permitted. We felt sorry for Sally because of the burden she had to bear in keeping secrets and looking out for Troo and others. She certainly had a very generous spirit, and shared the few accolades that she received.

One negative was that there were so many characters in the book, that it was difficult to remember them all. As the many characters were introduced, we weren't sure which characters would be significant to the story, and it was difficult to keep them all straight in our minds.

Some of us loved the picture on the front cover of the book, but at least one of us did not like it because it is yet another portrayal of neglected children that we've read about over and over. Some of us are getting weary of reading books where children suffer neglect or abuse.

Overall, this book was well-received by most, but not by all. Those who remembered oleo, tissue flowers, Ovaltine, and some of the slang that was used, embraced the walk down memory lane. Others enjoyed reading a 10-year-old's perspective on the events of that summer.

Leslie Kagen's website: http://www.lesleykagen.com/

The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff

2008-01-01T19:02:00.000-05:00

September 18, 2007
Book suggested by Kim, and meeting hosted by Pat S.

This book was written by a first-time author, and when Kim told us about all she has accomplished in her young life we were impressed and amazed.

We liked the book, and in fact it is tied for first place (with Broken for You) in our ratings to date. Most of our discussion centered on the feelings that the Kommandant and Emma/Anna had for one another. Some of us thought she loved him only when she was in her Anna role. Some thought she was in love only with her husband, and others thought she loved him as a man, but loathed what he did. Some of us thought it was lust, not love. We also could not agree on the Kommandant's feelings for Anna. When asked if we thought he would have shot her, 4 said yes, and 7 said no. We wondered if his experience with his wife prevented him from loving anyone as he had loved her, and we thought he was a tortured man for many reasons.

We also could not agree with how we felt about Jacob. Some of us were angry that he left Emma, but others admired his dedication to the cause. We could not even agree on whether Jacob had been unfaithful to Emma by sleeping with Marta. We even disagreed on the morality that Emma/Anna displayed in some of her actions. Some of us thought it was understandable, and others thought some of her actions were inexcusable. She was living a life that was not her own, living with guilt, and worrying constantly about her parents. We did all agree though that only those who have lived through such times could possibly know how they would respond in such dire circumstances.

Some of us thought that the ending of the book was rushed. We were disappointed that the ending did not reveal what happened next, and speculated whether or not a story like this could end in "happily ever after." Most of the group thought that Jacob was safe and waiting for her and that they would escape to safety; others were not so sure.

We agreed that the love story was good, but thought that the book was an intellectual and not emotional recounting of the Holocaust. The book led us to feel more sympathy for the Kommandant than for the suffering parents. Someone said that they could not get emotionally involved in the Ghetto, and that the book did not accurately reflect the horrors of the time. A story about the Holocaust should not be so enjoyable to read.

Pam Jenoff's website: http://www.pamjenoff.com/

A Rather Lovely Inheritance by C. A. Belmond

2008-01-01T18:54:00.001-05:00

August 6, 2007
Book suggested by Judy, and meeting hosted by Kim.

This book was very well received by most of the group. It was light, easy to read, and had just enough suspense to keep us interested. It was like a fairy tale, perhaps too much so for some of us. One member said that she likes books that have a little more "meat" to them. But to others, the fairy tale that ends with happily-ever-after was just what they wanted as a summer read, especially after some of the heavier books we've read recently.

Most of us thought the book was very predicable especially after the revelation about Jeremy. Many of the readers figured it out even before it was revealed! We were slightly concerned that Jeremy might have had a dark side, and were glad when her showed up at the art gallery at the end of the book. We did not like the paragraphs related the the car "stuff" and most of us skipped over that when we were reading. We also did not like Severine, Aunt Sheila, or Cousin Rollo. We thought it was inexcusable for Aunt Sheila to withhold Jeremy's true parentage from him. We chuckled a bit when two members of our group admitted that they have first cousins they wish were not true blood relatives!

We learned that this was the first book written by C. A. Belmond, but that she has a sequel planned that will involve the same characters. We speculated about what plot twists may appear in the second book, and a number of us plan to read it when it comes out.

C. A. Belmond's website: http://www.cabelmond.com/

Fat Tuesday by Sandra Brown

2008-01-01T18:52:00.000-05:00

June 19, 2007
Book suggested by Lucia, and meeting hosted by Judy.

This book has the honor of getting the lowest individual score thus far from one of our members. Others thought the book was OK, or even pretty good, but nobody gave it rave reviews. Those who have read Sandra Brown before reported that this was not necessarily a good representation of her typical style and quality. Lucia shared that the author began writing in 1981, and has had 55 best sellers of the 68 books she’s written. We couldn’t figure out the math because another on-line article said that she only writes about one book a year !?!

Many of us agreed that this was a quick, easy read. It was difficult to keep the characters straight in the beginning of the book and some of us had to resort to taking notes for the first few chapters. This problem was due in part to the use of unusual character names that were easily confused with one another. In fact one of us said the character naming was the worst thing about the book! Those of us that like detective novels thought the book had enough surprises in the storyline to keep us interested. One of our members had trouble getting through the book because she found the storyline to be too realistic in a negative sense, and just doesn’t like to read books like that.

Few characters in this book could be considered to be “good guys,” and that was disheartening to some of us. Our favorite character was Dredd. It would have been easier to have empathy for Gregory if he wasn’t a sexual predator. We thought that Pinkie’s need to control and his feelings of invincibility were sure to lead to self-destruction eventually. We could understand how difficult it was for Remy to escape from Pinkie considering the sense of responsibility and love that she felt for her sister, Flarra. We could easily understand why Burke Basile’s relationship with Nanci was strained at best. While the ending was a bit predictable, it still kept most of us in suspense until the end.

We did enjoy the challenge of assigning movie actors to play these characters, and thought that Bruce Willis might play a good Burke Basile (or maybe younger versions of Lee Majors or Sylvester Stalone would be a good fit!). We liked Gene Hackman for Pinkie and thought the beautiful curvy Eva Longoria could play Remy.

Definitely not one of our favorite books but not too bad for some . . .

Sandra Brown's website: http://www.sandrabrown.net/

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

2008-01-01T18:40:00.000-05:00

May 8, 2007
Book suggested by Barb, and meeting hosted by Lucia.

We started the night by looking at beautiful photographs and tiles that Missy brought from her travels to Delft. We also learned more about the background of the book by looking at photographs of paintings and reading a forward of a "deluxe" issue of the book.

As in most of our discussions, we had a variety of opinions about this book. Some of us liked it immensely, while others thought it was relatively uneventful. For an historical novel, some of us thought that it was lacking in its integration of historical facts and culture. We were intrigued by the way the author developed the story by studying one of Vermeer's paintings. This book was not as complex as some others we've read, and was easy and quick to read.

We all agreed that the life of women of that time was NOT something any of us would want to live. People, especially women of that day, had few options, and were duty-bound to do what was necessary, rather than what was preferred. We discussed the situation that Griet was in, and could understand that she had little choice but to help provide for her family by working as a maid and marrying the butcher. But we were saddened by the circumstance, her father's accident, that led to that situation. We also felt sorry for all of her family's losses. We were horrified by the scene in the book where Griet lost her virginity, but thought that Pieter was a nice person. We could see the forbidden electricity between Griet and Vermeer, but some of us questioned Vermeer's sincerity. Some of us thought that he may have been interested in her only as an object to paint, and others thought he had some feelings for her, particularly since he gave her the pearls at his death.

When Vermeer refused to assist with the ear-piercing, one of us pointed out a parallel between that and birth control - it's a woman's responsibility. This proved that Griet would do anything for the painter. We talked about the significance of Griet preventing anyone from seeing her hair and thought that her hair kept hidden may have symbolized her private thoughts and the part of her that had to be constantly repressed. We laughed at the way she slapped one of her young charges within minutes of meeting her!

As we read this book, most of us admitted turning to the front cover numerous times to study the painting. The subject's clothes and expression left us guessing as to what emotions she was feeling, and the writer's interpretations of it made this book an interesting read.

Tracy Chevalier's website: http://www.tchevalier.com/

Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

2008-01-01T18:30:00.001-05:00

March 27, 2007
Book suggested by Kelly, and meeting hosted by Barb.

Interestingly, this book more than any others that we've read, received very consistent reviews from the group. Most, if not all of us, shared the same opinions about the book - not enough substance, lack of character development, simple vocabulary, and weak plot. We did agree that it was easy to read, and is probably appropriate for a beach read, but it left us wanting more. Most of us thought that the book ended with too many unanswered questions about the birth couple's consequences and what happened next in the lives of Nicky and Rob. We greatly appreciated the author's ability to write very descriptively, but we "scratched our heads" when Kelly read the rave reviews, particularly the one from People Magazine that said Shreve's books are often filled with eroticism! We did agree with the review that coined her books to be atmospheric and believable. When Kelly read a glowing review from a sixth grader, we could understand why someone that age would like the book!

In reading the book, we didn't like Rob (the dad). We understood that he was still healing from the loss of his wife and daughter, but thought that he made some bad decisions, and were very glad when Nicky stood up to him. Though he was completely lost in his grief, we could see how he was influenced by his daughter in his decision not to report Charlotte to the police.

We appreciated the relationship between Nicky and Charlotte. Nicky was sorely in need of a close female relationship, and quickly latched on to Charlotte, and Charlotte was going through a very rough time and appreciated the companionship that Nicky so willingly offered. Most of us thought that they were like close sisters.

We talked about the fat that Nicky and Rob had a non-traditional father/daughter relationship. Nicky looked after her dad, and adapted her behavior to meet his needs, rather than the other way around. We talked briefly about how this book can make on reflect on matters of "chance" and "fate" and that a very small thing (like a decision to take an evening hike) can significantly affect life's events and outcomes.

Anita Shreve's website: http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/features/AnitaShreve/

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

2008-01-01T18:29:00.000-05:00

February 20, 2007
Book suggested by Missy, and meeting hosted by Kelly.

We had a wide range of scores on this book. Some of us rated it very high, and some had trouble even getting through it. We thought the book was VERY believable and some even thought it was a true story. Many of us had trouble reading some of the very graphic parts and skipped over those sections. Several of us agreed that it was a nice break from the “relationship” books that we’ve been reading.

This is a story of survival and faith. Some of us were amazed that Pi demonstrated faith in spite of all the obstacles and extreme conditions. Faith was tested so often. This experience, though, cost him his youth and innocence. We were glad that an early chapter of the book let us know that he did survive to have a family in later years.

One review called the book highly comedic, but most of us had to really think hard to remember anything very funny in this book. We talked about the significance of Pi’s unusual name. Someone mentioned that the number Pi (3.14159…) is a never ending decimal, just like Pi’s faith was never-ending. Another person suggested that Pisces represents fish, and still another person pointed out that Pi was named after the “Pool of the Gods,” as a religious undertone which was recurrent in the book. We admitted to not fully understanding the various religions that were represented, and appreciated learning a little bit about them.

We talked about the way another version of the events at sea was presented at the end of the book whereby human beings were substituted for the animal characters. We all preferred to believe the story that involved animals instead the story that involved people because of how horrible that second version would be to even consider. We also talked about Richard Parker. Was he literally a Bengal Tiger or was he the alter ego of Pi? Maybe he was a symbolic representation of something else like “fear” or “the aggressive nature of mankind” that surfaces from time to time especially in times of dire circumstances.

Some of us thought that this book probably incorporated much more symbolism than what was discussed or thought through by the group. Some of us read the book quickly and loved it; others had a strong dislike of the book. But most of us agreed, once again, that book club participation prompts us to read books that we would otherwise pass on, and that is one of the reasons we appreciate being a Lit-Wit!

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

2008-01-01T18:19:00.000-05:00

January 9, 2007
Book suggested by Carol W., and meeting hosted by Missy.

All of us liked this book and it got good scores all around. Many of us experienced disbelief with the surprise ending, so much so that we had to read that section again just to be sure. We found that the book brought out tremendous emotion, and a number of us sobbed out loud while reading the book. One of us even woke up with nightmares!

We were very disappointed that Brian (dad) did an about-face at the trial. We were saddened by the effect that this situation had on Jesse, and were very glad to read that he turned his life around in the end.

We talked a great deal about how driven Sara was to find a cure for her daughter, and most of us strongly disagreed to her approach in raising her other children. But we all agreed that, never having walked in her shoes, we could not possibly predict how we might respond to similar circumstances (though we all hoped we would treat our other children more favorably than she did!).

A couple of us did not like how each chapter jumped from the perspective of character to character. We noted how the fonts even changed from chapter to chapter as the narrator of the story changed.

We talked briefly about the potential slippery slope surrounding the issue of selective genetics in the conception of a child, particularly since the original intent in this case was to use only the cells from the umbilical cord. But again, we agreed that, given the same circumstances, some of us might just do the same if we thought it would save our child. Some believe that if God gave us the ability to scientifically advance, we, as a society, should not feel guilty for doing so in situations like this one.

Jodi Picoult's website: http://www.jodipicoult.com/

Holiday Cookie and Gift Exchange 2006

2008-01-01T18:17:00.000-05:00

December 11, 2006
Hosted by Judy

Everyone took 3-6 dozen cookies with copies of the recipe to share with everyone. Everyone also wrapped a paperback book for the gift exchange.

Recipes from Holiday Cookie Exchange

Chocolate & Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 stick butter or oleo
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups quick oats
Combine sugar, mild, cocoa powder and butter/oleo in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Drop spoonful of mixture onto wax paper and let cool.
Notes: Spooning the mixture out works best if you let it stiffen a little bit in the bowl first (you don't want it really runny, but rather a thin version of oatmeal). To make peanut butter flavored cookies, omit the cocoa powder and substitute the vanilla with almond extract.
Makes approx. 2 dozen cookies.

Santa's Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. plus 1/4 c. sugar, divided
3/4 c. dark corn syrup
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3-1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-2/3 c. (10 oz. pkg.) white chocolate chips
Toffee Bits
Maraschino cherry halves
Best butter & 1/2 c. sugar in large bowl until well blended, add corn syrup, egg & vanilla, blending well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly. Cover dough & place in refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
Stir remaining sugar & cinnamon together into small bowl. Form dough into 1 inch balls; place balls on cookie sheet. Using thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie.
Bake 6-8 minutes. If necessary, use tip of spoon and press indentation in center. Place 1 tsp. of white chips in each indentation. Top with toffee bits and cherry halves.

Jubilee Jumbles
shared by Lori
1/2 c. Crisco
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
package choc. chips
1 c. Carnation milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Mix shortening, sugars, eggs. Stir in milk. Sift flour, soda, salt and stir in. Blend choc. chips in. Chill 1 hour. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Frosting: 2 Tbsp. butter, 2 c. 10x sugar, 3 Tbsp. milk, 1/2 tsp. vanilla (or use canned frosting!)

Date & Christmas Cookies
shared by Pat S.
1 stick butter
2 c. chopped dates
1 egg
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. Rice Krispies
1 c. nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
4x sugar
Combine butter an dates in heavy pan. Add well beaten egg and brown sugar. Cook 3-5 minutes. Add vanilla; stir constantly until blended. Have Rice Krispies and nuts in bowl; pour cooked contents over them. Mix well and form into small balls and roll in 4x sugar. Makes about 4 dozen.

Melting Moments
shared by Pat D.
1/2 lb. butter softened at room temperature
5-1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
3/4 c. cornstarch
1 c. flour
Mix these ingredients, then roll into balls the size of marbles. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes on floured, not greased, baking sheet. Cool on waxed paper.
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 - 2 Tbsp. orange juice
Food Coloring (optional)
Combine these ingredients to a spreadable texture. Spread over the cooled cookies.

Jam Thumbprints
shared by Kelly
2/3 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Beat above ingredients together, then add 1 1/2 c. flour and roll into balls. Place 2 slightly beaten egg whites in bowl. Place 1 c. finely chopped walnuts in another bowl. Dip balls into beaten egg whites and then into chopped nuts; place onto cookie sheet and press with thumb. When cooled, add Smuckers 100% All Fruit Strawberry Jam.

Italian Anise Cookies
shared by Carol W.
Beat: 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. anise extract
Add: 2-3/4 c. flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Mix above ingredients until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on greased on non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until light golden color. Cool.
Glaze: Mix following ingredients until smooth: 1 c. 10x sugar, 4-5 tsp. milk, 1 tsp. anise extract.
Dip cookies into glaze and sprinkle with non-pareils.

Krispies
shared by Stacy
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. salted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. crispy rice cereal
1-1/2 c. (8 oz.) crispy rice chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 300. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, and soda. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside. In a large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture, rice cereal and chocolate chunks. Blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 22-24 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool, flat surface.
Yield: 3 dozen

Apricot Nectar Cookies
shared by Judy
2-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. dark brown sugar, packed
1 c. salted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 c. apricot nectar
1/2 c. apricot preserves
3/4 c. dried apricots, chopped
Preheat oven to 300. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside. In a large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl. Then add egg, apricot nectar, and apricot preserves; beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture and apricots, and blend on low just until combined. Do not overmix. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 22-24 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown at bottom edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a cool flat surface with a spatula.

Chocolate Kiss Cookies
2-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. (16 oz.) chocolate kisses, unwrapped
1-1/2 c. chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in bowl and set aside. Beat butter and brown and granulated sugars in separate bowl until light. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in flour mixture.
Chop 1 c. chocolate kisses and stir into creamed mixture along with the nuts. Mix in remaining 1 c. whole kisses. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of mixture onto ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 8-10 minutes. Cool cookies on wire rack. Cookies freeze well. Makes about 3 dozen 2 1/2 in. cookies.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 c. margarine or butter, softened
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
3 c. Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 c. raisins
Heat oven to 350. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack. About 4 dozen
For bar cookies, bake 30-35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-in. metal baking pan.

Original BAKER'S Chocolate Chunk Cookies
shared by Carol M.
1-3/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c. chopped PLANTERS Walnuts
Preheat oven to 375. Mix flour, baking soda and salt until well blended; set aside. Beat margarine and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Stir in chopped chocolate and walnuts. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Variation: You can substitute 1/2 c. Splenda Baking Blend for 1/2 c. granulated sugar, 1/2 c. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend for 1/2 c. brown sugar, and 1 pkg. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks for 1 pkg. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped.

Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos

2008-01-01T17:43:00.000-05:00

November 14, 2006
Book suggested by Carol M., and meeting hosted by Carol W.

We all liked this book, so it received very high scores, including our first 10! We enjoyed reading about how these characters were able to heal from their own personal tragedies and disappointments, largely due to the relationships they had with the other characters in the book. We thought the character development was very well done as more and more secrets were revealed by, and about, the characters and their personal difficulties.

We talked about the idea of surrogacy parenting as that was a recurring theme in the book (Margaret/Wanda; Aunt Maureen/ Wanda; Irma/MJ Stryker; Stryker/delinquent teen; Susan/Margaret). We liked the quirkiness of the characters and some of their unpredictability. We saw parallels in Wanda's views of Peter and her dad, and we could also see why Wanda's loss of Peter was especially difficult because of a similar feeling of abandonment she felt when her parents deserted her so early in her life. We were glad to see Wanda work through that heartache as she came to realize her perceptions of Peter's perfection were not reality.

We were surprised by the revelations of Margaret's personal history, and how her father's greed during the Holocaust led to her indifference toward the valuable figurines and porcelain pieces. We found her relationships with Gus, Susan, and Bruce to be heartwarming. We were saddened by Margaret's death, but appreciated the way it came across as natural and peaceful.

We talked about the idea that material things that are broken may have more value than when they were whole. We agreed with the comment that during the Holocaust bodies were shattered, and things were not. It resulted in broken people even though some of the material possessions (the glass and figurines) remained whole. And it is far better if the material possessions are broken and the people remain whole.

Stephanie Kallos's website: http://www.stephaniekallos.com/

Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish

2008-01-01T17:33:00.000-05:00

October 10, 2006
Book suggested by Stacy, and meeting hosted by Carol M.

We had mixed reviews of this book, though most of us liked it. We thought it was a little unbelievable that these women could drop out of their daily lives and take part in a traveling funeral, but most of us were envious of the concept of temporarily removing ourselves from daily routines. A couple of us thought the book contained way too much drama and were turned off by that.

As we read the book, we were a little taken aback by the very high pedestal where they placed their deceased friend, and were somewhat relieved when some of Annie's weaknesses were revealed at the end of the book. We thought that Annie was independent and close to these women while remaining guarded. We wondered a little bit about how these presumably close friends could not know more about Annie's past, particularly surrounding the identity of her children's father and details related to her Minnesota roots.

We enjoyed the relationships that developed between the funeral-goers. We appreciated how they came to look at life (and death) as a result of this trip, and how they began to see their everyday routines/priorities in a different light. Some of the coincidences and occurrences in the book were not really believable.

One member of our group pointed out that the locations where the ashes were to be dispersed were symbolic of the period of her life that Annie lived there. For example, she was in the dry desert-like southwest when she was in rehab, in a beautiful remote area when she was closest to and in seclusion with her family, and in the Florida Keys while she was young and carefree.

We talked a little bit about how we could relate to this book as we have had to deal with death and dying people that are close to us. We agreed that death can be a reason for celebration and that it brings about personal introspection when someone close to us dies.

Kris Radish's website: http://www.krisradish.com/

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

2008-01-01T17:26:00.001-05:00

August 29, 2006
Book suggested by Lori, and meeting hosted by Stacy.

We had a delightful meeting highlighted by our guest, author Maria V. Snyder, who told us all about her journey in writing and publishing this book. A few facts:

Maria had 17 rejections over 2 years, and no agent would take her on before she got the call that Luna would publish her book.

Valek is named for Val Kilmer and Margg is named for a difficult former coworker.

Maria is a Penn State graduate who decided that meteorology was not for her. She has always been artistic, was involved in gymnastics, plays a musical instrument, and enjoys karate. Her husband works for M&M Mars, so that is how she got some of her ideas.

Maria does not plan her writing, and is often surprised by how the plot line develops. She doesn't like grammar, and says that without a computer, she probably would not be a writer.

Maria got her start by joining a local writers' club and having its members critique her work. She learned various writing techniques at the meetings, and also learned how one goes about getting published.

The club members loved this book, and it has been given our highest average score yet! We were able to visualize the scenes, and liked the relationships between the characters. We struggled in understanding the trans-gender nature of the commander, and many of us had to read that explanation more than once. We are looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Maria V. Snyder's website: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

2008-01-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

July 24, 2006
Book suggested by Pat D., and meeting hosted by Lori.

The consensus was that Wicked was more difficult to read than most of the other books we’ve read. In fact, two members were not able to finish it. There was so much going on and the vocabulary was unusual, so it was difficult for many of us to get through it. Those that don’t like fantasies didn’t like it at all, and some of us just thought it was “weird." We agreed that it took time and effort to think through all the symbolism, and only a few of us wanted to put in that effort. A couple of us did like the book, though, because we appreciated the creativity and parallelism, and we enjoyed the depth of the story line. A couple of us thought that the author used the book as a vehicle for his personal political agenda and that his bias on some issues came through too strongly.

Some of us liked the story that portrayed an interesting character that had unbending principles. We talked about the strength that Elphaba demonstrated, and somewhat understood how her challenging personal characteristics and family life may have led to her poor choices.

One very astute member (Kelly) noticed how the map in the beginning of the book could represent the USA and that the different geographic areas could characterize similarly located areas in the United States. Another member told us that she pictured only shades of gray as she read the book and that only a few things in the book made her visualize in color.

If a TV movie were to be made of Wicked, we would cast Shelly Long as Galinda, and Bebe Neuworth (Lilith) as Elphaba.

The book club traveled to NYC to see Wicked on Broadway! What an absolute treat!! Thanks to Pat D. for making all of the ticket and travel arrangements, and to Kelly for making our luncheon reservation at Windows on the Green! I think it's safe to say that everyone enjoyed the play more than the book, if only for the different ending. The music was quite enjoyable too. It really makes you think differently about the Wizard of Oz!

Gregory Maguire's website: http://www.gregorymaguire.com/home.html
Wicked, the Broadway musical, website: http://www.wickedthemusical.com/

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

2008-01-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

June 5, 2006
Book suggested by Pat S., and meeting hosted by Pat D.

Viewpoints on this book were polarized - readers either loved it or disliked it intensely! Many of us felt it was the best book we've read to date, while others thought it was the worst book we've read. The session leader thought the book was "the most depressing book I've ever read."

Many of us found the book to be haunting, thinking about it for days and weeks after we'd read it. We thought the mother was probably bipolar, and the dad suffered the ill effects of a terrible upbringing that resulted in problems with alcoholism. We thought it was a story of triumph for the children who were able to break away from horrible living conditions, and wondered how they managed to find the strength and resolve to accomplish all that they have. We wonder about and feel compassion for the youngest child who evidently was not as successful in breaking the chain of self-destructive behavior.

We talked about how it is interesting that the girls have had no children and marveled at the loyalty they continued to demonstrate toward their parents despite the circumstances surrounding their upbringing. We commented about the fact that the book was written devoid of emotion, and included no self-pity whatsoever. We discussed some of the extreme hardships the children faced and how it was amazing that they lived through it all. The thought was introduced that perhaps some parents today may have swung the pendulum too far the other way resulting in over protectiveness that may have their children developing an excessive sense of entitlement.

We found it interesting that various members of our group had such diverse opinions of this book, and agreed that this diversity is one of the things that make our meetings so enjoyable!

Honeymoon With My Brother by Franz Wismer

2008-01-01T17:07:00.000-05:00

April 24, 2006
Book suggested by Judy, and meeting hosted by Pat S.

Our discussion of the book focused on the relationships of the brothers and the character development. Some of us were disappointed in the length of time it took these two men to strongly bond together. We also talked about their relationships with family members and others, and all agreed that we liked LaRue.

Some of us were disappointed with the lack of descriptions of the places the brothers visited. We wanted to "see both sides of the post card." We agreed that they must have seen some amazing sites in their travels, but we were unable to visualize them. For that reason, and for the lack of character development, most of us were disappointed with the writing style.

Some of us found the book to be tedious, and had trouble getting through it. Several of us were envious of, or identified with, the adventure of traveling like the brothers did. We agreed that it takes courage (and money) to take off like they did, and most of us would not do it at our stages in life.

This book is being made into a movie, and the brothers are off traveling again, with plans to write a second book. For more information, see http://www.honeymoonwithmybrother.com/.

Honeymoon by James Patterson

2008-01-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

March 27, 2006
Book suggested by Lucia, and meeting hosted by Judy.

We talked a little bit about the diversity that this writer offers. Several of us had read his other works and found that they did not like this book as much as some others he had written. But they suggested that the group read some of his other books, as they will find a lot of variation in his subject matter and story lines.

We found the book to be a very fast read. Some of us liked that style; others wanted more depth and character development. The chapters were very short and we liked that. Most of us enjoyed the plot, but were disappointed that the contents of the letter at the end of the book were not revealed. We had trouble identifying with the main character, Nora, and her attitude toward others (especially her husbands), but two of us admired her drive and intelligence even though she was shallow and calculating. Most of us scored the book lower , but agreed that is it a great "beach" book, and will read more of what he has written.

James Patterson lives in Florida, and devotes much of his time to literacy programs for children and others.

James Patterson's website: http://www.jamespatterson.com/

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

2008-01-01T16:50:00.000-05:00

February 9, 2006
Book suggested by Barb, and meeting hosted by Lucia.

We talked about a number of themes that came into play in this book including the following:

How Jess became absorbed into the life of her loved ones and lost, but needed to find, her own identity again. Most of us agreed that parenting, particularly for women, forces us (our choice, though) to put aside our own interests to take care of the needs of our families. Some of us liked the scene where she took vows to honor and love herself from that point forward.

How Jess's father's suicide, particularly his method that included notifying others of his intentions, affected his loved ones, particularly Jess and her mother. We also discussed whether his actions were selfish or selfless, cowardly or courageous.

We all agreed that infidelity was not an answer to Jess's mid-life crisis. Two of us thought unfavorably of the infidelity theme to the point where we were turned off to the book even though it was an easy read. We were all disappointed in the way Jess treated her model husband, and even more disappointed in his readily forgiving her.

We did not focus on the religious and mythological symbolism presented in the book, but we did find it distasteful, and somewhat unbelievable, that one monk had numerous secretive sexual encounters, and another monk participated in a suicide. The finger removal was gross irregardless of its connection to religion and legend.

We discussed the relationships Jess had with her mother, her daughter, and the other women on the island.

Sue Monk Kidd's website: http://www.suemonkkidd.com/

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

2008-01-01T16:43:00.000-05:00

January 2, 2006
Book suggested by Kelly, and meeting hosted by Barb.

We thought it was a great first book for our club! Some of us had difficulty tracking the characters in the early chapters, so we had to take notes on who was who. Also, the time lapse was sometimes hard to follow, but overall most of us thoroughly enjoyed the book. We enjoyed watching the characters change and evolve, but were a little disappointed in the way the characters felt a need to keep secrets.

Great quotes from Barb on the lessons learned in reading this book: "Friendship is always there" and "It is safe to be true to yourself."

Lorna Landvik's website: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/lornalandvik/