Thank you, Jarby, for a splendid Book Club!
What a nice refreshing evening, gathered around Jarby's living room and talking - about the book - and other things, as well. So nice to catch up with everyone. We were so pleased to have Louise join us, along with her new hip! Looking beautiful, Louise!
Sarah's Key gave us some nice discussion points - the most talked about being - how much should one person intrude upon another's reality? Should the reporter have projected her own need for closure onto anybody else? In some instances, reality is the only way to truly move on and through a situation. In others, perhaps remaining blind to pain is best.
Along with some nice wine, apple crisp and coffee, we discussed some current books that look interesting perhaps for next time including:
Stephen King's 11/22/63: A Novel
Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus
Diane Keaton's Then Again
If you have a particular book to recommend, please email the group with the title and author.
I don't remember anyone offering to host next time, we are in need of a location, as well.
It was very nice to have dessert, a few light snacks and wine. We were able to enjoy Jarby's company and she was able to really participate in the discussion!
Please chime in and let us know what you'd like to read next. What are you all reading and enjoying?
Happy Cyber Monday to all, let's have a great holiday season and look forward to Book Club in January.
Katie
Monday, November 28, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Sarah's Key
Our next book will be Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay.
A Polish Jewish family is rounded up in Paris in 1942 during what is know as the Vél d'Hiver. What happens to them is later researched by a modern times journalist about to move in to the family's former apartment.
A grim subject, but a beautiful reminder of how truth is redemptive and remembering is essential to us as humans.
Enjoy the book! It is being made into a movie starring Kristin Scott Thomas.
A Polish Jewish family is rounded up in Paris in 1942 during what is know as the Vél d'Hiver. What happens to them is later researched by a modern times journalist about to move in to the family's former apartment.
A grim subject, but a beautiful reminder of how truth is redemptive and remembering is essential to us as humans.
Enjoy the book! It is being made into a movie starring Kristin Scott Thomas.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Before I Go to Sleep....I'll enjoy It's Greek to Me!
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson is a book meant to grab you right away and get you turning the pages. Most of us who read the book got caught up in the story and enjoyed the thrills and chills. Jarby thought it was a little hard to follow as she was trying to read it in little chunks and it didn't go as well.
I moved on right away to another bone-chilling thriller, called The Hypnotist by Swedish author Lars Kepler. It's a little graphic, but definitely gets you turning the page.
It was a balmy night with a nice breeze in Uptown and we enjoyed our big round table on the patio at It's Greek to Me. We had time to sit at the bar and relax with a drink beforehand as they prepped our table. "Luigi" at the bar was full of grunts and hand gestures as we tried to find a drink that he, as stand-in bartender (apparently) could fix. Mojito? NO. Coors Light? (head shake) Corona light with lime? (near to a flip of the bird with a point to behind the bar) "That's what we serve". OK, Luigi, Amstel Light it is.
Some great appetizers arrived at our table, which were properly and promptly noshed by all. Htipiti - Spicy Hot Feta Cheese Spread, Melitzanosalata - Roasted Eggplant Spread, and a Family Sized Greek Salad - Lettuce, tomatoes, onions topped with feta cheese, Greek olives and salonica peppers.
Everyone seemed to really enjoy their meals, I know I did. I got the Souvlaki - Tender pieces of pork loin marinated in olive oil and lemon with spices. Char-broiled and served with sweet onions and tomatoes. I don't know how they got the meat that nice and tender, but I sure appreciated every bite.
I woke up with the taste of garlic still in my mouth, but, hey, goes to show they sure know how to spice the food.
I could not even possibly dream of stuffing Baklava into myself after that meal, so a nice hot coffee rounded out the evening.
It was fun to talk with everyone about their goings-on and catch up once again.
Jarby agreed to host our next gathering probably late October to early November at her house. We will do dessert and refreshments and Jarby will have a few questions for us to ponder about our next selection.
We are in a bit of suspense before we find out about the title we'll be reading. On September 9, the book at #9 on the New York Times best seller list will be our book!
Here's a link so you can stay on top of that :) New York Times Best Seller List. We'll see you all next time!
By then the fall colors will be out and school will be started. I hope you enjoy the last of summer and relish these long days without parkas and boots.
Happy Reading!
I moved on right away to another bone-chilling thriller, called The Hypnotist by Swedish author Lars Kepler. It's a little graphic, but definitely gets you turning the page.
It was a balmy night with a nice breeze in Uptown and we enjoyed our big round table on the patio at It's Greek to Me. We had time to sit at the bar and relax with a drink beforehand as they prepped our table. "Luigi" at the bar was full of grunts and hand gestures as we tried to find a drink that he, as stand-in bartender (apparently) could fix. Mojito? NO. Coors Light? (head shake) Corona light with lime? (near to a flip of the bird with a point to behind the bar) "That's what we serve". OK, Luigi, Amstel Light it is.
Some great appetizers arrived at our table, which were properly and promptly noshed by all. Htipiti - Spicy Hot Feta Cheese Spread, Melitzanosalata - Roasted Eggplant Spread, and a Family Sized Greek Salad - Lettuce, tomatoes, onions topped with feta cheese, Greek olives and salonica peppers.
Everyone seemed to really enjoy their meals, I know I did. I got the Souvlaki - Tender pieces of pork loin marinated in olive oil and lemon with spices. Char-broiled and served with sweet onions and tomatoes. I don't know how they got the meat that nice and tender, but I sure appreciated every bite.
I woke up with the taste of garlic still in my mouth, but, hey, goes to show they sure know how to spice the food.
I could not even possibly dream of stuffing Baklava into myself after that meal, so a nice hot coffee rounded out the evening.
It was fun to talk with everyone about their goings-on and catch up once again.
Jarby agreed to host our next gathering probably late October to early November at her house. We will do dessert and refreshments and Jarby will have a few questions for us to ponder about our next selection.
We are in a bit of suspense before we find out about the title we'll be reading. On September 9, the book at #9 on the New York Times best seller list will be our book!
Here's a link so you can stay on top of that :) New York Times Best Seller List. We'll see you all next time!
By then the fall colors will be out and school will be started. I hope you enjoy the last of summer and relish these long days without parkas and boots.
Happy Reading!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Page Turner - Before I Sleep
I must say Marie was right, this is the kind of book that can make you neglect all responsibilities until the last page is turned!
I'm finished with the book if anyone would like me to send it along to them, let me know.
Hope everyone is finding some creative ways to beat the heat. :)
Katie
I'm finished with the book if anyone would like me to send it along to them, let me know.
Hope everyone is finding some creative ways to beat the heat. :)
Katie
Monday, July 25, 2011
Bleary-eyed But Worth It
It's been along time since I've been so captivated by a book that I ignored basic responsiblities (like cooking, laundry and most of all sleep) to keep turning the pages. Our latest book club selection, Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson was that good. I started reading on Friday and amidst a busy weekend made the time to keep reading. Late last night (actually very early this morning) I read the climactic finish. A gread summer read! Now I'm on to Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill -- it's supposed to be really scary.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Cute Waiter Makes Up For It All
Marie: What is that delicious smell?
Cute Waiter: You want some of this (pointing to self)
(Ok, maybe what he said was a little tamer, but..... you get the point.)
Despite the burnt to a crisp pepperoni and green olive pizza and the forgotten ice cubes in the dirty martini, AND the forgetting to offer us drinks after 9 PM AND not offering us coffee - the cute waiter at School of the Wise won us over.
Loved Rachel's suggestion for a new drink for their menu - the Tiger Woods. Cute waiter says, "What would be in that?" Rachel's answer, "Throw in a little bit of EVERYthing you got."
It was nice to have Jeannie join us from England, and with her beautiful English accent, she fit right in under the portrait of Churchill under the fireplace.
Sherlock Holmes and Red Demon was a definite winner. Jarby's already moved on to the next book by Millett, and enjoying that one. Holmes and Watson are beloved characters and Millet got just about everything right. Marie said he could have done a better job of leaving us clues so we could work out the mystery on our own. Good point.
Well, our next book will be a thriller! The book is called, "Before I Go To Sleep" by S.J. Watson. This recalls the movie, Momento. If you saw that, you'll remember the character lost his short term memory and had to depend on notes/tattoos and polaroid snaps to remember stuff. Well, the woman in this book has memory damage so that when she goes to sleep, she forgets all she's learned that day - about herself - everything. She must depend on what her husband tells her is true. Evidence appears that tells her that her husband may not be telling her the whole truth....I think some suspense ensues.
So that we can enjoy Jeannie's company before she takes off for home again, we will meet the very last week in August.
It's Greek to Me - the restaurant at Lake/Lyndale in Minneapolis - will be our meeting scene.
Can't wait to see you all again and see how you like this new book choice.
Happy reading - and stay cool everyone!
Katie
Cute Waiter: You want some of this (pointing to self)
(Ok, maybe what he said was a little tamer, but..... you get the point.)
Despite the burnt to a crisp pepperoni and green olive pizza and the forgotten ice cubes in the dirty martini, AND the forgetting to offer us drinks after 9 PM AND not offering us coffee - the cute waiter at School of the Wise won us over.
Loved Rachel's suggestion for a new drink for their menu - the Tiger Woods. Cute waiter says, "What would be in that?" Rachel's answer, "Throw in a little bit of EVERYthing you got."
It was nice to have Jeannie join us from England, and with her beautiful English accent, she fit right in under the portrait of Churchill under the fireplace.
Sherlock Holmes and Red Demon was a definite winner. Jarby's already moved on to the next book by Millett, and enjoying that one. Holmes and Watson are beloved characters and Millet got just about everything right. Marie said he could have done a better job of leaving us clues so we could work out the mystery on our own. Good point.
Well, our next book will be a thriller! The book is called, "Before I Go To Sleep" by S.J. Watson. This recalls the movie, Momento. If you saw that, you'll remember the character lost his short term memory and had to depend on notes/tattoos and polaroid snaps to remember stuff. Well, the woman in this book has memory damage so that when she goes to sleep, she forgets all she's learned that day - about herself - everything. She must depend on what her husband tells her is true. Evidence appears that tells her that her husband may not be telling her the whole truth....I think some suspense ensues.
So that we can enjoy Jeannie's company before she takes off for home again, we will meet the very last week in August.
It's Greek to Me - the restaurant at Lake/Lyndale in Minneapolis - will be our meeting scene.
Can't wait to see you all again and see how you like this new book choice.
Happy reading - and stay cool everyone!
Katie
Monday, June 6, 2011
Dessert Recipe
Thanks for your kind words Katie. It was fun seeing everyone again - I always enjoy our gatherings. In spite of my difficulty making it through our latest book, it's had a lasting effect - encouraging me that with proper care my brain can improve over time rather than deteriorate.
Before you groan over the ingredients in the dessert recipe, remember that the rest of our meal was very, very healthy : )
Key Lime Margarita Pie
This recipe makes a 9 x 9 square pan. I doubled it and put into 9 x 13 pan for us on Friday
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels (these need to be crushed fine so I used a food processor)
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbls butter or margarine, melted
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lime juice
1 envelope Kool Aid Lemon-Lime (unsweetened)
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip Topping, thawed
Mix: crushed pretzels, sugar and butter. Press into bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine: condensed milk, lime juice and Kool Aid powder in a large bowl until well blended. Gently fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust.
Freeze: 6-hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes or until pie can be cut easily. Store leftover pie in freezer.
Makes 8 servings
Before you groan over the ingredients in the dessert recipe, remember that the rest of our meal was very, very healthy : )
Key Lime Margarita Pie
This recipe makes a 9 x 9 square pan. I doubled it and put into 9 x 13 pan for us on Friday
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels (these need to be crushed fine so I used a food processor)
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbls butter or margarine, melted
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lime juice
1 envelope Kool Aid Lemon-Lime (unsweetened)
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip Topping, thawed
Mix: crushed pretzels, sugar and butter. Press into bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine: condensed milk, lime juice and Kool Aid powder in a large bowl until well blended. Gently fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust.
Freeze: 6-hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes or until pie can be cut easily. Store leftover pie in freezer.
Makes 8 servings
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Ahhhhh. 95 degrees and....Curacao. 
"Adult Kool-Aid", the best kind.
Refreshing! Marie promised "brain food" and really delivered.
What's good for your brain?
1. almonds
2. dark chocolate
3. acai berries
4. acai berries dipped in dark chocolate
5. dried blueberries
6. wild alaskan salmon
7. quinoa, wild, and brown rice
8. heart of palm
9. radishes
10. cauliflower
11. stimulating discussion
12. good friends
13. beautiful surroundings
14. an astoundingly good dessert (a creamy, lime-y frothy lovely thing on a crispy crunchy crust) snuck this one on the list....
We enjoyed touching on the discoveries about the brain we learned from the book, along with all our other lively conversations.
We talked until "quitting time" and didn't have enough time to truly decide on our next book, so here are some of the options we talked about:
1. Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff. The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way the supple personality has been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order a generation before the birth of Christ. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff 's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.
2. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown entrusts her with the task of burning a secret bundle of letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers that the letters could reveal the grim truth behind a murder. Set in 1906 against the backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, Jennifer Donnelly's astonishing debut novel effortlessly weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, and real, and wholly original.
3. Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon by Minnesota author Larry Millett. In the summer of 1994, a workman at the historic mansion of railroad baron James J. Hill in St. Paul, Minnesota, stumbles on a long-hidden wall safe. When experts arrive to open the safe and examine its contents, they make an astonishing discovery. There, inside, is a handwritten manuscript bearing the signature of John H. Watson, M.D. The manuscript contains the story of how Sherlock Holmes and Watson traveled to Minnesota to track a murderous arsonist known only as the Red Demon who is threatening both Hill and his Great Northern Railway. Set against the backdrop of the real, devastating Hinckley forest fire of 1894, Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon is the tense and atmospheric first novel in Larry Millett’s classic series of adventures that brought Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to Minnesota.
4. Make a suggestion!
How to vote: An email will be sent out later to everyone and you'll be asked to reply with your choice. Also - we need a host for next time!
Thank you, Marie, for a very lovely evening. You make hostess-ing look so easy! What a beautiful table you set. And the atmosphere - lovely.
Send me your dessert recipe? :)
And thanks for the "brain food" that you sent home with each of us....be it crossword puzzles, sudoku or word finds....we shall turbo-charge our brains!
Let me know if I've made an error on the books or authors, or left one out. That adult Kool-Aid really affects the brain..... :) K.
"Adult Kool-Aid", the best kind.
Refreshing! Marie promised "brain food" and really delivered.
What's good for your brain?
1. almonds
2. dark chocolate
3. acai berries
4. acai berries dipped in dark chocolate
5. dried blueberries
6. wild alaskan salmon
7. quinoa, wild, and brown rice
8. heart of palm
9. radishes
10. cauliflower
11. stimulating discussion
12. good friends
13. beautiful surroundings
14. an astoundingly good dessert (a creamy, lime-y frothy lovely thing on a crispy crunchy crust) snuck this one on the list....
We enjoyed touching on the discoveries about the brain we learned from the book, along with all our other lively conversations.
We talked until "quitting time" and didn't have enough time to truly decide on our next book, so here are some of the options we talked about:
1. Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff. The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way the supple personality has been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order a generation before the birth of Christ. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff 's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.
2. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown entrusts her with the task of burning a secret bundle of letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers that the letters could reveal the grim truth behind a murder. Set in 1906 against the backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, Jennifer Donnelly's astonishing debut novel effortlessly weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, and real, and wholly original.
3. Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon by Minnesota author Larry Millett. In the summer of 1994, a workman at the historic mansion of railroad baron James J. Hill in St. Paul, Minnesota, stumbles on a long-hidden wall safe. When experts arrive to open the safe and examine its contents, they make an astonishing discovery. There, inside, is a handwritten manuscript bearing the signature of John H. Watson, M.D. The manuscript contains the story of how Sherlock Holmes and Watson traveled to Minnesota to track a murderous arsonist known only as the Red Demon who is threatening both Hill and his Great Northern Railway. Set against the backdrop of the real, devastating Hinckley forest fire of 1894, Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon is the tense and atmospheric first novel in Larry Millett’s classic series of adventures that brought Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to Minnesota.
4. Make a suggestion!
How to vote: An email will be sent out later to everyone and you'll be asked to reply with your choice. Also - we need a host for next time!
Thank you, Marie, for a very lovely evening. You make hostess-ing look so easy! What a beautiful table you set. And the atmosphere - lovely.
Send me your dessert recipe? :)
And thanks for the "brain food" that you sent home with each of us....be it crossword puzzles, sudoku or word finds....we shall turbo-charge our brains!
Let me know if I've made an error on the books or authors, or left one out. That adult Kool-Aid really affects the brain..... :) K.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Focusing on our Brains for a Change
We'll meet June 3rd to talk about Norman Doidge, MD's book, The Brain That Changes Itself.
It's been a little departure for us as we don't read too many non-fiction books! Talk about using your brain. The human stories in the book were fascinating, and, at times, heart wrenching. Who knew a person could be born with literally half a brain? And survive!?
The stroke victim recovery stories were amazing. Our brains are truly fascinating organs with the ability to restructure and move on from damage and devastation.
I've been seeing many articles and news stories now related to brain plasticity. Here is a link to one I saw today on Improving Your Memory: http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/mind-body-connection/staticslideshowrs.aspx?cp-documentid=28555292>1=32053
Also, Psychology Today this month had a couple of interesting related blurbs.
In the article, Willpower Workout, it talked about how brain teasers help substance abusers beat addiction. "Borrowing an approach used to rehab stroke and traumatic brain injury victims, they put substance abusers through cognitive boot camp, building up the part of the brain involved in executive function. After a month of training, participants showed a 50 percent decrease in their delay discounting rate." (Addicts tend to exhibit "delay discounting", the tendency to devalue far off rewards in favor of instantly rewarding stimuli - like drugs.)
Also from Psychology Today, the article The Hurt Blocker promises new developments in pain treatment. "Groundbreaking research may transform the fight against discomfort. Scientists at SUNY Stony Brook have found a way to 'snip' a specific wire that carries pain signals to the brain. They discovered a molecule that cuts off a sodium ion channel, intercepting electric signals before they reach the brain. Most painkillers, in contrast, affect neurons, reducing the brain's perceptions of hurt, but causing side effects such as impaired judgment and possible dependence. The new painkiller may be available in 2 years."
In the same article, "Meanwhile, a new compound, developed by scientists at the University of Toronto, could combat chronic pain - the kind experienced by AIDS and cancer patients, and those with nerve damage. Chronic pain can result from neuroplasticity, or changes in the brain, that generates abnormal activity in pain-related regions, so that discomfort registers, even in the absence of a specific ailment. Researchers ID'd a natural enzyme that helps form those pain-inducing changes, and, even better, discovered a way to block it."
All very fascinating!
Marie promises "brain food" when we meet, can't wait to see what she comes up with.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the next gathering. Katie
It's been a little departure for us as we don't read too many non-fiction books! Talk about using your brain. The human stories in the book were fascinating, and, at times, heart wrenching. Who knew a person could be born with literally half a brain? And survive!?
The stroke victim recovery stories were amazing. Our brains are truly fascinating organs with the ability to restructure and move on from damage and devastation.
I've been seeing many articles and news stories now related to brain plasticity. Here is a link to one I saw today on Improving Your Memory: http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/mind-body-connection/staticslideshowrs.aspx?cp-documentid=28555292>1=32053
Also, Psychology Today this month had a couple of interesting related blurbs.
In the article, Willpower Workout, it talked about how brain teasers help substance abusers beat addiction. "Borrowing an approach used to rehab stroke and traumatic brain injury victims, they put substance abusers through cognitive boot camp, building up the part of the brain involved in executive function. After a month of training, participants showed a 50 percent decrease in their delay discounting rate." (Addicts tend to exhibit "delay discounting", the tendency to devalue far off rewards in favor of instantly rewarding stimuli - like drugs.)
Also from Psychology Today, the article The Hurt Blocker promises new developments in pain treatment. "Groundbreaking research may transform the fight against discomfort. Scientists at SUNY Stony Brook have found a way to 'snip' a specific wire that carries pain signals to the brain. They discovered a molecule that cuts off a sodium ion channel, intercepting electric signals before they reach the brain. Most painkillers, in contrast, affect neurons, reducing the brain's perceptions of hurt, but causing side effects such as impaired judgment and possible dependence. The new painkiller may be available in 2 years."
In the same article, "Meanwhile, a new compound, developed by scientists at the University of Toronto, could combat chronic pain - the kind experienced by AIDS and cancer patients, and those with nerve damage. Chronic pain can result from neuroplasticity, or changes in the brain, that generates abnormal activity in pain-related regions, so that discomfort registers, even in the absence of a specific ailment. Researchers ID'd a natural enzyme that helps form those pain-inducing changes, and, even better, discovered a way to block it."
All very fascinating!
Marie promises "brain food" when we meet, can't wait to see what she comes up with.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the next gathering. Katie
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Unaccustomed Earth
The book:
Unaccustomed Earth. From the internationally best-selling, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. 8 short stories that tell the lives of others in a short yet tell-all span. Ruma is visited by her father, her mother having recently passed away. He carefully tends to her garden, where he and her son begin forming a special bond. But will he tell her about the new woman he's met? Will she guess? A husband drags his wife to an old flames wedding. Ever a good idea? In “Only Goodness,” a sister eager to giver her brother a sense of trust is devastated when his alcoholism threatens her child. And in “Hema and Kaushik,” a trio of linked stories - a woman and a young man share a house. They separate until destiny brings them together again years later. This is a book that's characters are teeming with emotion and is rich with lingering detail.
Which was your favorite? Most remembered details from the father/daughter story. The titular story explains why the father feels that "unaccustomed earth" (going where you've never been before) is good for his children, for himself. The story of the husband going to his old flame's wedding was also something that stuck in people's minds. The brother who wanted to "prove" his trustworthiness was also a good story, but cut deeply; most mentioned they did not like to read parts of it. Overall, everyone seemed to be happy to have read the book and will remember some of the stories well.
The food:
Sugar snap peas, a crunchy spicy mix of nuts, crackers and dip, along with a glass of wine or beer in the hand upon walking in the door.
Janet outdid herself with two different Indian dishes: Green Curry Chicken served with white rice. She also served a Red Chicken Dish with Yellow Rice and Broccoli. A traditional Cham Cham dessert rounded out the Indian theme.
Janet, would love your recipes to post on the blog!
The people:
Janet, Louise, Sandy, Amy, Katie, Marie, Jarby and Mike were all present to give opinions and offer up choices for the next book.
Next Time:
The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Droidge, MD. Hoping for early April with hosting by Amy, if that works with her schedule.
Unaccustomed Earth. From the internationally best-selling, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. 8 short stories that tell the lives of others in a short yet tell-all span. Ruma is visited by her father, her mother having recently passed away. He carefully tends to her garden, where he and her son begin forming a special bond. But will he tell her about the new woman he's met? Will she guess? A husband drags his wife to an old flames wedding. Ever a good idea? In “Only Goodness,” a sister eager to giver her brother a sense of trust is devastated when his alcoholism threatens her child. And in “Hema and Kaushik,” a trio of linked stories - a woman and a young man share a house. They separate until destiny brings them together again years later. This is a book that's characters are teeming with emotion and is rich with lingering detail.
Which was your favorite? Most remembered details from the father/daughter story. The titular story explains why the father feels that "unaccustomed earth" (going where you've never been before) is good for his children, for himself. The story of the husband going to his old flame's wedding was also something that stuck in people's minds. The brother who wanted to "prove" his trustworthiness was also a good story, but cut deeply; most mentioned they did not like to read parts of it. Overall, everyone seemed to be happy to have read the book and will remember some of the stories well.
The food:
Sugar snap peas, a crunchy spicy mix of nuts, crackers and dip, along with a glass of wine or beer in the hand upon walking in the door.
Janet outdid herself with two different Indian dishes: Green Curry Chicken served with white rice. She also served a Red Chicken Dish with Yellow Rice and Broccoli. A traditional Cham Cham dessert rounded out the Indian theme.
Janet, would love your recipes to post on the blog!
The people:
Janet, Louise, Sandy, Amy, Katie, Marie, Jarby and Mike were all present to give opinions and offer up choices for the next book.
Next Time:
The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Droidge, MD. Hoping for early April with hosting by Amy, if that works with her schedule.
See everyone soon!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Reminder: Our next book
Our next book is Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri.
If anyone needs the book, I have finished reading it, and would be happy to send it along to anyone who asks.
I was kind of surprised that a book of short stories was chosen, but happily so! I definitely enjoyed the book.
Happy Reading!
Katie
If anyone needs the book, I have finished reading it, and would be happy to send it along to anyone who asks.
I was kind of surprised that a book of short stories was chosen, but happily so! I definitely enjoyed the book.
Happy Reading!
Katie
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