Last night book club was held at the library. We read two books this month, A Long Way to Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. Then last night we were lucky enough to hear from the Newbery Award-winning author Richard Peck.
We joined about 300 others to listen to him talk about why he is a writer and where some of his characters came from. He was much funnier than I anticipated and he didn't shy away from being pretty critical about the state of public education. Here are a few of my favorite quotes and one from Kristie. Add your favorites in the comments section -- Christie I am sure you have several too.
"Most of who we are is determined in the five fleeting years of life before we ever see schools,"
"Schools don't build foundations, schools build upon foundations. And when schools fail, families fail first."
"Story was the first school"
"Families should read together because fiction is family"
"I am never the boy in the book, because our readers aren't looking for us authors in our pages," he said. "They're looking for themselves."
"You always learn the most from the experiences you would have avoided if you could"
From Krsitie:
"I read because one life isn't enough, and in the page of a book I can be anybody;
I read because the words that build the story become mine, to build my life;
I read not for happy endings but for new beginnings; I'm just beginning myself, and I wouldn't mind a map;
I read because I have friends who don't, and young though they are, they're beginning to run out of material;
I read because every journey begins at the library, and it's time for me to start packing;
I read because one of these days I'm going to get out of this town, and I'm going to go everywhere and meet everybody, and I want to be ready."
I forgot my camera but Shannon took some photos with her phone & I'll post then soon.
After the library a few of us headed over to Shauna's house for some REALLY good food **recipes please!!** and even better conversation (complete with beauty tips and labor & delivery stories). I for one had a great time.
See you next month!
3 comments:
Ha! I just noticed as I was updating the countdown that our next meeting is on April Fools Day! I have a feeling there may be some shenanigans!
Yippee! I love April Fools Day! :)
I'm glad you all had a good time. I'm sorry I couldn't join you.
I have wanted to read these two books for a long time and had them on my nightstand before we even voted to read them. I'm so glad we did. Grandma Dowdle has to be one of my favorite characters in a long time!
P.S. Shannon, you have some serious recipe catching up to do. Chop Chop sister! (And I heard good things about the rest of the food -- so the same applies to the rest of you.)
Sounds like a fun time. Can't wait for next month! I was just released from being the cubmaster which means no more schedule conflicts with book club. Woo Hoo!
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