Kara's choices

Here are the two books Kara mentioned -- so you don't have to search for them

I have heard wonderful things about Chekhov short stories. It seems like this is one of the best collections. Here's a summary:

"Anton Chekhov is best known as a playwright, the author of such classics as Uncle Vanya, The Cherry Orchard, and Three Sisters, but he was also an accomplished short-story writer. The Essential Tales of Chekhov does not pretend to be a comprehensive collection of all his fiction, but it does lay claim to be the best. Reading these stories, one immediately notices how modern they feel. As Richard Ford writes in his introduction, "His meticulous anatomies of complicated human impulse and response, his view of what's funny and poignant, his clear-eyed observance of life as lived--all somehow matches our experience." Chekhov is a master of the telling detail, the acute psychological insight. In "After the Theatre" he captures perfectly the morbid, romantic imagination of a 16-year-old girl: "To be unloved and unhappy--how interesting that was." In "An Anonymous Story" he quickly limns the sum of one of his characters in a single image: "He was a man with the manners of a lizard. He did not walk, but, as it were, crept along with tiny steps, squirming and sniggering, and when he laughed he showed his teeth." We will see much more of this character, but we've already learned everything essential about him.

"No two Chekhov stories are alike, but they do share some common traits: though often somber, they are seldom despairing and even his most serious work is leavened by his trademark wit. Only 20 of the more than 220 tales that he wrote are included in this collection, but they provide an excellent introduction to those who have not yet had the pleasure of reading him. And for those who know and love Chekhov, The Essential Tales of Chekhov is a
loving reminder of why."

Garrison Keillor is the consummate storyteller, gifted with the rare ability--both in print and in performance--to hold an audience spellbound with his tales of ordinary people whose lives contain extraordinary moments of humor, tenderness, and grace. This exclusive recording of Garrison Keillor reading a carefully edited abridgement of the book and includes a few segments taken from live performances recorded during a fundraising tour for public radio stations in 1985.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This very witty, yet also serious, novel is entirely composed of letters. A writer starts receiving these letters in 1946 from members of a book club who formed their society to save themselves during the German Occupation. It's an easy, yet powerful, enjoyable read. I own a copy and would be glad to let anyone borrow it.

I haven't read the following 2, but have heard they're good and noticed that they're both available in book club sets at the Provo library, so we wouldn't have to worry about buying them.

1. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Sijie Dai
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, 2 boys are sent to the country for reeducation, where their lives take and unexpected turn when they meet the beautiful daughter of a local tailor and stumble upon a forbidden stash of Western literature. 197 pgs.

2. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Dangerously ill after failing to climb K2, Greg Mortenson was sheltered and nursed in a remote Pakistan village; he promised to return and build them a school. 338 pgs.

PS Kara, are you going to post your short-story collection suggestion?

My Choices

I haven't read the first two books but thought they both looked good. The first is Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. I read about this in Entertainment Weekly -- they gave it a great review and I liked the idea of a 11 year old sleuth.


"In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950—and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”
-- From Goodreads

The second book is A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. I have heard great things about this book too. I think it is a long one though so it may need to be a summer read if we pick it.


"Vikram Seth's novel is, at its core, a love story: Lata and her mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra, are both trying to find -- through love or through exacting maternal appraisal -- a suitable boy for Lata to marry. Set in the early 1950s, in an India newly independent and struggling through a time of crisis, A Suitable Boy takes us into the richly imagined world of four large extended families and spins a compulsively readable tale of their lives and loves. A sweeping panoramic portrait of a complex, multiethnic society in flux, A Suitable Boy remains the story of ordinary people caught up in a web of love and ambition, humor and sadness, prejudice and reconciliation, the most delicate social etiquette and the most appalling violence."
-- From Goodreads

Finally I thought I'd suggest Gilliad by Marilynne Robinson. I read this several years ago and loved it.


"The narrator, John Ames, is 76, a preacher who has lived almost all of his life in Gilead, Iowa. He is writing a letter to his almost seven-year-old son, the blessing of his second marriage. It is a summing-up, an apologia, a consideration of his life. Robinson takes the story away from being simply the reminiscences of one man and moves it into the realm of a meditation on fathers and children, particularly sons, on faith, and on the imperfectability of man."
-- From Goodreads

My first ...suggestion

The first book I'm submitting is...


"The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen

I don't know a lot about this book, but....I want to read it. Here is the info on the book.

"While working in her father’s apothecary shop in the small village of Bedsley Priors, Lilly Haswell dreams of one day traveling the world, perhaps even finding her mother, who had left her family three years before and has never been heard from since. When the chance to live with her maternal aunt and uncle is unexpectedly offered to her, Lilly sees the opportunity for a new life. Once in London, she indulges in a bit of romantic flirtation with several different men while also learning more about her mother’s mysterious disappearance. Then, when a crisis forces Lilly to return to Bedsley Priors, she faces the difficult challenge of giving up her fabulous independent life in order to help out the family she has always loved. Filled with fascinating details about the apothecary trade in Regency England, Klassen’s latest superbly crafted inspirational romance is an emotionally compelling and quietly powerful tale about the importance of faith and hope, family and friends, love and loyalty."

Beautiful Libraries

It is time for us to choose books for the next six months. We will vote next month on books that are suggested here on the blog. Please post 2-3 books you would like to read as a group.

As inspiration you should check out this site with photos of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Oh I would love to go on a library tour!!

Let's go!

North Reading Room at U.C. Berkley

Strahov Philosophical Hall, Prague

Queen's College Library, Oxford

I can't wait to see what you want to read!

A good time was had by all!

The French flag & lovely piano music greeted us last night. I wish I would have taken a picture of the view - it was amazing.

Here are some highlights from book club last night. We had such a great time! Rebecca was the perfect host. Just check out the spread she had waiting for us...

The table was beautiful set in blue & white

The food was beautiful and tasted divine!

Rebecca prepared this fettuccine with spinach & sun-dried tomatoes. Then to top it off she made a divine Alfredo sauce with Gorgonzola and steak.

Homemade bread

Are you drooling?

We had a good discussion and had a lot of fun. Here are Kara, Britney & Ruth.

Shannon (new to our group -- if we didn't scare her away) Heidi & Brenda.


Shauna (Chantel notice no head tilt) Christie & Rebecca.

What I can't believe is that I didn't take a picture of the dessert!! Argh! It was delish! She made almond scones with tangerine curd. I am still dreaming of it. And as if that weren't enough she also made some beignets!


And finally I saved the best for last. Here is the 'Dottie Dance'

Enjoy!

BOOK CLUB

DON"T FORGET...
Book Club is tomorrow (Tuesday) night at Rebecca's.

She will be sending an e-mail tonight with directions. Please pass this on to anyone who might not check the blog -- I wouldn't want anyone to miss. Plus the menu is to die for!

As a help for Rebecca please RSVP in the comments -- thanks!

Running Moms

I know some of you are runners, so I thought I'd let you know about a new blog my sis-in-law started to support moms. I think you'll get a kick out of my comment, as I am not in the runners' club.

http://www.oklahomarunningmom.blogspot.com/

May Book Club is Moving

May Book Club will still be at Rebecca's home -- but due to her class schedule we will be having it on Tuesday May 12th instead. She will send out an e-mail with directions for everyone.

Like Kara said "more time to finish the book!" (Papillon)

See you there!

Bookclub at Shauna's soup

Thanks everyone for enjoying the soup so much. It's been one of my favorites for a while.

When I lived in Guatemala, a friend of ours from Mexico came to do business in San Pedro about once every 6 months and we would bug her to cook for us everytime. I was always hungry while living there, the black beans and tortillas just didn't cut it all the time.

Here's my attempt at writing it down:
Juanita's chicken soup

1 lb. of chicken thighs (cut into 1" pieces)
2 large white onions (finely chopped)
4 (or more) garlic cloves (minced)
2 T. butter
1 T. Cinnamon
1/2 Cayenne pepper or to taste (if you aren't a super spicey person I would be careful with this ingredient, I toned it down for bookclub)
2 t. Cumin

Saute all of the above until onions are translucent (add garlic at the end) then add the following to the pan

4 C. chicken broth (you may need more)
juice from half a lime
1 t. salt or to taste (check chicken broth for sodium content)
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cans of garbonzo beans (I prefer S&W, it makes a difference)

I like to garnish it with different things such as ripe avacados, extra wedges of lime, chopped cilantro, julienne some radishes and/or carrots, finely chopped red onions, scallions, tortilla chips and maybe some queso fresca.

When Juanita made this she used the whole chicken and black beans. I've just made it more "Shauna" friendly. I don't really like to see the bones unless I have to and I think the garbonzo beans give it all a better texture but you can do as you like. Call me for any questions. Sorry it's taken me so long but I had to make it again and try to halfway measure it all out. Enjoy.

Book Club at My House

Come to book club at my house this Thursday at 7:00 for food, folks, and fun. I just finished A Prayer for Owen Meany this morning, and I'm excited to discuss it. If you wouldn't mind responding to let me know if you're coming, that would be nice for planning purposes. See you all soon!

A Prayer for Owen Meany

Don't forget book club is now the FIRST Thursday of each month.

You should be finishing...

We'll see you there!