April 2011 & May 2011 Meetings

we've been slacking on posting... and then i'm not the best to post about these last two months because i didn't read the books! :( 

April meeting was at Christina's house... we got to meet her new puppy, who's the most snuggly thing ever! We read Georgia Bottoms. Overall the group didn't love this book and we're disappointed in the main character.

May meeting was at Claire's house and it was a fun one because we had two little baby members join the group. Sarah brought her little girl, eve & Amie brought her little man, Skyler. They were beyond adorable and so much fun to hold. We didn't get much in about the book, but about 1/2 the group read it. The book was Jane Eyre.


We have the next few books picked out...

June  - The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer
July - Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
August  - a Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

February 2011 Book Club & March 2011 Book Club

Sorry for the delay ladies! Thank you Sarah for hosting book club in February we had a great turnout! I'd say most people who finished the book Room by Emma Donoghue really enjoyed it.

March book club was hosted at my house (Maria's) and I was able to use my new patio furniture on the only warm evening in March, yay! We read Nothing to Envy; Ordinary Lives in North Korea. Most people were able to get through most of the book and we all thought it was enlightening to learn about what is going on outside the US. I admit I didn't read it...but my sis just gave me the book and I am looking forward to it!

We decided on Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress for book club in April. Christina will host book club at her place in Carlsbad, details to follow.

May book club will be at Claire's house in Encinitas and we are reading a classic, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Welcome to our 2 new honorary book club members Amie's new baby boy Skyler Hawk Garrigus and Sarah's new baby girl Eve Dana Reder. We look forward to seeing you at a future book club! Both baby's and Mom's are doing great! :-)

****Going forward book club will always be the last Thursday of the month so you can plan ahead. Only exceptions will be during holidays.

January 2011 Book Club

Thank you Donna for hosting book club at your house in January. This update is over due but wanted to start the year fresh. Sarah Tag your it- you need to post an update after our February meeting. :-) January's Book club book was well attended with 13 people at Donna's to see her dressed as none other than...Cleopatra! We also had some great stories shared as always.

There were mixed reviews about how Cleopatra was portrayed some thought she was a simple-minded, love-sick, teenager others thought she was more like the mischievous, calculated, vixen one would expect from the Queen of Egypt.

Book Club will be hosted at Sarah's place in Carmel valley on Thursday February 24, 2011 at 6:30 PM, email for details: sarahhyduke@gmail.com. The book we are reading for February is Room by Emma Donoghue.

March Book Club will be held at my house in Mira Mesa, March 31, 2011 at 6:30 PM email for my details: mellosd65@aol.com We will be reading a Non-Fiction book recommended by Victoria- Nothing to Envy; Ordinary Lives in North Korea. Per Sarah it won the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson prize.

See ya'll again tonight!

July/August 2010 Book Club

We missed a month but I wasn't there (1st book club I missed since the inception almost 6 years ago) but I am sure it was lovely at Kat's house in July! I'd like to keep this blog going so maybe we can all get set up this month at Book club. We will need your help Taryn!

Thank you Claire for hosting book cub at your beautiful home in August. It sounded like it was a mixed bag on The Thirteenth Tale but since I and another person (who will not be named to protect them) did not finish, we hope to discuss the ending again this month. This month's book is One Day by David Nicholls and Book club is September 30th at my house in Mira Mesa. Sarah will be sending an email shortly with my address. Hope to see you all there. It will be Christina's last Book Club as a Single Lady since she will be hitched to Eddie on 10/10/10!

June 2010 Meeting - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Thanks to Victoria for hosting another bookclub! We had the best turnout and of course enjoyed all of Victoria's wonderful food.

We all have mixed reviews of this book. Some loved, some hated...

Here are some interesting links too....

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2010/07/05/100705sh_shouts_ephron

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/17/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo/

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/06/18/stieg-larsson-tattoo-book-women-characters/

May 2010 Book - Half the Sky

so i missed the may book club meeting and i was so bummed since i'm the one who suggested this book. I don't know how everyone else felt about it... so feel free to post or comment on this. 

After reading this book, i think that every women needs to read this! i honestly have to say i think it may be one of the most important books i've ever read.

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide 

i thought this book was extremely eye opening! ....and i found it so well researched and well written.

there were however some really tough things to read in here, but i think it was so worth reading to get this information out there. i knew a little about some of these issues women face in the world today, but i had no idea to the extent of how bad some of these issues are. This book not only goes into the problems, but some of the best solutions for them too.

my heart goes out to the women who spoke about their lives in this book and it only made me want to do more to help make changes.

i think it would be cool to try to do something as a group to help women in the world.... there's tons of info on this website. 

march 2nd book... the art of racing in the rain.

ha! i forgot we had read two books for march. The other was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Everyone agreed that we loved this book. Written from the perspective of a dog made us all fall in love with this book. great read! :D

March & April Book Clubs!

hi there,
Sorry i've been a lagger at posting!
We had April book club at my house last night... it was so fun to see everyone. We had a great turn out...
We read Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Most of us didn't finish... but a few did and thought the story was really interesting. They can post what they thought on the blog...

We had the March book club a month ago at Darissa's house. We had read Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See.
It was a great read with lots of history lessons which we all enjoyed. I'm excited there's going to be a sequel to this.

Ladies - feel free to post how you felt about these books!
cheers and happy reading! ;)
-t

March 6 -Sarah, Donna and I attended the AAUW's 9th Annual Author's Luncheon with guest Lisa See author of Shanghai Girls, our March book club selection. Although I was unable to sit with Sarah and Donna I did meet several amazing women at the sold out event of 300 in attendance. There was an inspiring and emotional speech by a local Chinese high school student who overcame many obstacles including being homeless at one point, but still manged to get over 4.o and an acceptance letter for a California University.

Lisa gave an insightful speech about the research that went into Shanghai Girls with her family in addition to strangers who welcomed her in to their homes to discuss their struggles as Chinese immigrants. Overall it was a memorable luncheon and I think I speak for Sarah and Donna that we would attend another event like this again in the future.

February Meeting: PUSH

hi ladies...
so i missed the last meeting that this book was discussed, which was held at Sarah's house, so if anyone else wants to post how the meeting went, feel free.

Maria briefly told me that everyone was pretty disturbed by this book, which i agree i was too. but i really liked the way it was written and how much you could feel for the main character. maybe we can discuss more at the next meeting. :)

anyway..., i also added a link at the top where you can sign up for email updates when someone posts anything to the blog.

happy reading!
-t

After sending my email today I looked for a local book signing for Lisa See and she will be here March 6. Mark your calenders.

9th Annual Author's Luncheon
$40 ($15 tax deductible)
Courtyard by Marriott (Liberty Station)
2592 Laning Rd San Diego, CA

www.lamesa-elcajonaauw.org

what should i read next?

check out this cool site.... whatshouldireadnext.com

image via

January Meeting: Perfection

Thanks for Victoria for hosting an awesome book club meeting at her house last night. I think i gained 5 lbs from the amazing brownies she made! yum.

we all enjoyed this book and it brought up a lot to talk about when it comes to relationships and our society. (feel free to post any of your thoughts on this book!)

also a big CONGRATS to Christina on her engagement! :)

precious

hi ladies, the movie, "precious", which is based off the February book, Push, is up for 3 golden globe awards, including best picture (drama) and best actress.
let's try to all go see it soon... 

Eat Pray Love

Just wanted to give you a heads up one of our past reads is going to be a movie in 2010, Eat pray Love. Julia Roberts is playing the lead. Hope you all enjoy the holidays!

December Book Club: you suck! (literally!)

so we were all in agreement with this book... it sucks! i didn't even pick it up due to the comments from some who had already started it at our last meeting... so i don't even know how bad it was. it's a quick easy read... so i might still try it just to see.

thank you to donna for hosting last night's book club and making yummy quiche and chocolate cake for us!

November Book Club: Amy & Isabelle

thanks to Kathryn for having us all over to her home for our november meeting. It was a great turn out, with most of us there... and it was about 50/50 with this book. About half loved/liked it and half hated it.
it was an interesting read for sure...

October Book Club Meeting: The Help

hello..
thanks to maria for having us all over at her house last week for our october book club meeting. it was a good turn out and we all agreed and loved this book... :)

also a happy birthday to kathryn! maria got her the cutest little cake!
here are some funny pics i took with my crazy iphone camera apps.


maria will be sending out an email soon for the december book club...

also - a congrats to Corrie and her new baby Eva Jean who was born on 10/4/09. Corrie and her husband took Eva home yesterday and everyone is happy and healthly.

The Help: Reading Group Discussion

i checked out kathryn stockett's website today and saw she had a bunch of reading group questions that might be good for our meeting tonight.
check out here site here

Reading Groups

1. Who was your favorite character? Why?

2. What do you think motivated Hilly? On the one hand she is terribly cruel to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes that she can't control her. Yet she's a wonderful mother. Do you think that one can be a good mother but, at the same time, a deeply flawed person?

3. Like Hilly, Skeeter's mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter--and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives to Constantine is untenable; and most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter's mother is a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? Why?

4. How much of a person's character would you say is shaped by the times in which they live?

5. Did it bother you that Skeeter is willing to overlook so many of Stuart's faults so that she can get married, and that it's not until he literally gets up and walks away that the engagement falls apart?

6. Do you believe that Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?

7. Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, that Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent, or taught?

8. From the perspective of a twenty-first century reader, the hairshellac system that Skeeter undergoes seems ludicrous. Yet women still alter their looks in rather peculiar ways as the definition of "beauty" changes with the times. Looking back on your past, what's the most ridiculous beauty regimen you ever underwent?

9. The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?

10. Do you think there are still vestiges of racism in relationships where people of color work for people who are white? Have you heard stories of parents who put away their valuable jewelry before their nanny comes? Paradoxically, they trust the person to look after their child but not their diamond rings?

11. What did you think about Minny's pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?

amy and isabelle

If you google elizabeth strout and go to her website there is a list of suggested book club discussion questions.