Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

Nine ladies met at Marha's house to discuss her book "Child 44"
by Tom Rob Smith. The nine members were Marsha, Madeleine,
Sarah, Kathy, Nancy, Betsy, Donna, Janet and Nettie. Everyone
had read the book and all liked it for diferent reasons. Some
liked the mystery and suspense and the quick moving thriller like
action similar to most James Bond movies. Some liked learing about
the Stalin era which was a very grim time when people were starving
and the government controlled everyone. Trust was uncommon and brother
would betray brother for food or a better apartment or easier jobs.
Leo Demidov is the disgraced KBG agent who goes against the
government and investigates a series of gruesome murders because
he believes in justice. It is based on a Ukranian serial killer
Andrei Chikatilo who existed.
It also explores the Soviet Union's stance on crime "which did
not exist" in a totalitarian state. It also touches on the paranoia
which existed in the Soviet Union, as well as their attitude
towards homosexuality, orphanages and  mental hospitals.
There is a big twist in the story as the killer turns out to be Leo's
younger brother Andrei.
Marsha used a study guide to pose many questions and I felt we
had a very thorough and orderly discussion. We learned that
a movie is in the making which we anxiously await.
Marsha has read the other two books in the trilogy and although she
likes "Child 44" best, she recommends the others and says there
is a continuity in the stories. 
Julie chose a book in absentia and it is a story of a woman who
hits her head in the gym and has amnesia regarding the 
last 10 years of life.
The  book is "What Alice Forgot", by Liane Moriarty. We chose
January 9th to be the next meeting.
A reminder will be sent with Venue information.



"A Lady's Cyclist's Guide To Kashgar"

Nine members met at Castleton Grill on November 7, 2012 to discuss
the debut novel of British writer Suzanne Joinson entitled "A Lady
Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar", chosen by Carol.  These ladies  attended...Marsha, Betsy, Carol, Nancy, Julie, Nettie, Donna,
Kathy and Madeleine. Everyone read or listened to the book and enjoyed
except for Julie who had to suffer through a poor reader with fake
accents. She still liked the book.
Carol excelled at being our monitor and everyone had a chance to
make comments and were very respectful of listening while others
spoke.
We discussed the characters of the women in both the old story and
the modern one. Everyone hated Millicent the Evangelist who was
controlling, mean, self serving and over zealous. Lizzie was pitied
as being weak and controlled. Eva was lauded for being at least
honest and caring for both Lizzie and Ai-lien. Freida was adrift and
her mother was deemed crazy as she had abandoned her daughter
at age 7 to pursue her own interests which eventually led to self
mutilation and the inability to speak allegedly to reach Nirvana.

Carol asked if we felt the two stories seamed together successfully
and most of us were satisfied and liked that approach of toggling
back and forth. Some wondered if they could have read just the old
parts then the new parts separately. I personally do not think that would
work. Everyone in general had a preference for the old story of the
1923 adventure over the modern day journey of Freida and Tayeb.

Carol asked a good question of how each person would have written
it differently if she had been the author. We all agreed that she could
have developed Irene Guy's story after she landed in England a bit
more. It seemed like she sort of rushed to the ending.

Carol asked if anyone had ever been to Kashgar. There is a lot of
interesting videos and information about Kashgar online. It is
such a Muslim enclave in China and it's positioning to Russia,
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is very strategic to the Chinese. Though
the Muslims in Kashgar have been trying to gain independence the
Chinese have been holding steadfast so there are still uprisings.
The day Joinson went to Kashgar to research there was an uprising
and she had to leave in a hurry.  

Marsha chose a book called, "Child 44", a debut novel by
Tom Rob Smith which is a thriller set in Stalin's Soviet Union.
The next meeting will be held at Marsha's home on December 12.
Will send out a reminder.

"Wild" by Cheryl Strayed

On September 26, 2012 we had a large group

gathered to discuss "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed.

Janet, Sarah, Marsha, Madeleine,Kathy,Betsy, Julie,

Carol, Sue and I were present.

Most of us had read the book and all loved it.

It is a story of a 26 year old who hikes over 1100

miles on the Pacific Crest Trail which is on the

westcoast traversing many mountains from Mexico to

Washington State. She is trying to find

herself because she feels she has become a sex and drug addict who

has lost mother, father, husband and virtually all family.

She learns many of life lessons along the way, meets many

people and has time to think about finding her way back

to being a person she can like again. The hike is not a walk

in the park as she really was unprepared for all that it

entailed from her pack being too heavy to her shoes being

too small and not having the right equipment like a basic pole or

ice axe. 

We concentrated especially on the relationship she had with

her mother and the devastating effect that her death had on Cheryl.

Happily she emerges a changed person at the end and has

gone ahead writing, remarried and has children of her own.

 

Carol chose a book by Suzanne Joinson entitled

"A Lady Cyclist's  Guide to Kasgar".

It is a story about female missionaries in 1923 Kasgar and a

modern day story set in England. Somehow they both come

together. It seems to be quite intriguing and I am looking

forward to reading it. We chose October 24th to be the next date.

We think that we need a different venue which is more amenable

to discussion as well as a bit more structure in our meetings.

I have emailed 2 people who have been in book clubs and

should be getting some suggestions of how we can improve upon our

discussions so that they are more orderly and enjoyable

for all the members.       



Maine

On August 22 we met at macKenzie river

to discuss the book "Maine" by J. coutney Sullivan.

Sarah had heard on NPR that it was not liked by

some readers and thought that would be a good

controversial choice. It was billed also as a

good summer read and it  lived up to all of that.

The people who attended were Sarah, Kathy, Janet, Julie,

Betsy, Diana, Marsha and Nettie.

Although we disliked many of the characters we

felt the author drew them well. Three generations

of women collide at a family owned beach property

in Maine which has been in the family for 60 years. 

Grandmother Alice, the matriarch is a selfish, guilty,

over zealous catholic whose constant in life is the church.

She is disappointed that all her children have fallen

away from God and the church, one has even married a Jewish man.

Alice actually dislikes her family and never misses

an opportunity to snidely insult them. 

She wills the beach estate worth over 2 million to the church

 to atone for her guilt surrounding her sister's death.

She clashes with her daughter and grand daughter as well as the daughter

 in law Ann Marie, who feels like her purpose in life is lost since her

children have grown and who is very misguided and controlling.

There is abundant usage and abuse of alcohol which is a

pattern in the book. Most of the people who were there had

some Catholic background and could relate to the references

and the Catholic guilt that was prevalent.      

I felt there were some great lines and lots of fun poked

at being Irish Catholic and perhaps some stereo-typing as well.

Everyone enjoyed the book and Nancy sent news that she

really enjoyed it also. 

Betsy chose a book called "WILD" by Cheryl Strayed about a girl

who hikes the 1100 mile Pacific Trail after major catastrophes occured in

her life and how she regained her life.

We chose september 26th to be the date.

"The Art of Racing In The Rain" by Garth Stein

On Thursday, July 12th we met at MacKenzie River to discuss

the above book. It will be difficult to find a book as good as

this one. The people who attended were Julie, Donna, Madeleine,

Diana, Nettie, Kathy, Sarah, Carol  and Betsy.

Meet Enzo the labrador-shepherd-poodle and maybe Terrior

dog who relates his master's life and travails. Enzo is a

philosopher who cannot share his thoughts due to his floppy

tongue.which cannot form words. Therefore he listens well

and and knows what is really happening. His other regret is that

he has no thumbs with which to do things for himself.

Enzo believes he will evolve into a human being so is

training for the time when he will be a human.

The art of racing in the rain is really the art of living your

life. We are masters of our destiny as we are the

ones who control the outcome of where our car goes.

"The car goes where the eyes go".

Much of his education comes from his master and Television.

This is a heartwarming, uplifting. funny  story of love, loyalty, family

and hope.  

It is better to be in the race and to finish the race rather than

finish first in the race. The absudities of humanity is so

clear from the eyes of a dog.

Sarah chose a book called "Maine" by J. Courtney Sullivan.

It is a summer read about women at a cottage. We have all been

there. I am sure it will be fun. Maybe they drink wine and

play euchre and bond with each other.

August 22, (Wednesday) was chosen as the next date

to meet. Happy Summer Reading!

The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer

On Thursday, July 7, 2012 we met at Marsha's beautiful lake home
on Nantucket. Once we aroused Marsha from her nap the meeting
got underway. Pizzas were ordered and Kathy, Julie, donna, Diana,
Betsy and Marsha went with Janet on her pontoon for a preliminary
cruise while Sarah and I awaited the pizza person. When Puccini's
delivered we joined them for the sunset cruise and discussion.

Everyone except for Janet had completed the 700 page opus.
We all liked the book and the writer who put the book together
based on stories she heard from her Hungarian grandparents who
survived WW11 and had emigrated to the the United States. She
obviously did major research as well as the book not only
dealt with personal relationships but the whole history of the
war concentrating on Hungary's role. We felt that the book
had so many characters there was material for at least 3 books.

The story was told through the eyes of one person who was
Jewish. We felt like it was just fortune that predicated how
some survived and other's didn't. It was a horrible war and
something that should never be forgotten and maybe that is
why we keep reading about the holocaust.
I always come away feeling very fortunate that I have never
been personally involved in a war. There was a vastness to
the whole arena of war yet she managed to portray the
smallness of the individual life. Julie read a passage that
indicated this feeling. We are all caught in the flow of history
and the forces that determine our fates.

Diana chose a book called, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by
Garth Stein. I have started it and am loving it. It is told through
the eyes of a lab-shepherd-poodle mixed dog. We agreed to

meet on July 12. Janet offered to have another boat meeting.

A Small Hotel by Robert Butler

Our last meeting was held at MacKenzie River
on April 11, 2012. We had a big turnout of 10
members. Those who were present were Kathy,
Sarah, Madeleine, Donna R., Julie, Carol, Marsha,
Janet and Betsy. Six of us had read the book.

We agreed that the author had a gift for descritive
writing and character development. It was a tale of
2 people undergoing an unwanted divorce. The male
in the marriage was a loner, isolated and emotionally
unavailable. In over 20 years of marriage he never
told his wife that he loved her. She begged for it, and
finally got it from a lover which eventually led to the
divorce. As it turns out both the man and woman had
issued with their fathers who were both cold, unemotional
people. I was glad that finally fault was not placed on
the mothers.
Some people said they knew men who were similar
to Michael Hays. We all agreed that some men would
rather not indulge in small chit chat. The bottom line is
that this emotional detachment led the wife to indulging
excessively in alcohol and pills and a suicide attempt.
All ended well as he rescues her realizes he loves her and
is at the end trying to change.
Some people liked the venue of the book which was New
Orleans. The author takes us through the French Quarter
exposing us to all the sights, sounds and smells.

Donna chose a book called "The Invisible Bridge" by Julie
Orringer which is a pre world war 11 story set in Hungary.
It is a 600 page book and it is the author's first novel.
I am anxious to start it but must finish my porn trilogy
about the Shades of Grey. A tentative date was set for June 7
which is a Thursday due to the onset of team tennis.

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green

Last wednesday March 14, a small group of 5,

Madeleine, Betsy, Sue, Janet, Marsha and Nettie,

                                             met at MacKenzie

River to discuss "The Fault In Our Stars" by

Indianapolis native John Green.

This is a book about two teenagers Hazel Grace and

Augustus Waters who met in cancer

support group and fell in love. She has stage 4 thyroid cancer and

he in remission from osteosarcoma. They know their time on this earth

is limited and because they know they are like "grenades" who

can cause collateral damage to others by forming relationships

however they still pursue a love relationship which

is sweet and the courtship beautiful. They are very bright

and charming kids who are well read, each with a wonderful sense of

humour. They ponder life, death, love and the universe within

the numbered days they have.

Although one would think this has the earmark of a

depressing story, we found it uplifting.

We cried, we laughed and we loved the book.

It is definitely fiction but it is set in our city and has all

the references to places we are familiar with which added

something more to the appreciation of the book.

If you did not read the book please get it and read it

because it was well worth the read. You too will fall

in love with Augustus Waters.

Sorry I can't get the pictures that I usually include to upload.

Kathy chose a book called "A Small Hotel" by Robert Olen Butler

which is about a couple undergoing divorce. We have agreed to

meet again on april 18th.

CALEB'S CROSSING BY GERALDINE BROOKS

Australian writer Geraldine Brooks

10 people met last night to discuss the book at
McKenzie's River Grill on 82nd street.
Those in attendance were Kathy, Betsy, Sarah, Julie,
Nancy, Madeleine, Janet, Donna R., Sue and Nettie.
The restaurant was not noisy and we had a big group
but I still did not hear all the many discussions
which seemed to be going on so forgive me if I
omitted somethings.

Geraldine Brooks has done it again. She has taken a shard of

history and created a beautiful historic novel about

the first Indians who were educated at Harvard.

Caleb's Crossing takes place in Martha's Vineyard

when Bethea the daughter of a Puritan minister/settler

at age 12 encounters a handsome young wamponoag

Indian youth in the wilds and they forge a friendship

learning each other's language and ways. This takes

place in the late 1600's. The young Indian youth is

adopted by Bethea's father who educates him and he

eventually graduates from Harvard. Bethea herself was

denied and education because of her sex while her dim witted

brother was given all the opportunities.

Caleb eventually crosses over into the Anglo-Saxon

culture much to the wrath of his uncle the shaman

of his tribe and that causes some conflicts.

I missed most of the discussion as I was late but

I gathered that everyone thought it was a great book

cleverly wrought in the old English vernacular and those

who had the audible experience confirmed it.

Women's rights and the lack of it chagrined us all.

We talked about the fact that some women in some

countries still are in the dark ages.

There was some discussion as to how historical the

book was and we all agreed that we like to learn history

with a spoon full of sugar. Julie said there is an actual

archaeological dig in progress to unearth the remains

of the Indian College in the Harvard yard.

Of course we discussed the fact that the bible thumping

pioneers imposed their religion on the noble Indian

whose gods were nature driven. They gave them small pox

and used the cure to convince them that their God was

more powerful. Trickery and deceit was always the

way with the treaties. But so many other books

confirm this.

We think the author could have romanticized the

relationship between Bethea and Caleb but thought

it best that she didn't.

It was a powerful book and we thank Madeleine for

choosing so wisely.

Sue chose a book for the next read. It is entitled,

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green.

I was surprised to see it was listed as children's fiction

as it deals with coping with cancer. Perhaps it is

because the victims are teenagers. It is actually set in

Indianapolis and is complete fiction.

Seems a bit different but different is good.

March 14th was earmarked for the next meeting.