Hello again--
Kelly is still in the hospital. It is really frustrating (and scary) to have her there. She has been in a lot of pain and has been unable to talk on the phone even. As such, I'm truly missing my book club buddy and beloved sister.
In her absence, I'm going to post something on Book 5 tonight... and hopefully Book 6 tomorrow. I know I promised to post before the end of the holiday weekend but I was really busy eating cake for breakfast as part of my patriotic duty.
For now, a couple of things:
1. Would anyone be interested in writing up your own little bio to be published here? It might be fun to get to know one another a little better... to put a face with a name, so to speak?
2. Kelly had a book lined up for August... but I don't know how the rest of the month is going to go for her. We may want to choose something else for August. I'd love to hear some suggestions. I know we've had Owen Wister's The Virginian and Graham Greene's The Power and The Glory suggested. These are both awesome recommendations... and I hope to work them in. But it's kind of funny: I want to put The Virginian off for a bit because it's about the untamed West. I want to put The Power and The Glory off because it's about a Catholic priest in Mexico. (The equation? The Virginian + The Power and The Glory = Death Comes for the Archbishop?) So, just in case... Does anyone have any additional suggestions for us to consider?
--Melissa
What are the rules for choosing books? Do you want to do contemporary novels, also?
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about Kelly being in the hospital. That would be very frightening and I am sorry she is going through it.
For my part, as soon as I signed up for Bookish Girl, I went through a planned, but very stressful move and am currently quartered in my parents' basement. And I took on an editing project. While in my parents' basement! Then my sister got engaged and now my sister and brother are having a double wedding...in three weeks. Thirty-seven homesewn grandkid dresses and ties, two bridal showers, a ball, two receptions, a wedding dinner, a family reunion in Utah, and numerous other festivities yet to happen in the next three weeks. Everything is on turbo at my mom's house.
Have I mentioned my mom, Lorraine Alldredge, the author of So What Can Kids Do in the Summertime? Check her out on Amazon. LOL
Back to book recommendations, I keep hearing good things about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Animal Vegetable Miracle (Barbara Kingsolver), the Hunger Games (youth), Til We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis).
For a classic, I would like to read Slaughterhouse Five or 1984 (again).
Oh my gosh, I just looked up your mom's book on Amazon and I totally want it! How cool!
ReplyDeleteAlso, um,... Holy mackerel! You have had (and are continuing to have) one crazy summer! And did you say "a ball" in there? Like a ball as in Cinderella ball?
So, you have some good questions regarding book choice...especially since we're in the process of choosing our next one. (Kelly had one in mind but the proximity of her due date has us rethinking our book schedule).
The truth is we don't have too many hard and fast rules for book choice (which can always be tricky business in any book club).
We are definitely not limiting ourselves to "classics" (although we like them, for sure!).
The other question, which we have yet to answer effectively and which could generate its own post entirely, is that of content. Kelly and I are committed to choosing good books, in all senses of the word. But that can be challenging and we don't always want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. (Does that even make sense? Is this an appropriate time for this adage? It's possible that I just want to say it. It's fun to say!)
OK, so now that our non-existent guidelines/rules are clear as mud... let's move on to your suggestions. Carol, it's almost like a thread of Temple-Square-missionaries-past has connected our thinking on book choices. (What? Of course there's such a thing as the "thread of Temple-Square-missionaries-past"!)
I totally have Hunger Games on my nightstand right now (although it is being forced to sit patiently in my queue). I've also heard good things about "Potato Peel Pie Society" (although it's kind of all the rage right now which turns on my psycho "it's too popular" thing which is totally random and makes no sense. For example, I love High School Musical and that's more popular than, like, all religions.)
I just last night suggested to Kelly and Casey a Vonnegut book (Cat's Cradle) as a possible selection... although I have never read Slaughterhouse Five and would totally be up for it. I love, love, love C.S. Lewis and have many times considered making my non-imaginary book club read A Grief Observed. I haven't heard of Til We Have Faces (ack! I must confess)... but I'm sure I would enjoy it. I haven't read Kingsolver in years... but I've always liked her a lot.
Anyway, a couple of other books I had on my mind were Edith Wharton's House of Mirth or Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. (Although, everyone else has probably read Year of Wonders. I feel like the last one.)
I'm waiting on some more feebdack from Kelly... although she and I did recently talk about Joan Didion's Play It As It Lays... which I totally want to read. I'm sure she has other ideas too.
Anyway, I promise we're going to get more organized in the coming days... This really is all a bit of an experiment, truly. I hope we can hold your interest... I am really, really excited to have your input!
I love all of our books in common. Thanks for letting me join. I really am enjoying it, even though sporadic right now.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it is a Cinderella ball and it is this Saturday. I must get my gown still and have been looking on craigslist. I still must sew two flower girl dresses for the other wedding on Friday. And we moved this weekend. So things are moving right along! :)