All ladies in the church and the community are welcome to join the Ladies' Book Club. The book club meets on Thursday evening once a month at 7:30 at the church. (check the calendar of events for the next meeting date) Anyone can recommend a book to read, and we take turns hosting the discussion. Feel free to browse the titles we've read and even send your own review to the webmistress for inclusion on this site.
Rarely at a loss for words, here is what some members say:
A
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
April 2008
Discussion Leader: Claire Albrecht
Plot: A story about a family in
Brooklyn, N.Y. in the early 1900’s and their struggles to survive. It is
told through the voice of “Francine”, 11 years old and trying to cope with
poverty, a sometimes severe mother that works very hard, a loving father
that can’t hold a job and drinks heavily and younger brother “Neely”.
Why read it? This book held my attention from
page one to the end. We learn how families can survive in extreme poverty
with love for each other and working together.
To Kill a
Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
March 2008
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot: This Pulitzer prize winning novel is set in rural Alabama in the 1930s, and is told through the eyes of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. It is the story of her growing up along with her brother, Jem under the care of their father, Atticus. Atticus Finch, a lawyer, must defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. The story explores in depth, the racial and social issues of the time in the rural south.
Why read it? We've all read this book in school at one time or another, and I found it extremely valuable and a real treat, to read it again as an adult with a grown-up's perspective.
A Clearing in
the Wild, by Jane Kirkpatrick
February 2008
Discussion Leader: Nancy Shervanik, reviewed by Emily Kimber
A Clearing in the Wild, by Jane Kirkpatrick, concerns a colony of people from Bethel, Missouri, who are seeking a spiritual, close-knit, utopian existence. They have isolated themselves from the materialistic world of the 1850’s. It is based on a true story.
Following orders from their spiritual leader, Wilhelm Keil, a small group begins a westward journey in search of a new location for the colony. Among them are Emma and Christian Giesy. Emma is a spirited, outspoken young woman. She starts to question the isolation and constraints that the colony demands from its members, especially the women.
The group finally settles on land bordering the Willapa River in Washington. At first, Emma is skeptical about the new location. Then she begins to appreciate the peacefulness, beauty and, particularly, the camaraderie that life in the valley offers. The latter not only pertains to the members of her group, but also to those from other civilizations bordering the colony.
Why read it? Ms. Kirkpatrick paints a vivid, exciting, thought-provoking picture of two journeys. The first involves a courageous group of people in search of a new home. She also depicts the spiritual journey of a brave, independent young woman in search of her true self and voice in a new world.
Water for
Elephants, by Sara Gruen
January 2008
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot:
Why read it?
December 2007 - Everyone shared a poem or short piece that was meaningful to them.
The Glass
Castle, by Jeannette Walls
November 2007
Discussion Leader: Jan Yocum
Plot:
Why read it?
Molokai,
by Alan Brennert
October 2007
Discussion Leader: Claire Albrecht
Plot: A book based on fact about the heartache and fear of people when they are diagnosed with leprosy. Many rise above their illness and try to lead a fairly normal life although they cannot leave the island of Molokai and return to their loved ones.
Why read it? I found this book very interesting and informative and learned many things I never knew about leprosy.
Eleanor
Roosevelt - Volume 1, by Blanche Cook
September 2007
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot:
Why read it?
All Creatures
Great and Small, by James Herriot
August 2007
Discussion Leader: Pam Stewart
Plot: For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yokrshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest and observing animals and humans alike with his keen, loving eye.
In All Creatures Great and Small, we meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. From caring for his patients in the depths of winter on the remotest homesteads to dealing with the uncooperative owners and critically ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of the animal world shine forth.
Why read it? This is a heart-warming collection of James Herriot’s accomplishments as a veterinarian. One of the many excellent attributes of this book is that you can begin reading on whatever page you open to.
Oh My Stars,
by Lorna Landvik
July 2007
Discussion Leader: Jan Yocum
Plot:
Why read it?
Fried Green
Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
June 2007
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: This is the story of two women in the 1980’s, of gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode telling her life story to Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age. The tale she tells is also of two women—of the irrepressibly dare devilish tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth—who back in the thirties ran a little place in Whistle Stop, Alabama, offering good barbecue and good coffee and all kinds of love and laughter, even an occasional murder.
Why read it? Charming, quirky, fun, serious, this book has it all. You’ll wish there was a Whistle Stop Café in your neighborhood.
Reading
Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
May 2007
Discussion Leader: Nancy Nadkarni
Plot:
Why read it?
The Memory
Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards
April 2007
Discussion Leader: Beth Ruland
Plot:
Why read it?
East of the
Mountains, by David Guterson
March 2007
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot: Dr. Ben Givens, a retired doctor and widower, has been diagnosed with cancer. Fearing the suffering that lies ahead, he devises an elaborate plan to commit suicide. While on the way to carry out his plan, he has a car accident, and a story about dying becomes a story of survival. Many good and kind strangers aid him as he struggles to find a way to live the life he has left.
Why read it? The story is for anyone who has ever wondered if this life is worth the pain of living it. The descriptions of the beautiful scenery of the American northwest and the wonderful character development by the author make this novel a satisfying and thought-provoking read.
The Lady and
the Unicorn, by Tracy Chevalier
February 2007
Discussion Leader: Pam Stewart
Plot:
Why read it?
Frangipani,
by Celestine Vaite
January 2007
Discussion
Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: In this whimsical, charming novel (her
first to be published in the U.S.), Vaite introduces readers to proud
“professional cleaner” Materena Mahi, one of the spunkiest, wisest, most
“lovingest” woman on the island of Tahiti. She is a combination of old
folklore. “To get rid of unwanted guests without hurting their feelings,
broom around their feet,” and modern ideas of what women can do. She is the
strong and steady anchor that her daughter, Leilani, needs as she navigates
through life.
Why read it? It’s a nice change to read about a
strong mother, rather than one who is the reason for everyone’s
trouble. Life on Tahiti is filled with colorful characters.
December 2006 - no meeting
November 2006
Discussion Leader: Eileen Dudek
Plot: Wayland grew up poor. Very poor. In the
shadow of the “big house”, as Wayland revisits this part of his life, he
must decide how much he should share with his wife and daughter. He has led
them to believe he has always had a charmed life—can they accept him for who
he truly is?
Why read it? Great historical. Revealing what
being poor and on the wrong side of the fence can do to a person. Social
issues and survival make this a very emotional and well-written book.
The Kite
Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
October 2006
Discussion Leader: Jan Yocum
Plot:
Why read it?
The Girl with
the Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier
September 2006
Discussion Leader: Pam Stewart
Plot:
Why read it?
The Time
Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
August 2006
Discussion
Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: A dazzling novel in the most
untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a
dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and
Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry
and Clare’s passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures
the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap that has to end in disaster.
Why read it? It’s amazing how Audrey Niffenegger can make the concept of time travel real. It takes a little getting used to. You will have to read the chapter titles a few times in the beginning, but once you grasp the concept, the novel propels you forward.
Angels and
Demons, by Dan Brown
July 2006
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot: An ancient secret brotherhood, a devastating new weapon of destruction and an unthinkable target. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol – seared into the chest of a murdered physicist – he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati…the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy – the Catholic Church. This book takes you on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, as they follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair…a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
Why read it? The whole book takes place in a 24-hour period of time and the action never stops.
The Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
June 2006
Discussion
Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: Four English school children enter the
magic land of Narnia through the back of a wardrobe and assist Asian, the
golden lion, in defeating the White Witch who has cursed the land with
eternal winter.
Why read it? It’s a kid’s book, right? Well,
yes and no. The theme of the book is good versus evil, along with how our
temptations can steer us in the wrong direction. Those are themes that
adults deal with daily.
The
Photograph, by Penelope Lively
May 2006
Discussion Leader: Eileen Dudek
Plot:
Why read it?
Riding the
Bus with My Sister, by Rachel Simon
April 2006
Discussion Leader: Jan Yocum
Plot:
Why read it?
Like Water
for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel
March 2006
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: Each chapter of this unusual novel is
prefaced with a recipe, but the recipes have more to do with romance than
food. The dishes impart the intoxicating flavors of fantastic lust, grief,
jealousy, and all the other passions that permeate this sensual love
story. The heroine, Tita, is the youngest of three daughters. Practically
raised in the kitchen, she is expected to spend her life waiting on Mama
Elena (her mother) and never to marry. She falls in love with Pedro but
cannot marry him. In order to be close to Tita he marries her sister,
instead, and the couple lives with Mama and Tita. Eventually, Tita’s
culinary wizardry unleashes uncontrollable forces, with surprising results.
Why read it? It’s a wild ride of a story, with
the foods that Tita prepares causing all kinds of trouble. You’ll want to
find out if Tita and Pedro ever get together, and what happens to Mama.
Of Mice and
Men, by John Steinbeck
February 2006
Discussion Leader: Beth Ruland
Plot:
Why read it?
The
Endurance, by Carolyn Alexander
January 2006
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: In the summer of 1914, explorer Ernest
Shackleton and a crew of 27 left England for the South Pole. They lost their
ship. They spent a winter on the polar ice. They had to eat their dogs. They
sailed hundreds of miles of the most hostile seas on earth in small, open
boats. And they all survived. The Endurance uses the words and photographs
of the expedition members themselves to re-create the 22 months the men
spent stranded in Antarctica.
Why read it? No fiction story can come close to
this true story in the bravery and leadership of Ernest Shackleton. They
never made it to the South Pole, but he made sure every one of his crew was
saved. The pictures in this book, taken by the Endurance’s photographer, are
haunting and beautiful. Even f you don’t read it, looking at the pictures
will give you a sense of what they went through.
December 2005 - no meeting. The group attended holiday concert by Philomusica at St. Bartholomew's in East Brunswick.
Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon
November 2005
Discussion
Leader: Kathy Staggard
Plot: Christopher Boone is accused of murdering
a neighbor’s dog. His mother has left and has moved out of town. People are
always trying to touch him—life is hard! Christopher is a very smart young
man who meets the challenges of autism.
Why read it? The story gives you an unusual but
unique view of the autistic mind. At first, it’s very confusing to read, but
by the end, you are in love with Christopher and in full understanding of
his accomplishments.
Falling
Angels, by Tracy Chevalier
October 2005
Discussion Leader: Pam Stewart
Plot:
Why read it?
My Sister's
Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
September 2005
Discussion Leader: Kathy Staggard, reviewed by Emily Kimber
Plot: In My Sister’s Keeper, the author, Jodi Picoult, explores complex personal relationships, as well as legal and moral issues.
The Fitzgerald’s conceived their daughter, Anna, for a specific purpose: to serve as a bone marrow match for her sister, Kate. Kate was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 2 years old. Anna appears to have tired of the countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots she has endured for thirteen years to prolong her sister’s life. She initiates a suit to prevent herself from donating a kidney to Kate.
A subplot explores the relationship between Julia Romano and Campbell Alexander, attorneys assigned to Anna’s case. They had a romance while in high school. The split was acrimonious. Fifteen years later, Julia appears to be bitter about the breakup; Campbell seems blasé.
Why read it? In fact, Ms. Picoult challenges the reader to look beyond what appears to be true regarding motives, emotions, morality and ethics. This includes a controversial ending that will alternately anger-satisfy the reader. Is it a deus ex machina, or the only possible conclusion for all involved to come to terms with duty, love and death?
Life Liberty
and the Pursuit of Murder, by Karen Swee (We were delighted to
welcome the author to this session. Ms. Swee spoke about her historic
research, the writing and publishing process, and her plans for future
books. She also autographed our copies of her book!)
August 2005
Discussion Leaders: Ethel McLellan and Beth Ruland
Plot:
Why read it?
Postscript: We were very sorry to learn that Mrs. Swee passed away in March
of 2008.
A Nest of
Sparrows, by Deborah Raney
July 2005
Discussion
Leader: Eileen Dudek
Plot: Tragedy strikes Wade Sullivan weeks
before he is to marry the woman of his dreams and her three
children. Grieving and fighting for custody of “his kids”, Wade must
overcome some of life’s struggles. An ex-husband and a social worker add to
the mix. A light romance and suspense.
Why read it? This is a fun, easy read. Great
for the beach. There is just enough to keep your interest and maybe do a
little soul searching, too.
Julie and
Romeo, by Jean Ray
June 2005
Discussion
Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: Romeo Cacciamani and Julie Roseman are
rival florists and bitter enemies. Their families have been feuding for as
long as either family can remember (although no one can recall precisely
why) until one fateful day when divorced Julie and widow Romeo meet by
chance at a small business seminar in the Boston Sheraton. More than flowers
bloom as a result and when their respective families—horrified—find out
about the budding romance, all hell breaks loose.
Why read it? It’s a love story for those over
50. They act like teenagers in love, and their grown children are the ones
trying to break up the romance.
Chocolat, by Joanne Harris
May 2005
Discussion
Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: This is an enchanting novel about a small
French town turned upside down by the arrival of a bewitching chocolate
confectioner, Vianne Rocher, and her spirited young daughter. Is she a devil
or a witch? Or does she just see things differently than the rest of the
town?
Why read it? The descriptions of the chocolate
that Vianne makes will make you wish you had a box of chocolate while you’re
reading! Joanne Harris brings the town to life. It’s as if you live there
and these are your neighbors, for better or for worse.
Bel
Canto, by Ann Patchett
April 2005
Discussion Leader: Ethel McLellan
Plot:
Why read it?
My Antonia,
by Willa Cather
March 2005
Discussion
Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot: The story of Antonia Shimerda is told as
a memoir through the eyes of the narrator, Jim Burden. Newly orphaned at the
age of ten, Jim meets the Shimerda’s, a Bohemian immigrant family, on a
covered wagon trip from Virginia to Nebraska. Once settled in Nebraska, he
and Antonia explore their surroundings, and he tutors her in English. They
experience many hardships including Mr. Shimerda’s suicide. Their lives
diverge as Jim goes off to college in Lincoln and then on to Harvard, while
Antonia remains in Nebraska.
Why read it? With her vivid prose, Cather spins
a timeless tale of human relationships tightly woven into the fabric of the
fleeting frontier landscape. The result is as rich and clear as the
cloudless prairie sky.
Snow Falling
on Cedars, by David Guterson
February 2005
Discussion Leader: Linda Scott
Plot:
Why read it?
The Amateur
Marriage, by Anne Tyler
January 2005
Discussion
Leader: Linda Scott
Plot: Perhaps mismatched from the start,
Michael and Pauline marry and spend 30 years together, raising three
children and “moving up” out of the old Polish neighborhood to the suburbs.
But the marriage ends in divorce and both survive it in their own way.
Why read it? Tyler makes the characters of her
book real to the reader without “choosing sides.” We follow the struggles,
the attempt at happiness, and ultimately the survival of both Michael and
Pauline. It always broadens our scope of dealing with others when we are
open to seeing both sides of an argument, a political position, or even a
marriage.
The World
Below, by Sue Miller
December 2004
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot: Catherine travels to Vermont where she
has inherited her grandparent’s home, and she finds her grandmother
Georgia’s diaries in the attic. Through the diaries and other documents, she
pieces together the story of Georgia’s life, including her struggle to keep
her family together after her mother’s death, her stay at Bryce Tuberculosis
Sanitorium, and her marriage to Dr. John Holbrook. Catherine uncovers “the
world below” the placid surface of her grandparents’ life together and
learns of her grandmother’s secrets, sacrifices, and regrets.
Why read it? It was very interesting to learn
about the sanitorium and to explore the group and social dynamics of a place
where “the real world” does not exist.
The Christmas
Train, by David Baldacci
November 2004
Discussion Leader: Kathy Staggard, Reviewed by
Linda Scott
Plot: Baldacci takes a break from his usual
suspense-filled novels to share a short holiday tale. The story takes place
aboard a cross-country train just before Christmas. Relationships, an
avalanche-creating blizzard and a wedding all blend to make this a fun twist
on the usual Christmas tale.
Why read it? If you love train rides and
Christmas, this will be a fun read. Escape the rat race of airplane travel
and enjoy a clickety-clack trip to L.A. with an interesting cast of
characters and a surprise or two along the way.
Skipping
Christmas, by John Grisham
November 2004
Discussion Leader: Kathy Staggard
Plot:
Why read it?
Interpreter
of Maladies, by Jhump Lahiri
October 2004
Discussion Leader: Beth Ruland
Plot:
Why read it?
The Secret
Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
September 2004
Discussion
Leader: Kathy Staggard
Plot: Lily Owens’ mother died when she was
four. All she has left of her is a picture, which she keeps hidden from her
mean, overbearing father. When Rosaleen, her black housekeeper, insults some
of the town’s biggest racists, it’s time for the two of them to leave. They
head toward the only place Lily can think of to go, toward the name on the
back of her mother’s picture. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio
of black beekeeping sisters named May, June and August.
Why read it? This book is filled with strong
female characters who will make you laugh, cry, think and question why
things are the way they are.
Angry
Housewives Eating Bon Bons, by Lorna Landvik
August 2004
Discussion Leader: Debbie Spinella
Plot:
Why read it?
Ladies with
Options, by Cynthia Hartwick
July 2004
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: After realizing that their retirement
savings are woefully inadequate, the ladies of the “mostly Methodist” club
decide to play the stock market. They change their names to the “Larksdale
Ladies Independence Club” and find out just how exciting—and profitable—a
little well though out risk taking can be.
Why read it? Funny and charming from start to
finish. This story about grownup “girl power” will really leave you rooting
for the ladies.
Letters for
Emily, by Camron Wright
June 2004
Discussion Leader: Robin Hart
Plot: Grandfather Harry, an Alzheimer’s victim, is dying. His granddaughter, Emily, appears to be his only friend in a family absorbed in an unpleasant divorce. Wishing to die with some degree of dignity and to be remembered as the good person he had been, Harry struggles to communicate with Emily through letters. Each contains a secret hidden in a poem.
Why read it? The story makes the characters, especially Harry, come alive. Perhaps we can be sensitive to others when we can see through some else’s eyes what life with Alzheimer’s is like. Read this book for Harry’s eloquent letters and the healing they bring to those he loves.
The DaVinci
Code, by Dan Brown
May 2004
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
The Five
People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom
April 2004
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
House of Sand
and Fog, by Andre Dubus, III
March 2004
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
Nickel and
Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich
February 2004
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
Waiting to
Forget, by Margaret Moorman
January 2004
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
The Red Tent,
by Alicia Diamant
December 2003
Discussion Leader: Jessica Campbell
Plot: The Red Tent tells the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and sister of Joseph. According to the biblical account in Genesis 34, Dinah was “defiled by a prince of Shechem”, although he is portrayed as being genuinely in love with her and wanting to marry her. er brothers Levi and Simon trick the prince and his men into agreeing to be circumcised, and then murder them while they are incapacitated. Dinah is horrified and grief stricken by her brothers’ treachery and flees to Egypt. he gives birth to a son, finds another love after a time, and eventually reconciles with her brother Joseph.
Why read it? This was an interesting story about the role of women in biblical times. We had a lively and spirited discussion about the book and would recommend it for any book club.
Past Book Club selections: 2006, 2005, 2004
Have you read some
of these books? Now is your chance to share your thoughts.
E-mail your
review to the webmistress!