Vote

This blog has not been updated for a while and so I vote to delete it. What do you think everyone? This was a great idea, the clubs and all, but really who has the time? I haven't even been blogging on my own blog as much as I use to. This is my opinion of course, just let me know what is decided.

Fried Green Tomatoes

After further discussion, it's been decided that we'll read Friend Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg for March. I'm hoping we can get together to watch the movie and then talk about the differences between the two. Ideally, this would happen at a time we didn't have to bring the children. We'd also like to meet in a home instead of at the church since last time there were only four of us and we would've liked to use the IMDB website while imagining who would be cast in a movie version of Austenland. So, we need a volunteer host and we need to decide which day in the last week of March will work for us--whether it be early in the day or at night. Please comment if you'd like to host. Then, we'll work out the schedule around the host's preferences.

New book for March?

We are still searching for copies of The Abyss. Even if we buy them, we won't be able to all read them within the next two weeks, I think. So, what do you think about choosing another book with a movie for March and coming back to The Abyss in the future, with copies of the book already in hand?

If you think we should do that, we need to pick a book like right now. So, what do you think? You can look at the old post for suggestions. We could go southern and do Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg. (I haven't read that book, but I love the author.) We can do whatever you want. Let's decide by Tuesday, though. Post all ideas and suggestions here quickly and plan to not leave Enrichment without a book club plan firmly in place. We'll meet in the last week of March--probably Wednesday the 25th unless you want it to be a Friday night this time.

The Abyss for cheap

I can't find The Abyss at the library, but here is a whole heap of cheap copies from www.half.com

http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Abyss_W0QQprZ30271548QQtgZinfo

I'll buy one today or tomorrow. If you get one, maybe you could post, so we can know who has it and share with each other.

We still need to choose a date for the book club--preferably a time we could hang out and watch the movie together, too. Should we do an evening in late March or stick to the afternoon?

The House of Night Series

Like a lot of teens, Erick's friends are obsessed with Vampires, thanks to Twilight. He told me that they are crazy about this other series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. (They are mother and daughter) I thought, huh, maybe it will be interesting to look into. So I sent Jason to buy the first out of the four books in the series. Of course he got me the fourth book and we argued the fact that it said the fourth book on the back, and on the front page. So I looked into it, and it was really confusing. These books have to be read in a row to understand, inspite of the authors best effort to update each character and situation at the beginning of each book. I grow very tired of this. It annoys me. I don't remember the Twilight books having to do this with every sequel. The series have four books right now, and a fifth is coming out next week.

As far as the subject goes, I would not let Erick read these books. The authors have done a good job at being inside the mind of kids at the age of 16 -18. The story revolves around a girl named Zoey, who seemed like a normal girl until she gets marked. After that, the story gets Harry Potter meets Sookie Stackhouse like. To become a Vampire, you get marked with a blue crescent moon on your forehead. You aren't bitten. After you are marked you sent to the House of Night. A four year school for others who are marked where they can learn all about being a Vampire. Sounds different huh? Well, at this school you either die because your body rejects the change or you complete the change. When you complete the change, the moon fills in and they receive a blue tattoo pattern on their body. It's weird. I read all four books last week. To read these books, I really had to pay attention. I am really engrossed in the story line, and I am awaiting the next book that comes in next week, but after I have read it, I will never do it again.

As I read on, it was clear that I did not like how the story involved more sex. Those scenes were not graphic and rare, but I can't help but be worried about the teens that read these books. I can imagine that they would get the idea that it is acceptable to be involved with a teacher or have multiple boyfriends. The Lord's name in vain is used ALOT! Which also bothers me. The Christan religion that is represented in the books are meant to seem wacko . The Vampires worship a Pagan religion, which makes it seem cool and fun to be a part of. Could you imagine of such a thing really existed? I have bad feelings about this, I feel these books could give the wrong ideas for our youth and lead them away from God, depending on how they value these books. Of course it's just entertainment for me, but do they know that? The reason why I bring this up is because I can remember being that same age, and having a curiosity for witchcraft etc. The things I discovered was that it could be cool, fun, and scary. Thank goodness I overcome that phase, and realized that it would led to path to the darkside. So, then I became more active in my Ward, and left that stuff behind. If anyone wants to borrow these books, and/or would like to know more about them, you can just ask me.

Next Month

When we met today, after talking over Pride & Prejudice and Austenland, we decided maybe we should have a looser format for future books. So, for the next little while, we're going to be reading books that have been made into movies and vice versa.

Our first pick is "The Abyss" by Orson Scott Card. This one was actually written after the movie, based on the screenplay, which is an unusual route. Card is an outstanding author and I think this science fiction novel and it's accompanying movie will be a fun combination. I didn't find it on the library site, but it costs about a dollar on Amazon.com, so it should be doable. We'd like to read the book, then meet to watch the movie and talk about them both.

We're trying to think of all the movie/book combinations we can think of. Please add to the list below in your comments:

Marly & Me
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Emma
Coraline
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Where the Heart Is
Harry Potter series
The Five People You Meet In Heaven

Book Suggestions

I would like to throw a few books out there for next month or some other time. I suppose this would be included in my personal list when we get those started, but I am excited about a few.

The first is The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. This was my first introduction into Russian literature besides the well-known Tolstoy and Dostoevsky works. This book is challenging but so much fun! It is a one- book- a- month book because we would probably have to meet twice just to talk about it. :)

Amazon.com Review
Surely no stranger work exists in the annals of protest literature than The Master and Margarita. Written during the Soviet crackdown of the 1930s, when Mikhail Bulgakov's works were effectively banned, it wraps its anti-Stalinist message in a complex allegory of good and evil. Or would that be the other way around? The book's chief character is Satan, who appears in the guise of a foreigner and self-proclaimed black magician named Woland. Accompanied by a talking black tomcat and a "translator" wearing a jockey's cap and cracked pince-nez, Woland wreaks havoc throughout literary Moscow. First he predicts that the head of noted editor Berlioz will be cut off; when it is, he appropriates Berlioz's apartment. (A puzzled relative receives the following telegram: "Have just been run over by streetcar at Patriarch's Ponds funeral Friday three afternoon come Berlioz.") Woland and his minions transport one bureaucrat to Yalta, make another one disappear entirely except for his suit, and frighten several others so badly that they end up in a psychiatric hospital. In fact, it seems half of Moscow shows up in the bin, demanding to be placed in a locked cell for protection.

Meanwhile, a few doors down in the hospital lives the true object of Woland's visit: the author of an unpublished novel about Pontius Pilate. This Master--as he calls himself--has been driven mad by rejection, broken not only by editors' harsh criticism of his novel but, Bulgakov suggests, by political persecution as well. Yet Pilate's story becomes a kind of parallel narrative, appearing in different forms throughout Bulgakov's novel: as a manuscript read by the Master's indefatigable love, Margarita, as a scene dreamed by the poet--and fellow lunatic--Ivan Homeless, and even as a story told by Woland himself. Since we see this narrative from so many different points of view, who is truly its author? Given that the Master's novel and this one end the same way, are they in fact the same book? These are only a few of the many questions Bulgakov provokes, in a novel that reads like a set of infinitely nested Russian dolls: inside one narrative there is another, and then another, and yet another. His devil is not only entertaining, he is necessary: "What would your good be doing if there were no evil, and what would the earth look like if shadows disappeared from it?"

Unsurprisingly--in view of its frequent, scarcely disguised references to interrogation and terror--Bulgakov's masterwork was not published until 1967, almost three decades after his death. Yet one wonders if the world was really ready for this book in the late 1930s, if, indeed, we are ready for it now. Shocking, touching, and scathingly funny, it is a novel like no other. Woland may reattach heads or produce 10-ruble notes from the air, but Bulgakov proves the true magician here. The Master and Margarita is a different book each time it is opened. --Mary Park --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

The Second is East of Eden by Steinbeck. Probably most of you have read this already but I havent and it fascinates me so it's on my list.

Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love; and the murderous consequences of love's absence.

The third is actually a play, The Glass Managerie by Tennessee Williams. I thought this would be fun to read and then watch the play.

Tom begins by introducing the play as a memory play of his own memory of his past. He introduces the character. The start of the play shows the Wingfield family eating dinner. Amanda keeps telling Tom to chew is food, and Tom gets thoroughly annoyed and leaves the table to smoke. Amanda tells her story of 17 gentleman callers. The next day, Laura is sitting at her desk in front of the typewriter chart when Amanda comes in angry. She asks Laura about the business college and tell Laura she found out that she dropped out. Laura explains that she couldn’t handle the class and went walking everyday. Later Amanda sits with Laura and asks her about a boy she liked. Laura points out Jim in the yearbook. Later, Tom gets into an argument with Amanda. Amanda cannot understand why Tom goes to the movies every night. Tom says he cannot stand working for the family like he does. Tom makes his speech about being an assassin and leaves to the movies. He returns late at night drunk, but looses the key. Laura opens the door and Tom tells her about the movie and the magic show he saw, giving her a scarf from the magic show. The next morning, Amanda makes Tom wake up as usual and prepares him for his work. Before he leaves, she asks him to bring home a gentleman caller for Laura. That night Tom informs his mother that he asked Jim O’Conner to dinner the next day. The next day, Laura and Amanda prepare furiously for the dinner getting well dressed and decorating everything. At night, Tom arrives with Jim. After they eat dinner, the lights go out and Amanda brings out the candles. Laura sits alone with Jim. They talk for a while, and Jim kisses Laura, but regrets it. He tells her that he is already engaged, and Laura is devastated. She gives him a glass unicorn which was broken during the night. Jim says good-bye to the family and leaves. Amanda is angry with Tom for not telling them that Jim was engaged, but Tom insists that he did not know. Tom leaves never to return.

Vampire Love By Jen Mathews

I was not sure if I got the okay for this but I thought you should know that there has been a new obsession of mine, and that is the discovery of a series of books, by Charlene Harris called the Sookie Stackouse Novels (The titles all have the word dead in them). Right now there are eight books, the ninth is coming out in May and the tenth is being written. They are simple enough for me to read and the books are all about 3oo pages. So far, I have read seven of them and I am waiting for the eighth book to come in from order. The thing is, these books are for adults only.

I was attracted to the books in the first place, because of the subject oddly reminds me of the Twilight series. I would consider these books to not be scary in any way. There is blood and gore, but in all, I would consider the books as comedic, mystery filled romances. (a tad bit vulgar, and a tad bit gross too) The female author has a way of being really frank, and she obviously admires her main character. Being from a neighboring state (Arkansas), she must not think too highly of Louisiana, which is the setting for most of this books. It has me believing that people down there have no morals and they are so simple minded. She has even added a storyline that involves Hurricane Katrina. Her stories are original, except for the similarity of human and vampire tell of love. Just when I thought I could easily predict the plot, the author would throw in something weird or unexpected. So I like that.

The main character is Sookie Stackhouse, a simple waitress that can read human minds, but not that of Vampires. In the present world, Vampires all over, had a coming out party a few years before. The United States is one of the few countries that have accepted them and has given them laws they must obey. They mainly use a synthetic blood drink for meals. Werewolves and Shapshifters are yet to unravel themselves in fear of retaliation. Sookie falls in and out of love, (like a yo-yo )with Vampire Bill, who died in the Civil War. Each book has a mystery, and each book she has a new lover, just about. She can't make up her mind. The books are very much tongue and cheek but entertaining. There are a few sex scenes that are a bit graphic, just to warn you. I found out that I can turn two pages and it's all over with.

If you are considering reading these books and you have questions, I will be happy to answer. Though I briefly drove all around the county to find the eighth book like a mad woman, these books will never replace the pure obsession of Twilight. They are not worth reading over and over, and frankly, I may be a tad bit embarrassed to let people know I was reading them. But your my Homies right? There is no point hiding it from you all.

Love Walked In

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos is a book a good friend of mine recommended. The premise is intriguing to me and the bit of text I read online had a very conversational style, which I tend to like. But other than that, I know nothing about it except for that it's been checked out a lot and that Augusta and Waynesboro both have 1 large print available, right now and more that are checked out. Here is the synopsis I got off Goodreads.com It may count in the lighter read category--I don't know--so I'm putting it in both.

When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. But little does she know that her newfound love is only the harbinger of greater changes to come. Meanwhile, across town, Clare Hobbs—eleven years old and abandoned by her erratic mother—goes looking for her lost father. She crosses paths with Cornelia while meeting with him at the café, and the two women form an improbable friendship that carries them through the unpredictable currents of love and life.
Love Walked In, the first novel by award-winning poet Marisa de los Santos, is bursting with keen insight and beautifully rendered prose. Invoking classic movies to illuminate the mystery and wonder of love in all its permutations, Love Walked In is an uplifting debut that marks the entrance of an enchanting literary voice.

Deadline for February

Jennie asked if we ought to post whenever we read something we feel like talking about. I think we should. It can be a book forum and not just a book club. What do you guys think?

For my part, I just read an adolescent fiction book by Sharon Creech called Bloomability and I LOVED it. It made me wish I could go back to Switzerland...so fun. I also wish there were a sequel.

I don't want to steamroller anyone with book picks, so I'm going to make a poll from the few we've talked about reading for February. But keep in mind that if you don't pipe up with your opinions, we can't do what you want. I'm going to say we need to decide by Wednesday so we can get reading. Anybody second the motion?

I think since some of us want to meet twice a month, we'll have a heavier book and a lighter, more fun one. Do you think they need separate polls? Le me know!

Some suggestions for romance

Okay, here are some ideas with descriptions from Amazon (I haven't read any of them)

Jane Eyre
Having grown up an orphan in the home of her cruel aunt and at a harsh charity school, Jane Eyre becomes an independent and spirited survivor—qualities that serve her well as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him whatever the consequences or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving her beloved?

Wuthering Heights
There are few more convincing, less sentimental accounts of love than Wuthering Heights. This is the story of a tormented foundling who falls in love with the daughter of his benefactor, and of the violence and misery that result from their thwarted longing for each other.

One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding (non fiction, kind of romance related...)
In its nascence in the American lexicon, the term "Bridezilla" has inspired articles, reality television and watercooler tales of brides gone mad. This phenomenon piqued New Yorker staff writer Mead's interest, sending her on a three-year investigation of the current American wedding and the $161-billion industry that spawned it. "Blaming the bride," she writes, "wasn't an adequate explanation for what seemed to be underlying the concept of the Bridezilla: that weddings themselves were out of control." Interviewing wedding industry professionals and attending weddings in Las Vegas, Disney World, Aruba and a wedding town in Tennessee, Mead ventures beyond the tulle curtain to reveal moneymaking ploys designed around our most profound fears as well as our headiest happily-ever-after fantasies. Goods and services providers alter marital traditions—and even invent new ones—to feed their bottom line. Stores vie for bridal registry business in hopes of gaining lifelong customers. Women swoon for what retailers call "the 'Oh, Mommy' moment" in boutique fitting rooms—an unsettling contrast to the Chinese bridal gown factory workers who make them possible, sleeping eight to a room and scraping by on 30 cents an hour. Part investigative journalism, part social commentary, Mead's wry, insightful work offers an illuminating glimpse at the ugly underbelly of our Bridezilla culture.

Great Expectations
A terrifying encounter with an escaped convict in a graveyard on the wild Kent marshes; a summons to meet the bitter, decaying Miss Havisham and her beautiful, cold-hearted ward Estella; the sudden generosity of a mysterious benefactor - these form a series of events that change the orphaned Pip's life forever, and he eagerly abandons his humble origins to begin a new life as a gentleman. Dickens' haunting late novel depicts Pip's education and development through adversity as he discovers thetrue nature of his 'great expectations'.

Katherine by Anya Seton
This classic romance novel tells the true story of the love affair that changed history-that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in the vibrant 14th century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets-Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II-who ruled despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance, John of Gaunt, the king's son, falls passionately in love with the already married Katherine. Their well-documented affair and love persist through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption. This epic novel of conflict, cruelty, and untamable love has become a classic since its first publication in 1954.

Read My Heart: A Love Story in England's Revolution by Jane Dunn (non fiction)
When Sir William Temple (1628–99) and Dorothy Osborne (1627–95) began their passionate love affair, civil war was raging in Britain, and their families—parliamentarians and royalists, respectively—did everything to keep them apart. Yet the couple went on to enjoy a marriage and a sophisticated partnership unique in its times. Surviving the political chaos of the era, the Black Plague, the Great Fire of London, and the deaths of all their nine children, William and Dorothy made a life together for more than forty years.

Drawing upon extensive research and the Temples’ own extraordinary writings—including Dorothy’s dazzling letters, hailed by Virginia Woolf as one of the glories of English literature—Jane Dunn gives us an utterly captivating dual biography, the first to examine Dorothy’s life as an intellectual equal to her diplomat husband. While she has been known to posterity as the very symbol of upper-class seventeenth-century domestic English life, Dunn makes clear that Dorothy was a woman of great complexity, of passion and brilliance, noteworthy far beyond her role as a wife and mother. The remarkable story of William and Dorothy’s life together—illuminated here by the author’s insight and her vivid sense of place and time—offers a rare glimpse into the heart and spirit of one of the most turbulent and intriguing eras in British history.

Romance?

We've decided a romance is in order for the lovey month of February. We talked about reading 2 perhaps--a delightful Emma by Jane Austen and the fun and light Austenland by Shannon Hale, perhaps. We even mentioned The Host by Stephenie Meyer which is an unusual, but interesting romantic science fiction novel. What do you think? What suggestions do you have for a nice romance?

First Meeting

We had our first book club meeting today and like so many committees, we decided on nothing definitively. Obviously, we decided to start a blog for better communication. We also broke down the rest of the year into categories so we could experience varied genres. Here is the general rundown:

February: Romance
March: Current issues/political/non-fiction
April: Spiritual
May: Motherhood
June: Western/Adventure
July: Historical/Biography/Patriotic
August: Beach Reads
September: Classics we haven't gotten around to yet
October: Suspense
November: Political
December: something Christmassy

Some of us wanted to meet more than monthly, so we're kind of hoping for a bi-monthly meeting. Maybe the first book can meet the genre and the second can be chosen by rotating members of the group. What do you think? Should we set up a rotation schedule?

We thought we'd meet in the morning once and the evening another time so more people can participate. What times and days are best for you? We can get a general idea and then do a poll.

We also thought we'd have a list of responsibilites that we rotate through, like hosting and bringing snacks.

I've added everyone I know of wanting to participate as an author on the blog, but since somebody had to start it, I got things going. I'll change out the templates regularly at Jennie's request. If you have any kind of suggestions, just let me know.