November/December

Hey Everyone,

I volunteered to do a book for November/December because I just finished reading one that I really enjoyed and I think you will too.  Plus this way I'm already done. :)

The book is called, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie  by Alan Bradley

 
If you like family drama/mystery, you will like this book.  If you like precocious child heroines, you will like this book.  If you like your books to add a little intelligence to your life by throwing chemistry references around, you will like this book.  And if you like books that are set in England, just because it's England, you will like this book.   If you don't like those things, you will probably not like the book but at least it's pages toward the goal, right?

A Book for October

Hi Ladies,

Sorry I'm slow about getting this up.  You know how those To Do lists just never seem to get any smaller and time just speeds by while you're trying to cross things off as new things get added? You do?  Oh good.  Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. ; )

Anyway, our book for this month is The Semi-Attached Couple by Emily Eden.  The author's life overlapped Jane Austen's by a few years, and she was a great admirer of Miss Austen. Consequently, I thought this would be a good follow up to March's book.

Unlike most love stories that end with the couple getting married and living happily ever after, this story begins just before the wedding. It shows some of the difficulties that can occur in marriage and life, and how they can be overcome.  It's a fun read that gives some food for thought and enjoyment along the way.

Here is the author's Preface:

    This story was partly written nearly thirty years ago, before railroads were established, and travelling carriages-and-four superseded; before postage-stamps had extinguished the privilege of franking, and before the Reform Bill had limited the duration of the polling at borough-elections to a single day.  In rewriting it I might easily have introduced these and other modern innovations; but as I believe the manners of England to be as much changed as her customs, there would have been discrepancies between my scenes and characters: the background would not have harmonized with the figures.
    When I wrote it, I thought it a tolerably faithful representation of modern society; but some young friends who are still living in the world, from which I have long retired, and who have read it with the indulgence of happy youth, condescendingly assure me that it is amusing, inasmuch as it is a curious picture of old-fashioned society.  Therefore, in giving it to the world, I trust that to my own contemporaries it may have the charm of reminding them of their youth, and that to the young it may have the recommendation of being a strange Chronicle of the Olden Time.

                                                                                             E.E.

Happy Reading!

PS If you can't find it in your library or would rather not make the trip, here is a link to the story.  It has 360 pages.

September's Book

I don't know about you guys, but I am really looking forward to the fall. It could just be the ridiculous heat wave we've been having for the past two weeks, but I am ready for the crisp, cool air of autumn. I love it when it's cold enough that layers are a good idea if you are leaving the house, and I love it even more when it's a better idea to curl up by the fire with a good book. My children have been in school for two weeks now and we are in the "20 minutes a day" reading cycle. It's really got me thinking that we should be doing that, even as adults. Who can't find 20 minutes a day to read for pleasure and keep your brain active!

The start of a new school year has also got me thinking about some old favorites that I read when I was in school. And I thought it might be fun to revisit a classic. So with out further ado... this month's book is: 

Just kidding! Can you imagine? An interesting book, but probably not a good idea to read it when you already feel like you are living it every time you walk down to the play room to keep your children from killing each other over a lego or stuffed animal....

My real choice is:

I have a real love of pioneer and frontier stories. I like that it was a time when hard work and determination were valued and the adventure of building a life and a home where nothing but wilderness had been. I love Laura Ingalls Wilder, Janette Oke, and a new favorite I discovered this summer, Cathy Marie Hake. 

I can't remember if I read Mrs. Mike for the first time in Jr. High or High school, but I haven't read it since I've been married. I think it will be interesting to read it with a new perspective. If nothing else it should make us all very grateful for our modern conveniences. 

I also think it would be interesting to see what books you remember from your school days? Favorites? Stories you absolutely hated? Any that you gave up on and just did the Ciffs Notes to pass the test?

Way behind

I'm way behind on anything to do with blogs - but I DID get my bookmark like 4 months ago, and I DO love it! I wanted to share what I was given from Chrissy.

She said it reminded her of me because of the free spirit and plus it had a purple bead, so its perfect. I love 

I also love the bead at the end that I can play with while reading.

Thanks Chrissy!!

Way behind

I'm way behind on anything to do with blogs - but I DID get my bookmark like 4 months ago, and I DO love it! I wanted to share what I got from Chrissy.

She said it reminded her of me because of the free spirit. I love it! 

(and it went perfect with the book I was reading at the time too) 

I also love the bead at the end that I can play with while reading.

Thanks Chrissy!!

August's Book

I know we've fallen a bit behind on our first of the month announcement, but I hope this month's recommendation will spark some good discussion points to make up for it!

The book we've chosen is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

I'm sure many of us have already heard a lot about this book or the movie version that will be released on the 12th. I know I heard about it from several sources: Elena, two of my coworkers, movie trailers, and one very talkative patient. It reminded me of when Harry Potter first hit the shelves and everyone was getting worked up about it--and I decided I didn't want to read it for that very reason. By the time I finally broke down and read the first book I was kicking myself for not doing it sooner! It ended up being one of my favorites and I promised I wouldn't make such a stupid choice again.

The Help was meant to generate talk--and once you read it, you'll know why!

I picked it up on a whim two days ago and didn't put it down until I had finished it. At first I was sure I wouldn't like it. It struck me as too "book clubbish." The kind of thing they'd recommend on Oprah or make you read in a high school English class...the kind of book my mother adored, and therefore was probably going to be sooo depressing... I was mistaken.

These women's stories are so endearing and honest--achingly familiar even though I hardly have anything in common with them. I found it so surreal that these women's lives were considered the norm a scant 50 years ago...But I think what struck me most, was not the anger, fear, and frustration that you'd expect a book about the Civil Rights movement to contain: but the love in these women's lives. I never thought, until this book, that it was love, admiration, and a kinship that could not--would not--be denied that forged the path to Civil Rights.

People didn't suddenly get fed up with being mistreated. They'd been mistreated for years and withstood it. People could no longer accept being denied the ability to show their love, no matter who it was for.

I hope that if you choose to read this book that it will serve as your "secret story;" and that it will remind you to take the time to tell the ones you love that:

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

And the Winner Is...

IT'S A TIE!

Congratulations to Chrissy and Mary who each scored an impressive 4 out of 6 correct guesses! For those of you who are interested, the average was 2 out 6, and the correct answers are:

Cross Bones -- Tiffany

The BFG -- Mary

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society -- Elena

The Princess Bride -- Sarah

My Grandfather's Blessings -- Caitlin

The Elenium --Chrissy

I will send out the winners gift cards on Thursday. (I have to wait for payday to get the second card ;) but I want them to reach you in time for some weekend book shopping!)

I apologize for the suspense in waiting for this post. (I had a family gathering out in Tooele and didn't make it back to a computer until very late.) Thanks again to everyone for playing. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!