December 19 Christmas Dinner at McFarland House

November 21 at Grace's

I believe most members enjoyed the book,"The One" by John Marrs.   There were several characters and they were from all walks of life.  However, we did feel it was unrealistic.
It was slow getting into it but there were so many twists and turns, that it did hold your interest. The ending was a surprise and it could be a sequel.

We missed Sylvia, Edna and Louisa.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday.

Grace

This was our reorganization meeting and we will continue as is.

October 17 at Carol's

Since October is Halloween time, I suggested we should come in costume to match the theme of my book "The Summer of 69" .  Most everyone enjoyed the book as it led us to recall so many memories of a time we all lived through during our youth.  The story line was OK and tried to point out all the upheaval of the times.  I prepared some of the food with Dusty and Courtney's help.  We tried to fix food popular from the sixties: such as, chicken a' la king, cheddar cheese spread and crackers, and cool whip with fruit cups.  I am sorry I didn't serve the ever popular frozen dinners.  We all looked good, but Edna took the prize for the short, tight dress and boots.

Carol

September 19 at Sharon's

A dinner of make-your-own tacos was well received, but it definitely did not fit into the theme and locale of the memoir, "Educated," written by Tara Westover. Growing up in a survivalist family in rural Idaho, the author probably never sampled Mexican food! In discussing her struggle to escape violence and family dysfunction, several in our group who grew up in large families could understand why her siblings  might not have had the same experiences she had or understood her need she to break away from the family and make a life for herself. Her accomplishments in getting "educated" were amazing, all the way to earning a PhD from Cambridge University. As usual we ended the night with yummy desserts.

Sharon

August 15 at Rosemary's

Book club was held at Rosemary's on Thursday 8/15.

I tried to keep it simple with mini sandwiches , pasta salad ,and cocktail meatballs, with a variety of snacks and desserts. 
Not simple enough but oh well.

The book we discussed was "Karolina's Twins" by Ronald H.Bolson.

Most everyone liked the book.  I had been a little reluctant in choosing it, as we had read various books in relation to WW11 and the Holocaust.  I find interest, intrigue, and curiosity in events prior to the war and occurrence resulting from it.  A true battle against evil. It reminds me that mankind has such a capacity to serve and be good, and such a capacity for evil.

The book discussion was lively and many questions were raised.

Why did Lena, In her 80s, wait 70 years to search for Karolina's Twins? Why didn't she share this with her husband, David?

He never knew about the babies.  A question was asked, "why so much hatred, To this day, towards the Jewish population?

Some questions were answered and others remain a mystery and conundrum.
    

Let's not forget the events that took place and pray we learn from them.  Let's hope kindness,compassion, understanding, tolerance,education, guide us in a positive humanitarian direction so this will not occur again!

Thanks for coming and sharing a meal and discussion.

Grace and Pat we missed you!  Next book club is 9/19 at Sharon's,and the book is "Educated".

If any of you are interested, Ronald Bolson wrote the following books also:

Once We Were Brothers

The Girl from Berlin

Saving Sophie

The Trust

Love Roe

July 18 Meeting at KAthy's

Thanks everyone for coming to my house for bookclub.  It was a steamy night but we made the best of it.  We also had a special guest, Doloras, Dricka’s cousin.

We started with crab salad, garden salad and three bean salad, apparently a good day for salads.  Sylvia brought veggie platter with crab dip, Dricka  yummy cookies, Roe pastries  and Pam  wine.  I also made some lemonade pie which is always good for hot weather.

“Before we were Yours” by Lisa Wingate was a good read. All seemed to think it was well written and disclosed important information about the horrid sale of children under the guise of giving them a better home.  Poor people were duped by Georgia Train to give up their children who basically sold them to wealthy clients and this went on from 1920’s until 1950.  I passed around newspaper clipping showing “ads”  offering these children as “Christmas Baby”,  “Your for the Asking” and “Wants a home”.  We discussed our personal experience with adoption and foster care.  I had a childhood friend whose parents took in foster children and had to give them up after 2 years.  I could  never understand how they could do that.  Louisa mentioned that her brother who had 2 biological children adopted 7 children.  That’s amazing.  Carol related that someone she knows is now in the process of adopting 2 siblings. Edna shared with us that she and Glen tried to be foster parents but were only given older teen children who were too close in age with herself.  Not an ideal situation.

After our discussion we walked over to the park for a concert with Nathan Bartis Band.  They were very good but it was very very hot.  We were sweating just sitting in the stand. We left after they played “Country Roads”, perfect.

Our next meeting is August 15 at Roe’s house and will read "Karolinas Twins" by Ronald Balson.

Kathy G

June 20 Meeting at Pam's

We read "The Tale Teller" by Anne Hillerman.  She writes about the same characters as her father, Tony Hillerman.  I find him to be a better writer.  I did not like the book that well and most everyone felt the same,  We did have a good discussion on the Native Americans of today.  Their lives are still very hard, unless they leave the reservation.  Anne hillerman is a journalist in New Mexico and a New York Times best selling author.  I would try another of her books go see if I like it better.  As usual we had a nice time and enough to eat.

Pam

May 16 Meeting at Louisa's

We began the evening with marinated Greek olives, hummus, and shirazi salad with pita from Alfredo's Mediterranean Grill. While sampling the food and having some wine we caught up with each other.

     Dinner was an assorted sandwich platter from Royalicious with a Greek salad from Alfredo's. Elizabeth and I selected these food items since a lot of the book was in New York City. We felt maybe it resembled a New York deli.

    The book I chose was "Bossypants" by Tina Fey. I wanted to read something funny and lighter because our last 2 books were so heart wrenching. I liked the book. I enjoyed the chapter on how the Fall lineup of shows are chosen. I could relate to her honeymoon cruise chapter. I liked how she described the cruise. The group did not like the book. We talked some about how people have different senses of humor.

     For dessert we had cannolis from Royalicious and 2 kinds of homemade brownies.

     We had some trouble getting my table back together after the leaf was removed. The problem has been solved and the table is back together.

We missed you Sharon and Pam.

Louisa

April 11 Meeting at Pat's

We missed Pam.  Ten of us had a great evening sitting at our makeshift square table.  Lasagna and Sylvia's salad brought happy plates!  Rugelach was a hit.  All enjoyed the book "The Invisible Wall" by H. Berstein.  Discussion centered around the angst of hatred and misunderstanding regarding differing beliefs.   I think about the grackles and try to remember "...where there is hatred, let me sow love."

Pat

March 21 Meeting at Carol's

Tonight we gathered together at Carol's for a pot luck Irish dinner.  Everyone brought a little something  including the mandatory Irish fare of corned beef, cabbage,  potatoes and Soda Bread.  Desserts of course were plentiful.

We read "The Crawdads Sing" by Delier Owens selected by Grace.  In Owens’s evocative debut, Kya Clark is a young woman growing up practically on her own in the wild marshes outside Barkley Cove, a small coastal community in North Carolina. In 1969, local lothario Chase Andrews is found dead, and Kya, now 23 and known as the “Marsh Girl,” is suspected of his murder. As the local sheriff and his deputy gather evidence against her, the narrative flashes back to 1952 to tell Kya’s story. Abandoned at a young age by her mother, she is left in the care of her hard-drinking father. Unable to fit in at school, Kya grows up ignorant until a shrimper’s son, Tate Walker, befriends her and teaches her how to read. After Tate goes off to college, Kya meets Chase, with whom she begins a tempestuous relationship. The novel culminates in a long trial, with Kya’s fate hanging in the balance. Kya makes for an unforgettable heroine. Owens memorably depicts the small-town drama and courtroom theatrics, but perhaps best of all is her vivid portrayal of the singular North Carolina setting.

I believe all loved the book.  I know it was one book I couldn't put down. Much discussion ensued and we were glad she lived out her life with Tate in her comfortable marsh surroundings.

Next month we meet earlier on April 11  at  Pat's and will read "The Invisible Wall" by H. Berstein.

Erin go Bragh!

KAthy G

  

February 21 Meeting at Dricka's

The book club this month was held on February 21st and we read "the Winner" by David Baldacci. We missed Edna, Carol, Roe, Pam and Pat.

The story started with the impoverished life of LuAnn Tyler who lived with her boyfriend, Duane Harvey, and her daughter, Lisa. LuAnn always dreamed of a better life. When an scam offer to win the lottery was made by mysterious Jackson; LuAnn decided after much consideration,to take the offer.  When leaving her home in a trailer, she discovered Duane assaulted and then later learned he was murdered because he was dealing drugs.  She barely escaped herself.

In New York after winning lottery, she learned she had to leave the country and never return. She traveled abroad for 10 years but decided to return and live in Charlottesville, Virginia where her mother grew up and assumed a new identity,  Catherine Savage. There she met Matt Riggs, who her friend, Charlie, hired to put up a security fence on her property.

She later met Donavan, a journalist, who suspected the lottery was fixed. Jackson whose real name was Peter Crane started to kill all those who brought to light his scheme. Jackson was from an affluent family who lost their fortune and he decided he would regain his fortune by fixing the lottery several times.  In the end he tried killing LuAnn because she disobeyed him by coming back to the US. Thru the aid of Charlie, Matt and the FBI, LuAnn killed Jackson who had kidnapped her daughter.

LuAnn later was acquitted of murdering her husband and paid back taxes and penalties to IRS.  She, Charlie, Matt and Lisa moved to Switzerland where there was an account opened with one hundred million dollars - Jackson'd return of her principal.

We enjoyed a dinner of chicken parm, manicotti, sausage and meatballs etc. Our dessert was trifle, Italian rum cake and apple cake. We enjoyed the company of our fill-in, Sylvia and guests Ruthi and Mary Louise. Till we meet again,
love, Dricka.

January 17 Meeting at Edna's

Wow!!!  To start:  I must apologize to everyone for not submitting the Bookclub blog back in January!!  I am ashamed to admit, I thought I had done it before I left for Florida.   The mind must be really going, ladies!!  Anyway, here's what I think happened from what I can remember. 

The meeting for January was held on the fourth Thursday, the 24th, because I didn't return from England until the Monday, the 21st;  just three days earlier.  I purchased a deli tray and we had sandwiches and I did a homemade chicken veg soup followed by apple pie with ice cream.  I know there were other things brought to supplement the meal by some of the other members that was much appreciated at the time.  We had an afternoon luncheon like we had decided to try for the winter months and it was well attended.  I believe the only two members unable to make it were Roe and Grace.  

The book was by a first time writer and it was called "The Secret Wisdom of the Earth".   Everyone liked it and I did too.  It was one of those reads that once started, you couldn't put down.  It combined a story of grief (the younger sibling died in a tragic accident); prejudice (the gay man was brutally beaten to death); loyalty (the main character fought to save his grandfather's life); tenacity (the townspeople triumphed over big corporation who were destroying the environment by mountain-top removal)!!  And there was a lot of other nuances going on during the story that tied it all together.  All in all, everyone thought it was a good read and I am glad because I enjoyed it very much!!  Looking forward to many more good times over reading in the future!!!

  

Love to all, Edna.