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.