November 15th Meeting at Pat's

Ruff ruff do I smell something good.....it's Pat's "just chicken" mmmmmmmm

We gather around the dinner table to begin our book club meeting.  Grace reminds us about the upcoming  Christmas luncheon at McFarland House on December 7 at 1:00 and makes a list of all who can attend.

I announce that I created a summary of the books we read last year.  I would like everyone to email me the name of your two top choices from that list.  Pam says she likes them all but I just want to see if there was a favorite.

It's now Pat's turn to question us on the book we read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.  An interest story about life and death told from the view point of a dog using car racing as an analogy to life.  Someone said, it makes you think just what "my dog" might be thinking and what do they really know.  But me being ever the skeptic, it's just a story but a good one.  Discussion alternated between personal experiences with dying, being alone and being lonely, Burzynski Clinic to treat cancer, Penn State scandal, and false accusations.  Pat then introduced us to her "Solutions" catalog -- advertised as products that make life easier, it included the "remote control egg massager".  Naturally, it all went down hill from there.

In January we will meet at Edna's house on the 19th and read "Saving Fish from Drowning" by Amy Tan.  There are several books in the libraries around the area so you should not have any problems getting a copy.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and look forward to seeing you at the Mcfarland House and/or my Christmas Party on December 16.

We're thinking about you Ellen and you too Linda and Alice.

Enjoy your reading and remember to send me your 2 book choices from last year.
Goodnight,
KAthy G

October 20th Meeting at Grace's

It sure feels like fall.  There is a chill in the air but there is plenty of warm wishes at Grace's house.   She starts "Year Four "of our book club  with a wonderful dinner of Chicken Cordon Bleu and Eggplant Parmesan.  Now top that girls, the bar has been set!

After satisfying our hunger and checking up on the past months events we setting down to discuss  Barbara Delinsky's "While my Sister Sleeps".   Grace has requested that we bring a ? to discuss so  Roe ask "why did you pick this book?"  Good question and so the discussions begin.  Since this book dealt with death, several people related rather sensitive times in their lives when they had to deal with this on a very personal level.  Alice relates what she went through when Bruce passed away and Pam recounted tough decisions she had to make in regard to Jim's health care. Topics ranged from health care, Medicare,  restrictive school lunches, to building a 4 million tunnel so that college students can cross the street, and everything in between.

To round out the night, dessert was served and we all sang happy birthday to Louisa and Grace who are celebrating their birthdays this month.

REMEMBER --  next month's meeting will be on TUESDAY November 15 at Pat's house and we will read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.

Please send me your book selection for this year.
I created a pdf file under Books Read of the books we read last year - Summary of Books Read 2010-2011

We missed you Pat and sure hope your mom is doing better.
'missed you Linda and hope you are having a great time on your cruise.

Keep reading and see ya in a month if not sooner,
BTW my hand is feeling better.  Don't know if it's the soy sauce or the ice or both.
KAthy G

September 16th Meeting at Pam's

Wow where do I begin. This was a very busy meeting. We ate of course and drank our wine and talk our talk, then Grace brought the meeting to order or as orderly as we can get. First on the agenda was selecting months to host our meeting. We have a few changes from last year. Check out the Reading List to make sure I got it right. In December, Grace suggested that we have a luncheon at the McFarland House since we don't have a scheduled meeting. Wednesday, December 7 seemed to suit everyone. Sharon announced that she was selling chances for a WV quilt which is being raffled off for the Parkinson's Disease Support Group.  It was my turn and I collected $7 from each member for the banner we won from the Downtown Martinsburg Banner Project Auction.  It was decided that I would look for a home for the banner. I'll check out the library or possibly schools to see who would be interested in displaying our "Good Times" banner.  Linda announced that she would throw a New Years Eve Party this year and invited the bookclub members and guest --  husbands, lovers, best friends, whoever.  The business meeting was officially over and time to discuss the book.

Pam who actually knows Ira Wagler  the author of  "Growing Up Amish " gave us some incite into Ira's current life and difficulties.  Ira was a very troubled person who grew up in a world where he didn't belong.  It was a coming of age type of book to the extreme.  I  equated it to growing up Catholic on steroids.  A very vivid discussion ensued until it was time to have dessert.

Here is an interview with Ira Wagler.  

Click here to read his blog.  His last entry was his 50th birthday party where Jamie pick up our autographed books.  

We will start year four of our book club.  It's been wonderful.  Grace will once again start off the year by hosting the meeting at her house on October 20.  Her book selection is "While My Sister Sleeps" by Barbara Delinsky.

It was very chilly when we left Pam's house, I guess we really are stating a new year.

Take care and enjoy your book.
Reminders:

1. You must contact the host if you will NOT be attending the meeting.  
2. The host will send out a reminder prior to the meeting.  You know, sometimes we forget or get confused.
3. Bring in your book suggestion at the next meeting.

So sorry you couldn't make it Edna and Pat, we missed you both.   

KAthy G

August 18 Meeting at Linda's

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages -- Welcome to Linda's. 

We are together once again and this time to discuss a very special lady Mabel Starks who reminds us a little of Linda....right?  She always has a story or another adventure and so did this circus lady who was married 4 or 5 times and very much in love with her 550 pound Rajah.  She lead a active if not slightly insane circus life.  Everyone has thought about running away to join the circus until you realize it's a dirty tough life.  I liked the book but the gratuitous sex with the sick old guy at the end was totally unnecessary.  Edna concurred.

Next month on Sept 15, we will meet at Pam's house after reading "Growing Up Amish" by Ira Wagler.  Pam daughter knows the author and will purchase autographed copies of the books for those who requested one.  We threw out some comments about life in the Amish community but we will leave most discussion until next month.  Otherwise we'll have nothing to talk about. Oh right!

Our banner will be auctioned off Sept 3 at noon at the Art Centre located at 300 West King Street. I suggested that we bid on our banner up to $110 if each member will pitch in $10.  Please let me know if you are in agreement so I know my maximum bid. If we win, I suggest we donate the banner to the library or we can pass it around to the members of the bookclub.  There was a bit of discussion so first we’ll need to secure the banner and then we will decide what to do with it.

BTW, Edna did find her notes.  They were lying in the road in front of my next door neighbor's house.  Needless to say, Edna was ecstatic.

Start thinking of what book you want us to read for next year's bookclub.
Year THREE starts in October.  WOW can't believe it.  It's been fun.

We missed you -- Roe, Pat and Louisa and will see you next month.

So many books, so little time,

KAthy G

July 21 Meeting at Louisa's

It  was a hot and steamy night and one by one they sauntered into the room.  Sweat dripping from their brow. What could posess these fair ladies to venture out on a evening like this.

Well maybe it's bookclub night and Louisa just invited us into her home for some fun, fixing and discussin'.  Crack open the wine and pour me a drink, it's time to discuss "Midnight in the Garden of Good Evil" by John Berendt.

Louisa asked several questions on the book to get us talking, Oh really, like we need an incentive.  What really happened on that night when Hansford died?  Are the characters in the books similar to the folks in Martinsburg?  We do have our own characters.  Does voodoo really work, I don't think anyone really bought that.  After Louisa's famous cookies were passed around more discussion insued and we learned more about Savannah, love, life and each other.

Next month we will meet on August 18 at Linda home after reading "The Final Confession of Mabel Stark" by Robert Hough.  The book is not in the Martinsburg Library, so if anyone gets a copy please pass it around.

Stay cool and enjoy your summer.

KAthy G

June 16 Meeting at Ellen's

Aw bummer....we didn't get to go swimming at Ellen's, but all is not lost, we still get together once again for bookclub.  As we gather around the food , we catch up on what happened over the past month.  When Ellen finally gets our attention, we get around to discussing the book "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks.  Ellen picked this book because she liked the author and the books he's written, namely 'Notebook".  Grace questioned what the character "Jo" was all about and everyone chimed in to discuss their take on the story.  A 

major topic of conversation was spousal abuse and stories of friends and locals who have been abused were discussed.  Linda shared an incident in her never ending story that quite amazed us.  Although we were glad that "Kevin" got what he deserved, one couldn't help wonder why he was like that and the book really didn't delve into his character or explain why he was abusive, other than he was greatly affected by the brutal aspects of his job.
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On July 21 we will head over to Louisa's to discuss " Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt.  The library has several copies so you shouldn't have any problem getting a copy.
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Have a wonderful summer and see ya all in a month if not sooner,
KAthy G