bunnies win!

watership down it is. we will meet tuesday, jan 26 (the last tuesday in jan) at my apartment at 7 pm.

2525 highland ave s

january book options

well, hey guys! thought i forgot to post, right? :)

truthfully, i've been busy, so the following books were chosen because they are all on my bookshelf yet to be read. each one is different, so have fun choosing!

how about meeting at my apartment on january 18, 19, 24, or 25? (couldn't remember if we had decided to keep it on tuesdays or switch to mondays...)


In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

"Until one morning in mid-November of 1959, few Americans--in fact, few Kansans--had ever heard of Holcomb. Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there." If all Truman Capote did was invent a new genre--journalism written with the language and structure of literature--this "nonfiction novel" about the brutal slaying of the Clutter family by two would-be robbers would be remembered as a trail-blazing experiment that has influenced countless writers. But Capote achieved more than that. He wrote a true masterpiece of creative nonfiction. The images of this tale continue to resonate in our minds: 16-year-old Nancy Clutter teaching a friend how to bake a cherry pie, Dick Hickock's black '49 Chevrolet sedan, Perry Smith's Gibson guitar and his dreams of gold in a tropical paradise--the blood on the walls and the final "thud-snap" of the rope-broken necks.

the only other Capote book i've read is Breakfast at Tiffany's. loved it. heard good things about this one too...


Watership Down - Richard Adams

The story follows a warren of Berkshire rabbits fleeing the destruction of their home by a land developer. As they search for a safe haven, skirting danger at every turn, we become acquainted with the band and its compelling culture and mythos. Adams has crafted a touching, involving world in the dirt and scrub of the English countryside, complete with its own folk history and language. As much about freedom, ethics, and human nature as it is about a bunch of bunnies looking for a warm hidey-hole and some mates, Watership Down will continue to make the transition from classroom desk to bedside table for many generations to come.

i've wanted to read this for a while, and especially after seeing sawyer read it in lost a few seasons ago :)


The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton

Winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize, The Age of Innocence is Edith Wharton’s masterful portrait of desire and betrayal during the sumptuous Golden Age of Old New York, a time when society people “dreaded scandal more than disease.”

This is Newland Archer’s world as he prepares to marry the beautiful but conventional May Welland. But when the mysterious Countess Ellen Olenska returns to New York after a disastrous marriage, Archer falls deeply in love with her. Torn between duty and passion, Archer struggles to make a decision that will either courageously define his life—or mercilessly destroy it.

who doesn't like a good romance novel? eh?

okay...post! vote for your favorite book and also for the date. thanks, guys and have a happy christmas!

This Sunday?

Was a consensus reached? Are we book swapping it this Sunday evening after church? Give a yeah or nay! If it is a yeah, I'm offering our home up for the festivities, complete with warm cuppas and cookies at say 7:30ish?

A Question/Proposition

So, I've lamely committed myself to another (however fun) engagement on the night of December 15th. I certainly don't require that our book swap be rescheduled, but if all parties are interested in doing that, I'd love to still be a part of things. I imagine we could even do it our new little place. It's extra cozy, and could be a nice locale for seasonal bevs and a some book swappage. How would Monday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday work for folks? If not, I totally understand, and look forward to reconvening in the new year.

Same Kind of Different as Me event

hey girls! i just wanted to let you know that the authors who wrote Same Kind of Different as Me will be speaking at Samford in the Wright Center on Jan. 22, 2010 at 6:00 pm. You have to buy tickets early, though. i wasn't sure if this would be something that anyone is interested in, but i think it would be fun to go hear from the authors about one of the books we read in book club! here is the link for more info:

http://www.saint-lukes.com/claypool_lecture.html

post if you would like to go!

holiday proposition

we missed everyone who was unable to come to book club last night. let me just tell you guys...sarah makes some yummy caramal pop corn!!

since the holidays are fast approaching, we discussed a bit last night about when our next book club should be. i am the next one on the list to host, but i don't think that i can pull it off in the next month or two due to certain unalterable forthcoming celebrations, so here is our proposition:

firstly, how would you guys say to forgoing book club for the month of november?

secondly, i don't know about you all, but i had such a good time at last year's dirty santa book swap that i would love to do it again! whadya say about having the second annual bham book club book swap on tuesday, december 15 in lieu of book club for december? if you guys are keen on that idea, would any of you lovly ladies be willing to host it? i'm afriad my tiny little apartment will still be box-clad.

lastly, i will post book options sometime at the end of december and we will pick up our regularly scheduled book club in january.

so what do you guys think?? post away!!!

Come to my place!

I don't know about you guys, but on a day like this, I wish I was curled up here...



drinking some hot goodness from this...


and enjoying a lovely one of these...


Mmmm, so nice!

The time has come for us to meet again, so here are a few details about tonight...

My address is:
2924 Central Ave Apt 1
Homewood, AL 35209

The easiest thing would be to google map it and get specific directions that way, however i think most of you may be coming from 31, so just turn onto 28th Avenue S (the traffic light by TCBY) and stay on that road for about a half mile (it'll curve to the left after the 18th ave intersection) and when you pass 29th Court S, our apartment complex will be the nondescript group of buildings on your right. We are Apt #1 which is on the first floor of the first building on your left. Make sense? Probably not, but hopefully the map link will make it clearer and you are welcome to call me if you're confused... (334)717-1970.

Come around 7pm and there will be dessert so enjoy your dinner and save a little room for some autumnal sweets!

Excited to see you guys! - Sarah

Put On Your Reading Socks!!

Just to clarify, People of the Book is officially our October read and we're meeting at my place at 7:00pm on the 27th. I'll post directions sometime before then... happy reading!

Should I call it?

As of right now, People of the Book is this month's read and
Tuesday, October 27th is our next meeting... is that ok with everyone? I feel sort of bad about making everything official when some people haven't voted yet but at this point we only have a little over 3 weeks until our next meeting and I'm worried that 25 days won't be enough time to enjoy and finish the book. However, I can't really tell if more than 3 people will even be able to make it on the 27th so maybe I should just give everyone more time to respond and we can pick a later date to meet... What would you guys like to do? Stick with PotB and get together on the last Tuesday of Oct. or continue voting and meet the first or second Monday/Tuesday of November?

Barbara K. is so boss

First off, I would like to gush for a moment over our September session... The Poisonwood Bible was a fantastic read! Unbelievable writing, challenging themes, engaging characters, which led to some quality discussion and fellowship that I sincerely enjoyed. Book clubs are the best and I am oh so grateful to be a part of this one! And major thanks to Lauren for hosting such a great evening at that lovely home of hers! Good times, friends, good times!

On to the October picks... It was difficult, but I've narrowed it down to these three gems:

Option #1 - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

One of the earliest Jewish religious volumes to be illuminated with images, the Sarajevo Haggadah survived centuries of purges and wars thanks to people of all faiths who risked their lives to safeguard it. Geraldine Brooks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March, has turned the intriguing but sparely detailed history of this precious volume into an emotionally rich, thrilling fictionalization that retraces its turbulent journey. In the hands of Hanna Heath, an impassioned rare-book expert restoring the manuscript in 1996 Sarajevo, it yields clues to its guardians and whereabouts: an insect wing, a wine stain, salt crystals, and a white hair. While readers experience crucial moments in the book's history through a series of fascinating, fleshed-out short stories, Hanna pursues its secrets scientifically, and finds that some interests will still risk everything in the name of protecting this treasure. A complex love story, thrilling mystery, vivid history lesson, and celebration of the enduring power of ideas, People of the Book will surely be hailed as one of the best of 2008.

Option #2 - The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

Novel by Graham Greene, published in 1940. Set in Mexico during the era of anticlerical violence by revolutionaries, the story depicts the martyrdom of the last Roman Catholic priest, who is being hunted by a police lieutenant. The "whisky priest" is a degraded alcoholic who has broken most of his vows but who nevertheless insists upon performing his duties until the very end, when he is finally captured and executed. The book is a Christian parable, pitting God and religion against 20th-century materialism.

Option #3 - The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

This fictionalized autobiography of Daisy Goodwill Flett, captured in Daisy's vivacious yet reflective voice, has been winning over readers since its publication in 1995, when it won the Pulitzer Prize. After a youth marked by sudden death and loss, Daisy escapes into conventionality as a middle-class wife and mother. Years later she becomes a successful garden columnist and experiences the kind of awakening that thousands of her contemporaries in mid-century yearned for but missed in alcoholism, marital infidelity and bridge clubs. The events of Daisy's life, however, are less compelling than her rich, vividly described inner life--from her memories of her adoptive mother to her awareness of impending death. Shields' sensuous prose and her deft characterizations make this, her sixth novel, her most successful yet.


Now vote for your favorite and let me know if Tuesday, October 27th works for you!

Yay for book club!

Tomorrow night - my house - 7pm!

if this rain will EVER stop then we could totally have it outside on my pretty new deck but if not then we'll just enjoy fabulous fall food in the cozy indoors! laura and i have a pretty good menu planned (heavy hors d'oeuvres) so dont eat a ton before you come, and feel free to bring any of your special fall inspired foods if you want!

cant wait to see you all tomorrow!
4080 River Walk Lane
Birmingham, AL 35216

The book club has spoken

So i think we have a majority folks. Get to readin because i think this book is pretty lengthy. you have 1 month, 2 days. See you all at my house on the 22nd at 7pm! and welcome lauren teeters!

and the reading resumes!

Mark your calendars - book club, my house, september 22, 7:00.

so here are the choices. cant wait to see what you choose.

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsglover

In this risky but resoundingly successful novel, Kingsolver follows an evangelical Baptist minister's family to the Congo in the late 1950s, entwining their fate with that of the country during three turbulent decades. Nathan Price's determination to convert the natives of the Congo to Christianity is, we gradually discover, both foolhardy and dangerous, unsanctioned by the church administration and doomed from the start by Nathan's self-righteousness. Fanatic and sanctimonious, Nathan is a domestic monster, too, a physically and emotionally abusive, misogynistic husband and father. He refuses to understand how his obsession with river baptism affronts the traditions of the villagers of Kalinga, and his stubborn concept of religious rectitude brings misery and destruction to all. Cleverly, Kingsolver unfolds the tragic story of the Price family through the alternating points of view of Orleanna Price and her four daughters. Cast with her young children into primitive conditions but trained to be obedient to her husband, Orleanna is powerless to mitigate their situation. Meanwhile, each of the four Price daughters reveals herself through first-person narration, and their rich and clearly differentiated self-portraits are small triumphs. It is through their eyes that we come to experience the life of the villagers in an isolated community and the particular ways in which American and African cultures collide.

Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult's 14th novel, Nineteen Minutes, deals with the truth and consequences of a smalltown high-school shooting. Set in Sterling, New Hampshire, Picoult offers reads a glimpse of what would cause a 17-year-old to wake up one day, load his backpack with four guns, and kill nine students and one teacher in the span of nineteen minutes. As with any Picoult novel, the answers are never black and white, and it is her exceptional ability to blur the lines between right and wrong that make this author such a captivating storyteller.

On Peter Houghton's first day of kindergarten, he watched helplessly as an older boy ripped his lunch box out of his hands and threw it out the window. From that day on, his life was a series of humiliations, from having his pants pulled down in the cafeteria, to being called a freak at every turn. But can endless bullying justify murder? As Picoult attempts to answer this question, she shows us all sides of the equation, from the ruthless jock who loses his ability to speak after being shot in the head, to the mother who both blames and pities herself for producing what most would call a monster. Surrounding Peter's story is that of Josie Cormier, a former friend whose acceptance into the popular crowd hangs on a string that makes it impossible for her to reconcile her beliefs with her actions.

At times, Nineteen Minutes can seem tediously stereotypical-- jocks versus nerds, parent versus child, teacher versus student. Part of Picoult's gift is showing us the subtleties of these common dynamics, and the startling effects they often have on the moral landscape. As Peter's mother says at the end of this spellbinding novel, "Everyone would remember Peter for nineteen minutes of his life, but what about the other nine million?"

Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfork Cross

This novel is based on the life of one of the most fascinating, extraordinary women in Western history--Pope Joan, a controversial figure of historical record who, disguised as a man, rose to rule Christianity in the 9th century as the first and only woman to sit on the throne of St. Peter.

Brilliant and talented, young Joan rebels against the medieval social strictures forbidding women to learn to read and write. When her older brother is killed during a Viking attack, Joan takes up his cloak and identity, goes to the monastery of Fulda, and is initiated into the brotherhood in his place. As Brother John Anglicus, Joan distinguishes herself as a great Christian scholar. Eventually she is drawn to Rome, where she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous web of love, passion, and politics. Triumphing over appalling odds, she finally attains the highest throne in Christendom.

Pope Joan is a sweeping historical drama set against the turbulent events of the 9th century. The novel is a fascinating vivid record of what life was really like during the so-called Dark Ages, as masterwork of suspense and passion that has as its center an unforgettable woman, reminiscent of Jean Auel's Ayla, Jane Austen's Emma, and other heroines who struggle against restrictions their souls will not accept.

September book club

Hey guys. long time no see :(

i'm next on the agenda to host book club so just wanted to be sure everyone wanted to pick this up again for september. i've already got some books in mind, so just give me the go and i'll post them!

the only thing is - i'm teaching dance on monday nights this year. would tuesday or wednesday work for everyone? i was looking at september 22nd and 23rd. Comment back with your conflicts.

hope we can find a time that works for everyone!

July?

I don't know if we ever decided what we were going to do for July so i thought i'd post and see peoples thoughts. I think we all agreed to hold off on a book until August, so is everybody up for doing a dinner again? Maybe monday the 27th so we can get back to the last monday schedule? Post away people.

on a side note, i actually have absolutely nothing to do this weekend which is quite refreshing so if anybody wants to hang out or knows of anything fun goin on give me a call! im up for anything!

Dinner tonight!

Hope everyone's looking forward to tonight! Dinner will be at my place at 7. I live over close to the $ theatre and my address is 4080 River Walk Lane, Birmingham AL 35216. If you have any questions feel free to call me at 205-919-2628.

So far i have the following people providing the following items:

• me - spincach chicken enchiladas
• cory- chips with black bean salsa
• wolfy- dessert
• erin - whatever
• kara - whatever
• amanda - whatever

if you plan on coming and havent responded please let me know so i can make enough food!

also for those of you who arent sure what to bring, you may want to comment on what you're thinking of bringing so everybody doesnt end up bringing the same thing! if someone wants to bring drinks that'd be great.

see you tonight!

~Lauren

June 22

hey guys, so i totally forgot i had agreed to help with a vbs after work that is going on next week. can we have book club the next monday, the 22nd?





and do we want to do a dinner? comment your opinion and if you would like to do a dinner, maybe say what you would be willing to bring.





if yall dont want to do a dinner i can just provide snacks as usual.





cant wait to see you all again!

Oops!

Sorry im just now getting around to posting about the next book club meeting! im not used to taking the initiative unless someone specifically requests me too :)

so they question at hand is to read a book en masse or to just read on our own and get together for fun in june? if we do decide to just meet for food and fellowship i will just delay my book choices until august when we will resume our usual format. we can still meet at my house though in june. i was thinking june 15?

i searched for "thinking" pictures and this came up and made me chuckle.

thoughts. questions. comments - go.

Next Meeting!

The next meeting will be on Monday, the 11th at Laura and Erin's apartment located at 2413 Dolly Ridge Road. The apartment is in the basement of a house so you have to walk around to the back to enter.

See you on Monday at 7:30!

Poodles Rock!

I'm not quite sure if everyone has gotten a chance to vote, but it's been a week and Steinbeck is pretty far in the lead. So way to go Charley! You win.

So since we just had a meeting last week, I'm debating what to do about setting the date for the next one. Should we still aim for the last week of the month? Should we make book club at the beginning of the month? Or should we wait until the end of May? I want to do whatever is best for you girls, so let me know what you think asap.

Can't wait! I'm out to barnes and noble tonight.

MY turn?! Well it's about time.

I thought this day would never come! I already have my three picked out, and I'm pumped about all of them equally. (Lies. I'm actually sort of biased to one, but I won't try to sway you...) It's been decided that my book club choices will have a theme. It's time to read about someone else's travels- since I have no time and no money to travel myself. Here we go...

Book #1:



At a South Korean marketplace, three-year-old Kim Sunée’s mother deposits her on a bench with a fistful of food and a promise to return. Three days later, a policeman takes the little girl and what is now a fistful of crumbs to a police station, where she learns that her mother isn’t coming back. From here, her extraordinary life journey begins.
Adopted by a young New Orleans couple, Kim spends her youth as one of only two Asian children in her entire school and church. At the age of 21, she becomes involved with a famous French businessman, and suddenly finds herself living in France, mistress over his houses and stepmother to his eight-year-old daughter. But despite this glamorous lifestyle, Kim feels like an outsider, and it is in food and cooking that she finds solace and a sense of place. From Korea to New Orleans; from Paris to Provence, Trail of Crumbs is a passionate tale and fascinating memoir about love, food,travel -- and the search for self.

Book #2:



In a heartrending and astonishing novel, Eggers illuminates the history of the civil war in Sudan through the eyes of Valentino Achak Deng, a refugee now living in the United States. We follow his life as he's driven from his home as a boy and walks, with thousands of orphans, to Ethiopia, where he finds safety — for a time. Valentino's travels, truly Biblical in scope, bring him in contact with government soldiers, janjaweed-like militias, liberation rebels, hyenas and lions, disease and starvation — and a string of unexpected romances. Ultimately, Valentino finds safety in Kenya and, just after the millennium, is finally resettled in the United States, from where this novel is narrated. In this book, written with expansive humanity and surprising humor, we come to understand the nature of the conflicts in Sudan, the refugee experience in America, the dreams of the Dinka people, and the challenge one indomitable man faces in a world collapsing around him.

Book #3:



In 1960, at age 58, John Steinbeck set out with his French Poodle, Charley, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years. Together, they crossed America from the nothernmost tip of Maine to California's Monterey peninsula, stopping to smell the grass, to see the lights and to hear the speech of the real America. Steinbeck dined with truckers, encountered bears at Yellowstone, and reflected on the American character, racial hostility, and the unexpected kindness of strangers. Lyrical, perceptive, and surprising, it's an indispensable portrait of our national identity.


So, there you go. Choose wisely. Once we've chosen a book, we'll figure out a date for you to all come to our apartment! Until then...

Tonight...

There's gonna be maybe 5 of us max...but it'll be a nice intimate group. Meet at my house at 7:30. (1054 Lakeview Crescent- 31 N to University/Clairmont- L onto Clairmont - R onto 31st St. - L onto Lakeview Crescent - house is up the hill on the R.) We'll have light snacks, chit chat, and some medical insights as well...should be interesting. See ya then :)

super cheap and cute pj's!

Hey so this pajamas company that is based in birmingham is having this huge sale of their stuff. Short and cami sets and dresses are $10 and long sleeve pant sets are $15. they have tons of cute colors and its only today and tomorrow from 8:30-5. i've already bought a few for future presents! these things normally run for $60-80!!!!!!!!

The sale is located in a barn at the end of Elmer J. Bissell Road. It's richard scrushy's barn so it's not your "typical" barn.

Just thought i'd post in case you guys were interested! sharin the deals!

http://www.uppsee.com/

We will meet...

A week from today. Monday April 6th at 7:30 pm. Mi casa. Sorry to push it back a week... see ya then!

Sidebar

To all interested parties, I do believe I will be in attendence for Mamie's My Monet class next Tuesday night. It'll be from 7-9pm at the Matt Jones Gallery. It's something around 30 dollars (?) and, this particular evening, there will be free wine and vittles. Call 834.1980 to reserve your space if you'd like to join me. And, I think you should.

I'm Lame...

So I uhh...haven't gotten around to reading much this month and I am well...the host, so i feel that it is a rather appropriate endeavor for me to finish the book. Thus I have a proposal. What say ye, group, to doing the whole My Monet thing next Tuesday for a little get together and then pushing back bookclub to a later point next week, say, Thursday the 2nd? Or even the following Monday the 6th? If there is an abundance of disappointment at the thought let me know, but i fear i will be a pitiful host even if i keep my nose in the book all weekend. Let me know. Thanks!

And the Winner Is...

Middlesex! I never thought it would win...and I was afraid that you all would sorta think I was weird for choosing it, but we'll see how things go, eh? Anyhow, get to reading little ones. Let's vote on Monday March 30th or Tuesday March 31st to meet. What say ye?

March Book Choices!

How Soccer Explains the World

The global power of soccer might be a little hard for Americans, living in a country that views the game with the same skepticism used for the metric system and the threat of killer bees, to grasp fully. But in Europe, South America, and elsewhere, soccer is not merely a pastime but often an expression of the social, economic, political, and racial composition of the communities that host both the teams and their throngs of enthusiastic fans. New Republic editor Franklin Foer, a lifelong devotee of soccer dating from his own inept youth playing days to an adulthood of obsessive fandom, examines soccer's role in various cultures as a means of examining the reach of globalization. Foer's approach is long on soccer reportage, providing extensive history and fascinating interviews on the Rangers-Celtic rivalry and the inner workings of AC Milan, and light on direct discussion of issues like world trade and the exportation of Western culture. But by creating such a compelling narrative of soccer around the planet, Foer draws the reader into these sport-mad societies, and subtly provides the explanations he promises in chapters with titles like "How Soccer Explains the New Oligarchs", "How Soccer Explains Islam's Hope", and "How Soccer Explains the Sentimental Hooligan." Foer's own passion for the game gives his book an infectious energy but still pales in comparison to the religious fervor of his subjects. His portraits of legendary hooligans in Serbia and Britain, in particular, make the most die-hard roughneck New York Yankees fan look like a choirboy in comparison. Beyond the thugs, Foer also profiles Nigerian players living in the Ukraine, Iranian women struggling against strict edicts to attend matches, and the parallel worlds of Brazilian soccer and politics from which Pele emerged and returned. Foer posits that globalization has eliminated neither local cultural identities nor violent hatred among fans of rival teams, and it has not washed out local businesses in a sea of corporate wealth nor has it quelled rampant local corruption. Readers with an interest in international economics are sure to like How Soccer Explains the World, but soccer fans will love it. --John Moe

Mountains Beyond Mountains

A documentation of the life of Paul Farmer, "a man who would cure the world".

Tracy Kidder follows Paul Farmer around the world and back trying to understand the strange man who never gave up on his adolescent ideals and never grew up. Through interviews and shared struggles, Kidder starts to understand the complex and brilliant man just as you, the reader starts understanding and sympathizing him as well.

When Paul Farmer was just a student and visited Haiti, he found his life calling there. He traveled sporadically back and forth from Harvard to Haiti to attain his degree but his heart and mind never left. Till this day Paul Farmer keeps his home in Haiti, refusing to give sub-par care to anyone who comes knocking at his door while other doctors keep telling him that it is not "economic" to be giving first class care and medicine to people in poor countries who need it the most.

A heartwarming story of struggle against the odds and the preservation of a single man who would give everything up for the sake of others in need. -Dominic Chu

Middlesex

"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." And so begins Middlesex, the mesmerizing saga of a near-mythic Greek American family and the "roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time." The odd but utterly believable story of Cal Stephanides, and how this 41-year-old hermaphrodite was raised as Calliope, is at the tender heart of this long-awaited second novel from Jeffrey Eugenides, whose elegant and haunting 1993 debut, The Virgin Suicides, remains one of the finest first novels of recent memory.

Eugenides weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative spanning 80 years of a stained family history, from a fateful incestuous union in a small town in early 1920s Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit; from the early days of Ford Motors to the heated 1967 race riots; from the tony suburbs of Grosse Pointe and a confusing, aching adolescent love story to modern-day Berlin. Eugenides's command of the narrative is astonishing. He balances Cal/Callie's shifting voices convincingly, spinning this strange and often unsettling story with intelligence, insight, and generous amounts of humor:

Emotions, in my experience aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret." … I'd like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic traincar constructions like, say, "the happiness that attends disaster." Or: "the disappointment of sleeping with one's fantasy." ... I'd like to have a word for "the sadness inspired by failing restaurants" as well as for "the excitement of getting a room with a minibar." I've never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I've entered my story, I need them more than ever.

When you get to the end of this splendorous book, when you suddenly realize that after hundreds of pages you have only a few more left to turn over, you'll experience a quick pang of regret knowing that your time with Cal is coming to a close, and you may even resist finishing it--putting it aside for an hour or two, or maybe overnight--just so that this wondrous, magical novel might never end. --Brad Thomas Parsons

...so that's what I came up with. I'll take a look at my calendar and figure a good date for us to meet and post in a few days. Get to voting so we can get to reading!!

Book Club Tonight!

from mamie:

Hey Guys,

Book club tonight at 7:30 at my house! We'll have some snacks but might want to eat a light dinner before you come. Probably best for everyone just to mapquest the directions for themselves, but if you want personal directions feel free to call me on my cell at 850-259-5904.

The address is 3530 Redmont Rd., Birmingham AL 35213

See ya later!

February Book!

Looks like the book for February is Same Kind of Different As Me. The meeting will by at my house on Monday, Feb. 23rd at 7:30. I'll post directions closer to time. Get to reading!

-Mamie

Cupcakes and Cards!

So i started thinking how fun it would be to send valentines to all my friends and family to show them how much i truly appreciate them. I made a resolution to write more personal letters this year, so it seems like the perfect time to start! Good ole' martha stewart came through and totally inspired me to host a cupcakes and crafty cards party. I really wanted to make super cute invitations and send them to everyone but time is not on my side and i'll have to settle with this. So, if you're looking to have a fun Sunday afternoon baking some delicious treats, drinking some tea, and flexing the creative side of your brain, stop by my house anywhere from 2-5 on Sunday! Bring your scissors, any special stamps/general craftiness you might have and can share, and your address book. If you have any treats you want to try to bake bring your recipes and any ingredients that i more than likely wont have in my kitchen. I'll even get some cute valentinesy to-go bags so you can surprise some special someones this week with a beautiful personalized card and some sweets to go along with it! Comment and let me know if you think you can stop by!

<3>

4080 River Walk Lane

Birmingham, AL 35216

205-919-2628

From Mamie...

Hey everyone, sorry it took me so long to post. Are Monday’s still good for everyone? I can’t host on a Tuesday or Thursday but would be happy to do it any other day of the week. Just post the most convenient date with your vote.


Tucker offers a cure for modern readers seeking an enjoyable literary page-turner that also explores serious social issues such as addiction, ethics and genetics. Tucker's fourth and most ambitious novel (following Once Upon a Day) is her first to have a male protagonist. Sardonic and emotionally aloof, Matthew Connelly directs his energies away from romantic entanglements and toward his work as an executive at pharmaceutical giant Astor-Denning. His bitter ex-girlfriend, Amelia, works as a medical ethics watchdog and is poised to take Matthew and his company down. But the appearance of homeless 10-year-old Danny and his toddler sister shakes up the lives of the combustible pair. In crisp, lively prose, Tucker cleverly executes a series of surprising twists that, coupled with the Big Pharma backdrop and cinematic feel, make the novel as fast-paced as a thriller, but with astute and often humorous observations about the shifting morality of 21st-century America. The relationship dilemmas at the center of this story make it an excellent choice for book clubs, but the novel should also increase Tucker's male readership and solidify her position as a gifted writer with a wide range and a profound sense of compassion for the mysteries of the human heart.



A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana . . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . . and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster . . . a Texas ranch. Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, this true story also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.



Horan's ambitious first novel is a fictionalization of the life of Mamah Borthwick Cheney, best known as the woman who wrecked Frank Lloyd Wright's first marriage. Despite the title, this is not a romance, but a portrayal of an independent, educated woman at odds with the restrictions of the ear ly 20th century. Frank and Mamah, both married and with children, met when Mamah's husband, Edwin, commissioned Frank to design a house. Their affair became the stuff of headlines when they left their families to live and travel together, going first to Germany, where Mamah found rewarding work doing scholarly translations of Swedish feminist Ellen Key's books. Frank and Mamah eventually settled in Wisconsin, where they were hounded by a scandal-hungry press, with tragic repercussions. Horan puts considerable effort into recreating Frank's vibrant, overwhelming personality, but her primary interest is in Mamah, who pursued her intellectual interests and love for Frank at great personal cost. As is often the case when a life story is novelized, historical fact inconveniently intrudes: Mamah's life is cut short in the most unexpected and violent of ways, leaving the narrative to crawl toward a startlingly quiet conclusion. Nevertheless, this spirited novel brings Mamah the attention she deserves as an intellectual and feminist.

Official Day Change (NO BOOK CLUB TONIGHT. SEE YOU TOMORROW)

Hey Guys! In case you havn't heard, we're changing the book club for this week to tomorrow night instead of tonight. Sorry for the last minute change, but it seems like it will work out better for more people. Other than that, same time, same place. Amanda's house at 7:30. See you then!