Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

We met at Greta's beautifully decorated home for a special Christmas edition of book club that included a wonderful addition- Jessica!  She had barely landed in Dallas before heading to our meeting, and it was so good to see her.

Over Indian food (what else?) we discussed Mindy Kaling's comedic book before retiring to the living room for a book swap and gifts.  Some of the topics we discussed were:

• Comedians are often hit or miss, and some topics will relate better than others depending on the person
• Some preferred her book to Sedaris, but some did not.
• The balance of pursuing a dream with hard work vs. lucky breaks
• The organization (very non-linear) of the book and the embellishment aspect of stories
• The author's various lists

Fun Facts:
Jessica was with us- we have missed her since she moved!  That's worth mentioning twice.
Greta really did her research about this book, the author, and the Office!
Jordan is actually quite good at gift-wrapping.
Nancy mastered wearing a scarf.

The Plague

Translated from Albert Camus' french, I chose this title to commemorate the raging fear that was going on at the time in our own city as Ebola was diagnosed for the first time on US soil right near us.  Things got a little crazy here, but thankfully not as bad as they did for the little city in Camus' novel.

We met at Becky's and enjoyed a meal homemade butternut squash ravioli.  There was a raging fire in the fireplace, and good discussion as always.

We all had a little trouble keeping the many characters straight in our minds

We wondered throughout the book who the narrator might be

The interesting responses of the town preacher in the book as contrasted against the town doctor

We noticed a lack of female presence in the book

I don't think it was anyone's favorite book by far, but it did make us think

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

We met at Emily's house to enjoy a gourmet meal (cooked by her talented caterer husband) and a discussion of our latest read.  We were down in numbers, as Nancy was sick and Elspeth has regretfully informed us of her need to take a hiatus.  But where 2 or more are gathered in the name of Literature, the book discussion (and eating…and drinking of wine…) shall go on.

May I take just a moment to sing the praises of fennel?  The scallops last night were amazing, but for me the hit was the raw apple and fennel salad with some kind of seeds and fabulous vinaigrette on butter lettuce.  Perfection.

Ok, back to the book by Helen Simonson, her first and only published novel (as far as we can tell.)
Some of the topics we discussed were:

• Parent relationships with adult children
• Opinions on race and status and how critical events can prompt changes in these opinions, even if they have been held a very long time
• The symbolism of the Churchill guns
• Inheritance, greed, and how that plays out between generations in the book and in life
• The intense descriptive detail and dialogue of the book

Fun Facts:
A surprise visit from Cody (who's watching the kids?!?)
Emily's advanced timing system on her living room lights
Erin's getting crafty during meetings
Someone was 1 day into her 40's
Stock up on contact solution.  Trust me.  Just do it!

10% Happier

We met at Nancy's house to discuss her book choice 10% Happier by Dan Harris.  We were immediately greeted by the delicious smell of pasta from her kitchen.  Mmmmmm.  Nancy's so good to us.

The six of us gathered around the table, and although we flirted with the idea of taking a "crying" picture to show Jessica how much we missed her we got so wrapped up in discussing the book that we forgot to do it!  We DID miss you, Jessica!

This book led to some great discussion.  Here are some of the highlights:

• We shared our own journeys with interpersonal reflection and delighted in the author's honest, relatable telling of his own journey.
• We noted that ironically self-awareness produces less selfishness and more compassion.
• We discussed the role of silence in self-reflection and receiving insight.
• Greta brought up the various "polarities" the author mentioned, their role in her career, the struggle to balance them,  and also how we might present them to our children.
• "The price of security is insecurity." and the role that played in the author's life.

Fun Facts:
Loved hearing Nancy talk about her new grandson- very sweet!
Also recently added to Nancy's family is a new cat- Bauer.  This briefly renewed the "pets in heaven" discussion which we all know should be avoided like sex and politics.
The entire group counseled Becky about her irrational fear of flying.

The Humans (Plus a Painting Party!)

Erin brought a delicious buffet of foods and all the painting supplies we needed for a special evening of book discussion and painting at Becky's house.  Erin happens to be a talented entrepreneur and has started her own business Painting With Erin.  She has got it going on!  We were so excited to partake in one of her fabulous group painting experiences.

Plus, the book she chose was really unique and fun to discuss.  The Humans by Matt Haig was definitely an interesting read!

Points of Discussion:

• I think we all enjoyed this book, which is rare in our group because we all have such different tastes!
• We liked seeing humans from the perspective of an outsider (alien) and found his observations funny, heart-warming, or heart-breaking in turn.
• Some thought the ending might be too predictable or tidy, yet we were left not knowing a few things.
• We talked about what it really means to be human, and to love.

Fun Facts:
This is not fun- but it was our last meeting with Jessica.  We all care so much for her and have loved having her as part of this group.  We are going to miss you, Jessica!
Also not fun- we missed El at this meeting and hope she is feeling better!
(Good grief, I need to rename this section SAD Facts!)
Painting!  It was relaxing for some, stressful for others, but we were all happy with how our paintings turned out!
Nancy knows how to add the perfect amount of "whimsy."
There were lots of other funny things, but I didn't write them down and then I slept.  I'll make up for the absence by adding lots of great photos!

The Fault In Our Stars

We didn't know it was the last time we'd be gathering at Jessica's house…until her announcement that she is moving this summer!  We are all surprised, and saddened because we love her and the perspective she brings to our group.  Of course, she might rejoin the group in 3-4 years (we are holding her to this) so it might not be good-bye, but until then.

She fed us an amazing pasta dish and spinach salad (recipe below), and allowed us to hold her adorable baby.  We had lots of great discussion about this young adult book by John Green and are allowed to see the upcoming movie if we wish.  (In accordance with Erin, the strictest mother in Canton's, rules regarding seeing movies that are based on books.)

Points of Discussion:

• Most of the group really liked the book and felt it did a great job realistically presenting a difficult situation and all the emotion, complication, and viewpoints involved.
• We contrasted Augustus' desire to make an impact on the world and Hazel's opposite wish.
• The Dutch author part was not appreciated as much as the rest of the book, but we were at least glad that the questions Hazel was asking about her favorite book were never resolved.
• The lack of resolution about Hazel's favorite book mirrored the lack of answers we received about the characters after Augustus' death.
• The characters' illness and the way they dealt with it and thought about it was often moving and enlightening for us as we thought about those we know who face these things or imagined ourselves in their situation.
• We reminded ourselves that this book is directed at a young adult audience which renders some of the passages less fulfilling or less appreciated by us at a different stage of life.

Fun Facts:
Jessica finally got a wine aerator!  Yes!  Now we just need to work on Elspeth...
Dare I?  I'm not sure how to properly document the topics of "monkey rape" and "elephant porn" but they must at least be mentioned.  Briefly.
I'll never forget the tone of Nancy's voice as she turned to Greta and asked, "So….what WERE you thinking?"
Be advised about the dangers of depression and how it can result in spermicidal tendencies.
We are planning the most fun July meeting ever- not only will we discuss Erin's book choice, we will also have a Painting Party hosted by our resident artist extraordinaire!  It's also a farewell party for Jessica :(

Chicken Spinach Pasta
8 oz. uncooked rigatoni
1 TBS olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach thawed
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 (14 oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) container chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozerella

Prepare rigatoni according to package directions.  Meanwhile, spread oil on bottom of 11 by 7 baking dish, add onion in a single layer.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes until tender.  Transfer onion to large bowl and set aside.  Drain shopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels.  Stir rigatoni, spinach, chicken, and next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl.  Spoon mixture into baking dish and sprinkle evenly with cheese.  Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Greta welcomed us into her beautiful new home for our meeting about David Sadaris' book.  Special guest Ava (minus two teeth) rested on the couch upstairs, while we ladies gathered around the massive dining table for bacon wrapped chicken, kale salad, and fruit.

After pouring the wine, Queen Greta seated herself at the head of the table in her royal throne, and the dining commenced.

Points of Discussion:

• Greta chose the book because she wanted to read something hilarious, but we all had different opinions about how funny this book really was.  We do all agree that it's much funnier when read aloud.  Especially when Nancy reads it aloud.
• We discussed what role exaggeration played in his writing, and eventually determined that we all have enough funny personal anecdotes to write a book just like this.
• Some of us felt as if we still didn't really know much about the author after reading the book.  It's as if his stories, although deeply personal, actually revealed little about his true self. "I don't know you, but I get you."
• Erin brought up the date of publication and the interesting context clues that pointed to that time period in his writing.

Fun Facts:
I'm feeling a bit warm…oh no, and now I'm blushing!  And at the dinner table…how embarrassing.
Coming soon on You Tube- Nancy reads David Sedaris.  It'll be an overnight sensation!
Erin does a spot on impersonation of Marisa Tomei
On a tangential note, don't forget that Unitarism is to Christianity as Sufism is to Islam.  There will be a test.

Emily, a local townswoman, is delighted just to sniff the peaches at the Queen's table.

Flowers for Algernon

We gathered at Becky's house to drink discuss a classic book written in the 60's by Daniel Keyes.  It's classified as sci-fi, but really it is so much more than that.  The novel brings up so many deep discussion points about intelligence, relationships, and self-understanding.

Before sitting around (on her new couch) to talk about the book, we enjoyed a "Food and Wine" dinner of Kale Salad and Lemon Shrimp Spaghetti.  Those recipes came from the latest edition of the magazine.  It's about time she did something useful with that subscription.

Points of Discussion:

• We wondered how the concepts in the book would have appeared to an audience in the 60's verses  today.  As Erin said "They weren't printing organs back then."  We imagined it would have seemed even more science fiction-y to them.
• We talked about how Charlie's mom needed him to be a certain way in order to be okay with herself and thought about ways we might do that with our kids in a less dramatic fashion.
• We looked at things from Charlie's sister's perspective, and Elspeth shared some of her own experience growing up with a sibling who has Cerebral Palsy.
• Charlie's perceptions and quality of life changed with his level of intelligence.  Was his intelligence a blessing, a curse, or both?
• It was a mixed reaction from our group regarding whether the ending was deeply sad or not.
• The relationships between Charlie and two women were discussed briefly as we explored how those relationships revealed the emotional immaturity that accompanied his genius.

Fun Facts (Where do I begin??):
Nancy showed up with a new hairstyle that kinda reminded us of someone…

Expect to see Greta giving TED talks any day now, actually we might all be giving TED talks (now that Emily knows what they are), or if that doesn't work out…modeling.  I think what I'm trying to say here is, we're all smart and beautiful.
We want to watch the movie based on this book now, especially since Nancy told us about the hunk that plays Charlie…Cliff Robertson!  Hubba hubba!  And he even won an Oscar for the role.
Greta is now an official salesperson for the "Maisie Dobbs Jewelry" line, and she would never, ever hold a gun to my head.
If she did, I would spank her.

A Blessing on the Moon

I think I figured it out.  Yes, I know what happened.  Elspeth was so anxious about hosting her first book club dinner, that she deliberately chose the strangest book on earth in order to distract us from noticing the details of how clean her house was or how tasty dinner was.  She thought the craziness of the book would enthrall us so thoroughly and completely dominate our conversation and attention…and she almost pulled it off.  But her house was too darn cute and her meal was too deliciously amazing to remain in the shadows.  Foiled!  Nice try, El, nice try.

Now I must admit something embarrassing right now before I go on.  I had a major fail as group photographer last night.  I took pictures of some great things, including El's adorable new bulldog, wine, and one of the most perfectly cooked steaks I've ever eaten.  But there was no memory card in my camera.  I'm shaking my head in shame.  That's a rookie mistake, and I'm no rookie.  The truth is I've never done that before…ever!  I can't believe it happened last night.  Sorry everyone!

With that out of the way, let's move on to the Points of Discussion:

• The wandering of the dead Jews reminded us of the 40 years in the desert and of purgatory.
• We discussed the moon and fables and how this moon had become damaged because of the horrors in the world.
• A deep philosophical discussion came about regarding why bad things happen- the role God has in it, and the various ways people approach that question.
• The relationship between Chaim and Ola was disturbing to us all.  
• The hotel raised many questions for us and we wondered if Chaim was really dead at some points.  We also saw the symbolism in this experience related to how the Germans treated the Jews in real life.
• We all agreed we had never read a book like this and briefly discussed the criticism the author received for writing about the Holocaust in this way.

Fun Facts:
Dead sex disturbs Greta.
We were down 2 members: Erin, Jessica- we missed you!
El's husband Phil, in honor of the Biblical account of Jesus turning water into wine, served the best wine last.
Nancy was blingin' all over the place!  You go, girl!
Becky isn't allowed to talk to Greta's children or Nancy's grandchildren about animals and Heaven.

Redfield Farm

We met at Emily's lovely new home, and for the first time in a couple of months every member was present!  We feasted on a delicious Mediterranean inspired meal of lamb meatballs, cucumber salad, and roasted cauliflower.  We discussed Redfield Farm by Judith Coopey.  But the focus of our evening just might have been…

BABIES!  Babies, precious babies, everywhere!

Two beautiful babies made their book club debut.  We enjoyed passing them around, cuddling them, rocking them, and sniffing them (is there anything better than that newborn baby scent?)  Jessica and Emily- thank you for sharing your babies with us!

Points of Discussion about Redfield Farm:

• There were cases throughout the book of underdeveloped characters and unbelievable plot lines.  Some called the book predictable.  Nancy saw the characters as "composites" that the author put in to cover her bases in representing each "type" of person.
• We did enjoy the historical aspect of the novel.  Learning more about the Quakers and the Underground Railroad was interesting.
• We discussed making decisions for the greater good, and Ann's inner conflict between kindness and irritation toward Pru.  Those emotions and motivations were actually conveyed well in the story.
• The importance of family was a theme throughout the book.  Those who were separated from family didn't fare well as community seemed necessary for survival.
• We explored Ann's decision regarding her baby and how we did or did not relate to that.

Fun Facts:

This was Erin's first book to read on a Kindle…ever.

Did I mention there were babies all over the place?

Maisie Dobbs continued to be ridiculed and defended…it will never end.

Greta had an interesting conversation on the train because of reading Redfield Farm.

Emily made the most delicious walnut orange cake.  The recipe is here.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Is it me, or does Nancy seem to choose books with extra long titles?  We are all glad a friend of hers recommended she pick up this book by Rachel Joyce because it was a unique read that leant itself well to discussion.  After feasting on chicken paprikish, green veggies flavored by a homegrown lemon, and grape salad, we retired to the living room to get comfy.  I called Elspeth and put her on speaker phone so she could join the discussion.  She and Emily hated to miss (again) but they both had good reasons.  Emily was traveling to see family, and El is nursing her husband back to health after a terrible fall.

Emily is hosting next month, so she's guaranteed to be present.

Without further ado, here are the points of interest from this latest novel:

• We agreed that the book was emotionally heavy, even difficult to read at times, as we watched the characters journey through painful life events and relationships.  The physical journey for Harold mirrored and complemented his inner journey.
• Many of us did not care for the section of the book involving all the copy cat walkers.
• Elspeth pointed out the uniquely British characteristics of the book and its characters in an enlightening way because of her own British background.
• We talked about the universality of pain in people's lives and how Harold accidentally used therapeutic silence as he listened to and accepted the people he met on his journey.
• We discussed Queenie's role as friend and corrective experience for his mother's faults, and why he would feel so strongly the need to walk to her.
• We referred to the beautifully illustrated map in Erin's book and talked about our lack of understanding about the length and direction of his journey at times because of our unfamiliarity with England.

Fun Facts:
Jessica told us about the book Making the Terrible Twos Terrific which Nancy promptly declared fiction.
Greta warned against tailgating on others' existential crises.
Jessica opened a few gifts...next time we see her, she will have a baby girl!  (and we will finally know that baby girl's name.)
We shared our fun/secret ways of communicating with our husbands (Atta way to go...Rambo!  The Bobo finger for you!)
And Greta thought Becky smelled really good. (probably because they wear the same perfume.)