Preparing for 2009 book discussion group

The book for our next book discussion is "Keeping the House" by Ellen Baker. It is the story of two women who move to a small logging town in Wisconsin as brides and their adjustment to marriage and life. Wilma moves into town in the last 19th century and Dolly moves into town with her World War II veteran husband in 1950. The novel jumps back and forth in time; weaving these two family stories together upon the loom of the large Victorian house. I am looking forward to the discussion on Monday, January 26th at 7 pm. Join us for a warm cup of tea and conversation.

Facing the Past

Maisie Dobbs and her new partner, Billy Beale, are searching for a missing daughter of a successful business man. During their investigation curious murders of young female friends occur. Maisie is sure there is a common connection between these friends' murders and she is racing against time to discover this before her client's daughter is killed. What is the fatal secret these friends shared? Can this tied to the war, as many of the problems faced by returning veterans are? Her teacher, Maurice, has prepared her for her work as a private detective, and he taught her how to use her intuitive nature to help her solve her cases. Interesting reflection on her thought processes.

Living with Shame

I couldn't put down my latest read, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. An examination of a mother-daughter relationship forged during the horrors of Germany during the days of World War II, this is a unique picture of the Holocaust. Jenna Blum examines the world of the lives of the German citizens during the war for her first novel. The author's experience of working for Steven Spielberg's Shoal Foundation for four years interviewing Holocaust survivors is mirrored in the work of the daughter, Trudy, trying to understand her mother's life during the war in Germany. Her mother, Anna, survives the war in Germany but pays a heavy price, doing anything to save her daughter's life. Recommended for Reading Groups.

England before World War II

I have been reading this excellent book, Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie is a private investigator with an uncany ability to perceive more than the average PI. She opens her own business in London ten years after the end of World War I. Coming from a lower class family she is befriended by Lady Rowan because of her unusual intelligence. Part of the story is a flashback which provides the reader with a fuller understanding of the character. This story is written so well that I had trouble believing it was not a true story. It the first of a new series with Maisie as the lead character. Enjoy

A Good Spy novel

Finding this novel on the shelf was a serendipitous moment. Since I like to read Alan Furst, the modern novelist who writes about World War II Europe, I checked into Eric Ambler, one of the best novelist of World War II who wrote during the war. A prolific writer from England, he was well traveled. He wrote this book, Journey Into Fear in the winter of 1939 at the age of thirty. In Jouney into Fear, an engineer gets caught up in espionage, but is not a professional. His experience as a screenwriter helped with this novel, as I could see the story being a good one for a film. And it was made into a film in 1943 with Joseph Cotton.

Ghost Story

I read Spirit Lost by Nancy Thayer, a ghost story that takes place on Nantucket. Nantucket is Nancy Thayer's hometown and she places many of her novels here in familiar territory. This ghost story isn't based on fact, but I would guess that Nantucket would have its share of ghost stories and haunted houses. The story was fast-paced, with suspense. Characters are interesting and very believable. I especially liked to read about a couple who were committed to their marriage and to the growth of each partner. This is their story of how they take a risk, putting everything out there, for the sake of a dream life, choosing art above material wealth, testing their love and their courage.

Beach Read

After reading so many references to this great "beach read", Moon Shell Beach by Nancy Thayer, I just had to see for myself if it was everything I expected in a "beach read". Since I finished it in one day, I would say there was easy-to-read fast-paced flow to the story. The two characters of the novel were childhood friends who have resided on Nantucket, and this is the story of their relationship through marriages and affairs of each. Check this one out if you like a lot of story with little description. Enjoyable, but not as light and carefree as many chick-lit novels are. Serious issues are discussed with a happy ending, which makes it technically a romance. Other novels by Nancy Thayer of late are the "Hot Flash" series of books that begins with The Hot Flash Club.

Historical view of India in 1947

I have just finished reading Indian Summer: The Secret history of the End of an Empire by historian Alex Von Tunzelmann. From the inside flap of the book comes this quote, "An extraordinary saga of romance, history, religion, and political intrique." "At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, one of the twentieth century's defining moments came as the sovereign nations of India and Pakistan were born, and 400 million people gained independence." This grabbed my attention and sparked an interest. I know very little about world politics and here was a history book that promised romance and mystery. Since I had often read biographies, this proved to be interesting and it was mostly the story of Lord Louis Mountbatten and his wife Edwina and their unusual relationships with Jawaharlal Nehru and Ghandi. Almost twenty pages of notes at the end gave evidence of where the author found her information. I especially gained new insights into the Muslim cause, as Pakistan was the created to support the Muslim League in India. Recommended for the historical beginnings of Britain in India.

The Big Read for 2009

The Big Read title has been announced: Nighteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. The vote was taken through the Dayton Daily News website, and the winner is a current fiction title by a very popular author. Now the committee hopes that it will be able to arrange an author visit.
The Big Read"

Sense and Sensibility

Our next book discussion at the Tipp City Public Library will be Monday July 28th at 7 pm. Second in our discussion of Jane Austen's novels will be Sense and Sensibility. A tale of two sisters in regency England who have their hearts set on affection of certain beaux who are very attentive and then the magic is lost and these two sisters deal with the disappointments in different ways as to their own personalities. Marianne is open with her feeling, very emotional and high strung. Her older sister is much more sensible, even if she is broken-hearted, she hides it well. Always a little humor is found in Jane Austen, the opening lines follow the brother as he contemplates how to look after his step sisters and step mother after the death of his father. In appearing to be generous he is soon talked out of his original benevolence as his wife uses her influence to keep the money to herself. Another form of the humor is found in the ridiculous manners of the well-meaning friends in their new neighborhood.

Who reads Jodi Picoult?

Jodi Picoult is an author who has a broad appeal. Every time a patron comes in looking for a Jodi Picoult book, I go over to the shelf and find it practically empty of all her books. I am reading Nineteen Minutes, and in depth study of the effect of a school shooting on a community where everyone knows everyone else. Picoult takes us into the mind of the shooter, his family, his friends, and the friends of his victims. It is a deep book about a sensitive subject, one that is a growing concern in our American culture. How can we stop this from happening again? Does the media coverage aid or encourage repeat crimes of a copycat nature? Will reading this book help us to help others before it happens again? What effect does bullying have on young people? Am I reading this for understanding, or curiosity?

Our Country's Birthday

Our fourth of July three-day weekend has turned brighter now that it is Sunday. After all that rain on Friday, we have been lucky since then. Good time to sit and read, after all the weeding and mowing gets done. I found a good substitute waiting for my Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich. I have read my first Dorothes Benton Frank novel, starting with The Land of Mango Sunsets. If I can't get to the beach, the next best thing is to read about it. The story jumps between New York City and Sullivan Island, South Carolina. Funny, wise and wonderful describe this light-hearted story of a woman scorned, and her decision to renew her life one sandy footprint at a time. There is family healing, plenty of laughs, and even a loud-mouthed parrot who lightens things up. Of course there is drama, but it gets resolved in the end. A feel good read for a summer day on the porch.

What is responsible for our happiness?

Eric Weiner has written a fun and curious book about how happy people are in various places around the globe. He isn't too terribly happy himself, I'd call him a curmudgeon. But he decides to search the world and find what makes other people happy. I like to read all his little observations and quotes. Here's one for me: "better to go barefoot than without a book,'an Icelandic saying that I can wrap myself around. Check out The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places on Earth.

Sense and Sensibility

Our Adult book discussion of the Jane Austen's novels got off to a great start with the guest appearance of Carrie Bebris, a representative of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Carrie is the author of the Jane Austen mysteries beginning with Pride and Prescience or a Truth Universally Acknowledged: a Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery. She was able to add so much to the discussion and the enjoyment of Jane Austen's Emma. Her newest novel will come out in September, featuring Highbury and the setting of Emma titled The Matters at Mansfield Or, The Crawford Affair). Carrie pointed out that the village of Highbury is as much a character in Emma as Mr. Knightley or Emma. I am looking forward to my summer in Jane Austen's world. Our discussion of Sense and Sensibility will be on the fourth Monday evening of July, the 28th at 7 pm.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Mortenson's book about his mission to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan was very inspiring. It is humbling to see the actions of one man and how he has motivated others to join him in his mission to sponsor the building of schools in a remote area of the world where there is no support for schools. The parents and the religious leaders desire that the children are educated, but it takes a former mountain climber from America to bring their vision and hopes into being. The book relates how Mortenson overcomes one obstacle after another, even to the point of being kidnapped. This is a must read for people interested in the Middle East and how smaller communities function there.

Fearless Fourteen

Janet Evanovich's latest novel will be release on June 17th, just in time for those beach or backyard vacations. Her novels are fast, plot-driven, hiliarious farces that always have a long waiting list for her library fans. Library holdings are usually increased by all the donations of copies that patrons just had to purchase because they couldn't be patient enough to wait, okay I confess, I usually have to buy my copy as soon as it hits the stores. .

Jane Austen Book Club

New for the summer of 2008, the adult book discussion group at the Tipp City Library has decided to start a Jane Austen book club, following the order of the novels in The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, beginning with Emma. Sign up will be encouraged to help prepare us for a larger than usual crowd, especially if we want to serve refreshments. Early on in the group's history we decided to read young adult novels over the summer months, encouraged by idea of reading banned books. One of our earliest readings was The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Perhaps there will be more interest in Jane Austen sparked by the run of Jane Austen movies on Masterpiece Theater last winter and the release of the movie of Fowler's novel.

Funny in Farsi

Firoozeh Dumas was in Dayton last night for the Big Read event. Her talk was focused on the acceptance of Middle Easterners after 9/11. She made a point that publishers were a little leary of Middle Eastern humor. I especially like her story of how she got published, and the perserverance that it required. She was an excellent speaker and a good will ambassador for Iranian Americans. I am glad I didn't miss this opportunity to hear her. I want to thank Sharon Roth of Books and Company for her part in bringing Dumas to Dayton.

Agatha Christie mystery

I just finished Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie.
I can always get into an Agatha Christie novel easily. I wonder what makes her style so easily read. I must have started reading her books in my early teens, after I saw the movie, Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians with Hugh O'Brian and Fabian, made in 1965. Funny, I still like to do it that way instead of seeing the movie after the book. I think it is because if I really like a movie then I want to get the rest of the story. And I was disappointed with the movie Gone With the Wind after I had read the book more than once. Does anybody do that, enjoy a book so much, that you will sit right down and start reading the book again? Last summer I was reading High Tide for Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver, and immediately I started all over again at the beginning, then I had to go out and buy the book, and get a copy for my sister. Most books I buy I have already read once. Speaking of Barbara Kingsolver, I am still reading Animal Vegetable Miracle for our book discussion group April 28th. Makes me anxious for our Farmer's market to open up. Here is a link to the Tipp City's farmers markets and their dates of operation.
Tipp City Farmer's Market"
My goal this growing season is to buy more local and cook from scratch more often. I am going to keep track of what I spend on local produce and consider joining CSA,Community Supported Agriculture (And Other Farm Subscriptions)next year.

Forward From Here

Reeve Lindbergh has written a new book, this time about leaving middle age. I can certainly relate to that. I am anxious to read this book by this excellent author. She has a special way of saying things just the right way. This morning I read an excellent book to residents of a nursing home by her. It was called My Little Grandmother Often Forgets. I am always amazed when people with slight dementia can still see the humor in books that I bring, and I am glad that I can get some smiles and laughs from them. Reeve Lindbergh knew what it was to live with her mother as her mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, got dementia. Reeve has written beautifully if not painfully about that time of her mother's life. I am looking forward to reading Forward From Here leaving Middle Age and Other Unexpected Adventures.

The Big Read

The Big Read for the Dayton area is Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas. The event will be May 2nd. at the Dayton Masonic Center. We are pleased to announce that we have the author making a visit, with food and entertainment. Hope to see you there.

The Headhunters by Peter Lovesey

Just read the newest mystery novel by Peter Lovesey. Guess it could be called a page-turned because I finished it in 24 hours. I do like a good mystery. The plot got pretty twisted, with some red herrings, and good suspense towards the end. I don't normally read modern British novels so I was surprised at uniqueness of the story setting and characters. Lovesey has received many awards for his writing and I am glad that I know a bit more about his writing.

Get Caught Reading

Must post some pictures of people reading!

Animal Vegetable Miracle

I started the new book for our book discussion. Barbara Kingsolver is an author of fiction and nonfiction. This is a nonfiction book about leaving her home in Arizona to come east and live off the land with her family. Her husband had rented his family farm in Appalachia while they had lived in both locations for many years. They would spend the summer in the East and head back to Arizona for their daughters' schooling. A three year drought helped this family make this decision to move east where the rain will help grow their crops. As a biology scientist, Kingsolver is heavy into conservation and environmental issues. She calls herself a political writer, and with global warming becoming an even greater problem by the minute, this is an important book.