Guidelines

Your book club committee met to discuss some of the concerns going on and we thought it would be a good idea to bring back the "Guidelines" that were in place (with some updates) once upon a time. Following these guidelines will help to keep our meetings on track and allow us to have more fun together. Here they are:

• Be considerate and respectful during discussions. Debate and disagreement is normal (after all, we're not all going to like every book every month), but we need to be tactful and mindful of others feelings.
• You should have read the book in order to participate in the discussion. You're welcome to attend the meeting and connect with friends if you haven't read the book, but during the discussion, you are an observer, not a participant.
• Please don't monopolize the discussion. Give everyone a chance to speak.
• It helps to come prepared to the meeting with a question about the book in mind.
• Invite friends!! This book club is not affiliated with any group or church. Everyone is welcome.

December Book Selections!

These Christmas themed books come from Tami...

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

We weren't wealthy, we weren't poor -- we just were. We never wanted for anything, except maybe more time together....When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. Although his life had gotten harder -- and money tighter -- since his father died and the family bakery closed...Eddie dreamed that some how his mother would find a way to have his dream bike gleaming beside their modest Christmas tree that magical morning. What he got from her instead was a sweater. "A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater" that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room. Scarred deeply by the realization that kids don't always get what they want, and too young to understand that he already owned life's most valuable treasures, that Christmas morning was the beginning of Eddie's dark and painful journey on the road to manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family -- and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell -- to help Eddie find his path through the storm clouds of life and finally see the real significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted by hand with love in her heart. Based on a deeply personal true story,The Christmas Sweater is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith and forgiveness that offers us a glimpse of our own lives -- while also making us question if we really know what's most important in them.

Hardcover, Publication Date 11/2008, 284 pages

The Last Noel by Michael Malone

Noni, a white woman, and Kaye, an African-American man, are born on Christmas Day, 1955. Just before their eighth birthday, they meet. On 12 different Christmas Days, we watch them as they reunite. Like a ballet duet, their comings and goings draw our attention and sympathy.

Paperback, Publication Date 11/2002, 304 pages

The Christmas Clock, by Kat Martin

Sylvia Winters just found a job and an apartment in her hometown of Dreyerville, Michigan, but she is hesitant to return. Eight years ago, she jilted her fiancé, Joe Dixon, telling him that she was moving to Chicago because small-town living was not for her. But she was lying. Syl was headed to Chicago to be treated for cervical cancer. Sadly, Joe never knew the real reason she left him. Confused and distraught, he turned to drinking to heal the pain, until he accidentally killed a man and served years in jail. Now Syl and Joe are both back in town, but it will take a miracle to bring them back into each other’s arms.Also in town is Lottie Sparks and her grandson, Teddy. Ever since Lottie’s daughter was killed in a drunk-driving accident, Lottie’s been in charge of Teddy. He appreciates her love more than she knows, so much so that the industrious eight-year-old hits up Joe’s auto body shop, so he can save enough money by Christmas to buy his grandmother a Victorian clock she adores—one that vividly reminds her of her childhood, even as the rest of her memories are slipping away with the onset of advanced Alzheimer’s.As spring turns to summer and summer to fall, matters in the Sparks’ household take a turn for the worse. And with winter approaching, will a little hope and a big dose of Christmas magic be enough to make everything all right again?

Hardcover, Publication Date 10/2009, 160 pages

I've recently added a few links to the right that may be useful in your decision making. You can use the library link to check on how many copies are available in the system, how long the hold list is, and place a hold for yourself. There are also links to online bookstores selling both new and used books, both at reduced prices. If you choose to purchase a book, consider going in on it with another book club friend.

Comments welcome! Remember you can use the comments section of this blog to help each other. If you find a good price on the book somewhere... post it! If you discover that the hold list is 100 people long... post it! The more information we have about the books, the better choice we will make in our selection.

You have through October 23rd to vote!

The Time Traveler's Wife

Several ladies met at Betty Jo's to discuss The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Well, it was an interesting discussion, and many didn't exactly enjoy the book, given some of the language. But it's about connecting after all. Speaking of which...

Let's see, our purpose says "The 3rd Thursday Book Club was started to connect women of all ages, to stir emotion, to generate friendships and eat really good food."

Connect women of all ages - Check
Stir emotion - Double Check
Generate Friendships - Check (We have seen some new faces lately.)
Eat Really Good Food - Check! (Thanks Betty Jo!)

The descriptive words were:
Twisted
Disgusting
Bizarre
Interesting
Cynical
Creative
Confusing
Chaotic

And the average rating was 4.1

October meeting

We'll be meeting for dessert at Betty Jo's place this Thursday, October 15th at 7:00pm. The book we'll be discussing is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

If you need Betty Jo's address or directions, please email me.