2006
September-'Pride and Prejudice'- Jane Austen
October-'The Picture of Dorian Grey'- Oscar Wilde
November-'Rebecca'-Daphne DuMaurier
December- 'Tom Jones'- Henry Fielding
2007
January- 'Gone with the Wind'-Margaret Mitchell
February- 'Turn of the Screw'- Henry James
March-'Scarlett Pimpernel'-Baroness Orczy
April-'Gulliver's Travels'-Jonathan Swift
May-
June- 'Jane Eyre'-Charlotte Bronte
July-'My Family and Other Animals'-Gerald Durrell
August-'Birds, Beasts and Relatives', 'Garden of the Gods'-Gerald Durrell
September- 'Emma'-Jane Austen
October-'The Moonstone'-Wilkie Collins
November-'The Rice Mother'-Rani Manicka
December-'A Christmas Carol'-Charles Dickens
2008
January-'Anne of Green Gables'-Lucy Maud Montgomery
February-'The Dwelling Place'-Catherine Cookson
March-'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'-Victor Hugo
April-'To Kill a Mockingbird'-Harper Lee
May-Reading Circle
June-'Watership Down'-Richard Adams
July-'Mamma Mia', the movie
August-'All Creatures Great and Small'-James Herriot
September-'Persuasion'-Jane Austen
October-'The Secret Life of Bees'-Sue Monk Kidd
November-'Clan of the Cave Bear'-Jean Auel
December-'Pillars of the Earth'-Ken Follett
2009
January-'Bootjack Mary, Ahead of her Time'-Bonnie Brantom Stevenson
February-'The Burning Shore'- Wilbur Smith
March- 'Les Miserables'- Victor Hugo
April-'My Sister's Keeper'- Jodi Picoult
May- 'Angels and Demons'- Dan Brown
June-'Water for Elephants'-Sarah Gruen
July- 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'- Khaled Hosseini
August- 'Tuesdays with Morrie'- (watched at the Imperial)-Mitch Albom
September- 'Sense and Sensibility'- Jane Austen
October- 'The Crucible'- Arthur Miller
November-'Mariana'-Susanna Kearsley
December-The Wife's Tale- Lori Lansens
2010
January-Peyton Place- Grace Metalious-
February- For Whom the Bell Tolls- Ernest Hemingway
March- Bridget Jones Diary (this book will be like those little bowls of coffee beans in a perfume store, to clear our senses before diving into...)
April- Roots
May- book circle at the new Book Keeper.
June-The Count of Monte Cristo' on Carol's back patio, which had recently been beautified for her daughter's wedding.
July was "Too Close to the Falls".
August saw us on my patio eating and drinking tea party fare, and discussing "Alice in Wonderland".
September- Jane led us in a discussion of "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
This was our 5th Anniversary, clap clap, Leo treated us to a bottle of wine if I remember correctly and Susan at the Book Keeper sent along a gift basket.
October- "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" We watched Laurie's copy of the movie at Nicole's. Laurie was mobile enough to join us and Alanna(Catherine's new daughter-in-law)(great boots) joined us as well..
November-Alanna led the discussion of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott at John's Restaurant.
December-we discussed Kate Morton's "The Forgotten Garden". A nice evening was had by all at Lola's in December as well.
2011
January- was "The Secret Daughter" -Laurie/ Susan
Somewhere in there, Coffee Lodge Finch hosted a book signing by the ladies who wrote the book "Reading between the Wines". Thanks to all who attended and supported the evening. I found them very interesting. Their ideas about travelling together were inspirational.
February- "Annabel" by Kathleen Winter. -Carol
March- Rupert Penry Jones as John Hannay in "The 39 Steps" by John Buchan. Book discussion and movie.-Susan
April- "Room" by Emma Donahue-Laurie
May- book circle at the Book Keeper for the second year.
June-"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins at Paddy's-Alanna
July-" A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving-Carol
August- "Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford-Laurie
September- " The Help"- Catherine/Alanna
October- "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger-Susan
November- "The Good Daughter" ?? not sure about this one.
December- " The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay
2012
January- "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich (Went over the river see the movie with Katherine Heigl.
February- "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer at the Exmouth St. Coffee Lodge
March- "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Welcome Summer
Hi all,
Just a reminder that we are meeting at The Book Keeper on Wednesday, May 18th at 7.00pm. The book to be read was Uncle Tom's Cabin. If anyone actually read it, they can tell us all about it. This just goes to show that the person suggesting the book should read it first, before suggesting it. That way they won't be inflicting torture on the rest of the group should the book be awful.......So bring a book to talk about, or we can just relax, drink Susan Chamberlain's wonderful Coffee Lodge coffee and chat about books......Susan said in an email,"I will open the store just for you and will be here if you need my 2 cents, or a coffee or whatever."
Here is the website Laurie was talking about to make your own photobooks.
http://www.blurb.com/
See you on Wednesday.
Susan
Just a reminder that we are meeting at The Book Keeper on Wednesday, May 18th at 7.00pm. The book to be read was Uncle Tom's Cabin. If anyone actually read it, they can tell us all about it. This just goes to show that the person suggesting the book should read it first, before suggesting it. That way they won't be inflicting torture on the rest of the group should the book be awful.......So bring a book to talk about, or we can just relax, drink Susan Chamberlain's wonderful Coffee Lodge coffee and chat about books......Susan said in an email,"I will open the store just for you and will be here if you need my 2 cents, or a coffee or whatever."
Here is the website Laurie was talking about to make your own photobooks.
http://www.blurb.com/
See you on Wednesday.
Susan
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day
*
*
Hello everyone, it's been a while, last June, since anything was written here. I had hoped the Facebook page would replace this, as it is more convenient but it hasn't been of much use.
Here is a recap-
You ladies did a book circle at the new Book Keeper in May '10 while I was in Jamaica. That went really well. Perhaps we should do it again?.......In June we discussed 'The Count of Monte Cristo' on Carol's back patio, which had recently been beautified for her daughter's wedding. .......July was "Too Close to the Falls". I have absolutely no recollection of where we met for this one. Help.......August saw us on my patio eating and drinking tea party fare, and discussing "Alice in Wonderland". ......In September Jane led us in a discussion of "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This was our 5th Anniversary, clap clap, Leo treated us to a bottle of wine if I remember correctly and Susan at the Book Keeper sent along a gift basket...... "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was read in October. We watched Laurie's copy of the movie at Nicole's. Laurie was mobile enough to join us and Alanna(Catherine's new daughter-in-law)(great boots) joined us as well.......Alanna led the discussion of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott at John's Restaurant in November and we discussed Kate Morton's "The Forgotten Garden" in December. A nice evening was had by all at Limbo's in December as well......January '11 was "The Secret Daughter" , Janes friend Jan and Laurie's new job.
Somewhere in there, Coffee Lodge Finch hosted a book signing by the ladies who wrote the book "Reading between the Wines". Thanks to all who attended and supported the evening. I found them very interesting. Their ideas about travelling together were inspirational and will hopefully give Nicole and myself some great incentive for our May trip. For those of you who haven't read this book, the book club members who are along for the ride, are referred to as 'hostages'. FYI.
So this month, February, we will be discussing "Annabel" by Kathleen Winter. At John's, dinner at 6, discussion at 7. Instead of "Reading Between the Wines", any book we would put together would have to be called, Reading Between the Bites (or chewing)
March will see us at my house for pizza and "The 39 Steps". We'll discuss the book and watch Rupert Penry Jones do his thing as John Hannay.
So ladies, feel free to comment, fill in any blanks and correct any boo boos. See you on Tuesday, not Monday, that's Valentine's Day. Have a good one.
*
Hello everyone, it's been a while, last June, since anything was written here. I had hoped the Facebook page would replace this, as it is more convenient but it hasn't been of much use.
Here is a recap-
You ladies did a book circle at the new Book Keeper in May '10 while I was in Jamaica. That went really well. Perhaps we should do it again?.......In June we discussed 'The Count of Monte Cristo' on Carol's back patio, which had recently been beautified for her daughter's wedding. .......July was "Too Close to the Falls". I have absolutely no recollection of where we met for this one. Help.......August saw us on my patio eating and drinking tea party fare, and discussing "Alice in Wonderland". ......In September Jane led us in a discussion of "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This was our 5th Anniversary, clap clap, Leo treated us to a bottle of wine if I remember correctly and Susan at the Book Keeper sent along a gift basket...... "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was read in October. We watched Laurie's copy of the movie at Nicole's. Laurie was mobile enough to join us and Alanna(Catherine's new daughter-in-law)(great boots) joined us as well.......Alanna led the discussion of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott at John's Restaurant in November and we discussed Kate Morton's "The Forgotten Garden" in December. A nice evening was had by all at Limbo's in December as well......January '11 was "The Secret Daughter" , Janes friend Jan and Laurie's new job.
Somewhere in there, Coffee Lodge Finch hosted a book signing by the ladies who wrote the book "Reading between the Wines". Thanks to all who attended and supported the evening. I found them very interesting. Their ideas about travelling together were inspirational and will hopefully give Nicole and myself some great incentive for our May trip. For those of you who haven't read this book, the book club members who are along for the ride, are referred to as 'hostages'. FYI.
So this month, February, we will be discussing "Annabel" by Kathleen Winter. At John's, dinner at 6, discussion at 7. Instead of "Reading Between the Wines", any book we would put together would have to be called, Reading Between the Bites (or chewing)
March will see us at my house for pizza and "The 39 Steps". We'll discuss the book and watch Rupert Penry Jones do his thing as John Hannay.
So ladies, feel free to comment, fill in any blanks and correct any boo boos. See you on Tuesday, not Monday, that's Valentine's Day. Have a good one.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Why you should resist the lure of book clubs.
*
Below is an article by Adam Sternbergh from the Reader's Digest. I think he's an ass but some of his points are interesting. There is a place online to debate the pros and cons of book clubs, I found a wonderful rebuttal from a lady that you would really like. It is copied at the end of this article......Enjoy....-S-
Reading is arguably the second most intimate human activity, and, as with the first most intimate human activity, there are people who will try to convince you it's better done in groups. These groups are called book clubs. I am in one. Maybe you are too. If so,here's why we've both made a terrible mistake.
In theory, there's much to recommend book clubs. They encourage reading. They enrich authors who, as you may have heard, are not particulary in the business of being enriched these days. They spur socializing, usually face to face-another valuable and endangered activity. The public book club- most notably, Oprah's or CBC's Canada Reads- has become an essential economic engine for the publishing industry. And the book club remains appealing to anyone who,like me, romanticizes long arguments over sonnets in smoky coffee houses. So it's not surprsing that our collective interest in book clubs is growing, even as our interest in reading shrinks.
As I mentioned, I am in a book club. It has four other members, all of whom I respect and who represent a spectrum of literary tastes. Our selections have ranged from 'Thomas Bernhard's 'The Loser' to Martin Amis's 'Money' to Peter Benchley's 'Jaws'. And like every book club, we do our book-club thing. We shuffle our schedules, We gather. We drink wine. We eat cheese. And we talk about the chosen book for a few obligatory minutes before we move on to the part of the club I think most of us really look forward to - which is not talking about the book.
You might contend that your club is different, that it has unsealed your eyes to new and exotic authors, and that you have great Risling-fuelled, soul-enriching debates that linger long into the night. That may be so. I don't doubt or begrudge you. But I should suggest that this fascination with book clubs-forming them, joining them, even chronicling them- is both antithetical to the enjoyment of reading and perfectly in keeping with our modern conviction that nothing is worth doing if it isn't immediately shared. Maybe it's posting photos of the family vacation on Facebook, or "tweeting" the details of your morning latte, or uploading a video of your wedding boogie to You Tube.
Now, I love a good wedding boogie,. But to suggest that the experienc of reading 'The House of Mirth" (a recent, well-received selection by my own book club) is intrinsically enhanced by subsequently talking about reading 'The House of Mirth" is to inply that reading 'The House of Mirth' is an experience that can be, and needs to be, enhanced. And I think most anyone who's ever read a book and loved it understands that's simply not true. If you read 'Moby Dick' while sailing the world alone, you would not enjoy it more.
Which brings us back to the intimacy of reading. Consider something even as silly and modest as this article: I'm in your head right now. You have graciously allowed me to slip inside the private sphere of your consciousness, if only for a few minutes. This is very different from how we experience any other kind of art: No matter how much you enjoy a painting or revel in a a symphony, there's not a sense that the painter has hijacked your eyes or the composer has hijacked your ears.
The writer, though, hijacks your thoughts. ('Hello,Hello! I'm making you say that right now.) The experience of reading so closely mimics the process of consciousness that it attains a unique level of artistic intimacy. Great art permeates the barrier of consciousness; reading obliterates it. It literally happens inside you. How's that for intimaty?
So if reading-in this sense of pleasurable invasion- is a sexual experience, then the book club is the equivalent of a locker room. It's the place where we gather to swap and compare notes after the fact, clumsily recounting the deed in a way that can't help but undermine and cheapen the very experience we've gathered to celebrate. Sure, it can be a fun way to burn off the occasional weeknight, but no one's going to mistake it for the act itself. And as we learn eventually, certain eperiences are better when you don't blabbing about them afterwards.
Was it good for you? Then that should be more than enough.
**********************************************************************
Date: June 01, 2010
Name: Anne Thompson
Comments:
I was truly saddened, when I read Adam Sternbergh's article, "Between the Sheets- Why You Should Resist the Lure of Book Clubs", in the May 2010 RD. He has completely missed the point of the joy of discussing what you have learned in reading various books; seeing new perspectives from other people's input and sharing a love of reading. When he further likened a book club to the usual male preoccupations of "intimate relations" and locker rooms, it completely finished the article for me, as he has completely missed the point. When love is taken out of the equation, it leaves the starkness of the mechanics; which applies from reading to sex.
Quite frankly, I was really glad that he is not in my book club, which is an absolute delight, and a source of extremely insightful discussion.
His article reminded me of the interchange in the movie version of The Jane Austen Book Club, where one character states: "Men don't do book clubs; women want to share, but men hoard what they read, if they crack open a book at all..men, they pontificate, they keep monologuing and we can't get a word in edgewise..."
Essentially, the quality of your book club is predicated on the quality of its members...
Therefore, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that men don't do book clubs.
Below is an article by Adam Sternbergh from the Reader's Digest. I think he's an ass but some of his points are interesting. There is a place online to debate the pros and cons of book clubs, I found a wonderful rebuttal from a lady that you would really like. It is copied at the end of this article......Enjoy....-S-
Reading is arguably the second most intimate human activity, and, as with the first most intimate human activity, there are people who will try to convince you it's better done in groups. These groups are called book clubs. I am in one. Maybe you are too. If so,here's why we've both made a terrible mistake.
In theory, there's much to recommend book clubs. They encourage reading. They enrich authors who, as you may have heard, are not particulary in the business of being enriched these days. They spur socializing, usually face to face-another valuable and endangered activity. The public book club- most notably, Oprah's or CBC's Canada Reads- has become an essential economic engine for the publishing industry. And the book club remains appealing to anyone who,like me, romanticizes long arguments over sonnets in smoky coffee houses. So it's not surprsing that our collective interest in book clubs is growing, even as our interest in reading shrinks.
As I mentioned, I am in a book club. It has four other members, all of whom I respect and who represent a spectrum of literary tastes. Our selections have ranged from 'Thomas Bernhard's 'The Loser' to Martin Amis's 'Money' to Peter Benchley's 'Jaws'. And like every book club, we do our book-club thing. We shuffle our schedules, We gather. We drink wine. We eat cheese. And we talk about the chosen book for a few obligatory minutes before we move on to the part of the club I think most of us really look forward to - which is not talking about the book.
You might contend that your club is different, that it has unsealed your eyes to new and exotic authors, and that you have great Risling-fuelled, soul-enriching debates that linger long into the night. That may be so. I don't doubt or begrudge you. But I should suggest that this fascination with book clubs-forming them, joining them, even chronicling them- is both antithetical to the enjoyment of reading and perfectly in keeping with our modern conviction that nothing is worth doing if it isn't immediately shared. Maybe it's posting photos of the family vacation on Facebook, or "tweeting" the details of your morning latte, or uploading a video of your wedding boogie to You Tube.
Now, I love a good wedding boogie,. But to suggest that the experienc of reading 'The House of Mirth" (a recent, well-received selection by my own book club) is intrinsically enhanced by subsequently talking about reading 'The House of Mirth" is to inply that reading 'The House of Mirth' is an experience that can be, and needs to be, enhanced. And I think most anyone who's ever read a book and loved it understands that's simply not true. If you read 'Moby Dick' while sailing the world alone, you would not enjoy it more.
Which brings us back to the intimacy of reading. Consider something even as silly and modest as this article: I'm in your head right now. You have graciously allowed me to slip inside the private sphere of your consciousness, if only for a few minutes. This is very different from how we experience any other kind of art: No matter how much you enjoy a painting or revel in a a symphony, there's not a sense that the painter has hijacked your eyes or the composer has hijacked your ears.
The writer, though, hijacks your thoughts. ('Hello,Hello! I'm making you say that right now.) The experience of reading so closely mimics the process of consciousness that it attains a unique level of artistic intimacy. Great art permeates the barrier of consciousness; reading obliterates it. It literally happens inside you. How's that for intimaty?
So if reading-in this sense of pleasurable invasion- is a sexual experience, then the book club is the equivalent of a locker room. It's the place where we gather to swap and compare notes after the fact, clumsily recounting the deed in a way that can't help but undermine and cheapen the very experience we've gathered to celebrate. Sure, it can be a fun way to burn off the occasional weeknight, but no one's going to mistake it for the act itself. And as we learn eventually, certain eperiences are better when you don't blabbing about them afterwards.
Was it good for you? Then that should be more than enough.
**********************************************************************
Date: June 01, 2010
Name: Anne Thompson
Comments:
I was truly saddened, when I read Adam Sternbergh's article, "Between the Sheets- Why You Should Resist the Lure of Book Clubs", in the May 2010 RD. He has completely missed the point of the joy of discussing what you have learned in reading various books; seeing new perspectives from other people's input and sharing a love of reading. When he further likened a book club to the usual male preoccupations of "intimate relations" and locker rooms, it completely finished the article for me, as he has completely missed the point. When love is taken out of the equation, it leaves the starkness of the mechanics; which applies from reading to sex.
Quite frankly, I was really glad that he is not in my book club, which is an absolute delight, and a source of extremely insightful discussion.
His article reminded me of the interchange in the movie version of The Jane Austen Book Club, where one character states: "Men don't do book clubs; women want to share, but men hoard what they read, if they crack open a book at all..men, they pontificate, they keep monologuing and we can't get a word in edgewise..."
Essentially, the quality of your book club is predicated on the quality of its members...
Therefore, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that men don't do book clubs.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Hi Ladies,
Hope you had a great time at the Book Keeper. We had a great time in Jamaica, was great to get away and relax.
Sounds like we lost Heather. Too bad we didn't get a chance to wish her well in person before she left.
Here's a note from Carol regarding Monday night.
Hi Susan,
We decided on June 14th at my house for 6 PM. I will provide the main course and drinks (not sure what yet) and if everyone could bring a salad OR a dessert that would work out well. I guess if anyone has any allergies/dislikes it would be nice to know. Other than that, looking forward to a nice evening on the back deck. Talk to you soon- Carol
See you Monday.
Hope you had a great time at the Book Keeper. We had a great time in Jamaica, was great to get away and relax.
Sounds like we lost Heather. Too bad we didn't get a chance to wish her well in person before she left.
Here's a note from Carol regarding Monday night.
Hi Susan,
We decided on June 14th at my house for 6 PM. I will provide the main course and drinks (not sure what yet) and if everyone could bring a salad OR a dessert that would work out well. I guess if anyone has any allergies/dislikes it would be nice to know. Other than that, looking forward to a nice evening on the back deck. Talk to you soon- Carol
See you Monday.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Book Circle
.
Hey ladies,
Glenn and I have decided to run away to Jamaica this Friday for a week. I will have to miss the book circle on Monday night. The first book club night I have missed, ever, I think.
We were going to discuss the books each of us were reading. Then I thought we could each talk about our favourite hero or heroine in literature and why we admired them. I'm sure you will find lots more to talk about when you have exhausted these topics.
The ladies at the Book keeper are hoping that you will browse around and have a good look at their new store.
I'm not sure if they will have the coffee going. You might want to bring a drink with you if you think you will want one.
7 pm. at the new location of the Book Keeper. They are opening the store just for our book club.
Have a lovely time.
Regards, Susan
Hey ladies,
Glenn and I have decided to run away to Jamaica this Friday for a week. I will have to miss the book circle on Monday night. The first book club night I have missed, ever, I think.
We were going to discuss the books each of us were reading. Then I thought we could each talk about our favourite hero or heroine in literature and why we admired them. I'm sure you will find lots more to talk about when you have exhausted these topics.
The ladies at the Book keeper are hoping that you will browse around and have a good look at their new store.
I'm not sure if they will have the coffee going. You might want to bring a drink with you if you think you will want one.
7 pm. at the new location of the Book Keeper. They are opening the store just for our book club.
Have a lovely time.
Regards, Susan
Monday, April 12, 2010
Info from April meeting
*
*
From Laurie,
I looked up that book,
http://www.amazon.ca/Bluest-Eye-Toni-Morrison/dp/0452282195/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271122706&sr=8-3
it might me a bit dark I haven't got to those parts of the book yet.
"Then Alice ( This is the name of a book Laurie?)
http://www.amazon.ca/Host-Novel-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316068047/ref=pd_ys_iyr124
and "Elementary, my Dear Watson"
http://www.amazon.ca/Penguin-Classics-Adventures-Memoirs-Sherlock/dp/0140437711/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271124349&sr=1-4
______________________________________________________________________________________
From Carol
Hi Susan,
The book is "Too close to the Falls" by Catherine Gildiner. Thanks- Carol
*
From Laurie,
I looked up that book,
http://www.amazon.ca/Bluest-Eye-Toni-Morrison/dp/0452282195/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271122706&sr=8-3
it might me a bit dark I haven't got to those parts of the book yet.
"Then Alice ( This is the name of a book Laurie?)
http://www.amazon.ca/Host-Novel-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316068047/ref=pd_ys_iyr124
and "Elementary, my Dear Watson"
http://www.amazon.ca/Penguin-Classics-Adventures-Memoirs-Sherlock/dp/0140437711/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271124349&sr=1-4
______________________________________________________________________________________
From Carol
Hi Susan,
The book is "Too close to the Falls" by Catherine Gildiner. Thanks- Carol
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