Here is the list from the All Island Book Club meeting last week:

“And the Mountain Echoed” by Kaled Hosseini
“The Swerve by Stephe”n Greenblatt
“A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki
“Agent Zig-Zag” by Ben Macintyre
“1000 White Women” by Jim Fergus
“House Gir”l by Tara Conklin
“The Round House” by Louise Erdlich
“The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion
“The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown
“Zeitoun” by Dave Eggers
“Light Between Oceans” by M. L. Stedman
“The Lewis Series” by Peter May
“Operation Mincement” by Ben Macintyre
“The Keeper of Lost Causes” by Jussi Adler-Olsen
“My Beloved World/True American Dream” by Sonia Sotomayor
“Where Did You Go” Bernadette by Maria Semple
“Caleb’s Crossing” by Geraldine Brooks
“Mink River” by Brian Doyle
“The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles and Their Secret World” by Stephen Kinser

DECEMBER 13, 2011 

Meeting at Dayle's

Book: Beside a Burning Sea

We had a great potluck dinner for our meeting.

 Tuna sashimi, just like they ate in the book! (Well, maybe a few extra goodies . . .)

 And yummy appetisers before the Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce and rice -wow!

After dinner, we discussed the book, which featured Haiku poetry. Sarah gave us an assignment to write our own Haiku, and here are the results:

The crisp cold clear night

Gives way to the spicy joyful warmth

Of the blessed holiday gathering.

Slow in the morning

Coldness, darkness makes me late

Frost on the windshield.

Icicle lights on

Only so many hours

Guarantee runs out

Before language counts

- no, I wanna 'lectric train

fine-ly four years old.

Cold day, nights so long

Kan arrives with storm and squall

Rose blooms forever.

Still in its coldness

Day awakens softly

and I am thoughtful.

Without the sun shining

coldness moves within and without

to carry us to spring.

Golden leaves glowing

full moon shadows under trees

owls huddled in cold

Tuesday, May 10 meeting

Sarah was our discussion leader for the May book, and she had some information for all of us:


I was very glad that we chose Aging with Grace for our book club and in last night’s discussion I mentioned some tips for healthy longevity. Follow this link and you will know how to add years to your life:  http://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/power-9/

Also, the School Sisters have a website with a very cool picture book online telling the story of their American founder:  http://www.ssnd.org/SSND_CarDream/CarolinesDream

Finally, I mentioned that our book won the 2002 Christopher Award and the list of awards is a source to be mined for more good books to read:

First presented in 1949, the Christopher Awards were established by Christopher founder Father James Keller to salute media that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit.” Their goal is to encourage men, women and children to pursue excellence in creative arenas that have the potential to influence a mass audience positively. Award winners encourage audiences to see the better side of human nature and motivate artists and the general public to use their best instincts on behalf of others. http://www.christophers.org

One of the books that recently received a Christopher Award is That Book Woman, by Heather Henson, illustrated by David Small.

At our April meeting, we decided to change how we choose books. Try something new this year!

Each member will choose one book, and also be the discussion leader. No voting or discussion!

Since there are 11 of us, we can start in September and go until July, taking August off, or using that month to choose books and set up schedules.

We can list our choices on this blog, up until September, when we'll want to finalize the list.

Tuesday, Oct 12 Meeting

"The Book Thief"

Tonight's meeting was at Denice's house at Useless Bay. She built a fire, where we gathered to enjoy the view of the moon over the water and our dessert, after the meeting. It was lovely! Thank you, Denice!

The meeting was interesting, too - Sarah did a great job as leader, and almost everyone liked the book and had plenty of comments.

We had a very productive meeting, choosing our year's worth of books, assigning Leaders and Hostesses and setting all the dates! Wow!

The new list is shown above - we have a wide variety of books to read.

Cathi, Karen and Madelyn enjoy Karen's deck.

Our reflections in the window behind Madelyn.

Karen talks to our two new members, Dawn and Denice.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, Sept 14, at 7:00 at Karen's house. We'll send directions out later.

It is our book-choosing meeting, so gather up those great books you have read over the past year. Remember, the book needs to be out in paperback, and it must be something you have read!

We'll also be welcoming two new members to our group, so it is sure to be a good meeting. See you all there!

Summer Retreat 2010

Port Townsend fun - the group at the bell tower.

Protection Island from the tour boat - seals and eagles on the spit, in front of the Olympic mountains.

And we got to see a pair of Puffins!

It was also Jazz week, and there were bands and dancing in the streets.

Saturday Farmers Market - food!

The Marine exhibit.

And, finally, the Hostel where we spent the night.

I goofed up on the author of one of our books: Founding Mothers. We are reading the one by Cokie Roberts for our April meeting. So if you have already read the other one, I apologize!

I just finished The Bestiary, by Nicholas Christopher. Bestiaries are illuminated books depicting all manner of natural and unnatural beasts, and the hero of the book is in search of an elusive volume of lost beasts, those animals that were denied room on Noah's Ark.

Sarah has a couple of books she's reading to recommend, and I have one, too, so I thought I would add them to this blog as we think of it. Then, when we're ready to choose books next time, we'll have some all ready to look at.

Taking Life to Extremes: A Doctor Explores the Limits of Human Endurance by Dr. Kenneth Kamler

Sick Girl by Amy Silverstein

The Way the Crow Flies, by Ann-Marie MacDonald.

This week we chose our selections for the coming year. Always a very fun meeting - and we got a lot done!

The new list is show above. You can click on the title to see the Amazon listing.

Also, there are links on the right that will take you to the same lists that you can print out.

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009 We had a couple of fun picnics over the summer. The picnic shelter at Freeland park offered just the right amount of shade on one of the hottest days of the year, with a perfect little breeze helping out.
Dayle, Karen, Cathi, Jane, Deb, Louie, Audrey, Robin and Sarah.

This is an article that was sent to me - what to do if you haven't read the current month's book!

Book Club
by Ann Hodgman
May 25, 2009


Discussion points for members who have not read this month’s book:

1. Studying the cover of this month’s selection may provide hints to the reasons that Margy MacDougal chose this book for your group. What does the metallic font used for the title convey—pretension, or insecurity? Although the cover art is minimal, what tensions does it suggest are lurking under the superficially glossy surface of Margy’s relationship with her husband, Eric?

2. In your opinion, is this book fiction or nonfiction? Support your view with examples taken from the jacket copy.

3. Last year, Margy was in Costa Rica when the group discussed the book she had chosen. Why did she get to pick two books this season? Why were both of them so grim? Is there a subtext related to Margy’s daughter’s deferral from Colgate? Could next month’s book maybe be more cheerful, for once?

4. Book-club members who have actually read this book have called its plot “depressing,” “disgusting,” and “too much about poor people.” Does this suggest that you, as a reader, have a moral obligation to say that you liked the book?

5. Early in the prologue, we learn that lab animals will be mistreated as the story progresses. In literature, why is it so much sadder when an animal dies than when a person does? Why does God choose us to read horrible things like this?

6. Open the book to page 47 and slide a bookmark under it. How well can you see the Borders logo through the page? Can the quality of a book’s paper be used as a guide to its “worth”? When or when not?

7. On page 2, the author refers to “supper.” In books, food is often used as a symbol. Try to think of a time when food, or a particular meal, has been important to you. Then keep it to yourself.

8. A book’s setting is crucial to establishing mood. If this book had been set in Darfur instead of in Glen Burnie, would you be more likely to have read the whole thing by now? Why or why not?

9. Is there a way that, by quickly flipping through the pages as if in search of a particular passage, you might be able to glean more of the plot in case Margy calls on you? Why not turn to the last page?

10. What is in those little sandwiches on the piano? Are peanut allergies real?

11. Will the powder room have one of those wick-diffuser things in a bottle, or a scented candle? If such items were described in the book, would they be presented as symbols of vulgarity?

12. What do you think will happen next?

We attended an "Afternoon with Stephanie Kallos" at WICA in Langley. She wrote Broken for You, which we read in 2006, and more recently Sing Them Home. They presented a play of part of Broken for You, which was great, then she was interviewed, and after that she read from Sing Them Home. It was very entertaining - she used to be an actress, and is very articulate.

Afterwards, we had dinner at the Edgecliff. Nancy Horan, who wrote Loving Frank, joined us. From left, front: Audrey, Candace, Nancy, Ginny. Back: Robin, Dayle, Madelyn, Karen, Jane, Louie.

We discussed Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan. It's about the relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick between 1908 and 1914, when it ended tragically. The affair was very scandalous, as both of them left their children. Most everyone liked the book, but not the choices the characters made. The discussion was lively and covered many areas - we had a great time!

We sure had a fun time in Portland! Don't forget, you can click on each photo, and see it in a larger size.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2008

BOOKWOMEN GO TO THE ZOO

We passed the Graffiti Van on our way to breakfast!
Cathi and I stopped at the Episcopal Church with it's bright red doors.
Reflected in the window, we wait for our train to the zoo.
The big news was the elephants. Here, reaching for the choicest leaves.
But the new baby stole the show.
Robin and Dayle watch him with his mother and aunt.

Most of the other large animals were sleeping in the heat. Look at the size of those paws!
Maybe they should put Cathi behind bars!
On the train home, Cathi shows Dayle and Robin some of her photos.
At the Seattle Station once again.
And, finally, back on the ferry - worn out but happy!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2008

BOOKWOMEN GO TO THE CHINESE GARDEN.

Jane, Cathi and Karen explore near the waterfall.
One of the many pagodas reflected in the pond.
Jane and Karen resting their tired feet on the patio.
A beautifully cut opening into the Banana Garden.
Cathi wanders through the Moon Gate.
At the entrance.
Cathi and Jane examine the Ginko carved panels.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2008

BOOKWOMEN LOOSE IN PORTLAND

Cathi & I took a little tour in Nob Hill before breakfast - lots of beautiful old apartment buildings and homes.
Breakfast was at the World Cup, directly across the street from the hostel.
We headed downtown for the market . . .
passing the House of Louie!

We stopped often along the way to pose and see the sights.
At the Willamette River, with the Burnside Bridge behind us.
Jane really got into the spirit of the market!
It is held every weekend under the bridge, and in the surrounding area.
Jimi Hendrix was there . . .
as well as other street musicians
and face painters.

This cat and his dog were enjoying the sunny day, too.
Robin reads in a courtyard at an art gallery,
which also proved to be a great spot for a group shot.
Finally, dinner at the brewery.