To Be Read...

UPDATED WITH NEW DATES (as of 4/3/17)

Your survey answers are in and thus our next few months' worth of reading is ready!

March 20 & 21: We will be comparing and contrasting a book and its movie adaptation. [NONFICTION]

On Monday, we'll be showing the movie version of Angela's Ashes at 6pm.

Then on Tuesday, we will gather together at 7pm to discuss both the book and its movie adaptation. Join us on either day or for both!

April 20 at 7pm: Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas J. Preston

Summary: A five-hundred-year-old legend. An ancient curse. A stunning medical mystery. And a pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world's densest jungle. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, "The Lost City of the Monkey God" is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century. [NONFICTION]

Year Published: 2017

Length: 326 pages

May 18 at 7pm: Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

Summary: In 1995, Adam Gopnik and his family left their familiar home in New York City and headed to the glamorous, historically rich, and romantic city of Paris, France. Here, Gopnik presents a personal memoir about his time in the City of Light and what it was like to be an American family in Paris. [NONFICTION]

Year Published: 2000

Length: 338 pages

June 22 at 7pm: The Charm Bracelet by Viola Shipman

Summary: Through an heirloom charm bracelet three women will rediscover the importance of family, love, faith, friends, fun and a passion for living as the magic of each charm changes their lives.

Year Published: 2016

Length: 298 pages

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on these books at an upcoming meeting!

Love Is in the Air...

For February, book club members read biographies about famous couples in honor of this romantic month. Each person read a book of her or his choosing and reported back to the group. This way we all learned a lot about famous couples throughout history. We also found there was plenty of room for debate about historic figures and their thoughts and motivations. Books were passed around so that everyone could look at the photographs and other images included with each title.

While we discussed the books, members also enjoyed some festive refreshments with strawberry heart treats (made using the petit hearts pan from the library's new collection of circulating cake pans), European pastries, and tea. One member also made bookmarks for everyone decorated with hearts and proverbs.

Members chose to read the following books. Below each one are some takeaways from that title.

- The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm (1994)

• This book provided a good framework for much of our discussion. The author muses on the meaning of biography and how unbiased a biographer can actual be. Fiction is arguably "truer" than nonfiction because everything exists in the author's imagination and is written as such, whereas with nonfiction we are beholden to various interpretations and opinions as to watch actually happened. With biographies of subjects who are gone, we have to question who has permission to speak for the dead and what is true versus what is speculation. With these particular subjects, we questioned Sylvia Plath's mental state and the idea of Ted Hughes being painted as the "bad guy" in the story.
• The New York Times book review of this title: http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/27/books/the-importance-of-being-biased.html?pagewanted=all

- Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair that Shaped a First Lady by Susan Quinn (2016)

• This is one of those "hidden histories" you don't learn about in your school textbook. This book uses published and unpublished memoirs/autobiographies and letters to explore the close relationship Eleanor Roosevelt had with reporter Lorena Hickok, a relationship that may have romantic. We listened to some snippets of the letters exchanged between the two to draw our own conclusions about the nature of that relationship. This book was interesting for also providing lots of historical context beyond the relationship between the two, including recovery from the Great Depression, the 1939 World's Fair, and life during World War II.
• The New York Times book review of this title: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/16/books/review/eleanor-and-hick-susan-quinn.html?_r=0

- No Ordinary Time, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by Doris Kearns Goodwin (1995)

• This book dovetailed nicely with the one above. Similarly, the book was not just about the couple's relationship but also filled with lots of historical detail, as is typical with this author loved by many. There is not one love letter included in this book for as the book makes clear, this relationship was not about love with "fireworks" (except perhaps in the very beginning). FDR's affairs (and some of Eleanor's side relationships as well) are explained, and it is apparent how the two lead separate lives. But they still had similar goals in their political lives and it becomes obvious how the two worked together to progress those goals, especially for social programs. 
• The New York Times book review of this title: http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/19/books/books-of-the-times-a-monumental-presidency-and-the-telling-details.html

- I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan by Nancy Reagan (2002)

• This is a quick and easy read that is a sweet love story. You don't need to like Ronald Reagan as a president to enjoy this title. The book mostly just contains love letters but there are also some facts for context, including those about Reagan's political life and about the public outreach/education the couple did related to illnesses they had (cancer and Alzheimer's disease). The book also includes photographs of the actual letters.
• The New York Times book review of this title: http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/10/22/bib/001022.rv104246.html

- The Good Shufu: Finding Love, Self, and Home on the Far Side of the World by Tracy Slater (2015)

• This memoir is about the author's unexpectedly finding love later in life after being independent and career-minded, someone who dated but wasn't interested in marriage. A professor at Boston University, she met a man who was visiting the U.S. from Japan to take one of her courses. The two fell in love and she began splitting her time between the U.S. and Japan. The book contains many observations about cultural differences between the two countries. It is an interesting read that is not heavy and nobody dies!
• The Boston Globe book review of this title: https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2015/07/17/book-review-the-good-shufu-finding-love-self-and-home-far-side-world-tracy-slater/VSVDF6x8JxXDKxoOIbNAbL/story.html

- The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming (2008)

• While technically considered a juvenile title, this book is appealing to an adult audience as well. It is rife with information, much of which are historical details you missed out on in school. The book contains many vignette-style individual stories with interesting factoids, and the many photographs were lovely to look at while reading. While many know a lot about Honest Abe, this book provided a great deal of information about Mary Todd as well that most of us hadn't known about before. This title provided plenty of fodder for book club members to discuss Mary's mental state at various points of her life and how history has potentially maligned her reputation.
• Kirkus Reviews book review of this title: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/candace-fleming/the-lincolns-2/

- James and Dolley Madison: America's First Power Couple by Bruce Chadwick (2014)

• Like with several other couples we learned about, these two were total opposites from their upbringings to their personalities. This book talked a lot about the social scene in Washington, D.C. at the time, which was still being developed. In particular, it described the elaborate parties thrown by the Madisons and how a person was considered one of the "right people to be" if he or she got an invite from the fashionable First Lady. This book helped highlight Dolley's role in promoting James Madison and making his political career successful. 
• Kirkus Reviews book review of this title: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/bruce-chadwick/james-and-dolley-madison/

- Victoria and Albert: Their Love and Their Tragedies by Richard Hough (1996)

• Again, we learned that this historic couple was sometimes at polar opposites from one another. The relationship started as one that appeared more as a political alliance than a great romance, but the pair grew to love each other deeply and after Albert's death, Victoria mourned him for the rest of her life. This book provides a lot of history about the monarchy in Europe at the time and shows how Victoria became the "grandmother of royalty."
• Kirkus Reviews book review of this title: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/richard-hough/victoria-and-albert/

- In This Together: My Story by Ann Romney (2015)

• It was interesting to read this book in Ann Romney's own words. It is a tender love story, where it becomes obvious the role she played in her husband's political campaigns. There are many details included here that didn't come out when Mitt Romney was on the national scene as a presidential candidate. For instance, we learned about Ann Romney's struggle with multiple sclerosis and the money donated by the couple for research on neurological disorders.
• The Boston Globe book review of this title: https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2015/09/30/ann-romney-book-photos-show-personal-life/PiuOCfuq8ATYx7WmH5J4lL/story.html

Have you read any of these or any other couples' biographies? What did you think of them?

Springing Ahead

While we have our book titles picked out for the next couple of months, we still need to decide on what to read in the spring. Select your top two book choices in this survey, and the ones with the most votes will be our next reads. Please complete the survey by Wednesday, February 1. Can't wait to find out what we'll be reading this spring!

What Defines Elegance? And Other Philosophical Musings

To start off the new year, book discussion group members read Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog. This book is set in a chic Parisian apartment, where a grumpy, disillusioned middle-aged concierge and an highly intelligent, suicidal preteen tenant both share their thoughts with the reader via journals. Philosophical thoughts, literature, and the ridiculous movements of their neighbors all fill the pages of their journals. A seismic change happens in both their lives when a new tenant arrives in the building.

At our discussion meeting, opinions were varied on the book, although most seemed to enjoy it overall. Members sipped tea and munched on French chocolate cake with plum coulis as they shared their feelings on this title. Below are some resources for those looking to learn more about the book.

Author Bios & Interviews

• http://www.europaeditions.com/author/48/muriel-barbery
• http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/contributor/muriel-barbery-alison-anderson
• https://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm/author_number/1656/muriel-barbery
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/3973-the-elegance-of-muriel-an-author-profile-of-muriel-barbery.html
• http://blog.timesunion.com/books/interview-with-muriel-barbery/1349/
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/muriel-barbery-reclusive-writer-of-the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-returns-after-eight-year-hibernation-10114581.html 

Book Reviews

• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/books/review/James-t.html 
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091101955.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/sep/14/fiction3
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-933372-60-0
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/fictionreviews/3562019/Review-The-Elegance-of-the-Hedgehog-by-Muriel-Barbery.html
• http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-by-muriel-barbery-trans-alison-anderson-952207.html

Discussion Questions

• http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/289-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-barbery?start=3
• http://rrlbookclub.wikifoundry.com/page/The+Elegance+of+the+Hedgehog
• http://www.seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/readerguides/Elegance_Barbery.html
• https://champaign.org/resources/pdfs/discussionguides/elegance_hedgehog_discussion.pdf
• https://thelemonzestblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/book-10-january-the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog/
• http://jennibeemine.com/the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-reviewed/

Movie Tie-In

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bLq4ehVo7c [trailer video]
• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442519/
• https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hedgehog/
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/movies/the-hedgehog-from-france-review.html
• https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/culture/film-review-the-hedgehog/417286.article
• http://www.npr.org/2011/08/18/139639461/the-hedgehog-high-art-and-preteen-suicide

Miscellany

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is full of references to art, literature, culture, and other everyday beauties in life. Here are links for more information about just a few of those references. Feel free to add others in the comments below!

• Japanese culture in The Elegance of the Hedgehog - http://beryl-pieces-asia.blogspot.com/2012/01/japanese-motifs-in-muriel-barberys.html
• Manga author read by Paloma - https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=714
• "Roses" poem by Pierre de Ronsard - http://www.sonnets.org/ronsard.htm
• Camellias - http://www.monrovia.com/plant_collection/camellias/
• Francis Bacon's art - http://francis-bacon.com/
• The opera song that Rene considered one of the finest pieces of music - http://www.classicfm.com/composers/purcell/music/dido-and-aeneas/

Yuletide Greetings

In December, book club members chose to read two books - the classic novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and the nonfiction book The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" Rescued his Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford.

We also had great fun with a holiday cookie exchange.

Just some of our holiday treats!

Author Bios & Interviews - Charles Dickens

• http://www.biography.com/people/charles-dickens-9274087#early-life
• http://www.dickensfellowship.org/life-charles-dickens
• http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/dickensbio1.html
• http://www.dickens-online.info/charles-dickens-biography.htm

Author Bios & Interviews - Les Standiford

• http://www.les-standiford.com/about.html
• http://www.harpercollinsspeakersbureau.com/speaker/les-standiford/
• http://therumpus.net/2015/08/the-rumpus-interview-with-les-standiford/
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20010226/24189-les-standiford-a-handyman-special.html

Book Reviews - A Christmas Carol

• https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2013/dec/24/review-a-christmas-carol-by-charles-dickens
• http://theinvisiblementor.com/a-christmas-carol-charles-dickens-book-review/
• http://wkar.org/post/book-review-charles-dickens-christmas-carol
• https://mvlteenvoice.com/2014/01/08/book-review-a-christmas-carol-by-charles-dickens/
• http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/article/519017/A-Christmas-Carol-by-Charles-Dickens/

Book Reviews - The Man Who Invented Christmas

• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/arts/06iht-IDLEDE6.1.18330401.html?_r=0
• https://bookpage.com/reviews/5902-les-standiford-man-who-invented-christmas#.WFmZqtIrIdU
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/11/28/ST2008112801604.html
• http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2010/1219/Classic-review-The-Man-Who-Invented-Christmas
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-40578-4

Discussion Questions - A Christmas Carol

• http://galesburglibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ChristmasCarol.pdf 
• http://classiclit.about.com/od/christmascarola/a/aa_christcarol_questions.htm
• http://www.fab-bookclub-recommendations.com/a-christmas-carol-charles-dickens.html
• http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/xmas/pva126.html
• http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/study.html

Discussion Questions - The Man Who Invented Christmas

• http://galesburglibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ManWhoInventedChristmas.pdf

Movie Tie-In - A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol has been made and re-made into a movie (as well as stage productions) numerous times. Below are just some of the adaptations of this classic tale. For any that are missing, please add them to the comments section below!

• An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)
• An American Christmas Carol (1979)
• A Carol Christmas (2003)
• Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)
• Diva's Christmas Carol (2000)
• Ebbie (1995)
• A Flintstone's Christmas Carol (1994)
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
• Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
• Scrooged (1988)
• The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)

Movie Tie-In - The Man Who Invented Christmas

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6225520/
• http://screencrush.com/dan-stevens-the-man-who-invented-christmas/
• http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/the-man-who-invented-christmas/45141/dan-stevens-to-play-charles-dickens-in-new-film
• http://deadline.com/2016/11/the-man-who-invented-christmas-movie-dan-stevens-christopher-plummer-jonathan-pryce-bleecker-street-1201850202/
• http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/2016/11/08/the-man-who-invented-christmas-cast/
• http://geektyrant.com/news/dan-stevens-and-christopher-plummer-join-charles-dickens-film-the-man-who-invented-christmas

Miscellany

• Illustrations from the original publication of A Christmas Carol: http://charlesdickenspage.com/illustrations-carol.html
• A teacher's guide to using A Christmas Carol in the classroom: http://www.penguinreaders.com/pdf/downloads/pr/teachers-notes/9781405842822.pdf
• A Christmas Carol study guide: http://www.capa.com/files/about/a-christmas-carol-study-guide.pdf
• Joyce Carol Oates's review of Claire Tomalin's biography on Charles Dickens: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2012/08/16/mystery-charles-dickens/

Holiday Cookie Exchange Recipes

• Cake batter truffles: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/09/no-bake-cake-batter-truffles-take-2/
• Strawberry chocolate chip cookies: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/01/23/strawberry-chocolate-chip-cookies/
• http://communitytable.parade.com/551534/alisonashton/dolly-partons-thumbprint-cookies/
• For other holiday cookie exchange recipes, email jen @ southriverlibrary.org for PDF versions.

Coming Soon!

Here's a reminder and an update about our upcoming winter titles and meetings.

December 20: We will be reading two books, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford.

We will be having a holiday cookie exchange at this meeting:

-  Please bring enough cookies to share with roughly 12 people and copies of the cookie recipe to distribute to everyone.

- Also bring a takeaway container so you can bring others’ cookies home with you.

January 17: We will be discussing The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. 

Light refreshments will be served.

February 21: Choose your own! 

In honor of Valentine’s Day, every one is asked to read a biography about a famous couple. You are welcome to pick whichever book you want that fits that criteria. However, here are some suggestions if you’re not sure what you want to read:

o   These Few Precious Days: The Final Year of Jack with Jackie by Christopher Anderson

o   The Obamas by Jodi Kantor

o   The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming

o   An Affair to Remember: The Remarkable Love Story of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy by Christopher Anderson

o   The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm

o   Bonnie and Clyde: The Lives Behind the Legend by Paul Schneider

Light refreshments will be served at this meeting as well.

March 20 & 21: We will be comparing and contrasting a book and its movie adaptation. On Monday, we'll be showing the movie version of Angela's Ashes at 6pm. Then on Tuesday, we will gather together at 7pm to discuss both the book and its movie adaptation. Join us on either day or for both!

Light refreshments will be served at the Tuesday meeting. 

The Magic of Realism...

For the month of November, our book group read (or in some cases, attempted to read) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. While discussing the book, members enjoyed a Colombian sweet treat and coffee.

Author Biographies & Interviews

• http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/12/gabriel-garcia-marquez-one-hundred-years-of-solitude-history
• http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Interview-with-Gabriel-Garcia-MarquezMexico-CityJune-1982
• http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/15/reviews/marquez-talk.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/17/gabriel-garcia-marquez-dies
• http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2014/04/gabriel-garc-m-rquez
• http://unlearner.com/arts/the-yellow-butterfly-gabriel-garcia-marquez-and-the-secret-to-realism-in-fiction/

Book Reviews

• http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/15/reviews/marque-solitude.html
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/04/17/this-was-the-washington-posts-review-of-gabriel-garcia-marquezs-novel-one-hundred-years-of-solitude-in-1970/
• http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/book-of-a-lifetime-one-hundred-years-of-solitude-by-gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez-8076952.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/apr/17/one-hundred-years-of-solitude-review
• http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2012/03/in-the-bookroom/happy-birthday-gabo-an-appreciation-of-one-hundred-years-of-solitude/
• http://www.bmamag.com/articles/classics-review/20131203-one-hundred-years-of-solitude/

Discussion Questions

• http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/706-one-hundred-years-of-solitude-marquez?start=3
• http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/solitude/study.html
• http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/One-Hundred-Years-of-Solitude-Part-One-of-Discussion
• http://waltonhigh.typepad.com/files/discussionquestionsforonehundredyearsofsolitude.pdf
• http://www.gradesaver.com/one-hundred-years-of-solitude/study-guide/essay-questions
• https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/100-years-of-solitude/study-help/essay-questions

Miscellany

• Information about the real-life banana massacre fictionalized in this novel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_massacre
• Banana cake recipe: http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/17414/colombian-fresh-banana-cake-with-sea-foam-frosting.html
• Coffee culture in Colombia: https://bryannaplog.com/2014/04/17/all-you-need-to-know-about-colombian-coffee/ & https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/colombian-coffee-culture-how-coffee-is-different-in-colombia
• Interview with Isabel Allende regarding Gabriel Garcia Marquez's influence: http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/18/he_gave_us_back_our_history
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez's filmmaker son: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006554/