February Book Choices

Ok, so since February is all about romance, I thought I'd do the following theme:

Classic Romance Novels (that I have not read by three of my favorite authors)


A Laodicean by Thomas Hardy.

Hardy is my favorite author, but I never have read this one. The following little review seems sort of dry, but I guarantee you, no Hardy novel is dry. Romantic desire is at the heart of each of his stories, while interwoven with a different social/economical dilemma in each.

Using the restoration of a castle as a framework, classic novelist Thomas Hardy considers the ancient analogy between architecture and philosophy. "Laodicean" is a term for early Christians lukewarm in their beliefs. Hardy's character, passionate architect George Somerset finds himself captivated by "Laodicean" Paula Power, whose views on conventions of any kind are lukewarm at best.


The Professor by Charlotte Bronte.

This book is said to be her most autobiographical. While the main character is actually a man, it describes Charlotte's obsession with her own professor, which resonates in each of her novels.

The hero of Charlotte Bronte's first novel escapes a dreary clerkship in industrial Yorkshire by taking a job as a teacher in Belgium. There, however, his entanglement with the sensuous but manipulative Zoraide Reuter, complicates his affections for a penniless girl who is both teacher and pupil in Reuter's school.


Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton.

Ummm . . . so this one does not sound strictly "romantic" but I couldn't resist given the title. I cannot imagine the romance takes too far of a back seat, given Wharton's history. Here is a little review (the shortest I could find!):

Wharton is as stunningly effective as in "A House of Mirth", here conveying the frustration of a circle of people interdependent upon one another, destined to follow society's rules no matter what the cost. Each character desperately clutches at a "twilight sleep"; the mode of coping each engages to distance reality. Masquerading as habit or whim, the painted veil of illusion overlays each mode of addictive escape. Nona, the beautiful, well-bred New Yorker struggles with an imperatrix sister-in-law Lita, whose values (and their consequences) threaten the entire social order Nona's family fabric is woven of. The Marchesa dispenses her social value as Pauline erases her son's debts. Lita's tabloid exposure and screen career must be suppressed. The men escape into work while the women flail at vanity of excess. The whistle of tragedy sounds in the distance as Nona falls into love with a married man, her brother Jim hopelessly esconced in a bad marriage with a woman he idolises, while her father works himself into an eagerly embraced oblivion, while Jim's father openly drinks to forget the societal oasis he knew before his divorce. Nona's mother compulsively schedules all their lives to death, while pursuing the escapist mysticism of faith healing and the blind support of the latest guru. As the Jazz Age brings down the curtain on the theatre of old New York and its values, Art and Cinema loom. While the family coalesces at their country estate to save Jim and Lita's marriage, each battle with their chosen talisman against life and its evils. Much more is at stake and much more is lost. This startlingly psychological novel will fascinate any student of life. The sacrifice of a fragment to obtain the societal whole inevitably comes, more starkly portrayed here than anywhere, the novel having served as forceful denouement. In the tolling bells of Whartons' worlds, the death of illusion sounds the deepest peal.


There you have it. Here is a poll:

March's pick

I know I'm supposed to provide options, but I really want to read this book. We can chat about it Tuesday night, but if no one has a problem with it, this is my choice for my month:

Silence, Shusaku Endo - written in Japanese, but translated into English. :) Fictional story of a Catholic priest in Japan during the early 17th century when Hideyoshi outlawed Christianity. Based on real events, it's very powerful and an interesting look at the very brief success Christianity had in Japan before being purposely obliterated.

Let me know if you'd like more options.....

Just in case you don't read comments . . .

We'll be reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for our January book.

January's Book Poll

Here's your poll. Look at the post below to see descriptions of your choices. Also, I know I'm next. I'll get my choices up ASAP. Check back for those too!

I'll keep voting open til Nov 16th.

January Book Choices

Friends and Readers, do I have some choices for YOU!

After doing some research, I have come up with three options for book/movies during the holiday times. We would probably go see the movie on Friday, January 9th (cause that's when some of them come out), and we can also have a discussion before/after/whenever if we want to. So, hold on to your socks, here they come:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is a short story, or more of a novella actually. It's about 32 pages long. There is a movie with Brad Pitt coming out on Christmas Day. It is about a person who is born an old man (a very small one), who gets progressively younger throughout his life. Very interesting and creepy. Don't worry, there is a love story in case you want to watch Braddy making out with a chick and pretend it's you. Let's hope it's when he's at his middle-aged hotness and before he goes back to being childlike. It all sounds very Flower's for Algernon-like.

The Day the Earth Stood Still by Harry Bates. What's weird about this is that it is ALSO 32 page long novella. Very spooky. However, instead of Brad Pitt, you get Keanu Reeves, but don't worry, I think his acting will be ok because he's playing an alien, so he can just act normal and it will be believable. Phew! This one is apocalyptic in nature, pretty sci-fi, and many a husband may insist on accompanying us to the movie theater. I will probably read and see this anyway, just cause it looks pretty dang cool.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funk. This is a Young Adult fantasy book, which is NOT a novella, but Corinne assures us it is a fast read despite its length. It sounds like a pretty cool story about how when a father reads a story the characters come to life. Now that I think of it, there is ANOTHER movie coming out where the kids tell a story and it makes it happen to the dad. Very convenient . . . ANYWAY, it looks like it is a great read and will make an interesting movie, and it comes with high praise from some of our very own readers. And if you want something to take your older kids to or read with them, maybe this is the choice for YOU.

So that's it ladies--are you weirdly romatic, sci-fi alienish, or a literary realist? You choose.

Oh, I'll post a poll soon.

Reading for November and December

Ok, just to reiterate the email I sent out, we have closed voting for November and December. Let's not cut it that close again!!

We will be reading:

MotherSytles: Using Personality Type to Discover your Mothering Strengths, by Janet Penley for November (that means RIGHT NOW so get reading) hosted by Racquel

and

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman for December (that means reading in Nov.) hosted by Corinne.

Does anyone have any ideas about movies coming out around Christmastime that were made from books? There are a lot coming out right NOW (Secret Life of Bees, The City of Ember, to name a couple), but I don't know of any around Christmas. Keep an eye out.

I'll get my choices up soon for January. We have a lot of newcomers to the group, so we'll try to get them on the schedule first if they'd like and then start over again with whoever has been coming to book group. We'll make a list over the next couple groups, so come if you want to be on the schedule!

Remember to invite new sisters to our group--I can't send out an invite email every month!

First, my apologies for getting this out so late. I think any of the three choices will be manageable as quick reads. As a note, the first two selections are based on personality theory and typing of the Myers Briggs. Each book has a self-test of assessment for you to take to determine your "type". Myers Briggs is widely used in colleges, for vocational testing, in the military and even by prospective employers.

1. Please Understand Me, David Keirsey-this is one of the best basic books on personality. http://www.amazon.com/Please-Understand-Me-Character-Temperament/dp/0960695400/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222819677&sr=8-1

2. MotherSytles: Using Personality Type to Discover your Mothering Strengths, Janet Penley-This personality book is super short and specific to motherhood. http://www.amazon.com/MotherStyles-Personality-Discover-Parenting-Strengths/dp/0738210455/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222820021&sr=1-1

3. Forgive for Good, Fred Luskin-A few months ago I attended a lecture given by Dr. Fred Luskin on the subject of the health benefits of forgiveness. He explains why forgiveness is good for one's body, as well as spirit, and lays out 9 steps in the forgiveness process. His writing is very simple, with lots of tired puns and quips, but I think the reasearch angle is quite intersting. I have the film with Dr. Luskin's cameo appearance called the Power of Forgiveness. It chronicles fogiveness stories from the Amish school house shootings, Ground Zero and international conflicts. I thought it may be interesting to watch, or we could watch a portion. http://www.amazon.com/Forgive-Good-Frederic-Luskin/dp/006251721X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222820643&sr=1-1

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December Book

SO. Friends. My theme is "Books Whose Story Took Place Around the Time of World War Two."

First option: The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman
I was just given this book by a friend, but no one I know has read it yet. I have LOVED everything I've read by Diane Ackerman (and I've read like five of her books).

Here's a review:

Starred Review. Ackerman (A Natural History of the Senses) tells the remarkable WWII story of Jan Zabinski, the director of the Warsaw Zoo, and his wife, Antonina, who, with courage and coolheaded ingenuity, sheltered 300 Jews as well as Polish resisters in their villa and in animal cages and sheds. Using Antonina's diaries, other contemporary sources and her own research in Poland, Ackerman takes us into the Warsaw ghetto and the 1943 Jewish uprising and also describes the Poles' revolt against the Nazi occupiers in 1944. She introduces us to such varied figures as Lutz Heck, the duplicitous head of the Berlin zoo; Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, spiritual head of the ghetto; and the leaders of Zegota, the Polish organization that rescued Jews. Ackerman reveals other rescuers, like Dr. Mada Walter, who helped many Jews pass, giving lessons on how to appear Aryan and not attract notice. Ackerman's writing is viscerally evocative, as in her description of the effects of the German bombing of the zoo area: ...the sky broke open and whistling fire hurtled down, cages exploded, moats rained upward, iron bars squealed as they wrenched apart. This suspenseful beautifully crafted story deserves a wide readership.

Second option: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Here's a review written by a friend of mine

Third option: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Here's a review, written by a different friend of mine, I've wanted to read it for a while now, but haven't yet.

Please do read those reviews to get an idea of what the book is about - I just don't want to steal off of their blog (of course, taking a review from Amazon doesn't bother me, hee hee). Scroll down to find the poll and vote :)

December Book What should we read for our December meeting? The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne View Result free polls

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Changes in the Book Schedule

Check on the sidebar for changes in the books/hosts. I'll send out an email right now about why!

Richest Man In Babylon

"Babylon was once the richest city in the world, known for its lavish houses, palaces and huge city walls. It created fertile farmland where once there had been desert through the use of irrigation. But as George Clason notes, it was also the cradle of modern finance: money as the means of exchange, tradeable property titles, promissory notes and all forms of lending and borrowing were all highly developed. Its prosperity continued for centuries because its inhabitants were allowed to make money freely. Even slaves, if they could earn a bit on the side, could eventually buy their way to freedom.

"Babylon's success inspired Clason to write a series of fables which would demonstrate the unchanging principles of finance and wealth-building. They became very popular and were distributed by banks, insurance companies and other employers to teach the benefits of saving and hard work. "The Richest Man in Babylon" was one of these stories, and they were later collected into the inspirational classic we know today." (sited here.)

I look forward to discussing the principles taught in the "Babylonian Fables" discussed in "The Richest Man in Babylon". As you read, think about the fundamental principles being taught and what you feel would help you most. You may find that you already practice some of these principles and if that is true please come prepared to share that with us.

Until Thursday, August 7th, happy reading.

Breaking Dawn discussion anyone?

I just read Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse this summer and am interested in Breaking Dawn. I didn't join in the book group discussion of Eclipse last year because I had not read the first two books and could not read all three that quickly. So, would anyone like to get together and discuss Breaking Dawn? I would be happy to host. How many long should we wait after it comes out to get together and talk about it? Let me know.
Angela

Let's Discuss

Ok friends, we have a slight problem. This book group is AWESOME! Well . . . when people come and read the books. Now, I'm as guilty as anyone about not finishing that last book on time, but it seems to me that we've had a smaller turnout with fewer people finishing more and more over the last few months. Is this because people were just out of town? Is it because we're having trouble finishing books in just one month? Is it Thursday nights? Is it because we don't have a set format for how exactly to run the group? It's also hard to figure out who will host in the future when we have such sporadic attendance. I am wondering if changes are in order.

So, please give some input here. I'm NOT giving up on the group by any means! I just want to see what can make it work for us.

Would you like to meet every other month? How about an online forum for discussion for those who can't make the meetings? Would more reminders to get the book read be helpful? What do you think?

It's not surprising we need a little bit of an overhaul--do you know we've been going strong for 3 years?? YAY for us!

September's Book

Ok, it looks like Then We Came to the End: A Novel by Joshua Ferris won for Kathy's month. Now that I've finally decided to update things . . .

Kathy's Book Choices

Whoops. I never made a poll for Kathy's choices. So here you go. Look down a few posts to see her descriptions of these books. Thanks!

Kathy's Book Choices

What shall we read?

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi Then We Came to the End: A Novel by Joshua Ferris

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Free Web Polls

p.s. if you are wondering what happened to the cool old polls, I found out I had to pay for those after 2. So here is a new one for us to try.

Narnia Movie

I wanted to post about our next book "discussion" which will actually be a very fun movie. It will be Thursday, June 5th. There are two choices. We can go to UA Snowden Square at 7:15 pm, or AMC at the Columbia mall at 7:50 pm. Keep in mind this is a very long (2 hr, 20 min) movie. I am adding a voting thing again, and we will pick the one that the most people vote for.

Switch for June & August

I asked Jen if I could switch months with her. By the voting for my book choices, we have a tie. I thought it would be fun to read Prince Caspian, and then go see the movie instead of a discussion. Jen kindly agreed to switch months with me, so the movie would still be in the theater. I hope this is okay with everyone. So, voting is closed for my book choices, and we will read Prince Caspian next. Thanks, Jen!

May Meeting Venue Change

Book Club will now be held chez moi tomorrow, May 1st at 8:00 p.m.

Mendy

August Choices & Voting

Here are my picks for August.

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensey, the heroes and heroines from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, return in this fourth installment of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. The four children are transported from an English train station to an island in the world of Narnia. Though Narnia has been at peace since the children left, it is now under the control of Wicked King Mirax. The youngsters, along with Aslan the great lion, must help young Prince Caspian restore Narnia's glorious past.

Keys of the Kingdom: Mister Monday by Garth Nix

Mister Monday details the adventure of a schoolboy, Arthur Penhaligon, who, during an asthma attack, is entrusted with a key by one Mister Monday, on the supposition that he is about to die and the key will pass straight back to Monday, ensuring his ownership of it. However, he survives, in possession of both the key and a strange notebook known as the Compleat Atlas, and soon he is being hounded by Monday's henchmen, a.k.a Fetchers, who inadvertently bring a plague of some sort to Arthur's home town. He escapes quarantine and sets off into a mysterious house, which has appeared in the Atlas, in search of a solution to all these problems.

Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen

The unusual murder of an Oxford professor brings together three strangers in World War I London: John, a soldier and the professor's correspondence student; Jack, a young Oxford student; and Charles, an editor at the Oxford University Press. One rainy night they meet a curious man called Bert who tells them that they are the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, an atlas of imaginary lands. Forced to flee in Bert's ship, the group sails to the Archipelago of Dreams, where a battle over Arthur Pendragon's throne threatens to place the evil Winter King in charge.

September Book Choices by Kathy

Book 1: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini -

This novel is the second book by the author of The Kite Runner. It was picked by Amazon.com editors as the Best Book of 2007. Amazon.com Customers ranked the book #2 of 2007 only behind Harry Potter... and perhaps the highest recommendation - Steve's grandmother, usually a reader of mystery books, loved it. (The following description is from Publishers Weekly)The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny is endorsed by custom and law. Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters.

Book 2: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi -

The story gained attention at the Oscars this year (I think) after it was transformed into an animated black & white cartoon. I don't read comic books and never had (besides a Far Side and Calvin & Hobbes here and there), but the reviews made me interested in checking out this book. (Here is a review from Amazon) - Satrapi's autobiography is a timely and timeless story of a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. Descended from the last Emperor of Iran, Satrapi is nine when fundamentalist rebels overthrow the Shah. While Satrapi's radical parents and their community initially welcome the ouster, they soon learn a new brand of totalitarianism is taking over. Satrapi's art is minimal and stark yet often charming and humorous as it depicts the madness around her. She idolizes those who were imprisoned by the Shah, fascinated by their tales of torture, and bonds with her Uncle Anoosh, only to see the new regime imprison and eventually kill him... Satrapi's parents, who once lived in luxury despite their politics, struggle to educate their daughter. Her father briefly considers fleeing to America, only to realize the price would be too great. "I can become a taxi driver and you a cleaning lady?" he asks his wife. Iron Maiden, Nikes and Michael Jackson become precious symbols of freedom, and eventually Satrapi's rebellious streak puts her in danger, as even educated women are threatened with beatings for improper attire. Despite the grimness, Satrapi never lapses into sensationalism or sentimentality. Skillfully presenting a child's view of war and her own shifting ideals, she also shows quotidian life in Tehran and her family's pride and love for their country despite the tumultuous times. Powerfully understated, this work joins other memoirs-Spiegelman's Maus and Sacco's Safe Area Goradze-that use comics to make the unthinkable familiar.

Book 3 - Then We Came to the End: A Novel by Joshua Ferris

This book just sounded funny to me - the description reminded me a little of some of the stupider (but somewhat humorous) things that happen in office culture. Two reviews:

* Office ennui gets a wickedly funny spin in Joshua Ferris' debut novel, Then We Came to the End: A Novel. A New York Times top five fiction book of the year, it captures office politics and relationships with surgical precision as an unnamed Chicago advertising agency enters a period of down-sizing.

* Amazon Best of the Month Spotlight Title, April 2007: It's 2001. The dot-com bubble has burst and rolling layoffs have hit an unnamed Chicago advertising firm sending employees into an escalating siege mentality as their numbers dwindle. As a parade of employees depart, bankers boxes filled with their personal effects, those left behind raid their fallen comrades' offices, sifting through the detritus for the errant desk lamp or Aeron chair. Written with confidence in the tricky-to-pull-off first-person plural, the collective fishbowl perspective of the "we" voice nails the dynamics of cubicle culture--the deadlines, the gossip, the elaborate pranks to break the boredom, the joy of discovering free food in the breakroom. Arch, achingly funny, and surprisingly heartfelt, it's a view of how your work becomes a symbiotic part of your life. A dysfunctional family of misfits forced together and fondly remembered as it falls apart. Praised as "the Catch-22 of the business world" and "The Office meets Kafka," I'm happy to report that Joshua Ferris's brilliant debut lives up to every ounce of pre-publication hype and instantly became one of my favorite books of the year. --Brad Thomas Parsons

I'll put on a poll pretty soon for voting!

Voting Closed

Ok, I think it's been a sufficient amount of time, so I will close voting on Mendy's choices. We will be reading The Once and Future King, which I hear is hefty, so start early! Thanks, Mendy.

Mendy's Choices

My choices are "Michael's Favorite Books I've Never Read"

(1) Penrod by Booth Tarkington--a coming of age novel which Michael claims is hilarious. I've also heard President Monson quote from it over the pulpit (I've never seen my Michael so happy!) http://www.amazon.com/Penrod-Library-Indiana-Classics-Tarkington/dp/0253203619

(2) The Once and Future King by T.H. White-- a novel about King Aurthur's life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Once_and_Future_King

(3) An American Childhood by Annie Dillard-- a memoir of a happy childhood (I think) http://www.pschulze.com/subweb/americachild/

Okay, so there are my choices. Won't my Michael be so happy when I finally read of of his favorite books!

May Book

Ok, looks like The Book Thief won for May. Cheri will be hosting that on May 1st, I believe. If you need to have it at your house, contact Cheri to see if she is willing to accommodate you.

As for our next few books, I know it seems early, but try to think of some book choices. June is coming up faster than you think! So, July and August at least, but also September if you can, post your book choices in the next month so we can vote on them! (by the way, I like this new poll program much better than the old one. You can do it yourself, or I will, but this one seems to be working much better.)

One more item: Nicole, since you are leaving in August, would you like to host one more time? I'm sure no one would mind if we scoot down and have you choose! Just let us know.

May Books

Ok, here is a poll for our May book. I think I got all the suggestions in there. Vote by March 15th please.

March and Beyond

So as you can see, we are now reading Pope Joan by Donna Woodfolk Cross. Jenni will be hosting at Corinne's house on March 6th.

After that, we will be reading Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo in April hosted by Brenda.

Cheri would like us to choose the books to choose from for May. I know many of us wanted to read The Book Thief, but please place other ideas in the comments section. After we get a few I'll post a poll for those.

June's book is The Richest Man in Babylon hosted by Jen.

So, we're almost all caught up on our future reading! Mendy, Jann, and Kathy, start thinking about some choices for us. We'll need them in a couple months, but you are welcome to put them up any time you feel the inspiration.

Happy Reading!

Galileo's Daughter

by Dava Sobel.

We had a very good discussion of Galileo's Daughter on Feb 7th. Everyone found the book to be quite interesting, and had learned (or remembered) things that they hadn't known. We began by giving a brief synopsis of the book for those that hadn't finished it. We talked a bit about the differences between the 17th century way of life vs our own, as well as about convent life, which we hadn't really known before. I personally liked the discussions in the book on physics and Galileo's discoveries.

Yummies were italian in nature, veggie tray, tomatoes stuffed with cottage cheese and sprinkled with italian herbs, grapes, and Margherita Pizza. Yum!

Prospects for JUNE!!!

Okay, so I am WAY past the threatened deadline. But in my defense I have been SLAVING away in Primary where most of you have a child or two. :) Also, I have been thinking FAR too hard on what my choices should be. It's a big deal because I probably won't be able to give reading choices for another year...most likely. :)

Here goes:

• The Color Code, Taylor Hartman, Ph.D.--"Taylor Hartman's The Color Code: A New Way to See Yourself, Your Relationships, and Life introduces a fresh method for analyzing your own personality and behavior--as well as those of people around you--and then utilizing that knowledge to improve workplace and personal relationships. The author, a psychologist and leadership coach, offers a remarkably astute system for grouping everyone into categories denoted by a color: red (power wielders), blue (do-gooders), white (peace keepers), and yellow (fun lovers). He then explains how to ensure that all possible alliances between them function at optimum effectiveness."---Amazon.com

I know we've mentioned the "Color Code" a time or two in conversation and some of us have read it while others haven't. I have never actually read the entire thing, but would love to re-test and reassess myself. What do you think?

• The Richest Man In Babylon, George S. Clason--"What can a book written in the 1920s tell modern investors about their finances? A whole lot if it's George Clason's delightful set of parables that explain the basics of money. This is a great gift for a graduate or anyone who seems baffled by the world of finance and a wonderful, refreshing read for even the most experienced investor." --Los Angeles Times

My Husband and I have read this and LOVED it! I believe EVERY ONE should read it once a year.

• The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman, Ph.D.--"Unhappiness in marriage often has a simple root cause: we speak different love languages, believes Dr. Gary Chapman. While working as a marriage counselor for more than 30 years, he identified five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. In a friendly, often humorous style, he unpacks each one. Some husbands or wives may crave focused attention; another needs regular praise. Gifts are highly important to one spouse, while another sees fixing a leaky faucet, ironing a shirt, or cooking a meal as filling their "love tank." Some partners might find physical touch makes them feel valued: holding hands, giving back rubs, and sexual contact. Chapman illustrates each love language with real-life examples from his counseling practice.
  
• How do you discover your spouse’s – and your own – love language? Chapman’s short questionnaires are one of several ways to find out. Throughout the book, he also includes application questions that can be answered more extensively in the beautifully detailed companion leather journal (an exclusive Amazon.com set).
  
• Each section of the journal corresponds with a chapter from the book, offering opportunities for deeper reflection on your marriage. Although some readers may find choosing to love a spouse that they no longer even like –hoping the feelings of affection will follow later– a difficult concept to swallow, Chapman promises that the results will be worth the effort. "Love is a choice," says Chapman. "And either partner can start the process today." --Cindy Crosby. "
• --This text refers to the Amazon.com Exclusive Journal & Paperback Book Set.
  

I haven't read this one, but had my husband get it to read while he was away for 6 weeks. Kevin keeps telling me I "really need to read this one".

After getting threatened by Cami last night, I decided I better get on the ball and get my three choices out. So here they are:

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens-
I know this is a classic, but I haven't ever read it. Brian keeps telling me that I need to, so maybe this will be the motivation. They have it at the library and here is a brief description of it: http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=0679443738/SUMMARY.html&client=hocop

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo- by Obert Skye
Another one that Brian keeps asking me to read. This is a fantasy book and he says that you have to get past the first few chapters to get into it, but once you do, it's pretty good. Here is a link to it and a description:
http://leventhumps.com/

A Little Princess- by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This one my mom read to me when I was a little girl. I loved it! I looked for it forever, and finally my mom gave it to me for my birthday last year. I haven't read it since I was a kid, and would love to read it again to my girls. It's one of my favorites. Here is a link to a description:
http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/students/projects/1996-97/Book_Reviews/S97/AshleyRaynor.html

Water Horse POLL

Ok, third post!! I'm going to make a poll so it's easier for use to choose! Here it is:




Thanks!

The Water Horse

Ok, our date to go see The Water Horse is this Thursday, January 3rd. Let me know if you are planning on coming by commenting.

The Snowden Theater has a showing at 6:45 and one at 9:30. So we could go see the 9:30 and get together and talk or eat first if you want. It's a pretty short movie, so it wouldn't be that late. Or, we could go to the first showing quite early and then do a double feature of some kind. The mall does have an 8:30, so if everyone REALLY wants one around 8, we can do that, but I'd rather stay in Snowden River for my own personal shelfish reasons.

What are your thoughts?

WHOOPSEE! I didn't see your post below, Julia. Sorry! Well, everyone let us know!