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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