2012 First Read

From the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense comes a fast-paced, emotion-packed novel about guilt, grief, and our capacity to forgive 

Harlan Coben is the bestselling author of sixteen previous novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers "Long Lost" and "Hold Tight." Winner of the Edgar Award, the Shamus Award, and the Anthony Award.


A post note from Noreen:

Thanks to our fabulous hostess, “Auntie” Sylvia, we had a wonderful book club discussion and delightful afternoon. It’s always a treat to be at Sylvia’s house. Soooo many lovely creations to admire.

One “girl” was heard saying that she thought this was our BEST book clubs ever! Some of us got introduced to the mystery writer Harlan Coben. And, of course, we all enjoyed the yummy eats and wine!!! Thanks, Sylvia for being the perfect hostess!

Ah shucks, Thanks girls!

More about Lisa

To know Lisa is to love her!  That smile you see is always on her face.  Not only a beautiful woman, Lisa is multi-talented. Lisa is an artist; a talented hair stylist (color is her forte); a cook extraordinaire; a loving wife and a fantastic and involved mother; a skilled scuba diver and a wonderfully kind and dear friend to all of us.

If she wasn't all of that we would all be jealous wrecks!

Fall Selection

Our beautiful Lisa selected the November book --

Selection for November 13th.

click below for related media

Amazon Podcast 

Our October meeting was a lively discussion! Opinions about  The Hotel On the Corner of Bitter & Sweet were diverse. Yet each of us easily understand the views of the other. And why not...this reading group is comprised of intelligent and caring ladies.

Kelly, Kathy, Lisa, Kelly

Roz, Noreen, Sylvia

Right Around the Corner!

Reading Group is right around the corner!  Our book selection is  The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  

The author, Jamie Ford, really did some fantastic research on this shameful and fascinating era in American history. Primarily set in Seattle, 1942 we begin to understand what it meant to be Japanese and/or Chinese. We see these events though the protagonist, Henry, whom we follow from the 40'ties-80'ties. 

Watch a short video of  the author along with  some awesome pictures on Amazon.

(please click and watch)

Chatting with a friend in yoga class, I learned that the Panama Hotel is still very much in existence in Seattle. The restored hotel has a Plexiglass floor which allows visitors to peer into the basement and its relics.

Thanks to Noreen for this selection. We anxiously await our discussion and luncheon. Details to follow.

Cutting for Stone

"Cutting for Stone" is a phrase taken from the
Hippocratic Oath. 

  The whole phrase is "I will not cut for stone even in the presence of disease. I will leave this to skilled professionals, specialists in the art." Wiki Answers interprets this to mean PHYSICIANS will not preform surgery. They will leave the cutting or surgery to trained specialists - trained SURGEONS. In the day of ancient Greeks  - when the Hippocratic Oath was written -  physicians and surgeons were considered two different professions.  In the novel, Thomas Stone is a surgeon; whereas Gosh - an internal medicine specialist, would be considered a physician.         (check the link  Wiki Answers)

Roz

Roz selected our book and hosted our meeting. As always we had fantastic food and great discussion.  Our Roz is another one of our strong women!  Roz is the poster child for exercise! With her husband Larry, she travels the world. And she has the t-shirts to prove it  -- along with some beautiful pictures (by Larry.) Roz has 3 grown children and some beautiful grand kids. Her extraordinary calligraphy-handwriting matches her personality - "BLING".




 Cutting for Stone is a novel  set in Ethiopia over the past half century.  We were all fascinated with the twin boy characters, who inexplicably born to  Dr Stone and an Indian nun. Like any book, the reviews were mixed. Overall the book was enjoyed by most members. It certainly has received critical acclaim.

Most of our group.

Our group agenda this week is to see "The Help."   
 This book selection was one of our very favorites!


Most bolded phrases are live links. 
Click to read the reference, then arrow back to the blog.


Next Book Selection - see list to the left.
Hostess listed on the right.

Time is running out!

There are those in our group who finish the assigned book immediately. Others don't start for a while. Others put it off....but we all have to cross the finish line pretty soon -- Sunday, August 14.

Abraham Verghese

Cutting for Stone

Abraham Verghese's first novel has gained considerable momentum in the year since its publication and is now on several prestigious bestseller lists, including the Independent Booksellers, the New York Times and USA Today..





In the meantime......

Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity. -Christopher Morley, writer (1890-1957)

Summer Reading

We had a great discussion and wonderful food at Deb's house. Unfortunately, someone forgot her camera.   So sorry!


Roz selected out new book which we will review in August.

By Abraham Verghese - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (2010) - Paperback - 688 pages - ISBN 0375714367

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.  Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

More on this later!

April Meeting and June book selection

We had a fun meeting at Kelly's house. We had a surprise drop-in visitor, Lisa P. Yeah, good to see her again.   However we really  missed those who could not attend. 


 Kelly and Deb did a great job leading the discussion. They helped  clarify many points in the book  Born to Run.  (Some of us didn't complete the book...shhhhhh!)  A fun experience  - Kelly served the Chia drink mentioned in the book!!  
A healthy energy drink --- would Kelly serve anything else?

Excellent food as usual.

A Message from Debbie

 It is my pleasure to be Hosting the next book club meeting, 

which is scheduled for Sunday June 5th at 1:00 pm. 

 We will be reading The Lost Hours, by Karen White. 

(Click book title for more info on the book and her name for a list of books)

Amazon's price in paper back (new) is $6.00  As we get closer to the meeting, I will provide directions to my house.

See you in June,

Debbie 

(Editor's note Kathy can order the book on Amazon  without shipping charges. Please let her know if you want a copy.)

FYI:  Kathy and I were talking about some favorite authors, David Baldacci being one. Go to this link and read about " a unique event that unites three #1 New York Times bestselling authors" in October at Yale University http://davidbaldacci.com/. One of our recent authors is part of the elite group. Can we take a field trip??

Welcome Spring

 

Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. - James Russell Lowell

 :-)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 We have all been worried about Roz and Larry in New Zealand -- 

it is so nice to have them safely home.  

The tragedy of the tsunami this week and the danger of the nuclear plant has us all stressed out. Our yoga practice becomes more and more essential to our well being.

How very important our friendships are!

April 2011 Book Selection

Kelly J has selected Born to Run, a Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen  Christopher McDougall in 2009.
We will discuss this book at our April 3rd meeting.  

"Full of incredible character, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure...."

Reading that description, it's no wonder our sweet, super-athletic Kelly selected this book for us to read.

Runner, biker, swimmer, spinner, yoga & pilates girl:, a few of her endeavors.