Grey or is it RED?

50 Shades of Grey

Barnes & Noble posed a $41 million net loss in the quarter ending in July. However - America's demand for the steamy 50 Shades of Grey trilogy helped B&N post quarterly numbers which exceeded the company's expectations.

  Oh yeah everyone is talking about it.

Pop culture.....and fantasy? Yep! We had a lively chat and lots of giggles. Some members not only finished the book but read on to #2 and #3.  

(need I mention we had about 50 shades of blush at the table?)

Instead of trying to recall all our comments....why not watch a professional read from the book?

We had a great time! wonderful food too!

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)

 

August Thought

July Report

Ann Patchette has come and gone, pretty much in a State of Wonder. Those who finished the book were in a minority. There were no rave reviews....a few gave it an  OK.    

Next up, (no pun intended) Aug 25th,  Roz has selected our next read, Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James.  This is the first book of a trilogy which is  "The book being read by every woman in America",  as reported on TV talk shows! The trilogy is commonly referred to as "Mommie Porn"  to which James takes exception.

British Author EL James

Interesting choice for a book club (we are not alone in selecting this book) because we spend a lot of time   reading  about liberated,  independent women!

You might ask is it porn?  Read this review 

A  few more  reviews you may enjoy:

The semi-famous Three Grandmothers review the book:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/06/three-grandmothers-review-50-shades-of-grey/

Newsweek published an article:
http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2012/04/newsweek-says-fifty-shades-of-grey-is-working-womans-fantasy-of-submission

Interesting quote:

"I’'ve never read “50 Shades of Grey,” but trust a co-worker, who says she wanted to “stab her eyes out” while reading it with her book club.

A reader of this blog has a higher opinion of the book, saying “The 3-book series begins with Anastasia Steele, a young woman, meeting and falling for millionaire Christian Grey, a gorgeous man with a dark past who draws her into his world of BDSM.”

Whatever you think of the novel, it’s certainly getting people’s attention. “50 Shades” has sold 20 million copies and surpassed “Harry Potter & The Chamber Pot of Smelly Secrets” as the fastest-selling paperback of all time." check this link

Ann Patchett

Deb has selected State of Wonder by Ann Patchette for our next read. Not our first book by Patchette we all read Bel Canto. 




Read the partial reviews below. Click on links for the entire review.  Warning, the links may have spoilers.

The following is an excerpt from the NY Times Book Review June 2011

"Dr. Marina Singh, the 42-year-old research scientist who is the heroine of “State of Wonder,” Ann Patchett’s most far-flung yet somehow least exotic book, is in her office at a large pharmaceutical company in Minnesota when the bad news arrives. Marina does unremarkable research on cholesterol. She is having an unremarkable affair with Mr. Fox, the company’s C.E.O. The bland, far-from-fantastic Mr. Fox arrives to tell her that her research partner, Dr. Anders Eckman, has died of a fever in a remote part of Brazil."


Evidently this all happens on the second page of the novel.


Taken from The Guardian, UK 2011: 


In the disenchanted millennial world, the American search for wonder centres on the very large and the unimaginably small. At one pole, there's the globe as playground, the hunt through the shrinking wildernesses for whatever magic may somehow lie hidden beyond the totalising reach of GPS. At the other extreme, there's the seething world below eye level, the microscopic life of cells and bacteria. Ann Patchett's sixth novel, State of Wonder, merges the two kingdoms in the story of a pharmacologist, Marina Singh, who travels into the Amazonian jungle to spend time with the mysterious Lakashi tribe.

May Gathering

We had a lovely meeting today. Thank you Kelly and a special thanks to Kelly's Mom, Jenny for inviting us to meet in her lovely home. Perfect food and fantastic discussion - what could be better?

Our selection this month was The Knitting Circle which provided some lively discussion. The book was mostly enjoyed, but not entirely a winner! A quick read and it certainly gave a spring board for us to discuss processing loss and grief.     .

It's blurry..sorry..someone please send me a better group pix.

Kelly P took the picture...but here she is, sorry Kelly...I have to document this!)

Ouch!

Here's a make up picture...such pretty girls!

Lisa and Kelly.

I got a surprise today!

Look at this darling sign..."Turtle Crossing'
Oh my gosh...too cute.

Thanks so much.
I love being your blog master!

We are truly fortunate to have such a great group.














June's book selection by Deb - State of Wonder by Anne Patchette.

7 Lovely Logics

Shared by Noreen

Make peace with your past so it doesn’t spoil your present.

What others think of you is none of your business.

Time heals almost everything; give the time, some time.

No one is the reason of your happiness except YOU yourself.

Don’t compare your life with others, you have no idea what their journey is all about.

Stop thinking too much; it’s alright not to know all the answers

Smile, you don’t own all the problems in the world.