Monday February 4, 2013

Hi Everyone!  Can't wait to host this Monday at 7pm at my home.
114 Grace Street, 416 532 4770.  Please make sure you park south of the stop
sign - south of Mansfield, near the school.  If you park in front of my house you will get a ticket
at 8:02pm!!! I will have an agenda for our end of year meeting - including our names/months to draw out of a hat.  Just to recap, Barb D to lead discussion of "The Sentimentalists", recap the 2012 year - best book/prize, draw our hosting and book selection duties, discuss our theme of selection for the year, discuss new business - new members, special book clubs ie Laura's cottage etc... Jacqueline please bring your book suggestions, and anyone else that has a list.   Thanks!
Christine

Books of 2012

Here is the full list of the books that we read this last year. The selections were from: the Giller Prize (any year), books shortlisted for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize that was not awarded, other Pulilitzers, the Commonwealth Prize and the random choice - a biography.

The Sentimentalists" by Johanna Skibsrud

419 by Will Ferguson

Half Blood Blues By Esi Edugyan

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I survived Nellie Oleson's and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim

"Hotel du Lac" by Anita Brodener

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

The Pale King by David Foster Wallace

Galore by Michael Crummy

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

Oops!

Link for suggestion 4) should be http://www.how-tobeawoman.com/

Book Suggestions

1) Even Silence has an End by Ingrid Betancourt

Memoir of her six year captivity in the Columbian jungle

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/26/ingrid-betancourt-even-silence-end

2) Fear and Trembling by Amelie Nothomb

Winner of many literary prizes in France, Nothomb (Loving Sabotage, Stranger Next Door) presents an utterly charming, humorous tale of East meets West in her newest novel about a young Belgian woman who works for a year in Japan, a country that she has revered and admired since childhood. At the Yumimoto Corporation, a huge export/import business, the chain of command is made very clear to her on a daily basis, and all initiative is snuffed out. After several crucial errors, our heroine's career ends up in the toilet, literally. Nothomb is a terrific writer whose writing style is simple, honest, and elegant. (from amazon.ca)

http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2011/02/18/amelie_nothomb.html

3) The Time In Between by Maria Duenas

 “Maria DueÑas is a true storyteller. She weaves a spell, conjuring the heat and the glamour, the hardship and the thrill of Morocco and Spain in the late 1930s. The world of Casablanca comes to life as war breaks and Sira Quiroga, a beautiful and betrayed seamstress, is forced to discover her own strength. At a time when everyone must do what they can to survive, some will go beyond. Resistance will be formed and history will be written. Read this book and prepare to be transported.” –Kate Morton, New York Times bestselling author of The Distant Hours

MarÍa DueÑas holds a Ph.D. in English Philology and is a professor at the University of Murcia. She has also taught at American universities, is the author of several academic articles, and has participated in various educational, cultural, and editorial projects. She is writing her second novel.

4) Moranthology by Caitlin Moran

Just for fun!

http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2011/02/18/amelie_nothomb.html

Our January 2013 Book is....

The book Barb selected for January is "The Sentimentalists" by Johanna Skibsrud.  Next month's dinner is at Christine's and at that meeting we'll be selecting the "type/types" of books we want to read for the coming year.  If you have ideas/suggestions on what might be interesting to read feel free to post them here before the meeting or bring them in Feburary, all ideas welcome as we make up the rules to this club as we go... there are no wrong books and I can guarantee everyone will not like the same book regardless of what we pick which is what makes this so interesting!

Natalie - you did a wonderful job hosting tonight.  Your house is so warm & welcoming.  There were so many different conversations from Stanley the holiday Elf to Caroline's tree selection that I'm certain I missed something but I know I had a terrific time... oh and the book discussion was also great!  It was a lovely meal and I was hoping you'd have cupcakes and you didn't disappoint!

Caroline - 419 was a great book and certainly brought forth many interesting discussions, thanks for leading the discussion, always difficult to keep us all on topic!  Glad to see Carol & I remain consistent, if I like the book she doesn't and vice versa!  At least we are predictable.

Christine - so great you managed to make it this evening with so much going on in your life.  I hope things take a turn for the better with your sister, please remember to keep us in the loop as we all care.  We'll send good thougths your way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

January 7th is at my house.  166 Manning Ave.  It's south of Dundas a few streets west of Bathurst.  There is parking on Dundas, Manning and the streets to the west and east.  It may take a bit of searching...

Please let me know if we will be seeing you and if you have any special dietary requests :)

Natalie