Three Junes

Just finished this book and for the most part I liked it. However, it was difficult to follow times and places because it jumped around so much. The ending was rather unsatisfactory, too. But it was worth reading.

Eunice

Hi Everyone (does anyone actually read this thing??)

Shari, I just read your comment to Leon's post. Have you made any headway with The Speed of Dark? I'm about half way through. I'm finding the thought process of the autistic young man interesting, as well as the whole idea of having a work group of all autistics with the supports in place to help them function. I'm curious to see where this idea of encouraging (forcing?) the group to get this treatment goes, and what effect it may have on them.

I find Lou a very likable character with his interests in fencing and hope of asking Marjory out for dinner. I'm enjoying the book, but it is a little slow.

On the other hand, I'm listening to "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb. Has anyone else read that? Fabulous book - although Joanne probably won't like it. :-)

This weekend I'll be perusing the list of discussion kits and selecting a new book for us. I'm hungry for some new choices there, but alas, there don't seem to be any new ones.

Hope to see you all on Jan. 26.

Joan

Mistry's "A Fine Balance"

Mining the subjunctive here, always avoid cliches like the plague - and flee Oprah's quotidian soap opera recommends quickly.

However, I've been proven wrong...yet again. It has been a pleasant shock to read this Oprah-nominated book. Thanks Joan, for these two months just marinating myself in Mistry's magical and incisive prose. He's right up there with Rushdie and Roy as great Indian writers, as evidenced by his votes for the Booker Prize.

Coincidentally, we just watched the movie "Outsourced." Much less sanguine than our book but conveys some of the same Hobbesian messages about the harshness of most existence in India - and much of the world. Highly recommend it. We're so fortunate in America to have cheap beer, plenty of toilet paper and flushing toilets, and a warm Methodist clubhouse to discuss great literature in.

Merry Christmas to the entire claven
Leon

Correction

Well, after I posted for all to see that Annie wouldn't be with us this quarter because of her class, it turns out she'll be doing an Internet class instead so she'll be able to join us after all. That is fantastic.

Janelle, how can you possibly teach full time and take three classes??! (see her comment to my previous posting.) Wow, you are taking on a lot my friend. Even if you don't have time to read the upcoming books, I hope you'll still come to the group meetings (if you can fit us in to your busy schedule!)

Have a great weekend everybody and I'll see you all on Monday, book box in hand!

Joan

The Glass Castle

Hello everyone,

It seems that I've heard nothing but positive comments on The Glass Castle. What a fascinating book - an unbelievable portrait of a family. I look forward to our discussion of the book next Monday, Sept. 22.

The new book I've chosen looks interesting and COMPLETELY different, although our theme of women in difficult circumstances (as Kristin observed) seems to be continuing. :-)

Hope to see you all next Monday. We will miss Annie as she begins her classes .... but she will stay in touch through our blog and hopefully after fall quarter, she won't have a class on Monday night.

Joan

Janelle Just Finished The Heat of the Moon

Ok, so I just finished The Heat of the Moon. I thought it was ok, but I found myself thinking, man this is cheeeeeesey! That is not to take away from the fact that I couldn't stop reading, I just had to know how it was all going to play out for Rachel. And, if I had to do it all over, I would read it again.

I'm not sure I really liked how it ended...I wanted the "Oprah Ending"...ya know? More glitz, more pay attention to me...here I am...ya know? I won't say anymore as I don't wanna spoil it for people still reading. It left me wondering a lot of things.

I'm glad we read this book for book club because I would not have read it on my own. It's good to widen your horizons once and a while, right?

And if you don't read my blog, I just finished reading The Glass Castle and A Wolf at the Table. If you've not read The Glass Castle, you need to read it. Seriously. Just. Go. Read. It. NOW!

See ya'll Monday at book group, 7pm, right?

janelle

Sandra Parshall Responds

Hi Everyone,

I guess Sandra Parshall read our blog and responded to my previous posting! Check it out by reading my posting "The Heat of the Moon", and click on "comment". Janelle, thanks again for getting this started for us.

Joan

"Just the knowledge that there is a good book awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier." -- Kathleen Norris