Co-Ed Meeting 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Well, I have taken a lot of grief for not putting out a newsletter after the co-ed meeting, so here goes…

First of all, thank you to Paul for doing such a great job leading our discussion of Unbroken.  He obviously did a ton of research in preparation and we appreciate his efforts.  Also, thank you all for bringing the food and helping with the evening. 

The book selected for next year is In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson.  I am not sure how we got to that selection, the voting was a very convoluted process, but I am sure we will enjoy it. 

Next up for regular meeting is The Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski.  We will meet at 7 PM on Wednesday, January 16^th at Shirley’s house.  Elisabeth is the discussion “steerer” that night.  We did not sign up food and wine volunteers yet, so please let Shirley know if you can bring something when you call her.

After that, we are on for Wednesday, February 20^th to read The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

That’s all I have for now.  Enjoy the holidays.

Jan

October 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Hopefully this finds you all snug and safe from the storm…perhaps curled up with a good book while we still have power to read by? 

Last week’s discussion of Shoot the Moon was lively.  We were a small group and at first it seemed there might not be much to discuss, although most people enjoyed the book.  Once Marty asked a few questions and we got into it, we found there to be more depth to the plot than our first impressions.  Overall we gave the book 3.4 stars.  Thank you, Terri for opening your home, to Marty for “steering” our conversation and to all who brought sustenance.

You should be all gearing up for the co-ed meeting to discuss Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  It is scheduled for 6:15 PM on Tuesday, November 27th at our house.  Don’t forget this is a “big food” night, so come hungry.  You can contact us via phone or e-mail me to find out what we can still use.

Please remind the menfolk that they are MORE than welcome to bring selection ideas for 2013.  We did come up with some ourselves (see Selection Night Summary Newsletter), but are open to their ideas.

Following that our next meeting will be Wednesday, January 16th at Shirley’s house.  The book for that night is Objects of my Affection: A Novel by Jill Smolinski.  Elisabeth will lead the discussion, but we will ask for food volunteers at another time. 

February 20th we will discuss The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  We will be looking for a host and a leader.

In other news, our techno wiz, Jill has promised to make special remote participation accommodations available when one of us can’t be physically present for a meeting.  We hope to test this in January when Jen is rehabbing from hip surgery.  Way cool (the technology, not Jen’s hip surgery)!

Also cool is the report that Polly continues to make improvement.  Let’s hope we can welcome her back to meetings soon.

Remember that rumor has it that I am speaking to the Silver Foxes at the OP Presbyterian Church on Thursday, November 15th.  I saw the menu and it looks really great.  Contact Loraine to make reservations.

Finally, I hope you all got the message that the Halloween Open House is on as planned.  Please join Rob and me anytime after 6 with or without kids for some treats (or tricks).  Bring a snack or beverage to share.

That’s all for now.

Jan

September 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday’s meeting to discuss The Shoemaker’s Wife was…well, SWEET!  That seemed to be the word chosen by the majority to describe the plot of the book and fits as well to express the cozy feeling of the Roy home and the treats we shared.  The overall rating was around a 3.5.  Marion did a super job “steering” the discussion.  Exchanging stories about our families’ arrivals in this country gave the evening an interesting twist.  Thanks go out to Beth, Marion and all who brought goodies.  A special welcome to book club newbies, Sharon and Marsha.  Yea!

The next meeting is at 7 PM on Wednesday, October 24th at Terry’s.  The book is Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts.  Marty will lead the discussion.  Elisabeth, Barb and Marty will bring appetizers.  Loraine and Karla will contribute desserts, and Loraine, Jen and Marsha will bring white wines.  (We have quite a backlog of reds, so won’t need those for a while.)  Please RSVP to Terry.

A few people asked if Rob and I would be having our annual Halloween Open House that allows people to get together that night, with or without kids, for a little fun and fellowship.  The answer is a conditional yes.  We are expecting to have some interior painting down sometime in October and if it ends up being over Halloween, we will have to cancel. 

I think we finally arrived at Tuesday, November 27th for the co-ed meeting at our house to discuss Unbroken.  I hope that works for most people and isn’t too soon after Thanksgiving that people are still away visiting.  We will be passing a food sign up sheet around at the October meeting.  Anyone who doesn’t sign up then can let me know by phone or e-mail.  Sorry to say that Rob will need a ton of help pulling this off because I will be having another shoulder surgery a few weeks before and will be a one-armed hostess that night.

Remember to contact Loraine if you would like to attend either of the upcoming Silver Foxes presentations, Gordy Stearns on October 18th and me on November 15th.  You can learn more following link: http://www.oppchurch.org/foxes.html

I think that might be all for now. 

Light the fireplace and get out the books.  The days are getting shorter and cooler!

Jan

September's Selection Meeting

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last week’s selection meeting to choose our books for the coming year was very successful.  Thanks, Barb, for hosting this important gathering again this year.  Also thanks to all those who brought goodies and ideas.

We were pleased to welcome Lynda and Marsha to our group and look forward to seeing them at future meetings.  

We discussed trying to make the lengthy classic into something that more people could get through and also relocating it to a different time of year (perhaps late March or early April) so that we weren’t reading something so heavy over the summer.  We concluded that maybe focusing on a “classic” and choosing something a bit shorter might make this meeting a little more appealing to more members.  In order to accomplish this, we decided to wait until March/April 2013 for our next lengthy classic and to have a special meeting to discuss the “50 Shades”, book one or the whole trilogy. 

Below are the books we chose this year.  We could need as many as 9 picks, but only chose 7 (not counting 50 Shades) because we are anticipating taking some picks back from the co-ed list once the guys make their 2013 selection. 

Selected Books for 2013:

•                The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom

•                Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

•                The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

•                Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

•                The Bolter by Frances Osborne

•                Objects of My Affection: A Novel by Jill Smolinski

•                Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts (October 2012 Selection)

•                50 Shades of Grey by EL James ("Special" August 2013 Selection)

Other recommended books, not selected:

•                Guilty Wives by James Patterson

•                The Known World by Edward P. Jones

•                Girls Like Us:  Carol King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon -- And the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller and Susan Ericksen Grissom

•                Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

•                Something Red by Jennifer Gilmore

•                One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus

Options for the 2013 Co-Ed Meeting:

•                Thunderstruck or In the Garden of Beasts:  Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson

•                Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival by Joe Simpson

•                People of the Book: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks

•                Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

•                The Invisible Man & The Time Machine by HG Wells

•                A “musician biography" such as:

• Fire and Rain:  The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970 by David Browne
• Baby, Let's Play House:  Elvis Presley & the Women Who Loved Him by Alanna Nash
• Michael Jackson: The Magic, the Madness, the Whole Story by J. Randy Taraborelli
• Life by Keith Richards

Our next meeting is still to discuss The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani at 7 PM on Thursday, September 27^th at Beth’s house.  Please let Beth know if you will be attending.  Snack volunteers for that night are Grace and Carol for appetizers: Elisabeth, Barb and Jennifer for desserts and Karla (plus leftovers) for wine.  Please note that this meeting is on a Thursday night.

In October, we will meet on Wednesday, October 24^th.  Because of the quick turn around, we selected Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts, which is a relatively short read.  We did not select a hostess or leader for that night, but will do that at next week’s meeting.

The date of the co-ed meeting has not been completely set yet, but will probably be the last week of November or the first week of December.  We will also try to finalize that next week.

Also, we passed around a volunteer sheet for what you would be willing to do in the coming year.  We are still short on people to “steer” discussions.  Remember that you just have to be prepared with a few questions/topics to kick off and sustain our usually lively discourse. Please consider whether you would be willing to do this to take the pressure off those who act as the “leader” on a regular basis. 

Also, remember that Jill keeps all the key info about our book club in order in amazing fashion at crbc.blogspot.com.  You can find tons of info about what we have read in the last 14 years and what is coming up, as well as favorite club recipes and much, much more. 

I think that is it for now.  Hope to see many of you at Beth’s next week.

Jan

Important September Reminders

Hi all, 

Well, it is official!  The September gathering to discuss The Shoemaker's Wife is officially changed to THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th at 7 PM at Beth Roy's.  I received many responses indicating that date worked and just one maybe.  Also 3 people could make it that night who couldn't make the 26th!  So there we have it…everything is working out.

Please remember that our very important book selection night is September 12th at Barb's at 7 PM.  You should bring an idea or two for books you would like to see the club read.  I have attached the newsletter detailing who has volunteered to bring food that night and other stuff we discussed at the last meeting to this e-mail as well in case you lost the other one.

The book selection night is a great time to introduce new members to the group so that they can see what we are up to.  Please bring along anyone you think might be interested and reach out to any new neighbors you might have met over the summer to extend the invitation.

Jan

Hello summer!

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday night’s summer book meeting to discuss “the Hemingway Duo” was a smashing success.  Jackie did an incredible job setting the stage, decorating with quotes from Ernie himself as well as other cool touches.  She also did a fantastic job leading the lively discussion.   All present had much to add and the food was fantastic. Our ratings averaged 3.5 for The Paris Wife and 3.7 for A Moveable Feast.  Overall, it was a special night that may become part of the “moveable feast” we all carry with us.

Our annual “long classic” read of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is set for 7 PM on Wednesday, August 29th at Linda’s.  Please let Linda know if you will be attending.  Since we are usually just a handful that night, we will all bring a little something to share. 

We had several good suggestions for our first book of the fall.  We agreed upon The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani.  The meeting will be on Wednesday, September 26th at Beth’s house, with Marion leading the discussion. 

Before that, we will meet at 7 PM on Wednesday, September 12th for our annual book selection night.  Like last year, it will be at Barb’s.  Marilyn, Terry and Jen are signed up for appetizers and Linda and Marion will bring desserts.  We should be all set on wine with the leftovers from last week.  Please bring ideas of what you would like to see us read and discuss in the coming year.  Also, consider bringing a handful (or armful or bag) of used books if you’d like to participate in our book exchange.  Please call Barb to let her know if you will be attending.

Since we had such a great turnout the other night, I took the opportunity to review some of the decisions we have made regarding our club in the last two years and to gather input on how we think they are working out.  Here is a summary:

* Starting meetings at 7 PM with a social ? hour, sitting down to discuss book at 7:30 and following discussion with business part of meeting seems to work fine.

* Going around and rating the book with each member free to make a brief statement about how they liked the book is interesting and a good lead in to discussion.

* Meeting once a month was preferred by the majority.  Many people like that with the new scheme, we get to cover more books during the course of the year.  With this rigorous schedule we recognize that many members will not be able to read every book, but at least it allows some flexibility to choose the ones that appeal to you. 

* I reviewed the decision we made that all news items should be given to me before the meeting so that I can present them in organized fashion.  That doesn’t really seem to work because things just come to mind once we are together.  We worked out that announcements can be made at the meeting, but I will not be responsible for transferring the details to the newsletter.  I will work making sure the e-mail list is totally up to date.  If you have an announcement, either one that you make at a meeting or something you need to get out in between gatherings, simply put it in an e-mail and send it to the group yourself by cutting and pasting all the addresses from any e-mail from me into the address box of your message.  If you have trouble doing this, you can always just send an e-mail to me and I will forward it to the whole group.  Hopefully, this will decrease amount of info I have to pull together for the newsletter.  Anyone who doesn’t want to receive these other updates can “opt out” of the e-mail list and provide me with self addressed stamped envelopes to receive their newsletter by post.

* We decided that having everyone bring a point of discussion or question to the meetings does not work out as well for some books as for others.  After trying this for several months, it is clear that we still need one person per meeting to be the leader and “steer” the discussion.  Most who have led agreed that preparing to be that person can really enhance your enjoyment of a book.  While we still encourage everyone to bring along a thought to share, we will go back to asking for a volunteer (not usually the hostess) to direct the book portion of the meeting.

* We also had a lengthy “pep rally” focusing on congratulating ourselves on what a great group we are and how we all bring some special contribution to the mix.  As part of this, we discussed that there is an ongoing need for hosts and discussion “steerers”.  When thinking about the coming year, please consider what you are able to volunteer to do.  We also recognize that some people do not feel their house is large enough to host a meeting and others do not feel comfortable leading a discussion.  In addition to being a snack volunteer, there are other ways to contribute such as volunteering in advance to stay and help the hostess tidy up after a meeting.  We will brainstorm further on this on Selection Night, but please think about what you would like to do in 2012-2013.

Other news items included a personal thank you from Jen for all of the thoughtful support she received following her knee surgery.  Polly continues to have ups and downs, so please keep her in your thoughts and consider a phone call or visit.  Loraine passed on information about the fall schedule for the Silver Fox luncheons at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.  I hope to send out a separate e-mail with all the details, but I will tell you that Craneridge’s favorite pianist, Gordy Stearns (Peggy’s hubby), and yours truly are on the schedule.

Don’t forget that the co-ed book for December is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and remember past newsletters and upcoming books can always be found on the blog at www.crbc.blogspot.com, which is diligently kept current by Jill and is an amazing source of info about our clubs doings, historical and current.

I am hoping that takes care of everything.  Hope you are staying cool with a nice summer read.

Jan

May 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday’s meeting to discuss The Art of Racing in the Rain was small, but successful.  The book received a rating of 3.5.  It was certainly a lighter read than some of our recent choices, and everyone seemed to enjoy that break.  Thank you, Joan hosting us.

Next up is the big summer meeting on Wednesday, July 18th. Remember that we are doing the much-anticipated “Hemingway Duo” at Jackie’s house.  The two books are The Paris Wife by Paula McLain about Hemingway’s time in Paris and his own book, A Moveable Feast about the same time frame.  Jackie is recommending that the books be read in the above order.  Since this is one of our “big food” nights, we will be beginning the meeting at 6:15 PM.  In the next few weeks, Jackie and I will be setting up an online way to let her know if you are coming and what you plan to bring.  This will allow people to see what is still needed and avoid duplication of items.  It may be fun to try to pull a little taste of France into our eats!  Details on how to sign up will follow, but anyone who doesn’t want to try the online way can call Jackie, and she will sign you up.  We will need to pick our first fall book at this meeting so please come prepared to suggest any must reads you have stumbled on this year.  With the expanded format, this is also a great meeting to invite potential new members to attend.

I will be working with Linda to determine the date of this year’s big classic, Atlas Shrugged.  In the past, we have met sometime in mid to late August. 

The medical update included the word that Jen’s knee replacement earlier this week went well.  Jackie will let us know when Jen gets home from rehab.  She has already expressed boredom and will likely be thrilled to have visits from us.  Polly continues to make steady progress.  Carol walked into the meeting like nothing ever happened! 

Wanted to give a big shout out to Elizabeth for finishing her first ever half marathon today!  Woohoo…way to go!  Her kids told me, “Mommy won her race!” and no matter where she placed, this accomplishment is certainly a personal victory.  In other sports news, Jill and I are doing the Ride for Red to raise money for the Southwestern Chapter of the American Red Cross on June 16th.  Anyone who would like to donate to that organization can get cash or a check (made out to the American Red Cross) to Jill or me by June 14th. 

Grace asked me to pass on that we are all invited to “stop by here and see our three areas of beautiful primroses.  Just stop anytime when out walking or jogging and go down the stairs at the side of the house and walk over to the patio, down the steps to the creek and look into the woods.  We are glad to share plants.  All that you see came from one plant!”

I think that is all for now.  Please forgive me if I forgot anything.  Happy Memorial Day.

Jan

April 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last week’s meeting at Lorraine’s featuring Remarkable Creatures was a tremendous success.  The book was well liked, receiving a 3.75 overall rating.  Talk of the book was lively, and our new plan to have the discussion be sustained by the input of all, seemed to work well.  Thanks to all who contributed goodies and especially to Lorraine for being our hostess and to Jill for acting as discussion “steerer”.  Stayed tuned for details about a summer field trip to do a bit of our own fossil hunting locally…bonnets and gloves optional.

Our next gathering is scheduled for 7 PM on Wednesday, May 23^rd at Joan’s to discuss The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.  Appetizer volunteers are Marilyn and Sue P, desserts are Jackie and Shirley, and Beth and Grace will bring some wine to add to the unopened bottles from the last meeting.  Please let Joan know if you are coming.  Remember that an accurate head count allows the hostess to plan for seating; so don’t forget to inform if you will be attending. 

We set July 18^th as the date for the summer meeting.  Plan to gather on Jackie’s deck to discuss what we have been affectionately referring to all year as the Hemingway Duo, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain about his time in Paris, and A Moveable Feast, Ernie’s own account of that same period.  The US paperback release of The Paris Wife has been delayed yet again, but we decided to forge ahead anyway in the hopes that since the hardcover can be obtained for not much more ($15 on Amazon) than a trade paperback and is available in audio and e-book formats, we should all be able to get the job done.  Jackie strongly recommended that the order is important and that The Paris Wife should be read first.  Because this is a “big food” event, we may experiment with a new method of signing up via a web site called mysignup.com.  This may turn out to be a great way for the Craneridge Caring Tree to function when there are specific tasks to be accounted for when someone is in need of help.

In other neighborhood news, Kathryn asked us to please note that the new Craneridge website is found at:

 craneridgehomeownersassociation.shutterfly.com 

The board is seeking some input via a survey that you can find and easily complete on that site.  Please remember that the annual meeting is at Willie’s (Kissing Bridge) on Saturday, May 12^th and the Earth Day work party is Saturday, May 19^th.  I believe both events begin at 10 AM.

Finally, Marty suggested considering giving the website www.betterworldbooks.com a try the next time you buy a book.  They have new and used books at reasonable prices and your purchases trigger donations of other books to those in need.

I think that is most of what transpired…      Jan

March 2012 Newsletter

Hello Book Clubbers,
 This would have been in your hands a week ago, but this amazing weather we’ve been having has forced me outside to enjoy it.  I hope you have been doing the same.

The meeting on the 14th to discuss A Fierce Radiance brought with it a range of ratings and some great discussion.  I think we experienced a first that night when Grace & Jennifer AGREED on their ratings!  Overall, the group gave the book a 3.4 but that was from a range of 2 to 4.5.  Everyone agreed that the history of Penicillin (and the government and drug company involvement) was fascinating, but it was the characters and story line that left some people flat, unfortunately.  One person commented that Belfler’s City of Light was a far better story – so if you’re looking for another historical novel to add to your collection, check this one out.  Many thanks to Marty for leading the discussion and to Grace for opening her home to the group!

Looking forward to the next few meetings, here’s what the calendar looks like:

April 18 at Loraine's
   Book:  Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
   Desserts:  Jennifer (Key Lime Pie?) & Grace
   Appetizers:  Jackie & Elisabeth
   Wine:  Terry, Natalie, Marty, Kathryn, and…. ??
                                               (can we get one more volunteer?)
We’re going to try something NEW at this meeting – we’re ALL going to lead the discussion that night.  How will we do that, you ask?  I (Jill) will help facilitate the discussion amongst the group, but this time everyone should bring a question with them to pose to the rest of us!  Your “question” could be: something remarkable from the book, a reference to another book (or author or life experience), or just a random thought or idea that came from reading the story. At past meetings, for example, our members have brought up the idea of alternate realities for the characters (Frankenstein), the use of Japanese poetry in the author’s writing style (Jacob deZoet), and Shakespearian references (Hunger Games)… we all bring a unique perspective to the meetings – let’s capitalize on them!

May 16 or 23 at Joan’s
   Book:  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
   Desserts & Appetizers & Wine:  Will decide in April (or volunteer via e-mail)       
The group voted to “mix it up” a bit (moving away from historical fiction for a month) by choosing “the dog book” for May.

June/July     The Summer Party!
    On Jacqueline’s deck
    Books:   The Hemingway Duo
          The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
          A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
It looks like McLain’s book will be out in paperback on March 28th (Amazon & Barnes & Noble say so, though I have seen contradictory reports of February 2013).  We’ll have to see what happens.  It is available on Kindle/eReader and Audiobooks, so maybe we can talk about the need for paperback at the next meeting.

August     The “Big” Book at Linda’s
      Book:   Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

So that’s where we are for now.  More to come on the book selection for September and then we start all over again for planning for 2013.  Wow!  Time feels like it’s flying.

After the discussion of the book and business, we got some updates on the health of our members.  It was so nice to hear the positive progress that most are making.  We look forward to further updates and hope for a speedy recoveries for all. 

That’s all for now.  Happy Spring to all!  Hope you’re enjoying the wonderful weather with a good book.

Cheers!
  Jill

P.S.  Don't forget to RSVP to Loraine if you'll be at the meeting in April!

February 2012

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday’s meeting to discuss The Hunger Games was big fun.  We decided to rate the book on a different scale, not comparing it to our usual selections based on how it stacked up to To Kill a Mockingbird, for example.  Looking at it as young adult fiction and its readability, we ended up giving it a 3.7.  As usual, disparate opinions gave rise to good discussion.  Kathryn did a great job of bringing out some interesting points as well as explaining why this book appeals to teenagers.  She also pointed out how The Hunger Games trilogy could be employed to spark students’ interest in more classic works, including Shakespeare, Lord of the Flies, etc.  As a special treat, we got to hear Jackie read her prize-winning short story and discuss the inspiration and the work that went into it.  Thank you for sharing, Jackie.  We are all so PROUD of YOU.

Our next meeting will be held at 7 PM on Wednesday, March 14th at Grace’s.  The book is A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer (author of City of Light).  Please let Grace know if you are coming.  The discussion will be led by Marty.  Snack volunteers for the evening are Marty, Terry and Kathryn for appetizers, Ina and Jill for desserts, and Liz, Jackie, Karla and Natalie for wine.

Since Wednesday, I have been able to pinpoint our April book and location.  The date will be Wednesday, April 18th as we discussed.  Loraine Sherman will host.  The book selection will be Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.  At this time, we are looking for a volunteer to lead the discussion that night.  Please reach me if you are willing to do that.  We will pin down snack people at the March meeting.

Much of our business meeting revolved around all the medical stuff going on with our members and neighbors.  As difficult as all these health set backs are for our friends and neighbors, at least we have the CRBC Caring Tree to kick into gear and provide some multidimensional support.  As always, if you know of someone in Craneridge who needs this sort of help, contact Jennifer to get the “tree” shaking.

Man, I hope that is everything.  Well, there was some more good news, but best to ask Katie about that when you see her.  I won’t see you all in March since we will be taking a little car ride down south to see all our kids and grandkids.  Enjoy discussing A Fierce Radiance and have a glass of wine for me.

Read on,
Jan

Happy New Year!

Dear Book Clubbers,

This week’s meeting to discuss Cutting for Stone was a major success.  The book received a relatively high average rating of 4.35!  Elizabeth and Karla did an amazing job of keeping the discussion lively, and Terry was a superb hostess.  On top of the great chat and food, we also had a lot of laughs, reflecting how comfortable with one another we’ve become.  Thanks to everyone who brought goodies, but especially to Terry, Karla and Elizabeth. 

In keeping with our plan to do a book a month (with the understanding that everyone may not be able to read all the selections), our next meeting will be at 7 PM on Wednesday, February 15th at my house.  The book is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Kathryn will lead the discussion.  Appetizer volunteers are Elizabeth, Karla and Jill.  Desserts are Kathryn and Jen.  Marty, Linda, Pam and Jen will bring wine.  This book is a quick and engaging read.  Please do not get turned off by the fiendish sounding plot summary.  It really is quite good.  Let me know if you are attending.

Following that we will meet on March 14th to discuss A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer at Grace’s.  Marty will lead the discussion.

We voted on our long classic read and ended up with Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  Linda will once again lead this meeting, but the date is still to be determined.

In other news, we all cheered for Jackie’s great showing in the recently concluded Buffalo News short story contest.  When she is in attendance next month, Jackie will read us her story, and we will briefly discuss it and congratulate her in person.

Unfortunately neighbor and former club member, Ann Britain, was recently in a very serious car accident just after concluding rehab for extensive back surgery. 

We seem to be in a bit of a spin regarding getting volunteers to host.  Many have said that it is easier to do this if they don’t have to also lead the discussion.  If you feel your home is too small to hold our group, please consider partnering up with someone else by offering to moderate.  A few members have also asked me to clarify that it is all of our responsibilities to call the hostess a couple days prior to the meeting to let her know that we will be attending so that she can prepare accordingly.  The rare exception to this is when we are having a more involved gathering and we pass around a food sign up sheet ahead of time. 

Hope the long overdue arrival of the snow has you enjoying our winter paradise, perhaps doing a winter sport or curled up by the fire with a good book.

Jan