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

Year-End 2011

Dear Book Clubbers,

Whew, I would say that our co-ed meeting was a great one.  Although Catch 22 only scored between a 2.5 and 3, the variation in how people felt about the book and Chris’s well-prepared questions made for a fantastic discussion.  Apparently, if everyone in the group loves a book, there is less to disagree on…therefore less discussion.  I think we have discovered a reading group paradox.  Shall we name it the CRBC Catch 22?  Anyway, thanks to everyone who helped with food, drinks and clean up.  A special shout out to Chris for his thorough job in leading the discussion and to Paul B who showed up to help me Wednesday afternoon. 

In a close vote for next year’s co-ed book, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand was selected.  This book has been high on the bestseller lists for a year now.  Yes, it is another WWII book, but completely different in every way.

First up in 2012 is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, which is supposed to be an excellent read.  The meeting is now scheduled for Terry’s home at 7 PM on Wednesday, January 11^th.  Appetizer volunteers are Kathryn, Jen and Grace.  Sue, Ina, Linda and Pam will bring wine.  While scribbling notes, I wrote Marion under desserts and then the word “dessert” where I was supposed to fill in the second volunteer.  Hopefully, this mystery person remembers who they are.  See?  We are lost without Jill there to check my work!

The February (2/15) book is The Hunger Games.  Please don’t get turned off by reading a synopsis of this very popular young adult/adult book.  It is really, really good and should be a nice quick read for everyone.  We need a volunteer to host that night as well as for the March meeting.

In one final note, it has been brought to my attention by several people that we always seem to run out of white wine and have leftover red at the meetings.  Since we seem to mostly drink white (and I can bring some reds that didn’t get consumed last Wednesday), let’s concentrate on bringing whites to Terri’s.  We’ll have to work on our ratio for the future.  Incidentally, something like 17 or 18 bottles of wine went out in the recycling bin on Thursday AM.  Good for us!

Have great holidays!  I hope the gift of time with friends and family, good health and some excellent reads come your way this season.

Jan

October's Meeting

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday’s meeting at Jill’s to discuss Frankenstein was a tremendous success.  We rated the book a 3.65 overall, with those attending somewhat falling mainly into two groups: those who enjoyed Mary Shelley’s writing style and those who found it verbose and bombastic.  As usual, this disparity of opinion gave rise to some great discussion, as did Jill’s thorough research and preparation.  Karla proposed a totally different interpretation of the book which had us all really thinking and some even contemplating a second read with her hypothesis in mind.  Fascinating stuff.  Many thanks to Jill and all who brought stuff to the evening.

Our next meeting is at 6:30 on Wednesday, November 30th at our house.  This is the co-ed meeting so we will shoot for everyone bringing something in the way of a substantial appetizer or dessert since we try to make this a decent finger food dinner for those attending.  Wine is always good too.  The book is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and Chris Strong will be leading the discussion.  A sheet was passed around Wednesday night.  If you signed up for something, that serves as your RSVP.  If not, please e-mail me or call to let me know what you want to bring.  I am having rotator cuff surgery on November 8th, so Rob may be reaching out for some set up and tear down help once we know how I am doing.  Please refer to the newsletter from September 8th or to the blog to view the books being considered for the 2012 co-ed selection.  Of course, the guys are always welcome to add their own suggestions to the mix.

Other upcoming events include the Craneridge Family Halloween Party on Saturday, October 29th.  The plan is to meet at the mail center at 5 PM for a parade around the neighborhood followed by pizza, games and crafts at the pool shelter.  All are welcome…those with kids, those without, grandparents, etc.  Just please try to sign the sheet at the mail center so that the organizers have a rough head count.

On Halloween night (10/31), Rob and I will again open our home for anyone to stop in.  Make it the last stop with your kids and come in for warming beverages and snacks.  If you don’t get any trick or treaters at your house and just want to come to our house to see kids there or simply hang out, come with a snack or beverage to share anytime after 6 PM.  Please pass the word on to other neighbors who aren’t in book club.  All are welcome.

Katherine Orrange requested that those of us on Facebook “friend” the Craneridge Association.  The board is hoping this can become a viable way to get communications out to people in a pinch.

The Daffodil Bulb Planting event that was scheduled for 10/15 got a little washed out.  Contact Shirley Skinner ASAP if you can help out planting bulbs in common areas around the neighborhood and around your own home.

Beth Roy has a bread maker that is free to a good home.  The appliance is in great condition.  Beth has just gotten into doing all her bread dough prep with her own hands and would love to see someone take advantage of this modern convenience…and get it out of her way.

The Craneridge Holiday party is pretty definitely set for December 3rd at the Hearth Restaurant in Chaffee.  Save the date and stay tuned for further details.

We chose the next two books and the next three dates for 2012.  Remember we are going to try scheduling meetings monthly to get more books read with the caveat that many of us will sometimes skip a book because it either didn’t grab us or we didn’t have time for it.  This is something we decided at the selection night to try.  Let’s see how it works for the beginning of the year.  We will attempt to vary our book selections so that any lengthier reads are followed by short books whenever possible.  The upcoming dates include:

  January 11th – Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese – Elizabeth Strong’s house
  February 15th – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – hostess to be determined
  March 14th – book to be determined – Terri’s house
 
I think that is all the news and business.  Seems there was a lot to say this month.  Don’t forget that if you have general announcements, you can send them out directly to our members and eliminate me as the middleman who isn’t always timely in getting to things :)!

Read on,
Jan

September's meeting

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last week’s meeting at Marilyn’s to discuss The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet was a small, but spirited gathering.  Although there were only eight of us, Jen led a great discussion of this interesting book depicting a historical period and region that we had not experienced through previous club selections.  I think the overall rating was somewhere around a 3.5, with most of us glad that we had read it.  One thing we all seemed to agree on was that David Mitchell was a tremendously skilled writer, weaving a well-crafted story.  Thanks go out to Marilyn and Jen for doing such a great job.

The next meeting is at 7 PM on Wednesday, October 19th at Jill’s.  The selection is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  Jill has promised to do some side reading to enlighten us on the author herself, so it promises to be a very intriguing meeting.  Please let Jill know if you will be attending.  Because everyone who was at Marilyn’s brought something, we did not pick snack and wine volunteers for the October meeting.  Please consider offering to bring something when you call Jill.  It would be great if she could hear from people willing to bring food and wine ASAP so that she doesn’t have to figure those logistics out at the last minute.

Because of the small group and the close proximity to the book selection night, there wasn’t really any new business.  One interesting suggestion did arise out of our discussion of Jacob, however.  As we chatted about the book, most of us seemed to have a specific question that we wanted to ask the group.  In some cases it was a part we didn’t quite understand or something that we just wanted to hear the others’ opinions about.  The observation was made that one way we could ease the burden on the moderator and also make the discussions more meaningful to all of us, would be to have each of us consider, while reading, what they might like to ask the group.  The intent wouldn’t be to go around the room and systematically address those questions, but rather just to have additional input beyond the moderator’s perspective to broaden the range of our discussion.  Worth a try, right?

That’s all for now.  Hope everyone is enjoying these great fall days!

Jan

Planning Meeting: A Recap

Dear Book Clubbers,
Last night’s book selection meeting was a huge success.  Barb did a fantastic job of accommodating all of us even though it was too cold for the deck.  Thanks, Barb.  Appreciation also goes out to all who pitched in and brought yummies to the meeting and to those unable to attend who still took the time to send ideas along.

In new business, I pointed out that there is a drop box for paper recycling (every thing but cardboard) that is accessible 24/7 at the Colden Elementary School.  The volume of paper collected there somehow benefits the school a bit.  Grace added that there is a similar green and yellow box at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital.  Jill mentioned that there is a drop site for returnables at the Colden Fire Hall with those proceeds going to a local Boy Scout troop.  Please consider making your green efforts also help a local cause.

Stay tuned for a direct e-mail from Ina detailing some upcoming quilt shows and the liquidation sale of a fellow crafter’s inventory of fabric and beads.  Marion’s sewing machine is still available.  Jennifer advised us to stay alert next Thursday, September 15th, as there will be local painters setting up their easels to capture some Craneridge scenery on canvas.  How cool is that?

Lots of wonderful books were proposed last night.  We also included the two selections we didn’t get to last year, Sense and Sensibility and Left to Tell, in the voting process. 
     
Click here to see the full list of 2012 suggestions.

Last night we decided to try to shoot for one meeting a month after finishing out the fall on our usual schedule.  The suggestion was made and welcomed that we at least try for one book a month.  Obviously, not everybody can always read every selection, but the thinking was that this would allow us to get more books in.  If something doesn’t appeal to you or you don’t have time, you can skip one knowing another discussion is just around the corner.  In the next few weeks, I would appreciate hearing from those of you who have conflicts on a particular week of the month (i.e. the first Wednesday of the month), so that we can evaluate if having a consistent meeting week is worth attempting.

Speaking just of around the corner, we will meet at Marilyn’s at 7 PM on Wednesday, September 21st to discuss The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.  Volunteers are: Jill and Kathryn for apps; Barb and me for desserts; and Carol, Terri, Jackie, Ina, Grace and Jen for wine.  If you are able to attend, please call Marilyn. 

After that, we will meet at Jill’s on Wednesday, October 19th to discuss Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  Should be a great read to do around Halloween, and Jill has promised to educate us on the life of a woman writer during a time when there weren’t a lot of them!

The co-ed meeting will likely be November 30th, but your hosts (Rob and I) reserve the right to change that depending on what our Thanksgiving plans become.  We will let you know as soon as the date is firm.  The book is Catch-22 and hopefully, Chris Strong remembers that he is leading the discussion.

I hope those of you who weren’t able to make it last night will be as excited about our choices for the coming year as the rest of us are!  See you in two weeks.       
Jan

Planning for 2012

Hello Book Clubbers,

I am sure we are all trying to fully enjoy these last few weeks of summer.  As the days become shorter and the mornings become crisper, it is time to plan our year of reading choices.  The selection meeting for 2011-2012 is at 7 PM on Wednesday, September 7th at Barb Reed’s.  Please call her if you are able to attend.  I don’t recall (and neither does Jill) that we picked snack and wine volunteers for that night, so please let Barb know if you can bring something.

I am super hopeful that we will have an excellent turnout with lots of great book ideas that night.  Remember that our club’s success is a reflection of all of our input.  We need everybody to pitch in with suggestions for books (or ideas for improvements for that matter) so that we can have a great year ahead.

In case this is your first selection night or you forgot how it goes…members bring suggestions for one or two books that they think the club would enjoy reading and discussing.  (If you have a question regarding whether the club has already read a particular book, you can view our entire past on the blog)  We will go around the room and give a brief description of our proposals.  Please also bring something physical representing your suggestion.  This can be the book itself, a printed review (from Amazon for example) or even just a sheet of paper with the title, author and brief synopsis.  These items will then be laid out at Barb’s, and we will vote by putting chips on the ones we would each like to read.  The top vote getters will become our choice list for the coming year.  As we go around the room, we will also try to identify possible picks that might make good suggestions for the 2012 co-ed meeting that we will then propose for the guys to choose from at this year’s gathering.

You may also bring any books that you have finished and are willing to part with for our used book swap. 

Even if you have been thinking about it all summer and still don’t feel that you have a good book to propose, we still would like you there to help make our selections.  I can’t stress enough that the involvement of as many members as possible best assures good choices that we are all excited to read.  This meeting is also an excellent time to put forth any other ideas you have regarding our club.

That’s it for now.  Feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions or confusions.

Jan

July's Meeting

Dear Book Clubbers,

We had a spectacular summer night for our gathering last week on Jen’s deck to discuss The Forgotten Garden.  Jen did her usual super job of hostessing, making room for all of us as well as for the goodies everyone brought.  Jill led a lively discussion of what most agreed was a perfect choice for a summer read.  Overall we rated the book 3.7 and the evening 5.0!  Thanks again to Jen and Jill and a round of applause for the feast and fellowship we all put together.

Our next meeting, for the brave and ambitious tackling War and Peace, will be at 7 PM at Linda’s on August 17th.   Please contact Linda to let her know that you are coming.  We also need some snack and wine volunteers for that evening.

After that we will have our yearly selection meeting on Wednesday, September 7th at Barb’s.  Start time is 7 PM, and we are hoping it will still be warm enough to be out on her deck that night.  Remember our choices for the year depend on your valued input at this meeting.  Bring one or two suggestions and please be prepared to give a brief summary to the group.  In addition, please bring the book itself, a review or summary from the Internet, or at least a piece of paper with the title and author that we can lay out for the voting.  This will also be our book exchange night, so plan on bringing any books that you wish to trade away.  We will need snack and wine volunteers for that night.  Sorry that we forgot to do that last week.  I am thinking that if we expect a healthy turn out, we should aim for 5 appetizers, 3 desserts and wine.  Please call Barb to let her know that you will be attending and to volunteer if possible.  We are really hoping for a bumper crop of good choices for the upcoming year, so please be a contributing part of this process.

Two weeks later, on September 21st, we will gather at Marilyn’s to discuss The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell.  This book has been on our list for a long time and I think we are all eager to finally see what it is about.  We are told that it looks hefty, but reads quickly.  We have 2 months at this point…assuming you have finished War and Peace (ha, ha!).  The current Amazon price for this book in paperback is $9.28 if anyone wants me to order a copy for her.

I think that is all for now.  In the process of discussing our first book for the fall, I heard some other intriguing suggestions during the meeting and after.  I look forward to hearing more about those at the selection meeting and enthusiastically anticipate that we can come up with a blockbuster reading list for 2011-2012.

Stay cool by reading…
Jan

Mark your calendars

Hello all!
In case you're filling your calendars the rest of your summer (and into fall) - here are some important Wednesday nights to keep in mind:

August 17th - Discussion of Tolstoy's War & Peace at Linda's

September 7th - 2012 Selection Meeting at Barb's - Bring your reading wish list with you (the more books the better)!!


September 21st - Book Club meeting to discuss 1000 Autumns of Jacob de Zoet at Marilyn's

May's Meeting

Dear Book Clubbers,

Last week’s discussion of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks proved very interesting.  Ina did a super job of hostessing and leading what ended up being a lively discussion.  Ratings were all over the board, with an average of 3.7ish, but as usual, the wide disparity of opinions kept things hopping.  Thanks Ina!

In an effort to lighten things up for the summer meeting (July 20th), we chose The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  Follow this Amazon link to read more about it.  It is described as a little Secret Garden like, part mystery, a little love story, with a fairy tale tone about it.  Sounds very readable, but it is a little longish, so get cracking.  We will meet on Jennifer’s deck at our usual 6:30 PM summer meeting time.  We will all bring a substantial appetizer, wine or dessert to share so that we can make a meal out of this gathering.  If you signed up on the food sheet last week, you need contact Jen only if you cannot make it after all.  Those who weren’t there should RSVP to her to find out what you should bring.  I can order the paperback on Amazon for $8.55 for anyone who needs a copy.

For those who are tackling War and Peace, don’t forget that August 17th is going to come up fast now that summer is here.

In other announcements, Barb is organizing a water aerobics class at the pool this summer.  Anyone interested should meet at the pool on Tuesday, June 7th at 10:00 AM.  Call Barb if you have questions.

Ina handed out the schedule for the “4th Fridays at the Tri-Main” featuring open galleries and artists studios.  Upcoming Friday dates are June 24, July 22 and August 26.  Refer to the link in last month’s newsletter or talk to Ina for details.  Ina is also involved in Whisker Fest 2011, a two-day event on July 30-31 at the Hayloft in the Grove in East Aurora to benefit the Buffalo Paws and Claws Animal Shelter.  Go to www.bpcanimalrescue.com for info about the organization and this event.

Most importantly, don’t forget to attend the Craneridge budget vote meeting on Saturday, June 18th at 10 AM at the pool shelter.  If you cannot be there in person, be sure to hand in an absentee ballot.

We decided that in addition to getting announcements for the business meeting to me ahead of time, it would make things easier if I also got a little e-mail blurb with details so that I didn’t have to remember all the facts when I compose this newsletter.  We will try to limit these coming events blurbs to items directly involving our members or the Craneridge community.

We have been missing some of you the last couple of months and hope to see a bunch of people back at the summer meeting.

Jan

Dear Book Clubbers,

Wednesday’s meeting to discuss Sarah’s Key was a great time.  Although the book obviously dealt with a very difficult subject, we rated it 4 stars across the board.  All in attendance got a tremendous amount out of reading it.  I think it missed getting 4.5 or 5 stars only because we seem to have become more discerning in our rating system!  Sue K. did a terrific job leading the discussion and being our hostess.  Thanks Sue!

Our next book is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  We will meet at 7 PM at Ina’s on Wednesday, May 25^th.  Snack volunteers for that night are Sue K, Sue P and Shirley for appetizers, Beth for dessert, Linda for red wine and Marilyn and Jen for white wine.  If anyone wants me to order a book for them, the paperback is currently $8.24 on Amazon.

At that meeting, we will discuss what to read for our summer meeting in July.  We are looking for a somewhat lighter or unusual selection.  There are a few Buffalo area memoirs under consideration, which may be interesting, especially if we can snag one of the authors.  Keep your thinking caps on for something to fit the bill for the summer. 

The long classic effort of War and Peace is all set for Linda’s house on August 17^th.  For those of you who want advice on which translation to read, many of us are tackling the one by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.  The paperback edition is available for $12.24 at Amazon and the Kindle edition recently dropped to $8.99.

For new business, we have upcoming event announcements for two of the artistic members of our group.  Look for a separate e-mail forwarded by me regarding Emily’s long awaited return to a dancing performance after her broken foot.  Ina’s unique creations are on exhibit as part of the Fiber Arts Incentive at the Impact Artists Gallery through April 30^th.  In addition, beginning this Friday, April 22  and on the 4th Friday of every month until Dec. 23,.2011 there will be open galleries and studios throughout the building so you can meet working artists, sign up for workshops, and attend special events. The hours for this are 4 to 8 pm.  Admission and parking are free.  Go to http://impactartist.wordpress.com/category/fiber-art/ or contact Ina for more information on the gallery’s location and the exhibit hours. 

In addition Terry reminded us that the Craneridge Caring Tree is not just about lending tangible support by cooking meals, running errands, etc. for community members who are in need of help.  We should remember that emotional support and companionship are also helpful for people who are confined to their homes or facing a difficult time.  Please consider a gift of your time and company when you hear of someone who might enjoy it.  If you would like further details about this thread of our discussion, contact Terry.

Guess that’s the scoop for the moment except to say that I was thrilled to be back after having had to miss a couple meetings in a row.

Jan

March 2011

Hi Book Clubbers,

Terry made us all feel welcome at our meeting Wednesday night and Jackie did a great job of leading the discussion.  "A Reliable Wife"  got a rating of 2.9.  Ratings ranged from 2 to 5 so you can imaging it was a very good discussion.  Those giving it higher ratings convinced us it was well written and carried a message.  Those giving it lower points, felt it was "supersexed" (Liz's word) and dark.

"Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay was chosen for the April 13th meeting at Sue Kellner's. Please call her if you are coming.  Liz, Jackie, and Terry will bring appetizers.  Carla, Grace, and Kathryn are signed up for wine and Marion will bring a dessert.  We agreed that with our crowd, appetizers are more popular.

Tolstoy's "War and Peace" was chosen for our long read.  This meeting is set for August 17th at Linda Hoffman's.  We felt that "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Laks" by Rebecca Skoot should be the choice for our next meeting. (May/June?)

News from our members:

Jennifer Parsons had foot surgery this week and seems to be covered for most needs but might enjoy some company during her long healing process. 

John Reed is coming along well after his foot surgery and may be driving soon but we all know that the caregiver suffers as much as the patient so Barb may need a few kinds words or calls.

Terry and Eric will host a St. Patrick's Day Party on March 19th at 7:00.  We are all invited.  Please bring a substantial appetizaer or a dessert and a beverage of your choice.  Sounds like  fun!

Loraine sent posters annoucing that the Silver Foxes Program at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church will beging again in March. Poster is at the Mail Center telling of the programs.  Some of us have attended and really enjoyed both the food and the program.

Jan, thanks for all you did to prepare for these meetings.  We hope you can attend the next meeting and get us all straightened. out.  We miss you.  Also looking forward to all who have not made our winter meetings joining us in April.

Grace