Ann's Suggestion

Here's another to add to the list, if we want a 'lighter' read some month:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. It's out in paperback -- I read it with some friends, and we all really enjoyed it.

A couple excepts from Janet Maslin's NYTimes review:

<

On the first page of the first chapter of her first novel, “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand,” Helen Simonson invites her readers to experience love at first sight. A starchy retired British Army officer named Maj. Ernest Pettigrew has just learned of his brother Bertie’s death. Distracted by grief, he happens to be wearing a red, flowery housecoat when he answers a ring at his front door. He opens the door and casts a tearful eye on the dignified, elegant, foreign-looking woman who will win his heart.

.... read this one page, and you may find you’ve fallen head over heels for Ms. Simonson’s funny, barbed, delightfully winsome storytelling. .....

...Its main characters are especially well drawn, and Ms. Simonson makes them as admirable as they are entertaining. ...It’s about intelligence, heart, dignity and backbone. “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” has them all. >>

I'm still having problems getting on the blog, something to do with Google ...

Hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday -- Happy New Year to all! Ann

Kathy's suggestions

Hemingway's Boat (a biography relating to his boat)

Caleb's Crossing By Geraldine Brooks

Stranger's Child about a Brit family

Rules of Civility about Manhattan in the 1930's.

January Meeting/Book Selection

Our next meeting will be on Monday, Jan 30. We need a host.

Let's read The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. See earlier posting for details.

I posted a comment but I made a mistake and it is under Kathy's "I'm on the blog."

So here I go again.

First, Kathy, Thank you for hosting our First Annual Movie Night. It was great fun.

I just read the article in the NYT about disenrolled native Americans and got to think about Louise Erdrich. Did we read “Tracks” in this group? I know I said I would not comment on books you read while I am gone, but I would suggest one of her books. One of the latest is called “Shadow Tag” and is a fictionalize account of her marriage. It is the least mystical of her books and gives some insight into Indian life both on and off the reservation.

Peter joins me in wishing all of you a Wonderful Holiday Season and a happy and healthy 2012. Stay Warm.

Love, Annet

Password change request

Someone (not me) has requested a password change for my account. Not sure what that means. Is it one of our group doing this?

re Sarah's key

I have been wondering why the author chose a Polish Jewish girl rather than a native born French girl.

It would seem that the horror would have been even worse if the book had emphasized the fact that French police rounded up French Jews, which they did.

Any Thoughts?

Annet

I think I am on the blog.

Film - I would love to see

Whenever the silent film, "The Artist", gets here I really want to see it!

Bosnia - NYT 11-4-11

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/magazine/lives-the-reckoning.html

I think you will all agree that, sadly, there are a few similarities here with Sarah's Key and that we cannot forget that atrocities like those we learned of in the book exist in more modern times as well.

Great to see what we read in 2008.

Annet

Movie Plans for Monday, Dec 12

First - we have 2 main options for that evening. We can either go to Kathy Kloss' home or we can go to Bethel Cinema.


I just called the cinema. We can't get a group rate but it's $7 per tkt on Mon eve after 6 anyway. We will not be able to find out what's playing that night until Tues the 6th.


Re. movies at Kathy's house. I think we ruled out watching Sarah's Key. One possibility is the movie that Ann recommended - Bottle Shock. Other ideas that I thought of include a fun Busby Berkeley film - like Gold Diggers of 1933 or 1935 - such fun to watch.

Please post your feelings on this topic.

Here are 2 book ideas from me for end of January. Anyone like these ideas?
The writeups are from Goodread. I read both ages ago.
Elise

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In one of the most important and beloved Latin American works of the twentieth century, Isabel Allende weaves a luminous tapestry of three generations of the Trueba family, revealing both triumphs and tragedies. Here is patriarch Esteban, whose wild desires and political machinations are tempered only by his love for his ethereal wife, Clara, a woman touched by an otherworldly hand. Their daughter, Blanca, whose forbidden love for a man Esteban has deemed unworthy infuriates her father, yet will produce his greatest joy: his granddaughter Alba, a beautiful, ambitious girl who will lead the family and their country into a revolutionary future.The House of the Spirits is an enthralling saga that spans decades and lives, twining the personal and the political into an epic novel of love, magic, and fate.

One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel García Márquez, Gregory Rabassa (Translator)
One Hundred Years of Solitude
One of the 20th century's enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world, and the ultimate achievement of a Nobel Prize winning career. The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and...moreOne of the 20th century's enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world, and the ultimate achievement of a Nobel Prize winning career. The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the family. It is a rich and brilliant chronicle of life and death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the noble, ridiculous, beautiful, and tawdry story of the family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America.

A Few Recommendations from Meeting Nov 28, 2011

Per Jill - goodreads.com
I just signed up. When you go to the site you are prompted to set up an acct. Once you begin the acct setup you are directed to select books that interest you and rate them. You can also select books that you would like to read. Once you've made 20 selections the program finishes assessing and gives you recommendations. It looks like a great site. Sign up!!!

Per Annet - Pictures at an Exhibition by Sarah Houghteling
Amazon: Set in a Paris darkened by World War II, Sara Houghteling’s sweeping and sensuous debut novel tells the story of a son’s quest to recover his family’s lost masterpieces, looted by the Nazis during the occupation......

Per Ann - Film- Bottle Shock
Wikipedia: Bottle Shock is a 2008 American comedy-drama film based on the 1976 wine competition termed the "Judgment of Paris", when California wine defeated French wine in a blind taste test. It stars Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, and Bill Pullman and is directed by Randall Miller, who wrote the screenplay along with Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz.[1] It premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.[1]

How about we try this again???

It would be great if we had one place to collect our thoughts. A blog fits the bill!!! We can discuss book options and make decisions on upcoming books. And we can plan for other events too.