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.