Chicks On Lit discussion
Let's get going for October.
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETYMary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
From Amazon review:
The reasons people join book clubs are numerous --- to meet people, to find common bonds through literature, to share neighborhood gossip, to exchange favorite authors or dessert recipes. But perhaps no reading group has had a genesis as dramatic as the one that gave birth to the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands, nominally part of Great Britain but located in the English Channel, close enough to see mainland Europe with the naked eye. And, as the residents of Guernsey discover during World War II, close enough for the Germans to occupy. What started out as a layover during an intended full-out invasion of the British Isles resulted in a five-year occupation that changed the lives of these quiet, simple people forever.
In the novel, the title literary club is formed, literally, in self-defense. Caught heading home late after curfew (following a highly illegal dinner of roast pork from a pig missed by the Germans' inventory), an eclectic group of villagers makes up an excuse on the spot --- they were so engrossed by their literary discussion, they improvise, that they completely lost track of time. Of course, in order to validate their cover story, the "members" have to stage actual subsequent meetings, sometimes featuring creative desserts such as Potato Peel Pie (about the only dessert they could make with the limited supplies available to the near-starving islanders). To their surprise, especially since several of the group's members had never read a book before, the club soon sparks a genuine love of reading, as well as some intense literary debates.
Shortly after the war's end, one of the society's members, a pig farmer named Dawsey Adams, grows intrigued by the writings of 18th-century essayist Charles Lamb and, on a whim, decides to write to the former owner of his used volume, Juliet Ashton, to see if she can help him find more works by Lamb. Juliet, who had become a bestselling columnist and author during and after the war, soon begins corresponding with Dawsey and the other Society members. Friendship, compassion and a sense of discovering new stories about the war draws Juliet and the Guernsey islanders together. Juliet hopes to include their stories in a new series of newspaper columns, or maybe as part of a new book --- but even this astute cultural critic and social commentator does not anticipate the role these humble people will play in her own personal story.
This one keeps catching my eye when I am in Borders.. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...or of course my book :) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32...
I think you ladies might like it and it is a nice quick read.
Urgh. I am #42 in the library queue for The Shack. I'd hate to miss the group read on it if it was picked.
I nominate The Shack. Its been in my queue reading list and it'd finally give me a reason to bump it to the top of the list!
I would like to nominate "Live a Little" by Kim Green. I read a review and thought it would be good to read as a group.
Angela
Cyndi - did you mean All He Ever Wanted was Everything?
OH my gosh! I am so overwhelmed...haven't even started August's book yet......really, though, thanks for giving us the head's up in advance!
I think she means All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve.
There's a book called "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything" by Janelle Brown that's newer...
I asked Cyndi and yes she was nominating "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything" by Janelle Brown.
Mod
Quite the debate going there though huh?? ;) Too funny!
Has anyone ever heard of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safron Foer? I've been assigned this book for a class and it is wonderful. Very different, funny yet heartbreaking. Written from the perspective of a nine year old who lost his dad on 9/11. Quite unique. Critics blast it, but it has been given award after award. A 28 year old man wrote it. He also wrote 'Everything is Illuminated' which became a movie starring Elijah Wood.
Please name your nominations for October from now until Saturday. Ill gather them and post them for votes on Sunday and will take votes until next Wednesday.
Thanks in advance I always get so many ideas of books to read from this process