2011 Book Club choices

13 years ago

My book discussion group met last night and decided on our reading list for this year. I thought some you might be interested. We will be reading, in order:

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson

The Housekeeper and the Professor - Yoko Ogawa

Those Who Save Us - Jenna Blum

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

Free Food for Millionaires - Min Jin Lee

You Know When the Men are Gone - Siobhan Fallon

Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Wall

The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

I'm hoping we've chosen some discussable, but enjoyable, reads. I debated giving Little Bee at our exchange and decided against it. But another member brought it to the meeting as a suggestion and the others liked the synopsis. So I guess I'll have to finish reading it after all.

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Comments (13)

Kath
13 years ago
The two of those I have read (Major Pettigrew and The Art of Racing) were both very enjoyable, and I know someone who really liked Half Broke Horses. I hope they are all good reads for you.
bookmom41
13 years ago
Both Henrietta Lacks and Little Bee are on my book club's list for this year. I've read both of them already and thought that not only were they well written, both offer a lot of fodder for discussion. I am reading Major Pettigrew right now and it is absolutely charming. I am reading it very slowly so I can prolong the enjoyment. If you liked The Guernsey Literary... book, this one is right up your alley.
It looks like you have a nice variety of choices--my club tries to make sure we have some non-fiction and a "classic" or two along with the inevitable current fiction.
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I just posted our selections on the 2011 Book Club choices thread. (I tried to post the list earlier, but my Firefox browser crashed just as I was finishing, so I turned off my computer in frustration.) Since you've asked in this thread, I'll repeat the list: Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah Biography Night (individual choice) Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor Our community One Read book (title as yet unknown) Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick Shanghai Girls by Lisa See My group has already read several of the the suggestions that were offered in this thread, and generally we liked all of them, so I think we'd like the others as well. I will keep this list handy for future selections. Thanks again! -- Kathy
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Thank you all for you responses. You've given me some good ideas, and some names of books that just might spark some discussion. I'm always a little leery of books about the Holocaust; I often find them too upsetting to read. But The Sunflower sounds like it goes beyond just relating the horrors to some deeper reflections on human nature. My library doesn't have a copy, nor a copy of A Thread of Grace, but I think I'll look elsewhere for them. I like the idea of the reading kits. I believe our local library has a few of those; I'm not sure how many. I went to one meeting of the library book club. We discussed Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth, a fabulous book, but I was disappointed in the discussion. It was dominated by a woman who wanted to discuss current-day politics, and the leader/librarian, couldn't seem to slow her down. The discussion ended exactly one hour after we started, even though we had lots more to discuss.
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You are all so wonderful. Kath started me out with some great suggestions and the rest of you are equally brilliant. Let me see if I can add more info. We don't get LOTS of snacks, but we get some GOOD snacks. I like the idea of everyone bringing a plate or a snack. That seems a fair compromise. Our reading is a bit limited due to our shared interests: the books must be based in the UK - from Beowulf to Bridget Jones, but they must be based in the UK. I think it is limited, but perhaps not by that much. The members all tell me that it is just lovely and fantastic and wonderful but yet... but yet... commitment is a big problem. Jan mentioned charging. Since it isn't really a class and we have no handouts at all, I don't think that will work too well. I can see how paying for something increases the level of commitment, but I honestly think it would be viewed in a negative manner. It is a rather small community and most of these folks I see on a regular basis on a social level or at the schools. cece and bookmom both suggested that we meet in restaurants. This idea is simply grand. I will approach everyone and see how they feel about it. It would definitely take a lot of pressure off of the hostess. And we could order food/drinks if we wanted them or not. And, like bookmom said, the hostess's family wouldn't be umm, interferring. Time of day is an issue. We have three stay at home moms who gave up professional jobs to raise kids. And two women who work full time. Daytime meetings aren't really an option at this point with our current members. And interestingly enough, it's not just the moms that show up or just the moms that don't respond, it's everyone. I think at this point, I'd be just as happy if people showed up who have not read the book just to have people attend. Maybe I am just too "into" reading and for the others it is more of a hobby, something they do IF they have time. I MAKE time for reading in my day. I do not know how they feel about books and reading, I only know how I feel about books and reading. Perhaps it's not that they aren't committed, but perhaps I am overly committed. (I am going TO BE committed if I keep over-analyzing this, aren't I??) Do your book clubs have commitment problems? I know some of you mentioned that your members are commited and that you hound the ones that don't show up.. that's hilarious! I envy that very much. My other book club seems more commited... the books are worse, but the level of commitment is greater. We all get along really well when we finally do get together. I think the biggest problem is the commitment to the club. For example, the meeting is tonight. I've heard from one person to say whether or not she'll be here (she won't be attending as she's out of town.) From the others, nothing but silence. Like Liz, I am the instigator. I started it all. It is my fault that the ground rules were specific about books, but not...
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lydia_katznflowers
13 years ago
Thank you, sarah_canary, for posting your club's choices. My main club has chosen only two books so far for this year - "Major Pettigrew" and "Henrietta Lacks" I look forward to reading them, mainly because of the good buzz from Reader's Paradise members. I will look up all the books on your list, a couple of them I have not heard anything about - "Free Food for Millionaires" and "Those Who Save Us."

My other book club meets next week to choose six books. We now meet only every other month. I hate being a spoiler, but this group tends to want to read what the other group reads, yet they do not know each other. It is a problem I do not know quite how to handle.
vickitg
Original Author
13 years ago
Astrokath and bookmom -- I've already read Major Pettigrew's... and loved it. I started Racing in the Rain and Little Bee. but haven't finished either one yet.

lydia -- what other books will your group be reading? My friend recommended Free Food -- said it was her favorite book last year.
woodnymph2_gw
13 years ago
I read and enjoyed both "Half Broke Horses" and "The Heretic's Daughter." Either one should make for interesting discussions.
rosefolly
13 years ago
My book club will be selecting our books at out next meeting. I intend to suggest Major Pettigrew. I found it by accident. I was looking for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. I enjoyed the movie so much that I decided to read the book on which it was based.
lauramarie_gardener
13 years ago
Oh, Rosefolly ! -- Can you give me the name of the author, please?

Didn't know "MIss Pettigrew" movie was based on a book. I enjoyed that film sooooo much. ... One of my cousins and I went to pick DVDs at Blockbuster ... when she saw that, she cried, "I love this movie!" I'll definitely buy that book now.
veer
13 years ago
lauramarie, 'Miss Pettigrew' was written by Winifred Watson, an English housewife (as she was described) in 1938. It really is a charming book and to me far superior to Major Pettigrew which I found to be be something of a 'ramble'.
I understand that the film of Miss P was set in a slightly later period. Unfortunately it never reached our nearest cinema.
J C
13 years ago
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day is by Winifred Watson, a wonderful book as well as a film. Written in 1938, it was reissued around 2000 or so.
bookmom41
13 years ago
I just finished Major Pettigrew despite reading it as slowly as I could; I really enjoyed the dry humor of the Major as well as his interactions with his son. Is there any tie between the Miss Pettigrew and Major Pettigrew books beyond the name and being set in England?
I wanted the Major Pettigrew story to keep going even though I did think some of the events toward the end of the book got a little fantastic.
rosefolly
13 years ago
No connection at all. However, I enjoyed both these two very different books.
vickitg
Original Author
13 years ago
rosefolly/Paula - Please let us know what books your group chooses. I always enjoying learning about what other book groups are reading.
kathy_t
13 years ago
Here's what my book club will be reading through October:
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Biography Night (individual choice)
Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor
Our community One Read book (title as yet unknown)
Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

2011 Book Club choices

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