The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek - March 9, 2020

Hi Bookworms!!

On March 9th we met to discuss, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by KIm Michele Richardson. It was a nice size group at Ben’s. As always we missed those that could not make it.

This was such an interesting historical fiction with many facets. These are my favorite books to read. A story of a young girl named Cussy Mary. She was a librarian for the Kentucky Pack Horse LIbrary.  She rode on her mule to remote, hard to reach places to bring the poor people books, and introduce them to the love of reading. Cussy also had blue hued skin, a rare genetic disorder, caused by an enzyme deficiency in the blood.  She was treated poorly and as an outcast. Cussy was such a hard and dedicated worker. Her mom passed away and her father was ill from working in the mines. He tried to marry her off to a completely abusive man. 

I enjoyed the way she described the families she encountered and the relationships she built. I was happy she met Jackson Lovett, although I wasn’t happy with how they were forced to continue their relationship  - because of discrimination they endured.

I look forward to next month’s read, 4/6th , Caleb’s Crossing hosted by Maureen Degnan

Be Blessed!!

Mary

MRS. EVERYTHING Feb. 3, 2020

Last Monday, we may have had a small group but we sure did have huge conversations. Everything from family, friends, "expensive" necklaces, travel, retirements, "signs", and of course chocolate!

Oh yes, the book too!!

It is believed that Jennifer Weiner based Mrs. Everything on her mother's life. We talked about the relationships between sisters.... sisters and mothers and how through the decades the main characters transformed and so did their relationships. In some way or other we were able to understand and relate to these woman.

We missed those of you who were unable to attend. See you next month.

Happy Valentine's Day! Relax and Enjoy our mid-week break. Have fun!

Love,

Jill

Ask Again, Yes!

We enjoyed a lively discussion about the novel  Ask Again, Yes.  Our discussion centered  around a delicious Italian meal at Joe & Joe’s Family Restaurant, formerly of the Bronx, where author Mary Beth Keane was born, now located in Pearl River, Keane’s current residence.  It is also the setting for the book, known in the novel as the fictional town of Gillam.

This book debuted earlier this summer on the NY Times best seller list as one of the 20 Best Books of the Year so far.  Keane, who is now 42,  has published other novels such as Fever and The Walking People and was honored in 2011 as one of the best young authors with a 5 under 35 award from the National Book Foundation.  The book, Ask Again, Yes is a domestic novel about two families of NYC  rookie police officers, Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleason, who end up living next door to one another in Gillam,  set in the 1970’s.  It follows the complicated lives of these two families over the course of 40 years, especially the lives of two of their children, Peter and Kate. The families are intertwined by Peter and Kate’s ongoing love story, but also by an unusually violent act by Peter’s mother, Ann that changes all of their lives forever. I found Ask Again, Yes to be an incredibly moving account  of  the forces that drive people together and away from one another through love, devotion and sometimes even fear.  It is a multi- faceted love story that often drove me to the edge of my seat with tears, frustration and heartbreak.

What a wonderful way to begin the new year and decade!  Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy 2020!

                                                              ---Robin A.

Call the Midwife - December 9, 2019

We met at Hudson’s Mill in Garnerville to discuss Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth. As usual we enjoyed discussing a wonderful book, eating a delicious meal and most importantly spending  quality time with good friends. If you weren't at the meeting, you were truly missed.

Worth’s memoir is an unforgettable story of motherhood, a struggling community and the hopes and dreams of an extraordinary young woman. It’s a powerful and captivating story based on true events and set in London’s East End. 

“At the age of twenty-two, Jennifer Worth leaves her home to move into a convent and become a midwife in post war London’s East End slums. The colorful characters she meets while delivering babies all over London-from the plucky, warm-hearted nuns with whom she lives to the woman with twenty-four children who can’t speak English to the prostitutes and dockers of the city’s seedier side-illuminate a fascinating time in history. Beautifully written and utterly moving, Call the Midwife will touch the hearts of anyone who is, and everyone who has a mother.”  (The Deliberate Reader:  Publisher’s Description )

Looking forward to reading and discussing many more good books in 2020 with my favorite

reading buddies!   

Warm hugs,

Maria Pages   

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Seven of us met at OD's Tavern on Main Street in Nyack. We had a lovely back room with Cameron, our waiter, who closed the curtains to give us privacy! The food was yummy "farm to table", and there were A LOT of choices for those of us who are vegetarian or vegan. My favorite was the cauliflower steaks as the appetizer.

We spoke about family, religion, faith, and the strong women in the novel. We also spoke about how tragedy brings out both the best, and the worst, in people. Many of us found the beginning until halfway, rather slow. Some of us found the excruciating details of the plague was too much to bear. Most of us were happy with the (unrealistic but happy) ending. I love the way Geraldine Brooks writes, and I very much liked Anna, so I was happy with the novel. But it was her first, and I've seen her growth as an author, through some of the later novels that I read. There is always a lot to learn with historical fiction, and I appreciate her tremendous research to write the novel.

If you weren't there we missed you. Hope to see everyone next month when Maria Pages leads us in Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth.

Happy Reading -- XXOO-
Robin L.

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mizra

October 7, 2019

A Place For Us, is a story of an Indian-American Muslim family living in California. The family gathers together to celebrate their eldest daughter’s, Hadia’s, wedding. Amar, the youngest brother, reunites with his family for the first time in three years. Rafiq and Layla contend with the choices and betrayals that lead to the their son's estrangement.

We had a great time discussing topics in this book, including family conflicts, addiction, discrimination, religion, and traditions.    ----- Yvette

YEAR 11 BEGINS -- The Wife Between Us

Sept. 9, 2019

As I was browsing through my Libby app, this book, The Wife Between Us, was listed as a recommendation. I decided to read and select it for our book club. I was intrigued by the quick change from chapter 1 to chapter 2. Blissfully happy planning her wedding, to the “too good to be true” fiancé to divorce. Who was controlling whom? Vanessa (Nellie), though she was controlling Robert and Emma, but not until the end did we know who Emma really was.

I believe we had a lively discussion on the different topics presented in the story: love (Maureen’s unhealthy relationship with her brother), friendship, mental illness, hindsight, “gaze detection”, control, etc. This story reminded me of “The Girl on the Train”, which I recently watched again on Netflix. Here is 🍷🥂to a wonderful start to our eleventh year (my fifth)!!! ❤️

                                                             ---Myrna