Book Club - 1st Meeting Highlights

Our very first Book Club meeting was last night, and I must say, what a great and enjoyable experience it was.  In fact, so many highlights that I will have to provide more than just one update.  Yes, there really is that much to share!!

While we had a small, quaint group of six, it was the perfect amount to start off with.  Don’t get me wrong, those of you who were not able to make it were GREATLY missed.  And we hope and expect you to be at the next one.  And I think after you read some of the highlights, you’ll not want to miss it anyway!!

Where to even start...

I know, funniest moment.  And book club ladies, I hope I get this right!!  Okay, this will require a set up.  This book club has women from mid-twenties to early forties (of course, we are all blessed with good looks and great skin so age is not an obvious characteristic!).  And while I know everyone’s ages (mainly since I’m the only person who knows everyone for this first meeting), the rest of the group is not as informed at this time.

We were discussing Courtney Cox and her age and how she doesn’t really look as old as she is.  Everyone agreed it must be the lighting on set to make her seem so young.  Person A (we’ll call her CC) referenced that Courtney Cox was close to her age and begins discussing this with the group.  Person B (we’ll call her FIM - Foot in Mouth) has not caught on that we are talking about an actual person in our group, which is CC.  And when she hears someone say to CC “You don’t look that age at all”, FIM says “It must be the lighting”.  Clearly, we are all shocked.  Granted, FIM isn’t one to hide her opinion in fear of what others think, but really...  It must be the lighting??  Thankfully, a friend (someone FIM should obviously consider adding to her will to even come close to paying her back for catching this whole show down) caught on and pointed out that we were actually talking about CC and not Courtney Cox.  You can imagine FIM’s shock...  We of course laughed hysterically and continued to do so for the rest of the evening.

So now, we of course have our very first inside joke - “It must be the lighting”.  LOVE IT.

Let me guess...you want to know if we even got around to talking about the book???  Well, of course we did.  We ARE book lovers after all.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner   

When I picked this book, I did so believing that it would be a light read which would be perfect to start off our book club.  Get everyone into the idea of having a deadline, etc.  I was completely mistaken.  We all agreed that this book went way beyond a light read.  In Best Friends Forever, you will find serious topics such as cancer, obesity, rape, and neglect.  Yes, there is humor sprinkled throughout.  Although, I should mention that one member, did not find as much humor in it as she felt there would be from reading the jacket.  So the humor was maybe not as obvious to everyone, so you might not find it as humorous either.  Nevertheless, the book was one that could relate to so many women...and from so many different angles.  

For instance, as we were discussing the book, I heard throughout the group, women comparing their real life stories or situations to that of the book.  For one woman, it was about Addie’s brother Jon reminding her of her own brother.  Jon was in a terrible accident and left handicapped - mentally and somewhat physically.  He was never the same and required someone to take care of him.  For others, it was about the pressure of crossing the 30 year old threshold and not being married and not having children.  This is the pressure Addie is under in the beginning of the book.  She must get out there and date and find her “soul mate” before her eggs rot and die.

And I know that for me, I consider a book one that I just love when I can’t put it down.  Either the suspense of the story line has me.  Or I am so in tune with what the characters are going through, that I want to know how they are dealing with it to show me how I can.  I must say that Best Friends Forever has both.

I could go on with more about the book.  And not to mention that there are so many stories, funny moments, and great dialogue about so many books to share with everyone that I will have to spread this out as I previously mentioned.  

Until the next post...

Latest Books I've Purchased...

Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence

Obviously this book is considered to be one of the classics, but I recently purchased it to add to my collection.  Borders is selling the classics in these fantastic hard cover designs by Coralie Bickford-Smith.  They are colorful, beautiful, and so flattering compared to many of the classics found at mainstream bookstores.  You know...the ones that look like death and boredom!  This new line would sit proudly on the shelves in your home.  Seriously, I’m addicted to them and cannot wait to own the entire collection.  So far, there are thirteen available.  I own more than half!

 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Do you ever hear about a good book from different sources and think “This is a sign.  I must have it.”  Well, that is what happened to me with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Two women in completely different circles raved about how addictive these books were (it is a trilogy).  So naturally, I ran to the bookstore to check them out.  I admit I was somewhat nervous when I had to search for them (in the young adult section I might add), and I only found one or two copies of the first book.  I mean how good could they be with such limited display on shelf?  I even looked around to check to see if there was a massive display taking up all of the copies.  No such display.  However, my sources were two very passionate readers, so I knew that they could be trusted.  When I was checking out, a young man noticed I was buying this book and volunteered that while he didn’t read mainstream novels (yet I must add that he was working at a mainstream bookstore), he loved this series and couldn’t stop reading them.  Indeed.  Now I haven’t started this book yet, so I cannot verify if any of what I have been told is true.  Once I start, I will, of course, let everyone know if all of they hype is fact or fiction (no pun intended...okay, maybe a small one!!).

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Bedtime Lullaby by Roger Priddy

These next two books, I purchased as a gift to an upcoming baby shower.  First time mother with a baby boy on the way, these two books just seemed perfect.  The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery is a classic.  And it is out with a “fresh new translation”.  The second book, Bedtime Lullaby by Roger Priddy, is perfect for new parents to remind or teach them all of the classic lullaby’s.  After all, how many of us really know all of the words to Brahm’s Lullaby?  Or what does happen after papa buys you a diamond ring in Hush Little Baby?  I’ve found that these words do not come to you when the child is screaming.  Learn them now I say.  Plus, this book even comes with all of the songs on a CD that is included.  What gets better than that?

Okay, in my previous review of Wuthering Heights, I mentioned the couture-inspired design for the cover of the book.  I feel that I should bring to light this illustrator and encourage everyone to pick up the three books designed by this man, Ruben Toledo.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Who is Ruben Toledo you might ask?  And why does he stand out in the literary world?  Mainly he stands out as he is not from the literary world in the least.  He is in fact from the fashion industry.  Ruben’s has had drawings appear in high-fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Visionaire.  Which explains why these books do not look like an ordinary book cover and completely stand out from most books on the shelves today.  I say, thank goodness someone understands how to sell a book.  Does the cover not say everything?  Isn’t it similar to first impressions last?  Don’t most women enjoy fashion?  And if not fashion than at least art?  Why a publishing house would want to put covers on a book that look like a Private Label version of Mac & Cheese is beyond me.

So where might you find these illustrations of these classics?  They are with the Penguin Classics of Penguin Books.  You can search online of course.  But, Powell’s Books at www.powells.com has them.  Or, and you won’t believe this, you can find them at Borders.  I encourage everyone to at least find them in a bookstore and check them out for yourselves.  Seeing them in person will definitely change your opinion about these classics.  I, in fact, am hoping Ruben Toledo will illustrate more than just these three.  But for now, I am enjoying these, as I hope you will.