CCL Book Club

A Sense of an Ending

2012-01-29T14:32:00.000-08:00

"History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation." This was the single-most discussed quote in A Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, who received the 2011 Man Booker Prize.

History is never certain. It lives and breathes, It's always changing, depending on who is sharing along the written and oral histories of the world. Moreover, it changes over time as it moves through the generations, influenced by current events, and newly discovered material.

The sense of an ending, no. The sense of a beginning, very much so.

Then again, I lean towards optimism.

On the topic of new beginnings, BY15 is so ordered!

1. Amanda
2. Sue
3. Phyllis
4. Kristin
5. Greg
6. Anne
7. Brian
8. Penny
9. Ron
10. Tom-Pat

True Blue

2011-10-20T02:56:00.000-07:00

Light. Breezy. Easy read. Simple characters. Mildly entertaining.

That's my takeaway from our most recent read, True Blue, the latest novel by David Baldacci. The book received a tepid response. No one said they hated it, and no one said they loved it. We had little conversation about the plot and characters. The focus of the meeting seemed less about the book, and more about catching up.

Although the book didn't stir up any debate, we did have a few moments of excitement: Tom charging to the finish of croquet threatened doom for those left behind on the Boyd green-scape. Pat jumping in at the last moment to avoid a dinner without mashed potatoes. Brian, missing in action. News of an engagement, a retirement, possible relocations, threats of the end of book club.

Might be a fun exercise to take these notes and write a murder mystery around them. What would the first sentence be? (Shameless call for comments.)

The Imperfectionists

2011-08-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tom Rachman scored a CCL hit with The Imperfectionists. Vivid characters come to life in the quirky world of journalism. The only negative comments I heard were related to the vignette style of the portraits. Once a character was gone from the book, they would not return. This caused some members to miss a particularly loved character.

We started our meeting at the Newseum, where the only quirky characters I saw were wandering around the exhibits!

The Secret Scripture: A Novel

2011-02-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, February 26, we met to discuss a beautifully written, incredibly depressing novel by Irish poet, playwright and novelist Sebastian Barry. As one of the few (or the only one?) to finish the book, Kristin found herself relating the rest of The Secret Scripture to the group and trying to remember if there were any positives in the story itself.

There might not have been.

The writing itself was positively lyrical, though, if somewhat heartbreaking, and much discussion revolved around the seemingly fluid timeline of the story and its protagonist, the once old, then wild and now aging Rose Clear McNulty. The story pits two seemingly conflicting narratives against each other and lets the reader decide for herself what she wants to believe.

The book won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the 2008 Book of the Year at the Costa Awards and the "Novel of the Year" and Choice awards at the Irish Book Awards. It was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

Preceding the book discussion, dinner earned equal accolades with recipes swapped for corn bread and brussel sprouts, which were devoured with more fervor than the book itself.

Next up, Brian picks a book for March/April and CCL concludes book year 13. If Phyllis wins/won the lottery, book year 14 could see a van for the group. Though, if Greg won, we won't see anything at all from or of him. Fingers crossed. For what, I'm not sure. But fingers crossed.

Stiff

2011-01-23T19:23:00.000-08:00

We gathered at Greg's for a discussion of Stiff, by the comely Mary Roach. As the book deals with "life" of cadavers after death, it engendered a lot of conversation inasmuch as we will end up as cadavers at some point in time — hopefully a long long time from now. This meeting also featured the annual gift/book exchange. About midway through that event the esteemed Mr. Bartlett declared it "boring," in that no one had confiscated anyone else's gift as yet. He might as well have said, "Here we go," or "let the party begin" because it wasn't long after that that Ron and Pete, with the assistance of others, began a long and tortuous battle for "True Grit" and the accompanying movie card, and "Life, and a DVD card." Additionally, the order of succession for Book Year 14 was established, and we'll be getting there sooner than expected as Pat proposed that she and Tom become one — for book selection purposes. Hopefully, Book Year 14 will be as much fun as the first 13.

— Greg

Addendum: As usual several people brought food items that were either mentioned in the book or reflected a theme of the book. Thus, Ron and Anne's noodle dish and Sue's steamed cauliflower were reminiscent of brains. However, no one's dish was as creative or as successful as Brian's "finger cookies." They were a big hit with everyone, and apart from looking eerily real, they were pleasing to the tongue.

The BY14 selection list:
1. Phyllis
2. Greg
3. Brian
4. Pete
5. Sue
6. Pat
7. Anne
8. Tom
9. Kristin
10. Ron
11. Penny

Olive Kitteridge

2010-11-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

Kristin played "proxy host" for Penny and we gathered for the first time at Kristin's Capitol Hill row house. It was almost a quorum, too, with the exception of sweet Sue. There was even a special guest appearance from Kristin's brother, Scott!

Set in coastal Maine, Elizabeth Strout's third novel is more a collection of short stories woven around the titular character, a retired teacher with a kind-hearted pharmacist husband and one son. While the book was well-received by everyone, the likability of Olive was the subject of heated debate. While some were able to sympathize with her, others found her overly harsh and bitter. (In general, I found her to be much like a lot of the teachers I had in junior high, and also like a lot of women I knew growing up in Ohio — small-minded and judgmental, yes, but ultimately having good intentions underneath it all.)

The rest of the evening included pasta dishes, whoopie pies (oh so good!), jokes about the seemingly forgotten restless leg syndrome ... and so much more!

A good time was had by all. As far as I know. At least, I had a good time!

— Penny

House of God

2010-10-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 2, a quorum of CCLers met to discuss Samuel Shem's satirical work of life as a resident: House of God. As a good student, I took notes in an attempt to capture the feel of the group, the book and the discussion. The novel laid forth a number of laws for life in the hospital:

1. GOMERS DON’T DIE.
2. GOMERS GO TO GROUND.
3. AT A CARDIAC ARREST, THE FIRST PROCEDURE IS TO TAKE YOUR OWN PULSE.
4. THE PATIENT IS THE ONE WITH THE DISEASE.
5. PLACEMENT COMES FIRST.
6. THERE IS NO BODY CAVITY THAT CANNOT BE REACHED WITH A #14G NEEDLE AND A GOOD STRONG ARM.
7. AGE + BUN = LASIX DOSE.
8. THEY CAN ALWAYS HURT YOU MORE.
9. THE ONLY GOOD ADMISSION IS A DEAD ADMISSION.
10. IF YOU DON’T TAKE A TEMPERATURE, YOU CAN’T FIND A FEVER.
11. SHOW ME A BMS (Best Medical Student, a student at the Best Medical School) WHO ONLY TRIPLES MY WORK AND I WILL KISS HIS FEET.
12. IF THE RADIOLOGY RESIDENT AND THE MEDICAL STUDENT BOTH SEE A LESION ON THE CHEST X-RAY, THERE CAN BE NO LESION THERE.
13. THE DELIVERY OF GOOD MEDICAL CARE IS TO DO AS MUCH NOTHING AS POSSIBLE.

In my notes, I apparently caught law #14: If you're married, maybe don't talk about your mistress. Something else soon followed about using your inside voice.

I'm not sure who said them, but the rules seemed somewhat fitting with the novel of lust and mis-education, politics, life and death. It – the book (not the rule) – appealed to most of the group. Pat most definitely did not like it and Tom thought it played out like a soap opera.

The rest of the night revolved around the general laughter and conversation that accompanied every book club meeting plus a special treat with a foray into ticks, bed bugs, fleas and nematodes.

"I think it would really suck being a bug," Pat noted.

"I thought of an invention the other day," Phyllis began.

"No, I'm just being a bitch," Penny laughed.

All in all, it was a good night replete with slices of heaven from The Italian Store. The only things missing were our fellow bookclubbers and the Coddingtons plus Greg were sorely missed.

The Help

2010-08-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Greg, the consummate host, provided the setting for an excellent Southern meal to discuss Kathryn Stockett's best seller, The Help. Set in Mississippi in 1962, the novel was received with extreme praise by the group — no one had a negative word to say.

I found my mind drifting back a hundred years earlier, to a time when Civil War ravaged the Confederate states, displaced countless men, women and children, left behind a ruined economy that devastated the region for decades — and freed millions from bondage. During a few years in the mid-1860s hope sprung eternal. African Americans were free from slavery, but the prejudices against them eventually subordinated many of the rights established by federal law.

The civil rights fight that ended badly in the 1870s with Reconstruction was fought again in the 1960s in Mississippi and other states across the Union. This time, victory was achieved, and we continue the fight for equality today.

I want to read a book about that.

The Family

2010-06-27T03:13:00.000-07:00

Drawn to this book after watching Rachel Maddow interview Jeff Sharlet on her television program, I expected to learn more about the house in Arlington, the inner workings of the organization, and numbers and names of prominent politicians involved with the group.

All my expectations were met. Sharlet's keen observations and thoughtful insights provided an excellent perspective not only about The Family and its history, but the larger history of organized religion in America.

The book left me completely satisfied and possessed by a deeper knowledge of America's fundamentalist traditions. I closed the book wondering about the mysteries of faith — perhaps a place that Sharlet would be pleased to know this reader landed.

My Life in France

2010-05-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

I like to think Julia Child would have enjoyed today's gathering. All were in good spirits, even exuberant! We met at Bistro D'oc, where we enjoyed an early lunch and discussed the book. Then we walked a few blocks to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to see Julia Child's Kitchen. I expected to see only the kitchen, but was pleased to listen to interviews, watch excerpts from the shows, and explore the small but informative gallery.

Back to the book, written with Alex Prud'homme. My Life in France is a simple, straightforward accounting of her life. I could not help but feel inspired. The deep passion she felt for her spiritual home, reflected in the country's culinary delights, manifested itself in a drive and commitment to write the definitive volume on French cooking. It is clear that the trials and tribulations associated with the research, writing and publication of the book is the centerpiece of her volume. The television programs that followed and her subsequent activities she wrote about with less enthusiasm. Her husband, Paul, was always there for her.

Julia Child is much admired, and she should be. She was in France at a unique time in its culinary history, and captured a time and traditions mostly vanished today.

Writing of food, Julia noted on the last page that "Good results require that one take time and care." I submit that this statement applies to all the activities of our lives.

Bon Appetite!

Life Ascending

2010-03-21T03:13:00.000-07:00

It seems more than appropriate that this meeting, where we reviewed a volume that spans hundreds of millions of years, that we should devise our own book club calendar. It is 2010 on the Gregorian calendar, or 12 B.Y. in our club — that's 12 Book Years (starting in 1998 A.D.). A Book Year is defined as the time it takes to move from the first person on the book selection list to the last. The list is determined at our annual gift exchange, usually held in December.

The reception for Nick Lane's Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution, received an average overall rating by our membership. All acknowledge that Lane is intelligent guy who deserves credit for attempting to make complex subjects easily to understand. However, he does tend to get caught up in complicated explanations, to forget his audience. This can make reading through each chapter tedious. An editor might have been helpful. Someone to remind Lane to keep it in layman's terms.

One of our members shared that when the going got tough and the writing became dense, she read with a British accent. (Listen to Lane on YouTube.)

While this review may not be the best of news for Mr. Lane, it is wonderful news for Pat. After a string of roundly panned selections over the years, notably The Riddle-Master of Hed, she begins 12 B.Y. on a higher note!

The Battle for Christmas

2010-01-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

Our group received Stephen Nissenbaum's The Battle for Christmas with more of a "Bah, humbug" than a hearty "Season's Greetings." All agreed that the publisher (Vintage) made a poor choice in selecting a book format, as this material would be best served as a long article. A merciless editor would also have helped. Part of our decision is based on the primary material: Nissenbaum used a small, select group of sources and referred to them again and again.

The author's logic in ending the book in the late nineteenth century is sound, as most who celebrate Christmas today recognize the traditions from that period. However, Nissenbaum could have gone much further had he explored trends of recent decades. The impact of commercialization and globalization, for starters.

Moreover, even Santa could have been explored further. Nissenbaum ends with an illustration of Claus by Thomas Nast and an explanation that he hasn't changed much since the great editorial cartoonist and illustrator drew him. I must disagree! I would have liked to seen (and read) more about Mr. C since then. His changed suit, his transformation from pipe smoker to cigarettes to abstinence. The drinker of Coca Cola. His appearance on radio, in movies and television. The list goes on and on, and would have made for entertaining reading.

Housekeeping note: The book selection order for this year...
Anne
Ron
Phyllis
Anne
Pete
Penny
Greg
Kristin
Brian
Pat
Tom

The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-11-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

All agree that Audrey Niffenegger gets a thumbs up for the concept of her novel, and high marks for an overall good read. Minor faults included providing no detail beyond genetics as the root cause of Henry's time travel problem (or benefit, depending on your view), and Claire being perhaps too precocious in her youth. I found myself looking forward to Henry's narrative in the beginning of the book, and Claire's toward the end — perhaps an illustration of the powerful transformation that we are exposed to as Claire grows from a little girl to widow. If I suffered from time travel, it goes without saying I'd visit America during the Civil War at least a few times!

The Bear

2009-08-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

I've struggled to understand Faulkner since high school. My latest attempt, this month's book selection, The Bear, is no exception. The complex sentence structure, rapid and non-linear movement through time, and other abstract devices make me a smooth stone skipping across still water, barely scratching the surface of his intended meaning. I spent much time reading various summaries and analytical pieces to understand what I was unable to read. I'm not ashamed to admit it!

Truth is, I want to understand what Faulkner has to say. His post-Civil War world, where Southern folk deal with their demons and struggle to make sense of a new order in a broken land in a time between Reconstruction and Jim Crow is of intense interest to me. In my current research, I regularly uncover facts that lay bare the uncomfortable truths and fictions of those confused times, as Americans made their way in uncharted territory, sometimes taking a step or two back before stepping forward.

For some, Faulkner's words ring loud and clear. Not so for me. But his message is not lost, thanks to the many individuals who have interpreted his grand works.

Little Green Men

2009-06-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

Christopher Buckley's Little Green Men has all the elements that any good Washington, D.C.-based satire should have: secret projects, disgruntled operatives and self-important socialites. For some, the caricatures were a bit too close to our reality in the nation's capitol. For others, the book delivered on its promise of a fun read. All things considered, LGM gets a big thumbs up from this crowd!

Alias Grace

2009-05-18T03:22:00.000-07:00

An email found in the Sent items folder of Lisa Lynn Batchelder:

From: Lisa Batchelder [mailto:llb@carsonsclibrary.edu]
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 10:30 PM
To: George Swanton
Subject: Alias Grace

Hi Geo,

Thank you so much for recommending the book for this month's meeting. Sorry you couldn't make it. Think everyone got into it. You know I loved it from start to finish. Reminded me (and I'm sure you, too) of all the researchers coming through Special Collections, though I doubt any of them have a clue about historiographic metafiction. Not that that's a bad thing. ;)

Seriously though, I like Atwood's use of the letters. Made me think of Nora's comment at the Springfield show. She was telling a group how one of her professors said he preferred his original sketches over the final art because they felt fresh and free, and that's what led him to start thinking about his final art as a final sketch. Felt like Atwood was giving us her preliminary research and letting us figure it out and make our own conclusions.

I'll be in late tomorrow. Came out to the parking lot Friday to find the muffler broken off at the end and have to get it fixed. Hopefully will be in before 11. See you then.

Lisa

A Charmed Life, Growing Up in MacBeth's Castle

2009-03-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

Author Liza Campbell's father, Hugh John Vaughan Cowder, accomplished much in his sixty-one years on Earth, none of it with charm: He squandered a vast inheritance accumulated by his forefathers over twenty-four generations, and left in is wake a trail of pain and suffering that affected his family and friends.

No one in our meeting last night came to his defense. We all despised him for his shortcomings and deficiencies, his lack of sensitivity and narcissistic behavior.

There is nothing about the man that I liked. In particular, I found his destructive streak incomprehensible, especially the leveling of the ancestral home in Wales.

The book does an adequate job of telling Hugh's story, but struggles through a series of literary devices to convey his impact on the family through references to his letters, explaining Castle Cowder's connection to Shakespeare, and relaying anecdotes of prominent ancestors of the illustrious family and their connection to Scottish history. I would have much preferred the author to share her feelings, but felt she held readers at arm's length, giving us a snapshot of what it was like to grow up in a castle without ever inviting us in to sit by the fireplace and warm our souls.

By George: A Novel

2008-12-14T05:35:00.000-08:00

Too tired to clean up the dinnerware and other remnants from last night's meeting, I am interrupted from time to time this morning as Bella finds something new and interesting. A cloth tote bag with a napkin inside, a china cup with a tad bit of cider in the bottom, and other treats. I am thankful Brian took the leftover breaded tenderloin home with him, but sad for Bella, for it might have been the gold at the end of her rainbow.

But I digress. I found Wesley Stace's By George: A Novel an entertaining read. Rich with characters, scenes, and a carefully orchestrated plot that blends the lives of puppet and boy, I admired the quality of the writing and Stace's ability to draw me into the story.

My opinion was not shared by all. Others felt the book started slowly and didn't grab them. I can relate to this phenomenon, but not here. Any book that begins with the life history of a ventriloquist dummy has my immediate attention! I recommend this read. Thanks to Brian for nominating it.

Brian informed us that Stace, a musician who performs under the name John Wesley Harding, has written several songs inspired by the book.

Housekeeping note. Here is the book selection list for 2009:
Phyllis
Kristin
Penny
Greg
Ron
Brian
Pat
Anne

Interpreter of Maladies

2008-11-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

A general sense of sadness and an appreciation for author Jhumpa Lahiri's realistic portrayal of life events dominated the discussion around Interpreter of Maladies. My biggest takeaway from the book was how often individual have certain expectations that are not met. I failed to bring up this point during our discussion, perhaps due, in part, to the upcoming election. The presidential contest has consumed much of my thinking. I am not alone! We spent a good part of the evening talking about voting and related issues. We also laughed a lot and enjoyed an excellent Indian meal. Hats of to Greg for hosting and to Penny for making a vegan birthday cake!

Fortune Cookie Chronicles

2008-08-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

Summer can be the most difficult time to find a convenient weekend for book club, and this year was no exception. An exceptionally small turnout — four hardy souls (Anne, Ron, Phyllis and Brian) — and Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8 Lee. We didn't talk much about the book, but did have great Chinese food and watched the Olympics!

The Blind Side

2008-06-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we met and discussed The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. Perhaps one of the more serious discussions we have had on all sociological, economical and cultural aspects of Michael Ohre, the family who adopted him, and football. I particularly enjoyed Pat's sidebar on why we interact with each other.

Of course, we also ate! The theme was football food, including make-your-own pizzas, ribs, nachos, brownie pie and cookies. Penny hosted the meeting — her first — and it was a great success.

Atul Gawande's "Better"

2008-04-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

Greg's gathering to discuss Atul Gawande's Better last night provoked interesting discussion on topics ranging from health care to corporate organization, and provided attendees with an Indian dinner feast. This was our first meeting without Teresa and Chris. A big CCL welcome, complete with the hand jive, was extended to Chris! We hope he'll return for future meetings.

As Anne and I sat down in the car and settled in for the drive home, I realized that my face hurt from all the laughter.

Please add your comments!

CCL Welcomes You

2008-02-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome all to our official blog!