Book Club is Tomorrow Night

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Erica and I only had to travel 10 minutes this year - seems much more reasonable than 6 hours for a meal.

Tomorrow night is the magic night when we meet to discuss Nickle and Dimed. I still haven't finished it - come even if you haven't - it's a book about society and I am sure everyone will have something to say about the topics even if you haven't read, or finished the book.

We aren't meeting in December because of the holiday week, but we will be back in January. We have picked the next books, but I can't recall them right now. Another great reason to show up tomorrow night - find out what to books to get a jump on for new year's reading.

See you all Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 at church.

Jen

Novemember's book is Nickle and Dimed

I know Novemeber is a busy month, but let's all try to find the time to read this book (Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich) that Laura suggested. It's only 240 pages!

Laura has also been a great advocate for indepent and local book stores; so I thought I would put a link to some that she has mentioned in book club.

http://www.centerstagechicago.com/literature/bookstores/styles/indylocal.html

This has a write up and directions to some she has mentioned including Barbara's Bookstore, Book Cellar, Inc., and Women and Children First. Even if you have already have your copy of this month's book, holiday giving is just around the corner.

Jen

Don't Forget - We Meet OCT 31 to discuss THE RED TENT

If you are like me, you are on about page 43 of The Red Tent think, Oh, I've read this before, it should be no problem. If you are like Erica, you have finished the book and keep thinking that we are meeting before we actually are.

Zebedee reminds us that we are meeting on Tuesday, the 31st and he says it should be a howling good time (though he doesn't really bark much).

Some updates: Authors we have read in the past have been busy.

There is a new book out by Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife). The Adventuress follows the dreamlike journey of an alchemist’s daughter. After she is kidnapped by a lascivious baron, she turns herself into a moth and flees to the garden of a charming butterfly collector named Napoleon Bonaparte. The story of how the two become lovers, and how their affair ends in tragedy and transcendence, is told through Niffenegger’s spare prose and haunting aquatint etchings. With a stunning and distinctive visual style reminiscent of the work of Edward Gorey, this gothic romance packs the emotional heft of the world’s great fairy tales. (Amazon.com)

Fastfood Nation is being made into a movie of all things: Eric Schlosser's bestselling exposé of the dark side of the American passion for fast food comes to the screen as a fictional film directed by Richard Linklater and starring Greg Kinnear, Ethan Hawke, and Patricia Arquette. (Barnes and Noble.com)


Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner," will have a new book, "A Thousand Splendid Suns," out next spring. The publisher describes Hosseini's new book as a "heart-wrenching chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith and the salvation to be found in love." (YahooNews.com)

Sarah Waters latest book, The Night Watch, came out in paper back. Erica has been reading it. She says it is compelling but she is tempted to read it backwards (the book moves back in time). That's all she has really told me about the book - guess I'll have to read it myself.

See you on the 31st ready to discuss The Red Tent -
Jen

I know this is getting ahead of myself but . . .

I know this is getting ahead of myself but I was thinking about the book we are reading for November: Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenriech. I was thinking that perhaps it was very appropriate that we are reading a book about the working poor right around Thanksgiving. I don't want to make this a guilt trip book, but thought maybe we could make this an opportunity to reach beyond our book group with this selection.

I didn't have anything specific in mind, just some brainstormed ideas like engaging and inviting the entire congregation to join us for this discussion along with Social Ministry; or going beyond just discussion into some sort of action step with this group. I don't know if we have to do anything besides discuss it. I just see it as an opportuntity. Maybe it is just a personal challenge for myself - I don't know. I was just thinking, and there I go again with that thinking stuff.

If you have any comments on this - or ideas - let me, and the group know, using the comments button. Or you can email me at jenhaertling@sbcglobal.net. I know we are all busy. Maybe this is just supposed to be simple awareness. Who knows. I've included a link about the book that contains an interview with Ehrenreich and a sample of the first chapter of the book. Thought you might be interested.

http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/05/13/reviews/010513.13gallagt.html

In the meanwhile, happy reading of The Red Tent. - Jen

The Red Tent is October's Book

The book that we are reading for October 31st is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. A fictitious account of Jacob and Leah's daughter Dinah, this story's title focuses on the defiled space, the red tent that women would go for their times of "unpurity". And it is in this isolation from men that women's traditions are taught and passed to new generations.

From Amazon.com

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery.

Did you see the cover of the Trib today? Story on Polygamy - follow up to Under the Banner of Heaven

Did you see the cover of the Trib today? The big headline was "Polygamy: Utah's Open Little Secret" (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0609240351sep24,1,3161781.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true) which was kind of a cover feature follow up to the Warren Jeff's arrest a couple weeks back. If you haven't seen it, I thought you might find it's portrayal of polygamy by the family it interview interesting in light of what we read about in Under the Banner of Heaven.

Shortly after we read Under the Banner of Heaven I was googling Colorado City, Arizona and came across this interesting feature of a women who got out of that society. At the time I had mentioned it to a couple of people who were interested and then I had bad follow through with a paper copy. Here is the electronic link to the story if you are interested: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2003-03-13/feature_5.html .

Coming Up:
Tuesday: Discussing Fingersmith at 7:30 at LMC
Upcoming Friday or Saturday: Viewing of Fingersmith at Jen and Erica's (set a date Tuesday)
Book for October: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
October 31st: Bookclub at 7:30 discussing The Red Tent

See you Tuesday - Jen

Tuesday is book club

Well, Erica realized that book club was this upcoming Tuesday (the 26th) and decided that she better start reading Fingersmith. Now for those of you familiar with Erica, she reads at supersonic speeds, and this will be her third time reading the book. I know others of you are working to finish in time. It is suppose to rain this weekend - perfect weather for Victorian crime novel. I hope you are enjoying it so far.

Erica and I will be having a screen of the movie on Friday or Saturday night following bookclub. We just need to talk about it - more about this at book club.

Zebedee (picture by David Sutton) looks forward to seeing you all there.
-Jen