Bookish Women

Bookish Women PAR-TAY!

2011-05-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

A quick note that our final Bookish Women meeting of the school year will be this upcoming Thursday, May 12, at 8:30 at Sister's Brew! The book is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...but chances are we won't be discussing it all that much because, in addition to our meeting, we're having a PAR-TAY!

Bring a treat to share and enjoy some excellent conversation with some wonderful women. We have several friends leaving us after this month, and I have it on good authority that at least one of them wants a fantastic turnout as her farewell-to-Moscow wish. ;-)

We'll also decide whether or not we want to put together a little summer reading schedule.

Can't wait to see you all there!

The Last Battle

2011-03-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Thanks to everyone who came out for our recent meeting on The Good Earth. We had a great time and some lively conversation. :-)

Our next book club selection is The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. We've got a bit of a shorter lead time until this one -- but fortunately it's a shorter book. Our meeting will be Tuesday, April 12th at 8:30 p.m. at Sister's Brew. Can't wait to see you all there!

The Good Earth Meeting Reminder

2011-03-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone!

Our March Bookish Women meeting is scheduled for the 24th at 8:30 p.m. at Sister's Brew. We'll be reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (a gorgeous novel, if you ask me...which you didn't!). The genre is historical fiction. Hilary Jorgensen is leading the discussion. It should be a lovely time. Can't wait to see everyone there!!

Also...read any good books lately? Head on over to our recommends page to leave your favorite picks in the comments!

Limbo Meeting Reminder

2011-02-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

A reminder that our next book club meeting will take place on Thursday, February 17, at 8:30 p.m. at Sister's Brew. We're reading Limbo, a memoir by A. Manette Ansay, and I will be leading the discussion.

This is a relatively quick read, but it's hard to find. So I ordered two extra copies from Amazon.com, and Katie R. has one as well. If you want a copy, email me at katie_in_logan [at] yahoo [dot] com or just add a comment to this post (comments get emailed to me as well).

Can't wait to see you in a couple weeks!

Are You Reading??

2011-01-04T23:40:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope your Christmas vacations are going swimmingly (or perhaps skiingly, as the case may be)!

Just a reminder that if you haven't yet read it, our meeting for The Chosen by Chaim Potok is coming up on January 20th at 8:30 at Sister's Brew...so there's still plenty of time. But get crackin', because it's a bit longer than our previous selections!

Can't wait to see you all there. And to finally come home to dear Moscow. (Three and a half weeks away is about 10 days too many, if you ask me. Which you didn't. But that's why it's lucky to get to be the one who writes stuff on the blog, 'cuz then you can say what you want and no one can stop you.) ;-)

Happy New Year, all!

Meeting Reminder and Time Change

2010-12-06T00:42:00.000-08:00

A reminder that our next meeting is coming up this Wednesday, December 8th at 9:00 p.m. at Sister's Brew! Please note the time change -- it's a half hour later this month. We're reading The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, and Hailey Cahoon is leading the discussion. Though there is still plenty of time to get it done before then, you should still come even if you haven't exactly "read the book" for two very important reasons:

a)--It's so fun to sit and chat with all the ladies; and
2)--Sister's Brew hot chocolate and other approved beverages are totally delish!

Look forward to seeing you all there. :-)

P.S. Read any good books lately? Tell us all about them here!

...Aaaaand We're Back!

2010-10-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

Summer got away from us a little bit, but we're back with a new schedule! We decided to go with a "genre" theme for Bookish Women this year, so we've selected a handful of genres we want to explore along with a well-respected title in each one.

Our first meeting back will be held on Thursday, November 11 at Sister's Brew at 8:30 p.m. Check out the sidebar for the rest of the schedule through May.

This month's genre is the short story, and in honor of Halloween, we've chosen three short stories by Edgar Alan Poe. You can probably find books with the stories in the library -- or read them online here:

The Black Cat
Hop Frog
Berneice

A couple other items of business: as you can see in the sidebar, we're still deciding on a memoir...so if you have a suggestion leave it in the comments. Also, there's another place in the sidebar for reading recommendations. If you've read a great book lately, share here and we'll copy there as well! :-)

Can't wait to see everyone on November 11!

Adios for the Summer!

2010-05-08T16:33:00.001-07:00

We've had a wonderful year of BOOKS, haven't we? It has been so fun to learn from each of you--thank you for being willing to lead discussions! Thank you for the many yummy treats, too, ladies!

Any votes on who our next leader should be? My vote's on APRIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Book Club Reminder and Location Change

2010-04-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Novel Swap: This Wednesday, April 28th, at 8:30 p.m. at Sisters Brew (This is a location change!). Please bring a new or used (but cheap!) copy of your favorite (or a favorite) novel to swap with someone else. Also, please be prepared to give us a brief description of what the book you brought is about. We will "bid" on the books! Somehow...not sure how, but somehow.

Regular Book Club: Wednesday, May 5th, at 8:30 p.m. at Sisters Brew. We will be discussing The Arabian Nights. Katie R. will be our discussion leader. Yay, Katie!

Novel Swap and Arabian Nights

2010-04-14T23:30:00.000-07:00

April 21st: Please send Kim your favorites book list by this date. She will put the lists together for a summer reading list.

April 28th: Please come to the Hillside Village Clubhouse at 8:30 p.m. for a favorite novel swap. Bring a cheap copy of your favorite novel (or A favorite novel), and be prepared to give a short synopsis of the story (no spoilers!). Very casual--no need to stress over the synopsis. Basically a "This book is about..." type-of-thing. The summer reading list will be handed out at this time, too. Don't miss it!

May 5th: We'll be discussing ARABIAN NIGHTS, with Katie R. acting as our discussion leader. There are many versions of this book, so it'll be lots of fun to discuss it. It's easily found at the local bookstores, and I know there are copies at the public library and at the university library.

Silas Marner...April's book club read & another SPECIAL EVENT

2010-04-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

We will be reading Silas Marner (by George Eliot) this month. It's fairly short, so we'll be meeting on Wednesday, April 14th, at 8:30 p.m. at the Hillside Village Clubhouse to discuss it. Megan is going to lead our discussion. Also, we're going to have a Bookish Women birthday party (celebrating EVERYONE'S birthdays), and we'll be eating traditional English food. If you'd like to volunteer to bring something English, just let me know. So far, Hailey is bringing cake, and I'm going to provide a traditional English Tea (more of a snack-meal than anything. Teatime in England doesn't necessarily mean tea will be served. I have an English friend who called going out for pizza at 5 p.m. "tea."). I realize this doesn't give people much time to read the book, but even if you don't get a chance to read it, please come and have fun with us! We'll watch a little excerpt of the movie, too.

Another thing I'd like to do this month is have a favorite novel swap. Please find a cheap or used copy of your favorite novel (or one of your favorites), and bring it to our SPECIAL EVENT, which will be held Wednesday, the 28th of April, at 8:30 p.m.

I'm also going to be compiling a summer reading list. Please think of at least four NOVELS that you recommend to fit the following categories: Life Changers, Pure Entertainment, I'd Recommend This to Anyone, and Longtime Favorites. Please send me the titles of the books, their categories, their authors, what you'd "rate" them (if they were a movie--G, PG, etc.) and why, and give a one or two-sentence thought about the book (not a summary, but what you thought about this book or how it affected you). Here's an example:

Kim T. would recommend HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, by Diana Wynne Jones, to anyone. She rates it PG for magic and very mild story-book violence, and says, "This book is very smart and fun, as are all of Diana Wynne Jones' books."

We'll compile this list and post it on this blog so you can enjoy some fun summer reading!

Cabin Fever Picnic & Picture Book Club...& Regular Book Club!

2010-03-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

The Cabin Fever Picnic & PIcture Book Club event will be held on Thursday, March 25th, at 5 p.m. at the church (behind Staples). Remember to bring a blanket and your supper (utensils and stuff, too). Also, please bring a used book for each child in your family. We're going to have a big swap.

Regular book club will be held on Wednesday, March 31st, at 8:30 p.m. at the Hillside Village Clubhouse. Pleasy is in charge of our discussion of Chinua Achebe's THINGS FALL APART. Please come, even if you haven't read the book! And bring a treat!

Upcoming Events

2010-02-24T21:14:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to Dave for a most excellent book club tonight! And thanks to all of you who came--we had a great turnout. Lynette won our "Promptness Prize" (the first two books in a young adult series--"The Land of Elyon"); Lanny (Katie L.'s hubby) won a fake-book-really-treasure-box for correctly guessing what a mock-Shakespeare poem was "all about" (see this site--must scroll down a bit); April won a copy of next month's book club book (keep reading to find out what it is) for being the first to identify the author of Holy Sonnet #10 (John Donne), which was part of our poetry packet; and Rebekah N. won a collection of poetry for being the first to name a Robert Frost poem (She named "Out, Out").

Our next book for book club will be Chinua Echebe's THINGS FALL APART. We will meet on Wednesday, March 31st, at 8:30 p.m. at Sisters Brew. Pleasy will be leading the discussion.

Also, on Thursday, March 25th, at 5 p.m. at the church, we will be having a Cabin Fever Picnic & Picture Book Club. Please bring yourself, your family (children, too), a blanket to eat on, and your supper (everything--drinks, too). We will picnic inside while listening to wonderful children's picture books being read. I hope to have a guest reader for the event.

Ye Booke Clubbe Poetics

2010-02-21T19:55:00.000-08:00

By Kim Thacker

Hark! The eve doth quickly come
When fair maids gather, to prattle some,
And to give ear to poet Dave--
A winsome buck and handsome knave--
Who lends the wisdom of his mind
To aid in study of a poetic kind.

But, "Alas!" cry I, and again, "Alack!"
Did yon fair maids forget their snack?
For poems go down best with food,
So bring a treat. Now, I conclude.

Translation:

Hey! The night is coming fast
When we get to hang out to chat a little,
And to listen to Dave, the poet--
Who has a charming personality and is pretty good
_____looking, even if he does have a bit of the devil

_____in him--
Who is going to share his knowledge
To help us learn more about poetry.

But, "Dang!" I cry, and then I shout, "Bummer!"
Did you gals forget to bring a treat to share?
Poetry is fun, but eating truly rocks.
So make sure you bring a treat for everyone to enjoy!

_____Now, I'm done with this silly poem that obviously

_____has meter problems...

We have a winner!!!

2010-02-11T20:41:00.001-08:00

Here's the winning poem, folks:

Up to little old Moscow two love birds often fly
To spend a couple of joyous years at good old U of I.

'What to do in this little town,' they wonder with a sigh
'We're not sure we'll like it here, but I guess we'd better try.'

Then a spritely chap came walking by with a bounce up in his shoe
And the new arrivals queried him, 'What's there here to do?'

'What to do in Moscow? You really do not know?
Well stand your ground, you're in a town where good times overflow.

'There's Mikey's down on Main Street, not far from Sister's Brew,
Blackberries out in Kendrick and the Lentil Festival too.

'Elk River Falls and the Cedar grove not too far away
You'll pass Spring Valley Reservoir, a perfect place to play.

'There's grizzly bears, apples and pears over at WSU
A bike path Troy to Pullman and wheat fields for a view

'Enjoy your time in this little town once of the name 'Hog Haven'
Cause time is swift, and soon enough your dear friends will be wavin'.'

Poems for the Poetry Contest

2010-02-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

Kindred Swells

We're riding the crests of
their current--a sisterhood

of scandalous gossip
and glistening eyes

heartache and cheesecake
Dirty diapers and temper tantrums

Childbirth, party tips,
and the only right answer
to the question that's
plagued us for years:

Does this skirt make my ass look big?

First a smile erupts,
then another, till we're
wagging our jaws and
straining our necks

A rush-storm of laughter
both bursting and rare

It spills over our faces,
this chorus of rolling delight
and continues to swell
Till long after we're gone

i haven't slept
in nearly 3 months
but when i do
i think about you

my body is sore
in places unheard of
but i'm holding you still
in awe this is real

i forgot what a job
and an income are like
you need me all day
its worth the pay

sometimes all you do
is scream and you fuss
at night when i pray
'thanks for him,' i say

you have consumed my life-
my days and my nights
i see you, i smell you
i hear you, i feel you
and i've forgotten already
how i got on without you
for my baby, my love
i wish time to slow down

because i didn't know
how fast you would grow

Good Company
Is it more telling to judge a thing not for the thing that it is,
But rather to judge the thing by the people that are drawn to the thing in question?
Not judging a show by the story or scenes, but by those standing in line.
Nor judging a song by the rhythm or beat, but by those singing along.

Instead of judging a tree by the fruit that in season it doth bare,
Judging the tree by those who partake and partake and partake again.
Do you desire to partake of the fruit of which he or she partook and partook?
Or do you believe ‘their tastes are too plain,’ and thus...try another tree.

What would this method of judging say of the things you hold most dear?
Without saying a word, what would your friends have to say about you?

Could this means of judging things become your guiding star?
Could you find some fellows who’s opinions and actions are true,
And once discovered with watchful eye take note of all they do?
Then be as they be and do what they do and soon enough you’ll find
This simple way of judging things will land you in good company.

One of our fellow members of book club is a songwriter! You can listen to her song, with music, here:
http://marketingwizardsalliance.com/song2.mp3

Ode to Action
by _____________, age 16

Her name was _____, she was rad;
She wanted action really bad.
With anyone, with Steve or Rex,
Some action, please, but never sex.

Her friends would tell her of their kiss
And she would sigh with longing bliss.
O action! she would stand and scream,
It is of you I often dream!

Am I so ugly and so base
That no one wants to suck my face?
And so I am content to yearn
Until, at last, it is my turn.

Change-
It is fall the leaves are turning
Each leafs a new example of change
I am as the tree is clinging
Holding on through the disarray

Yet Spring will bring another life
Green will replace the barreness
Of Winter's cold enduring strife
and all feelings of emptiness

The rain may purify the earth
Depending on your lucky star
For Spring is time for the rebirth
A time to erase all the scars.

Can I keep this summer season
If not so what is the reason?

It should be known that the author of the following poem was NOT drunk or high when the poem was written:

The Lurking Walrus

He surfaces from the depths of the living sea

He bobs romantically on the ocean froth

His blubber convulses hypnotically

Swimmingly, daintily, delicately

Up to little old Moscow two love birds often fly

To spend a couple of joyous years at good old U of I.

'What to do in this little town,' they wonder with a sigh

'We're not sure we'll like it here, but I guess we'd better try.'

Then a spritely chap came walking by with a bounce up in his shoe

And the new arrivals queried him, 'What's there here to do?'

'What to do in Moscow? You really do not know?

Well stand your ground, you're in a town where good times overflow.

'There's Mikey's down on Main Street, not far from Sister's Brew,

Blackberries out in Kendrick and the Lentil Festival too.

'Elk River Falls and the Cedar grove not too far away

You'll pass Spring Valley Reservoir, a perfect place to play.

'There's grizzly bears, apples and pears over at WSU

A bike path Troy to Pullman and wheat fields for a view

'Enjoy your time in this little town once of the name 'Hog Haven'

Cause time is swift, and soon enough your dear friends will be wavin'.'

The following poem is meant to be read to the melody of the song Joyful Joyful

Here is a link to the song, so you can hear how it sounds:

http://popup.lala.com/popup/360569462349429164

Joyful, Joyful, child we adore thee

Child of mercy, laughter and light

Since your birth our arms enfold you

We pledge to love you with all our might

You explore the world around you

Makes us laugh with each new day

Your eyes of wonder, cheeks of laughter

Remind to love more perfectly

God gave children, we see clearly

Hold them tight and keep them near

We’re so grateful for you our baby

We feel lucky you are here.

A tribute to a recently departed celebrity (written not so recently...)

King of Pop

________________MaKe believe.
__________The kitchen Is my stage;
The microwave, my audieNce.
___________Music rinGs

_______Like the climax Of an old
_____________Horror Film.

_____At the peak of my Performance I cry, “Beat it!”
__________My breath fOgging my reflection
_________In the microPhone.

Poems

2010-01-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

A tribute to a recently departed celebrity (written not so recently...)

King of Pop

February Book Club

2010-01-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks everyone, for participating in last night's book club. I learned a lot! And a big thank you to April for leading our discussion.

February's book club will be held at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24th, at Kim's house. Kim's hubby, Dave, will be teaching us about poetry. BYOM (bring your own mug) for steamers.

Your poetry packets will be emailed to you soon! Please read them in advance, and bring them to the meeting.

Also, if you'd like to be entered into a contest for a pre-Valentine's Day dinner, made by Kim, please submit a poem (you can email it to Kim or submit it anonymously in the comments section of the blog) by Wednesday, February 10th. If you win, you'l receive your choice of the following (for the whole family):

Thai Shrimp Soup
Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Stuffed Red Peppers
Salad
Spanish Rice

Sausage Won Tons (fried)
Rice

Spicy Chicken & Corn Chowder
Salad
Rolls

Red Pepper Soup (can do totally vegan, if you'd like)
Gourmet Cheese Platter (if I do the soup vegan, I'll assume you don't want cheese)
Salad
Rolls

Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Peaches and Butternut Squash.
Salad
Rolls

Don't be afraid! Pull out your old high school journals and copy down an angsty poem! Or write a new one!

Katie Wins!

2010-01-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

Katie R., you're the lucky winner of:
1) An autographed copy of Elizabeth Scott's PERFECT YOU (a well-written YA romance novel with biting dialogue) or
2) Your own copy of FRANKENSTEIN. Did you buy one for book club? If not...
Take your pick and let me know which you'd like! We'll give the other away AT BOOK CLUB (Just one of many reasons to attend, gals. 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the 27th, at Sisters Brew. April is scheduled to enlighten us.)

More of Frankie

2010-01-18T22:06:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Hailey (with help from her husband and inspiration from her friends):

Frankenstein Must Look Like...

2010-01-17T21:18:00.001-08:00

You have until Wednesday, the 20th, at midnight (ooo...creepy...midnight...) to send/give Kim your visual representation of Frankenstein's monster. Remember, this needs to be your idea of him/it pre-reading! If you've already read the book, then cast your mind back on the days when you were less enlightened.

The beautiful painting below was done by the lovely Katie R. She's well on her way to a PRIZE, especially since she's the only entrant in our drawing so far! This is not a contest--simply a drawing. The only way you can enter is if you create a monster!

See you Wednesday, January 27th, at SISTER'S BREW COFFEEHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!! Bring a few bucks for a steamer or some cocoa and prepare to learn from the illustrious April, who taught a Frankenstein unit to her students! She knows her stuff! Plus, we're gonna have fun...and probably get more prizes.

Book Club Reminder

2010-01-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to read Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN for book club, to be held January 27th at Sister's Brew (corner of Main and 3rd). And don't forget to create your idea of what Frankenstein's monster looks like (see previous post) so you can win a PRIZE!

Your Idea of Frankenstein

2009-12-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks, everyone, for coming to book club and discussing A Christmas Carol. I learned a lot and enjoyed all your comments. Thanks, Hailey, for your preparation and for making this night a great learning experience.

Next time we meet (January 27th), we'll be discussing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. April is going to lead this discussion, and I'm so excited! For now, you have an "assignment":

Create your idea of what Frankenstein's "monster" looks like, and give it to me (Kim). You can choose any medium, but we want to be able to put your monsters on the blog, so if you choose to create one out of clay, or something, take a photo and email it to me. You have until January 20th. HAVE FUN!!! BE CREATIVE!!! PRIZES ARE INVOLVED!!!

Winner!!!

2009-12-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

Susannah, you're our winner! You get a copy of "A Christmas Carol." Congratulations, and thanks, everyone, for your posts. They were so great! I loved hearing all your thoughts.

Contest Question

2009-11-30T21:02:00.000-08:00

Answer the following questions in a comment, and you'll be entered in a contest to win a copy of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The drawing will take place Friday morning (this Friday), so enter by Thursday night.

Question: Who is the character you most identify with in A Christmas Carol, whether it be in one of the many movie versions or in the book? Why?

Date Change for December Book Club

2009-11-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

We will meet for our December book club on Thursday, December 10th, at 8:30 p.m. at the Hillside Village clubhouse. Please bring your own mug, as we'll be doing steamers, hot chocolate, and cider again! Hailey will lead us in a discussion of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I have two copies in circulation and another at home if anyone wants one. Stay tuned for a contest! I'm thinking free books would be good this time.

December Book Club

2009-11-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight's book club discussion on Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" was fantastic! Thanks, Katie L. for all your hard work and preparation. You quotes were great discussion prompts. Thanks to everyone who came and participated and brought yummies to share!

Next month's (December's) reading will be Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." We will discuss it December 16th at 8:30 at the Hillside Clubhouse. Bring your own mugs again, as well as any goodies you'd like to share. Hailey will be leading our discussion. Stay tuned for details on an upcoming contest! Yes, I like contests. Mostly, I like to give away prizes. And I like to figure out tricky ways to get people to come to book club!

November Book Club Date Change

2009-11-08T13:20:00.001-08:00

Book club will be held on Wednesday, November 18th, at 8:30 p.m. at the Hillside Village Clubhouse. Katie Langston will be directing our discussion of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," a HILARIOUS play! We will also be enjoying some yummy hot drinks, so BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug). We will be giving away some prizes throughout the evening, so be sure to come! And bring friends!

Wilde Winner

2009-11-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Hilary, the winner of our Wilde Contest! She gets a ticket to see Jim Carrey's adaptation of "A Christmas Carol." Cool! Thanks for participating, everyone, and remember to come to book club on the 19th!

Lowering the Stakes for Our Wilde Contest

2009-11-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

I haven't received any emails from anyone regarding the Wilde Contest, so I'm lowering the stakes a bit. If you commit to reading "The Importance of Being Earnest" (full text available at multiple online locations such as here) and email me a statement to the effect, I'll put your name in a drawing for a ticket to "A Christmas Carol" (new Jim Carrey movie adaptation). If you can get friends to commit, email me their names. For every friend who commits, I'll put your name in the drawing again. In other words, the more commitments you get, the more your name goes in the drawing. If someone asks you for a commitment and you've already given one to someone else, please don't give it again (unless it was just your own commitment to me). Please send me your emails by TOMORROW, MIDNIGHT!

Wilde Contest!

2009-11-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

I love contests, and I love books. So, here's a contest that involves a book and a movie, too! How cool is that?!

DETAILS:
You have until November 5th (that's right--four days) to commit to reading our November book club book, which is actually Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," AND get three other people to commit to reading it and attending our November book club, which will be held on the 19th (note that this is a Thursday). The catch is, once your three friends commit to reading the play, they can't commit to anyone else to do it. In other words, if I ask my dear ward member friend to read the play and she commits to it, then she can't also commit to you. Her commitment is MINE. If you commit to reading the play and get three friends to commit too, then your name will be put in a drawing for a ticket to see the new Jim Carrey movie adaptation of "A Christmas Carol," which comes to the Pullman theater (Village Cinemas) THIS WEEKEND (the 6th, to be exact). We're reading A CHRISTMAS CAROL for our December book club, so watching the show will be good preparation.

WHAT TO DO:
*Commit to reading "The Importance of Being Earnest" and to attending book club on November 19th.
*Talk to three friends FAST and get them to commit (it's short, by the way) to reading the play and coming to book club, too.
*Email Kim by 11:59 p.m. on November 5th so she can put your name in a drawing (I'll probably wait to draw in the morning, if that's okay with ya'll.).
*Actually keep your commitments! If you don't...then you have to repeat your commitment for the month of December (including getting three friends to read our book and come to book club).

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?:
To encourage reading! And discussion! It's really so much fun. I hope you'll join us and participate in this contest. Good luck!

THE Bookish Woman

2009-10-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Hailey, the winner of our Face of Bookish Women contest! Her super cute picture of herself, her baby, her book, and her food won many of our hearts. She won a Bookish Women tote bag and a copy of Kate Umansky's SOLOMON SNOW AND THE SILVER SPOON (a fabulous middle-grade novel). Katie and Hilary took second and third places in our contest and also won tote bags. All three of these gals will look sooooooooo stylin' when they go to the library, don't you think?

One side of bag (I need to figure out how to flip images!):

Other side of bag:

April did a great job of leading our discussion on Elie Wiesel's NIGHT and Livia Bitton-Jackson's I HAVE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS, two non-fiction Holocaust accounts. Thanks, April! And thank you, everyone who came. The company, conversation, and autumn drinks were all very good.

In other news, Katie L. is going to lead our discussion of Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Earnest." Mark your calendars for November 19th from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. Note that this is a Thursday! Location will be announced a little closer to the date.

As always, even if you don't get the chance to read our book club books, there is so much that can be learned from out get-togethers. Plus, we have a lot of fun. So please come!

FYI: I've included the notes from our book club discussion of PETER PAN on the post with the September date.

New Location for Book Club

2009-10-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

Book Club will be held in the back room at Sisters Brew (218 S. Main Street) this Wednesday, the 28th, from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Sisters Brew is a nice coffeehouse serving plenty of hot drinks, not just coffee. I love their caramel steamers. They also serve cider, hot cocoa, herbal tea--even sandwiches.

We will be discussing Elie Wiesel's NIGHT and Livia Bitton-Jackson's I HAVE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS. Even if you haven't read the books, the discussion promises to be very enlightening. Please join us!

Great Minds Think Alike

2009-10-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Katie L. just sent me her picture, and because I think it's so cute, I've decided to add it to this post (though it won't be a contender in our contest). Also, I'm adding a photo from my author website, which, you'll notice, is in a similar style. Katie and I get along just too well! Loves to you, Katie-girl!

Voting Time!

2009-10-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Only three people sent me their pictures, so we have our "Face of Bookish Women" contest winners! All three gals get a tote bag for their library books. However, we need to decide on the first prize winner of the contest. She alone will have her mug on our blog. You have until October 28th, at 12:00 AM, to vote. Our winner will be "crowned" at book club that night.

Everybody Likes Free Stuff...Right?

2009-10-22T18:57:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know I was pretty strict sounding when I said that I needed your Bookish Pictures by October 21st at 8 p.m. Well...I'll give you until Saturday, midnight. :) Thank you to everyone who sent me photos already! They are SO CUTE. I can't wait to put them up on the blog!

And speaking of contests and free stuff, my friend, the children's book librarian at the Moscow Public Library, just announced a contest on her uber-cool blog. The winner gets a free spooky book! Check it out: Words World and Wings

Great List of Classics

2009-10-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

We've cast our votes for the plays and novels we'll be reading in Book Club, but I will keep this list of classic novels on the website in case anyone wants to refer to it for additional reading.

PLAYS:
The Crucible, Arthur Miller - 1953 - American author - New World Salem Witch Trial setting (1692)

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde - 1895 - British author - British setting of about the same time period

Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw - 1913 - British author - British setting of about the same time period; basically the story of "My Fair Lady"

Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare - 1597 - British author - Italian setting (though Shakespeare always feels overtly British to me); you've seen the movie, but have you read the play?

BOOKS:

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain – 1884 – American author – U.S. (pre-abolishment of slavery) southern setting

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Caroll – 1865 – British author – Fantasy setting; not the story you thought you knew from the Disney movie

Anne of Green Gables, L.M Montgomery – 1908 – Canadian author – Canadian setting of about the same time period

Arabian Nights – Scholars suggest this collection of stories came together around 800 A.D.; if we read these stories, I suggest everyone getting the same translation—maybe the Barnes and Noble classic (2007) version, just because it’s readily accessible

The Call of the Wild, Jack London - 1903 - American author - Yukon gold rush late 1800s setting

Emma, Jane Austen – 1815 – British author – British setting of about the same time period

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley – 1818 – British author – European and Arctic settings; this book is not the story you thought you knew

Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck – 1939 – American author – U.S. Depression Era setting

Heidi, Johanna Spyri – 1880 – Swiss author – Swiss and German setting of about the same time period

Ivanhoe, Walter Scott – 1819 – British (Scottish) author – 12th century English setting; historical fiction (with many make-believe characters)

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte – 1847 – British author – British setting of about the same time period

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, from “The Chronicles of Narnia,” C.S. Lewis – 1950 - British author – British WWII and fantasy world setting

Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder – 1935 – American author – U.S. late 1800s Midwestern setting based on the author's life

My Antonia, Willa Cather – 1918 – American author – U.S. Midwestern pioneer setting

Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi – 1883 – Italian author – Italian fantasy setting (talking animals, talking puppet)

Pollyanna, Eleanor H. Porter – 1913 – American author – U.S. (Vermont) setting of about the same time period

Ponder Heart, Eudora Welty – 1954 – American author – U.S. southern setting of about the same time period

Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier – 1938 – British author – British setting of about the same time period; some consider this novel to be very similar to Jane Eyre

Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe – 1719 – British author – takes place in the latter half of the 1600s on a tropical island near Venezuela; this novel is considered by some to be the first novel in English

Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett – 1909 – Author is British by birth, but wrote the story after immigrating to the U.S. – Indian and British setting of about the same time period

Silas Marner, George Eliot – 1861 – British author – British setting (fictional location)

Swiss Family Robinson, Johann Rudolf Wyss – 1812 – tropical island (East Indies) setting

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe – 1958 – African author – African setting

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee – 1960 – U.S. deep south Depression Era setting

The Three Musketeers, Alexander Dumas – 1844 – French author – French 1600s setting

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson – 1883 – British (Scottish) author – British, maritime, and tropical mid-1700s setting

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith – 1943 – American author – U.S. (Brooklyn) pre-WWI setting

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe – 1853 – American author – U.S. (pre-abolishment of slavery) southern setting

Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne – 1926 - British author – British fantasy setting (talking animals); witty, charming writing—much cleverer than Disney adaptations; if we choose this book, we ought to read others in the series, as they are so short

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum – 1900 – American author – U.S. (Kansas—1889) and fantasy setting

Great Deals on Great Books

2009-10-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

One of our lovely Bookish Women bought all four of our novels for Book Club for $15 at TJ's Books, here in town. That's another great benefit of choosing classics--they're so readily available and often very inexpensive, as opposed to new and trendy books, which can cost so much more and are sometimes harder to find. Anywho, TJ's is a fun bookstore, if you haven't been in there, as is Bookpeople of Moscow (downtown). Hastings also carries new and used books and sometimes they're used books are at a steal of a price. Occasionally you can find some used books at the thrift stores in town, but I've found that usually they're bodice-rippers and not classics....

Does anyone know of any other stores in town (or nearby--Pullman, Troy, etc.) that carry the books we'll be reading? If so, post in the comments, PLEASE!

The Votes Are In!!!

2009-10-14T22:35:00.001-07:00

Thank you, everyone who voted! I tallied the votes tonight, and the results are as follows:

Play:
The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde

Novels:
Arabian Nights
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
Silas Marner, by George Eliot
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe

Please view our calendar (on the left side of this blog page) to see which month we'll read which book. Thanks again, and we'll see you all on October 28th for Book Club! Hillside Village Clubhouse, 8:30 p.m.

October Book Club

2009-10-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

Next Month's Reading: A Classic and a parallel book...
*Night: By Elie Wiesel (1958)
*I Have Live A Thousand Years: By Livia Bitton-Jackson (1999)

These are great examples of Holocaust memoirs: one from a young man, the other from a 13 year-old girl. I have both if someone would like to borrow them. ~ April

Plan on meeting October 28th from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. at the Hillside Village Clubhouse (1126 N. Polk Extension--I really will reserve it this time!). Don't forget to enter the Bookish Women contest! ~ Kim

Peter Pan

2009-09-28T23:54:00.001-07:00

When: Wednesday, September 30th, from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: Hillside Village Clubhouse (1126 N. Polk Extension)
What: The Bookish Women are discussing J.M. Barrie's PETER PAN
Details: Bring food.

UPDATE: Here are the notes from our Peter Pan book club (much of these notes were taken from Wikipedia. Cool site, that Wikipedia, though not always 100% accurate...):

Bookish Women
September 30, 2009

J.M. Barrie’s PETER PAN

Meet Sir James Matthew Barrie (from Wikipedia):

Born: May 9, 1860 in Kirriemuir, Scotland
Died: June 19, 1937 (of pneumonia, aged 77) in London, England

Childhood and Adolescence:
James’ father, David Barrie, was a moderately successful weaver. His mother, Margaret Ogilvy, had assumed her own deceased mother’s responsibilities when she was eight, and often spoke of how she hadn’t had a childhood.
When James was seven, his older brother, David (who was his mother’s favorite), died in an ice-skating accident the night before his 14th birthday. James’ mother was devastated, and in an effort to gain his mother’s attentions, James would dress up in his brother’s clothing. It has been suggested that, as a result of his brother’s death and his mother’s resultant negligence, James suffered from psychogenic dwarfism—dwarfism caused by intense stress.
James studied at various academies before he enrolled in the University of Edinburgh.

Literay Career:
While in Edinburgh, James wrote drama reviews. Later, he moved to Nottingham, where he worked as a journalist at a newspaper. He then moved back to Kirriemuir and wrote nostalgic tales of Scotland for a London newspaper. His interests turned to novels and to playwriting.

Barrie’s Works:
• Auld Licht Idylls (1888)
• Better Dead (1888)
• A Window in Thrums (1889)
• The Little Minister (1891)
• Sentimental Tommy, The Story of His Boyhood (1896)
• Margaret Ogilvy (1896)
• Tommy and Grizel (1900)
• Quality Street (1901)
• The Admirable Crichton (1902)
• The Little White Bird; or, Adventures in Kensington Gardens (1902)
• Peter Pan (play) (1904)
• Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906)
• What Every Woman Knows (1906)
• When Wendy Grew Up - An Afterthought (1908)
• Peter and Wendy (novel) (1911)
• Dear Brutus (1917)
• Echoes of the War (1918)
• The Old Lady Shows Her Medals (1918), basis for the movie Seven Days Leave (1930), starring Gary Cooper
• A New World (1918)
• Barbara's Wedding (1918)
• A Well-Remembered Voice (1918)
• Alice Sit-By-The-Fire (1919)
• Mary Rose (play) (1920)
• My Lady Nicotine, A Study in Smoke (1926)
• Farewell Miss Julie Logan (1932)
• The Boy David (1936)
• Stories by English Authors: London (Selected by Scribners) (as Contributor)
• Stories by English Authors: Scotland (Selected by Scribners) (as Contributor)
• The Young Visiters or, Mr. Salteena's Plan by Daisy Ashford (preface

Marriage:
Barrie became acquainted with actress Mary Ansell in 1891. He was very ill in 1893 and ’94, and Ansell helped his family care for him. Barrie and Ansell married in 1894.
Barrie and Ansell divorced in 1909, on the grounds of Ansell’s infidelity.

Llewelyn Davies Family:
The Arthur Llewelyn Davies family (Arthur-father, Silvia-mother, George, John, Peter, Michael, Nicholas) played an important role in Barrie’s personal and professional life. Their acquaintance began in 1897 and lasted until Barrie’s death. Barrie was considered a trusted friend of the entire family. When Arthur died in 1907, Barrie supported the family financially. Upon Silvia’s death in 1910, Barrie was entrusted with the guardianship of the Llewelyn Davies boys, along with their maternal grandmother, their Uncle Guy Du Maurier (Silvia’s brother), and another uncle, Compton (Arthur’s brother).

Barrie was devastated by the deaths of George (killed in action in 1915—WWI) and Michael (drowned in 1921).
Of his “Uncle Jim,” Nicholas (the youngest of the Llewelyn Davies boys), wrote, “He was an innocent – which is why he could write Peter Pan.”

Honors:
Barrie was made a baronet in 1913; his baronetcy was not inherited. He was made a member of the Order of Merit in 1922. In 1919 he was chosen to be Rector of the University of St Andrews for the next three years, and served as Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh from 1930 to 1937. He has a school named after him in Wandsworth, South West London. The Barrie School in Silver Spring, Maryland, is also named in his honor.

About PETER PAN

The first appearance of the character, Peter Pan, came in a book called THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD (serialized in the United States). Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, was performed in 1904. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS was written in 1906, and depicts the character Peter’s life before Neverland. In 1908, a short work entitled, When Wendy Grew Up, was printed. In 1911, the Peter Pan play was developed into the novel, PETER AND WENDY. It has been adapted into films, plays, and musicals.
FYI: In 1929, Barrie gave the copyright of the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. All proceeds resulting from the sales/performances of those works go to the hospital.
FYI 2: The Peter Pan works introduced people to the name Wendy, which Barrie said was inspired by a young friend’s calling him “fwendy”—friendly.

Possible Discussion Topics
Unreliable narrator
Racism / Exaggerated Stereotypes
Gender Roles
Duty & Responsibility
Violence
Good/Evil