Book Club

Everyone,

Tonight is my book club meeting. We are having it at my house and I am making chocolate bread pudding for desert. We are doing our annual book exchange. This is our second one. I love book club. There are about 8 of us. I think we all bring something interesting to the table. We all like to read different books and because of that, I've read a lot of books I never would have before. Some have been a struggle for me to get through. Some I've sailed through and loved! And some I haven't even finished before we get to discussion. But all have been unique. I always buy my books because sometimes it takes me all month and then some to finish these books. The library doesn't always have them so I buy them used for a dollar online. I don't care if they are brand new and look it. I figure the words are still the same, even if the cover is stained. Every time I see those books on my shelf, I think of the person who picked that book. It's like a grown up friendship charm bracelet without the cheep metal jewelry that turns your wrist green.

Books we have read:
Leadership and Self Deception, Arbengor Institute
Persuasion, Jane Austen
The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards
Crossing to Safety, Wallace Stegner
Possession, AS Byatt
The Lemon Tree, Sandy Tolan
Life and Death in Shanghai, Nien Cheng
Close to Shore, Michael Cappuzzo

Books coming up:
Stolen Lives, Malika Oufkir
Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
In Harm's Way, Doug Stanton
All Over But the Shoutin', Rick Bragg
To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis
Fire in the Bones, Michael Wilcox
My Dearest Friend, Abigail & John Adams

I'm really excited for all of these books. I like that I have other people to read with me and then we can discuss it. I also like that I have a deadline. I always need to get started early on the books so that I can make sure I'm done before our discussion. Lately, they are the only books I've been able to read. I can't read while I'm nursing (no free hands) and nap times are filled with getting things done around the house that I can't do with the kids. Like cleaning the kitchen or hauling things up the stairs or folding laundry. So I like that book club forces me to take some time out just for me and be myself again, not Mommy.

These ladies have become really special to me. I see them all the time at church and I always feel like we have this great bond. I love that just reading books together creates that bond.

Got lots to clean before they come. I think they'd like to walk in and not have to step over several packages and then pick their way through a minefield of toys to sit down on the papers that are covering the couch. Can't wait for tonight!

Safire

Edited to Add: I forgot January's books by CS Lewis. The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity