I’m reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I was a little hesitant to start a book that’s almost 1,000 pages, but I’d heard so many good things about it that I decided to give it a try. I’m only a few chapters in, but I really like the characters, it’s much funnier than I expected, and so far it looks like a really good story.

I remember reading There There. Let’s make sure we have a book club meeting in January when Donna is here.

Donna, we read There, There years ago in book club. I still have my copy. I thought it was a great book, but I’m not sure everyone agreed. Let us know what you think.

We will definitely have to have a book club meeting when Donna is here. Donna, glad to hear you joined another book club. They probably even read the books in that club. Keep us posted on what you are reading.

Wish I could be there. I did rent a condo for the month of January and am hoping there will be a book club then. Joined a book club here and we’re reading There, There by Tommy Orange, a Native American. Excellent novel about the Native American experience. Miss each and every one of you!

At Bruce’s suggestion I am rereading Death of Ivan Illych which I had read a few years ago but didn’t remember very well. Good companion to Stoner and surprisingly humorous despite those long Russian names. Very short, really a novella. Some reviewers mention Stoner is kind of a redo of Ivan.

I’m reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy. Thank you for the rec Debbie and Steve.

At Bruce‘s prodding, I have been reading Stoner, which I just love! The writing is so vivid that I feel like a real time observer. And I love these pre-Book Club promos for different books. I think it will be easier to choose than just voting randomly after hearing a brief summary.

I’m about halfway through Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich. It’s very short and surprisingly readable. Ivan is a successful judge who becomes seriously ill and starts questioning the life he’s been living. It’s been a “successful” life—but has it been a meaningful one? I became interested in this book because I thought it would make an interesting comparison with Stoner.

Finished reading the Strangers by Belle Burden. Someone had recommended the book before (Donna?}). It is a memoir of her marriage as she is also a Vanderbilt heiress. She talks about her 20 year of a good marriage before her husband left her. She works on trying to understand herself and the reasons for the divorce. It is like doing psychotherapy with one of my clients. I think there could be some good discussions taken from the author's devastation and growth.

I’m halfway through The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes and enjoying it. It’s a short, very readable novel about memory and how well we really understand our own past. The first half has the narrator looking back on events from his younger years, and then an unexpected letter from a lawyer makes him start questioning what he thought he knew.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, New Year! Love the photos. 😍

I am loving this and especially the pictures. Now I don’t have to wait for a month to hear from everybody. I call it our Book Group intercession.

Nice family pic, Stuart, and happy and healthy New Year to all.

Happy New Year to all. Great pics
from the Hanno Becks and Novicks. Still listening to South of Broad and don’t want it to end. Conroy is one of the best writers we’ve read.

Happy New year from the entire Novick Family from Falls Church Virginia

The family that prays together stays together ( not original)

Ruth, it looks beautiful there. Enjoy (especially the food)!

Seconding Bruce’s recommendation of Stoner by. John Williams. It’s really good so far! Also testing out the photo function, I don’t think anyone’s done that yet. We’re in Portofino, Italy now.

I’ll try again since my “test” post went through. Just finished reading The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. I really love his books because he is a “feeler.” I find his writing to be emotionally packed. Although this book begins with an abhorrent event, it continues to raise issues of struggles with forgiveness and moving forward. He also spends much time illustrating the atrocities of the prison system. Apparently, Lamb volunteers at a prison so I trust his descriptions are mostly valid. Although parts were quite disturbing, I couldn’t put this book down!

Just testing post to see if my text goes through. When I posted about the current book I just read it didn’t register. Neither did my RSVP to the next Bookclub gathering. Stuart had to RSVP for us.

I’m reading Stoner by John Williams, first published in 1965. It’s a beautifully written story about an ordinary man who grows up on a farm and becomes a college professor. His life takes some unexpected turns, and there’s a lot here about love, friendship, disappointment, and the choices we make that shape our lives. So far, I'm really enjoying it.

Just started Yesteryear and so far loving it. One of the Glassers relatives I’ve acquired went to UVA with the author.

Bruce is an amazing webmaster.
Finished Yesteryear. So amusing, and I think very good for discussion. I think it was an excellent choice.

Love the new tab with past books. I can even remember most of them.

I am catching up on old BC book - Thor of Golden. Really sucked me in. We discussed the possible Christian bent. If it is there, so far it is subtle. He is a Christian singer and author.
My purpose in writing this note is that I love that there will be email notifications. thanks for the up grade. Great job.
Enid

Great book group last night. Thanks Bruce and Barb for hosting and for the gluten free food, too ( above and beyond!)

I went to order Yesteryear from the library and when I looked I had ordered it a few weeks ago as well as Stranger. No recollection on why I ordered it or who told me about it Meant to be Did enjoy the book club but mainly the food was amazing as well learning some cooking tips Easier to go out

Reading Yesteryear, of course, our next selection.
This website is awesome and keeps getting better. Yes, Bruce, your name did appear on the email.

We really enjoyed having everyone together last night. As always, the best part of book club is the good company. True Grit certainly gave us plenty to talk about and generated a lively discussion with lots of different points of view.

This is also a little test of a change I made to the website. From now on, when someone posts a comment, the email notification should tell you who posted it. So if everything is working properly, the email you receive about this comment should have my name in it!

Bruce

DONNA

I loved the memoir STRANGERS by Belle Burden. Unbelievable story of a marriage that failed with no clear understanding why. Burden is a very good writer and she tells her story with a lot of voice.

We are currently listening to South of Broad by Pat Conroy. It’s been a while since we read anything by him, but his prose is beautiful and so is his character development. Highly recommend his works.

A few weeks ago, Bruce asked our new best friend ChatGPT to suggest a book for our book group that was not too long, that was well written, and that would lend itself well to discussion. The book it came up with was A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean. I have watched the movie many times and love it, and I just finished reading the book. Upfront disclaimer--the movie is better. That said, except for the overabundance of information on fly fishing, it is a good read with some absolutely beautiful parts that have made me forgive the author's obsession with which fly I might need to catch a particular fish. It is short--a novella. It has some truly beautiful memorable passages and it definitely poses questions that we all face in our lives. I'll present it on Saturday when we meet.

I finished Wilmington Lie The Pulitzer Prize regarding the coup of 1898 . Great backdrop of how the suppression of black votes in the South started and never changed till the voting crusades in the 1960's I will bring it up again Also read Daniel Silva's new book. Pretty good read if you these spy novels.

Enjoying The Calamity Club. Esther’s suggestion. A good read.
Ruth

I read the newest Daniel Silva book "Ransom" . As always a fast paced story that could be true. Most of the action takes place in varous European countries and always include some Art History lessons. Somewhat formuliac but I always enjoy reading his fiction.
SIG

I enjoyed True Grit. Looking forward to discussing it. Roy

Book club magic!

Photoshop of the Novicks looks great! Well done.
-Ruth

I love the new notification system. Thank you Barbara and Bruce. I’m reading the Agassi autobiography, Open. Very interesting, particularly if you like tennis.
Esther

Who are you? Leave your name. And have you checked out the photo lately?

Please photoshop us in the group pic Fearful if this is a hint of our future status ❤️

I finished “ Five Weeks in the Country” . Recommend.

I am enthralled with the history of the Sephardeem. I am currently reading the Forgetting River. It is written by a NYT journalist who has worked for other newspapers. She found out later in life that she was a descendent of conversos from the Inquisition in Spain from the 14th century causing her to go back to her ancestral roots in Spain. The book is packed with a great deal of information and some scene description that was in the way but basically a great read. It filled my quest with much info.
The author is Doreen Carvajal.

Enid

My daughter just told me she loved The Calamity Club

I recently read The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett. She also wrote The Help. Takes place in Mississippi during the depression. It’s 635 pages but I really enjoyed it. Makes you think about how far backwards we have gone in this country on the social issues. Not as bad as the 30s, but still.
Esther

Maybe because we just read the book?

I just started the movie too after finishing the book and I gave up on it. Loved the book. For some reason, the film is a bore!
Barb

I love everything by Doris Kearns Goodwin, but two of my favs are her book about the 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers, Wait Till Next Year, and An Unfinished Love Story, a Personal History of the 1960s. As a rule I don't love personal memoirs, but these two are at the top of my list. The baseball book talks about the players I remember from the 50s, but it also talks about the times and her personal coming of age story. The 60s book is mostly about her husband, Dick Goodwin, who was the speech writer for JFK and LBJ and what went into those speeches.
Barb

People need to sign their comments!
Now I’m reading Five Weeks in the Country by Francine Prose, fictionalized version of Hans Christian Anderson visit with the family of Charles Dickens in 1857. Sounds random but very entertaining.
Finished reading True Grit for the next b.c,and watched the 2010 movie after. Enjoyed the book but the movie screenplay adhered so closely to the book I found it a bit dull.

Ruth

I am reading Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. It is supposed to be his best book. I like it so far, but it is very violent. Seems be his idea - is violence a corruption of human nature or are we just naturally that way. McCarthy though is a great writer.
Bruce

I just read 2 NY Times recommended historical novels. Both good reads.
1. The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline.
2. Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Camille de Peretti (there is also a Daniel SIlva with same title , NOT that one).

Ruth

We are listening to The Orphan Collector
Which takes place during the Influenza epidemic of 1917. Interesting read.
Debbie

That last comment (and this one) was from Bruce. This is a reminder to myself and everyone to put your name in the comment since the comment does not identify who posted it.

I just finished As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. It is a tough read and I don't think I would have made through without the help of Chatgpt. It is really and amazing book though and very worthwhile if you can slog your way through it. I don't recommend it for our book club. Now I am reading Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, a much easier read. It is especially good for us science and math nerds. It has a great plot and is all about problem solving. It is a lot of fun, but if you are looking for emotional depth, this may not be for you.

I just started Rebecca. So far I like it.

I’m reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, by Philip K. Dick. I really like it. It has a good story, it is well written, and seems very relevant given all the controversy about AI. It may not appeal to those who have an aversion to SciFi or post-apocalyptic stories. Bruce