Happy New Year!!!

I wanted to jump in here and wish you all a very Happy New Year!!! I received this link on my facebook page and it's a resolution list from the Book Girl's Book Club.....something we should all adopt....
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=45487176407&h=8VPe0&u=LeFE6

Here's hoping 2009 brings us all satisfying literary experiences, health, and happiness!!!

I hope you have a very safe and happy holiday!!!!

Holidays

I just wanted to take a minute to wish our club members and fellow bloggers a wonderful holiday season. I am grateful to have this time to gather with family and friends, and to slow down for a day or two.

I wish you all health, safety and joy this season!!

What Jennifer is Reading....

Just wanted to send you some titles that I've been reading aside from our book club books.

I just finished the Inkheart Trilogy (Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath) by Cornelia Funke and also am working my way through "The Idiot Girl's Action-Adventure Club" by Laurie Notaro (who is from Phoenix, by the way), which is absolutely hilarious in a LOL kind of way. I think my husband dislikes when I read it because I literally cannot stop laughing (think tears rolling down my face).

Book Swap

Gather up the books you have read and enjoyed. Starting in January, bring one for a club member to read, and borrow one from another. We have decided this would be a wonderful way to share our favorites.

Here are the rules....you must only BORROW the books, and mark your own books with identification (name, and either address or phone number or both), and you may only keep the "borrowed" book for a one month period. Then you must return it to its rightful owner, so it can be shared again the following month. Also - you may not "borrow" unless you bring a book to share.

This will begin at our Monday evening meeting, on January 19th at Gina's home.

The Alienist (by Caleb Carr)

January's selection....at Gina's on January 19th. See you all there!!!!


The year is 1896, the place, New York City. On a cold March night New York Times reporter John Schuyler Moore is summoned to the East River by his friend and former Harvard classmate Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist, or "alienist." On the unfinished Williamsburg Bridge, they view the horribly mutilated body of an adolescent boy, a prostitute from one of Manhattan's infamous brothels.

The newly appointed police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, in a highly unorthodox move, enlists the two men in the murder investigation, counting on the reserved Kreizler's intellect and Moore's knowledge of New York's vast criminal underworld. They are joined by Sara Howard, a brave and determined woman who works as a secretary in the police department. Laboring in secret (for alienists, and the emerging discipline of psychology, are viewed by the public with skepticism at best), the unlikely team embarks on what is a revolutionary effort in criminology-- amassing a psychological profile of the man they're looking for based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who has killed before. and will kill again before the hunt is over.

Fast-paced and gripping, infused with a historian's exactitude, The Alienist conjures up the Gilded Age and its untarnished underside: verminous tenements and opulent mansions, corrupt cops and flamboyant gangsters, shining opera houses and seamy gin mills. Here is a New York during an age when questioning society's belief that all killers are born, not made, could have unexpected and mortal consequences.

"An original that fits no established mystery niche, Carr's fictional debut could be the start of something big." Gilbert Taylor, Booklist

"A knockout period mystery, infused with intelligence, vitality, and humor. This novel is a highly unorthodox variant of the Holmes-Watson theme and the best since Julian Symons's delightful A Three-Pipe Solution. It should entice new fans to the genre." Library Journal

"A first-rate tale of crime and punishment that will keep readers guessing until the final pages." Entertainment Weekly

Heartburn (by Nora Ephron)

December's meeting, held December 15th, 2008 was a cozy group. Given the season and the rain, it's almost surprising how many people came out.

The discussion was almost what you would call heated, as so many of us thought the heroine was ridiculous to marry her 2nd husband (after he'd already cheated on her and then proposed to her umpteen times), and even more pathetic to have been in denial as long as she was. We thought it might be because of her desire to be 'attached' with one small child and another one on the way.

That spurred a whole lot of discussion surrounding relationships, weddings, break ups and divorces.

A special thanks to Christopher who was a wonderful host, and had enough food to feed three or four times the number of guests!!!

Pride and Prejudice

If you are a FaceBook person, this list is hilarious!!! I highly recommend clicking this link and having a look.

http://www.much-ado.net/austenbook/

Have fun!!!

An Interview to Read

Check out this blog entry.....

http://scobberlotch.blogspot.com/2008/11/10-questions-wauthor-laurie-viera.html

It's an interview with Laurie Viera Rigler on writing, and her new sequel.....

An Evening with Jodi Picoult

Pictured below: Sharon, Jodi Picoult, Joanna (at Phoenix Public Library Dec 2, 2008)

Joanna, being the watchful person she is, was cruising through the events calendar recently at the Phoenix Public Library and came upon a very special event. On December 2 and 3, Jodi Picoult (author of "Nineteen Minutes", "The Tenth Circle", "My Sister's Keeper") was going to be speaking at the library, then signing books afterwards. Well, once I heard about it I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to attend.

Changing Hands Bookstore sponsored the event and was there with Jodi Picoult books on sale. Joanna and I both made some purchases and then were lucky enough to have Jodi autograph each and every one.

The lecture portion was fabulous. Jodi is VERY articulate, and spoke to us about how her ideas come to her, her research processes, and why she goes into the depth that she does. She has a wonderful sense of dedication to accuracy, likes to make sure she honors the "real world" people who will be effected by her stories, and even talks about how much she loves some of her characters. There was a 20 minute Q&A session after, and she was very down to earth, displayed a great sense of humor, and even had patience for some "interesting" questions.

Joanna asked her if she does 'call ins' to book club meetings, but unfortunately her answer was "not anymore, I used to". We were bummed....but at least we asked!!

We determined that March's book will be Jodi's novel "My Sister's Keeper". Jodi talked about the upcoming movie next summer, based on the novel, however the ending has been changed for the movie (which she wasn't too happy about).

Next author coming to town will be Kate Jacobs, and that will be in January.

Thank you Jodi Picoult!!!!!!!!!