DOTY Book Club Holiday Dinner

Summer of '69 by Elin Hildebrand

The Locale: Susan H's

The Book:  Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century! It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests, a passion which takes her to Martha's Vineyard with her best friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. Only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding some secrets of her own. As the summer heats up, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, a man flies to the moon, and Jessie experiences some sinking and flying herself, as she grows into her own body and mind.

In her first "historical novel," rich with the details of an era that shaped both a country and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again proves her title as queen of the summer novel.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42283286-summer-of-69

Sarah's Summary: Thanks for a fun book club, Susan! I loved your Woodstock shirt. The food was delicious and I really should have insisted on a doggie bag.😉

I don’t think anyone loved the book; many of us found it taxing to read with all of the detail about songs, style, etc. It felt like the author was really, really trying to remind us we were in 1969! I think the funniest comment came from Lori, who said she was shocked “Lavender” didn’t end up being involved with Charles Manson. LOL. The author certainly hit everything else that happened that summer- then again, it was an historic year. And then Tassy listened to it and felt Siri was reading to her- ha, ha.

As always, I enjoyed the discussion both related and unrelated to the book and I look forward to our December dinner! We have chosen December 2nd as the date, a Monday night. We are open for suggestions; Bella Bella, Backwoods Bistro (downtown) and Table 23 were possibilities though we’ve eaten at all of them before. Also suggested was Masa. Let us know if you have a preference or a better suggestion- remember we need a good space for 12 where we can hear each other talk! And many places (FGF, Sage) are not open on Monday nights.

Jessica presented her three choices and the book for February will be “The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote” by  Elaine F. Weiss. 

Since we are meeting for dinner in December and my book is lengthy, we decided to hold off to discuss “Waiting for Snow in Havana” at my house until January 12th. Kristine has plenty of time to think about her selections 😉 She’s up next.

I’ve attached the updated spreadsheet which includes everyone’s contact information.


Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving to everyone and safe travels for those doing so.

The Vote: Jessica presented... 

• The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall 
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead 
• The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine F. Weiss WINS!!  

Up Next: Annual holiday dinner. December 2nd, and then Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire @ Sarah's on January 12th.

Next to Present: Kristine

Then: 

• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.
• Sarah
• Jessica

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

The Locale: Jana's

The Book:  Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but. 

From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea.

With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss--and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29340182-shrill 


Susan's Summary: Hmmm...it's November and so I'm having to use my failing memory to fill in the summary of this meeting.  Sarah was not in attendance and I, nor anyone else, neglected to send out a summary other than and FYI about what won.

As I recall, the food was yummy; par for the course with all hostess.  Jana served a breakfast brunch cassserole which I was a bit hesitant about because it included kale.  Not a fan.  It was, however, super yummy.  In my opinion, the hit of the day was BREAD.  Homemade from a baker at the Saturday market held downtown.  Soft fluffy center enhanced with soft butter and herb crust.  So glad Jana chose that loaf over the olive loaf.  Again, not a fan.

Some ladies didn't make it through the book, some didn't like it, and some like some of it, which was me.  As we often find, a book that isn't popular often leads to deep conversations, and this one was not different.  Conversation revolved around women's rights and prejudices that come with being a woman and being judged.

Jana topped off the meeting with a beautiful and fresh dessert--pound cake, fruit, and cream--individual trifles.  Wish I had taken a picture; it was so pretty. And just as yummy.

The Vote: Sarah presented... 

• Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire WINS!!  
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
• Burial Rites by Hannah Kent  

Up Next: Elin Hildebrand‘s Summer of ‘69. @ Susan H.'s on October 27.

Next to Present: Jessica

Then: 

• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.
• Sarah

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by by Jim DeFede

The Locale: Gina's

The Book:  When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill. As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email, and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news.

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148775.The_Day_the_World_Came_to_Town

Sarah's Summary: Sorry for the tardiness- we had a fantastic meeting at Gina’s house, complete with homemade chicken salad, roasted vegetable quiche, homemade bread and moose farts for dessert. It was all yummy and well researched Newfie cuisine! The book was enjoyed by all to different degrees and I feel we had a really good discussion. It brought back memories to each of us on where we were on 9/11. I still think the author needs to do an update so we can see how many of the relationships formed during those few days endured. Tassy recommends the Broadway play as well and said it was emotional and superbly done.

Susan presented her books and “Summer of '69” by Elin Hilderbrand won by a landslide!

We’ll meet at Jana’s in September to discuss “Shrill” and Susan can let us know what date works for her, either late October or early November. I’m up to present our next books at Jana’s and will try my best to get them to you before I get a reminder email from Susan S. 😉

Congrats to all of you who successfully launched your children these past few weeks! I think we counted 7 out of our group with kids starting this year. Wow. Harrison was in diapers when we started this little group. Sigh. Good think we’re not aging!

The Vote: Gina presented... 

• The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
• The Extraordinary life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
• Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand  WINS!!  

Up Next: Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West @ Jana's on 9/22/2019

Next to Present: Sarah

Then: 

• Jessica
• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.

Hero of the Empire by Candace Millard

The Locale: Lori's

The Book:  At age twenty-four, Winston Churchill was utterly convinced it was his destiny to become prime minister of England one day, despite the fact he had just lost his first election campaign for Parliament.  He believed that to achieve his goal he must do something spectacular on the battlefield.  Despite deliberately putting himself in extreme danger as a British Army officer in colonial wars in India and Sudan, and as a journalist covering a Cuban uprising against the Spanish, glory and fame had eluded him.

Churchill arrived in South Africa in 1899, valet and crates of vintage wine in tow, there to cover the brutal colonial war the British were fighting with Boer rebels. But just two weeks after his arrival, the soldiers he was accompanying on an armored train were ambushed, and Churchill was taken prisoner.  Remarkably, he pulled off a daring escape--but then had to traverse hundreds of miles of enemy territory, alone, with nothing but a crumpled wad of cash, four slabs of chocolate, and his wits to guide him.
            
The story of his escape is incredible enough, but then Churchill enlisted, returned to South Africa, fought in several battles, and ultimately liberated the men with whom he had been imprisoned.        

Churchill would later remark that this period, "could I have seen my future, was to lay the foundations of my later life." Millard spins an epic story of bravery, savagery, and chance encounters with a cast of historical characters—including Rudyard Kipling, Lord Kitchener, and Mohandas Gandhi—with whom he would later share the world stage. But Hero of the Empire is more than an adventure story, for the lessons Churchill took from the Boer War would profoundly affect 20th century history.
http://www.candicemillard.com/hero-of-the-empire.html

And You Deserve a Great Book Club Meeting!

Susan's Summary: Yes, Churchill greeted us as we came in the door at Lori's.  And Lori, as usual, was the consummate host. 

After the walking the door and seeing Churchill's stern face, we all needed a good stiff drink, which was actually quenched by a light, refreshing English Pimm's Cocktail, a concoction of Pimm's liqueur and lemonade, topped off with slices of orange AND cucumber.  Yes, cucumber.  It was delish and served in delightful Gay 90s glasses.

Photo credit Tassy Spinks.  : )

We spent the first hour catching up on kiddos and summer travels and eating a traditional, and again delish, English meal--Bangers & Mash, Mushy Peas, and Yorkshire Pudding.  Tassy, who had just returned from a juant across the pond to Great Britain, testified that nowhere in England could one get Mushy Peas as good as Lori's.  Turns out if you add enough cream and butter to just about anything, it will taste yummy.

Thanks, again, Tassy, for the pic.

After our delightful meal, conversation turned to the book, thanks to our host for making the smart seque.  I believe everyone like the book.  Several were suprised to find a non-fiction book so engaging, thanks to the writing of Candace Millard.  We got a kick out of Churchill's arrogance and that of the Bristish army, who preferred marching around in Red Coats and were quite miffed that the Boer's resorted to the ungentlemanly act of guerilla warfare, which didn't fit well with their Pimm and proper...I mean prim and proper way of fighting.

While we discussed the next meeting and next book, we ate a light and tasty dessert of homemade scones, strawberries, clotted cream, and lemon curd.  Lori's scones were fabulous.  

Thanks, Lori, for the pic and the sacrifice of a 2nd helping to get the shot.

Gina is looking at two dates for our next meeting, either August 18th or 25th, and will get back to us.  Whenever we do meet, it will be to discuss The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede.

Jana presented her three books, see below, and the winner was the one with the least amount of pages, Shrill.  I'd write that no one must of been in the mood for a long summer read, but the other two did get votes.  And it was close between Shrill and Prairie Fires.  We did take a 2nd vote so those who voted for The Agony and the Ecstasy could sway the choice.

And just an observation by the one who keeps up the blog, if you have a fav you want to win when you present, make it the last one on your list, as I promise you, book #3 typically wins.  Just saying.

The Vote: Gina presented... 

• The Agony and the Ecstasy by  Irving Stone 
• Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
• Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West  WINS!!  

Up Next: The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede @ Gina's on either August 18th or 25th.


Next to Present: Susan H.

Then: 

• Sarah
• Jessica
• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Locale: Susan's

The Book:
National Book Award winner Richard Powers’s twelfth novel is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of—and paean to—the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, The Overstory unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.
www.pulitzer.org/winners/richard-powers


Susan's Summary: 
Earlier in the week, there was a meme on FaceBook, which read that friends don't care if your house is messy as long as there is wine.  I wondered if the same applied to book club friends.  Today, I learned, in a modified version, it does.  Turns out, book club friends don't care if your kitchen is a mess, if your cake is a mess, or if you are a mess, as long as there are margaritas.  

I took my fate in my hands today, making not one, not two, but three new recipes today for club.  😬  Margaritas, King Ranch Chicken casserole, and Key Lime Pound Cake, the latter recipes from Southern Living.  And WHO knew there was such a thing called a pound cake pan?  Not me, which resulted in pound cake batter oozing out all over the bottom of my oven.  I also became impatient and did not let the cake cook, resulting in a cake that fell apart.  Fell a-part!

But thanks to the flexibility and patience of dear friends, and some tasty margaritas, all ended well.

Since we had a small group, only seven of us today, we sat at my oval dining table, making for a cozy conversation.  We had a few who never made it past the first third of the book, the short stories.  We had a few who listened to the book, and we had a few...or one who finished it...and a couple of us who still have about 40 pages remaining.  And, as is often the case when a book isn't necessarily a favorite, this one too, lent itself to great conversation--which characters we liked, which we didn't, recycling, repurposing, overpopulation, the power of nature, and the greed of man.

Even though we only had seven at the meeting, every one sent in a vote.  The winner was The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede.

Lori needed to change the date of the next meeting in her home.  Instead of June 9th, we will be meeting June 23rd to discuss Hero of the Empire by Candace Millard.

The next person to present @ Lori's is Jana.

The Vote: Gina presented... 

• Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Anna Burns  
• Dear Evan Hansen by by Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benjamin Pasek
• The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede WINS!!  

Up Next: Hero of the Empire by Candace Millard @ Lori’s on June 23th.

Next to Present: Jana

Then: 

• Susan H.
• Sarah
• Jessica
• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana

Reading with Patrick by Michelle Kuo

The Locale: Brenda's

The Book:
Michelle Kuo, at age twenty two, arrives in the Mississippi Delta town of Helena, Arkansas in 2004. Kuo quickly realizes that her new home, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, is still poor, still segregated and still in need of dramatic change. 

Helena is where she meets Patrick, inquisitive and quiet, with a poor attendance record. With Kuo’s attention, Patrick’s reading and writing flourish and he wins a school-wide award for “Most Improved.” When Kuo leaves Helena to pursue a law degree, she suspects herself of having taken the easier route. 

Three years later, Kuo’s attention receives the news that Patrick is in prison for murder. Kuo puts her life on hold and moves back to the Delta. 

In the visiting room of the Phillips County Jail, she and Patrick spend seven months poring over classic novels, poems, and historical narrative by Frederick Douglass, C.S. Lewis, Marilynne Robinson, James Baldwin, W.S. Merwin and more. Patrick learns how to be a serious reader and a fluent writer, and in doing so, discovers new worlds both inside and outside of himself. 

In her time reading with Patrick, Kuo is herself transformed as she contends with the questions of what it is we owe each other and how starkly economic and racial inequality determine our life outcomes. What social transformation is necessary to change a life? And what kind of connection can two people make when there exists such dramatic inequality between them
www.michellekuo.net/reading-with-patrick 

Sarah's Summary: 
My apologies, again, for being so tardy with this update. If Tassy had not emailed me to ask about what happened I still wouldn’t be emailing you!

We had a fantastic meeting at Brenda’s discussing Reading with Patrick. I think overall the book was well received. I wanted answers to the overreaching problem in society in general. Others felt the author didn’t really do enough to help Patrick. It was a good glimpse into the very real problems we have, as a society, with the cycle of poverty and crime and our segregated and unfair educational system. Thanks for picking a book that required deep thinking and offered a platform for good discussion. As ALWAYS the food was amazing. The red beans and rice were deliciously seasoned and the hummingbird cake divine. A real southern meal.

Our next book is The Overstory, and we’re meeting at Susan Saunders’ on April 28th. Gina is next to present, and she’ll send out her suggestions beforehand. 😉 
Jana, you’re on deck.

Back to nonfiction, we voted to read Hero of the Empire for Lori’s meeting, which will be on June 9th.

I think that sums it up!

Happy reading and see you all soon,

Sarah

The Vote: Lori presented... 

• Hero of the Empire by Candace Millard  WINS!!  
• With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge
• Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick

Up Next: The Overstory: A Novel by Richard Powers @ Susan’s on May 5th.

Next to Present: Gina

Then: 

• Jana
• Susan H.
• Sarah
• Jessica
• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Lori
• Gina

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

The Locale: Jolynda's

The Book:
Every story has two sides. Every relationship has two perspectives. And sometimes, it turns out, the key to a great marriage is not its truths but its secrets. At the core of this rich, expansive, layered novel, Lauren Groff presents the story of one such marriage over the course of twenty-four years.

At age twenty-two, Lotto and Mathilde are tall, glamorous, madly in love, and destined for greatness. A decade later, their marriage is still the envy of their friends, but with an electric thrill we understand that things are even more complicated and remarkable than they have seemed.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24612118-fates-and-furies?from_search=true

@ Holiday Dinner 2018

Wednesday, December 5th at +39. 

Sarah's Summary: 

Thanks for hosting another fabulous book club, Jolynda! The turkey chili was delicious as was the “Florida” cake. It was reminiscent of a light pineapple upside down cake- so good. Since many of us asked you for the chili recipe, here it is (I think) from Publix http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/white-turkey-and-sausage-chili 

I thought Fates and Furies was a fun book to discuss as it brought out a lot of feelings (mostly distaste 😊) for the characters. Though I was a bit more sympathetic to Mathilde after reading “Furies,” I don’t think anyone of us loved anyone of them. And it is difficult to love a book when you really, really, really dislike all the characters!! A few of us gave .1 stars to it, ha. Not a group favorite for sure but not up there with Cliffs of Despair either!

We will have plenty of time to read our next book, Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship” by Michelle Kuo. We will meet at Brenda’s on March 3. Lori--you’re up to present your selections at Brenda’s meeting. We hope you can make it- we miss you! Gina, you’re up after Lori.

Of Susan Saunders’ selections, The Overstory by Richard Powers won. It is the longest book (502 pages) about a lot of trees. We’ll meet at Susan’s on April 28.

Happy reading!


Sarah

The Vote: Susan presented... 

• Milkman: A Novel by Anna Burns  
• Asymmetry: A Novel by Lisa Halliday
• The Overstory: A Novel by Richard Powers WINS!!  

Up Next: Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle Kuo @ Brenda’s on March 3rd.

Next to Present: Lori

Then: 

• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.
• Sarah
• Jessica
• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan