Monday, May 18, 2015

Book Club Recommendations

I like the idea of a book club, but the ones I have tried to connect with ended up disbanding before I started or the times weren't right. With owning my nights and weekends again, outside of personal obligations, I made a personal commitment to find one, and not make excuses or let something else interfere.  I have been participating in a book study through my church, though the book is not entirely a spiritual one. Some of you may be familiar with Dr. Brene Brown, her work on shaming research, and rising above trying to be perfect. I was not before this book study.  Here is her blog if you would like to learn more. http://brenebrown.com/my-blog/ this is not really a recommendation, only sharing the link because I mentioned the book study.

This book study group is diverse in age and lifestyle, and has been a welcome new addition to my calendar. This book study is meeting needs for connection and personal reflection, it still isn't what I was hoping to find in a book club. I want a good novel, and snacks, and wine, and interesting people to mull it over with. I'll keep looking, but in the interim, I thought, who are more interesting than the kindred souls connecting virtually through blog world?  I've read your stuff, and you are an interesting lot, and know you are probably reading some interesting things. 

With summer drawing near, at least in the northern hemisphere, our days are longer, and catching a few extra pages of a book while sitting outside before sunset is a sweet pleasure for us avid readers. But what to read. I want to here your choices.  I invite you to be part of my book club. If you accpet, all you need to do is leave a comment with your recommendation. Include the title, the author, and a brief synopsis of the book, and why you recommend it. With your permission, I'll migrate your comments into a new page I am starting called Summer Reads.  Of course you in the southern hemisphere are welcome to join in.  Periodically through the summer, as I complete a recommended book, I'll throw out some thoughts and questions and we'll see where this might go. 

Here is my favorite summer read.

Jane Green's The Beach House I love 65 year old Nan's eclectic group of house guests and new friends she meets.  A shock from her past sends the whole household, and Nantucket Island,  into uncovered secrets and lies, and new beginnings. I love a book that I can visualize and understand where the writer is going with her characters. This was truly mind candy, but see if you don't see yourself, your friends, and your family in any of Nan's group.

Happy reading.


4 comments:

  1. I just finished reading "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer
    The book follows a group of campers who meet at a Fine Arts summer camp in the 70's and follows them throughout their lives. We get an inside peek at the ebb and flow of interpersonal relationships as they grow both together and apart while they live their lives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That may be my first book of summer if I can get hold of a copy. I already can picture the setting.

      Delete
  2. If you do start an online book club I'm in

    ReplyDelete
  3. Even if just the the two of us, it will be a go.

    ReplyDelete

Join the conversation. Your comments are welcome. Dissenting and different opinions are welcome as makes for good conversation. I moderate comments to be sure I read them all and stay ahead of the spam. Advertising products or services without permission will be deleted, as will anything that may be harmful to others-read promotion of debunked "experts" and conspiracies. If you're a blogger, feel free to include your blog URL.