January 2024
And, just like that, it is 2024. We had a great year of books in 2023 and look forward to more of the same in this new year.
Cheryl is our host this month on Tuesday, January 16.
We kick off 2024 with The Boys in the Boat. This is a "two for one" as it is both a book and a recent movie. Some of us have both read the book and seen the movie.
The subtitle is Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
This is the true story of the University of Washington rowing team and their efforts to win the Olympic gold. It is a compelling and inspiring tale of resilience, determination, and the power of teamwork. The book was published in June 2013. It took ten years for the director, George Clooney, to bring it to the screen.
The story takes place in the middle of the great depression when ten million people, a quarter of the people were unemployed, and two million were homeless. The University of Washington offered part-time campus jobs to anyone who made the rowing team. Their pay included room and board. The potential rowers were even more motivated to try out. At the time, 175 men, including Joe Rantz and Roger Morris, tried out. Eventually, only nine could make the team. Like any story about triumph over adversity, there is plenty of adversity to overcome. This was a story I was unaware of and I enjoyed learning about it. Even though the events took place almost 90 years ago, the story of the human need to survive and thrive against all odds is timeless.
Interestingly, our last book, The Quintland Sisters takes place in the same era. We had made note that we are of the generation where our mothers were born at this time.
The movie is a great adaptation but the book is even better. The author had an opportunity to meet Joe Rantz. Joe's daughter lived next door to him and invited him to meet Joe. Joe was a fan of the author's books. Meeting him inspired him to write the story.
February 2024
Debbie hosted this month's meeting. She made us delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Deborah brought a Meditterean salad from Mohammed, Cheryl brought Puppy Chow and Carla provided two desserts.
We decided on the Classic book, "Little Women." Carla was the only one who had not read it at least once. However, it had been many years since we had read it.
On the surface, it seems like a sweet and sentimental story about a family of four girls living with their mother and housekeeper. Their father is away during the Civil War. Louisa May Alcott deliberately sent the father off to the war so that she could tell the story of what it was like for the women at home. She recognized that it's the men's stories that are told. The four daughters represent the women who suffered the conflict of pursuing domesticity versus independent living and artistic endeavors. At the time, society's expectations and certain laws dictated that a woman's best chance for survival was marriage and raising children. In fact, Alcott's editor at the time insisted that Jo be married by the end of the book as women in novels were either "married or buried." And, indeed, one sister dies and the other three marry. In life, Alcott never married. She was independent and made her own living with her novels.
March 2024
Our March Book Club turned out to be a social gathering. We couldn't get the book before I found the book club kit. We met at Mazzio's for pizza. Debbie shared her recent trip with us. We missed Carla who was out of town.
April 2024
Cheryl hosted us this month. She had used many recipes in the back of the book for our dinner and drinks.
This novel tells the story of two women who have fled abusive pasts to make a new life in the small town of Adams, New Hampshire. The book is co-written by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney. Jodi takes on the voice of Adam's mother. Jennifer is the voice of Lily, Adam's girlfriend. who is also trans.
The author's notes tell us that Jennifer dreamed she was co-authoring a book with Jodi Picoult about the three main characters. She posted that to Twitter and Jodi reached out. It served the book well to have Jennifer write Lily's story from her personal experience.
At first, the story seems like a murder mystery. One of the women is found dead and the son of the other woman is accused of the murder. The death, however, is the catalyst for exploring other relevant social issues. It is a well-told tale and timely and is a complex narrative of complex characters facing challenging times. The courtroom drama is filled with suspense and emotional twists.
Everyone liked this book a lot. Carla had listened to it three times by the meeting. I was happy to read a book that surprised me twice.
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