Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman

I picked this book up at the library last weekend and finished it in just a few days - I found it to be an easy, funny, interesting read.

Druckerman is an American journalist who finds herself living and raising children in Paris. She starts to notice that the French have a different attitude toward parenting and the role of children in their families and society as a whole, and that this attitude seems to produce children who eat, sleep and behave very well.

"Motherhood itself is a whole different experience in France. There's no role model for the harried new mom with no life of her own. French mothers assume that even good parents aren't at the constant service of their children, and that there's no need to feel guilty about this."

I don't think Druckerman has uncovered anything revolutionary and I would describe this book as more of a memoir than a parenting manual, but I really enjoyed this book. I found it interesting to see how children are raised in a culture other than ours and I think we could learn a thing or two from how they do things in France.

"I haven't got a theory. What I do have, spread out in front of me, is a fully functioning society of good little sleepers, gourmet eaters, and reasonably relaxed parents. I'm starting with that outcome and working backward to figure out how the French got there. It turns out that to be a different kind of parent, you don't just need a different parenting philosophy. You need a very different view of what a child actually is."

Anyone else read this one? What did you think?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

I read this book over the Thanksgiving weekend and I loved everything about it - the characters, the setting, the time period! I was torn between wanting devouring it all in one sitting and not wanting it to end.

In the aftermath of World War II, author Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger and fellow book-lover who is a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Juliet and the stranger become penpals and through this friendship she learns more about the GLPPPS and its members and she also learns about the German occupation of Guernsey during the war. This novel is written as a series of letters, which makes it a really easy read - I finished it in just a few days. And then couldn't stop thinking about it for several days afterwards!

"As the letters unfold, Juliet — and we readers—learn the little - known history of German occupation of Guernsey. We come to know the brave and endearing people who survived the hardships — and a few who did not....In addition to a fine story, this delightful book offers affirming messages about some of the most enduring forces in life — the power of the written word, the strength of the human spirit and the value of relationships, even unexpected ones." — Winston Salem Journal

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a sweet, sentimental paean to books and those who love them.... It affirms the power of books to nourish people enduring hard times." — Washington Post Book World

Another neat thing about this book is the story about the authors. Mary Ann Shaffer started the novel and when she become sick, her niece, Annie Barrows, took over and got it published. Sadly, this was Mary Ann Shaffer's only novel. She passed away in February 2008 before the book was published.

You can see Annie Barrows talk about the book here.

Have you read this book? Did you love it as much as I did?

Discussion Highlights - "Dracula"

I should really take notes, because I'm terrible at remembering the details of our discussions. Please leave a comment if you can remember anything that I forgot.

Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?

I think most of us enjoyed the book, even though we didn't expect to.

Did the book surprise you in any way?

I think most of us were surprised that we liked the book. We were also surprise to find the book wasn't as gory as we expected.

I personally was surprised by how modern the writing seemed despite the age of the book.

Dracula is considered "gothic romance." What do you think that means? Can you think of any other books that meet that description too?

We thought this term refers to the book being dark. Another book our club read a few years ago that could be considered a "gothic romance" is "The Shadow of the Wind"

What personality traits to you think an author must possess in order to create characters and scenarios such as Stoker did in Dracula?

Stoker must have a wild imagination to come up this this story line and perhaps a dark side to his personality!

Why do you think Stoker wrote the novel as a collection of journal entries, a ship's log, letters and newspaper clippings rather than in a straighforward fashion? What effect does this format have on how the novel reads?

We thought the book was written this way to make it more suspenseful. This was particularly effective when the story jumped from Jonathan's journal entries when he's in the castle to Mina's journal entries when she's in Whitby. The reader doesn't know whether Jonathan made it out of the castle and Mina hasn't heard from him in months.

What is the historical significance of Dracula's many references to Christianity?

I'm not sure I was in the room when we discussed this...can someone fill in the blank?

Why did Stoker make Dracula a member of the aristocracy? What if Dracula were just a common man?

Dracula's blue blood gave him the means to travel the world and access to society that a common man wouldn't. He also had a spooky castle that a common man wouldn't be able to afford!

Why do you think Dracula seems to prey only on women?

We thought that the sensual nature of Dracula biting necks and drawing his victims to him would have had a homosexual feel if he'd been preying on men.

What scenic elements add to the eeriness of the novel? Would it be as scary if it were set in modern times?

The isolated castle in Transylvania, the cemetery in Whitby, the abandoned house next to the lunatic asylum...Stoker definitely created creepy settings for this story to take place.

What is the significance of Renfield's character?

I know we discussed how Renfield's character was a sort of "animal vampire" but I can't remember what else we discussed.

Why didn't Jonathan Harker become a vampire even though he was locked in Dracula's castle? Why was he spared?

We're not really sure why he was spared, other than the fact that he was a man. Dracula did almost go for him when he cut himself shaving, but Jonathan was saved by his crucifix. Dracula also seemed to be protecting Jonathan from the women vampires in the castle - we assumed this was so that Jonathan could help Dracula with his business in London. I believe someone mentioned that Dracula may have spared Jonathan so he could get to Mina and Lucy.

Name as many contemporary references to Dracula as you can. Why do you think this book has remained so popular? (It has never been out of print!)

The Count from Sesame Street

Count Chocula (cereal)

Twilight (novels and movies)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movie and TV series)

We discussed how people seem to be fascinated with evil and that this could be behind the longstanding appeal of Dracula.

Questionnaire - Kate

bibliophile (n) a person who loves (and usually collects) books

A bibliophile has books on her wish list. What books were under the tree for you this year?

Just one this year: Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Wall

A bibliophile has a book on the go. What are you reading lately?

Just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran
And I’ve already started on Diary of an Ordinary Woman… so far so good!

A bibliophile can't resist passing books around. What's the last book you loaned out or borrowed?

I loaned The Book Thief to Tessa and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson to my sister-in-law.

I just finished The Distant Hours by Kate Morton if anyone wants to borrow my copy!

A bibliophile has a "must read" list on the go. What's on your must-read-list for 2011?

Last Christmas, my Mom gave me all 4 books from Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet and I haven’t touched them yet. I’d like to get through at least the first one, Jewel in the Crown, this year.

A bibliophile loves to talk about books. Write a short (1-2 paragraphs is fine) review of a recently read book telling us what you liked and/or disliked about it. No PhD in English Lit, required. :-)

I recently read Hannah’s Dream by Diane Hammond and I LOVED it! It’s basically a love story between a man and an elephant. Sounds weird when I put it like that, but I promise it’s not. Sam has been taking care of Hannah, the Max L. Biedelman Zoo's star elephant for 41 years. Sam’s health is declining and he needs to retire, but he can’t do that without knowing that Hannah is going to be well taken care of. This is the story of the people who love Hannah and what they have to do to save her, even if it costs them dearly. This book is full of lovable characters and it will make you see zoos in a new light.

February's Book: Diary of an Ordinary Woman by Margaret Forster

From the book jacket:

Margaret Forster presents the 'edited' diary of a woman, born in 1901, whose life spans the twentieth century. On the eve of the Great War, Millicent King begins to keep her journal and vividly records the dramas of everyday life in a family touched by war, tragedy, and money troubles. From bohemian London to Rome in the 1920s her story moves on to social work and the build-up of another war, in which she drives ambulances through the bombed streets of London.

Here is a twentieth-century woman in close-up, coping with the tragedies and upheavals of women's lives from WWI to Greenham Common and beyond. A triumph of resolution and evocation, this is a beautifully observed story of an ordinary woman's life - a narrative where every word rings true.

"A highly enjoyable read: well-informed, gripping...an overview of the period seen from the underside." Sunday Telegraph

"Not only is the background of social and political change meticulously accurate...but there is everything one would expect from a well-kept diary. This is fiction; yet it is true." Guardian

I'll be bringing copies of the book to our meeting on Thursday.

Just a reminder for our February meeting - it will be at Erin's house in Burlington on Thursday, Feb 17th.  That seems so soon... Does that work for everyone or would we prefer the 24th?  


Kate will post the discussion questions up here for those who like to have a look at them before the meeting, and will come up with an idea for a menu for the night.  Erin will send out a reminder one week before the meeting.


Chandra - I'll pass along your book on Saturday.
Michelle - I'll pop your book in the mailbox at church on Sunday.


If you cannot attend the February meeting, please make sure that you pass your book along so that Kate can return them to the library on time.  :-)


* also please note that we have switched plans for March and May (see Looking Ahead - plans for Sept-June)

The Book Thief

Several people had recommended this book to me, but when I saw it in a bookstore in Limoges this summer, I almost didn't pick it up. I was kind of turned off by the book's cover.

(Of course, I can't find the version of the cover that my copy has...I guess I'm not the only one who found it creepy!)

Fortunately, the English-language book selection in the French bookstore wasn't very big, so I looked a little further than the cover.

Here's what the book's jacket had to say:

Here is a small fact:

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitatnts of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

Some important information:

THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

it's a small story about:

• a girl
• an accordionist
• some fanatical Germans
• a Jewish fist fighter
• and quite a lot of thievery.

Another thing you should know:

DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES.

Intrigued? Yeah, me too.

Why I loved this book:

The narration: As the jacket says, Death narrates this book and I loved his (?) voice. I found him to be witty and compassionate.

The characters: I absolutely loved the characters Marcus Zusak created on Himmel Street.

Recommendation: Read it! And then give me a call so we can chat about it. :)

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I finished Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden a few weeks ago, but the story has stuck in my mind ever since. It's definitely the best book I've read in awhile.

From the first few pages, I was totally absorbed in the story of four-year-old girl abandoned on a ship to Australia in 1913. The narrative takes you across the world and back in time as the mystery of who this little girl was, where she was from and how she ended up all alone in a shipyard on the other side of the world unravels.

The Daily News described this book as "a long, lush, perfectly escapist read" and I concur! I would definitely recommend taking this book on a holiday with you.

In fact, Morton's debut novel The House at Riverton is waiting for me at the library and it's coming on vacation with me this Friday.

Here's hoping Annika will let me get some reading done while we're away...

Hospitality Questionaire - Kate

1. How often do you have company in your home (per week/month/year)?

Probably a couple times a month, either having a friend over for coffee or friends over for dinner. I definitely felt convicted by some of the things Karen had to say about hospitality. We should open our home to others more often than we do, but I put pressure on myself to have the house spotless and the food/drinks to be "just right." I should really let that go - I'd probably enjoy hosting more and invite people over a lot more often.

2. What do you enjoy about hosting? What do you dislike?

I enjoy making good food for people who really enjoy it - that's definitely very rewarding.

I dislike all the tidying and prep, but again, that's pressure that I put on myself.

3. Name 2 things that you do for company/before company arrives, that you rarely/never do otherwise.

Our house is never as tidy as when we have company. Funny (or maybe sad?) that we keep our house nicer for guests than we do for ourselves.

Get the dog under control/out of the way. An over-excited, hairy dog is not how I want our guests to be greeted.

4. What is on your "last-minute check list" right before the door bell rings?

Dealing with the dog

Giving the bathroom a once-over
Making a pot of coffee/Making sure there's plenty of cold beer/wine in the fridge

5.What is your favorite "event" to host? ( for example: coffee, a meal, evening, over-nightter, family/friends, outdoor/indoor, casual/formal... etc)

I definitely prefer to have people over for a BBQ in the summer, so we can be outside. We have a pool, so we love having people over to enjoy it. Plus, the mess can be (mostly) contained to the outside. And it just seems more casual - I like that!

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

I know that some people enjoy collections of short stories and others just don't. Usually I would place myself in the latter category, preferring novels to short stories.

But I just read Olive Kitteridge, which was described in a New York Times book review as a "novel in stories" and I really liked it.

The stories all take place in a small town in New England and Olive Kitteridge shows up in all of the stories, either as a central character or in a brief appearance or reference to her.

Through these stories, you learn a lot about Olive - about her marriage, her relationship with her son, and the impact she has on other people in her community.

Plus, you get a sneak peek into the lives of many other characters in her small town. After reading this book, I felt like I'd just spent a week in Crosby, Maine, sitting in coffee shops, people watching and catching snippets of their conversations.

After reading this, I remembered a couple other collections of short stories that I've read and enjoyed: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris and Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam.

Maybe I do belong in the first category after all...

So, do you like collections of short stories? If so, what are your favourites?

Questionnaire - Kate

1) When you think healthy food, what is the first food that comes to your mind?

Spinach

2) What is the strangest food you've ever eaten?

It's really not that strange, but I used to get made fun of for having Branston Pickle on my sandwiches when I was at school. Branston Pickle is a British chutney that I still love to this day (and I've even converted Mike), but the kids used to say I had snails on my sandwich.

3) Name one healthy food that you could eat every day.

I'm gonna agree with the others - yoghurt.

4) Name one healthy food you know you should eat, but just can't stomach.

I'm having trouble thinking of anything for this question. Tessa said beets and I don't think I like them, but I'm not sure I've ever actually tried them.

5) On a scale of 1 to 10, how healthy do you think you eat? (1 being nothing but McD's and potato chips, 10 being nothing but health food)

I'd give myself a 7. I try to eat pretty healthy foods and I never eat at fast food restaurants, but I'm by no means a health food nut. And I have no will power when it comes to sweets and cheese!

6) Organic - better for you?

After watching the documentary "Food Inc." over the holidays, I looked into the health benefits of organic and I wasn't convinced that it's that much better for you. I'm still a little unsure of what exactly constitutes "organic". Seems to be a buzz word at the moment.

I would be interested in learning more about this if anyone has any info.

7) Local - better for you?

I definitely think that local foods are better for you and I think it's important to support local farmers (again, "Food Inc." really enforced this). It's so much better when foods can ripen on the vine instead of on the way to the store.

8) Home grown/home made - better for you?

Again, yep. And it tastes better and it's better for your budget!

9) Ever tried a fad diet? How did it work out for you? Would you do it again?

I'm not a diet person at all. I'd much rather exercise, so I can eat what I want. I love food too much to deprive myself of it!

10) What is one thing that you would like to change this coming year to eat healthier?

Drink more water!

I think I remember Sherrie telling us about "In Defense of Food" before...maybe this would be a good book to study one month?

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

From the book jacket:

"We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it, so we will just say this:

This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there....

Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds."

They're right - as soon as I read this, I wanted to tell everyone about it!

I picked this book up from the library earlier this week and I have been totally engrossed in the story ever since. There is a bit of profanity in this book, but if you can get past that, it is a great, thought-provoking read.

This is Chris Cleave's second novel. I will definitely be looking out for his debut novel, "Incendiary".

The Girls by Lori Lansens

Another great Canadian book - "The Girls" is written by a Canadian author and set in Chatham, Ontario. "The Girls" is written from the perspective of 29-year-old conjoined twins Rose and Ruby Darlen as they look back on their short, but extraordinary lives. When reading this work of fiction, you may find yourself (as I did) becoming so engrossed in the lives of these remarkable women that you start to believe that this is really an autobiography.

"Though we may approach The Girls with the curiosity of carnival-goers, what’s behind the curtain is not the spectacle we expected. Ruby and Rose Darlen are sisters, unutterably dear to one another, who happen to be conjoined. The interesting fact of their conjoinment is ultimately upstaged by a truth that has two faces: first, that love is the “common blood supply” that binds us to our dear ones through attachments seen and unseen; second, that sometimes the physical “truth” is beside the point. The Girls is beautifully rendered, a wonderful, funny, heartbreaking tale."
Nancy Fischer (Books in Canada)

I have also been told Lori Lansens' debut novel "Rush Home Road" is even better than "The Girls".

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

Canadian Author Joseph Boyden's debut novel "Three Day Road" has received many accolades and after reading it, I can see why. "Three Day Road" takes you from the solitary wilderness of Northern Ontario to the bloody trenches of World War I as it follows lifelong friends Xavier and Elijah, and looks back on the life of Xavier's Aunt Niska. I couldn't put this book down once I started it and couldn't stop thinking about it after I finished it.

"Three Day Road is as fine a novel as I have seen during the five years I have been reading first novels. My prediction is that it will win every award for which it is nominated, and that it will become a Canadian and international classic."
W.P. Kinsella (Books in Canada)

Joseph Boyden's second novel "Through Black Spruce" is also a great read and follows the lives of Xavier's descendants. I have read that Boyden planned to write a trilogy about the Bird family and I can't wait until he finishes the third book!

Questionnaire - Kate

1) What is your vision for book club?

The book club should encourage you to read different types of books, learn about new authors, and the discussions should help you to look at the books through other people's eyes, which will hopefully give you a better appreciation of the book as well as help you to learn a little more about the other members.

2) What do you hope to get out of the club? What do you hope to contribute?

I hope to expand my literary and culinary horizons - I look forward to reading new books, cooking/baking and tasting new foods, and hearing many different perspectives on books and food.

3) Suggest one helpful guideline for discussion.

Books:

4) What are a few of your favorite books?

I'm a big fan of "Oprah's Book Club" type books - This Much I know is True by Wally Lamb (and his latest - The Hour I first Believed), The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (and A Thousand Splendid Suns), The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill.


5) How much do you typically read? (for example: # of books/week or month or year)

I used to read a lot, but I have a lot less time to myself since Annika was born. I need this book club to keep me reading at least one book a month!

6) What is your most commonly read genre? what is your least favorite genre? What genre have you never really read (and maybe always wanted to..) ?

I like books with a little substance - I don't really like fluffy chick-lit type books. As much as I've heard people rave about the Twilight or Shopaholic books, that type of book doesn't appeal to me at all.

I would love to read more of the classics. I'm a bit intimidated by the language, but they must be good stories, right?

7) What kind of books would you like to read in book club? More of your favorites? Something new? Any specific titles?

I'm looking forward to reading all sorts of different books and discovering new authors.

8) What characteristics does a book need to make it a good discussion book?

I think the book needs to have some substance in order to evoke good discussion. I think that lighter subject matter is great for reading at the beach, but doesn't really elicit strong opinions and emotions. I also think that good characters at important - if I don't care about the character, I can't get too excited about what happens to them.

Cooks:

9) Do you like to cook/bake? What are you favorite things to make/eat?

I like to cook and bake, but I tend to get into a rut and stick with the old stand-bys. Where I really excel is in the eating! :)

10) Do you like to experiment with new recipes, ingredients or cooking techniques? Would you like to cook/bake or eat new things in book club?

I'm sometimes intimidated by new techniques, ingredients, etc. especially when I know I'll be serving it others. I need to step outside the box!

11) What kind of menus would you like to see in book club? Would you prefer low-effort, simple snacks or more inventive meals? Or some of both?

Potluck meals are great!

12) Give an example of a book that you've read and a dish that you could serve with that book to enhance the experience.

I'm really not that creative - I need the book or Tessa to tell me what to make!