Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library

Book Club Meeting Minutes

March 2, 2023

The Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Book Club met at the Library on March 2, 2023, from 12 Noon to 1:00 PM.  We shared light refreshments in front of the fireplace and enjoyed discussing a variety of books read by the members that month.  

Vacuuming in the Nude by Peggy Rowe (available as book in library and on Overdrive as e-book) 

“Peggy Rowe has been writing all of her adult life. In fact, she doesn’t know how not to write—even through those years of constant rejection from publishing houses. But between her tenacity and the encouragement of her family, Peggy’s breakthrough finally came—at the age of eighty!  Vacuuming in the Nude is most likely her funniest prose to date as she shares her journey of attending myriad writers’ conferences and honing her ability to see humor in everyday situations.  From the family’s beloved dog Shim, who thrived on piles of fresh, warm manure from the horse pasture—to vacationing on the sweltering beach with mosquitos the size of dune buggies—to the challenges of aging, Peggy Rowe delivers a hilarious array of stories that reflect her addiction to making people laugh. Even in her cancer support group, she manages to use her humor to affect others for the good.  If Peggy isn’t putting her publisher on hold to finish a game of Mahjongg, she’s at her kitchen table window-on-the-world taking notes for the next story for fans old and new to enjoy.”  (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Vacuuming-in-the-Nude/Peggy-Rowe/9781637630990)

The patron sharing her perspectives about this book told the group that Ms. Rowe has been writing all of her life but had just began publishing her works recently.  She had been trying to publish for many years, and eventually, her son, Mike Rowe of the TV show Dirty Jobs fame, paid for and advertised copies of her book on e-bay and this launched her published works career.  Mike commented that his mother used an interview style of communication even with her own children and that she always had a great sense of humor.  The patron found the writer’s propensity to find humor in everyday life experiences wonderful and the fact that Ms. Rowe has now published three books in her eighth decade amazing.  The author’s description of a gathering of her friends for a dinner party paralleled the patron’s upcoming gathering in terms of humorous experiences.  

Fast Girls by Elise Hooper (available through MeLCat as book, large print book, and audiobook

“Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated women’s Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris.  In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.  Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.  From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.  These three athletes will join with others to defy society’s expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.”  (https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Girls-Elise-Hooper/dp/0062937995)

The patron discussing this book described the focus of the book as women running track and determined to do this despite significant obstacles—no teams, no team clothing, racial issues, lack of funding and sponsors, and more.  The rise of Hitler and the backdrop of the Olympics being held in Germany at the time is also fascinating.  The perseverance of these women as described by the book’s author is inspiring.  

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (available as adult and young adult book versions in library and as adult and young adult Overdrive e-books)

“As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these lenses of knowledge together to show that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return.” (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465709-braiding-sweetgrass)

The patron describing this book told the group that the young adult version is more easily understood than the adult version.  The author is Native American and often takes students on road trips to the mountains so that they can immerse themselves in nature.  She is an excellent story teller.  Several patrons indicated that they have sweetgrass planted in their gardens.

We the Jury by Robert Rotstein (available as book and audiobook through MeLCat)

“On the day before his twenty-first wedding anniversary, David Sullinger buried an ax in his wife's skull. Now, eight jurors must retire to the deliberation room and decide whether David committed premeditated murder-or whether he was a battered spouse who killed his wife in self-defense.  Told from the perspective of over a dozen participants in a murder trial, We, the Jury examines how public perception can mask the ghastliest nightmares. As the jurors stagger toward a verdict, they must sift through contradictory testimony from the Sullingers' children, who disagree on which parent was Satan; sort out conflicting allegations of severe physical abuse, adultery, and incest; and overcome personal animosities and biases that threaten a fair and just verdict. Ultimately, the central figures in We, the Jury must navigate the blurred boundaries between bias and objectivity, fiction and truth.” (http://www.the-bookreview.com/2019/05/we-jury-by-robert-rotstein-feature-and.html)

The patron sharing her experience with this book told the group that she listened to the audiobook version.  The audiobook includes a different narrator for each character which made for a more interesting listening experience.  Although some characters are named, the Trial Judge, for example, none of the jurors are named and are instead referred to by their occupations or roles such as “the clergyman,” “the express messenger,” and “the housewife.”  Each character brings his/her own life experiences, biases, and agendas to the jury room.  The reader will learn by the end of the book if the jury members made the right decision for the right reasons—or not.

Essentialism:  The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (available as book and audiobook through MeLCat)

“Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin?  Do you sometimes feel overworked and underutilized?  Do you feel motion sickness instead of momentum?  Does your day sometimes get hijacked by someone else’s agenda?  Have you ever said “yes” simply to please and then resented it?  If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist.  The Way of the Essentialist involves doing less, but better, so you can make the highest possible contribution.  The Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s not about getting less done. It’s about getting only the right things done. It’s about challenging the core assumption of ‘we can have it all’ and ‘I have to do everything’ and replacing it with the pursuit of ‘the right thing, in the right way, at the right time’. It’s about regaining control of our own choices about where to spend our time and energies instead of giving others implicit permission to choose for us.  In Essentialism, Greg McKeown draws on experience and insight from working with the leaders of the most innovative companies in the world to show how to achieve the disciplined pursuit of less.  By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows us to regain control of our own choices so we can channel our time, energy and effort into making the highest possible contribution toward the goals and activities that matter.  Essentialism isn’t one more thing; it is a different way of doing everything. It is a discipline you apply constantly, effortlessly. Essentialism is a mindset; a way of life. It is an idea whose time has come.” (https://gregmckeown.com/books/essentialism/)

The patron discussing this book indicated that the author asks the reader to define his/her priorities and to decide if he/she wants to do everything but perhaps not well or if the reader wants to do some things very well.   We must set our own priorities using criteria we select to define what is essential to us.

Effortless:  Make It Easier to Do What Matters by Greg McKeown (available as a Overdrive audiobook and as a book through MeLCat)

“Is there a goal you want to make progress on, if only you had the energy? Do you assume that anything worth doing must take tremendous effort? Have you ever abandoned a hard but important activity for an easy but trivial one? Are you often overwhelmed by the complexity that's expanding everywhere?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you might be making life much harder for yourself than it needs to be.  In the New York Times bestseller Essentialism, Greg McKeown urged readers to eliminate nonessential activities and focus on the few that truly matter. He's since talked with thousands of readers about the challenges they face in putting those ideas into practice. The problem, he's found, is that the complexity of modern life has created a false dichotomy between things that are "essential and hard," and things that are "easy and trivial." But what if the trivial tasks became harder and the essential ones became easier? If the important projects became enjoyable, while the trivial distractions lost their appeal entirely?  In Effortless, McKeown offers proven strategies for making the most important activities the easiest ones. For example:

- Streamline your process by mapping out the minimum number of steps.
- Prevent problems later by solving them before they happen.
- Let Go of perfectionism by finding the "courage to be rubbish."
- Accelerate your learning by leveraging the best of what others know.

By making the toughest tasks just a little bit easier, we can accomplish more of what matters, without burning out.”  (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54895700-effortless)

The same patron read both books by this author (the book above and this one).  This book teaches the reader not to spread him or herself too thin and to focus on what is truly important.

Milkman by Anna Burns (available as a book in library)

“In an unnamed city, middle sister stands out for the wrong reasons. She reads while walking, for one. And she has been taking French night classes downtown. So when a local paramilitary known as the milkman begins pursuing her, she suddenly becomes “interesting,” the last thing she ever wanted to be. Despite middle sister’s attempts to avoid him―and to keep her mother from finding out about her maybe-boyfriend―rumors spread and the threat of violence lingers. Milkman is a story of the way inaction can have enormous repercussions, in a time when the wrong flag, wrong religion, or even a sunset can be subversive. Told with ferocious energy and sly, wicked humor, Milkman establishes Anna Burns as one of the most consequential voices of our day.”  (https://www.amazon.com/Milkman-Novel-Anna-Burns/dp/1644450003)

The patron describing this book told the group that she found the book while completing a weeding process in the adult fiction section of the library and found the book to be a hidden gem.  The book is somewhat difficult to get into because it does have lengthy sentences and few paragraph breaks.  The book is set in Ireland in the 1970s and depicts an 18 year old woman who has a habit of reading while walking, leading the community to believe that she is strange.  She is subsequently stalked by the leader of a paramilitary group.  The book is a story of her coming of age and a description of a community controlled by fear.  The patron recommended the book to the book club members.

The Splendor Before the Dark:  A Novel of the Emperor Nero by Margaret George (available as a book and audiobook through MeLCat)

“With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned.  But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero’s complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace–and the politicians…  For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome’s–and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible.  Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world had ever known.”(https://margaretgeorge.com/books/the-splendor-before-the-dark/description/)

The patron sharing her perspectives on this book told the group that the book covers 4 years in Nero’s life.  Although fictionalized, the book’s author made every attempt to be historically accurate.  The afterward of the book includes a great deal of information about the research the author completed while writing.  The author does an admirable job of describing the background to Nero’s rule and that he was surrounded by people that he could not trust.  The book includes genealogies as well as maps which enhance the reading experience.  

The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George (available as a book and audiobook through MeLCat)

“Built on the backs of those who fell before it, Julius Caesar’s imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman—or child.  As a boy, Nero’s royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son’s inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero is dealt a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead.  While Nero idealizes the artistic and athletic principles of Greece, his very survival rests on his ability to navigate the sea of vipers that is Rome. The most lethal of all is his own mother, a cold-blooded woman whose singular goal is to control the empire. With cunning and poison, the obstacles fall one by one. But as Agrippina’s machinations earn her son a title he is both tempted and terrified to assume, Nero’s determination to escape her thrall will shape him into the man he was fated to become—an Emperor who became legendary.  With impeccable research and captivating prose, The Confessions of Young Nero is the story of a boy’s ruthless ascension to the throne. Detailing his journey from innocent youth to infamous ruler, it is an epic tale of the lengths to which man will go in the ultimate quest for power and survival.”  (https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Young-Nero-Margaret-George/dp/0451473396)

The same patron read both of Margaret George’s books about Nero.  She recommended both books to book club members.

All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage (available as book in library and as Overdrive e-book)

Brundage combines noir and the gothic in a novel about two families entwined in their own unhappiness with, at the center, a gruesome and unsolved murder.  Late one winter afternoon in upstate New Your, George Clare comes home to find his wife murdered and their three-year-old daughter alone-for how many hours?—in her room down the hall.  He had recently, begrudgingly, taken a position at the private college nearby teaching art history, and moved his family into this tight-knit, impoverished town.  And he is the immediate suspect—the question of his guilt echoing in a story shot through with secrets both personal and professional.  While his parents recue him from suspicion, a persistent cop is stymied at every turn in proving Clare, a heartless murderer.  The pall of death is ongoing, and relentless; behind one crime are others, and more than twenty years will pass before a hard kind of justice is finally served.  At once a classic “who-dun-it” that morphs into a “why-and-how-dun-it,” this is also a rich and complex portrait of a psychopath and a marriage, and an astute study of the various taints that can scar very different families, and even an entire community.”  (https://elizabethbrundage.com/books/all-things-cease-to-appear/)

The patrons sharing her perspective about this book told the group that this is a story of a marriage that ends up with the wife being murdered with an ax.  The reader slowly learns more about the marriage and the husband’s personality.  Did he commit the murder?  We’ll have to read the book to find out!

The next meeting of the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Book Club will be held on April 6, 2023, from 12 NOON to 1:00 PM.  We always have a great time sharing what we’ve read and look forward to seeing all of you again.  

In the meantime, think about the following quote from Anne Lamott:  “Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation.  They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life:  They feed the soul.  When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored.  We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again.  It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea.  You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.”

The Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Book Club met on February 2, 2023, from 12 NOON until 1:00 PM with 6 members in attendance. To the delight of all, one member shared her delicious home baked molasses cookies with us.  The library’s fireplace, home baked cookies, and coffee provided a wonderful background for great conversations about the books that members had read in the past month.

The members discussed the following books:

1. The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard Morais (available in library as a book and DVD movie).

Description:  “Born above his grandfather's modest restaurant in Mumbai, India, Hassan Hail first experienced life through intoxicating whiffs of spicy fish curry, trips to the local markets, and gourmet outings with his mother. But when tragedy pushes the family out of India, they console themselves by eating their way around the world, eventually settling in Lumiere, a small village in the French Alps. The boisterous Haji family takes Lumiere by storm. The open an inexpensive Indian restaurant opposite an esteemed French relais that of the famous chef Madame Mallory and infuse the sleepy town with the spices of India, transforming the lives of its eccentric villages and infuriating their celebrated neighbor. Only after Madame Mallory wages culinary war with the immigrant family, does she finally agree to mentor young Hassan, leading him to Paris, the launch of his own restaurant, and a slew of new adventures. The Hundred-Foot Journey is about how the hundred-foot distance between a new Indian kitchen and a traditional French one can represent the gulf between different cultures and desires. A testament to the inevitability of destiny, this is a fable for the ages-charming, endearing, and compulsively readable." (amazon.com)

Having read the book and watched the movie, the book club member sharing her perspectives about The Hundred-Foot Journey stated that although she enjoyed both, this was one of few occasions when she preferred the movie to the book.

2. The Tide Between Us by Olive Collins (available on order as a book in MeLCat)

Description:  “1821: Among the thousands of Irish deportees to the Caribbean British colonies is a 10 year old Irish boy, Art O'Neill. As an indentured servant on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, Art gradually acclimatizes to the exotic country and the unfamiliar customs of the African slaves. When the new heirs to the plantation arrive from Ireland, they resurrect the ghosts of brutal injustices against Art. He bides his time and hides his abhorrence from his new master by channeling his energy into his work. During those years, he prospers, he acquires land, he sees his coloured children freed after emancipation as he takes us on a multi-generational historical saga. Eventually Art is promised seven gold coins for seven decades of service. He doubts his master will part

with the coins. The morning Art sets out to claim his gratuity, he ignores his sense of foreboding that he may not return home alive.  Ireland 1991: One hundred years later a skeleton is discovered beneath a fallen tree on the grounds of Lugdale Estate. By its side is a gold coin minted in 1870. Yseult, the owner of the estate, watched as events unfold, fearful of the long-buried truths that may emerge about her family’s past and its links to the slave trade. As the skeleton gives up its secrets, Yseult realizes she too can no longer hide. Inspired by the real story of 2,000 Irish children deported to Jamaica and the statistic that 25% of Jamaican citizens claim Irish ancestry. The Tide Between Us is a powerful novel documenting true historical events and the resilience of the human spirit." (goodreads.com).

The club member reviewing this book brought a copy with her and showed the group that it includes a family tree inside the cover, allowing the reader to reference family and generational connections while reading. The member enjoyed the book, indicating that she learned about a piece of history she had not previously been familiar with.

3. The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook (available as a book, large print book and audiobook in MeLCat)

Description: "After losing her boyfriend and her job in one fell swoop, Noreen has no idea what her next step is. So she puts on a new pair of sneakers and a seriously outdated pair of exercise pants, and walks. Before long she's joined by two neighbors as lost as she is. Throw in a road trip to Seattle for a lavender festival, a career-coaching group that looks like a bad sequel to The Breakfast Club, some terrific romantic comedy twists and turns, a quirky multigenerational cast of supporting characters, and the result is a tribute to female friendship that will inspire you to pick up the phone and call all your old friends-and maybe event start your own walking group." (clairecook.com)

The club member reviewing this book commented that one phrase from this book that resonated with her was that each person must "make a fully conscious decision to invest” in himself or herself. The main character builds meaningful friendships by joining a walking club and learns about herself and others by doing so. The member enjoyed the book and recommended it to the others.

4. The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell (available as a book in library and in MeLCat)

Description: “1904: In the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there is a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles the fates of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. This sets off a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families (black, white, brown) as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. As the generations pass, their lives their triumphs, errors, losses, and hopes emerge through a panorama of history, fairytale, romance, and science fiction. From a woman covered with hair and another plagued with endless tears, to forbidden love affairs and fiery political ones, to homegrown technological marvels like Afronauts, microdrones,

and viral vaccines, this gripping, unforgettable novel is a testament to our yearning to create and cross borders, and meditation on the slow, grand passage of time." (amazon.com)

The club member speaking about this book commented it included a family tree on the inside cover to assist readers. The book's setting in Zambia and the fact that observant, talkative mosquitoes tie the story together made for a unique read. The member also enjoyed the author's beautiful prose.

5. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky (available through the library as an Overdrive ebook and audiobook and though MeLCat as a book and audiobook).

Description: The author's final novel was "First published…in 1879-80 and generally considered to be his masterpiece. It is the story of Fyodor Karamazov and his sons Alyosha, Dmitry, and Ivan. It is also a story of patricide, into the sordid unfolding of which Dostoevsky introduces a love-hate struggle with profound psychological and spiritual implications." (britannica.com)

The club member reading this book said she was very much enjoying this classic.

6. Now I See You by Shannon Work (available on order as a book in MeLCat)

Description:  “Two Murders. A terrified mountain resort. Can a daring reporting help stop an avalanche of dead bodies? Celebrity TV anchor Georgia Glass wants out of Denver and far away from her obsessed fan. Set to host her own investigative crime show in LA, she's surprised to inherit a Victorian house in Aspen from a mysterious uncle she never knew. But while exploring the gothic property, she discovers the frozen corpse of a missing heiress. Georgia's journalist instincts kick in and she is determined to help police track down the killer. But by investigating the murder, has she made herself the killer's neat target? Can Georgia help solve the case before she becomes the next victim? Or will the stalker that followed her to Aspen get her first? Now I See You is a fast-paced whodunit set amidst the spectacular scenery of Aspen, Colorado, and the first book in the suspenseful Mountain Resort Mystery series." (barnesandnoble.com)

Having read the book, the club member sharing her perspective told the group she enjoyed the mystery but did feel as if the book read like contemporary TV.

7. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (available through library on Overdrive as ebook and audiobook and on order through MeLCat as book, large print book, and audiobook).

Description:  “A novel written by an Ethiopian-born Indian- American medical doctor, it is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mother's death at their births and forsaken by their father. The book includes both a deep description of medical procedures and an exploration of the human side of medical practices." (wikipedia.org)

The club member shared that she read this book twice because she recalled enjoying the feelings that reading the book the first time gave her. She recommended the book to the other members, describing it as “so good.”

8. Wonder by R.J. Polacio (available through library as a book and on Overdrive as a book and audiobook and on order through MeLCat as a book, audiobook, and movie).

Description: “August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5^th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others." (goodreads.com)

Although classified as young adult fiction, the book is appropriate for readers of all ages.  The club member sharing thoughts about this book appreciated the author's shifting perspectives about August's facial differences from August to his sister in particular. The member recommended this book to the group and felt that teens would benefit from reading this selection as well.

9. My Blessed, Wretched Life: Rebecca Boone's Story by Sue Kelly Ballard (not available in library or MeLCat).

Description: "Much has been written about the adventurous frontiersman Daniel Boone.  Author Sue Ballard documents the life of Daniel's wife, Rebecca Bryan Boone, a woman who deserves tribute for her role in carving new homes and new lives in the primitive and dangerous Kentucky wilderness. Ballard's description of Rebecca's day-to-day life is accurate in each detail, from raising their many children, farming, and kitchen work, to her hourly prayers and waiting in loneliness for the return of her trailblazing husband Ballard's narrative voice takes hold of the reader from the first pages and sweeps us back to relive those earliest days of Kentucky history. This evocative book inspires admiration for Rebecca as a fine representative of our revered pioneer women whose bravery and strength established the way for following generations." (Mary Popham, MFA, Spalding University, on butlerbooks.com)

The club member reviewing this book received the books as a Christmas present from her husband, and she believed he made an excellent selection. Although fiction, the book effectively weaves in accurate historical detail making this a very interesting read. The member shared her amazement at Mrs. Boone's ability to give birth to, raise and care for 10 children, manage a household in the Kentucky wilderness in her husband's absence for long time periods, and make due under conditions of extreme poverty.

10. 10. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (available in library as book and on Overdrive as ebook and audiobook and on order as a book and audiobook in MeLCat)

Description:  "In Daisy Darker, the estranged Darker family reluctantly gathers at Nana's dilapidated coastal cottage to mark her 80th birthday. ‘Seaglass’ stands alone on a tiny tidal island.  At high tide, the Darkers will be stuck together and cut off from the rest of the world for a long eight hours. But just as Nana's eighty-strong quirky clock collection chimes midnight, she's found dead. An hour later, someone else is dead. Low tide is still five hours away. Who of the Darkers will survive until then? (bookofthemonth.com)

"A mystery with a good ending" is how the club member described this book!

11. Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger (available in library as book and on Overdrive as ebook and on order through MeLCatas a book, large print book, and audiobook)

Description: "In Edgar winner Krueger's outstanding 19th mystery featuring PI Cork O'Connor of Minnesota's Tamarack County (after 2021's Lightning Strike), Cork is tending the grill at his burger joint when he's approached by a stranger who introduces himself as Louis Morriseau. Louis wants the PI to find his wife, Dolores, who he believes is having an affair with Henry Meloux. Cork immediately knows something is wrong, because his friend Henry, an Ojibwe healer, is more than 100 years old. Henry is indeed with Dolores, who's having a cleansing sweat under the guidance of Cork's wife Rainy, who's also Henry's great-niece. Dolores later confirms that the stranger is not her husband, Louis, who has been missing. Henry uses his highly developed sense of mysticism to lead Dolores and Rainy deep into the Boundary Waters wilderness to escape two killers pursuing the women. Meanwhile, Cork and Dolores' brother-in-law, Anton, a tribal cop, follows the killers. Krueger skillfully blends an evocative look at nature's beauty and peril with Native American lore. Not just regional mystery fans will be enthralled." (publishersweekly.com)

This book was recommended to the group by the club member sharing the book with the others.

12. An Unwanted Guest by Shari LaPena.

Description:  “A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . .. but when the storm hits, no one is getting away.  It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing-maybe even romantic-weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge wood burning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.  So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity--and all contact with the outside world-the guests settle in for the long haul.  Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead--it looks like an accident.  But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.  Within the snowed-in paradise, something-or someone-is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm.”  (sharilapena.com)

The club member shared that she read this book during a recent Michigan snowstorm which was the perfect ambience for this book because it takes place during a blizzard in the Catskills.  The author rapidly introduces that twelve characters during the first few chapters of the book which made the reader want to have a guide to characters near the front of the book for reference.  The author does an admirable job describing the Inn and its surroundings and builds suspense throughout the book.  Each character has a history, and many have something they don’t want the others to know.

The group discussed the value of reading books to and with children and of reading books with family members and friends. Sharing perspectives about books can be very gratifying.

Chris Nofsinger discussed the Russell Wood Ride, a bike-a-thon fundraiser for the Marcellus Township Library. Chris will be leaving soon to start her epic cross country bike ride accompanied by her husband David. Club members can go to gorallyup.com/russellwoodride, the fundraiser page, and to russellwoodride.blogspot. com to visit the Checked Out blog by David and Chris as Chris makes her cross country trek.

The next meeting of the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Book Club will be held on March 2, 2023, from 12 NOON to 1:00 PM at the library. Bring your books, your thoughts about the books, and a friend- -join us for a lively discussion!

Between now and then, ponder on the following:

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road.  They are the destination, and the journey.  They are home.”  Anna Quindlen

“Keep reading.  It’s one of the most marvelous adventures that anyone can have.”  Lloyd Alexander

Greetings to all! 

I was happy to be back with book club friends for the December gathering.  Here are the books we shared about:

The World’s Worst Assistant, by Sona Movsesian

Beartown Series, by Fredrik Backman:  Beartown, A Novel and The Winners

My Little Michigan Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from a Homemade Life Well Lived,

     by Mandy McGovern

The English Understand Wool, by Helen DeWitt

A Tidy Ending, by Joanna Cannon

The Christmas Candy Killing: A Killer Chocolate Mystery -  Book 1, by Christina Romeril

     (Apparently there will be more Candy Killer Mysteries coming soon!)

The Kingdoms of Savannah (a novel), by George Dawes Green

Braiding Sweetgrass, For Young Adults (Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the

Teachings of Plants), by Robin Wall Kimmerer

It surely was fun to talk about these books!  We are not yet sure whether we will have book group in January.  We’ll see what the weather is like on or around January 5, and will send out an email with the final plan for that month.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.  I hope there will be “curl up and read” moments sprinkled among your festivities.  And joys among your struggles.  And love over all.

Suzanne

Dear Book Club Friends,

I have just finished reading The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian.  I liked this book very much.  It is full of details about life in the Natchez Trace in a Mississippi swamp in the 1920’s – plus a gripping story that kept me guessing and staying up late till the end. 

I’m looking forward to being with you to talk about books, or to wonder why we can’t seem to read much at certain times, and to let book talk energize and comfort us as we move into another season of shortening days and lengthening Covid shadows. 

Wear your masks --  they can’t hide smiling eyes! – and come to the Marcellus Library for First Thursday Book Club on Thursday, September 2 at noon.   See you then!

Suzanne

P.S.  Won’t it be fun if we are ever the Book Brunch Bunch again someday?!

Hello, Book Club friends! 

I have been reading The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, which is on the new books shelf at the library (now that I took it back).  I want to talk about it at book club next week.  Marie Benedict also wrote The Other Einstein, The Only Woman in the Room, and Carnegie’s Maid, among others. We have talked about some of these novels, which are about lesser known, and less acknowledged, amazing women.  Benedict  also writes as Heather Terrell.  I found her first book using that pen name, written in 2007, called The Chrysalis, at the library.  I’m eager to see what it’s like.  Why does she use two names?  Different styles/focus/eras/???

I hope a bunch of us will see each other and have a good chat next Thursday, August 5, at noon, at the library.  I will be wearing a mask again, due to the new covid variant, but at this point patrons are still welcome to choose to wear masks or not inside the library.  Maybe we can sit outside and let the wind free us from masks and anxiety!

Best greetings to all!  Save the date!

Suzanne

Hello, Book Groupers!

Six of us were able to meet at the library last Thursday.  Here are the books we talked about:

Before She Disappeared, by Lisa Gardiner

The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz  (Stephen King says this book is “insanely readable.”)

What You are Getting Wrong about Appalachia, by Elizabeth Catte

The Color of Heaven (Book 1 of 13 in the Color of Heaven series), by Julianne MacLean

What Comes After, by Joanne Tompkins

The Things We Leave Unfinished, by Rebecca Yarros

Caul Baby, by Morgan Jenkins

Beyond the Sun and Sea: One Family’s Quest for a Country to Call Home, by Ty McCormack

My Broken Language: a Memoir, by Quiara Alegría Hudes

Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution, by Roxana Jullapat

Three O’Clock in the Morning, by Gianrico Carofiglio

Winter in Sokcho, by Elisa Shua Dusapin

I must admit, the word “caul” sent me to the internet, where I learned  all about the word’s various meanings.  If I ever knew about caul babies, I had forgotten it.  How could I possibly not know, or forget, this word – and the cultural associations which societies around the world have attached to it.  Oh my, book club is so good for me!

Our next book group gathering will be Thursday, July 1 at 12:00 noon at the library.  If the weather is nice, we can meet outdoors.  Let’s all wear hats with brims and sun glasses!  Just kidding:  that’s what I have to wear in sunshine, but you don’t, if you don’t want to!

Wishing you happy summer days:  stay safe; care for those around you and those far away; read (or listen to) books. 

Suzanne

Hello, Friends,

Today was not a good day for people to come out to book club, and I was sorry to learn that some of you are not feeling well.  Second covid shot can be a tough one.  But we still had a great conversation, with Irene on the zoom, and Dawn, Chris, Joy and me at the library.  We were April Fools who talked and laughed a lot.

Here are the books we discussed:

• Chris and Dawn discovered that they have both fallen in love with Kristin Hannah’s books recently.  They told us about The Nightingale and The Four Winds.  The library has 15 of the 22 books she has written, and Chris says she will order those we don’t yet have. 
• Irene sent this message:   “I read THE HATE YOU GIVE by ANGIE THOMAS. I didn’t like it much because of the language -- too many swear words. I am sure the story was nice but I just read 2 chapters and stopped .Then I read THE SURGEON by TESS GERRITSEN.  That was a FANTASTIC Spine Tingling Suspense Thriller .The author is a Surgeon so refers to all kinds of medical stuff .REALLY LOTS OF TWISTS.  Then I read ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS by BRYAN GREENWOOD:  a family consumed with drugs and violence and children trying to do the right thing and raise themselves.  Really nicely written with many tragedies but also joys.
• Educated, by Tara Westover.
• Sweetgrass, by Mary Alice Monroe.
• The Mission House, by Carys Davies.
• Night in Tehran, by Philip Kaplan.
• The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian.

We will plan to have our next gathering on Thursday, May 6.  Hopefully it will be a beautiful, warm spring day and we will meet at the library and everyone will be healthy and masks will feel good and we’ll have a grand time.  I will be in touch before then to bug you!  Keep reading!

Best greetings,

Suzanne

Hello, Book Club People!

 We had a small group on our Zoom meeting yesterday, but we had good conversation and laughter.   And today I had some good news:

The Library will be reopening on February 8!  There will still be some restrictions, but at least people can now come in to look for and to check out books.  And that means that, unless the pandemic slams us really hard again in the next few weeks, we can have our March book club meeting at the library  --  in the beautiful, newly redecorated Children’s Room!  Of course, we will wear masks and sit well distanced from each other, but at least we can be together in person, and hopefully more of us will be able to attend.  Yay!

 These guidelines will be in place starting next Monday: Curbside service will continue for those who prefer that method, but patrons are welcome to return to usual library use.  The following Covid-related guidelines remain in effect:  1. Wear a mask which covers both mouth and nose.  2. When possible, call and reserve a time to use a computer.  3. Limit computer use to 30 minutes, except by special permission.

 Here are the books we talked about yesterday:

An Inconvenient Wife, by Mary Hoban

In Praise of Difficult Women:  Life Lessons from 29 Heroines who Dared to Break the Rules, by Karen Karbo

Broken Places (A Chicago Mystery) Book 1 of 4,  by Tracy Clark

Northern Lights, by Nora Roberts

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Girls, by Kate Moore

Killer Instinct (Instinct Series: Book 2 of 2), by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

All My Mother’s Lovers, by Ilana Masad

Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O’Farrell

Murder in Old Bombay, by Nev March

The Talented Miss Farwell, by Emily Gray Tedrowe

The Sakuru Obsession: The Incredible Story of the Plant Hunter Who Saved Japan’s Cherry Blossoms, by Naoko Abe

Doesn’t that make you drool and long to get back into the library and scour the new book shelves?!  Please do keep reading something as we plow through winter and hope for spring.  Stay safe!  Love your books!

Suzanne

P.S.  Here is a message from Dawn, who could not join the group yesterday:  “I read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and watched the movie.  The message it had for me:  Don’t be afraid to express your feelings.  Find courage anywhere.  Be grateful for friends and family.”

Hello, Book Club Friends!

I know not all of you have access to zoom, and I am really hoping it won’t be too long till we can meet at the library again.  I’d love to hear what all of you are reading.  Can you send me a quick email and tell me? 

Today there were six of us on the book club zoom yesterday.  Here are the books we talked about:

The Museum of Dance by Jonathan Kellerman.  (fiction)

Caste – The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.  (non-fiction)

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain.  (historical fiction)

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (historical fiction)

The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney (fiction)

Absolute Truths by Susan Howatch (fiction)

The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (fiction)

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn  (historical fiction)

The Bramble and the Rose – A Henry Farrell Novel by Tom Bouman (fiction)

Sleep Donation by Karen Russell (dystopian epidemic fiction)

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gaily (dystopian fiction)

Hamnet – A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O’Farrell (historical fiction)

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (historical fiction).  Irene wants everyone to read this book and tell her what we think of the ending, which she found very shocking!

We noticed that the majority of these books are by and about women.  Several of them reveal fascinating background information about historical times/events, often from a woman’s perspective.   Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste keeps coming up as an important look at some of the basic attitudes and beliefs on which Americans’ attitudes and beliefs are based.  Lots of good stories make it easier to read than some books on that subject.

I hope you are all taking good care of yourselves, staying safe, and that you have books around you.  Even if you don’t feel like reading, touching a book is good for the soul!

Best wishes for the year ahead,

Suzanne

Dear Book Club friends,

I think the December Book Club meeting came up too soon for some of us, and I also realize that members who have children are probably busy helping them with their virtual school work --  or are getting lunch for them  --  so it was not too surprising that only three of us were able to zoom together yesterday.  Laura Dunn, Chris Nofsinger and I had a good time discussing books . . . and life . . .  and various things yesterday.  Patty Witten and Kathy Rolfe sent me email notes about books they have been reading.  

Here are the books that were shared about yesterday:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Collector by Nora Roberts

Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb

I Saw Him Die by Andrew Wilson

Detective Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves (Kathy is reading the second book in the series, and I am reading the most recent one, which I found on the new books shelf in the library last week.) 

The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories that Carried them through a War by Delphine Minoui

We plan to continue Book Club Zooms on the first Thursday of every month from now on until the library can once again open to the public.  So put zooming on the first Thursday on your calendars for the next few months if you can.  Or let me know that you can’t zoom and we’ll see if we can find other ways for you to participate.

I hope we all find new joys as well as challenges during this unusual holiday season.  Keep reading!  Stay safe!

Hoping to see you or hear from you in January,

Suzanne

Dear Library Book Brunch Friends!

It was great fun to have some of us in person in the remodeled children’s room, and some on Zoom, for the November Book Club discussion. Laughter and intelligent conversation (and silly, funny talk) are a healing balm for our souls. Books kindly sit there and wait for us when we don’t feel like reading, and then embrace us with their magic when we are able to pick them up again.

New pandemic restrictions will prevent us from having our December Book Club meeting in person, but we can Zoom! I plan to host a Zoom meeting on Thursday, December 3, at 12:00 noon. I will send the link out to everyone that morning. I hope that many of us can join in!

Last year we had that fantastic cookie party in December. How life has changed. And it will change again. But friendship and books are one of life’s unchanging gifts to us, and I am grateful that this Book Brunch Bunch continues to encourage and refresh us.

Hoping to see all your faces on December 3!

Best greetings,

Suzanne

Dear Marcellus Library Book Club/Brunch/Group!

We will meet for our November discussion this coming Thursday, November 5, at 12:00 noon.  We have two options for participating:

• In person, in the children’s room at the library (masked, socially distanced, no food). We still have room for three on this list.
• Participation in a zoom call.  I will send out the zoom link to everyone on this email list, first thing Thursday morning. 

This is a free zoom, so will only last for 40 minutes, but sometimes they give us extra time.  Let’s try to start right at 12:00, which means those joining should click on the link in the email about 11:57, :58, or :59. 

If you can’t be part of it, you could send a quick note about the book you would like to tell about to me by email, or to the Library Book Club email address.

This is so exciting!  Hope to see all of you on Thursday. 

Suzanne

Hello, Book Bruncher-Readers!

As we head into colder months, we will need our books and our friends more than ever.  So I am happy to report that the Library Book Group will meet right on schedule at 12:00 noon on Thursday, November 7. 

And good news:  The newly renovated children’s room at the library will be ready for use, so we can meet there.  Actually, ten people can meet there. We will also have a Zoom connection set up, so others can join the conversation that way. 

If you can’t be with the group in either way (in person/Zoom), but want to share what you are reading, you can send me an email and I will share it  --  and reply to you with questions/comments from the group.

Please call the library (269-646-9654) to reserve an in-person, socially distanced chair at the library  OR to ask to be put on the Zoom list.  We will need your email address for a Zoom notice.

Got all that?  Here’s the summary:

What:  Marcellus Library Book Group

When:  Thursday, November 5, 2020

               12:00 noon

Where: In person at the library  or joining with Zoom.  Call the library to sign up.  Only ten people can meet at the library.

When life gives us lemons, we make lemonade, right?!

Hope to see your body  (well clothed) or your face on November 5!  (I’ll be on Zoom, but I’ll be at the library!)

Suzanne

P.S.  Masks!

Dear Book Club friends,

Tomorrow is the first Thursday of October!  It snuck up on us because our last meeting was on Wednesday, September 16.  We had a good time, outdoors and masked, with good sharing and good books discussed.

At that meeting we decided to start our regular first Thursday meetings again, and agreed that if is warm enough on the first Thursday of October (tomorrow) we will meet in person outdoors again.  I don’t think the weather tomorrow will be warm enough to meet outdoors.  Our second option is to have a zoom meeting.

Could each of you please send me a quick email to tell me if you have a computer at home on which you can participate in zoom gatherings?  I have never hosted a zoom meeting before, so it would be an experiment for all of us.  If there are too many “brunchers” who cannot participate in a zoom meeting, we may have to re-think our plans.  Will you please let me know today yet if you are available for a Book Group Zoom tomorrow, October 1 at 12:00 noon?

If any of you are experienced in hosting zoom meetings, and would like to host the meeting tomorrow, please let me know.  It would be a big help to have someone with experience lead us into this new way of sharing about books!

Thanks so much.  We’ll find a way!

Suzanne

On September 16, 2020, after six months of separation due to the Coronavirus pandemic, members of the Marcellus Library First Thursday Book Brunch Group met together, in person, to talk about books.  Nine members, wearing masks, gathered in a loose circle around one of the new library picnic tables to share about what they have been reading over the past several months.  The group had maintained some contact through email and Marcellus Library Facebook posts, but when talking about books, being together is the most fun.  An hour was not long enough to catch up on books and life, so the group hopes to meet again, outside and masked, at the library on Thursday, October 1 at noon.  If the weather is too cold, the group will have their first zoom meeting that day. Everyone is invited to join the conversation.  Call the library at 269-646-9654 for more information.