Wild Women's Book Club

This Month's Book

2007-05-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

Following the trend of numerous book clubs here in the Bay Area (or so it seems since it's backlogged at EVERY library on the Peninsula!), we're reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

For those, like me, that couldn't get the book, reading Chapter 1 is a good compromise. I suspect that we'll be noshing on corn-related yummies (or not).

We'll also be feting Amy and her soon to be arriving Bundle of Joy. Whether that means gifts for the baby, or for the mom, remains to be seen.

Next book and next meeting pending Sunday's soiree.

Anne's Summer Recs

2007-04-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

Anne will be off galivanting all summer, but left a reading list as consolation. Feel free to re-format list to make pretty- I'm just posting for reference.

Anne's recs are:
-"Leap of Faith-Memoirs of an Unexpected Life" by Queen Noor
-"The Lemon Tree" by Sandy Tolan (sp?)
-"Father Joe-the Man Who Saved My Soul" by Tony Hondra (sp?)
-"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
-"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" by Anne Fadiman (sp?)
-"The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion
-"East of Eden" by Steinbeck
-"Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindberg in celebration of the 50th
anniversary of it's publication
-"Leaving Mother Lake" by Christine Matthew

Anne also recommends that we catch up with her and Frank at Safari West on July 28th. More info here: www.safariwest.com.

If you'd like to become a Blog editor, let me know. Thanks!

Catching Up on Past Books

2007-04-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, if memory serves me correctly, we've managed to go through two books since the blog was last updated.

1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

2. Florence of Arabia - by Christopher Buckley

I liked 'em both. :-)

Next book? I don't remember. I think we're up at Bethany's next time but I don't recall what we're reading.

hrumph... I thought we were reading something by Kurt Vonnegut, but there it is.

New Year's Resolution - Read Oryx and Crake

2006-12-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that we've settled on an old standard - Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Most libraries should have a copy. For those of you in the greater San Mateo County area, and that have a library card, here's a quick search of the Peninsula Library System. There are also copies on tape and on CD. If you can't find it - you're not trying!

If you want to buy the book on Amazon, you can click here.

Carol's graciously offered to host us on Sunday, January 14th. Time is still TBD - will it be mimosas or cocktails? Only time will tell. I'll update the post when we figure it out.

Happy reading!

Exodus to the land of St. Matthew- FINALLY

2006-08-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

It has been written, and then written again, and then overwritten, that we, Women of the Wild Women's Wine and Cheese (but supposedly Book) Club shall gather on the 2nd Sunday of November in the Land of Quinn The Mighty Big Baby to partake in the blood of grapes and the body of cheese and discuss the writings of Biff, friend/protector/jealous underling of Joshua, otherwise known as Christ.

And so it shall be. Until we change it again. But it was a good book, so hopefully we won't. But if we do, it shall also be good.

Date: Sunday, November 12th
Time: 3:00p
Directions: email the list for info

Go in peace to check out the book from the library, if thou hast not already.

Hot August Reading

2006-07-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

After a fun-filled afternoon around the pool (thanks, Joyce!) we've settled on the next book. It was an amazingly easy task. General concensus was for something appropriate for "beach reading". That meant comedy - or something like it. Florence of Arabia, by Christoper Buckley was a close second, but we decided against it because both Amy and Diane had already read it. (If you're looking for a fun, light novel - pick it up anyway!) Our final choice was "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" by Christopher Moore (ISBN: 0380978407).

If you want to buy the book on Amazon, you can click here. Otherwise, head over to the library.

Amy will be hosting the next book club and the current date is August 20th. Yep, that's a Sunday and we should be reverting back to the usual start time of 3p.

Happy reading!

News Flash - Istanbul not worth visiting!

2006-06-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

By popular demand, we're taking the Orient Express out of Istanbul and heading back to France. We're back to the alternate book: Candide, by Voltaire.

Next meeting is still set for Sunday, July 9th on the shores of that South Bay Riviera town of Cupertino. Email the mailing list for directions.

Next meeting - finally!

2006-06-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

After (it seems like) weeks of back and forth, we've at least settled on a date and location, if not the actual book.

This time around, Joyce has greatly volunteered her abode (and, I believe, swimming pool!) for our enjoyment.

Date: July 9th
Place: Joyce's Cupertino Castle

We've got two books in the running:

Candide, by Voltaire or
Istanbul, by Orhan Pamuk.

Both should be available at your local library or follow the links to Amazon and order one.

Finally, one more shameless plug for the mailing list! If you haven't already signed up, just click the "Sign Up Now" button in the sidebar and sign yourself up. Diane will add you to the list (no spammers allowed) and then you'll be sure to get updates on meetings, books and other madness.

See you next month!

April showers for Sunday, 4/23

2006-03-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

April's book is Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami .

The book is available in paperback (woohoo!), and used copies are available (88, according to Amazon as of 3/20), so no need to wait in long library lines!

Date is set as Sunday 4/23, time TBD, Kristine is hosting (addy info will be available on the Evite).

Happy reading!!

Past Book List

2006-03-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

For posterity, I thought it would make sense to list out the books we've already wandered through. I'll make links to all the titles when I get there, but for now, I'll just list them out:

Panama - Eric Zency

The Samurai's Garden - Gail Tsukiyama

The Woman and the Ape - Peter Hoeg

On Mexican Time - Tony Cohen

The Hours - Michael Cunningham

Ghost Soldiers - Hampton Sides

The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell

1491 - Charles C. Mann

The Awakening - Kate Chopin

Boy - we've been busy! Comments as to good/bad/ugly are certainly appreciated but I can't remember what we liked and what we didn't. However, I think we were unanimous on the subject of ape sex. :-)

Fat Sunday Discussion

2006-03-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, here we go. The long overdue book list for us to refer back to since we never ever ever remember what we've said from one month to the next.

Today we discussed Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Discussion was spirited, lively (read: disorganized and chaotic) but it seems that the over all impression was "book- good," and "book- we like."

So, on to the list!

Books we swear we want to read, in no particular order:

Ahab's Wife: Or, The Star-Gazer: A Novel -- by Sena Jeter Naslund

I Am Charlotte Simmons: A Novel -- by Tom Wolfe

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal -- by Christopher Moore

Waiting for the Barbarians -- by J. M. Coetzee

Snow -- by Orhan Pamuk

Istanbul: Memories and the City -- by Orhan Pamuk

What are we reading next??

Kafka On The Shore -- by Haruki Murakami

Next club is set to take place on Sunday, 4/23 at Kristine's place. Stay tuned for the Evite for directions!