Snowy Reading

I was once a member of the book of the month club, but I know I didn't sign up for the storm every week club. On the heels of last week's Hurricane Sandy, a nor'easter blew through on Wednesday into the wee hours of today, dumping 2-8 inches of snow on New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.  This bad weather and a low gasoline supply have forced me to stay very close to home.  Because my plans were cancelled last night, I curled up with Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, this month's selection for one of my book clubs.

This debut novel opens in the 1960s at New York's Museum of Modern Art, where an older married couple are viewing an exhibit of photos of subway riders taken by hidden camera in the late 1930s.  When Katherine recognizes the subject of two of the portraits as a man from her distant past--before she met her husband--it takes her back to 1938 New York City and her chance meeting with Theodore "Tinker" Grey on New Year's Eve.

Thus far, I am enthralled with Towles's writing style, richly descriptive language, and strong characters.  The novel offers a glimpse into the Manhattan of yesteryear that keeps me turning the pages.

Catherine

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Snowy Reading was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com.  This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

Post-Election Reading

Now that the campaigning is over, you may be looking for a different type of email communication that is nonpolitical in nature.  If that is the case, Shelf Awareness for Readers, which bills itself as "enlightenment for readers" may be for you.

       
 
Delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday, this e-newsletter features:

• information on the best 25 fiction and nonfiction books of the week chosen by industry insiders
• news about books and authors, with links to similar sites and more details
• book reviews 
• author interviews
• adult, young adult and children's titles

It's a great way to learn about books of interest before they become available (helpful if you like to place holds on popular titles at your library).   Sample the current issue and sign up for Shelf Awareness for Readers now before you begin your holiday shopping for the readers in your life.

Catherine

Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader

Post-Election Reading was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

Reading Election Day

   November 6, 2012--Election Day in these United States.  I hope everyone has the chance to exercise their right to vote for the candidates who represent their values.  Poll results for the presidential, senate, and other races will trickle in later tonight and Wednesday as votes are tallied after what has been an exceptionally long campaign.  Given the constant media coverage leading up to Election Day, it's not surprising that campaign issues and tactics were on my mind as I read The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.

Rowling's novel centers around a vacant council seat in the tiny English village of Pagford.  Who will be elected?  Whose agenda will be advanced?   What information will be disseminated about the candidates, and will it be accurate?  As the plot unfolded, I couldn't help but draw parallels between this fictional scenario and our current political state of affairs.  Special interests; haves versus have nots; empowered versus disenfranchised; and misrepresentations, scare tactics, and spin are all well illustrated in The Casual Vacancy, proving that regardless of outcome, in fiction as in real life, politics is not for the faint of heart.

Catherine

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Reading Election Day was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

Monday Musings--The Beginner's Goodbye

Yesterday's post contained a brief bio of American writer Anne Tyler.  Today I share an excerpt of my review of Tyler's most recent novel, The Beginner's Goodbye, which appeared online in the September 2012 issue of Sound Commentary.

In The Beginner’s Goodbye, Tyler examines life through the eyes of Aaron Woolcott, a recent widower grieving the loss of his wife Dorothy, who is suddenly killed when a tree crashes onto the sun porch of their home. In the wake of this devastating accident, Aaron is left to pick up the pieces of his life and begin anew.    

Partially paralyzed as the result of a childhood illness, Aaron has been overprotected and stifled for years by the well-meaning women in his life both at home and in the workplace.  When he meets the brusque, unsentimental Dr. Dorothy Rosales while editing a beginner’s guide for his family’s vanity press, Aaron is smitten.  Over the protest of his sister, a brief courtship ensues, and Aaron and Dorothy embark on a life together. 

Theirs is a marriage of independent careerists who prize their autonomy above all else, but it comes at the expense of leaving much unsaid and unexpressed between them. As Aaron grapples with their unfinished business, the departed Dorothy’s sudden appearances help him gain insight into their relationship and learn to live in the present. As Aaron bids farewell to what has been, he acquires a new appreciation for life and its endless possibilities for growth and contentment.

Tyler's interesting characters, relevant plots, and keen observations of human nature make her novels good book club choices and the source of lively discussions.

Catherine

Disclaimer:  An audiobook of The Beginner's Goodbye was provided without cost by Sound Commentary.  No other remuneration was received for this review. 

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Monday Musings--The Beginner's Goodbye was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

 

Sunday Spotlight--Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  She has written nineteen novels and dozens of short stories. Tyler was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1941, grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is a long-time resident of Baltimore, Maryland.  While most of her novels have been bestsellers, she is probably best known for The Accidental Tourist, which became a major motion picture in 1988.  Several of her other novels were adapted for television.

Tyler's books have mass appeal and make excellent book club choices for their sometimes quirky but always interesting, complex characters. Her storylines tackle issues that readers can identify with, such as transcultural adoption (Digging to America) and widowhood (The Beginner's Goodbye).  

If you haven't sampled Tyler's work, I highly recommend you do so.

Catherine

Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader

Sunday Spotlight--Anne Tyler was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

Saturday Shorts--Sandy's Wrath

 

The magnitude of Sandy's wrath continues to unfold here in the northeast as local communities assess the damage and pick up the pieces.  At this difficult time, we come together to offer prayers, encouragement, and support to friends and neighbors in need as we begin the healing and rebuilding process. 


Catherine

Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader

Saturday Shorts--Sandy's Wrath was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.

Thursday Thoughts--Storm Aftermath

Call it a hurricane, call it a super storm, or something stronger (I've heard a lot of choice phrases over the last few days)...Sandy packed quite a wallop.  There's been mass destruction all over the east coast, especially along the shoreline.  Our local coastal areas have sustained lots of damage, and stories of deaths and property damage are sadly emerging.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost their homes and loved ones, or suffered any kind of distress from the storm.  My area has been without power since Monday at 4 pm. This inconvenience pales in comparison to what others are experiencing.  At the moment,  I don't have the heart to write a post about books.  It doesn't seem an appropriate thing to do under the circumstances.   Take care, everyone.

Catherine

Follow me on Twitter: @bookclubreader

Thursday Thoughts--Storm Aftermath was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.blogspot.com. This post cannot be republished without express written consent.