Get it Free

Dani just found the April book (Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim) free in the Kindle store. If you don't have a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle app for your tablet or smartphone that lets you read kindle books. So go for it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Enchanted-April-ebook/dp/B00849PNY2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1360090194&sr=8-10&keywords=%22enchanted+april%22

Check It Out

Right above this post, and below the title of our blog, I've added little tabs for the Home page (this one) and a page with our list of recommended books for SNAPS.  It's so small, I couldn't find it, and I'm the one who posted it!  Check out our second page, but don't be confused.  It looks exactly like the Home page, except there's only one post with a long book list.  I want to get rid of the duplicate information on the side, but I need help from a more experienced blogspot blogger.

The Hobbit - Review by Ann D. on Good Reads

I've read this before, but it's one that's always worth rereading.

I love so many things about this book. I love Bilbo. I puzzle and chuckle over Gandalf. It's a shortish novel but it gives one the feeling of reading something deeply rooted in lore and all things ancient. I love that.

There's also this wonderful sense that like Bilbo, none of us really knows what we are capable of until we set out to live up to the high expectations of someone who knows more than we do. But we don't have to let fear get the best of us and we don't have to let the doubts of others drag us down. We may be able to accomplish a whole lot more than we ever thought we could. That's a happy thought. And it's a happy thought that no matter how strange the adventure turns, our little armchair in our little hobbit hole is waiting for us back home.

I'm so glad Tolkien wrote!

A New Year of the RS Book Club

Someday this blog might catch on with the book club members.  I can see us posting about our selected books, or just a book that we're reading on the side and want to recommend.  It could be our private Good Reads.  We could make announcements and share recipes from our yummy refreshments.  Right now it's just a keeper of our book lists for the past few years.  I'll get this year's selections on the shelf soon.  We had a hard time coming up with a list this year, and now we have a few too many.  We'll have to make a decision at our meeting tomorrow night.  We're also coming up with a list of favorite books for young/teen girls that we might want to donate to SNAPS.  I'll post that too.  After that, we might not have any activity until 2014.

An Idea From Oprah

This is from an article, "6 Things You'll Never Regret Doing".  I think I'll do this.  It's hard to stop at your second or third though.  It might be Little Women or Huck Finn or My Antonia.  I also might revisit Cashamara and see why I loved it so much in high school, or maybe a Nancy Drew.

 Rereading Your Second Favorite Book

My favorite book is As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. I reread it every year. Many other people also have this habit with their favorite books, including Faulkner himself, who used to go back to Don Quixote, my father, who returns to The Angle of My Repose, and my friend Allison, who revisits the Bible. What I've noticed across the board is that these books tend to be the ones with fat, thick spines and wise, life-changing import. They teach you big things. Your second- or third-favorite book, however, is like a younger child; it doesn't have to work that hard—it can even goof off. Mine is Little House in the Big Woods, which I've also learned a lot from (specifically to always mind my pa and never go sledding on Sundays). And yet until this year, I didn't make room for it on my to-reread list. Because we tend to think of “favorite” as singular. A favorite book. A favorite movie. A favorite person. But it's not as if adding to that group will diminish your feeling for the first selection. Choosing favorites may just be like loving: the more, the more rewarding.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Six-Things-Youll-Never-Regret-Doing/3#ixzz2If4jU5Zk

Free Children's Books Online

I came across a website on Pinterest where you can read free children's books online, both fiction and nonfiction picture books.  This is a great resource worth sharing with you, but it gets better.  First of all, by reading books on line you'll be doing good works, because for every book you read, they donate a book to a special reading program.  Better yet, I'll be able to read these on my Kindle to my grandkids.  And better yet, when I was checking out the site, I saw the picture book that has been written about our February book selection, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.  This boy's dream came about because of books that he had read.  One of the reading programs that you can contribute to is Harnessing the Power of Reading.  And best of all, FREE.  Here's the link:

http://www.wegivebooks.org/campaigns/harnessing-the-power-of-reading

2012 Update and Stuff

Kay will be our hostess, Melissa the discussion leader, and Mary Jo is bringing refreshments.  The book is The Daughter's Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick.  I've been reading it this weekend and love it.  I think there will be a lot of interesting things to discuss.

Thanks to Dani for taking over the book club e-mails.  I'll get a schedule made up that we can pass around and hopefully get volunteers signed up.

I got a Kindle for Christmas (which I love) and a few of our 2012 books have free downloads:
The Importance of Being Earnest
Frankenstein and Dracula
Letters of a Woman Homesteader  (possible pick)

I think a couple are in the $3.99 or less category too:
A Separate Peace
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I bought A Daughter's Walk, so if anyone else has a Kindle, you can borrow it from me.  I just haven't figured out how to do that yet.

I also read a list of things that you should do to have a successful book club in an e-mail that Oprah sends to me.  I'm happy to report that we're doing all of them.  There was this idea for December that we might keep in mind for next year.

13. Take December Off
Nobody has time to finish a novel during the holidays. Have everyone bring in a short, memorable piece to read out loud, like a poem, a few paragraphs from a novel or article, or even a meaningful personal letter. 

Finally, I'm going to try to get our bookshelf restocked on the side of this blog.  I never know how to do it, but somehow I've gotten it to work the last couple years.

Is It Worth It?

Hmmm.  Maybe this blog will catch on this year.  It might be helpful to someone.  Someone might have time to post some things.  I'm hoping.

August Meeting

It's a potluck get-together in Kay's beautiful backyard on Tuesday, August 16th.  We start the potlucks at 6:30.  This is the last one of the year.  Come whether you have something to share or not.  There's always plenty. 

Our book is the NAZI Officer's WIFE by Edith Hahn Beer, with Susan Dworkin.  This is a remarkable memoir of a Holocaust survivor.  We'll have a lot to discuss about courage, choices, survival, and heritage.  Thankfully, despite the risk it posed to her life, Edith saved every document she had, as well as photographs she took inside labor camps.  These are now part of the collection at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and some are included in the book.  They have also filmed an A&E Special Presentation about the memoir, so if you don't have time to read the book, you can Netflicks it.

Just Some Ideas

A lot of us have been reading this summer, but too busy to make it to Book Group.  Hopefully everyone is keeping track of the books that they’ve especially enjoyed.  Anyone can meet with us to select the books 2012.  In the past Sue Ann, Lyn, Kay, Pam and I have chosen our titles.  We’d really like to get input from everyone, especially from some who are younger than us (below 50!).  We’ll take suggestions at any time, the sooner the better because we like to have someone read them through before January to make sure they fit our RS standards.

Lyn brought up an idea at our last meeting about having a yearly theme.  Some book groups have done this and have been able to delve more deeply into a subject.  They can choose fiction, nonfiction, church books, young readers, or just about any genre like we do now.   This year we’ve had a few books that deal with family history, and we have three coming up that deal with Jews and Germany in WWII.  We could have chosen one of those topics as a theme.  You can also keep it very broad and have a theme of relationships, America, or serving others.  Let’s think about it.

If you have any ideas for themes, books, or something different to do at our meetings, just leave a comment, E-mail anyone in the group, or just talk to us at church.  This book group has been going for decades.  We want it to get better and better.

July Update

Our July meeting was held in Dawnee’s  enchanted garden – a perfect place to curl up on a glider and read.  I hadn’t read the book, and had a hard time staying tuned in to the discussion because I was just looking around the garden and rocking in the shade.  We discussed Emily of New Moon, from the same author that wrote Anne of Green Gables, L.M.Montgomery.  This book was suppose to be more autobiographical.  Lyn liked it more, but Stephanie, who is the Anne of Green Gables #1 fan, didn’t like it near as well.  This book was written in the 1920s (I think) and we discussed how it was a harder read because of the detailed descriptions and just slower flow.  We wondered how many readers now days can stick with the Jane Austen type writing, or Dickens.  Pam mentioned that at a writing workshop she attended, they said to have a book published it needs to start with action on the first page (or first paragraph) and there needs to be action on every third page.  This is the Harry Potter generation.  Many of us can just convert to Dawnee’s philosophy – Netflicks.  She watched Emily of New Moon and August’s selection, The Nazi Officer’s Wife.  It would be nice to be ahead of the game.  It seems I’ve been reading too many selections after the meetings this year.

June Update–Late

We met at Dani’s house (formerly Shelly’s house) for our June, potluck meeting.  First of all, we need some people to post recipes.  There were some good salads and desserts.  I really can’t remember what exactly, but I do remember I brought watermelon or cantaloupe.  You won’t need a recipe for that.  If you can’t figure out how to join the blog or post, I can help you out, or you can e-mail me information or recipes and I’ll make sure they get on here sooner or later.  By the way, I’m taking a blog lesson and I hope to add a page to this blog where we can put all the recipes in a “potluck” section, and keep the main page for books.

Thank you Dani for your hospitality.  We love your house.  We also welcomed a new friend at this meeting, Marcelle M.  She couldn’t stay long, but we look forward to getting to know her better and to hear her thoughts.

The book we discussed was The Forgotten Garden.  It was a favorite of some, and others had some issues with the character or a few pieces that didn’t seem real plausible.  We had a great discussion on who we really are, and how important heredity, environment, and family are to each of us.  I liked Lyn’s thoughts on how important bloodlines are in the scriptures, and how she use to think that it was a vengeful God that would visit the sins of the fathers upon three or four generations.  She later thought how it might not be God’s vengeance, but more just the human condition, where we tend to do things the way our parents did things and those traditions and philosophies are handed down through the generations.

I was in the favorite camp with this book.  I liked the writing especially the “Dickens” parts and the fairy tales.  I also like several of the characters and the jumping around through the century to fill in clues about the mystery.  Sue Ann liked the book and has read others by this author.  She doesn’t recommend the other books though because they always deal with some tragedy.

Summer Reading for 5th Graders and Up

I'm half way through the GIRL WHO COULD FLY by victoria forester, and I think I'll be recommending this book when I get to the end.  Here's what Stephenie Meyer (The Twilight Saga author) wrote as a review:
"It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men.  I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried).  Prepare to have your heart warmed."  How can you resist reading it.  I'll let you know if you should in a couple weeks.

The Wilder Life

Here's a book that I'm interested in reading.
The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure, nonfiction

Like many women, McClure grew up loving the Little House on the Prairie books.  In adulthood, her adoration blossomed into all-out obsession.  This book details her often comical quest to connect with the spirit of Laura Ingalls Wilder as she travels to the author's homesteads and tackles pioneer tasks like churning butter.  By journey's end, she's discovered the authentic beauty in Wilder's far-from-storybook real life.

Wouldn't it be fun to go on a book club field trip to the author's homesteads.  I think there's a Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum somewhere close to the banks of Plum Creek in Minnesota.  We could stop and pick up LuRene.  Our trip might be comical too, but with all the pioneer stock in our book club, we wouldn't find churning butter all that hard.

Three Cups of Tea Update

Some of you probably read the article in the Statesman on Saturday, May 7th.  I found it irritating.  Here it is in part:

Two Montana legislators sue Three Cups of Tea author.  They claim they were duped into buying the best-selling book and donating to his charity based on lies.  The complaint, which tells only one side of a legal argument, alleges Mortenson and CAI (Central Asia Institute) induced state Rep. Michele Reinhart of Missoula to buy the book and Rep. Jean Price of Great Falls to donate to the charity.  Reinhart and Price claim Mortenson and the charity engaged in fraud, deceit, breach of contract and recketeering under a statute normally used for prosecuting mobsters.

The Democratic legislators are seeking class-action status, saying the lawsuit potentially could be joined by millions of people who bought Mortenson's books, heard his speeches or donated to his charity.

Reinhart heard Mortenson speak at the University of Montana in 2007 and bought Three Cups of Tea in 2009.  Price heard a presentation by Mortenson or CAI in Great Falls in 2009 and made a donation "relying on the truthfulness of his statements," according to the complaint.

Not only am I irritated, but I think Montana may have legislators that are even lamer than some of ours.  I'm just saying.

Three Cups of Tea in April

I had hoped to have my furniture rearranged before book group last week.  I didn't, but I should have.  We had a great turn out and it was cozy at my house.  Thanks to 60 minutes for its timely attack on our author, we had a lot to discuss.  Many, many thanks to Kay's daughter-in-law who came and shared her experiences reading this book with a class of fourth graders, and participating in Pennies for Peace. 

The book is one that changes lives.  It's astounding to see what one person or small things like pennies can do.  The fourth graders at a low socio-economic school were able to buy uniforms, books, and supplies for 8 students for a year, plus extra pennies that would buy pencils and erasers.  Every one of us can contribute in some way , to some thing, and accomplish great things. 

This book also made us think more globally, with respect for different cultures.  I wanted to learn more about more places and people.  I was also impressed with the points made in the book where education was key, but more specifically, the education of girls and how women are the power of change in their villages and countries.  What Relief Society school teacher wouldn't love this?  Go Girl Power!   

Short Announcements

After our book group last week, I ended up with Tara's Three Cups of Tea book, and mine is missing, and someone in the last group to leave dropped a $5 bill on my floor.  We also need Mary Jo's recipe for the layered brownie/chocolate chip cookie yummy, and we're still waiting for a couple more recipes from our March potluck.  

Moving to Alice

For those that have been in our book group for a few years, you'll remember reading A Town Like Alice.  Our school counselor is moving to Alice, Austrailia this summer.  Her husband has a job with the government and will be overseeing a group of engineers for the next two years.  She says they now have a K-Mart in Alice, but that's about the highlight.  It's still far, far, away from everywhere.  It will be fun staying in touch with her and seeing pictures of the town.  Maybe she'll write her own book - or maybe a blog.

Three Cups of Tea Controversy

Pam asked if we would be discussing this at book group tomorrow.  I haven't watch 60 Minutes for years, but I should have last night.  I searched on the internet tonight and there are pages and pages of articles, blogs, and comments.  You can read a transcript of the 60 Minutes piece too.  It is going to put a whole new spin on our discussion, and those of you that regularly attend realize that our discussions often spin in crazy, wandering, directions.  If you just want a little background, here's a link to a newspaper article in the Bozeman paper where Greg Mortenson lives.

Mortenson Under Fire from 60 Minutes

150 Years Ago

It's been 150 years since the beginning of the Civil War.  I think we'll see a lot about the war and Abraham Lincoln for the next 5 years.  It might be good to focus our reading on the topic one month next year.  Maybe this year we could do some reading, and have some books to recommend for next year's list.