April moving toward May

Time stops for No Woman....as we march on from Little Bee by Chris Cleave to Sugar Changed the World: A story of magic, spice, slavery, freedom and science by Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos, our nonfiction read for the year, we are reminded how the present is shaped by the past and our responsibility for the future; we are also reminded of the fact that the world truly is quite small. Image

Winter 2017

Mysteries and coincidences abound; here it is February 1, 2017 and the book title under the arms of Book Clubbers is Kate Atkinson's When will there be good news? The characters in this crime mystery are looking for answers, but we Mainers and High School seniors are looking for answers this time of year as well. When will I hear from my colleges?,; Will there be more snow days?; Will Spring arrive early?; How much longer before February vacation? It won't be long before these questions are answered and more are created. We've been busy all Fall and Early Winter and time has passed quickly with the readings of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Every Day by David Levithan and When We were the Kennedy's by Monica Wood. Now is a great time to catch our breath, relax and listen to a good story. Here's a clip of Atkinson reading hers:

Preparing for the end of the school year

Once May arrives everyone in a school looks forward to wrapping up obligations to THIS school year and creating new adventures, new activities, or new ways to be with our best friends. The CMHS Book Club will have our last meeting on Friday May 20th and for those of us who wish to continue, well we will have to be a club of one. If you are like me you'll make lists of books to read (some that you will and some that you won't) for SUMMER reading. This last book of this school year creates an easy lighthearted and at times funny path for setting the stage of our own reflection on our own past (school or life) and the look forward. Enjoy!

April 2016

The cast of human characters during the horrific reign of Nazi Germany is intriguing and we move on to next month's book of the same period. Diane Ackerman's representation of the true story of a Warsaw Zookeeper and his wife's heroic efforts to represent the best of humanity is our next read. Watch the clip of Ackerman discussing The Zookeepers Wife

Is Spring nearly here?

Last month's Book Club meeting featured a pretty lively discussion of Kate Atkinson's Paying Guests; it was fun to think of the motivations of the characters and the restraints of their world. February's meeting is what makes book clubs fun! March's read is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It is timely during these difficult political times to see the best and worst of what we humans are capable of and a good reminder to consider our treatment of others while perserving our self respect with behavior of which to be proud. Take a look at this interview with Zusak and learn how and why he wrote this book.

February: We need to reboot

January wasn't the beginning I'd hoped it would be, so I'm officially rebooting the New Year with February! New adventures, new complications, new read: The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. Book Club has read 2 of Waters novels in the past (Fingersmith & The Little Stranger), and both were hits. Here is the summary Novelist Plus says about waters: "In her acclaimed historical novels, Sarah Waters maps the many different facets of the female character. Whether she's writing literary Victorian suspense or a multifaceted saga of postwar angst, her twisting and unpredictable plots, all deeply saturated in the mood and atmosphere of her chosen periods, are told in elegant language. Her protagonists are so-called ordinary people caught up in intense personal relationships and frequently subversive social dramas; common elements to her fiction include class and gender issues, spiritualism, and sexuality." (www.maine.gov/marvel) Here's what Waters has to say about her novel: SEE YOU ON THE 26th!

January: a brand new year. What will it bring? Sometimes the past isn't far behind....

The magical and fantastic circus created by author Erin Morgenstern gave us a lot to talk about at our last meeting. We are moving forward to the new year and a new theme, Realistic Fiction. Our book choice is by the Irish author Tana French and although realistic, it's a mystery as well. Main character Frank Mackey learns the past is not always behind you and your escape never complete.... Enjoy!