The Book Snobs: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

March 2009 Selection

The March 2009 selection is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt.

Never before in the history of publishing has a fiction or non-fiction book spent as much time on The New York Times Bestseller List as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This book reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, it is actually a magical non-fiction rendering of a secluded and hauntingly beautiful city in which an infamous murder took place. The book contains one beguiling and outrageous story after another--all true--in which Berendt offers up a rogue's gallery of true-life rascals, eccentrics and proper society folk who live behind the stately facades of Savannah's grandest houses.

This book was selected by Marta for the "Crime" genre.

The Book Snobs Gathering
The Snobs gathered at Marta's home on Monday, April 6th for dinner and discussion. Marta served a delicious classically southern dinner of home fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn on the cob and hot rolls.For dessert we enjoyed peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream. We were greeted with "graveside" martinis and piano music to set the mood. The group was small, but, as always, the discussion was interesting. Discussion centered around whether Jim was guilty of murder or not. We also focused on the characters in this non-fiction book and how their lives were and were not linked. Everyone present agreed that the Lady Chablis was the favorite character in this story.

How Our Club Works

Here are the guidelines that have been agreed upon for our club.

1. You must be invited to join Book Snobs. We have chosen to limit membership to a maximum of 11 members. Prospective new members will be invited to participate as provisional candidates for a period of at least two months.

2. Book Snobs meet the last Monday of each month except December. Dates may be adjusted by consensus.

3. Each Snob must take her turn at hosting. If you can't host when your turn comes up, it's up to you to trade with another Snob.

4. Next month’s hostess should announce her selection at the end of each month’s meeting. She should also send an email announcement of her selection within a few days.

5. The Book Snobs read a wide variety of books. The method of selecting books for each year's reading cycle will be agreed upon in advance by the Snobs. When it's your turn to host you choose the book from the agreed list or genre.

6. The Snobs will not censor their book selections. Any member may elect not to read any selection, but she should not try to influence a hostess to change her selection.

7. Hosting includes providing dinner and adult beverages for the group.

8. The hostess is responsible for finding or creating discussion questions and leading the discussion. Creativity is encouraged. She is also asked to provide some background on the author and/or the book.

9. The hostess should guide the discussion and make an effort to ensure that all members are heard. She is empowered to ask members to stay on topic and to limit side discussions.

10. Each member is expected to read each month's selection. Readers who do not finish any book should decide for themselves whether they will attend discussion. Discussion will not be limited to avoid spoilers.

Rules of Courtesy

1. Snobs are asked to silence their cell phone ringers during discussion. If you must take a phone call, please step out of the room.

2. Children should not be present during discussion. We should not have to limit our discussion to child-appropriate topics. If your children are home, please make sure they stay in another room.

3. All members are asked to limit side discussions and to be courteous by limiting "talking over" other speakers. Members are empowered to raise their hand and/or use a safe word like "chocolate" when needed, to call attention back to the topic.

4. Each Snob is expected to notify the hostess of her attendance plans each month to allow for appropriate food preparation.