November Selection

Deanna selected And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini as her hostess choice selection for November.

About the Author

Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and moved to the United States in 1980. His novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns were international bestsellers, published in thirty-four countries. The graphic novel of The Kite Runner was published in 2011. In 2006 he was named a US Goodwill Envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency. He lives in northern California. Bloomsbury has sold over six million copies of Khaled Hosseini's novels.

About the Book from Penguin Publishing

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globefrom Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Book Snobs met at Deanna's home for dinner and discussion on Monday, December 2.

November 2012 Selection

Sandra selected The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan for our November reading.

From the author's web site:

It is the summer of 1914 and Europe is on the brink of war, but Grace Winter’s future finally seems secure as she and her new husband set sail for New York, where she hopes to win over a disapproving and status-conscious mother-in-law. When a mysterious explosion sinks their ship, Grace is thrust into a lifeboat by a quick-witted crew member, who climbs in after her even though the boat is already filled beyond capacity.

As the weather deteriorates and the passengers are forced to choose sides in a brewing power struggle, Grace realizes that her survival could depend on whether she backs the ruthless but experienced John Hardie or the enigmatic but increasingly forceful Ursula Grant. Over the course of three perilous weeks, the lifeboat passengers plot, scheme, gossip and console one another while questioning their deepest assumptions about goodness, humanity and God.

Grace is finally rescued, only to be put on trial for her life. Unsure what to make of their client, Grace’s attorneys suggest she write her story down. The result is a page-turning tale of moral dilemmas, and also a haunting portrait of a woman as unforgettable and complicated as the events she describes.

The Book Snobs Gathering:

The Snobs gathered at Sandra's home on Monday, December 3rd for wine, dinner, and discussion. Sandra served a wonderful pasta primavera with grilled chicken breasts, Caesar salad, and garlic bread.

The Snobs discussed The Lifeboat. We talked about each of the main characters and what their motivation for their actions might have been. We also talked about whether we could survive being stranded at sea. We also discussed why some of the characters might have been moved to sacrifice themselves to save others. It was a good book for discussion.

November 2011 Selection

Sandra has chosen A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick as the November reading selection for The Book Snobs.

From the Workman Publishing web site:

Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt — a passionate man with his own dark secrets —has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways.

With echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, Robert Goolrick's intoxicating debut novel delivers a classic tale of suspenseful seduction, set in a world that seems to have gone temporarily off its axis.

The Book Snobs Gathering:

The Snobs gathered for dinner and discussion on Monday, November 28, 2011. Our hostess served a delicious meal of salad, soup, and a crescent ring.

The discussion of A Reliable Wife was interesting. We talked about about which characters knew what and when they knew it. We also discussed the twisted nature of all the relationships, even including some of the more minor characters like the housekeeper. The role of the long, lonely, cold Wisconsin also figured into the discussion.