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.

October 2012 Selection

Shannan has chosen Our Husband by Stephanie Bond as the October selection for The Book Snobs.

From the writer's web site:

Hell hath no fury like three women scorned…

Thirty-something Dr. Natalie Carmichael has it all—a busy family practice in a small town, a great old Victorian house she inherited from a beloved aunt, and a handsome husband of six years with a thriving sales career in prosthetic limbs. But her perfect world begins to unravel when a man shows up demanding the jewelry she’s wearing in return for a debt her husband Raymond owes. Natalie is still reeling when she receives a phone call that Raymond has been in a minor car accident. She rushes to the hospital with thoughts of strangling the truth out of him, only to discover that two other women have beaten her there, both claiming to be married to Raymond!

Fifty-something socialite Beatrix Carmichael knows Raymond married her for her money, but she loves the cad anyway. Over the years, though, their childless marriage and his constant traveling have driven her to drink, pop pills, and keep the home shopping channels in business. When she gets a call that Raymond’s been in an accident, she actually relishes the thought of him lying captive in bed, forced to spend time with her. But when Beatrix arrives to find two other women vying for a place by his bedside, she’s looking for a plug to pull.

Twenty-one-year-old Ruby Lynn Carmichael thought she’d hit the jackpot when she met Raymond at the strip club where she works. He swept her off her feet, gave her a big fat ring, and bought her a double-wide trailer as a wedding gift. Ruby thought her life was set…until she learns that Raymond has two other wives in the wings, and the women aren’t exhibiting a very sharing spirit. Still, Ruby Lynn has a secret growing inside her that will ensure she gets what’s coming to her.

When over-committed Raymond Carmichael dies suddenly, his wives are grief-stricken and furious not to have the chance to confront him about his triple betrayal. But their heartache turns to suspicion when it’s revealed that Raymond was murdered. They all have means and motive, yet they each profess their innocence. To save themselves, this unlikely trio band together to track down a killer, and along the way, find a lot more than they bargained for.

The Book Snobs Gathering:

The Snobs gathered at Shannan's home on Monday, October 29. The Snobs enjoyed homemade tortilla soup and wine.

The Snobs discussed several aspects of Our Husband. We talked about how it would be possible for a woman not to know that her husband was also married to other women. Several members felt that perhaps he got something different from each relationship.

September 2012 Selection

The Snobs have selected Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See as our September selection. Charlene has graciously agreed to host.

From the author's website:

A language kept a secret for a thousand years forms the backdrop for an unforgettable novel of two Chinese women whose friendship and love sustains them through their lives.

This absorbing novel – with a storyline unlike anything Lisa See has written before – takes place in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion with only a single window from which to see.  Illiterate and isolated, they were not expected to think, be creative, or have emotions. But in one remote county, women developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women's writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world.  Some girls were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives.  They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.

An old woman tells of her relationship with her "old-same," their arranged marriages, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood—until a terrible misunderstanding written on their secret fan threatens to tear them apart. With the detail and emotional resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all time—female friendship.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs at Charlene's home on Monday, September 24, at 6:30 p.m. We shared wine and a delicious Asian food feast.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was an excellent book for discussion. The relationship between the two main characters was a source of differences of opinions. The practice of foot binding was discussed and we looked a photos of bound feet. We also discussed the importance of honesty on the relationship and the role of women within the family and the community.

August 2012 Selection

Marta will host in August as the Snobs discuss all three books of the Fifty Shades Trilogy.

The Book Snobs Gathering

Marta's Home
Tuesday, August 28, 6:30 p.m.
Watch your email for details.

Marta served appetizers and wine followed by chicken stir fry. Dessert was delicious chewy brownies and vanilla ice cream.

The meeting room was accessorized with handcuffs and other appropriate accoutrement. Our hostess also gave door prizes which required the Snobs to answer questions about their own love lives, anonymously, of course. We also answered which character in the book we most identified with.

This trilogy was a very interesting set of books for discussion. It caused us to stretch our limits and let down our guards in discussing the relationship between Anastasia and Christian and many of the other characters. Topics of discussion included lifestyle choices including BDSM and sexual abuse of children. We discussed the reasons for Christian's sexual proclivities and for Anastasia's submission. All in all, we had a lot of fun discussing these books.

July 2012 Selection

Becky has selected Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James as the July reading selection for The Book Snobs.

From the author's website:

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs met on Monday, July 30 at Becky's home. Becky served chicken spaghetti, with salad and garlic bread.


Over dinner the Snobs discussed which actors should be chosen to play the roles of Christian and Anastasia. We also discussed the genre of erotic literature.

We had a difficult time discussing only book one of this series. Many of the Snobs had already completed all three books. We decided that next month we will discuss all three books.

June 2012 Selection

Lisa has selected The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles as our book for June 2012. This selection is part of our year of choosing a bestseller from the year of the hostess' birth. The French Lieutenant's Woman was published in 1969.

From Good Reads:

In this contemporary, Victorian-style novel Charles Smithson, a nineteenth-century gentleman with glimmerings of twentieth-century perceptions, falls in love with enigmatic Sarah Woodruff, who has been jilted by a French lover.

Of all John Fowles' novels The French Lieutenant's Woman received the most universal acclaim and today holds a very special place in the canon of post-war English literature. From the god-like stance of the nineteenth-century novelist that he both assumes and gently mocks, to the last detail of dress, idiom and manners, his book is an immaculate recreation of Victorian England.

Not only is it the epic love story of two people of insight and imagination seeking escape from the cant and tyranny of their age, The French Lieutenant's Woman is also a brilliantly sustained allegory of the decline of the twentieth-century passion for freedom.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs met at Lisa's home on Monday, June 25, for dinner and discussion of The French Lieutenant's Woman. We enjoyed a build-your-own baked potato bar for dinner.

Only about half of the members actually finished this book. We agreed that it was a difficult read. Discussion centered mostly on the fact that John Fowles offered three alternate endings for his lengthy novel. Some of us found that extremely frustrating and felt like, as an author, it should have been Mr. Fowles responsibility to decide how his novel ended. He should not have left it up to the reader to decide. It was odd how he spoke in asides to the reader insinuating that his characters had lives of their own and made different decisions than he intended.

May 2012 Selection

Charlene has selected The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson for May 2012. This selection is part of our year of choosing a bestseller from the year of the hostess' birth. The copyright on this book is 1955.

From Good Reads:

Here is the story of Tom and Betsy Rath, a young couple with everything going for them: three healthy children, a nice home, a steady income. They have every reason to be happy, but for some reason they are not. Like so many young men of the day, Tom finds himself caught up in the corporate rat race - what he encounters there propels him on a voyage of self-discovery that will turn his world inside out. At once a searing indictment of corporate culture, a story of a young man confronting his past and future with honesty, and a testament to the enduring power of family, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit is a deeply rewarding novel about the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life.

The Book Snobs Gathering

Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Charlene's House
Watch your email for details.