April 2010 Selection

Theresa has selected Dating Dead Men as the April selection in the mystery genre. Here's what Publisher's Weekly says about Dating Dead Men.

The critically acclaimed and multiple award winning debut novel from Harley Jane Kozak, is a fast-paced, flawless blend of romance, comedy, and suspense. Dating Dead Men introduces a writer who is bound to take her place alongside Janet Evanovich and Gillian Roberts—and a heroine as feisty, funny, and unforgettable as Bridget Jones.

Wollie is dating 40 men in 60 days as part of a research project for a bestselling radio personality; the $5,000 fee could help her struggling store, "Wollie's Welcome! Greetings." In particular, Wollie's worried about inspections from national headquarters, who want to ensure that her franchise is up to standard. Her already full plate gets loaded up further when her paranoid schizophrenic brother, P.B., who resides at a mental hospital called Rio Pescado, phones to tell her he's witnessed a murder. The last thing Wollie wants is to call the police, so she dashes off to Rio Pescado. On the way she finds a dead body. At the hospital she picks up a charismatic stranger, "Doc," who's on the run, and Wollie can't help getting herself mixed up in his troubles as well...

The Book Snobs Gathering
The Snobs gathered at Theresa's home on Monday, April 26.  Theresa served delicious homemade Strawberry Daquiris made with fresh strawberries.  For dinner the Snobs were treated to a make-your-own Quesadilla bar and salad.

Dating Dead Men was a fun read and the discussion was entertaining.  This was the first mystery we've read as a group.  We discussed the author's use of red herrings and the interesting characters.  The settings used in this novel were vivid and were an integral part of the story.  Generally, all the Snobs enjoyed this lighthearted mystery.

March 2010 Selection

Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want—a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world—all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way—unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society’s ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.

The Snobs Gathering
The Snobs gathered at Della's home on Monday, March 29.   As usual, the evening started with a cocktail hour followed by a delicious meal.  Della served Pasta Milano with salad and bread.  The Snobs enthusiastically discussed Eat, Pray, Love.  Opinions on this book were widely varied.  Some of the Snobs thoroughly enjoyed it and others disliked it so much they didn't finish it.  The evening was topped off with brownies and ice cream.

February 2010 Selection

A dangerous homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.  An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel.  A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.  A story so incredible, no novelist would dare dream it.

It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana... and an East Texas honky-tonk... and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda... an upscale New York Gallery... a downtown dumpster... a Texas ranch.  Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, it also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

Same Kind of Different as Me was chosen by Sandra for the "Biography/ Autobiography" genre.

The Snobs Gathering
The Snobs met at Sandra's house on February 22.  As usual, we started with wine and chit-chat.  Our hostess served a delicious dinner of pulled pork sandwiches on onion rolls with homemade Cole slaw.  This book made for excellent discussion  of topics like discrimination and homelessness.  We also discussed prayer and how prayers may be answered.

January 2010 Selection

The Wednesday Letters is the story of Jack and Laurel.  Married 39 years, the Coopers lived a good life and appear to have had a near-perfect relationship.  Then one night, with his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his last breath, he scribbles his final "Wednesday Letter."   When their three adult children arrive to arrange the funeral, they discover boxes and boxes full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother on every single Wednesday.  As they begin to open and read the letters, the children uncover unimaginable adventures and the shocking truth about their past.   The Wednesday Letters has a powerful message about redemption and forgiveness.  And it just might inspire you to begin writing your own Wednesday Letters.

This book was chosen by Lisa for the "Realistic Fiction" genre.

The Snobs Gathering
The Snobs gathered at Lisa's home for a "wake" in memory of Jack and Laurel Cooper on Monday, January 25.  The Snobs enjoyed a dinner reminiscent of a typical family funeral meal.  Mourners dined on fried chicken, chicken pot pie, twice baked potatoes and chocolate cake.

The Snobs enjoyed their usual enthusiastic discussion.  We talked about each of the main characters and discussed the effect that secrets, often revealed after a loved one's death, can have on those who survive.

It was a lively and enjoyable evening of food, wine and discussion.

December 2009

The Snobs took a break from reading as a group in December.  We met for dinner at Vietnam Restaurant in downtown Corpus Christi.  Eating at Vietnam is an elegant communal experience with shared dishes.  As always conversation was the highlight of the evening.  And, in spite of an inattentive waiter, we enjoyed a great dinner.  For the second year, in lieu of a gift exchange The Snobs each contributed to a gift for the Corpus Christi Literacy Council.  Our donation will sponsor beginning reading workbooks for four adults who are learning to read.

November 2009 Selection

Maggie and Ira Moran have been married for 28 years–and it shows: in their quarrels, in their routines, in their ability to tolerate with affection each other’s eccentricities. Maggie, a kooky, lovable meddler and an irrepressible optimist, wants nothing more than to fix her son’s broken marriage. Ira is infuriatingly practical, a man “who should have married Ann Landers.” And what begins as a day trip to a funeral becomes an adventure in the unexpected. As Maggie and Ira navigate the riotous twists and turns, they intersect with an assorted cast of eccentrics–and rediscover the magic of the road called life and the joy of having somebody next to you to share the ride . . . bumps and all.

Breathing Lessons was chosen by Marta for the Pulitzer Prize Winner genre.

The Book Snobs Gathering
Marta hosted The Snobs on Monday, November 30.  She served a delicious homemade Cream of Chicken Soup with homemade bread and a wide choice of wines.   Dessert was warm Chocolate Lava Cake.

Discussion centered on Maggie's role in creating her own life and the impact she had on her children and husband.

October 2009 Selection

Stories filled with wonder and the haunting beauty of his culture have helped make Rudolfo Anaya the father of Chicano literature in English, and his tales fairly shimmer with the lyric richness of his prose. Acclaimed in both Spanish and English, Anaya is perhaps best loved for his classic bestseller ... Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will test the bonds that tie him to his people, and discover himself in the pagan past, in his father's wisdom, and in his mother's Catholicism. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world-and will nurture the birth of his soul.

This book has been chosen by Vicki for the Folk and Fairy Tale Genre.  Bless Me, Ultima is the first book on The Big Read's list of must-read books.

The Book Snobs Gathering
The Snobs gathered at Vicki's house on Monday, October 26.  We began with Tequila Sunrises followed by dinner of chicken enchiladas, lime black beans, jicama salad and chocolate-cayenne mousse.

Reviews of this book were mixed.  Some of the Snobs really enjoyed it and others thought it wasn't very interesting.  We discussed the conflicts between Catholicism and traditional Hispanic culture.  We also discussed the changes that the World Wars of the early twentieth century brought to America.