April 2011 Selection

Carol has chosen The Help by Kathryn Stockett as the April 2011 selection.

From the author's website:

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs gathered at Carol's home on Monday, April 25th. We enjoyed appetizers and wine followed by a delicious white asparagus lasagna served with salad and garlic bread. Dessert was a light but very tasty pound cake with strawberries and white chocolate pudding.

Several of our usual attendees were absent, but that didn't slow down our discussion one bit. We talked about life in the South and how it has changed and not changed since the 1960s. We discussed specific characters and the impact that changing roles of women and integration had on their lives. We even discussed the most radical or unusual beauty treatments each of us has undergone in the name of beauty. I was particularly interested in the different perceptions of race among our members and we talked specifically about changes that have taken place in our own lifetimes. There was a significant difference that I perceived to be related to the differences in our ages.

I highly recommend The Help to anyone who is looking for an interesting book that is great for discussion.

March 2011 Selection

Charlene has chosen The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy as the March 2011 selection.

From the author's web site:

Yamacraw Island was haunting, nearly deserted, and beautiful. Separated from the mainland of South Carolina by a wide tidal river, it was accessible only by boat. But for the handful of families that lived on Yamacraw, America was a world away. For years these families lived proudly from the sea until waste from industry destroyed the oyster beds essential to their very existence. Already poor, they knew they would have to face an uncertain future unless, somehow, they learned a new life. But they needed someone to teach them, and their run down schoolhouse had no teacher.

The Water Is Wide is Pat Conroy’s extraordinary memoir based on his experience as the only teacher in a two-room schoolhouse, working with children the world had pretty much forgotten. It was a year that changed his life, and one that introduced a group of poor black children to a world they did not know existed.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs gathered at Charlene's home on Monday, March 28. The Snobs enjoyed wine and hors oeuvres served on the patio overlooking the canal on Padre Island. Charlene served delicious and authentic Low Country Cuisine consisting of the most delicious grits I've ever tasted served with 82 Queen BBQ Shrimp. The evening was topped off with delicious Apple Dumplings with Mountain Dew Sauce. Be sure you check out the recipes below. You won't be disappointed. I'd like to give a special shout-out and huge thank-you to Charlene's husband who served as chef for the evening.

Discussion of The Water Is Wide focused on education in general. This book spurred a great discussion primarily about education. We discussed integration and the changes in education that have been brought on by the current testing policies. Many members expressed disappointment that the vibrant and interesting characters in this book were not more fully developed. Some of us were frustrated that there was no follow-up about what happened to the children later in life. We talked about Pat Conroy's creativity in bringing the outside world to the children on Yamacraw Island and his determination and frustration in trying to take the children off the island to see the world.

While this may not have been one of our favorite books, it was an excellent book club selection and gave us plenty of fodder for interesting discussion.

Recipes from the Book Snobs

82 Queen BBQ Shrimp and Grits

Makes 6 dinner portions

LOW COUNTRY GRITS
2 cups of heavy cream
2 cups of water
¼ lb. of butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 cup of quick grits

Bring cream and water to a boil. Add butter, salt and pepper. Slowly add grits and reduce heat. Cook 20 minutes, being careful not to scorch mixture.

SOUTHERN COMFORT BBQ SAUCE
¼ lb. bacon, diced
½ cup red onion, finely diced
½ cup red bell pepper
½ cup green bell pepper
2 14-oz. bottles of Heinz ketchup
½ cup of brown sugar
3-4 Tablespoons Southern Comfort
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook Bacon until ¾ done. Add onions and peppers. Saute until done. Flame with Southern Comfort. Add remaining ingredients and season. Simmer for 10 minutes and then cool. (Can last under refrigeration several weeks.

SHRIMP
Place in Southern Comfort BBQ Sauce and simmer for one minute.

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and quartered
1 can (8 ct) crescent rolls
½ cup of sugar
1 stick of butter
¾ tsp vanilla
1 can of Mountain Dew
Cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pan.

Wrap apple quarters in crescent rolls. Put in pan. Melt butter and sugar over medium heat stirring constantly and bring to a boil. When sugar is all dissolved, remove from heat, add vanilla and pour over apples. Sprinkle top of dumplings with cinnamon. Pour Mountain Dew around dumplings and bake 25 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream.

February 2011 Selection

Theresa has chosen The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein as the February selection in the animal fiction genre.

GarthStein.com says:

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs met at Theresa's home on Monday, February 28. She served a choice of French Onion Soup and Seafood Chowder. Both were delicious.

The Snobs spent a good deal of time talking about some rules and protocals for the club. Since we've grown from a froup of seven to a group of eleven, it seems that some rules and "crowd-control" may be in order.

The Art of Racing in the Rain was universally thought to be a great read. This book was uniquely written from the perspective of Enzo, a dog with the soul of a philosopher and an obsession with opposable thumbs. We were all amused at Enzo educating himself by watching television and listening. And we were amazed by his insights into human nature and impressions of human personalities.

Recipes from The Book Snobs

Seafood Chowder

1 bunch of green onions
1 lb. of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 stick of butter
2 cans of cream of potato soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
2 cans of whole kernel corn (drain one can)
2 pints of half & half
1-8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese
1-2 lbs. of crawfish tail meat (1-2 frozen packages-do not rinse) or shrimp or combination of shrimp and crawfish
1 Tablespoon of Tony Chchere's Creole seasoning (I would suggest starting with one teaspoon and then adding more depending on how spicy you want it to be)

Saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter and then add the remaining ingredients. Heat about 1 hour.

Quick Onion Soup

2 large onions
3 packets of onion soup mix (I buy the boxes that have 2 packets of onion soup mix in each box and for this recipe I use 1.5 boxes or 3 packets)
8 cups water
French bread
Grated white cheese (e.g.,, swiss, mozzarella, Italian blend)

Slice onions into thin rounds and then cut in half again.

Saute onions in vegetable oil or olive oil until soft and slightly browned.

Add water and onion soup mix.

Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-60 minutes.

Serve with crumbled bread and sprinkle cheese on top. (You can use any kind of bread but I prefer a white French loaf style. It is fine to use bread that is a little stale and hard because the broth will soften it up. If you just have wheat bread, pop it in the toaster and then tear it up and put it in the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup on top).

*The longer you cook it, the more the broth reduces and darkens and thickens up and makes for a really rich onion soup.

*If you are in a hurry, you can omit sautéing the onions and just throw all the ingredients together (water, onion soup mix, raw onions) and bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 min until onions are soft. It still tastes good with this quickie version.

January 2011 Selection

Becky has selected Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay as the January selection for the Book Snobs. The genre this month is "hostess choice."

Book Browse says this:

Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family's apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France's past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d'Hiv', to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

 The Book Snobs Gathering

The Book Snobs gathered at Becky's house for drinks, dinner, and discussion on January 31. The hostess served fried chicken with salad and french fries.

Sarah's Key was an excellent book for discussion. All the members reported that they finished it quickly because they couldn't put it down. Discussion centered around the fact that none of us was aware that the ethnic cleansing of the Jews extended to France and was carried out by French citizens under the direction of Nazis. We were touched by the lasting impact on the characters in this book and how the stories from both time periods were woven together.

Sarah's Key is highly recommended reading for anyone, especially for other book clubs.

November 2010 Selection

Sandra has selected Kindred by Octavia Butler as the November selection from the Fantasy genre.

The Best Notes says this about Kindred.

Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is abruptly snatched from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, has summoned her across time to save him from drowning. After this first summons, she is drawn back, again and again, to protect Rufus and ensure he will grow to manhood and father the daughter who will become Dana’s ancestor.

Each time she arrives in the past, Dana’s sojourns will become more and more dangerous because of Rufus’ obsessive need for her. The reader never knows whether she will survive one journey or the next. It’s only when she finally must save herself from rape ... that she is finally freed from the pull of the past.

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Book Snobs gathered at Sandra's home on Monday, November 29 for dinner, drinks and discussion. Sandra served a great salad and delicious homemade lasagna and, of course, a variety of wines.

Kindred was a great book for discussion. The story is of a modern-day black woman, married to a white man, who time travels back to the antebellum south. She is faced with many moral dilemmas as she meets her ancestors both slave and free and must learn to live among them yet still remain a modern American woman. She faces the possibility of changing history which will inevitably change her own future.

October 2010 Selection

Lisa has selected Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as the October selection from the world literature genre.

Shelfari says "In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is devastated, but he is a romantic. As he rises in his business career he whiles away the years in 622 affairs--yet he reserves his heart for Fermina. Her husband dies at last, and Florentino purposefully attends the funeral. Fifty years, nine months, and four days after he first declared his love for Fermina, he will do so again. With humorous sagacity and consummate craft, García Márquez traces an exceptional half-century story of unrequited love. Though it seems never to be conveniently contained, love flows through the novel in many wonderful guises--joyful, melancholy, enriching, ever surprising."

The Book Snobs Gathering

The Snobs gathered at Lisa's home on Tuesday, October 26. The Snobs enjoyed dinner of salad and King Ranch Casserole accompanied by a variety of wines. Dessert was delicious banana cream pie.

Most of the Snobs did not actually finish reading Love in the Time of Cholera. Discussion centered around the obsessive love of Florentino Ariza for Fermina Daza and his long series of affairs. We also discussed how he described himself as faithful to her in spite of those affairs. We all wondered what Oprah was thinking when she selected this as one of her favorite books. Most, if not all of the Snobs, strongly disagreed.

September 2010 Selection

Marta has selected the Education of Harriet Hatfield from the Banned Books genre.

Wild Rumpus Books summarizes, "Harriet Hatfield begins a new life at the age of 60 after her lover of 30 years has died and left her comfortably well off. But when Harriet opens a bookstore for women in a blue-collar neighborhood of Boston, she is viciously attacked for her lesbianism. Ms. Sarton's powerful portrayal of the shy, reserved woman's battle becomes a moving statement about the place of the outsider in our world-and the necessity of following the human heart."

The Book Snobs Gathering

Marta hosted the Snobs gathering on Monday, September 27. She served sandwich wraps, pasta salad and a variety of cheeses followed by yummy peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

The Education of Harriet Hatfield was an excellent book for discussion. The book was banned from high schools because of it's frank portrayal of homosexuality and the widespread AIDS paranoia of the 1980's. We discussed the changes in societal perceptions of homosexuality. We also talked about the characters in this book and the role that each of them played in developing Harriet's character. One of the final questions of the evening was whether we would allow or teenagers to read this book and whether we would also want it banned. The consensus was that we would definitely allow our own teens to read it, but would need to be ready to answer questions and guide discussions with them.