June 2008 Selection

The June 2008 selection for our club was Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin.

Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé.

Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness.

The Book Snobs Gathering

Something Borrowed made for a great discussion. We met on June 30th at Lisa's house for a "wedding reception" complete with wedding cake and a champagne toast.

May 2008 Selection

Our May 2008 selection was My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult.
Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate - a life and a role that she has never questioned… until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister - and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable… a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life… even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less?

The Book Snobs Gathering
Book Snobs met at Vicki's house for Sangria and Tapas. Discussion centered around medical ethics and how parent's differentiate among their children. Discussion was lively, but many of us felt that while this was an excellent read, the subject matter was kind of a downer.

April 2008 Selection

In April 2008 we read The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky.

What comes after the moment that changes your life forever? This is the question that haunts Julia Bechtel, Noah Prine, and Kim Colella, the only survivors of a horrific boating accident off the coast of Maine.

Julia, a 40-year-old wife and mother, has always done exactly what others expect of her. In the aftermath of her brush with death, though, she realizes that there has to be more to life than obedience.

Feeling strangely connected to Noah, the divorced, taciturn lobsterman who helped save her life, and to Kim, a 21-year-old, whose role in the accident -- and subsequent muteness -- are a mystery, Julia begins to explore her feelings in ways she has never done. With each new discovery, she grows ever more sure that after coming face to face with death, she must have more from life.

Set on the picturesque Maine coast, where lobstermen leave with the tides each morning to haul and set traps, and neighbors gather each night to feast on the catch of the day, The Summer I Dared is a story of the risky but rewarding search for self. Ultimately, it is a story of survival, of the irrepressible ability of the human spirit to rebound from disaster and make life anew.

The Book Snobs Gathering
Kathy hosted the Book Snobs for wine and lobster rolls. We had a great discussion about how a traumatic event can change your life and how many of us often just settle for where we are in life instead of going for what we want.

March 2008 Selection

In March 2008, we read Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen.

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie.

It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

The Book Snobs Gathering
We met at Janna's home for all the traditional circus foods like corn dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, cracker jacks, etc. During the discussion, most of us admitted that this was a book we would not have normally chosen to read. But everyone agreed that it was excellent reading. This book has well-developed characters including Rosie, the elephant. We all enjoyed learning about circus life and the great depression.

February 2008 Selection

Our first selection in February 2008 was Cecilia Ahern's P.S. I Love You.
Holly is a young Irish woman who has just lost her husband. She struggles with what to do with her life now that the love of her life is gone. She struggles to get up each morning. She doesn't leave the house anymore or talk to her family and friends. Her mother calls one day to tell her that she has a package and needs to pick up. Holly gets it and realizes that it contains letters from her husband that he wrote before he died.

There are 10 letters each containing some instruction on what to do now that he is gone. She is only allowed to read one letter a month and each one comes with instructions about what to do now that he is gone. These are things she wouldn't have done if he were still alive, but because they are from him she abides by his wishes. All the while she realizes that even though he is gone he is still with her in spirit and she must go on with her life.

Holly finds a job, meets new people and trys to keep life normal. She goes out partying with friends and goes on vacation. She wrestles with the possiblity of starting a new romance. All the while trying to stay true to her husband. In the end she realizes life does go on. Her husband wants her to be an independent lover of life. He wouldn't be disappointed if she went on to be happy without him.

The Book Snobs Gathering
We kicked off the book club at Claudia's house. She served yummy drinks along with some really great desserts. It gave all of us a chance to meet and greet each other. Claudia gave us some background information about the author and led the discussion.