Meeting: June 15, 2017

We had a record-breaking meeting at Linda's to discuss the book The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, and also watch the film. We started the meeting thirty minutes early to give ourselves time to watch the 90 minute film and still have time to compare and contrast the book and the movie. However, we visited for so long before we sat down to eat the many delicious dishes that Linda prepared, and then continued to visit (and talk about the book a bit, as well), that it was after 9pm before we sat down to watch the film. In the end we met for over 4 1/2 hours! We talked a little about the differences between the book and the movie, but we were mostly just moving to the door and heading home after the movie ended. Annie, Christe, Ellen, Jo, Judy, Julie, Linda, and Nanc attended.

Beautiful evening with Linda's water view

We decided to delay reading The Awakening Land: The Trees, The Fields, and The Town by Conrad Richter (originally penciled in for August) because Linda checked at Barnes and Nobles and the trilogy isn't going to be re-issued until November.  We felt it might be too difficult for everyone to acquire a copy.

Also, Linda found a list of classics and read the list to all of us.  The titles from her list that jumped out at us were: The Awakening by Kate Chopin, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.  So, be thinking about which of these classics you'd like to select for September.

Julie and I felt the film would have been confusing, or at least the viewer could not have understood completely the intricacies, without having read the book. I think it would have added a lot to the film if Griet had narrated the story a bit, the way she did in the book. In particular, I thought Griet would have been a blank slate if someone hadn't read the book. I was fine with Griet's brother and sister being left out of the film... and largely her parents, as well.

Vermeer and Griet did not have a romance but they had an intimate connection. Griet began to view the world differently as she developed a better understanding of his painting process.

"He saw things in a way that others did not, so that a city I had lived in all my life seemed a different place, so that a woman became beautiful with the light on her face." ~ Tracy Chevalier 

~ Nancy French

It was wonderful to see you all and I feel grateful for such a beautiful neighborhood of dear friends.

~ Linda Jenkins

My heart smiles after spending time with all of you. Thanks, Linda, for the delightful summer spread of food and hospitality. With a grateful heart. 

~ Annie Larkin

Thank you, Linda. Good view, good food, good people equals a wonderful evening. It is always a fun and enlightening time when the Waterview Book Club meets. I look forward to our next meeting.  

~ Judy Lee

Next Book: Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins
Location: Jo's
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2017
Time: 6:30pm 

Upcoming meetings:

August 10, 2017  The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore at TBA

September 14, 2017 TBA

October 12, 2017 TBA

Books we've read so far:

January 2014 - Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

February 2014 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

March 2014 - Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

April 2014 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

May 2014 - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

June 2014 - Breaking Free by Marilyn Sewell

July 2014 - The Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline

August 2014 - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

September 2014 - Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

October 2014 - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

November 2014 - The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

December 2014 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2015 - No book.  Watched The Book Thief

February 2015 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

March 2015 - Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

April 2015 - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

May 2015 - The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

June 2015 - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

July 2015 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

August 2015 - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

September 2015 - Ruby by Cynthia Bond

October 2015 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

November 2015 - No book.  Watched To Kill a Mockingbird

December 2015 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2016 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

February 2016 - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 

March 2016 - Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

April 2016 - Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

May 2016 - Jewelweed by David Rhodes

June 2016 - One Woman's River by Ellen Kolbo McDonah

July 2016 - Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

August 2016 - Deep Water Passage by Ann Linnea

September 2016 - This Road I Ride by Juliana Buhring

October 2016 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

November 2016 - No book.  Watched The Boys of '36

December 2016 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2017 - About Grace by Anthony Doerr

February 2017 - Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi Coates

March 2017 - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

April 2017 - No book - meeting canceled

May 2017 - Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

June 2017 - The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier also watched The Girl with a Pearl Earring

Meeting: May 11, 2017

We decided to attend the Ann Dahmen Memorial Harp Concert at the library before meeting at the Trempealeau Hotel afterward to socialize and discuss Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Ellen, Kathy, Linda, and Liz attended the harp concert. Nanc tried to attend the concert but the library doors were locked when she arrived, so she had to listen from outside. Annie and Jo joined us at the hotel.

We unanimously decided to delay the June meeting to the 3rd week of June (June 15th) so that Linda, who is the June host, could attend the rain garden educational presentation at the library on June 8th. Many of us were also interested in attending the rain garden presentation. We also decided to change the meeting time to 6:00 for June's meeting. This is because we plan to socialize and then watch Girl with a Pearl Earring, which we hope will leave time to compare and contrast the book and the film afterward.

This month's water view was from the Trempealeau Hotel

I will tell you what's left, three profound blessings. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul tells us exactly what they are: faith, hope, and love. These gifts, which are the foundation of eternity, God has given to us and he's given us complete control over them. Even in the darkest night it's still within our power to hold faith. We can still embrace hope. And although we may feel ourselves unloved we can still stand steadfast in our love for others and for God. All this is in our control. God gave us these gifts and he does not take them back. It is we who chooses to discard them. ~ William Kent Krueger

~ Ellen Bowes

My father cleared his throat, and said into the silence, "Is there anyone else who would care to offer the blessing? 

No one spoke and the silence stretched on painfully. 

Then at my side a small clear voice replied, "I'll say grace."

I stood dumbfounded because, Jesus, the person who'd spoken was my stuttering brother, Jake. He didn't wait for my father's permission. He rose from his chair and bowed his head.

I looked at all those people present, none of whom could bring themselves to close their eyes and miss the train wreck that was about to take place and I prayed as desperately as I ever had, Oh, dear God, take me away from this torture. 

Jake said, "Heavenly F-F-F." And stopped. 

O God, I prayed, just kill me now. 

My mother reached up and put her hand gently on his shoulder and Jake cleared his throat and tried again. 

"Heavenly Father, for the blessings of this food and these friends and our families, we thank you. In Jesus's name, amen." 

That was it. That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word. 

"Thank you, Jake," my mother said and I saw that her whole face had changed. 

And my father looked mystified and almost happy and said, "Thank you, son." 

And all the people, as if released from some hypnotic trance, began to move again, though slowly, and got into line and filled their plates. 

And me, I looked at my brother with near reverence and thought to myself, Thank you, God.  

~ William Kent Krueger

~ Nancy French 

Next Book: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier 
Location: Linda's
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
Time: 6:00pm 

Upcoming meetings:

July 13, 2017 Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins at TBA

August 10, 2017 The Awakening Land: The Trees, The Fields and The Town by Conrad Richter at TBA

Books we've read so far:

January 2014 - Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

February 2014 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

March 2014 - Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

April 2014 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

May 2014 - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

June 2014 - Breaking Free by Marilyn Sewell

July 2014 - The Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline

August 2014 - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

September 2014 - Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

October 2014 - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

November 2014 - The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

December 2014 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2015 - No book.  Watched The Book Thief

February 2015 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

March 2015 - Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

April 2015 - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

May 2015 - The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

June 2015 - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

July 2015 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

August 2015 - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

September 2015 - Ruby by Cynthia Bond

October 2015 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

November 2015 - No book.  Watched To Kill a Mockingbird

December 2015 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2016 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

February 2016 - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 

March 2016 - Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

April 2016 - Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

May 2016 - Jewelweed by David Rhodes

June 2016 - One Woman's River by Ellen Kolbo McDonah

July 2016 - Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

August 2016 - Deep Water Passage by Ann Linnea

September 2016 - This Road I Ride by Juliana Buhring

October 2016 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

November 2016 - No book.  Watched The Boys of '36

December 2016 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2017 - About Grace by Anthony Doerr

February 2017 - Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi Coates

March 2017 - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

April 2017 - No book - meeting canceled

May 2017 - Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Meeting: March 8, 2017

We switched our meeting night to Wednesday this month as our host Annie, had a conflict on our planned Thursday date. Annie served a variety of salmon dishes which were all delicious. And thanks to Paul for his contribution in the preparation! Annie, Christe, Ellen, Judy, and Nanc attended the meeting.

Sunset from near the top of Annie's driveway

Our book this month was Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Americanah was not really plot driven so much as a book about the main character, Ifemelu, who speaks her mind and uses a blog to speak openly about racism in America.

The only reason you say that race was not an issue is because you wish it was not. We all wish it was not. But it's a lie. I came from a country where race was not an issue; I did not think of myself as black and I only became black when I came to America. When you are black in America and you fall in love with a white person, race doesn't matter when you're alone together because it's just you and your love. But the minute you step outside, race matters. But we don't talk about it. We don't even tell our white partners the small things that piss us off and the things we wish they understood better, because we're worried they will say we're overreacting, or we're being too sensitive. And we don't want them to say, "Look how far we've come, just forty years ago it would have been illegal for us to even be a couple blah blah blah," because you know what we're thinking when they say that? We're thinking why the fuck should it ever have been illegal anyway? But we don't say any of this stuff. We let it pile up inside our heads and when we come to nice liberal dinner like this, we say that race doesn't matter because that's what we're supposed to say, to keep our nice liberal friends comfortable. It's true. I speak from experience. ~ Chimanmanda Ngozi Adichie

If you're telling a non-black person about something racist that happened to you, make sure you are not bitter. Don't complain. Be forgiving. If possible, make it funny. Most of all, do not be angry. Balck people are not supposed to be angry about racism. Otherwise you get no sympathy. This applies only for white liberals, by the way. Don't even bother telling a white conservative about anything racist that happened to you. Because the conservative will tell you that YOU are the real racist and your mouth will hang open in confusion. ~ Chimanmanda Ngozi Adichie

Racism should never have happened and so you don't get a cookie for reducing it. ~ Chimanmanda Ngozi Adichie 

I realized that if I ever have children, I don't want them to have American childhoods. I don't want them to say "Hi" to adults, I want them to say "Good morning" and "Good afternoon." I don't want them to mumble "Good" when somebody says "How are you?" to them. Or to raise five fingers when asked how old they are. I want them to say "I'm fine, thank you" and "I'm five years old." I don't want a child who feeds on praise and expects a star for effort and talks back to adults in the name of self expression. Is that terribly conservative? Blaine's friends said it was and for them, 'conservative' is the worst insult you can get. ~ Chimanmanda Ngozi Adichie

April Meeting canceled due to many book club members having conflicts.

Next Book: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger 
Location: Trempealeau Hotel (after Ann Dahmen Memorial Harp Concert at the library)
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2017
Time: 8:00pm (Harp Concert begins at 6:30)

Upcoming meetings:

June 8, 2017 Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier at Linda's

July 13, 2017 TBA 
August 10, 2017 TBA

Books we've read so far:

January 2014 - Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

February 2014 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

March 2014 - Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

April 2014 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

May 2014 - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

June 2014 - Breaking Free by Marilyn Sewell

July 2014 - The Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline

August 2014 - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

September 2014 - Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

October 2014 - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

November 2014 - The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

December 2014 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2015 - No book.  Watched The Book Thief

February 2015 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

March 2015 - Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

April 2015 - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

May 2015 - The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

June 2015 - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

July 2015 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

August 2015 - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

September 2015 - Ruby by Cynthia Bond

October 2015 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

November 2015 - No book.  Watched To Kill a Mockingbird

December 2015 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2016 - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

February 2016 - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 

March 2016 - Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

April 2016 - Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

May 2016 - Jewelweed by David Rhodes

June 2016 - One Woman's River by Ellen Kolbo McDonah

July 2016 - Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

August 2016 - Deep Water Passage by Ann Linnea

September 2016 - This Road I Ride by Juliana Buhring

October 2016 - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

November 2016 - No book.  Watched The Boys of '36

December 2016 - No book.  Holiday gathering.

January 2017 - About Grace by Anthony Doerr

February 2017 - Between the World and Me by Ta-nehisi Coates

March 2017 - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

April 2017 - Meeting canceled due to most members having conflicts