December 9 - 'A Redbird Christmas'

Nine of us gathered at Nancy's for our annual holiday gathering. As usual, we had yummy food (Michelle's onion tort was my favorite, I think). The book was roundly disliked for being the cliched, treacly work it is, but hey, it's a Christmas story. Plus it had recipes.

Now, the Yankee Swap was truly fabulous this year, with much swapping and laughing. And the bow has left my house for good! Win-win!

NEXT MEETING
Where: Susan's
What: Voracious by Cara Nicoletti
When: TBA

October 30 - 'American Ghost'

Six of us gathered at Leann's for a spooky Book Soup. Mary Beth joined us from Burlington! We had lots of yummy appetizers, veggie casserole and pizza, and a snazzy pumpkin-gingerbread mini trifle for dessert. Thank you, hostess, and all contributors!

We talked about everything, of course, and then the book: American Ghost by Hannah Nordhaus. The general consensus was enjoyment of the mix of history, family lore, and ghost hunt (with some caveats, of course). Then we told our own ghost stories. Fun!

On to the holidays. We were charged with finding a holiday book, and such we will read. Exact date to be determined, but it will be at Nancy's house and will include -- what else -- a Yankee Swap.

NEXT MEETING
Where: Nancy's
What: A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
What else: Yankee Swap (if new, <= $10)
When: TBA

September 25 - 'The Golem and the Jinni'

Seven of us gathered for a delectible meeting at Karen's. The hostess supplied middle eastern chickpea stew and Mediterranean platter (hummus, pita, olives, feta), Becky brought a platter of quesadillas; Michelle brought delicious green beans, Heather brought spicy roasted cauliflower with blue-cheese dressing, Leann brought a wonderfully crunchy green salad. I saw Darla with some wine, and I supplied a mud pie for dessert. I think we were full and happy! Recipes please, ladies.

The book: well, not everybody finished it, but I think those that did were mostly positive about it. How's that for a summary?!

Naturally we talked about other books as well, including Grandma Gatewood's Walk, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty Eight Nights, and Voices in the Ocean.

NEXT MEETING

When: Friday, October 30, 6 pm
Where: Leann's
What: American Ghost by Hannah Nordhaus

August 15 - 'The Last Bookaneer'

Six of gathered on a sultry summer afternoon for our discussion of The Last Bookaneer by Matthew Pearl. Becky hosted us by the pool, where we cooled off, both in the water and by drinking "water." Even though almost nobody finished the book, everyone seemed favorably disposed toward it. And we had such a lovely time munching on "Popsicles" and cucumber soup (thanks Michelle!), pita and dips, fruit, popcorn... The picnic table was very full, I'm sure I'm forgetting wonderful things, but you get the idea. Happily the rain held off til we cleared out from poolside.

NEXT MEETING
When: September sometime
Where: ?????
What: The Golem and the Jinni: A Novel by Helene Wecker

July 17 - The Martian

Seven of us gathered around the fire pit at Lisa's to discuss The Martian. Lisa had some theme food for us (potato salad, which was "a little chipoltle" and incredible), a yummy kale (from Charlie's garden) and rice casserole, and strawberry cake (100% from scratch). The rest of us filled in with appetizers, except for the Karens. Karen S. brought us a cooling watermelon gazpacho and Karen M. supplied us with Mars Bar cookies in abstentia (we missed you!).

After our usual general chat, we had a long discussion about the book. I believe everyone who read it liked it. I admit, I put it down, but it sounds like I gave up just before it got more interesting as more characters and viewpoints were added. Also interesting: needing to know how the main character fared drove some of us who never read the end first to do just that. The book itself is a great rags-to-riches story; not only is it a first novel, it was self-published and did so well a mainstream publisher picked up. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott, I see a Book Soup movie outing in our future!

NEXT MEETING
Where: Becky's pool
When: Mid-to-late August
What: The Last Bookaneer by Matthew Pearl

May 11 - Book shower and show-and-tell

We had a fun evening on my screened porch wishing Shirley well on her upcoming nuptials and talking about what we had been reading lately. For those of you who didn't make it, check out this book on Amazon: Fifty Shades of Chicken.

Here is the list of reading material I jotted down: 

• The life changing magic of cleaning up
• Being mortal
• The Martian
• The Truth According to us (by the author of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, coming in June)
• Euphoria
• The boys in the boat
• All the light we cannot see
• H is for Hawk
• Article about Jean McConville in The New Yorker
• Adrian McKinty books
• The chessman by Peter May
• Masie Dobbs
• The Dead Wake
• Circling the Sun by Paula McLaine (coming in July)
• The book of Unknown Americans
• Almost Famous Women

NEXT MEETING: TBA!

February Meeting

Thank you, Michelle, for hosting us on a such a chilly night! It was lovely to warm up with delicious gumbo and cocktails from The Big Easy, finishing it off with Lisa's king cake cupcakes. It was also fun sharing the first episode of the HBO series Treme and comparing it to the book Nine Lives.

NEXT MEETING
What: Sweetland by Michael Crummey
Where: Salt Hill in Hanover (in honor of St. Patrick's day)
When: A date in March TBD