Choose Your Own Adventure - February

For February's book, we are choosing a book written by a Black author. Please vote in the poll by January 14th.

Here are the contenders, in no particular order (all summaries have been pulled from Amazon & Google Books). Please respond to the poll at the end. Thank you!

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
James McBride grew up one of twelve siblings in the all-black housing projects of Red Hook, Brooklyn, the son of a black minister and a woman who would not admit she was white. The object of McBride's constant embarrassment and continuous fear for her safety, his mother was an inspiring figure, who through sheer force of will saw her dozen children through college, and many through graduate school. McBride was an adult before he discovered the truth about his mother: The daughter of a failed itinerant Orthodox rabbi in rural Virginia, she had run away to Harlem, married a black man, and founded an all-black Baptist church in her living room in Red Hook. In her son's remarkable memoir, she tells in her own words the story of her past. Around her narrative, James McBride has written a powerful portrait of growing up, a meditation on race and identity, and a poignant, beautifully crafted hymn from a son to his mother.

 

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
Rachel, the daughter of a danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop.
Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring a constant stream of attention her way. It’s there, as she grows up and tries to swallow her grief, that she comes to understand how the mystery and tragedy of her mother might be connected to her own uncertain identity.
This searing and heartwrenching portrait of a young biracial girl dealing with society’s ideas of race and class is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice. 

 

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Oscar is a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd who—from the New Jersey home he shares with his old world mother and rebellious sister—dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and, most of all, finding love. But Oscar may never get what he wants. Blame the fukú—a curse that has haunted Oscar’s family for generations, following them on their epic journey from Santo Domingo to the USA. Encapsulating Dominican-American history, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao opens our eyes to an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and explores the endless human capacity to persevere—and risk it all—in the name of love.

 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
One of the most important works of twentieth-century American literature, Zora Neale Hurston's beloved 1937 classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. A true literary wonder, Hurston's masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published—perhaps the most widely read and highly regarded novel in the entire canon of African American literature.

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age–and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns about love for herself and the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.

  

The Known World by Edward P. Jones
The Known World tells the story of Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave who falls under the tutelage of William Robbins, the most powerful man in Manchester County, Virginia. Making certain he never circumvents the law, Townsend runs his affairs with unusual discipline. But when death takes him unexpectedly, his widow, Caldonia, can't uphold the estate's order, and chaos ensues. Jones has woven a footnote of history into an epic that takes an unflinching look at slavery in all its moral complexities. 

Thank you! Please vote here by January 14th.

December - Discussion Questions

Here are some discussion questions to keep in mind for our meeting tonight. As always, please come with additional questions if you have them!

Questions for Discussion 

1. This book was chosen for the "winter" theme. Can you tell why immediately? What was the role that winter played in the novel?
2. The relationship between Lev & Kolya changes throughout the novel. Was this relationship depicted realistically?
3. The two characters are on a quest for one dozen eggs. Why do you think the author chose eggs as the commodity? Would the message of deprivation been as strong (or stronger) with another product?
4. Kolya talks about the brilliance that is The Courtyard Hound. What indication does the author give you that Kolya is the author? What was the significance to Kolya that he wrote this?
5. One of the plot peaks of the book is when Lev & Kolya find the house filled with the girls who are kept plump and healthy for the German Einsatzgruppen. Discuss what goes on in this house. How did it change Lev's character?
6. The author wrote this as if it was about his grandfather, although he admits in interviews that his grandfather has never been to Russia. This speaks to the flexibility that the story has; it could be anyone's grandfather. Did you feel as if your family's history could fit into this story somewhere?
7. David Benioff is a writer for Game of Thrones. For those of you who have seen GoT, do you see any similarities in the storytelling?

 Thank you for participating again this month! I look forward to seeing you for the discussion!

January - Book Pick & Date

Thanks to all for voting for January's book! The chosen book for the theme of "new beginnings" is Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.

The book discussion will be on January 26th (4pm) at Pratt Street Ale House. Please let me know your RSVP for the discussion no later than January 21st, so I can finalize it with them.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in January!

Looking Forward

I am really excited about how quickly this book club has grown & how much interest I've seen in it so far. Not only that, but I've made new friends & have been able to get really nerdy and passionate about books with folks that I really like. With that said, there's a few things I'd like to discuss moving forward into 2013 with Bookmarks & Barstools.

Monthly Themes
I think that the monthly theme thing is working well, so I've decided to post the next few month's themes. Of course, you are the ones to nominate books for each of them (THE POWER IS YOURS!). Here you go & maybe you can begin to think about books you'd like to nominate in the future.

February: Books written by Black authors (in honor of African American Heritage month)
March: Science fiction
April: Poetry (in honor of National Poetry Month)
May: Second place winners (it's our one-year anniversary, so we will choose from all second-place books from previous months).
June: Books written by LGBTQ authors (in honor of Pride month)
July: Memoir
August: Historical Fiction

The Blog
I really think that this blog can be more than a book club blog, but I would need help from you lovely folks. I'm thinking that this would be more of a collaborative place where we can all discuss anything bookish (and, of course, we'd still use it as our home base for the book club). Let me know if you'd like to be a regular contributor, and if you have something in mind for a specific column that you'd like to write (as in, you would write under that over-arching topic semi-monthly).

Swag
So, Leanne made this awesome logo for us, and now I want to do stuff with it! I was thinking, obviously, bookmarks and maybe koozies or shot glasses/pint glasses. Maybe t-shirts. What do you all think? How much money would you be willing to put in for book club swag? If there is no interest in B&B products, I totally understand, just let me know!

Are there any additional questions, concerns, suggestions? Let me know, either post in the comments, post on FB, or send me a message.

Thanks again for making this book club such a success. I'm having a great time with it & I hope you are too.

Ann Marie

Literary Gift Guide

So, everyone's doing these & I thought it'd be kind of fun to write one up for the book club. Who knows? Maybe this blog can start to be a more literary blog in addition to being a book club blog.

This list is a compilation of really awesome literary gifts. I hope you enjoy & if you have any additional suggestions, feel free to leave a comment!

Out of Print Clothing ($20-$42)
This is one of my favorite shops to browse on the Internet. I pretty much want everything on the website. They are known for their shirts, but check out their coasters, bags, and notecards. You won't be disappointed.
Holiday deal: Free shipping with a $75 purchase

Novel Tea by Bag Ladies Tea ($2.50-$12.50)
I know tons of bookworms that are also tea-lovers, and this is perfect for them. Each teabag has a printed quote by a famous author on it. I can't vouch for the tea's taste (I haven't tried it...yet), but I can vouch for how awesome these are. Please note that the minimum order amount is $25 and you must have a Paypal account.

In the Library by CB I Hate Perfume ($12-$90)
This is a more weird gift, but I'm so intrigued that I have to list it. This perfume smells like a library (Russian & Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish, to be specific) and was inspired by the creator's favorite book's smell.

Jezebel Charms ($20-$45)
These literary-inspired cuffs, cuff links, and necklaces are brilliant. If you know someone that really loves Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, or Shakespeare, this shop is perfect for them.

Personal Library Kit by Knock Knock Stuff ($15)
One of our book clubbers (Leanne) can vouch for this awesome library kit. I remember when she got it & I remember checking a book out from her. It was glorious. This is perfect for those of you who like to lend your books out.
Holiday deal: Flat-rate shipping for all orders, free shipping for orders over $50.

Transit Issue Waterproof Nomad Journal ($74)
Writers will totally appreciate this journal because it is completely waterproof (and comes with a cool space pen too!). This gift would pair well with the next one, for those that are getting into the Jack London or Christopher McCandless mood.
Holiday deal: 10% off over the holidays.

Fully Booked by Field Candy ($800)
And for those of you that want to break the bank, this gift is really, really badass. A tent. With a book cover. I'm in love.

Choose Your Own Adventure - January

 The theme for January's book pick is "new beginnings." Please vote by December 21st.

Here are the contenders, in no particular order (all summaries have been pulled from Amazon & Google Books). Please respond to the poll at the end. Thank you!


Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than “an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise.” But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone.

Strayed faces down rattlesnakes and black bears, intense heat and record snowfalls, and both the beauty and loneliness of the trail. Told with great suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild vividly captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life—someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

At Finn’s funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most.
 

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Atlas of the Human Heart by Ariel Gore
Ariel Gore spins the spirited story of a vulnerable drifter who takes refuge in fate and the shadowy recesses of a string of glittering, broken relationships. With just a few pennies and her I Ching, a change of clothes and a one-way ticket to Hong Kong, a perceptive, searching sixteen-year-old Gore makes her way from the sterile suffocation of the Silicon Valley through the labyrinthine customs of Cold-War China, wanders through bustling, electric Kathmandu, and hunkers down in an icy London squat with a prostitute and a boyfriend on the dole. Yet it is in the calm, verdant landscape of rural Italy where, pregnant and penniless, nineteen-year-old Gore’s adventure truly begins. An illuminating glimpse into the boldly political Gore—creator of HipMama.com and Hip Mama magazine—this unflinching memoir offers a poignant exploration of the meaning of home and surveys the frontiers of both land and heart.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking is Joan Didion’s account of the year following the death of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne, and her attempts to make sense of her grief while tending to the severe illness of her adopted daughter, Quintana. It is a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage--and a life, in good times and bad--that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.

Please vote here no later than December 21.

Thank you for keeping this book club as awesome as it is!