Inklings II

New Format

2011-12-31T21:08:00.001-08:00

I have made an executive decision. The Inklings II Book Club will cease to exist in its previous form. There have been many conflicts, and a lot of people who have been concerned about many aspects of the way that the book club was functioning. If you would like a list detailing the reasons for the switch, feel free to message me.

Having said that, the book club will now function as a completely online book club. We will select a book that we will read throughout the month, and any discussion will be had in the comments section of this blog. (Please use a heading that alerts followers to the fact that a review or comment contains spoilers.) I will post the selections on the sidebar the same way that I always have. I have frequently advised people to check out the blog if they are looking for book selections as well. This will be an excellent opportunity to share our book selections with people. Also, it will give people the opportunity to see what we think about our book selections.

Please message me either on the facebook fan page, by text, or e-mail if you would like to suggest a book selection. I will select books based on the poll results, so please vote if you want your voice heard.

The book for January will be "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford. This was the selection for December that we did not have an official meeting for. Also, if there are people interested in having a physical meeting to discuss the books, we will meet on the last Tuesday of the month. If you are interested in that meeting, please message me, and I will provide a location. I will also provide a list of any questions for you to think about during your reading in the comments section of the blog.

I am sorry for any of you who are upset about the format switch. Again, please message me with any comments or questions.

Much Love!

(denab31@yahoo.com)

July Meeting

2011-07-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have been a slacker about the blog for a long time now. I apologize for that. I needed to take a bit (or a few bits, as the case has been) to re-organize my life. I have had a bunch of things added to my life and had to learn to fit everything into it again.

Last night was fun, ladies! I enjoy the time that we spend together each month. The book that we read was "The Mennonite in the Little Black Dress". For those of you who didn't read it, it is one that you should pick up. It is a really a breath of fresh air. The woman in the book has such a beautiful and humorous outlook on life. It was a great read. Cheri provided the meeting place, Echo led the discussion, and the treats were provided by Michelle, Trulee and Dena. Thank you to everyone. :)

Next month we are reading "The Good Thief" by Hannah Tinti. Please make an effort to finish it and join us next month.

Also, if you would be willing to provide the meeting place, treats, or lead the discussion in upcomming months, please let me know.

January Meeting

2011-02-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

Our January meeting was lovely! We has amazing treats provided by Carah, Cheri, and Trulee, and the discussion was lead by Michelle. We had a really great time. I love to hang out with you ladies and hear what you have to say. I truly love the opportunity to read the same work of literature and have people get so many different things out of it. I also love to hear how every one's mind works and get a glimpse of how each of you view the world. Thank you for allowing me to learn more about my world in this way.

Next month we will be reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. This is a work of non-fiction, and it is very interesting. I am really excited to discuss this one. We will be meeting at Sharla's and Sharla will also be leading the discussion. Treats will be provided by Geoph, Echo, and Michelle.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!! :)

December Meeting

2011-01-03T07:59:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the beginning of our EIGHTH YEAR as a bookclub!! I cannot believe how many years we have been together and how much we have read! To date, we have read 84books totaling 35,559 pages!!

The December Meeting was so much fun!! I was so happy to see everyone and to discuss our book! The food was plentiful and the company was amazing. (As I am sure that you recall, everyone was to bring a potluck item for our annual Christmas Dinner.) We met at Dena's house and read "The Gun Seller" by Hugh Laurie. It was a very witty and fun read, and for those of you who were not able to get a hold of a copy, you should continue your search as it was a worthwhile read.

Next month we will be reading "Kill Me" by Stephen White. It is a very discussible and exciting book. Michelle will be leading the discussion, treats will be provided by Carah, Trulee, and Cheri. We will be meeting at Echo's house.

Much love to all!! :)

November Meeting

2010-12-27T08:34:00.000-08:00

The meeting for November was lovely! Thank you for your continued support of the bookclub over the years.

The Body Project was not a favorite among readers, but spurred a very interesting conversation. It was a very insightful book.

The Discussion was provided by Dena with the location provided by Cheri. Treats were brought by Michelle, Keri, and Dena.

Next month we will be reading "The Gun Seller" by Hugh Laurie. It will be our annual Christmas Potluck dinner. I am thinking we should do a Soup/Salad/Dessert thing, so send me an e-mail ASAP with what you would like to bring so that I can get a good balance of food.

October Meeting

2010-10-28T15:51:00.001-07:00

Thank you all fo coming to this month's meeting, and for reading the book. It is my understanding that everyone who chose to read it enjoyed it, however, I think most people could have done with less language. (I believe this proves my theory about not judging a book by it's movie preview...) :)

This month, we met at Keri's house with treats provided by Keri, Gandalf, Michelle, Cheri and Geoph. It was a great month for eatting!! I appreciate everyone's effort.

Next month, we will be reading "The Body Project" by Joan Jacobs Brumberg. I look forward to discussing this one with everyone. We will be meeting at Cheri's house and treats will be provided by Michelle, Geoph, and Keri. Dena will lead the discussion. If there are any problems with these assignments, please let me know ASAP.

Also, I apologize for any confusion about the blog. The book selections are listed by year, with the current year closest to the top on the right-hand side of the page. ---------> The previous years are listed below, and so you might need to check the year above to make sure you are reading the correct book. If this is still confusing, please let me know so that I can make it less so.

As always, please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns. Much love.

September Meeting

2010-10-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for attending last month's meeting. It was lovely to see everyone and to hear the author's story of how he came to write his book. It was also so fun to see his beautiful pottery.

A big thanks to Mel for providing her home once again, and to Geoph, Dena, Carah, and RonniJo for bringing treats.

There has boon some concern about locating the book for December (The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie). I don't believe that the Davis County Library has a copy, so you will either need to contact the SLC library, purchase a copy (Amazon is your best bet...they have used copies for under a dollar, plus shipping), or you can borrow a copy from someone who has one. You will probablly need to be a bit proactive about it, though.

Next month, we will be meeting at Keri's, treats will be provided by Cheri, June, and Geoph, and Krissanne will be leading the discussion. Also, please note that if for some reason I am unable to update a post on this blog, there is a section on the sidebar called "Who/What/Where" that provides information for the upcomming three months. Also, a phonecall should provide you with any information that you might need should my computer crash.

July Bookclub-There Is No Me Without You

2010-07-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

This month's book provided a wide range of emotional responses. The book was lifechanging for some, and passable for others. Some had a difficult time getting through it from bordeom, while some found it difficult because it was so real to them. This is one of the reasons that I so enjoy being a part of this bookclub. I have said it before, but I love to see what multiple people's perspective is on the same thing. I am so glad that we have such a diverse group of women who can form an opinion on a subject and come together for a discussion. I love to have my brain stretched.

Dena provided location and discussion, and Stacy provided treats for us at the last moment. Thank you, Stacy for your willingness to help out at a moments notice!

Next month we will be reading "Unwind". Please post me here or on the facebook group if you are looking for a copy, or have one to lend so that I can match books with people. Much love to all!

June Bookclub-Fehrenheit 451

2010-07-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

Bookclub last night was a welcome breath of fresh air! It was lovely, as always to sit and chat with all of you wonderful ladies (and guy) about censorship and it's relavance today as much as ever. We met at Echo's house and were fed by Echo and Michelle. Much love both of you. Echo also provided the discussion. (Again, a special thanks to "The Echo Show").

Fehrenheit 451 is a book that, while there were mixed reviews on the book, was something that all of us agreed was relavant to us today. The book is a short read, but thought-provoking nonetheless.

Next month is "There Is No Me Without You". We will be meeting at my house. I will see you all there. :)

The Pact-May Bookclub Meeting

2010-05-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

Bookclub was lovely this month. We met at Dena's, the discussion was led by Stef, and Treats were provided by Sharla, Janette, Echo, and Dena. Although there were varying feelings about the book, it promoted a great discussion. It was so nice to see everyone and to have an excuse to get together and use our brains. I am grateful that we have such a wonderful outlet for our intellegence, and that we can all respect one another's differences and differing points of view.

Next month we will be reading Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. This one should not be hard to get a hold of, and it is a really quick read. We will be meeting at Echo's, and she will be leading the discussion. Treats will be provided by Echo, Keri, and Michelle. If this will not work for you, please let me know ASAP so that I can work it out.

Much love to all!

The Help

2010-04-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

Last night's meeting was lovely. I always love to see so many different perspectives on the same book. It was very interesting to listen to so many different points of view. The Help was a book that it seemed everyone enjoyed. If you missed this one, you should read it. It brought up a lot of varying emotions in people, and forced us to take a really deep look at our own attitudes and motivations.

Mel was gracious enough to both host and lead the discussion. The treats were provided by Echo, Dena, Jess, and Michelle. Anything you would like to share as far as recipes go, please post them here as comments.

Next month we will be reading The Pact by Jodie Piccoult. We will be meeting at Dena's house and Stef will be leading the discussion. Treats will be provided by Sharla, Janette and Mel.

Thank you again to all who helped make last night a success.

Apologies

2010-04-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

I am sorry that I have neglected the blog for so long. (Honestly, I have had a lot of crap going on, and was unsure that anyone even looked at it.) To any of you that have relied on the blog for information, I am sorry that it has not been up to date lately. (I still have my doubts as to whether this will even be noticed). The side information is now updated, and I will post an entry as soon as we have had this month's meeting. Please understand that I know that I am a flawed individual...and it is not really necessary to point them out to me (all the time). I spend plenty of time concerned about them, and so there is no need to continually point out where I require improvement. Again, I apologize.

Lemons and Tube-Socks

2009-12-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

(Ok, let's not even pretend that you didn't know that was going to be the title of this month's post.)

So, I think that everyone in attendance last night will agree that last night's potluck dinner was INCREDIBLE!! I am so glad that I surround myself with people so gifted in the culinary arts. HOLY CRAP, people, you are amazing, and I will be avoiding the scale for about two weeks until I am sure that I have had time to work off the massive amounts of food that I ate. Seriously, I don't think that I have ever eaten so much incredible food! PLEASE leave your recipes as comments to this post so that we can all attempt to re-create the loveliness.

The book that we discussed was "Garden Spells". It was, as I stated last night, like reading mashed potatoes and gravy...so warm and comforting. Everyone agreed that, while the book was not particularly deep and thought provoking, it was a very relaxing read. It was a book that made you want to get in your sweats and curl up in a warm blanket, or jump in a bubble bath to read it. It was the perfect book to read while we were in the middle of the craziness of the holidays. Michelle did an AMAZING job leading the discussion, and we all really enjoyed her pick. Thanks a ton, Michelle...we look forward to reading more of your suggestions.

Next month we will be reading two books..."The Hunger Games", and "Catching Fire". We usually don't read more than one book in a month unless there is a special circumstance, and we felt that as the books are such easy and quick reads, and the story is one that you will want to continue following, we would read them both. The majority of people who have read them have enjoyed them...and there are those who have really disliked them...so I am betting on January's discussion being a really good and lively one. :) We will be meeting at Trulee's house, Gandalf will be leading the discussion, and treats will be provided by Michelle, Echo, and Keri. (Echo...can I suggest brownies...wink).

As always, I love the opportunity to recharge each month and be with you amazing women. I am so grateful to stretch my mind and view things in a different way than I might have otherwise. I also am so glad to be associated with such strong women.

November Meeting: The Thirteenth Tale

2009-11-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

Last night was another amazing meeting. I seriously love all of you ladies! We met at Janette's new house...which was beautiful, by the way...and we enjoyed AMAZING treats provided by Janette, June amd Heather. (As always, any recipies that you would be willing to share, we would love to see them as comments here on this blog.) Echo did a great job leading the discussion on "The Thirteenth Tale" which was a book that everyone enjoyed with very few exceptions. If you missed out on this one, you should go back and read it. I think that we all universally described it as "beautifly written".

Next month we will be reading, "Garden Spells", and will be meeting at Keri's for our anual Christmas Potluck Dinner. I will get a more definate count as the date nears, but everyone will need to bring either a salad/casserole or dessert to share. (Just so long as we have a variety of all, I don't really care what you bring.) I am excited to see all of you there!!

Did You Know That Baboons Can Be Serial Killers?

2009-10-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Can I just say once again that I love you people? Seriously, bookclub seems to come around just when I need it, and you people are just amazing. Maybe it isn't so much that bookclub is magically on the days that I am needing the interaction with you ladies...but that I could stand to see everyone more often, and am just really glad when we all get together. (Speaking of which...I will get with everyone on a date that we can all go and see the Michael Jackson movie).

This month we read "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". Although it will not go down as a bookclub favorite, the discussion was good nonetheless. We talked about what makes a story important to different time periods, and the nature of man. We also learned that baboons can be serial killers thanks to some lovely insight by Echo. Michelle supplied the meeting place, and some lovely treats, and I led the discussion.

Next month we are reading, "The Thirteenth Tale" which is already a favorite among those who have finished it, so I urge everyone who has not read it to do so...you will NOT be disappointed. It is AMAZING! We will be meeting at Janette's and Heather, Janette and June are bringing treats. Echo will be leading the discussion. Also, I am in need of a volunteer to have December's bookclub at their home. (It would be preferable to have someone from Bountiful as we have spent the last two months up North, and will be in Kaysville in November). Let me know if you could do this.

Again, I love all of you! We have the best bookclub EVER, and I am looking forward to seeing you next month.

September Meeting (Sorry...not feeling very creative with the title today).

2009-10-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I know that I suck and neglected to post about August's meeting...and as quick recap, we read "The Summerhouse". I love you all!

Last month we read "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", which everyone pretty much agreed that any book about murder, sex/homosexuality/cross-dressing, money, jealousy, and a whole lot of crazy people shouldn't really have any oppurtunity to be occasionally boring, but alas, this book did just that. However, it was pretty engaging, as you reallt can't screw up a book about the aforementioned subjects TOO much. (But this one came pretty close). Also, we have decided to keep track of the person who is suggesting the books in the future, so that we know who to talk to about the plot a bit before we vote on books in the future. We will also be keeping a new list here on the blog of books that we are interested in reading, but no one has read yet, so that those of you who are speedy readers can have something to report back to everyone about. :)

As an FYI, for those of you who read "The Shining" we will be having the additional meeting on October 21st. Time and location forthcomming. (We will be going out to eat, so we will decide as the date nears. My suggestion is to go the haunted Godfather's Pizza in Ogden...but I know that this is a really long drive for most of you.)

Next Month we will be reading "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde". It is a VERY short one, so this would be a really good month to do some additional reading and tell us when is good. I love you all, and look forward to seeing you all next month. :)

...And Then Bubbles Came Out of His Eyes.

2009-07-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

I know, no one needs to tell me of the inappropriateness of my last two blog post titles. I just can't stop laughing about them. (Can I say, I'm a dork here?) :)

Well, my blog post will be lovely when I get around to writing it, I just wanted to really preface it before I begin...and then reiterate that I am a dork. :) Just kidding, I am still just laughing about last night.

First, thanks needs to be given to Echo, Michelle, and Trulee who brought loveliness to munch upon. Seriously, I had like, 5 of those indoor S'mores. Trulee's muffins were amazing, and Michelle's bean dip was awesome. The treats were so good that Carah suggested having the recipes from bookclub treats posted on the blog. I am going to second that motion, and suggest that the recipes be posted as comments on each month. So, Michelle, Trulee, and Echo...post last night's treat recipes here as comments.

Next I have to say that I am so happy that almost everyone read the book!! The discussion was great as a result, and it was really energizing to feel so armed with information on our current economy. I love feeling like I am still an intelligent, well-informed woman, AND a mother of small children. I love you all, and always feel much better about the fate of the world after having our discussions. I think that Inklings II should run for office in the next presidential election. Let's do away with one person attempting to run the country...I think everything should now be handled bookclub style! (Or we could just start our own country somewhere). :)

Our next meeting will be at Echo's house. (And if everything goes according to plan, everyone will get to play with Mia again there). The book will be "The Summerhouse" by Jude Deveraux. Treats will be provided by Krisanne, Carah, and Kristi, and Krisanne will be leading the discussion.

Well...If There's a Hole...

2009-07-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

OK...the title is a bit much...but it was really funny last night nonetheless.

Last night, our meeting was AWESOME! I love when everyone reads the book! :) We had an amazing discussion that was due to the insight that you all had. Thank you so much.

Thank you to Krissane who not only provided the location, but the most amazing dip for strawberries that we have had! Thanks to June and Carah as well for filling in with treats in a pinch...and for those of you that missed it, the Carah's famous pumpkin cookies are famous for a reason, and June's made-from-scratch peach pie was heavenly. Thank you all!

Next month's book is the infamous "Atlas Shrugged". PLEASE read it so that we can continue with the amazing discussions that we have been having of late. I know that it is long, but you will be glad that you read it. :)

Also, we are needing a scary book to read for October. We had a difficult time deciding on one at last night's meeting...so any and all suggestions would be welcome. Please post ideas here and we will vote as soon as I have sone suggestions.

Cancer, Arson, and Emmancipation

2009-05-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Last night was bookclub...and another LOVELY evening with the girls! Again, I love you all! Sharla provided the house, and the treats were AMAZING! Jeanette brought some kind of wonderful dip for chips, some amazing brownies, and to die for homemade breadsticks. Krissanne brought Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, which I think all will agree, are always a very welcome option, and Sharla did double duty by bringing chips and her lovely and famous mint brownies in addition to providing the location for our meeting. I just hope that we burned a lot of calories with our superior brain function. :)

We read My Sister's Keeper last month. I think that we all thought the book was sad, but very discussable. It brought up many interesting things to think about such as the ethics of having a child to save another, whether it is possible to parent all of your children amidst the crisis of having a terminally ill child, and others.

Next month, we are reading The Lovely Bones. Read it quick, my friends, because Atlas Shrugged is the book for July. PLEASE read it! We will have an AMAZING discussion about it if people will read it. It is good, people.

Angry Housewives of the World, UNITE!!

2009-05-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last month's book club was incredible...at least for me. I spent a large majority of the month sobbing as I read the book. I didn't personally relate with any one character in the book per Se...I related with the novel as a whole. I found myself very appreciative for the fact that I have such amazing women in my life to lean on when I am in one of my valleys, and for the fun that we have when I am on a peak. I know, as I stated in the meeting, that any one of us would be there in whatever way was necessary for each other. I appreciate being in the company of such wonderful people. I think that women frequently need other women to work out difficulties that may arise. I am just really glad that all of you are those women for me.

I need to thank everyone for their contributions to the meeting as well. Kristi volunteered her lovely home, and treats were provided by Trulee, Sharla, and myself. I also appreciated Echo for both suggesting this book, and for the amazing discussion. (...and the potential use of her mother's van if ever needed.) ;)

Don't forget that we will be choosing the next few month's worth of books at the next meeting, so come with ideas. Also, we will be selecting locations etc. for our next meetings, so it would be helpful if as many people as possible were there.

Don't forget to read "Atlas Shrugged". It really is a great book, but will take you a while to get through...so get on that as well.

I love you all!!

Jellied Fish Heads and Desperate Women

2009-04-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hello book clubbers that I love: Last night was a FANTASTIC night!! Jeanette made the most AMAZING chicken enchilada's, guacamole, salsa, homemade bread and salad. Trulee brought us (straight from SWEDEN) Jellied Fish Heads and drugged pastries. And June brought us lovely breads of all sorts and flavors. I am not going to lie it was the BEST food to date. I ate until I almost burst then ate some more! Thanks to the treats committee we should all take a lesson from them...hint hint

We would like to welcome Krisanne Lewis into the group!! She is the mother of 2 boys, lives in Foxboro, and is the Occupational Therapist at Spectrum Academy (yes, she is my friend and so aware of the craziness...).

The good news for the night was that EVERYONE present read the book AND everyone had something to say! Out of respect for Jill who has not yet finished it, I will end speaking of the crazy man now. It was a great discussion on crazy Russian people and their food...blah. And if anyone knows who Mrs. C is please let me know I owe her a knuckle sandwich.There were a few developments of business to discuss:

1. Next month looks like this--Date: April 28th, 2009 Book: Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons Discussion: Echo House: Kristi (2150 S something E...across from the church) 801-294-6576 Treats: After much debate....Melanie, Trulee-(again what a devoted treat bringer!), Sharla, Kristi (I volunteered and Echo 2nded)

2. Atlas Shrugged is on the list for June...why? Stefie Shrugged. This monster book is 1164 pg long. I have started it and it is an easyish read and I DO like it a lot. But you all might want to get started on it soon, so check it out, purchase it, or borrow it...doesn't matter-just READ IT!

3. Dena is deserting the book club to go see a musical that is not that popular and not that amazing (I think the name is something like WICKED!! ) I offered to take her place so she could come to book club but alas, she disinclined to acquiesce to my request...

Well, happy reading this month and see you soon! If there is anyone not getting the email that should be please let me know asap so I can get them on the list...thanks!

The Cap'm

(Thanks to the Cap'm for writing this month's blog entry. I stole it from the e-mail that she sent. Thanks, Cap'm! Love, Gandalf)

That Crazy Old Guy and I Are Kindred Spirits...

2009-02-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

Last night's bookclub was very lovely. We had some amazing treats thanks to the lovely and talented Mel, Sharla, and I believe Stacy. You people are amazing! Our friend Jill led an amazing discussion..which was no small feat as very few people read the book.

Speaking of that...we have decided to try a new pilot program in the lovely Inklings II Bookclub. (Have I said "lovely" enough yet?) We are going to pick books 6 months in advance instead of 12. This way, we can keep updated with books that we are really wanting to read, when we want to read them. Please post your thoughts on the matter here. Also, I would love any and all book suggestions for the next 6 month period...and this blog would be a lovely place to post them. As you will notice, there is a new column for the booklist. I will post all suggestions here, and all can reserch them before we vote. We will be voting on the next 6 month block soon...so get your suggestions to me ASAP. Also...is it more advantageous to vote for the books here on the blog, or at the meetings. What do you people think?

Poor Rudy...Never Been Kissed

2009-01-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

The Book Thief was an incredible book!! Those who were in attendance at bookclub decided unanimously that it is one of the best books that we have ever read. Stef did an amazing job at leading the discussion...Thanks Cap'm! The book is about the power of words, and the great good, or the immense harm that they can produce. The book was beautifully written, and any of you that did not read it, should definitely go back and get this one. It was very moving! We also loved the way that it was narrated by Death. Although the story was set in Nazi Germany during the height of the Holocaust, the book was made readable through the compassion of Death as a character. Again, it was a beautiful story.

Carah deserves a great big thanks for letting us crash her house, especially considering that I only reminded her earlier that day. (Sorry). She also provided treats as well as Marf and I. Marfi made an effort to get the treats to me despite not being able to attend. You people are amazing!!

Thank you everyone for your friendship...I am so grateful to all of you. I am glad that we have such a wonderful outlet for our intelligence as this bookclub. Thank you for making it a success.
I love you all!!

A Biting Tree and a Vulgar Bird

2009-01-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mel for letting us crash her house for bookclub last month. We had a lovely dinner, and it was the perfect oppurtunity to decompress from the stress of the Holliday.

The general concensus was that "The Poisonwood Bible" was an excellent read. I think that we all had the oppurtunity to reflect on the damage of judgement on a race of people, a religion, or even an individual. For those of you that were not able to read it, it is definentaly worth the read.

January's selection is "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. I have not heard anything but praise for this book, so everyone find a copy and get started! I look forward to this discussion. Ste(r)fie will be leading the discussion, and we will be meeting at Carah's home. Carah and myself are currently the only two bringing treats, so if anyone is willing to lend their cullinary skills, it will be appreciated. Also, I will be printing out a list of the schedule for the upcomming months, so please make an effort to come.

November-a month of Memory's

2008-12-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Carah for letting us invade her house to hold Book Club! I would also like to thank her for the salad that I had about 3 helpings of...
There were a few things decided that you all should know about: 1. The December book is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 2. We are meeting December 30 at Jill Washburns house (Windsor Court, Bountiful) 3. We are doing a pot luck dinner-assignments will be forth coming (although I loved Carah's salad, we do not want 15 of them)
There will be many emails coming your way to keep you up to beat with what we are doing so look for them!
The Memory Keepers Daughter was an emotional book for us. We all agreed that David was a looser, but we (I) still felt sorry for him. Norah needed to "grow a pair and leave him", but the era was such that she couldn't. Paul had a crappy childhood and Pheobe had a happy one. And Ann was amazing and deserved the happiness that came to her in the end. The discussion was great but was cut short due to some of us having to leave...sorry guys! All in all we were glad we read it, not sure how many of us would read it again though-
Happy Reading, Merry Christmas, and get started on The Poisonwood Bible (it is a good one that will have much to discuss-I promise)

Apparently, Remaining Friends with Previous Boyfriends Makes You a Vampire...

2008-10-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

So, bookclub was last evening, and I must say...Kudos to Marf for a lovely and well researched discussion! The evening was lovely, except for a slight situation involving some garlic, a possessed cook, and a cell phone, but all was (sort-of) resolved, and those involved will be forced to suffer the consequences when they least expect it!

I think that everyone really enjoyed the book--and I echo Janette in saying it was really fun to be involved in reading something that has influenced so many things for so many years. If you did not get the chance to read this one, you really should, regardless.

Next month, we will be reading "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". It is one that will give you a lot to think about. This one is very discussable. We will be keeping the date in Nov. the same as always, despite the fact that it will fall on the same week as Thanksgiving--and if this is a really ugly problem for anyone, please let me know as soon as possible. We will be meeting at Carah's house, Carah and Jess will be providing the treats (I still need a third to help--please let me know if this could work for you) and I am leading the discussion.

Also, please note the sidebar has been updated with the most current information for next year. I welcome any input on the selections.

I hope to see you all there, and as always, e-mail, call, or post to this blog any questions or concerns.

Dracula

2008-10-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that bookclub will be held next tuesday, October 28th, at Marf's house. We are currently reading "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. It is a really good one, friends. Marf has really put a lot of work into the discussion, so I encourage all to be there. If you need directions, let me know, and we will have them e-mailed to you, or you can just meet at my house, and we will caravan. Hope to see everyone there!

The Alchemist, and Other Get-Rich Quick Schemes...

2008-10-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I found September's meeting very refreshing. Maybe I am just having a stressful life, (what, ME?? STRESSED??) but our last meeting was exactally what I needed. I am so glad that we have this outlet for our intelligence, and also to help satisfy our need to be amoung such amazing women. Our bookclub ROCKS!!

As you know, last month we read "The Alchemist", which was enjoyed by the majority of us. Any negitivity was generally directed toward the lack of excitement in the story, or that the metafor was somewhat lost by the end, but this was generally forgivable as the book was filled with so much great insight.

Next month's book will be "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. As I have said before, generally Classics are so for a reason--they are really great stories that have withstood the test of time, and "Dracula" is no exception to this rule. It will be helpful to you if you print out the calendar that Marf has sent to everyone, and use it. If you did not recieve her e-mail, let me know, and I will have her re-send it to you.

Next month, we will be meeting at Marf's house--directions forthcomming--The Cap'm, Sharla, and Marf will be providing the treats (I imagine that they will be entertaining if nothing else considering the subject matter of the story), and Marf will lead the discussion. (Holy Flip, Marf!! One might think that you liked this story of something...)

Also, we are short one person to assist in the bringing of treats to November's meeting. If anyone is willing, please let me know.

(It would be lovely if you would all take a moment to subscribe to this blog. I believe that e-mails will be sent automatically when the blog is updated to those of you who do. Thanks!!)

September's Meeting

2008-09-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

It's about that time again!! Bookclub will be held one week from tonight on the 30th. We will be meeting at Echo's house, treats will be provided by Trulee, Melanie, and June, and the discussion will be led by Sharla. If anyone participating has a problem--please get in contact with me as soon as possible. This month's book was really a good one, with many things to discuss, and I hope to see you all there! The book is "The Alchemist" by Paolini. It is a very quick read, so If you haven't read it yet, there is still plenty of time!!!

Also, next month's book is "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. It is an AWESOME book, and Marf is compiling a calendar of events for us, so if you cannot be at the meeting, please make arrangements to have someone pick up your calendar as it will help you to make sense of the timeline of the story.

As always, much love!!

And the Winner Is...

2008-09-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well, the votes are in, and it looks like we will be reading "My Sister's Keeper" and "Rasputin's Daughter" next year. This is because the votes revealed that we would rather read each of those books than "The Curious Incident of the Dog and the Nighttime". Thanks to everyone who voted!

September's Meeting

2008-08-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

September's book will be "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. (Be warned that there is another book entitled "The Alchemyst", and this book is not the one that we are reading, The most obvious difference--besides the author--is the spelling of the title.) It is a relatevely short read, with only 196 pages. If anyone has a copy of this book, and is willing to share, please post that information here.

We will be meeting at Echo's house at our regular time of 8:30pm. Treats will be provided by Trulee, Melanie, and June. Sharla will be leading the discussion. If anyone has any conflicts with this, please get in contact with me as soon as possible.

August's meeting was good--and it appears that nearly everyone enjoyed the book. A few of you asked if the Author is still doing speaking engagements, and to the best of my knowledge, he still is.

I think that this will be a good place to discuss the books during the month. If anyone has any questions or comments about the book, please post them here. This will also be helpful to the person that is leading the discussion. They can reserch the questions that might have, and know what the group is thinking.

Happy reading this month!!

Ok, Let's have another go...

2008-08-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome friends!! Here is the new Inklings II Blog. I hope that it is to all of your likings. Please set up a google account, and you can comment on any posts that may come up. If you would like a link to your own personal blogs, let me know, and I will put a link on this site. The other good news is that once you set up a google account, your cannot change your posting name, so people will know who you are. My account is set up under "Gandalf", and all postings will be under that name. Also, if anyone would feel better if this blog was set up as "private", then I will be more than happy to set it up that way--I will have to invite everyone to join, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. The internet is such a great way to get info out to people, and I would really like to try this again...anyone else in agreement?