November 2008 Book Club Meeting and December Selection

Summary: “ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways. -- The Dial Press

If you read my post yesterday, you know that I absolutely loved THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Not surprisingly, my book club agreed -- all of us thoroughly enjoyed the book! We spent some time discussing all of the characters, and we definitely wished that we were able to meet them. I think we all wanted to know a little bit more about each of the members of the book club, especially Elizabeth. We thought the authors did a wonderful job of writing this book as well as incorporating humor into a very depressing time period.

I thought it was interesting that one of us said that she could see this book as a movie. We didn't talk about who should star in the movie, but now I'm thinking that I should have asked that question. That definitely would have been fun!

We also spent a fair amount of time discussing why the book was written in the form of letters. Of course, we did go off on a few tangents (that's pretty typical for us) and we talked about how we've lost the beauty of letters in today's electronic society. We also talked a lot about WWII and how it affected so many people's lives. Overall, I'd have to say that it was a very good discussion book!

For December, we will be reading THE PIRATE'S DAUGHTER by Margaret Cezair-Thompson. I am so excited that my friend selected this book because I have been "eyeing" it up since Unbridled Books first released it in hardcover. This book looks wonderful and it even won the Essence Literary Award in Fiction. It has also been chosen as the Celestial Seasonings Adventure at Every Turn book club selection -- you can read more about it here.

Our December meeting will also be our little Holiday celebration! Each year, we bring one book that we enjoyed throughout the year and wrap it. It can be a new or used book (if you're willing to part with it.) Then we do a kind of Yankee Swap -- stealing and all. It's a lot of fun and we all end up with another good book for our library.

Summary: In 1946, Hollywood’s most famous swashbuckler, Errol Flynn, arrived in Jamaica in a storm-ravaged boat. After a long and celebrated career on the silver screen, Flynn spent the last years of his life on a small island off the Jamaican coast, where he fell in love with the people, the paradisiacal setting, and the privacy, and brought a touch of Tinseltown glamour to the West Indian community.

Based on those years, The Pirate’s Daughter imagines an affair between the aging matinee star and Ida, a beautiful local girl. Flynn’s affections are unpredictable but that doesn’t stop Ida from dreaming of a life with him, especially after the birth of their daughter, May.

Margaret Cezair-Thompson weaves stories of mothers and daughters, fathers and lovers, country and kin, into this compelling, dual-generational coming-of-age tale of two women struggling to find their way in a nation wrestling with its own independence. -- Random House