With September Comes Change

Our theme this month was change and we discovered that every book contains some form of change because that is what drives plot forward.  Since the original intent of book club was to reach outside our comfort zone to find reading material I think this month was a wonderful chance to explore. 

Our little group has undergone lots of change since we started.  It used to be me, talking to my friends about books, then convincing them to take time to come to my house and talk some more about books, and finally us cajoling each other into trying something new.  One friend in particular required some convincing to even participate.  She kept saying things like “I don’t have time to read,” and “But I read so slowly that I wouldn’t have anything to talk about.”  That person proudly shared 5 titles with us this meeting that she read in the past month.

Another friend will begin a journey soon that will take her away from us and her normal day-to-day life for 6 months.  I can’t help but think this journey will change her life, maybe in only small ways, maybe in very large ways. We will miss her creativity, insight and humor until she comes back and we wish her well.

Our membership has changed over time and our group dynamic has as well.  As we share not only our reading recommendations but also our thoughts, feelings, experiences and knowledge, we build relationships within the group.  We find friends to spend time with, we find kindred spirits to share ideas with, and we support each other in small and very large ways.

Here’s what we discussed: (in alphabetical order by title so as not to show favoritism)

Title	Author
11/22/1963: A Novel	Stephen King
Around the World in 80 Dates	Jennifer Cox
Going After Cacciato	Tim O'Brien
Gun Games	Faye Kellerman
Present Danger	Stella Rimington
Ruth's Redemption	Marlene Banks
She's Such A Geek! women write about science, technology & other nerdy stuff	Annalee Newitz and Charlie Anders
Something Fierce	Carmen Aguirre
Started Early, Took My Dog	Kate Atkinson
The 19th Wife	David Ebershoff
The Brass Verdict	Michael Connelly
The Chocolate Thief	Laura Florand
The House at Tyneford	Natasha Solomons
The Kingdom of Men	Kim Barnes
The Notebook	Nicholas Sparks
The Slave Across the Street	Theresa Flores and Peggy Sue Wells
The Things They Carried	Tim O'Brien
The Wedding	Nicholas Sparks
Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him	Luis Carlos Montalvan
What in God's Name	Simon Rich
What is the What	Dave Eggers
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail	Cheryl Strayed
Witch and Wizard	James Patterson
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War	Max Brooks