Talk About a Good Book: 2012

Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts

Best Books of 2012

It's that time of year again when we're starting to think back to our best reads of 2012. My personal favorites can be found at: http://pinterest.com/bethd13/books-worth-reading/

I was really disappointed with the goodreads.com winners. I read the winners in the fiction and romance categories and I wouldn't recommend either. The goodreads list can be found at:

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/399-the-winners-of-the-2012-goodreads-choice-awards

I much prefer the lists EarlyWord.com has put together on Excel spreadsheets. They compile several of the "best of 2012" review lists. The spreadsheets can be found at

Daily NYT Book Critics Picks of 2012

Book Club Coffee Dec 17

Vote in the Goodreads Choice Awards

Goodreads.com is gathering input on the best books of 2012. It's still early yet so this is just the opening round. Categories include best fiction and non-fiction. If you would like to vote or nominate a book, go to: http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2012?utm_medium=email&utm_source=GRCA_2012&utm_campaign=launch_vote&utm_content=view_nominees

November 2012: Paris Wife

At yesterday's book group, we discussed Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell and had Chocolate Devil's Food cake (from Pippa Middleton's recipe!) The consensus was that everyone enjoyed the selection and the recipe was a keeper.

Next month is Paris Wife by Paula McLain. We will be meeting on November 26 at 3pm in the Turner Room. Here's a summary:
Meeting through mutual friends in Chicago, Hadley is intrigued by brash "beautiful boy" Ernest Hemingway, and after a brief courtship and small wedding, they take off for Paris, where Hadley makes a convincing transformation from an overprotected child to a game and brave young woman who puts up with impoverished living conditions and shattering loneliness to prop up her husband's career.

Books are available and discussion sheets can be picked up with the book or printed online.

We also worked on selecting books for next year and the list will be available shortly.

October's title: Let's Take the Long Way Home

The book group met on September 24, 2012 to discuss Sarah's Key. Most members agreed that even though it was a difficult subject (the Holocaust) it was well written and a great read. We had Red Velvet Cheesecake and enjoyed the discussion. The recipe is available online, but Beth modified it by substituting 2 cups chocolate graham crackers for the chocolate wafers, almonds, and brown sugar.

The next meeting is Monday, October 29th at 3pm in the Library's Turner Room. The book is Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell. The book is "a testament to the power of friendship, a story of how an extraordinary bond between two women can illuminate the loneliest, funniest, hardest moments in life." The discussion sheet can be picked up at the library or accessed online. Feel free to join us for refreshments and discussion!

September 2012 - Sarah's Key

Everyone enjoyed August's book, Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. The braided bread was a big hit and tied in nicely to the baking in the book. The recipe was adapted from 2 recipes from allrecipes.com and is available here.

September's meeting will be in the Turner Room on September 24, 2012 at 3pm. The book for discussion will be Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. The discussion sheet is available in the library or online here.

August 2012 - Weird Sisters

Next bookgroup meets August 27 @ 3pm in the Turner Room. We will be reading Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Books and discussion sheets can be picked up at the library. Discussion sheets are also available online.

July 2012 - Grace (Eventually)

Our next book group meeting is Monday, July 30th at 3pm in the Turner Room. We are reading Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott. Copies of the book are available in the library along with the discussion guide (also available online)

At our last meeting, we had tea cakes and chocolate trifle. Both were found on allrecipes.com. Since I had several requests for these recipes, please click on the item to go directly to the recipe. Enjoy!

June 2012 - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Last night's book, the Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, had mixed reactions from the group. Some liked the fairy tale quality while others thought that it was a bit "out there". Anyway, we really enjoyed the lemon cake with chocolate frosting for our treat!

Our next book is Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. We will meet on June 25 at 4pm in the Turner Room. The discussion sheets are available in the library or online.

May 2012 meeting - Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Our May title is Aimee Bender's The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. The discussion guide can be picked up at the circulation desk or printed online.

Our next meeting is coming up on Monday (April 30th), and we'll discuss April's book group selection, Dreams of Joy by Lisa See. We meet at 3pm in the Turner Room--please join us!

April's book group - Dreams of Joy

April's book group title is Dreams of Joy by Lisa See. The discussion guide can be picked up with the book or printed from the online discussion guide.

Next Monday (March 26th) at 3pm will be our discussion on the March title, Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. Hope to see you there!

March's Title: Destiny of the Republic

Thank you to everyone who came to the February meeting. This was our first meeting since we moved the meeting time up to 3pm, and we had 12 readers participate! Our next meeting is Monday, March 26th at 3pm in the Turner Room. Our books is Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. The book discussion guide can be picked up in the library or can be accessed online.

If you haven't heard of pinterest yet, check it out at pinterest.com It's a social site that makes it easy to link to online graphics--I've used it to highlight some of the best books I've been reading. It just takes a moment to sign up and start pinning your favorites. I've posted mine at http://pinterest.com/bethd13/books-worth-reading/ Enjoy!

Save Me - February 27th bookgroup

For the February 27th bookgroup, we will be reading Save Me by Lisa Scottoline. At last night's meeting, the group decided to move the meetings to 3pm, so starting February 27th, the group will meeting at 3pm. Meetings will continue to be in the Turner Room on the last Monday of the month. The discussion guide is available in the library or online.

Next meeting, January 30th

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Since we don't meet in December, I've been catching up with some of the books I've been meaning to read. I finished the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins and The Help by Kathryn Stockett plus I had time to reread my favorite, Pride and Prejudice in ebook format on my ereader. What a great Christmas present to myself!

Our next book group meeting is January 30, 2012 at 6:30. We will be reading the Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by one of our favorite authors, Melanie Benjamin. Copies are available in both regular and large print at the library. The discussion sheet is available for pick-up on online. See you in 2012!

Book group - picks for 2012

At last night's book group, members enjoyed our historical dishes of Floating Island and Apple Pan Dowdy as we discussed our October pick, John Adams.

For 2012, we have selected the following titles:

Date	Title	Author
January 30, 2012	The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb	Benjamin, Melanie
February 27, 2012	Save Me	Scottoline, Lisa
March 26, 2012	Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Medicine, Madness and the Murder of a President	Millard, Candice
April 30, 2012	Dreams of Joy	See, Lisa
May 21, 2012	The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake	Bender, Aimee
June 25, 2012	Major Pettigrew's Last Stand	Simonson, Helen
July 30, 2012	Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship	Caldwell, Gail
August 27, 2012	South of Superior	Airgood, Ellen
September 24, 2012	Sarah's Key	Rosnay, Tatiana de
October 29, 2012	Grace [Eventually]: Thoughts on Faith	Lamott, Anne
November 26, 2012	Paris Wife	McLain, Paula

Books and discussion guides can usually be picked up a month in advance of the meeting at the library circulation desk. Please join us in the Turner Room at 6:30pm on the dates indicated!

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