Talk About a Good Book: Trigiani

Showing posts with label Trigiani. Show all posts

Lilac Girls - January 2017

At our December 12th meeting, we had a variety of treats brought by members, and we chatted about our favorites from 2016. Most member really enjoyed the books chosen to read this past year especially: The Martian by Andy Weir, Dead Wake by Erik Larson, and the Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Several other books were read by members outside the group and enjoyed including Rosemary: the Hidden Kennedy daughter by Kate Larson, The Wonder by Emma Donaghue, and Just One Damned Thing After Another (Chronicles of St. Mary's) by Jodi Taylor.

Our next meeting will be in the new year! We'll meeting on January 30th at 3pm in the Turner Room to discuss Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. Copies of the book in print, large print, and audio are available at the LME Library desk. The discussion sheet is available for pickup in the library or can be viewed online. The group is open to all adults.

Summary of Lilac Girls: An arresting, powerful debut novel inspired by the life of debutante turned unlikely WWII hero Caroline Ferriday. Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish Catholic teenager, is nervously anticipating the changes that are sure to come since Germany has declared war on Poland. As tensions rise abroad - and in her personal life - Caroline's interest in aiding the war effort grows and she eventually comes to hear about the dire situation at the Ravensbruck all-female concentration camp. Through Ravensbruck the two women's lives will converge in unprecedented ways and a novel of redemption and hope emerges that is breathtaking in scope and depth. From New York to Paris, and Furstenberg to Lublin, Martha Hall Kelly captures the powerful pull of human compassion, strong enough to stretch across continents and capable of triumphing over the grim evils of war.

October 31--Wright Brothers

At our September 26th meeting, we discussed The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. We all really liked the characters in the novel and the hardwork ethic they displayed. We also liked getting a glimpse of this prominent immigration era in U.S. history. Even though the author has a cookbook, Cooking with My Sisters, we didn't use any of her family recipes. We had instead potica (Ciro's favorite and mentioned multiple times in the book) and borlenghi for refreshments.

For the next book group, we will be reading is the Wright Brothers by David McCullough. We will meet on October 31st at 3pm in the Turner Room. Books are available for pickup at the LME Library desk. Discussion sheets are also available in the library and online. We will also start selecting titles for 2017. If you have any suggestions, please get them to me before our November meeting.

Summary: On December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur and Orville Wright's Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard. The Age of Flight had begun. How did they do it? And why? David McCullough tells the extraordinary and truly American story of the two brothers who changed the world.

September - The Shoemaker's Wife

We enjoyed treats from One Eleven Coffee (Wyoming, IL) at our book group meeting on August 29th. The book discussed was the Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs. The group enjoyed the research and writing style of the author but were disappointed (and angry) about how Rob was never able to realize his potential. Discussion focused a lot on "what ifs"--what if Rob's father had never been involved in his life, what if Rob had opted for a job outside of Newark, what if Rob had found a mentor who helped him set big goals--it goes on and on.

Our next book is the Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. We will meet at 3pm on September 26th in the Turner Room. This novel is loosely based on the author's own family history. Books are available for pickup at the library desk and discussion sheets are available in the library or online.

Summary:
Two star-crossed lovers--Enzo and Ciro--meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever. Set during the years preceding and during World War I.