The Book Club discussion

Add any comments/suggestions to think about prior to meeting re future book selections for remainder of the year.

These are just some links I want to use in emails to us:

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Patchwork Girl by Shelley Jackson

Re: Shelley Jackson
http://www.literarylondon.org/london-...

This new book is getting a fair amount of buzz at the moment:

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

Even though we have read a couple of Ann Patchett's books as a group, (Bel Canto and The Magician's Assistant), this has been suggested:

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Here's another generating buzz:

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks

Reported as being touted in Sarasota Indie bookstores. Due for release in August.

J.S. wrote this:

I missed the 3rd Wed. book group last week-had to be in Chapel Hill. They read THE RAZOR'S EDGE - MAUGHAN. I enjoy the group but don't like selecting books for the whole year. I think we miss some current ones. Also this year, I had already read (or discussed 5 of the choices). We meet Jan.-Nov. (no Dec. meeting).

I have three books going at the moment:
CHILDREN of the JACARANDA TREE - Sahar Delijani - set in post revolutionary Iran (this could be one for consideration)
THE ROMANOV SISTERS - Rappaport
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR - Joël Dicker (good story but I pulled an E. and read the ending - now I'll go back) International bestseller - translation is excellent!

More on books from J.S.:

7/5 I am finishing THE LAST TRAIN to ZONA VERDE - Paul Theroux. I've read several of his books. This one is his "current" view of Africa. It's very interesting. Theroux says he's getting too old for any more world travels.

7/7 Another copy of GOLDFINCH came through the "sorting" group, yesterday. That's two I could have brought to your group. Also, THE BULLY PULPIT, which I've wanted to read. It's a $40. book, 3 months backup at the library and even expensive on the NOOK. I was pleased to find it!

Three more inputs from P.S. --

A bookclub friend recommended this:

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

A friend recommended:

Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson

A relative's bookclub is using:

Partitions by Amit Majmudar

The Islanders by Christopher Priest

This was the "Wild card" pick on the 21st century lit board this month -- something that it might be questionable whether it is literary fiction, but certainly at least high quality or particularly innovative genre. It seems to be generating a lively conversation. I have chosen not to read it, at least not now.

Euphoria by Lily King

New release (June). Suggestion from E.D. Based on life of Margaret Mead.

Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani

Set in post revolutionary Iran

Suggestion from J.S.

This is going to be a few scribbings re my own current reads to be able to lift into an email. So can be ignored!

Jerusalem by Gonçalo M. Tavares -- just started. Very controlled writing style.

Some Luck by Jane Smiley -- upcoming f2f book group selection. I won't be there so may let this one slide.

The Church of Solitude by Grazia Deledda -- a cancer patient. Don't remember who put me unto this one. Shouldn't be reading at the same time as some of the others here -- too difficult to keep everyone in the right story.

Löwensköldska ringen / Charlotte Löwensköld (English version, may or may not reach the third story in the volume I have) by Selma Lagerlöf -- the first female Nobel prize winner in literature (1909). Am liking these stories much more than I expected. Not modern or post-modern in style, much closer to Victorian.

Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson -- on hold. Story interesting, resolution deus ex machina, full of legal tactics the reviewers say a lawyer-writer should not have made. Unfortunately, has become somewhat a study in what not to do in story telling.

Reference books related to Ulysses.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters sits on my coffee table. I'm afraid I'll have to return that before I get it even started. But Sarah Waters remains an author whose work I want to read.

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine -- first double finalist for National Book Critics Circle awards, in both poetry and criticism. Reminds me of Adichie's Americanah. Have read about a third of this post-modern prose poem.