Meetings #1-2: Bookclub Beginnings

I have a confession. I love our bookclub! I have only been to two meetings so far (I missed the first one at Marit's) and already I feel us bonding. What better way to grow closer, than by talking and thinking about books and life, and eating amazing food? After our meeting this past Saturday I was on such a high I found myself envisioning our little club in the future and wondering what it would be like to look back on our formative meetings - our bookclub beginnings. Well, in the hopeful anticipation that we stick together long enough to forget the details of our early days, I thought it might be nice to implement a Meeting Journal into the blog (although perhaps someone can think up a better name? Maybe just Journal?). After every meeting whoever feels inspired can jot down a few thoughts on what transpired - book discussed, hostess of the day, food enjoyed, moments of enlightenment, moments of heated discussion (still waiting on that one), pet entertainment.... you get the idea. Well, I suppose since I'm already signed in, I better do the first one. I'll try sum up the first three meetings since I'm anal and can't start something without including the beginning.

Sometime during the fall of 2009 I received a call from Marit who was overflowing with excitement about an idea she had while eating lunch with her friend Christine. During what they thought was just another friendly catch-up date, they started the process of forming something much bigger: us! They took their common yearning to be a part of a group of women who shared their same enthusiasm for books and life (and as it turned out, food!), and pulled together a fabulous bookclub. We are: Marit, Christine, Solveig, Heidi, Jenna, Anna, Colleen, and Carolyn.

We met at Marit's house one Monday evening in the fall. Now as you might remember, I was actually not in attendance, so will have to use my imagination to embellish a few facts (truth, fiction, it doesn't matter, right?). Marit served up a delightful italian meal of pasta with red sauce. I believe the salad with homemade dressing was the highlight. We all brought a few book suggestions, and after Colleen (the next hostess) decided on three, we set it to a vote. The Book Thief was the winner.

It was early December and Colleen was busy bustling about the kitchen, complete with apron, muffins, and an abundance of wonderful breakfast smells. Her new kitty welcomed us into the living room where we chatted and enjoyed our mimosas. Our conversation ranged from upcoming Christmas plans to our lovely array of socks (mostly warm wool to match the frigid temperatures outside) before settling in on the book of discussion: The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. I will note to self that my memory of discussions doesn't hold well enough over the course of six weeks to put much of worth on the blog. I remember this book received most favorable reviews (although it was our first meeting so no one dare be too candid) and we discussed why it might be labeled 'young adult', the role of the narrator (death), the descriptions of color throughout the book, the personified language... and various other topics. After a surprisingly long discussion (which I attribute to the fact that we all didn't know each other well enough to sidetrack with gossip and chitchat) Colleen pampered us with a scrumptious brunch: various egg bakes, muffins, fruit, and monkey bread (is that what it's called?). After a couple of ties trying to select our next book, we decided on House of Leaves.

Saturday January 23rd felt much like a day in March: warm, rainy and sloppy. But that didn't dampen the spirits at Heidi's house where she and Jenna were hosting! Moose, Heidi's new little dog, greeted us all with enthusiasm and provided much entertainment throughout the course of the morning. As is becoming our custom, we sipped on mimosas while settling in the living room for discussion. House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski proved quite an interesting read. Although some of us were quite confused at the beginning, as we delved deeper into the book (and house!) it picked up speed and clarity - although no more clarity than is possible when you have text printed in boxes or around the border of the page, with footnotes and a story that has no clear narrator. What a fun and challenging book! I'm so glad this was on our list because I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise. With tummy's rumbling we ended our discussion and headed over to Heidi's new breakfast buffet to dish up breakfast pizza, muffins, cake, egg/hashbrown bake, and fruit. Mmmmm, I do love breakfast food. We decided for the sake of planning ahead and locating copies of future books, we'd try picking out titles two meetings out. Christine will be hosting next with Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger, and Carolyn will host in April with Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce. Can't wait!

I realize this was an insanely long post -- but it covered the birth of the bookettes and three meetings. In the future just a short entry of some quick thoughts will be fine. I honestly don't have much going on tonight and kind of let my mind and fingers get away from me here, oops!

Carolyn