05 November 2014

corner view

corner view :: one book



Each month, one book...that's how our book club works.  A group composed entirely of women, we have diverse interests, professions, backgrounds, with our one obvious commonality being that we are all married. We refuse to force anyone to host the meetings, opting for evenings lingering in local restaurants instead where we allow the conversations to flow as needed. Some months the book dominates, others it doesn't...and that's okay. It's completely a no pressure, pleasurable kind of club: the moment it becomes work, it is doomed.

Here is what we have been reading:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple


I loved some, I hated one. 

Corner View is a weekly appointment shared by people around the globe, an appointment started in the spring of 2009 by Jane in Spain and currently hosted by Francesca over at Fuori Borgo. We welcome you to join us.



17 comments:

  1. I love the idea of your stress-free bookclub! I've got The Goldfinch on my reading list and hope to get to it before the year's end!

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    1. It was one of my favorites. I hope you get to it soon.
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  2. Which do you hated? ;) It is interesting.

    I want to read three books on your list. Donna Tartt, Alice Munro,Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I would like to read Alice Munro in english, but the other both ladies are to heavy for me in english. I think.

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    1. I didn't really like Beautiful Ruins, but many of the others did. I really enjoyed the three others you mentioned, especially Tartt and Adichie.
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  3. I am so jealous! I've joined several book clubs and none have worked out. The first one - only 1 or 2 of us would read the books. We eventually stopped the pretense of calling ourselves a book club and became a supper club. The second one - the meetings were constantly cancelled, but they kept assigning books. When I finally dropped out, I had read four books for which we had never met or discussed. The third - we picked a book and never met... May I join yours??

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    1. Heather, it is just working out. We stick to the SAME date each month,(third Wednesday, I think), which I think is key. But we are extremely flexible with one another...if someone can't make it, then that is OKAY. We are nine & we generally have 6 or 7 each month. I THINK people are reading the books...at least they can talk about them rather intelligibly. When you move to Northern Italy, we have a spot for you.

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  4. well ... which one? now i'm curious ...

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    1. I did not like Beautiful Ruins, not in the beginning, the middle, or the end.

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    2. I did just notice that we seem to stick to women authors; it never occurred to me before reviewing the list in this form. I do wonder why that is so ;)

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  5. that sounds so lovely - collecting books, conversation and memories - beautiful

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  6. That sounds like a great opportunity for getting together, and I love the way you are all so open to discoveries.
    Happy reading, happy gatherings!!

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  7. Thank you for posting your book list! Some nice sounding titles and a few authors I have not heard of. For the last few years I formed and ran a book club in Malta which sounds much like yours. A mix of women from different backgrounds usually meeting out, once a month, 11 on the list but usually 6-7 regularly making it to meeting up. Always a pleasure these gatherings, this year we are in Iceland and I miss having the company of fellow readers to discuss with upon finishing a good book.

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  8. The first one I read as a child. Loved the book! I might have to put a few of the others on your list on my list! Have a great weekend!

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  9. That's a nice title! And a nice club I guess!

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  10. every month one book!! and with a club, that will read different or not?
    but at least you get to know books you probably haven't thought of it!!

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  11. Awesome. And Beautiful. You lead a full and precious life. xo

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