South Shore Readers discussion

Do you have an ideas for books we can read/discuss in the future? if so post them here!

I am part of another book club which recently read "Cage of Stars" by Jacqueline Michaud- it was very, very thought provoking. We spent a whole evening talking about the issues in this book and were shocked to see how much time had flown by! I would highly recommend it for a discussion book- lots to talk about! Debi

I went to a book club on this one too-it was good. Actually the woman who was hosting had won one of those " have the author at your book club" things so Jacquelyn Mitchard was there which was pretty cool.

How about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I've had that one on my list for a while, it looks good.

I'd be down for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That looks really good.

Sorry I missed the last meeting - got stuck at work... Curious to hear what everyone thought of Sarah's Key. I had actually read it right after it was picked and was anxious to hear everyone's comments. See you all next time, Jenni

I'm adding my vote to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

FYI-- a good criteria for picking books is if they are ones that will lead to a good discussion. Books that have discussion questions are a good starting point since it gives you some pre-determined discussion topics. http://www.readinggroupguides.com/con... has a list of books with discussion guides.

Some thoughts on books to consider for the next time

Fun, light read
Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70...

I Was Told There'd by Cake by Sloane Crosley
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21...

Non-Fiction
The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45...

Cod by Mark Kurlansky
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...

Classic
Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19...

Modern Classic
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37...

Moody but with a life lesson
Veronika Decides to Die by Paolo Coelho
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14...

Other
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33...


Hardcover
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50...

Good list, Nancy. I have only read two of those (Sparrow and Veronika...both very good reads). ;) and I have one of the others sitting unread on my shelves at home (THeir Eyes were watching God)...and a few others have been on my to-read list for awhile (Cod, Absuristan, I was told there'd be cake)

A few more I'd like to throw in for future consideration.

CLASSICS
The Good Earthby Pearl S. Buck

NON-FICTION
Lipstick Jihad A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America And American in Iran by Azadeh Moaveni

The Making of a Chef Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute by Michael Ruhlman

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard

The Sex Lives of Cannibals Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost

The Hacienda A Memoir by Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

FICTION
The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer

Hey All,
Great suggestions! I'm game for a non-fiction. The title of The Sex Lives of Cannibals... has me intrigued!
See you all next month,
Melissa

Jessica -- I too have Cod by Mark Kurlansky sitting on my shelf, unread, staring at me reproachfully. As only a cod can stare.

I am going to print off the books listed here and bring them to the meeting on Sunday. So if you have a favorite, feel free to campaign for it. ;)

Absurdistan sounds like a fun read. I'd also be down for some non-fiction. The Gardner Heist, Cod, Lipstick Jihad or The Hacienda all sound like interesting reads.

We've picked two books from the above two lists for our future reads.

Absurdistan - December 6th 2009
Lipstick Jihad - January 24th 2010

At the meeting yesterday, we decided on "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" for February (there's a link in Nancy's post above). The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 21.

Just to update the list for use in future meetings...based on discussions of to-read books we've had and ones from the lists above that people expressed interest in and also exluding ones that a few of us have already read. Here is the current list of possible future reads. (again feel free to add your own to this thread if you stumble across anything and don't want to forget it)

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Cod by Mark Kurlansky
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost
Fool by Christopher Moore
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Although I've been MIA for a while . . . I'd like to read The Good Earth. (Been on my bookshelf for a good while!)

yay! kara! How are you doing? I really want to read The Good Earth too. :)

Ones that got some interest at our last meeting were:
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Hi All, I'm still holding out hope that one day I will actually read the book and make it to a meeting. I'm counting down my last 3 BA classes until I regain my life! Until then, I'm stuck doing homework on weekends.

I read both of these books and liked them very much. This is Where I Leave You might make for good group discussion :)

Consolidating list of suggested reads (taking off ones we've already picked or that a lot of us have already read):

FICTION
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Fool by Christopher Moore
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (541 pages)
Tinkers by Paul Harding
Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls


NON-FICTION
Cod by Mark Kurlansky
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Micheal Sandel

the only book that doesn't really appeal to me is "the good earth," as its one of those i had to read in high school. my number one choice is a tie between "tinkers" and "this is where i leave you."

I read This is Where I Leave you a couple months ago and I really liked it. I think it would make a good book for discussion. Now if I could only make it to a discussion that would be great!...hahah

I still want to read The Good Earth

We met today and thought we'd read Tinkers for November and This is Where I Leave You for December.

I'm going to create a new topic for 2011 Book Ideas.