The Library Book

by Susan Orlean
April 19-30, 2019

The Library Book is absolutely the author's homage to the library. Explained in the blurb: "weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire ... author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians ..." This is all true, EXCEPT, I wouldn't say the book weaves. It's kind of an unorganized jumble.

"It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever."

All of it was fascinating, from the history of the LA Public Library, to the 1986 fire that destroyed nearly half a million books, to the suspect Harry Peak, but for me this was one case where I would have preferred a linear timeline. And while the main focus should have been on the fire itself, it wasn't. That's what I wanted more of. Everything else was very interesting, but the combinations of so many topics and dates left the book spread a little too thin.

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The Husband's Secret

by Liane Moriarty
October 13-27, 2013

I allowed myself a rare treat with this one. A fall and winter favorite of mine is waking up on a Sunday morning, early, only to make coffee and hop right back into bed and read. Delightful. I hadn't allowed myself this simple pleasure since last year, but what better book to snuggle up with than The Husband's Secret. I read over half of it in this one sitting ... just don't tell anyone I stayed in bed until one o'clock in the afternoon!

Moriarty has some similarities to Maeve Binchy, and this I loved. The ability to weave so many characters into a story and still make it completely believable. Humor and tears in just the right doses. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. And the secret? Well, I never would have guessed. I feel like I should have though, but even then, I wasn't any less intrigued. The twists and outcomes were perfect, and the "what-ifs" left me thinking long after I finished the last page.

It's crazy, but I can't think of much more to say about this book. Mainly because I don't want to give away a thing. It's that good. That surprising. That compelling. That good. One of the best books I've read in a while.

* * * * *

Tampa

by Allisa Nutting
Sept 26-Oct 13, 2013

This book should have come with a warning: Rated M for mature audiences. Seriously. But it also should have come with a lesser-known warning: this book will absolutely make you squirm. While reading I felt both criminal and twisted for continuing to turn the pages. My conscience told me to put it down. But I just couldn't. I needed to know that Celeste Price wasn't going to get away with it.

And by "it" I mean preying her on 14-year old male students. To fulfill her sexual needs. Nutting does not gloss over details; she embellishes to the point of jaw-dropping disbelief. What was going through the author's head as she penned each chapter?? Controversial subject matter is sure to sell more books, is my opinion. When I was ready to give up on Tampa, I decided to check out a few reviews on Goodreads to see if I was the one who was off-base. It seems the general consensus was that her writing was great and that was what kept readers interested to the end. I'm not sure I agree with that. Not that it was horrible, but it just "was." I suppose it if was really awful I would have been more inclined to quit. But I just had to make sure justice was served.

The official synopsis goes as far as calling Tampa "seriocomic;" yet I never once cracked a smile. And while I'm quite sure the controversy over this book will simply be because the so-called gender roles are reversed, I can't necessarily say that this was a tale that needed to be told. Getting into Celeste's mind is no place I'd ever want to be. When she described her target as an "adolescent morsel," I gagged. First because GROSS and second because I hate the word morsel. This is the point where I can chuckle. The bottom line is that reactions like mine wouldn't even occur if the teacher was a male and obsessed with young girls. We'd condemn him, yes, but it wouldn't have the same shock value.

The last few chapters were the most intriguing for me because I felt they did the best at really getting into a pedophile's mind. To explain that no amount of punishment would cure this sickness. To show that there is no remorse in the merciless. And as to whether or not justice was served... well... you'll have to find out for yourself.

It's interesting to note that Allisa Nutting is an assistant professor at John Carroll University, which many of my friends attended. I wonder if any of them ever crossed her path?! I'd love to know what is on her creative writing class syllabus.

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Everything Changes

by Jonathan Tropper
Sept 10-25, 2013

I have a friend and coworker who I consider to be extremely smart and well-read, plus he's also a writer. But for some crazy reason, he comes to me when he needs a book recommendation. I'm glad to say that I've pulled through every time. My latest recommendations for him were "anything" by Jonathan Tropper. My first suggestions were the two titles I'd already read, but from there he took it and ran. He came to me after returning from a flight and said he'd read One Last Thing... in one sitting. It made him laugh, cry and totally relate to the story. He jumped into another Tropper right away and came back to me singing its praises. That's how I came upon my third Tropper novel, Everything Changes.

Zack seemingly has everything. A rent-free house, loyal friends and a hot fiancée. When his absentee father reappears (with a perma-boner), everything ahem changes. Under it all though is a great story about friendships and the family bond. Tropper has the ability to make the reader laugh out loud in one sentence and get misty-eyed in the next. He can even make an inanimate object an important character in the story. Zack's brother Matt is a talented musician with a shaved head and an attitude. But, knowing how much his mother is disturbed by his bald pate, he wears a wig in her presence. It was amazing to me that this wig was at once both a hilarious little antidote and a poignant reminder of a son's devotion to his mother.

Truly a great storyteller, I highly recommend Jonathan Tropper.

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The Dinner

by Herman Koch
July 14 til I gave up

Yuck. Lost in translation? Maybe. Completely scattered and uninteresting? Totally. I tried, but was convinced to give it up when Orange is the New Black arrived from Amazon (completely obsessed. more on that later).

The whole premise is about a man, his wife and son, and his brother's family. The events are supposed to take place during a dinner, but the story jumps from dinner to past events and is all over the board. When I first started Dinner and learned it was translated from Dutch, I decided maybe it was hard to get into because of the differences in cultures. That maybe it would be worth hanging on for some great payoff at the end. But when I was literally finding other things to do before bed to avoid reading, I knew it was time to throw in the towel.

So many books, so little time. Don't bother.

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May We Be Forgiven

by A.M. Homes May 1-28, 2013 I've been stewing over this one for a few weeks now, wondering what the hell to say about it. I started out at an insanely fast reading pace, then considerably slowed down on the crazy. This one stalled my quick-reading streak a bit, but mainly because it was much longer than the last few books I read, and also because of the aforementioned crazy. One of the reviews on the inside flap said something like, "starts out at 100 mph, then it really gets going." And that couldn't be more true. On Thanksgiving, Harry's sister-in-law kisses him while they are cleaning up after dinner. His brother, George, a tv executive, is fairly absent in his family's life and on the verge of a breakdown. One day, he cracks, and rams his car into another filled with a family, all of whom he kills, except for an 8-year old boy. While sitting in jail, George's wife and Harry's affair kicks into full gear. Asleep one night in George's bed with George's wife in George's pajamas, Harry is awakened by an intruder. It's George, who proceeds to bash the bedside lamp over his wife's head until she is unconscious and near death. A few days later, confirmed that she will be a vegetable, they pull the plug and she is gone. This all happens by page 37!!! From there the insanity ensued, but again, I'm just not sure how I feel. Harry's wife divorces him, he is tasked with raising George's children, has ridiculous affairs, and the list goes on. I am the first to admit that I love a book to take me away from reality, but this was so far off the cliff I'm not sure I could hang on any further. Before page 37, I was recommending this book to everyone I knew. By the end, I was telling my fellow readers to proceed with caution. I welcome any other opinions. I'm also going to check out the consensus on Goodreads. Ed and Joanna, I'm glad we sort of agree on this one. It's not that I hated it; the plot is smart, funny and outrageous. But at some point I wanted to be reeled back to a normal, believable life. Apparently, Homes is known for her f-ed up style, but I'm not sure I want any more of it? * * * * *

The Sunshine When She's Gone

by Thea Goodman
April 24-May 1, 2013

My speedy reading streak continues. I polished off this one in a week. Can't remember the last time I did that, but to be fair, Sunshine was only 225 pages. I also had that Bill Withers song stuck in my head for the past week. Only this book is the exact opposite ... there was Sunshine When She's Gone. Withers sings about how sad and lonely he is without his love, but in this case, Veronica finds herself more than happy when her husband and daughter leave her for the weekend.

Suffering from severe post-partum depression and loss over the emergency hysterectomy that followed the birth, Veronica is surprised to wake up refreshed after an unexpected good night's sleep. Her husband John wakes up early and decides to take six-month old Clara out in the cold January morning to a diner for breakfast. When he finds the diner closed, he hops in a cab for the airport and onto a flight to Barbados. He just wants to get warm. What follows is two days of phone tag, lies and Veronica's unexpected pleasure at having some alone time. For the reader, it's nothing but tension and worry that the baby will get home safely before getting any sicker than she already is.

I kept waiting for the plot to come to a point, but the storyline was so contrived, and the author appeared to give up at the end. I mean, really, who randomly decides to go to the Caribbean, and in what world would he have even gotten through customs with no luggage and a ticket purchased the same day?? I know that I read novels to escape reality, but they need to be somewhat believable too. The book was short, and in the end I'm grateful for that, but another 50 pages could have helped explain these unsympathetic characters a little more. Although maybe that was Goodman's intentions; to leave the reader feeling as shallow as this couple.

I really want to give this book two stars, but I have to give credit to the author for her beautiful prose. A reluctant three stars it is.

* * * * *

The Light Between Oceans

by M.L. Stedman

April 13-23, 2013

Have I mentioned how happy I am that my book slump seems to be behind me? Well, hooray! I've been on a nice run of good words as of late, which is also encouraging me to read longer into the night, and losing some sleep. It's worth it though if the books remain as good as this one: The Light Between Oceans.

Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia after WWI an emotionally damaged man. He shoulders guilt for not being physically injured; having seen his fellow soldiers wounded beyond repair. He finds solace in a job on Janus Rock as the keeper of its lighthouse. On a rare shore leave, he meets and marries Isabel. She in content on the island and with the life they have built together. But after two miscarriages and a stillbirth, she is on the verge a breakdown; until the day when a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a two-month old baby girl, who is very much alive. Isabel does everything in her power to convince Tom that they should keep the baby. As a man who is comforted by rules and procedures, he is adamantly against this idea. But when faced with a distraught wife who truly deserves children, he reluctantly gives in. They live with their new daughter, Lucy, for nearly four years until the guilt is more than Tom can bear.

“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things.”

I tore through this novel with great interest and fascination. At times I found it so heartbreaking to read, but I didn't stop. Although the idea of keeping the child may seem completely unbelievable, Stedman makes you believe. This being her debut novel, I look forward to much more from her.

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Tell the Wolves I'm Home

by Carol Rifka Brunt March 21-April 10, 2013 I don't quite remember how I discovered this book, but I will always be thankful that I did. This one hit close to home. I lost my godfather in the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1989. At the time I'm not sure I fully understood the impact of the disease, but since then I find myself in instant tears the moment I hear of another person's struggle. Tell the Wolves I'm Home is the author's debut novel. Kudos to Carol, because I was drawn in from the first page. June is a 14-year old girl whose world revolves around her uncle, a famous painter, Finn. It's tax season and her accountant parents have left June and her sister Greta "tax season orphans." But every Sunday, June, her mother and sister head to Finn's mysterious apartment and sit for a portrait he is trying to paint before he dies. Once the painting is finished, it's not long before Finn is gone too. June is empty without him and her sister is horribly mean and spiteful to her. Then she makes an unlikely friend, learns more of her uncle's past, and struggles with her grief. Brunt writes a beautiful sentence. Her metaphors are like magic. I absorbed every single word with such emotion that they had me weeping for the last few chapters  Even though it was completely relatable to me, I don't think that's the only reason I enjoyed this book so much. I would find myself stopping in the middle of the day to read a quick chapter. The night I finished it, it was nearly 1am, but I couldn't put it down. “But maybe I am. Maybe that’s exactly what I am. Maybe all I wanted was for Toby to hear the wolves that lived in the dark forest of my heart. And maybe that’s what it meant. Tell the Wolves I’m Home. Maybe Finn understood everything, as usual. You may as well tell them where you live, because they’ll find you anyway. They always do.” People may contend that this fits in the Young Adult genre. But I need to argue that, just because the protagonist is teenager, does not make it YA. The themes are so adult in nature, and although June may be wise beyond her years, people of all ages will easily relate to the subject matter. This book will be in my heart for a long time. * * * * *

Dark Places

by Gillian Flynn Feb. 27-March 20, 2013 And so rounds out my literary kick on Gillian Flynn. Wow, Flynn has one sick and twisted mind. And she admits it! Lucky for us, that translates perfectly into pages and pages of tense scenes, crazy characters and heart-pounding plots. Dark Places is Flynn's second novel, and my least favorite. That's hardly a bad thing, though, since it's the least favorite in a trio of really good books. Libby Day is the only survivor of her family; all of whom were murdered 25 years ago. Her father doesn't count and her brother sits in jail, convicted of the murders. Libby was seven when the massacre occurred and she was the one who testified against her brother. Now she lives a lonely life, is mean and nasty, and profits off of the tragedy. She's contacted by a group called the Kill Club, in which members obsess about infamous crimes, and is asked to help prove her brother's innocence. Libby opens old wounds and brings long-forgotten people back into her life as she agrees to help the Club. Of course the agreement comes with a price; literally and figuratively. Flynn is a master at keeping her readers on the edges of their seats. I devoured this book almost as quickly as the others and again was completely surprised by the ending. I will be eagerly awaiting her next novel. * * * * *

Sharp Objects

by Gillian Flynn February 6-26, 2013 Whoa. Have you ever read a book where almost all the characters are unlikeable? And the more you read, the more you dislike each and every one? Sharp Objects is a perfect example of that. I would be so tense after reading a few chapters each night that I had a hard time falling asleep. I'm quickly learning that this is one of Flynn's strengths (I just started Dark Places this week and am already engrossed). Camille has escaped her mother and dead sister by moving from rural Missouri to the bright lights of Chicago. Working for a small newspaper trying to make her way as a reporter, she accepts an assignment to return home to investigate two child murders. Her mother, a hypochondriac, is not too happy to see Camille appear on her doorstep. She also forbids Camille to speak about the murders in her presence, claiming to have been close to the dead girls. Camille is also reintroduced to her half-sister Amma, a precocious 13-year old with a wicked mean streak. Despite herself, Camille begins to bond with Amma, and they form an unhealthy, unbelievable relationship. “Safer to be feared than loved.” Between Camille's self-loathing, what 13-year old Amma had already experienced, and the ruse she kept up at home, made for incredibly difficult reading. Their mother's flamboyant ways and her husband's blind-eye were enough to make my heart pound. I have never been great at figuring out the plot of a book, and this one was no exception. I'd bet most people would be kept guessing until the last few pages. * * * * *

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

by Maria Semple January 7-20, 2013 What a refreshing change from the drab novels that I have been picking up! I found this one on several "Best of" lists for 2012, plus I'd heard buzz from other reading pals about it, so I nabbed it from the library. Set up as a series of emails, letters and faxes, I had a hard time finding the pace at first. But once I adapted, I flew through with an eagerness I haven't experienced in quite some time. Bee aces her report card and cashes in on a promise that her parents made to her: a trip to Antarctica. Her father is a guru at Microsoft and rather detached. Her mother is an agoraphobic genius architect who hates the neighbors and hires a virtual assistant from India (to avoid said neighbors). Thus, hilarity ensues. When Bee's oblivious father senses a breakdown in Bernadette, he stages an intervention and in a blink she goes missing. Bee's new goal is to find her best friend and mother. I really enjoyed the quirkiness of this book and found myself laughing out loud at times. Perfect example: "Here's the thing. Do you get seasick? People who don't get seasick have no idea what it's like. It's not just nausea. It's nausea plus losing the will to live." I am no stranger to any kind of motion sickness; car, airplane, boat, roller coaster, bicycle crunches (!); so this analogy was not only relatable, but dead-on. However, near the end, I feared the plot was losing its way a little bit. And maybe it did, but the more I think about the resolution, I'm satisfied. Where'd You Go, Bernadette was cute and quirky with just enough sentiment. * * * * *

(Almost) A Year in Review

It's sad but true. I am almost a year behind in posting! I'd like to chalk it up to being too busy reading, but you know how it goes: Other chores take priority, I've had freelance out the wazoo; or was it simply that I couldn't come up with the perfect thing to say about what I just read? Whatever the reason, I never stopped reading. Well, wait. There was the time in March when I nearly boycotted reading because I was so smitten with Harry Potter. I felt I would be disloyal to all of Wizardom if I jumped into a new book without properly grieving the end of those seven books. Yeah, I was that obsessed. I even joined Pottermore the first day it became available to the public (my screen name is ShadowRain12825 for anyone who wants to friend me!) and haven't stopped thinking about how truly wonderful those books were since March 14, 2012 when Harry sent his own son off to Hogwarts for the first time. I know, I know, I'm way late for that train. But I'm so glad I waited! I don't know how the people who read each book as it was released could handle the wait! I was lucky to read all seven books consecutively over the course of only four months.

OK, fine, enough about Harry (one last word: I love Ron). I've decided that instead of completely stressing myself out about the fact that I need to write TEN overdue posts, I need to just clean the slate. I'll recap the books I've read since last July and move on with my life. The next full post will be about that sicko Christian Gray :)

1. Cutting for Stone  |  Abraham Verghese  |  January 10 - July 17, 2011
It took me a whopping seven months to get through this audiobook. So many times I wanted to give up. I found it to be slow and overly long (I desperately wanted to edit out so much of it). The only thing that kept me going was peer pressure – so many friends held this book in such high esteem. And then one day I suddenly turned a corner and ended up truly enjoying it. Glad I stuck to it.
* * * * *
2.  Still Alice  |  Lisa Genova  |  August 16 - September 3, 2011
Tough subject matter, but poignant and heartbreaking. Genova has a Ph. D in neuroscience, so the book is written accurately but still has the ability to engage the reader at every turn. Alice's quick decent into Alzheimer's isn't exactly "light reading," but well worth the education for the reader.
* * * * *
3.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake  |  Aimee Bender  |  July 18 - August 30, 2011
Anyone recognize this acronym: WTF??? That is exactly what I said when this book ended. WTF??? Her brother became the chair?? Seriously didn't get it. Maybe the biggest strike against the book for me was the author narrated the audiobook and it was probably the worst narration I've ever heard. Monotone, lifeless; she could have read anything and made it sound awful. Sorry, it's just better to have talented narrators...otherwise you lose me. Fast.
* * * * *
4.  Faith  |  Jennifer Haigh  |  September 3-24, 2011
Funny thing happened the other day. I stopped and got Faith out of the library because a pal had been raving about it and said I just had to read it next. After two chapters I realized that I've already read it! Duh! It was definitely good, so I have no idea why it was so forgettable. An intriguing story about an accused Catholic priest in Boston and how his family deals with the scandal.
* * * * *
5. I Still Dream About You  |  Fannie Flagg  |  September 24 - October 15, 2011
I adore Fannie Flagg. Her writing is music to my ears. Not being a southern girl myself, Flagg has the ability to paint such a vivid picture, that I feel like I've lived in Alabama my whole life. Even as Maggie Fortenberry contemplates suicide by creating a list of 16 reasons why she should and only 2 why she should not, I couldn't help laughing at the charm brought in every page of this book.
* * * * *
6. A Discovery of Witches  |  Deborah Harness  |  September 1 - October 8, 2011
I wouldn't say I'm a fan of Fantasy or Sci-fi, but I love, love, love witches. Add in a 1500-year old vampire and you've got a real winner. I couldn't get enough of this book, and was actually quite satisfied with the somewhat untidy (not wrapped up in a bow) ending. Then I found out it was the first in a trilogy. Hooray! Shadow of Night comes out next month. I can't wait!
* * * * *
7. One Day  |  David Nicholls  |  October 20 - December 29, 2011
Hilariously funny in parts with an unforeseen, shocking ending. Dexter and Emma meet on July 15, 1988 and the book follows them on that same day each year after for 20 years. Nicholls' ability with character development had me on an emotional roller coaster. Except I didn't get sick on this one.
* * * * *
8. This is Where I Leave You  |  Jonathan Tropper  |  January 10 - March 8, 2012
Judd and his dysfunctional family reluctantly sit Shiva for his father. His wife is cheating on him with his boss. Sounds like hard stuff, but this novel is funny and fresh. It was a great one to listen to while sitting in traffic after work. Made the commute not so bad.
* * * * *
9. Harry Potter  |  J.K. Rowling  |  November 20, 2011 - March 14, 2012
These seven books really deserve their own post, but what could I say that hasn't been said before? I resisted for so long, for no real reason, but was finally convinced to give them a try. I felt like I was living at Hogwarts for four months. I can't say enough good things about this series, and I'm sure no one needs convincing – I'm probably the last person on earth to read them.
* * * * *
10. The Night Circus  |  Erin Morgenstern  | March 19 - May 28, 2012
To be fair, this book never stood a chance. As the first one to be read after Harry, I couldn't focus on a single word. I would go days without reading it; in turn taking me 2-plus months to get through it. Once my focus started to return, I became quite interested in the characters. But even though I'm not a fan of a big bow at the end, I found myself saying out loud, "Was the whole damn thing really a dream?!"
* * * * *
And there you have it. Some of my highest ratings in a long time...maybe that can be another excuse for not posting!

Love the One You're With

Another audiobook. Took me forever to listen to it, and I think I owe the library a pretty penny in late fees.

Love the One You're With started out well. The reader's voice was very easy to listen to, and the subject matter was somewhat intriguing. Ellen is a photographer and is very happily married to Andy, a lawyer, who is also her college roommate's brother. She happens to run into an old college flame and begins to wonder what could have been. For me, both men were worth a chance. Ellen resists Leo (the flame) initially, and rightly so, but then begins to have her doubts about her marriage.

And then the book gets totally wishy-washy. Truly, I began to find Ellen completely spineless and weak. Nearing the end of the book, I realized that I didn't even care how it turned out. But since I got the abridged version and it was only four CDs, I pushed through. When Ellen finally makes her decision I literally said out loud while driving, "Oh, gimme a break."

I don't understand why authors always feel the need to tie up the ending in a neat little bow. For me, Emily Giffin landed right into that trap. This one really had the potential to take a cool twist and instead it landed flat.

...or maybe I'm just OVER chick lit...


___________
* * * * *

Twelve Times Blessed

Check out my top ten favorite books and you will see Jacquelyn Mitchard as the author of one. Luckily, I found another of her books that I didn't know about, published in 2004, and I loved it.

Twelve Times Blessed is about True, a widow, and her wonderful support group of family and friends. On her 43rd birthday, True is feeling wistful. Her friends take her out to celebrate and she meets Hank, the owner of the bar, who she proceeds to beat at a game of darts. Their chemistry is instant, even though he is about ten years younger. They are married shortly after their first meeting and she begins the cycle of sabotaging what good fortune she has been given. Not that Hank is innocent; he has trouble adjusting to an instant family after thoroughly enjoying his bachelor years.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Listening to it on CD, read by the author herself, I was engrossed the whole time. I actually was disappointed at how fast I finished it. Then I realized that I had borrowed the abridged version from the library. It was so good though that I am considering trying to find it unabridged and listen again. Mitchard has definitely earned a spot as one of my favorite authors.

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* * * * *

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Wasn't this also a movie? In my opinion, too many books are made into film. I prefer to use my imagination and get more in-depth descriptions through the pages of a book than getting the condensed version on screen. As I jump off my soapbox...

I came across Snow Flower and the Secret Fan on CD at my local library. It's tells of Chinese women in the 1800s and how their lives are so completely controlled and predestined for them by the elder men and women in their lives. Lily spends the majority of her day in the women's chamber; a one-window room within the house that isolates the females from the males in the home. Her feet were bound by the time she was seven; just after she was paired with an "old same" (an emotional match of friendship, in the same vein as arranged marriages). Lily's laotong was Snow Flower. The girls communicate with each other using nu shu, a form of secret writing, only taught to women. Lily tells of her life, friendship with Snow Flower, marriage, family, deaths, plagues and children.

Lisa See seamlessly intertwined a history lesson with beautiful prose. Her description of foot binding was very graphic, and while westerners may have a difficult time understanding this ancient tradition, the author put a light on the subject that helped me to understand the reason women underwent the painful and crippling process.

In the end, Snow Flower... is just a lovely story about women and friendship. It's quite unlike anything I have read before, but I truly enjoyed it.


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* * *-1/2 * *

I love the library

One day I will have a house with enough room to have a fabulous bookshelf that will hold all of my fave reads. But right now I take advantage of the public library. Shame on me, but I have been going to the Rocky River Public Library for years and avoiding my own. The main reason for this was when I first moved to Lakewood the library was small and had very little to choose from, especially in the realm of books on tape. I just got in the habit of going to RRPL because they had everything I needed. Recently, I have been reading about and driving past the newly renovated Lakewood Public Library and telling myself that I need to support my community's library. Today I got a cool mailing about all the library has to offer. And I stumbled upon this:

Knit & Lit Book Club
Here’s a new kind of book club for both the knit-a-holic and the incurable bibliophile. Lynda Tuennerman will get us started with the first book selection. After that, meetings will grow organically like a long, long scarf as members make suggestions for books and needlework projects. We’ll keep our hands and minds busy on the third Tuesday of every month, sharing literary insights and personal projects. To register, please call 226-8275 ext. 127.

How fun is this?! Combining two of my favorite hobbies. Even the next book selection sounds cool:

The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Library Meeting Room


I'm not normally a fan of book clubs, but this one piqued my interest. Who wants to join me??