Books Abhored

Even today - two, five, even 10 years later we still talk about the books we hated. Drivel, self indulgent fantasies, schlocky writing, or plain 'ol too vague and abstract, are common reasons for one or all of us to rate a book in the substandard '3 or less' category.

Some books actually never made it to rating stage, as a member may have decided it was so odious that the book was closed, and never reopened!

While most of our reads fall squarely in the 5-8 category and often in the realm of forgetableness, the following books rank in the Book Club's Hall of Yuck. I'm not putting in links or pictures, as I wouldn't want you to be tempted to go and read these, or anything.

Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller. We thought we were being tres chic selecting this as our 5th selection (way back when). We'd all heard about this book - a classic, raunchy, under the table kind of reading. I had visions of sitting in a darkish coffee shop, french cigarette dangling out of my pouty red lips, throwing my blond curls over my shoulder, as I look coyly over my book at the steamy man across the way. Visions that, for many obvious reasons, didn't pan out. Instead, yuck! Misogynistic and bizarre. What was this dude thinking and why did so many people like this book? Of couse, there are those out there who will say that we Book Clubbers are too simple minded and naive to really appreciate Henry Miller. So?

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. I loved Morrie. I enjoyed my Tuesdays with him and I cried when he died. That was a great story. But this one isn't. We tended to think that this was the author/publisher's attempt to ride the golden coattails of a blockbuster bestseller. Eeeeewwww. I wish the publishing industry would stop doing that. Just let great stories be great and don't make the author try to outdo him/herself. I felt kind of embarrassed for Mitch when I read this one.

Slow Man by Jim Coetzee. I believe the whole Book Club was under 5 for this book, but I hated this one so much that I rated it a minus 10. None of us have read anything else by him, but I understand this guy's a respected and well published author. I also understand he's a little weird. The book sure is. I can't really even remember the story - the plot is completely usurped by the power of my distaste.

Books Dale hated. I know Dale didn't like the ones above, but she also expressed extreme dislike for Expecting Adam by Martha Beck and
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Perhaps she can comment more fully, but my recollection is that her experience as a parent colored her enjoyment, or lack of it, for these books. She spoke vehemently that she thought Beck was making up her supernatural experiences with her unborn child. She was really mad at 'ol Martha.

Dale is the mother of two wonderful boys who were right around the same age as the little boy in The Road, so she found herself relating too much to the idea of having to protect your children from terror and disgusting things creeping out of the woods.

I liked both those books. I love the way Martha writes (I read her so often in O Magazine that she and I are on first name terms) and I thought The Road was terrible, but compelling. Don't think I'll see the movie though. The images I made up in my very own imagination are enough - I don't need others (even if Viggo is involved).

That's one of the great things about Book Club. We can disagree heartily and vociferously, and still be great friends. We don't all like the same stuff, right?

Books Adored, Part 1

In our 10 years of existence we have read (so far) 88 books. Some we loved, some we hated, and some we read only because it was for book club.

The ones we loved or hated seemed to generate the most intense and long lasting conversations. We knew a book was middling at best when we talked about it for 10 minutes and then returned to gobbling up the delicious food at the table without any further discussion.

Unfortunately we have not kept track of our book ratings over the years, so I'm counting on the collective BC memory to note some of our favorites.

A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin. A true adventure story of an Italian named Alessandro who is driven by beauty and finds himself on a journey for the woman he loves. Alessandro has experiences that are sometimes fantastical, which blurs this book's concept of reality. I think I've read this book 3 times. It is remarkable.


A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. India in all it's dirty misery, but with such heart and sweet relationships. Was an Oprah club pick also. Somehow I'm drawn to stories about India, but I have absolutely no desire to go there. Perhaps it's all the crowded, dirty descriptions that I read about.


The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. If you only read one book in your life, this should be it. A saga set in late colonial South Africa about a spunky boy named Peekay. Life throws Peekay some really hard knocks and he turns them into jewels. Whatever you do - don't watch the movie - it sucks!



Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. OK, you have to have been living under a rock not to have read, or at least heard of this runaway bestseller. But, we loved it. I was so moved by this book that I rated it 100 - not too shabby when the scale is 1-10. The second read was just as good!



Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Another Oprah book, but heh, she knows how to pick them too. I've read this several times also - good thing my memory's so short (menopause you know). A terrific saga of a Greek family told by the daughter, or is it son?


The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. The BC generally reads fiction, but we make some exceptions for nonfiction genius - like this one. If you like food, if you eat food, if you buy or cook food, then you must read this book. Pollan teaches us about how most of our food lands on our tables, but not in a preachy way.


That's enough for now. We all loved these books and give them the book club stamp of approval. There's certainly more....

'Trail of Crumbs' Didn't Lead Anywhere

Last night book club met at Sue's house. A delight, as always, though I wish I could say that about our book, 'Trail of Crumbs' by Kim Sunee.

First - The Menu:

• Spicy edamame and cucumber kim chee (a nod to Sunee's Korean heritage) and a delicious assortment of soft and hard cheeses greet us. We ate them up!
• Sitting down to the table - a small bowl of soup, but such soup that my tongue did a little dance. Chicken, herbs, shitake mushrooms, and lemongrass - yum!
• Then, a platter of herbed and grilled lamb sliders, to be nestled in soft potato buns, and topped with mango/onion chutney. Grilled veggies (to die for) and green salad complemented.
• Depending on your color choice - Boom Boom Shiraz or a lovely pinot grigio.

Our usual 6 was augmented by Sri, Sue's wonderful man, Sri's daughter, Meleana, and Dale's visiting brothers Ian and Darren, and Darren's lovely wife Catherine. Quite a raucous crowd.

Once we got done licking our lips and toasting to the cook (who uses no recipes EVER, by the way) we unleashed our thoughts and feelings about this book.

In my humble opinion, 'Trail of Crumbs', a memoir mostly of Sunee's tumultuous 20's seemed to me a publisher's ploy.

Here's what I heard in my brain:
Publisher: 'Memoirs are selling like hotcakes. Gotta get on that Elizabeth Gilbert train. Oh, and stories with food are good too. Remember that Esquivel watery chocolate book? Oh, oh - and you're adopted, so hunger for identity and mouth watering recipes. That goes together, right?'

Now, with all due respect, Kim Sunee is an established food writer and cook with some very interesting life experiences and relationships. I would truly enjoy eating almost anything Ms. Sunee cooks; however, from this book, I didn't like Ms. Sunee very much. This seemed to be the consensus at the table; however, opinion varied, as usual.

Dale and Sue really emphasized how much they enjoyed the sensuousness of the book. All senses were stroked and imagining the vistas of Provence and the steamy wafts of cooking from Sunee's kitchen were delightful. Ian (a guest contributor) noted that the scenes created in the kitchen, around the dinner table, in the market and traveling through Europe were sublimely accurate in their feel.

While we all loved the aspects related to the food and the sensual moments, we agreed that Ms. Sunee was not all that likable in how she portrayed herself. Tess, who gave the book our highest rating, had somewhat of an affinity for her as she reminded her of many of her students at Hawaii Pacific University, who she loves dearly. I however, did not like her, as her incessant melancholic self absorption reminded me a bit too much of my own 20's and who wants to do that again?

Ostensibly Sunee's theme was her search for identity and belonging. We followed her from New Orleans, to Sweden, to Provence, to South Korea and then Paris, while she navigated a relationships with a millionaire, a self obsessed poet, and her own adopted family. All the while we hear Sunee's dreary train of thought about how everyone is mean to her. Of course, that's a simplification, but that's what it felt like.

Nikolai thought that the structure and flow of this book was out of sorts. He noted that it read a lot like a journal. Pondering that comment, I agree - a teenage girl's journal, albeit, one who can write.

While the first third of the book was really quite delicious, the last part wallowed. Even the recipes at the end of the chapters began to seem slapped on simply to fill the format.

Ratings:
Nikolai - 4
Sue - 5
Craig - 5
Catherine - 6
Tess - 8
Dale - 5 (I think)

All in all - we liked, in a lukewarm way, but nobody's keeping this book.

Then we went off to the living room where we admired and splayed ourselves on Sue's new furniture and ate ice cream with peppermint bark, listened to Christmas music and old Phoebe Snow, and generally enjoyed each other.

It's Not Just a Book Club

When I tell people that I'm in a book club, their eyes get that glazed over look.

I can see the thought bubble appear over their head, "Booooring! Tea and lace tablecloths with a bunch of middle aged women..."

I'd like to pop that bubble with my middle aged hat pin, but I silently laugh to myself, certain that I'm having more fun at my book club than this unknowing person has had at their last year's worth of social events.

I love my book club so much I might think twice about accepting a dinner invitation with Oprah if it conflicts. But I'm sure Oprah would love to join us.

So why does this almost-monthly event hold such a place of reverence in my bookish soul?

It could be the people, or the food, or the wine, or the intensely fabulous conversation about our chosen book. And, it's all of these, but more.

Going to book club is like opening a beautifully wrapped gift from under the Christmas tree. I've been fondling and shaking it and creating my own thoughts about what's inside, but I never know really what's going to come out of the pile of wrapping and ribbon. It's always new, it's always a delicious surprise.

For 10 years we've been meeting at each others' homes, gathering around a table, drinking and eating and sharing our thoughts and experiences of our book. Sometimes we love it, sometimes detest it, and more often than not have a spicy conversation laden with conflicting opinions and provoking ideas. We always rate the book on a scale of 1-10.

Members have come and gone - all loved and all missed. Truly!

There are now 6 of us - Craig, Dale, Nikolai, Tess, Sue and me. Husbands/paramours, guests and lookie loos join us periodically, but we've been this 6 for several years now.

But, I'll let you in. I'll tell you about us and what we talk about and how we rate our book choice. I'll share with you the meals of sumptuous delight and whether or not someone dressed for the theme. I'll even share my between book club reads with you. But, I won't tell you everything, because some of what happens at book club stays at book club. And I mean it!