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MMBC: Driving Sideways Discussion


Just a quick post today. For those reading along with us, I have posted the MMBC discussion recap. Be sure to check it out!
Click here for the Author Q&A
We had a good discussion, everyone took time to write their thoughts and opinions. Thank you to everyone that participated.
Our next MMBC selection is 'Matrimony' by Josh Henkin on March 4th.
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Review: Getting Rid of Matthew


Jane Fallon is an award-winning television producer in England. Her first book, the bestselling 'Getting Rid of Matthew' was published in 2007. Her second novel 'Got You back' was published by Penguin in August 2008 and reached number 5 in the bestseller list.

In an article from the Daily Mail, Fallon mentions that Jennifer Aniston has purchased the movie rights. Personally, having just read the book, I would love to see this novel made into a movie. Click here for an author Q&A.

I have wanted to read this book for a few months and it was worth the wait. I often read books too fast, having to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the story. This is exactly what I did with ‘Getting Rid of Matthew’.

This is Helen’s story (the mistress), told from her voice. One day Matthew knocks on her door and explains he just left his wife, for her! There is one problem, Helen doesn’t want to be with Matthew. As the story develops you will be entertained and hoping for Helen’s idea of a "perfect ending".

Book clubs will love this story – there is so much to discuss and the characters are well developed. This is a good example of 'be careful what you wish for.'

Type: Fiction, 322 pages, trade paperback

Synopsis:
A sparkling, sophisticated, witty story about what happens when he finally leaves his wife for you . . . and you realize you don't want him after all.

Helen is nearly forty, and has, for far too long, had an affair with Matthew, a high-powered, much older, attractive, married man who was once, of course, her boss. After years of being disappointed by missed dates, out-of-the-way restaurants where there's no chance of them being caught, broken promises, and hushed phone calls, at last Helen realizes enough is enough-it's time to dump Matthew and get on with her life.

This, of course, is the exact moment when Matthew decides to leave his wife for her. He appears on her doorstep, announcing, "I've done it! I've left her! I'm yours!" and proceeds to move in. Helen then discovers how much she can't bear him. But she can't just throw him out-after all, she's been begging him to do exactly this for years. The only thing to do, she decides, is to convince his wife, Sophie, to take him back.

Reviews:
“Helen and Sophie are so alive, you’ll find yourself wishing you could ring them for lunch.” – The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“A Hugely satisfying novel of tables being turned.” - Elizabeth Buchan, author of Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman
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Review: Mrs. Perfect


This is Jane Porter’s fourth novel – a special thanks to Jane and her publisher for sending these books to read, review and pass along. I love the characters in this book series and I am anxiously waiting for the next one to hit the shelves...Yes there is another one coming!!

This story catches you by surprise, in the first part of the book you want to hate the main character, Taylor. She seems shallow and only concerned with appearances, as the novel progresses you find that she is vulnerable and when forced to deal with family circumstances beyond her control she jumps in and takes control.

I enjoyed reading this book and loved the character cross over from ‘Odd Mom Out’. I know a few women fitting the mold of Taylor in the beginning of the book but know many more women willing to help and do anything for friends and family. This books makes your remember what’s important.
BWAV rating of this book: 4 stars
Type: Fiction, 417 pages, trade paperback

Synopsis:
As a young California girl growing up in a blue collar neighborhood, Taylor Young dreamed of being popular, beautiful, and acquiring a wardrobe to die for. Not to mention marrying a handsome, successful man and living happily ever after in a gorgeous house with three wonderful children. Now, at 36, Taylor has reached the pinnacle of her dreams, but is it all about to unravel? As the new school year approaches, Taylor prepares herself for playing the perfect alpha mom: organizing class activities, fund-raising, and chairing the school auction. But the horror! Her archrival, bohemian mom Marta Zinsser, is named Head Room Mom of Taylor's daughter's fifth grade class. As tensions rise at committee meetings and school activities, the two rivals seem to be destined for a final confrontation. But as Taylor plans her next move, she is floored by a more serious blow at home-her husband has been secretly unemployed for the past six months. With her posh lifestyle crumbling, Taylor struggles to maintain her alpha image-but could Marta, who cares little about appearances, be her only true friend?

Reviews:
“Real life hits trophy wife right in the Botox, in Porter’s empowering page-turner!” – Leslie Carroll, author of Choosing Sophie and Play Dates

“Jane Porter understands women. This is the kind of book you’ll want to share with your best friend.” – Melanie Lynn Hauser, author of Confessions of a Super Mom
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The Canterbury Tales


This winter I am participating in an alumni studies program to discuss Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘The Canterbury Tales’ with Professor Fleming (Princeton). The lectures are audio recordings from the Fall 2005 semester, which was Professor Fleming’s last semester teaching this course.

My life slogan is ‘continued learning’ and the internet has redefined adult education/independent studies. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have thought I could attend a class led by a Princeton professor via conference calls and the internet.

The class started this week with over 250 people attending, two lectures a week and links to the lectures (podcasts) on the internet. Simply amazing!

So today I start reading ‘The Caterbury Tales’, for the first time.

A little about Geoffrey Chaucer: (c. 1343 – 25 October 1400?) was an English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, courtier and diplomat. Although he wrote many works, he is best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales. Sometimes called the father of English literature, Chaucer is credited by some scholars as the first author to demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the vernacular English language, rather than French or Latin.
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales: which is a collection of stories in a book written between 1387 and 1400. It is the story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury (England). The pilgrims, who come from all layers of society, tell stories to each other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The Canterbury Tales are written in Middle English. .Chaucer intended that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back. He never finished his enormous project and even the completed tales were not finally revised. Scholars are uncertain about the order of the tales. As the printing press had yet to be invented when Chaucer wrote his works, The Canterbury Tales has been passed down in several handwritten manuscripts.
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Review: The Great Man


Kate Christensen, author of ‘The Great Man’, is only the fifth woman to win the Pen Faulker Award.

From the Pen Faulker website:
Pen Faulkner was founded by writers in 1980, and named for William Faulkner, who used his Nobel Prize funds to create an award for young writers, and PEN, the international writers’ organization, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation brings together American writers and readers in a wide variety of programs to promote a love of literature.

I haven’t been able to find much on the author’s background but did find a few articles worth sharing. There is a wonderful conversation with Kate Christensen on her webpage with Random House, which discusses the novel in great detail. NPR also has an article and an audio clip interview.

This novel grabs you quickly and is told mostly with dialog, a quick read. I was so interested to read this book – a refreshing new storyline!

The story is entertaining and centers around two women whom both had families with a famous painter, a wife and a mistress. The story starts five years after Oscar’s death when two biographers are looking to write Oscar’s story. The women’s mannerisms differ for each biographer and what unfolds to the reader is a full account of the life these families lived. There is no love lost – you will enjoy this story and there is a lot to discuss if you choose to read this for a book club selection.

You can find a reader’s guide on the author’s site.
BWAV rating of this book: 3 stars
Type: Fiction, 320 pages, Trade paperback

Synopsis:
Oscar Feldman, the renowned figurative painter, has passed away. As his obituary notes, Oscar is survived by his wife, Abigail, their son, Ethan, and his sister, the well-known abstract painter Maxine Feldman. What the obituary does not note, however, is that Oscar is also survived by his longtime mistress, Teddy St. Cloud, and their daughters.

As two biographers interview the women in an attempt to set the record straight, the open secret of his affair reaches a boiling point and a devastating skeleton threatens to come to light. From the acclaimed author of The Epicure's Lament, a scintillating novel of secrets, love, and legacy in the New York art world.

Reviews:
"Mischievous...funny, astute.... As unexpectedly generous as it is entertaining.... Christensen is a witty observer of the art universe." —The New York Times"


Christensen's writing is clear-eyed, muscular, bitingly funny, and supremely caustic about the niceities of social relations, contemporary American culture, and sexual politics. " — O, The Oprah Magazine


"These characteres are wonderfully developed and break the stereotype of the aging female protagonist. Christensen...boldly has raised the bar." — USA Today
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Review: The Fiction Class


I found "The Fiction Class" while looking for book club selections a few months ago. This is the first novel for Susan Breen who is a journalist turned author. This novel follows parts of her life, she teaches writing and the short story woven in the book is Breen’s work, Fortune, published over 10 years ago. I encourage everyone to visit her website, which is filled with facts, stories and a blog.

"The Fiction Class" is the story of Arabella, her fiction class and her mother. Arabella teaches a fiction class and is trying to complete her first novel. As you meet the students in the class, you see that they are really more than students, they come together to form a family over the period of the class.

This is also a mother daughter story. Arabella visits her mother after class weekly, usually with fast food in tow. The relationship is beautifully written and explored in the novel, genuine.

Breen brings the two storylines together masterfully, illuminating each other with quiet wisdom. A genuine, beautifully written novel that resonates long after you have finished it, filled with wisdom about writing and mothers and daughters. I recommend this book for book groups everywhere!
BWAV rating of this book: 3 stars
Type: Fiction, 296 pages, Trade Paperback

Synopsis:
A witty, honest, and hugely entertaining story for anyone who loves books, or has a difficult mother. And, let's face it, that's practically everybody . . .
On paper, Arabella Hicks seems more than qualified to teach her fiction class on the Upper West Side: she's a writer herself; she's passionate about books; she's even named after the heroine in a Georgette Heyer novel.
On the other hand, she's thirty-eight, single, and has been writing the same book for the last seven years. And she has been distracted recently: on the same day that Arabella teaches her class she also visits her mother in a nursing home outside the city. And every time they argue. Arabella wants the fighting to stop, but, as her mother puts it, "Just because we're family, doesn't mean we have to like each other." When her class takes a surprising turn and her lessons start to spill over into her weekly visits, she suddenly finds she might be holding the key to her mother's love and, dare she say it, her own inspiration. After all, as a lifelong lover of books, she knows the power of a good story.

Reviews:
“Reminds us of what the right words in the proper order can give: pleasure, laughter, heartache, and… just in the nick of time, redemption.” – Marisa De Los Santos (author of Love Walked In)

“A poignant yet amusing tale of family relationships rendered even more satisfying by Breen’s dispensing of Strunk & White – like advice.” – Booklist
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December Discussion - Thank you for all things


Thank you Linda for hosting book group, your house is decorated so nicely for the holidays. I am still in the process of putting up decorations this year… I’m not sure how that happened. We are awaiting news of Jill’s third child, due any minute! I wish you a quick, pain free delivery. As we learned last night, we hope the baby can stay with you until newborn fog sets in. I can’t wait to hear your labor story and meet the little guy.

This month we read Thank you for all Things, written by Sandra Kring. I enjoyed reading this novel, the characters develop nicely throughout the story and you feel like you are listening to a friend share their family history. I encourage everyone to read the questions after reading (even if you are not reading this for book club), reading the questions bring the book together and give it purpose.

Sandra was our first live phone discussion and we were so pleased that she took time to meet with us. I can’t wait to read her next novel, the storyline is intriguing. Book clubs wishing to have an author chat can request one through the contact link on Sandra's website.

Discussion:
Linda started the night burning sage to cleanse the room, channeling her inner Oma. Sandra has written three books and is currently working on her fourth, due out in 2009. Her writing does not reflect on her family history but you can find little bits of her in every novel. This story is written from Lucy’s perspective. We discussed how differently the story would have been if it was told from Milo’s eyes, Lucy’s twin brother. Milo and Lucy are so different yet you feel a strong bond between them. When asked if she knew from the very beginning what the secret was going to be, Sandra said she had no idea. She had to wait to see how the story would evolve and mentioned she only knows a character as much as the narrator knows them. The story is Lucy’s. Tess, Lucy’s Mother, is uptight and we are waiting for her to loosen up through the story. Sandra explained that some readers have had a negative reaction to Tess and that Oma balances Tess’s personality. Sandra shared that she has two friends in her book club to which she drew upon for Oma’s new age lifestyle and Tess’s being an atheist. She said, “I didn’t have to do a lot of research and it was so much fun putting bits and pieces of them into this book”. We felt sorry to Tess and were surprised to hear of an unlikeable reaction towards her. Sandra explained that some people thought she was a bad mother. In some ways we are all a little bit like Tess, cautious, a little bit afraid of living.

Biography:
Sandra’s biography mentions that she runs workshops for people suffering trauma, she was quick to say she no longer facilitates workshops and trauma groups, which she did for 7 years and mentioned that we usually do not begin to deal with childhood trauma until our late 30’s/early 40’s.

She doesn’t believe you learn to cope, she feels you can move on and be strong. Mind, body and spirit – you can get your life back.

Writing:
She likes to write from the subconscious – and likes to answer a question.

When asked “what was the question you were trying to answer in Thank you for all Things”, Sandra mentioned forgiveness, family secrets and what happens to families when there are secrets. Sandra wanted to show that life is a contradiction - a good example of this is a parent can be much different with their grandchildren. She wanted to explore this.

With 'Thank you for all things', writing Tess’s journals took a few days. She had to step out of Lucy’s voice yet Tess is told from Lucy’s mouth.

When she isn’t writing and on a break, she likes to get out, be around people. When she is writing, she writes everyday, all day.

Tips for Aspiring writers: Sandra was quick to tell us to first learn everything you can by reading as many novels as you can. This allows you to see what works and what doesn’t work. Read good books, read bad books. Once you are ready to go (with the idea or determination to start)… forget everything. A lot of writers try too hard to emulate their favorite author or favorite book, rather than telling the story in their natural writer's voice.
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Review: Revolutionary Road


Revolutionary Road was first published in 1961. A moving story that reflects the attitudes of the 'fifties' realistically yet transcends time and can be meaningful to anyone in today's world. Click here to learn more about Richard Yates.

I finally read Revolutionary Road over the holiday’s this year - just in time to see the movie. I was able to envision Kate Winslet and Leonardo DeCaprio in the roles of Frank and Alice. The movie isn’t in my city yet, but I will see this in the next month or so.

The plot is powerful in that it deals with the economical, social and emotional impacts of the era from the point of view of both women and men. It’s a wonderful read told in three parts. The first and third sections read quickly and keep you involved, the second section moves at a slower pace but keep reading – it’s relevant to the overall storyline. Not one of my favorite books but at the end I was happy I read the book (I enjoy a well written novel and it’s nice to read a book written decades ago that is still relevant today).
BWAV rating of this book: 4.5 stars
Type: Fiction, 368 pages, trade paperback

Synopsis:
"A deft, ironic, beautiful novel that deserves to be a classic." —William StyronFrom the moment of its publication in 1961, Revolutionary Road was hailed as a masterpiece of realistic fiction and as the most evocative portrayal of the opulent desolation of the American suburbs. It's the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple who have lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. With heartbreaking compassion and remorseless clarity, Richard Yates shows how Frank and April mortgage their spiritual birthright, betraying not only each other, but their best selves.


Reviews:
“One of the few novels I know that could be called flawless.” – James Atlas, The New York Time Book Review

“Richard Yates belongs with Fitzgerald and Hemingway as the three unarguably great American novelists of the twentieth century.” – David Hare, The Guardian
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