The Boys In The Boat

We will be meeting on Tuesday June 16 at 7:00 pm to discuss The Boys In The Boat.  Leisa will lead our discussion.  Hope to see you there!

The Boys in the Boat

Leisa has selected our new book pick:  The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown.
We will meet Tuesday May 19 at 7:00 at Debby's house.

Here is a snippet about the book:

Out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.

It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.

Book Club This Week

We will be meeting Tuesday at Debby's house at 7:30pm to discuss our last two books. Dari will lead the discussion on The Prodigal Son and Alecia will lead the discussion on The Rent Collector.
Alecia is bringing treats - YUM!

Even if you haven't read the books come and join in the discussion.  Bring a book idea to share - remember that to recommend a book you need to have read the book already :-)

See you Tuesday!

The Rent Collector

Our new book pick is The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright.  Alecia picked this book and will be leading our discussion.  We will also discuss last month's book, The Prodigal Son and Dari will lead that discussion.

Here is some information about our new book pick, The Rent Collector:

This fictional story, based on actual accounts, follows a Cambodian family that lives at--and makes their living from--Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. as her husband scavenge the dump for things to sell, Sang Ly tries to find a way to heal her ailing son. When she discovers that the bad-tempered rent collector can read, Sang LY begs the woman to teach her. The unlikely relationship is the beginning of a life-changing quest. It is a story of hope, determination, and the strength of family. It is the journey of one woman to save her son and another womans chance at redemption. It demonstrates that even in a dump in Cambodia--perhaps especially in a dump in Cambodia--everyone deserves a second chance.

Hope to see you all at our book discussion.  7pm at Debby's house on Tuesday April 21st.
Debby has a copy of the book if anyone would like to borrow it.

Our New Read

Dari has picked the book for next month, The Prodigal Son, by LDS author Alison Palmer. Here is an excerpt:

When Sarah opens the door, the last thing she expects to find is a lost piece of her life. Fifteen years ago her hopes and dreams were shattered and she thought nothing could be worse. Now, her missing child has been found and her life is about to change again. How can she learn to love a son her heart has longed for when he seems to be completely unlovable? The Prodigal Son introduces a modern version of the Biblical parable. This engaging story represents an emotional exploration into the strength of love, the power of forgiveness, and the universal nature of the atonement. It's is a story about the quest to love, forgive, break down walls, and build again, in order to save a child who doesn’t want to be saved. Its message will touch the hearts of anyone who has faced the heartbreak of a struggling and rebellious teenager.

The book can be purchased from Amazon in either kindle or paperback. The Kindle edition is only $2.99. Happy reading.

Our New Read

Shelly has picked our book for November. We will be reading All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  Here is a short synopsis:

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

So, grab a copy from the library, borrow one from a friend, or purchase a copy if you think this is something you would like to add to your personal library. Happy Reading! 

Our New Read

Dari has picked our book for October. We will be reading What Would A Holy Woman Do? by Wendy Watson Nelson. Here is what it is about:

What woman would describe herself as holy? And yet, the Lord has commanded us to practice holiness ... continually. What is the meaning of holiness? How can we become a little more holy day by day? Is that even possible? Or is holiness just a lofty, impossible goal? In considering these questions, bestselling author Wendy Watson Nelson offered a three-day experiment to several friends. For three days each woman chose one of her normal daily activities and asked herself, How would a holy woman do this? For example, how would a holy woman handle a conflict, or avoid a conflict? How would she manage a lengthy to-do list? What would she do in difficult situations? And then each woman followed through on the answer. Their experiences are both eye-opening and encouraging as we begin to understand how gifts of the Spirit can help us become the women that the Lord needs us to be. This powerful message will inspire listeners to take their own three-day challenge and discover what the Lord is willing to teach each of us about becoming more holy.

So borrow a copy from a friend, or you can find it on Amazon or thru Deseret Book. Happy reading!