Catcher in the Rye & Tacos

Thanks for Dale for being a wonderful host for book club this past Friday. The taco bar was delicious. Also a thanks for Anjanette for the chips & guacamole, Michelle for the margaritas and Shannon for the kick-ass desert. Everything was incredible.

I think overall the book brought some great discussion as people tended to either love it or hate it...and those books seem to spark the most interesting debate.

I think Tripp's comments (sent via email to Michelle) summed the book up best:

"I think Catcher is a brilliant exposition of adolescent angst, the turmoil-laden transition from childhood to adulthood, and the fear of loss of innocence. Holden is the catcher nobly struggling to save children from all the scary, major, yet inevitable changes they must undergo. Phoebe, Holden's sister, as the chief target of his "saving." But Holden himself is in the mix, and must be "saved" by Phoebe, who also becomes a catcher of sort. 

I wouldn't say the hero prevails, but

August will be Solitude of Prime Numbers

For the August book club, Nicole Krout will be hosting and has selected, The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paola Giordano.

From Ecletic Booklover at Amazon.com:

The Solitude of Prime Numbers is a quiet but poignant coming of age story about two lonely misfits: Alice Della Rocca and Mattia Balossino. The story begins in 1983 and ends in 2007. 
Alice is pushed by her overbearing father at a young age to become a world-class skier, but a serious skiing accident,in the Italian alps, leaves her scarred and with a permanent limp. She desperately wants to fit in, but she is taunted by other classmates, engages in self loathing behavior, and, as a result, detests her father for the life she seems faced with.  

Mattia is a twin, while he is brilliant,

A huge thanks to Shannon Spencer

Last night’s meeting of the Standley Lake Book Club was another great evening. Our friend Shannon Spencer did a superb job. Not only did she pick an incredible book with the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, but she also provided a delicious meal with pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, macaroni salad and homemade cookies. The food was incredible and best of all it was a beautiful summer night, so she hosted book club in the backyard. Shannon even made white peach sangria.

It was the perfect summer night – good book, good food, good friends and great drinks. Thanks Shannon!!!!