Author, Author!

I have been part of a book club for almost 10 years. I read early and have always loved it. I read every Nancy Drew book on my 3rd grade teacher’s book shelf and read a whole series of historical biographies when I was about ten. Whether I’m eating my breakfast or watching a movie at home, I have something to read in front of me, even if it’s just the cereal box.

However, Pam, my stepdaughter, puts my reading to shame. Remember calling someone a book worm? If you look up book worm in the dictionary, Pam's picture is there. She reads an incredible 100 books a year. She also works in a library which should surprise no one.

Pam has been involved with book clubs for years. When she and Geoff and the girls moved back in 2001 after 14 years in Arizona, she started a group here. I am part of the original group. Over the years we have had some people come and go but a core group of us have been together for several years now. Right now there are ten of us. We meet monthly at various local restaurants and make an evening of our meetings. We take turns bringing books for the group, and we vote on what we want to read to discuss the next month.

The thing I like most about being part of a book club is it makes me read books I would never have found or thought I'd enjoy. None of us enjoys every book, but we all make an effort to read the monthly selection. We’ve had some really good discussions, and I think each of us remembers the book we disliked most rather than one we loved. I think our best discussions have been about books we didn't like although seldom do we all dislike the same book. Our tastes in reading vary quite a bit which keeps the selections interesting.

The November selection was The Red Thread written by Ann Hood. Pam often goes to book readings by authors visiting the area. Recently she and Colleen, another long-time member of the group, attended an event featuring Ann. I’ll let Pam tell you what happened next…..go visit her at Pam’s Perspectives to read all about it.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Book Title Meme

I seldom participate in memes but I saw this one on Pam's Perspectives and although I don't read nearly as many books a year as Pam does, I thought I'd give it a try.

What To Do: Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It’s a lot harder than you think!

Describe yourself: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

How do you feel: Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo

Describe where you currently live: Snow Island by Katherine Towler

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Living in a Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Love in Italy by Michael Tucker

Your favorite form of transportation: Passionate Nomad by Jane Geniesse

Your best friend is: Away by Amy Bloom

You and your friends are: The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney

What’s the weather like: Five Skies by Ron Carlson

You fear: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

What is the best advice you have to give: Happens Every Day: An All-Too-True Story by Isabel Gilles

Thought for the day: Tell No One by Harlan Coben

How I would like to die: Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

My soul’s present condition: What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love by Carole Radziwill

Give it a try and leave me a link here. I think a couple I may have read last year but they are all pretty current in my reading list. It was fun....give it a try!

Musing Mondays (Am I Early or Late?)

I have to credit my stepdaughter Pam with being my blogging mentor. Pam is the author of Pam's Perspective. As with most of her endeavors, she set the bar VERY HIGH with her wonderful blog. Take a few minutes and visit her and you'll see what I mean. Pam encouraged me to start blogging and, as usual, has been very helpful.

One of the many things Pam and I share is a love of books and reading. Pam actually works in a library and also moderates two different book groups, one that I am part of. Pam's post for today is entited Musing Mondays. In her post she asks the question:

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child?

I don't remember what in particular started my love of reading. I'm sure my parents read to me as a little girl but I don't have any specific recollections. My first strong memory of a love of reading was my 3rd grade teacher (whose name escapes me) who had a shelf full of Nancy Drew books. I actually only spent about two weeks in her classroom. Soon after school started that year, I was tested and put into a 4th grade class, skipping the 3rd grade.

But I remember that bookshelf and going into her room day after day to get another Nancy Drew book. I don't know how many I read but I know I started at one end of the shelf and went to the end.

Later I attended a private school for grades 6th-8th which had a small library. Very small, about the size of my bedroom closet, small. There was a series of biographies. I remember books about Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Stephen Foster, to name a few. I remember in my early 20's a period of reading Hollywood biographies. I love biographies and autobiographies (now they seem to be called Memoirs) to this day.

When I was in 7th grade I remember my parents bought a set of World Book Encyclopedias. Let me tell you that was a major investment at the time. My father actually made a custom bookshelf for the set and it was a very cherished possession for a long time. I remember sitting and reading one volume at a time from cover to cover (can you say nerd). And every year we would get the Year Book which came with a set of stickers to be put in the appropriate World Book volume referencing an article in the Year Book usually reporting the death of someone or a scientific breakthrough.

I didn't realize until I started this that I guess I do have some major memories about reading. Once again, thanks Pam!

How about you? Do you remember how you developed a love of reading?

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your opinion in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks.

Image shamlessly lifted from Pam's Perspectives