Book Club Girl

Jennifer Weiner's Best Friends Forever On Sale Today -- And I've Got Two Copies to Give Away!

That's right -- I have two copies of book club favorite Jennifer Weiner's brand-new novel Best Friends Forever, to give away -- one for you and one for YOUR BFF! The premise of Weiner's new novel sounds so great --

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That's what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they're both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school's scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents' house in their small hometown of Pleasant Ridge, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She's just returned from Bad Date #6 when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. "Something horrible has happened," Val tells Addie, "and you're the only one who can help."

Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It's about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together. (from the Simon and Schuster website)

Plus the cover just screams "take me to the beach and read me!" Look for Jennifer Weiner on tour near you, follow her on Twitter, and check out the reading group guide to Best Friends Forever.

To enter to win two copies of Best Friends Forever, tell me about the BFF with whom you'll share your second copy!

Book Club Girl on Air Welcomes Frances de Pontes Peebles to Discuss Her Novel The Seamstress

I'm so pleased to announce that for our first show in August (and the next one after the July 22nd show with Garth Stein) we are welcoming Frances de Pontes Peebles to discuss her novel The Seamstress.

As seamstresses, the young sisters Emília and Luzia dos Santos know how to cut, how to mend, and how to conceal. These are useful skills in the lawless backcountry of Brazil, where ruthless land barons called "colonels" feud with bands of outlaw cangaceiros, trapping innocent residents in the cross fire. Emília, whose knowledge of the world comes from fashion magazines and romance novels, dreams of falling in love with a gentleman and escaping to a big city. Luzia also longs to escape their little town, where residents view her with suspicion and pity. Scarred by a childhood accident that left her with a deformed arm, the quick-tempered Luzia finds her escape in sewing and in secret prayers to the saints she believes once saved her life.

But when Luzia is abducted by a group of cangaceiros led by the infamous Hawk, the sisters' quiet lives diverge in ways they never imagined. Emília stumbles into marriage with Degas Coelho, the son of a doctor whose wealth is rivaled only by his political power.She moves to the sprawling seaside city of Recife, where the glamour of her new life is soon overshadowed by heartache and loneliness. Luzia, forced to trek through scrubland and endure a nomadic existence, proves her determination to survive and begins to see  the cangaceiros as comrades, not criminals.

In Recife, Emília must hide any connection to her increasingly notorious sister. As she learns to navigate the treacherous waters of Brazilian high society, Emília sees the country split apart after a bitter presidential election. Political feuds extend to the countryside, where Luzia and the Hawk are forced to make unexpected alliances and endure betrayals that threaten to break the cangaceiros apart. But Luzia will overcome time and distance to entrust her sister with a great secret—one Emília vows to keep. And when Luzia's life is threatened, Emília will risk everything to save her.

An enthralling novel of love and courage, loyalty and adventure, that brings to life a faraway time and place, The Seamstress is impeccably drawn, rich in depth and vision, and heralds the arrival of a supremely talented new writer.

Read this Q&A with de Pontes Peebles and check out the reading group guide to The Seamstress. I think this is going to be a wonderful discussion and hope that you can join us on August 6th at 2 pm EST for the show. The first 10 people to comment that they'd like to participate in the show will receive a free copy of The Seamstress to read in preparation. Be sure to set your reminder for the show on 8/6 at 2 pm EST as well.

Rebecca Wells Returns with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder On Sale Today!

It's been four years since Rebecca Wells, author of the bestselling book club classic Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, published a new book. Her last book, Ya-Yas in Bloom, looked at the Ya-Yas in their younger days. Now Wells forges all new territory and brings us a new character sure to rival the immortal Vivi Abbot Walker -- Calla Lily Ponder.

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is the sweet, sexy, funny journey of Calla Lily's life set in Wells's expanding fictional Louisiana landscape. In the small river town of La Luna, Calla bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine force that will guide and protect her throughout her life, Calla enjoys a blissful childhood—until it is cut short. Her mother, M'Dear, a woman of rapture and love, teaches Calla compassion, and passes on to her the art of healing through the humble womanly art of "fixing hair." At her mother's side, Calla further learns that this same touch of hands on the human body can quiet her own soul. It is also on the banks of the La Luna River that Calla encounters sweet, succulent first love, with a boy named Tuck.

But when Tuck leaves Calla with a broken heart, she transforms hurt into inspiration and heads for the wild and colorful city of New Orleans to study at L'Académie de Beauté de Crescent. In that extravagant big river city, she finds her destiny—and comes to understand fully the power of her "healing hands" to change lives and soothe pain, including her own. When Tuck reappears years later, he presents her with an offer that is colored by the memories of lost love. But who knows how Calla Lily, a "daughter of the Moon Lady," will respond?

I just love this video where Rebecca, in talking about the novel, talks about how the events, be they illnesses, loss or something else entirely, that knock us down in life are the very things that make us who we are

A tale of family and friendship, tragedy and triumph, loss and love, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder gives readers an unforgettable new heroine to treasure and features the warmth, humor, soul, and wonder that have made Wells a cherished writer for so many book clubs. Be sure to check out Rebecca Wells' new website, the reading group guide, and this Interview with Rebecca. Friend her on Facebook as well!

To celebrate this brand new Rebecca Wells novel, I have 5 copies to give away. Comment on which Wells novel your book group (or you on your own) read and how it affected you. I'll choose 5 random winners from all comments received by midnight, Friday, July 10th. Tweet this giveaway and you'll get two entries into the drawing (please post a link to your tweet as a separate comment).

Guest Post from Sally Gunning, Author of Historical "Satucket Novels" The Widow's War and Bound

Today's guest post comes from Sally Gunning, author of The Widow's War and Bound, which was recently released in paperback. In her "Satucket novels," as Geraldine Brooks has dubbed them, Gunning writes about 18th century Massachusetts. In The Widow's War she wrote about the widow Lyddie Berry, a whaler's wife living in Cape Cod and in Bound she tells the story of Alice Cole, an indentured servant. I identify with Gunning below, when she talks of her fascination with indentured servitude. From the time I learned of this type of slavery in elementary school, I have long been interested in learning more about it and how it worked in 18th century America. A friend of mine recently contacted me to see if Gunning could speak to her book group as they had just read The Widow's War and I thought I'd ask her to write something for all of you, about the background to her most recent novel. The paperback edition of Bound includes several interesting new materials, including the original court documents that inspired the novel: arrest warrants, witness depositions, the jury verdict, and more. Read on to learn how Gunning came to write Bound. Be sure to check out the Bound reading guide, and if you are interested in inviting Sally Gunning to speak to your reading group by phone, email her at bookmail AT comcast DOT net. Be sure to visit her website for more information as well.

Many book clubs ask me what compelled me to write the story of Alice Cole.  In the course of some historical research that took me through a number of seventeenth and eighteenth century Cape Cod wills I discovered that slavery was widely practiced and little acknowledged in this part of the country.  My there’s-a-book light bulb went off; I felt that this particular part of New England’s history deserved to see the light of day.  But as I discussed the subject with my brother he said, “All the slaves weren’t black, you know,” reminding me of a related subject that had long interested me and greatly influenced the make-up of New England: indentured servitude.  I also remembered that I’d come across an intriguing story of an indentured servant in researching my previous historical novel, The Widow’s War.

Diarist Benjamin Bangs of Harwich (formerly Satucket, now Brewster) made the following notation in his diary in 1764, referencing a former indentured servant who had given birth to an illegitimate child while alone, and the child died.  In that era a single woman in such circumstance was almost always charged with infanticide, the assumption being that she would have killed the child to hide the crime of fornication.  The diary passage reads:

[July] 10: Tuesday: wind SW: hot: I went in my chaise with my wife to Bass ponds  visited Mrs Kelly and dind then went to see :Hannah: the black girl we brought up: who has had a bastard child alone at tom Ralphs: the [grand] jury brot in that the child died for want help  she is in fitts and weak and almost dead  an object of pity  the sheriff Stone has put a guard over her and intends to put her in goal if she lives  She lies lamenting her folly when sencible.

Several things intrigued me about this passage: first, of course, was the fact of the pending infanticide charge, but second, the fact that Bangs refers to this indentured servant as “the black girl we brought up,” as if she were almost a member of his family, even going to visit to her in her time of distress.  The literature on indentured servitude is filled with tales of abusive masters, but Benjamin Bangs was clearly of another type.

Even though Hannah was not one of the “white slaves” (Bangs alternately refers to her as “Indian Hannah” or “Black Hannah”) I decided to see what I could find out about her, and was fortunate to be able to locate the files for the case of “Hannah Nutup, a spinster from Yarmouth” in the archives of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.  The record contained three depositions from the women who arrived at the scene, each almost identical to the one by Sarah Burgess, Hannah’s arrest warrant, grand jury indictment, and trial jury verdict.

In reading the record of Hannah’s trial I knew that this was a story I wished to tell.  But as I began to talk to various people about indentured servitude I discovered that  although they all knew plenty about the exploitation and enslavement of Africans and Indians, few were familiar with the “white slaves.”  I decided I might best illuminate this unknown part of our history by creating as my main character a young white girl who came into service the same way so many of them had: she was bound out by her father in order to help pay for the family’s costly passage to America, a legal practice as long as the child had reached seven years of age.

So Alice Cole was born, and although her life converges with Hannah’s in some of its details, it sometimes diverges dramatically, and in at least one instance to Alice’s greater advantage: her path crosses that of someone the readers of my previous historical novel will recognize: the widow Lyddie Berry.

Book Club Girl on Air Welcomes New York Times Bestselling Author Garth Stein!

I am THRILLED to announced that on Wednesday, July 22nd, I'll be joined on air by Garth Stein to discuss his bestselling novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. I can't wait for this show. Art of Racing in the Rain is a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope—a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. This book has touched so many hearts, I think it's going to be a fantastic conversation.

 I know many of you are fans of the book already and hope you'll be able to join us on July 22nd at 7 pm EST. For those who have yet to meet Enzo, I also have 10 copies of the book to give away. The first 10 people to comment that they'd like to participate in the live broadcast on the 22nd (by online chat or by phone) will win!

Set your reminder for the show with Garth Stein and share it with a friend! Be sure to visit Garth Stein's website and check out the reading group guide and interviews with Garth -- you can even submit a photo of your own dog!

Our Book Club Girl on Air Show with Marisa de los Santos is Tuesday Night!

Just a reminder that our show with Marisa de los Santos, where we'll discuss her new novel in paperback Belong to Me, is tomorrow night, Tuesday, June 23rd at 7 pm EST! Set your reminder for the show the link above and return to that same link to listen live on Tuesday night. You can call and ask Marisa questions directly at (347) 945-6149. Remember to turn your computer volume down when you're on the air. You can also participate by sending questions in to the chat room, just be sure to register at Blog Talk Radio ahead of time, so you're ready to go at 7 pm. If you can't participate live, but have questions you'd like to ask, please email them to me at bookclubgirl AT gmail DOT com or post them here. Be sure to check out the reading group guide ahead of time as well. Can't wait to talk to you all tomorrow night!

Bestselling Book Club Favorite Garth Stein's Art of Racing in the Rain is On Sale in Paperback Today!

I know that a great many of you are already fans of The Art of Racing in the Rain and that some of you even got to meet author Garth Stein in the past year as he has criscrossed the country promoting his amazing novel. Well today the novel is finally available in paperback and Garth will once again set out on an extensive tour to promote it! The book has already become a reading group favorite, and now that it's in paperback, I think it will become a book club staple. For those of you who have yet to experience the sheer page-turning joy of reading this book, here's a description in a nutshell: it is a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope—a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. Intriguing, no? Browse inside the book here to see for yourself what everyone is talking about.

Check out Garth's brand-new website which is full of great info and fun stuff. You can download Enzoisms to print on t-shirts and pick up tile ads to put on your blog, facebook or wherever to show and spread the Enzo love with the online buzz kit. There are wonderful resources for book groups including reading group questions, videos, an author interview and more. Sign up for the newsletter and follow and friend Garth on Twitter and Facebook here.

In celebration of Enzo's on-sale day, I have ten copies of the paperback to give away. Here's how you can enter to win:
1) Download an Enzo tile ad from the website and put it on your blog or facebook page (send me a link in the comments)
2) Tweet: "The Art of Racing in the Rain by @garthstein is On Sale in Paperback Today!" with a link back to www.garthstein.com
3) Do both things and get two entries into the random drawing!

The drawing will take place from all entries received by midnight Friday the 12th! Stay tuned for more news on Art...including an upcoming Book Club Girl on Air show with Garth!

Announcing My Next Book Club Girl on Air Show with Marisa de los Santos, author of Belong To Me

I'm thrilled to announce that our next Book Club Girl on Air show will be with Marisa de los Santos, author of the New York Times bestsellers Love Walked In and Belong to Me. Marisa's first novel, Love Walked In, was launched onto the bestseller list in large part because of its adoption by book groups and her latest, Belong to Me, is fast becoming a book club favorite in paperback. In this compelling novel, de los Santos illuminates the leaps of faith and twists of fate from which our human connections are made as she examines the lives of Cornelia Brown, who is newly transplanted to the suburbs, her seemingly perfect neighbor Piper and her feisty and her charismatic new friend Lake. As their stories unfold, the women become entangled in a web of trust, betrayal, love, and loss that teaches them what it means for one human being to belong to another.

Browse inside Belong to Me and check out the reading group guide.

Marisa will join us on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7 pm EST, set your reminder for the show here. The first 15 people who comment that they'd like to participate in the show live on the 23rd will receive a free copy of Belong to Me to read before the show!

And don't forget that this Wednesday June 3rd on an afternoon edition of Book Club Girl on Air, we'll be joined by Deborah Johnson, who will discuss her debut novel, The Air Between Us.

Book Club Girl On Air and Books a Million Welcome Deborah Johnson, Author of The Air Between Us!

I'm thrilled to announce the next Book Club Girl on Air show in collaboration with Books-a-Million bookstores. In honor of their pick of Deborah Johnson's novel, The Air Between Us, as their June literary book club pick, we'll be inviting all of BAM's customers, as well as all of you, to participate in a book club conversation with Johnson on Wednesday, June 3rd at 2 pm EST.

Revere, Mississippi, with its population of "20,000 and sinking," is not unlike most Southern towns in the 1960s. Blacks live on one side of town and whites on the other. The two rarely mix. Or so everyone believes. But the truth is brought to the forefront when Critter, who is only ten, black and barely tall enough to see over the dashboard, drives Billy Ray—wounded in a suspicious hunting accident—to the segregated Doctor's Hospital. Dr. Cooper Connelly, the town's most high-profile resident, assures Billy Ray's family he'll be fine. He dies, however, and most people assume it is just a typical hunting accident—until the sheriff orders an investigation.

Suddenly the connections between white and black are revealed to be deeper than anyone expects, which makes the town's struggle with integration that much more complicated and consuming. Dr. Connelly takes an unexpectedly progressive view toward integration; the esteemed Dr. Reese Jackson, who is so prominent that even Ebony has profiled him, tries to stay above the fray. At times, it seems the town's only distraction is the racially ambiguous Madame Melba, a fortune-teller and "voyeur" with a past.

Booklist said of The Air Between Us: "this heartwarming novel will strike a chord with fans of Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees." You can browse inside the book here and check out the reading group guide here.

Set your reminder for the show with Deborah Johnson on 6/3 here! You can call in live and ask her your questions directly at 347-945-6149 or type them in via chat and we'll ask them. Be sure to register at Blog Talk Radio prior to the show to make sure you can participate in the chat right away. Can't wait to talk to all of you!

Listen to This Week's Show with Adriana Trigiani Now!

Below is the great show we had with Adriana Trigiani this week about her new novel, the first in a trilogy, Very Valentine. Listen in to hear who Adriana's favorite YA authors are, to get a sneak peek into her new YA series debuting this fall and to learn about plans for the Big Stone Gap movie and The World's Biggest Book Club! (for those of you who listened live, this show has been edited for content, so feel free to share, post, etc!)

Lily Koppel, author of The Red Leather Diary, Joins Book Club Girl On Air!

I'm so pleased to announce that my next radio show (after Adriana Trigiani next Tues, April 7th at 7!) will feature Lily Koppel, author of the acclaimed and unique memoir The Red Leather Diary. As those of you who follow the blog know, Lily's story began when she discovered an old red leather diary in a dumpster outside of her Manhattan apartment building. Within its pages she learned about the life of one Florence Wolfson, living in 1930s NYC, and she set out on a mission to find Florence today. The resulting dual memoir by Koppel is a wonderful and inspiring read. Read more about the book here and here. Browse inside it here.

The show with Lily will take place on April 29th at 7 pm EST. Set your reminder for the show here.

The first 15 people who comment that they'd like to participate in the show, via the phone or online chat, will receive a free copy of the book!

Acclaimed Debut Novel about the South Gets a Helping Hand from a Bookstore in Maine

Just out in paperback this past week is Deborah Johnson's acclaimed debut novel, The Air Between Us. I just learned about this book, and after reading more about it, I can't wait to start it. Revere, Mississippi, with its population of "20,000 and sinking," is not unlike most Southern towns in the 1960s. Blacks live on one side of town and whites on the other. The two rarely mix. Or so everyone believes. But the truth is brought to the forefront when Critter, who is only ten, black and barely tall enough to see over the dashboard, drives Billy Ray—wounded in a suspicious hunting accident—to the segregated Doctor's Hospital. Dr. Cooper Connelly, the town's most high-profile resident, assures Billy Ray's family he'll be fine. He dies, however, and most people assume it is just a typical hunting accident—until the sheriff orders an investigation.

Suddenly the connections between white and black are revealed to be deeper than anyone expects, which makes the town's struggle with integration that much more complicated and consuming. Dr. Connelly takes an unexpectedly progressive view toward integration; the esteemed Dr. Reese Jackson, who is so prominent that even Ebony has profiled him, tries to stay above the fray. At times, it seems the town's only distraction is the racially ambiguous Madame Melba, a fortune-teller and "voyeur" with a past.

Booklist said "this heartwarming novel will strike a chord with fans of Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees." For the paperback publication, a contest was held in which booksellers were asked to send in reading group questions for the book. The store that sent in the best questions had them published in the back of the paperback. Interestingly, Brunswick Bookland in Brunswick, Maine was the winning store and you can see their great questions about this book set in the South here. You can browse inside the book here.

I've got ten copies of The Air Between Us to give away, simply post a comment about why you'd like to read the book and you'll be entered to win. I'll pick ten winners randomly from all entries received by midnight Wednesday April 1st.

Watch a Young Daniel Radcliffe in His First Role and Enter to Win the Book & DVD!

Catch Daniel Radcliffe in his first role as David Copperfield on PBS tomorrow night, Sunday March 15th! You can watch a new interview with Radcliffe and Ian McKellen who stars as Mr. Creakle here. And check out the Book & Film Club resources for David Copperfield on the PBS site. In honor of the occasion and thanks to PBS and Penguin Books, I have the David Copperfield DVD and book to give away! Simply post a comment about your favorite PBS literary adaptation and you'll be entered to win. I'll go first: my favorite, which I'm sure is shared by many, is the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth Pride & Prejudice. I've never looked at a man's white shirt the same way since ;).

 

Jodi Picoult's New Novel Handle With Care is On Sale Tuesday!

If it's March, it's time for a new Jodi Picoult novel and she does not disappoint--Handle with Care, her new novel, is on sale today! In Handle with Care, Picoult gives us a couple dealing with the severe impairment of their daughter Willow, who of course also brings them great joy. When a series of events causes them to examine what they might have done had they known of their daughter's illness before her birth, they each come face to face with questions that no one wants to answer, much less be asked. In her signature style, Picoult asks all of us to confront what we would do when confronted with one of life's most difficult choices.

Check out the reading group guide, which includes a Q&A with Jodi about the novel and how she came to write it and catch her on tour near you!

Happy Birthday Abraham and Charles!

A great book group book, to honor Abe's birthday (though, this is a rather sad way to honor his birthday?) is James L. Swanson's Manhunt -- the fascinating search for John Wilkes Booth after the assassination in Ford's Theater. Browse inside the book here, and check out the reading group guide.

Or, celebrate Charles Darwin's birthday with Evolution's Captain: The Story of the Kidnapping that Led to Charles Darwin's Voyage Aboard the Beagle. Browse inside the book here.

UPDATED NEW TIME! Talk Live to Target's Book Club Author Juliette Fay about Her Novel Shelter Me

The time of this week's talk with Juliette Fay has changed, it is now TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 3RD AT 12 PM EST. Tune in here.

For those of you who picked up Target's current book club pick Shelter Me, first discussed here, you'll be pleased to know that you can have the opportunity to talk live with author Juliette Fay about her novel next Wednesday, February 4th at 12 pm EST on Book Club Girl on Air! Set your reminder for the show here. And check out the reading guide and other background on the book on Target's site here.

Our Next Book Club Girl on Air Book Club Show is with Elizabeth Noble, author of The Reading Group and Things I Want My Daughters to Know!

I'm so pleased to announce our next Book Club Girl on Air Book Club Show -- the first of two book club shows we'll hold in February. That's right, starting in February, we'll be hosting (at least) two authors a month in our book club show format! This is in addition to other shows like this Friday's show with Irene Pepperberg about her bestselling book, Alex & Me. The next official Book Club Girl on Air BOOK CLUB show will be with bestselling author Elizabeth Noble, discussing her book, Things I Want My Daughters to Know on February 17th at 7 pm EST.

I read Things I Want My Daughters to Know well over a year ago and I first fell in love with Noble's writing when The Reading Group was published in the US. In Things I Want My Daughters to Know, Noble has written a completely captivating and moving tale of mother-daughter love. When Barbara learns that she is dying, she is concerned most about all the things that she won't be able to say to her 4 very different daughters. So she leaves behind letters and her journal in the hopes that the story of her life will help them guide the choices in theirs. I warn you, don't read without kleenex at hand. This novel will make you think about your relationship with your own mother as well as with your children and will have you contemplating the lessons you'll want to pass on. I encourage mothers and daughters (not to mention sisters) to participate in the show together -- even if you don't live in the same place, everyone can get online and on the phone at the same time!

The first 15 people who comment that they'd like to participate will receive the book. Set your reminder for the show, and forward it to your mother or daughter or sister, here! Browse inside the book here.

Talk Live with Wally Lamb Tonight at 7 pm EST!

Don't forget to tune in to talk live with Wally Lamb tonight at 7 pm EST about his newest acclaimed novel, The Hour I First Believed. Listen to the show here, and call in at 347-945-6149 (remember to turn the volume down on your computer if you're calling in). If you're planning to participate via the chat, I encourage you to register at BlogTalkRadio first. Can't wait for tonight's conversation!

No One Belongs Here, Reading this Blog, More Than You -- Guest Post from Books and Bars in Minneapolis

I'm pleased to offer the latest guest post from Jeff Kamin at Books & Bars in Minneapolis who last month discussed Per Petterson's Out Stealing Horses (which my book group just picked btw). This month this unique book group met to discuss Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You. What I love about this post is how it reinforces the value that being in book club adds to a book -- even if it's a book you don't enjoy, there is always something to be gained from talking about it.

No One Belongs Here, Reading This Blog, More Than You

Books & Bars discussed Miranda July's short story collection, No One Belongs Here More Than You, for our January event. Another standing room only crowd of about 100 people wowed me with their insight and appreciation.

Miranda July has said she wants to create art that makes you want to create your own art. She loves it when you see a movie, read a book, or see a painting and then feel propelled or able to create something. Things are not the same anymore. July is also striving for the mutual recognition between strangers with her writing by conveying simple truths. Many of us at Books & Bars got it and felt that, too. It seems some very talented authors can make it look easy, almost effortless. From our discussion it appears she has succeeded on these fronts. Members talked of being inspired by her prose style and method of story telling to write their own fiction.

It had been a while since we read a collection of short stories by one author. Her stories followed a kind of pattern:

Person is unhappy -> Something offers them happiness -> They realize it's unreality -> They end up in unhappy reality over happy unreality. The longer these stories were, the more invested we were. A few of the shorter ones didn't affect us as much. Standouts were: The Swim Team, Something That Needs Nothing, I Kiss a Door, Making Love in 2003, Mon Plaisir, Birthmark, and How to Tell Stories to Children.

Not everyone agreed. Others felt the stories were incomplete or sounded too much like the same narrator (Miranda herself?). Some thought they would have enjoyed them more if they read them separately. Her characters and observations were unique yet some of us could relate while others wondered what was wrong with these people. We debated whether the characters are just lonely or whether they are longing for things they can't realistically have. July's writing style is eccentric and original which was a pro and con for some of us. Some of it was pretty dark, especially sexually, again for our group a turn on/off, depending. It was too much of the same darkness and loneliness to handle in one collection. The book had a lot of laughs and poignancy but was a bit too similar over the course of 200 plus pages.

I thought there were brilliant glimpses into the human psyche. It contained moments of observation and conversation which rang true. I found it insightful and funny and really was into some of the quirks and foibles of the characters. July captured the beauty of our individuality. As Poi Dog Pondering sang "You should wear with pride the scars on your skin. They're a map of the adventures and the places you've been." I recommend you read it, maybe in smaller doses, at least try a few of her stories and see for yourself.

Overall it was a good pick for Books & Bars because many of the people who didn't love the book left our meeting with a greater appreciation for it than when they walked into the theater. They told me this is why they come to our events even if they didn't really like the book. They can enjoy that others enjoyed it. And that is really all I can ask for from our meetings. We'll laugh, get a new perspective and appreciate someone else's point of view for a while. (All while drinking and making friends.)

If you're interested in more of our thoughts and comments on Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You, please see our forum at booksandbars.com. Feel free to read along with us and join the discussion. Our next book is The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff for Feb 10th.

Jeff Kamin, Moderator, Books & Bars

"For those who take their books straight up - not off Oprah's list - Books & Bars is the cure.
Bookended by social hours, it's a perfect opportunity to meet hip literary types -
and the liquid courage doesn't hurt."-- MPLS. ST. PAUL magazine, July 2008

Calling All Mothers, Daughters and Grandmothers to Journey Within the Pages of The Red Leather Diary

I'm so pleased to have today's guest post from journalist Lily Koppel about her compelling book, The Red Leather Diary, which is just out this week in paperback. The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal, is the story of Koppel's discovery of an old red leather diary in steamer trunk in a dumpster in NYC. Read on to find out about the amazing woman she discovered within the diary's pages and watch the cinematic book trailer as well.

It's a story that reads like a movie: on my way to work at the New York Times, I stumbled upon a dumpster filled with old steamer trunks, among them a flapper dress, a stunning coat from Bergdorf's, and a young woman's crumbling red leather diary. The Red Leather Diary is about my discovery of Florence Wolfson's diary, kept in New York in the 1930s, the amazing life that is portrayed in its pages, and its return to its owner at 90. Called a real life Titanic and a sexy Tuesdays with Morrie, the book comes out in paperback this week. With so much talk about the Depression, there is also renewed interest in what life was really like in the '30s as recorded in the diary. Florence, who didn't skip a single day in the diary's five years from 1929 to 1934, was crazy about art, but she was also mad about love. When Florence hosted her literary salon, she and its members were committed to the Socratic quest, to "know thyself." Three quarters of a century later, this remains Florence's ongoing journey. In her foreword, Florence writes about going from having no expectations to having a second act at 90, she asks: "How do you feel when a forgotten chunk of your life is handed back to you?" The book gazes beneath the surface of our seemingly "ordinary" lives to disclose the "private truths" of who we are. Thoroughly contemporary and timeless, the book offers a rare opportunity for mothers, daughters and grandmothers to read The Red Leather Diary together and share their own experiences at a cross-generational book club meeting.

You can browse inside the book here, and be sure to read more about the story behind the book in the PS section that is exclusive to the paperback edition. To invite Lily to talk to your book group, email her at bookclub AT redleatherdiary DOT com and check out the reading group guide and the book website.