The New Richmond Book Club

Update...

2006-10-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

On September 27, Blythe and I had a great discussion on Jodi Piccoult's novel, "My Sisters Keeper". We were both sorry that others were unable to join us for dinner and discussion. The book was, in a word, awesome. I know that by the end, I wanted the characters to continue on so that I could follow their lives even further. Of course, I've been told that this is the sign of a good story, and every author should strive to leave their readers wanting more. ( I also cried a little at the end--just don't tell anyone!)

Blythe and I decided that our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 18, 2006, at 7pm in the Willow Lawn Panera. We have chosen our next book as, "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides. You should find this easily at Barnes and Noble or Books-a-Million, as it was released in 2003.

Hopefully, more people will be able to come and join us. I hope to see you all there!

To Anyone and Everyone...

2006-09-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

On September 7th, Blythe and I met at the Willow Lawn Panera to discuss, "The Memory Keepers Daughter" by Kim Edwards.

VERY.GOOD.BOOK! (JoDee--I'll give you my copy at Thanksgiving if you want to read it).

Although no other interested parties came to join our discussion, we both enjoyed a lively discussion regarding the choices made by each of the main characters in the book (David and Caroline) as it follows each of their paths over the course of nearly 30 years. We both posed and discussed a number of questions regarding how the lives of the individuals (as well as their secondary characters and relationships) would have been impacted had David chosen to NOT send away his Downs Syndrome daughter at birth. Would David and Norah's marriage have lasted? Would Norah have stayed true to her husband, or would she have still had the many affairs? How would the story have changed if Caroline had done as instructed and left Phoebe at the home instead of choosing to raise her as her own?

For those who are so inclined, Blythe and I have set our next meeting date for September 27, 2006. We will meet at the Panera Bread at Willow Lawn at 7pm. Our next book chosen is, "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. (Normally, I would post a picture of the book, but Blogger is being stupid and won't upload it right now).

If anyone other than me reads this page, I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

Our first meeting...

2006-08-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

On Monday, July 31, Blythe, Emily, and myself met at the Willow Lawn Panera to discuss the selected title, "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Borroughs. Although we all had different reactions to the book, the discussion was rather animated regarding the experiences and lifestyle in which the author was "memoiring" about. We also had a great time using the author-posed discussion questions which asked things like, "Are you happy with your hairstyle?" and "Do you wish Target had been around when you were a child?". I believe that everyone had a pretty good time, especially considering we were all strangers.

Before leaving, Blythe suggested a book for our next meeting. "The Memory Keepers Daughter" by Kim Edwards. It should be available at any bookstore (like Books-a-Million and B&N) or your local neighborhood Target.

Our next meeting will be held on September 7, 2006. Make sure to mark your calendars! I will update here once a location and time has been established.

Re-establishing the NRBC

2006-07-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hello to anyone who reads this.

There has been some interest shown in renewing the New Richmond Book Club.

Our next/first meeting will be held on July 31, 2006, in Church Hill. Since it is being hosted by a member in their personal residence, the address will not be posted here.

IF you are interested in attending, please send an email, and information will be forwarded. You can join the NRBC mailing list through Yahoo! groups through the link on the right side of this page.

The book to be discussed is "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs.

We hope to see you at our next (first) meeting of the club. We welcome any and all book suggestions and ideas regarding meeting locations. Please come and join us!

Organizational changes

2006-06-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

The bookclub is on a temporary hiatus until I can restructure. Please be patient, and keep reading!

I am also looking for new members with good ideas and reading suggestions to get in on the ground floor of this terrific bookclub opportunity.

Email me if you're interested in joining! Queendork76 @ gmail . com

Woes...

2006-05-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

Our last meeting on May 4, 2006, was canceled. When I showed up to Carytown Books, they were closed. I waited for other members to show up, and only Wayne made an appearance.

Our book discussion:

Wayne didn't like the book. I don't think he finished it, either.

I liked some aspects of it, but it was too mired down in history, and kept jumping all over (both the world and centuries). I liked that it took place in Michigan, so I could associate the locations with places I've been. I hated that it took so long to read. I had to force myself to finish it, which isn't like me.

Anyways, Wayne has decided that he no longer wants to be in charge of maintaing a bookclub that noone participates in. I'm considering the idea of trying to keep it going, but he's right--it's almost like a lost cause. I would love to keep the book club going, but I can't be the sole member.

If anyone in the greater-Richmond area is interested in participating in the ground floor efforts of a fledgling bookclub with only one member, please let me know. Otherwise, this page might turn into "ruthie's book reviews".

Welcome!

2006-04-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

The New Richmond Book Club of Richmond, VA, has been in existence since December 2005. Our first meet and greet was held at the home of Wayne, who initiated the establishment of the group via a posting on Craigslist. He is the one organizes the meetings. During the first meeting, we chose our first official book:

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime by Mark Haddon.

On January 10, 2006, we had our first "official" meeting at Sumo San in Shockoe Bottom. Over sushi, the group discussed many different attributes of the book, inspite of the rather loud background noise. Although we lost one member, we gained two more individuals, and a good time was had by all. Before leaving for the night, the group chose the next book :

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

On February 28, 2006, the club met at Carytown Books who has graciously offered us the use of their common area for our meetings. When you purchase your bookclub book from them, they also extend a 15% discount to us. Bonus for joining! Our third book choice for our next meeting on April 6, 2006, was

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

As with every book, a vivid and interesting discussion ensued, and new individuals came to participate.

Our next meeting is: May 4, 2006 at 7pm.

Location: Carytown Books, 4021 MacArthur Ave, Richmond, VA 23227 (804) 261-7710.

Book choice: Ursula Under by Ingrid Hill.

We're a nice group of people who like books (and snacks!). We're open for everyone to join--Just show up! We look forward to meeting (and greeting!) you soon.

You can join our mailing list through Yahoo!Groups.