A Patch Of Blue

Elizabeth Kata

This was the second book in the book club I moderate. A fairly short and interesting book, but nothing I would rave about.
A blind girl in a bad home situation befreinds and later has feelings for a colored-man, whom she does not know is colored.
It does make you think about racism, and where our prejudices come from so from that stand point it was worth the read.
For the record, my favorite part is when the grandfather finds out she beads necklaces at night. He replies "You do it in the dark?" Hehe......guesse he doesn't get the whole "blind" thing.

Black and Blue

Ann Quindlen

A few years ago when I actually had the time and desire to watch Oprah each day, I decided to try to read as many of her "Oprah book club" books that I could get a hold of. This was one in that collection and has been sitting on my shelf for about three years.
After the last few books I have read I was actually ready for a good novel that I could read mindlessly and get lost in.
This was perfect. A good story written by a great author. A battered wife leaves her husband with the help of an underground network. She attempts to begin a new life for her and her husband. This is the kind of author who could write about nothing and you would still be enthralled. I adore her style of writing.

The Midwifes Apprentice

Karen Cushman

Another recommendation from the midwives library. A short book. I wasn't entirely impressed with this one but it was such a short read that I don't feel as if I wasted my time.

The Last Of The Mohicans; James Fenimore Cooper

I read this as the first book in a book club that I am moderating. I was excited to read it at first because of it's status as a classic. However, I never did really get into it. Not sure why. In fact, I must confess, I tried to finish it before we met but didn't, and then two moths later I still haven't finished it. Guesse I am off to valiantly get through the last chapter or so.

Jane Eyre ; Charlotte Bronte

This was a very difficult book for me to get through for the first 150 pages. It was just so slow, I couldn't keep focused. Matt was having the same trouble. A friend of mine was over and we were talking about what we were reading. When I told her I was reading Jane Eyre, she replied that it was her favorite book of all times, I gave her a look like "you must be joking". She then asked if we were talking about the same "Jane Eyre".
Once you muddle through the first half though it is a good book. I kept thinking that they should have just done away with the first half, but I suppose it was needed to define Jane's character. Jane was not a very likable character for me, which many at book club disagreed with. I just found her as very rude, cold and self-possessed. The end of the book was wonderfully written.
On another note, Matt has infiltrated both of my book clubs and is now the only male in both. Got to love that man.

* The merry adventures of Robin Hood of great renown, in Nottinghamshire

Howard Pyle

The children and I read this book for our coop book club. What a wonderful story!! The old-english it is written in took me awhile to get the hang of reading out loud, bu tthen you really get into it. After reading it I would sometimes catch myself or the children saying something in the Old English style and Seri is forever calling her brother a roug (sp). I did wonder if they were able to understand, but upon asking them to recall what we had read, all doubts were put to rest.
I never knew there was so much to the story of Robin Hood. I also found it strange that Maid Mariane was only briefly mentioned once.
For the most part it was fighting and feasting, but you do get wrapped up in the story.
I wonder why so much is often left out of the retold versions. Then once again I suppose that is their way of "dumbing things down" for us. As in "this is really good but we don't think you will be able to comprehend it unless we put it in simpler terms. But, we still want you to be exposed to it". I am finding this all too often as we explore literature. there is no more going to the source, it is now a matter of going to the simplest version and saying you have read it.
At the end Robin Hood dies and I was so not prepared for it. Matt and I were both in tears.

The Midwife: A Novel

Gay Courter

My midwife recommended this book from her library at one of my recent appts. It was such a wonderful book. It follows a girl from Germany through midwifery school and then follows her journey to the states. It is more of a fictional romance than anything but it is well written and at the same time sheds some light on America's switch from midwifery care to OB. I really enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it.