Snow Flower and the Secret Fan 6/23/2010

Sarah Ohki hosted this evening in her lovely home.

Our June book club choice for the month was
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel.
A vivid depiction of the life of women in a far away time. The practices of foot binding and woman's worth, though understood as culture, are still jaw dropping to read.

"A true lady lets no ugliness into her life. Only through pain will you have beauty. Only through suffering will you find peace."

"Raising a girl and marrying her off is like building a fancy road for others to use."

A very nice reader's guide was included. I liked the interview with the author. It was between Lisa See and her mother, author Carolyn See.

We had to bid farewell to two beautiful members of our Palehua Book Club.

Molly Koch and Trisha Sessions

Molly, Trisha, you will be greatly missed. We love you and wish you the best in all your endeavors.

*Congratulations to Veronica Peterson for the arrival of Carl Rueben Peterson born at 7:23AM 8lbs 9.3oz June 23, 2010.

Graceling 5/26/2010

This month celebrated birthdays!








Trisha Sessions(May 5), Lynn Lambert(May 25),
Sarah Ohki(May 31) and Molly Koch(June 2).

What a fabulous cake Cortney!


For fans of The Goose Girl (Jan.'09 - one of our book club favorites) Graceling by Kristin Cashore will ring true and kick-it-up-a-notch.
Graceling is a term for a person with 'extreme skills' called a Grace. The main character Katsa's Grace is killing, so you can be sure there is violence...and she is supremely skilled.

Quote of Katsa while speaking to her nursemaid:

"I'm not going to wear a red dress," she said.
"It would look stunning, My Lady," she called.
She spoke to the bubbles gathered on the surface of the water. "If there's anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I'll hit him in the face."

In attendance this evening:
Molly, Sarah, Joy, Trisha, Moana, Jamie, Veronica, Laura, Cortney, Lynn and Wendi

We enjoyed a quiz to see who was a graceling and what skill they might be graced with. Unsurprisingly(surprisingly?), no one had the Killing Grace. A few with the Fighting Grace. Quite a few with the Relationships Grace and one with the Calming Grace that likely saved us all from a night of undignified behavior! (jury still out on that one)
Thank you all for gracing my life with laughter and sisterhood!
~Joy

The Help - 4/21/2010

What an awesome choice for a book club. There was so much to talk about. These southern ladies were great!

Thank you Lynn for hosting this month.


A Warm Welcome Veronica Peterson!
What a fun group we had.
In attendance: Lynn, Veronica, Joy, Trisha, Laura, Molly, Tori, Sarah, Moana, Wendi, and Cortney

Cortney summed the book up very well by saying, "The Help was a very interesting book to ponder on life, people, and true friendship." How true!

**update** On August 12, 2011 We went to the movies and saw The Help. It was wonderful!!

 

Tori, Rachel, Jamie, Sarah, Joy, Cortney, Barbie, Kainui, 

and not pictured - Sally(made a quick get-away!)

Kane and Abel - 3/24/2010

Joy's review
There were two options for reading this book. The original 1979 version....
or the 2009 'recrafted'(author's own description) version.

****I read the 30th Anniversary Edition****
I believe I would have enjoyed the original more. The added 70 pages or so became more explicit than was necessary. It's 100% the same story, why add the vile language? That said....

What a fascinating book. The premise of two men born the exact day, worlds apart in location and privilege, to await when and how their paths would eventually cross - I was captivated.

This was probably the most Man's Book that I've ever read. It has all the feelings of power, ambition, coldness... Not a lot of nurturing going on.

To sum up: If a group of older gentlemen all got together for their Book Club and were deciding on a book to read - THIS IS THE ONE.

The Princess Bride - 2/24/2010

Sarah Ohki hosted again! Girl you rock! In attendance:
Trisha, Laura, Sarah, Lynn and Joy

~*~*~*~As You Wish~*~*~*~
I love the Princess Bride. It's been a favorite movie for years and years. To finally read it after all the years of enjoying the movie, well, let's just say - it's about time.

William Goldman wrote the screenplay for The Princess Bride as well as this abridgment of S. Morgenstern's work. Although, Mr. Goldman would say "it wasn't so much an abridgment as just 'keeping in the really good parts' and skimming over the rest". If you've seen the movie and love the characters Feezik and Inigo you will enjoy the added back story. I'm glad we chose to read and discuss the book.

Just a side note about Mr. Goldman's comments throughout the book - unarguably this was a tale of 'true love and high adventure' and yet Mr. Goldman infused his own memoir of a failed marriage and poor parenting throughout. Collectively we thought his own reality was distracting, self-depreciating and an unnecessary part of the book.

side note...I wrote down a quote Lynn Lambert mentioned that evening (seriously LOL)

"harvesting bones to buy formula"

Was this a nervous possibility while you and Chris were poor dental school students or something?

Grace - 1/20/10

In January we met at Sarah Ohki's house and laughed and laughed. What a fun night.

We took turns discussing the book Grace by Richard Paul Evans, our book for both December and January. This was a book that made me cry. Pulled at my heart strings. I was glad to know it was fiction, even if the story isn't that far fetched. It was a good book to talk about among friends.
Those in attendance:
Sarah, Trisha, Tori, Molly, Laura, Joy, Lynn, Wendi

For February we will again meet at Sarah's home and have a
twuuu-luuuv-of-a-time
talking about The Princess Bride by William Goldman

~*~*~Upcoming Reads~*~*~
~ Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer 3-10
~ The Help by Kathryn Stockett 4-10
~ Graceling by Kristin Cashore 5-10

~Joy

The Lost Symbol - 11/18/09

For November: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Our meeting was at Joy Paet's home.
In attendance:
Molly, Lynn, Laura, Wendi and Joy
I felt we really dived in for a thorough discussion of The Lost Symbol. Also welcome was the review emailed from Jane. Her review mirrored mine and I was grateful for her comments. *WARNING: don't read if you haven't read The Lost Symbol a MAJOR SPOILER TO FOLLOW*

I found the repeated referrals to divine transformation intriguing. p. 84, p. 308 and p. 492 in particular. Browns references to Mormanzzling doctrine, both overt and covert were puzzling to me. I have a hunch that he will re-visit this thread in future novels. I was suspect of Mal'akh's explanation of his vengeance towards Peter from the beginning. I had a hunch that he was actually Zachary but it just wasn't plausible that his own father would not recognize him. Finally comment: I found the book exciting and the science vs religion arguments interesting. The last few chapters were a disappointment since they digressed to a college lecture tone.~ Jane Gorton

Thanks Jane!

We also saw:

NEW MOON

On Saturday, November 21st 4:10 PM at Regal Cinemas Pearl Highlands, Pearl City.
It was awesome!








Joy, Jamie, Sarah, Moana, Deana, Trisha, Shelley, Molly, Rhona,(front) Wendi, Lynn, Kayla

~upcoming~
For December: Grace by Richard Paul Evans
Thank you Cortney for hosting December's Book Club! We will meet Wednesday, December 16 at 7 PM at Cortney's home.

The Graveyard Book 10/21/09

In October we read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman to kick off the Halloween season. Our meeting was held at Molly's house.
Thanks Molly!!
There were some mixed reviews about The Graveyard Book. Some very unfavorable reviews, too! Most of us were surprised that a book that is labeled as an award-winning children's book could be so dark, violent, and haunting. . . it is appropriately named The Graveyard Book.

In attendance we had:
Molly Koch, Sarah Ohki, Lynn Lambert, De Boswell, Laura Smith, Joy Paet, Cortney Nadig, Wendi Phillips, and Trisha Sessions
A huge welcome to De and Wendi as their first visit to Book Club! Hopefully, it was a great get together for all. We sure had a lot of laughing going on...after the macabre Graveyard Book discussion was over.

~upcoming~
Next Month - November: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - November 18 7:00 PM at Joy Paet's home.

Also, mark those calendars ladies...IN INK! Saturday, November 21st 4:10 PM at Regal Cinemas Pearl Highlands, Pearl City (above Sam's Club)...

NEW MOON

December: Grace by Richard Paul Evans

The Immigrants 9/16/09

Book Club was held at Lynn Lambert's home this month.

Thank you Lynn!

And thank you to all that could make it out for the meeting:
Lynn Lambert, Sylvia Rivers, DeAnna Dotson, Moana Piena, Sarah Ohki, Joy Paet, Cortney Nadig and Laura Smith.

This month we discussed The Immigrants by Howard Fast. This was an epic-like story about families in the early 1900s. Specifically, following the life of Daniel Lavette. The author, Howard Fast, has a way of writing that summons intrigue and rapt attention. It was an interesting read. A story filled with disfuction, human-nature, human weaknesses and strengths. And it's a story that many of us won't soon forget.

In October: we will be reading an aptly titled The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman to kick off the Halloween season. Our next meeting will be held at Molly's house on Wednesday, October 21st.

Thanks Molly!!

~upcoming~
November: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
December: Grace by Richard Paul Evans

~books we talked about~
Inca Gold(Dirk Pitt #12) - Clive Cusler (De Dotson)
Shanghai Girls - Lisa See (De Dotson) (Jane Gorton liked this one, too.)
Amelia Peabody Series - Elizabeth Peters (Lynn Lambert) The first in the series is: Crocodile on the Sandbank
Kane and Able - Jeffrey Archer (Laura Smith)
The Sound of Wings: The Life of Amelia Earhart basis for Amelia movie release date: October 23, 2009 (Laura Smith)

A Thousand Splendid Suns 8/20/09

Our August book club meeting was at the Paet home.
I hope everyone had a great time.
In attendance this evening:
De Dotson
Sis. Rivers
Moana Piena
Molly Koch
Cortney Nadig
Sarah Ohki
Lynn Lambert
Joy Paet

We discussed the book "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. Thank you ladies for such open and candid discussion.

Next Months book club will be held on September 16 at Lynn Lambert's home.
Here are our book picks for the rest of the year.

September: The Immigrants by Howard Fast
October: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
November: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
December: Grace by Richard Paul Evans

**Our Movie Night June 17, 2009**

Trisha Sessions, Terry Evans , Danica Palmer, Joy Paet, Laura Smith, Sarah Ohki, Molly Koch, Jane Gorton, Marci Palmer, Moana Piena, Sally Holstein, Ann Toilolo

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown was the Book Club Pick from June 2004. Five years ago!

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time 5/20/09

Tonight's book club was so fun. Thank you Amber for opening your home for our meeting.
In attendance:
Amber, Molly, Jane, Cortney, Sarah, Joy, Lynn and welcome Laura to our book club!



We were impressed by the following quotes:

"I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death."

Prayer is better than sleep.

- from the hazzan, or call to worship

"Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I've ever learned in my life...We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We're the country of thirty-minute power lunches and two-minute football drills. Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."

For June - a classic:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Our next meeting will be at Sarah Ohki's home, June 17th.
It makes me sad just to type this but, next month's meeting will also be a farewell to Amber and Jane. Please, join in our Aloha 'Oi before they move to the mainland.

More books we talked about:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber
The Whole Truth by David Baldacci
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (avail 9/15/09)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (the reviews on goodreads.com are amazingly torn on this one.)