I believe – based on no data whatsoever – that a number of book clubs are reading Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge. For example this one – Hockessin Book Shelf. Note to any such clubs: let’s say you had a question or two for the writer. The writer would be happy to answer, through email or messaging or some other way.
Book Clubs
4 Comments on “Book Clubs”
Good day to all.
I tried book clubs a few times but they don’t work for me. Perhaps a holdover from school when we were assigned books I had no interest in and then forced to write papers on them or give oral reports. I can’t say I enjoyed or remember any of the book assignments. A Separate Peace, Sweet Thursday, nothing.While they were being assigned I was reading Sherlock Holmes, Ellery Queen and a lot of Science Fiction, primarily Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Ray Bradbury.
Book clubs never seem to choose books I want to read. We have “One Book. One San Diego” locally and I check every year and there just isn’t anything I would want to read. Not even the Young Adult or even the Young Readers. I’ve suggested a few over the years but they’ve never been chosen. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown.
For example:
Adults: Know my Name by Chanel Miller
Teens: Victory: Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice
Kids: Barrio Rising: the Protest that Built Chicano Park
It’s a literary program to bring our community together by reading one book. If I wanted to take a college class in social activism or world studies or something I would. I want fun, not angst.
I’m sure the librarians have their reasons for choosing these books but every year it is something I have absolutely no interest in and at my age I am not going to waste what little reading time I carve out of my day on a book that doesn’t interest me and is tedious “work” rather than pleasure. The main library does take suggestions but I doubt they would choose Mrs Plansky given their past selections. They always seem to be either non-fiction or fiction based on some sort of world concern, like The Kite Runner. If I wanted that I would read the news all day and get depressed or angry. I read to escape.
I’m glad there are book clubs still out there that understand reading for pleasure is just that. Fun. Not for a post graduate degree. (Of which I have two.)
I do like book recommendations. Thanks to Rió for recommending the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfeld and WTAFP’s recommendation of the Mercy Carr series, which was already on my Amazon list. I read a series from an author SQ shared an interview with but unfortunately only three: Finders, Keepers, The Lost. I was expecting a fourth but oh well. I read another great series I was hoping for more of but the author stopped writing completely. I think he’s a screenwriter now. The books may have been inspired by his wife’s Labrador. Perhaps his muse left when the dog passed away?. J. F. Englert, the Bull Moose Dog Run mysteries. Only three but a lot of fun. All on Kindle for about $20.
Today is National TV Dinner day and National Ants on a Log day. Unfortunately I ate my last TV dinner last night but I do have celery and peanut butter. Pass on the raisins. There might be some out on the grapevine as one bunch did get ripe early and by the time I went to inspect the vines they were already shriveled halfway to raisins. With the dry heat we’ve had the past week they may be raisins already. Not really a fan. I prefer my logs plain.
ML – I have to agree witha lot of what you said about book clubs and selections. For example, while I know that there was a major split of views regarding The Art of Racing in the Rain, I thought it was one of the most remarkable books that I have ever read and truly inspirational in all sorts of unexpected ways. I have tried reading some other works by Garth Stein, but I think that The Art of Reading in the Rain falls into that category of one-hit marvels.
Since you raised the subject of recommendations, there are a couple of other series that I would recommend as well, both of which prominently feature dogs (quell surprise on that!). The first is the Timber Creek K-9 series by Margaret Mizushima, which is just outstanding. So well written with complex plots and a great cast of players. Debbie actually found that one before I did, and her only warning was (and this is proven to be true), in each of the books you reach a point where you simply cannot stop reading because you have to get to the end. I have read the first three so far, and I believe there are about 9 in the series, and she is still writing, so hopefully more to come.The other is a series by Alan Russell, the Gideon and Sirius (with Sirius being the dog) series, a series of six books so far (the series has kind of ended but I hope the author may reconsider and write more), and again, very well written with an unusual cast of characters and very much of a West Coast feel to it (which is where the author is based).
I will make a new list for Gideon and Sirius. thanks.
Amidst all of the following I found Chet and Bernie and I am so glad I did. I have only one beef. I read the Andy Carpenter books in between the Chet and Bernie releases. He’s up to 31 now so they might last me. However There are only 14 Chet and Bernie and there are 31 and counting Andy Carpenter, plus four in his K-9 series. That means way not enough Chet and Bernie.
I’ve got Timber Creek on my Amazon list too. In fact, I have them all in separate dog book lists by series and then some singles in just Dog Books. I’ve got hard core detective and murder and then that Cozy stuff. Coyote Run, Black Velvet, Jerry McNeal, Sam Mason, Law & Carter, Reed & Billie and then there’s Barks and Beans, a Café Cozy, House Sitter’s and Culinary Caper which I think are also Cozies. Sam and Bump might be one too.
Parts of The Art of Racing in the Rain bothered me as I do not like all of the divorce and custody drama. And of course I don’t like (spoiler alert!) if the dog dies, but in this case I was okay with it. Because of Winn Dixie was a bit more gentle on the family dynamics and I enjoyed it just as much but lighter reading.
Following Atticus and Merle’s Door at two excellent books about real dogs.
Nick Trout’s Tell me where it hurts, Love is the Best Medicine are general veterinary but have a lot of dogs in them. Ever by my Side is his memoir of his pets. The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs, Dog gone Back soon and The Wonder of Lost Causes is his toe dipping into fiction and I liked them just as much as his non-fiction. Unfortunately he is a practicing veterinarian and I guess doesn’t have time to write any more.
I started with younger reader books when I was still working and still enjoy them. Kate Klimo’s Dog Diaries, based on real dogs. All of he Gary Paulsen books which got me interesting in the Iditarod, Alexandra Day’s Good Dog Carl which I simply adore (I think they were my first dog books), Jan M. Robinson’s The December Dog, also called The Christmas Dog (a thin weekly reader book but I still enjoy reading it from time to time.) Ann Martin’s A Dog’s Life and Everything for a Dog. Stephanie Tolan’s Listen!, Valerie Hobb’s Sheep, Wolf, Rusty.
I have dog cookbooks (HOW to cook FOR your dog, not how to cook a dog), knitting with dog hair and how to knit little dog figures of different breeds and how to knit sweaters for little dogs (of which I have never owned one nor one that has needed a sweater). Books of vintage postcards of people with their dogs. Dog poetry from the dog’s point of view.
Dean Koontz A Big Little Life about his dog Trixie, Dan Dye’s Amazing Gracie, Rosemary Sutcliff’s A Little Dog Like You.
Books about Owney and Dorsey and Hachiko and Corporal Stubby.
A LOT of children’s picture books about dogs
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES read Mark Twain’s A Dog’s Tale. It still haunts me.