January 11, 2011 Discussion led by Cherrie Dubois
In January, the Bibliobabblers will discuss a moving novel of what it means to be human.
From the author of A Gathering of Old Men and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman comes a deep and compassionate novel. A young man, who returns to 1940s Cajun country to teach, visits a black youth on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. Together they come to understand the heroism of resisting. In teaching one person to die with dignity, the teacher learns the lesson of a lifetime.
December 14, 2010 Discussion led by Diane Young
The lives of three strangers interconnect in unforeseen ways–and with unexpected consequences–in acclaimed author Dan Chaon’s gripping novel.
Longing to get on with his life, Miles Cheshire nevertheless can’t stop searching for his troubled twin brother, Hayden, who has been missing for ten years. Hayden has covered his tracks skillfully, moving stealthily from place to place, managing along the way to hold down various jobs and seem, to the people he meets, entirely normal. But some version of the truth is always concealed.
A few days after graduating from high school, Lucy Lattimore sneaks away from the small town of Pompey, Ohio, with her charismatic former history teacher. They arrive in Nebraska, in the middle of nowhere, to figure out the next move on their path to a new life. But soon Lucy begins to feel quietly uneasy.
My whole life is a lie, thinks Ryan Schuyler, who has recently learned some shocking news. In response, he walks off the Northwestern University campus, hops on a bus, and breaks loose from his existence. Presumed dead, Ryan decides to remake himself.
Await Your Reply is a literary masterwork with the momentum of a thriller.
November 9, 2010 Discussion led by Kathy Miksis
This month the Bibliobabblers will discuss an intriguing debut novel. Henry Oades’ decision to move his family to New Zealand for a job proves crucial when his wife and children are kidnapped and presumed dead at the hands of native tribesmen. He moves to America and marries a young widow only to find his first wife and children on his doorstep one day. They move in with his new family and Henry eventually faces charges of bigamy. Based on a widely distributed newspaper article, this book reads like a page-turning thriller and will leave readers taking divided sides – which means it will be a great book to talk about!
October 12, 2010 Discussion led by Rita Graham
This month the Bibliobabblers have chosen an intriguing work of crime fiction.
Young Cambridge scholar Adam Banting is in Tuscany, assigned to write a scholarly monograph about the famous Docci garden—a mysterious world of statues, grottoes and classical inscriptions. As his research deepens, Adam comes to suspect that buried in the garden’s strange iconography is the key to uncovering a long-ago murder. But the ancient house holds its own secrets as well. And as Adam delves into his subject, he begins to suspect that he is being used to discover the true meaning of the villa’s murderous past.
September 14, 2010 Discussion led by Margaret Soli
If you have been meaning to join a book group, now is the time! After taking the summer off, the Bibliobabblers return with a nonfiction title that is recommended for history buffs and for anyone who is concerned about the global food supply, their own included. According to Kirkus Reviews, “This meaty little volume concentrates specifically on the intersections between food history and world history.” But history isn’t Standage’s only concern. He takes the long view to illuminate such contemporary issues as genetically modified foods, the complex relationship between food and poverty and the local food movement. Informative, insightful and timely. This is an enjoyable read that will make you think about food, the food chain, food supply and food production–A LOT!
June 8, 2010 Discussion led by Diane Young
Wanting more opportunities than 1950s Ireland can offer, Enniscorthy native and aspiring bookkeeper Eilis Lacey leaves her mother and sister to start a new life in Brooklyn, where she attends school and finds work–as well as romance. But when devastating news reaches her from home, Eilis must return to Enniscorthy and settle family affairs. Will she have to sacrifice her new life (and love) in America to resume the existence she’s left behind?
One reader says “Brooklyn is not a page turner in any conventional sense: There are no murders, literary pyrotechnics, sinister albino monks or seductive vampires. The only mystery here is the mystery of the human heart, and that was enough to keep me glued to the pages.”
May 11, 2010 Discussion led by Cherrie Dubois
In May, the Bibliobabblers will discuss a compelling work of fiction. In a lumber camp in the Louisiana cypress forest, a world of mud and stifling heat where men labor under back-breaking conditions, the Aldridge brothers try to repair a broken bond. Randolph Aldridge is the mill’s manager, sent by his father—the mill owner—to reform both the damaged mill and his damaged older brother. Byron Aldridge is the mill’s lawman, a shell-shocked World War I veteran given to stunned silences and sudden explosions of violence that make him a mystery to Randolph and a danger to himself. Deep in the swamp, in this place of water moccasins, whiskey, and wild card games, these brothers become embroiled in a lethal feud with a powerful gangster. In a tale full of raw emotion as supple as a saw blade, The Clearing is a mesmerizing journey into the trials that define men’s souls.
April 13, 2010 Discussion led by Karyn Storti
This month the Bibliobabblers will be reading a nonfiction bestseller. In his #1 bestseller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. In BLINK, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. How do we make decisions–good and bad–and why are some people so much better at it than others? That’s the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in BLINK. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, examining case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the New Coke, Gladwell shows how the difference between good decision making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but rather with the few particular details on which we focus. BLINK reveals how all of us can become better decision makers–in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life.
March 9, 2010 – Discussion led by Karen Burke
The next meeting of Bibliobabblers features a provocative debut novel. In a remote and rugged Welsh valley in 1944, in the wake of a German invasion, all the men have disappeared overnight, apparently to join the underground resistance. Their abandoned wives, a tiny group of farm women, are soon trapped in the valley by an unusually harsh winter—along with a handful of war-weary German soldiers on a secret mission. The need to survive drives the soldiers and the women into uneasy relationships that test both their personal and national loyalties. But when the snow finally melts, bringing them back into contact with the war that has been raging beyond their mountains, they must face the dramatic consequences of their choices. This book begs the question – How would YOU react to an enemy invasion?
Newcomers are always welcome to join Bibliobabblers. Pick up your copy of the book today!
February 9, 2010 Discussion led by Art Berg
On the morning of December 10, 1996, Taylor, a brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke. She observed her own mind completely deteriorate. Now she shares her unique perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery. Today Taylor is convinced that the stroke was the best thing that could have happened to her. It has taught her that the feeling of nirvana is never more than a mere thought away. By stepping to the right of our left brains, we can all uncover the feelings of well-being and peace that are so often sidelined by our own brain chatter. A fascinating journey into the mechanics of the human mind, My Stroke of Insight is both a valuable recovery guide for anyone touched by a brain injury, and an emotionally stirring testimony that deep internal peace truly is accessible to anyone, at any time.
Newcomers are always welcome to join Bibliobabblers. Pick up your copy of the book today!
Live Chat
Text Us
Send us an email
Browse Archives
Follow on Twitter
Facebook