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Author Pam Jenoff Recommends...

5/29/2018

What books does author Pam Jenoff read and recommend? Here are her suggestions,
originally posted on the FantasticFiction web site:

My Enemy's Cradle (2007) by Sara Young. "By populating her book with complex & vibrant characters, Sara Young succeeds in bringing this previously little known aspect of WWII history to life. Young explores with an unwavering voice the timeless, universal & yet intensely personal themes of love, loss, morality & the choices that shape our lives."
The Kissing Gates (2008) by Mackenzie Ford. " Set against the panorama of WWI..(this) is a poignant love story, finely woven tapestry of choice, consequence & redemption. Ford explores the ambiguities of the human heart with an unwavering hand, & in so doing creates a haunting, & moving tale that will resonate with the reader long after she has finished the last page."
Every Time We Say Goodbye (2012) by Kristina McMorris. " A timeless lesson in love & loss."
The Lost Letter (2017) by Jillian Cantor. " A vivid & original book which spams WWII Austria to modern day Los Angeles. In this unforgettable tale of memories, love & reconciliation, Cantor writes with an absorbing voice & keen eye for detail that caught me up in the sweep of history."
The Cottingley Secret (2017) by Hazel Gaynor. "...Gaynor has penned in majestic prose an enchanting & enthralling tale of childhood magic, forgotten dreams, & finding the parts of ourselves we thought were lost forever."
Carnegie's Maid (2018) by Marie Benedict. "....Benedict skillfully introduces us to Clara, a young woman who immigrates to America in the 1860s & unexpectedly becomes the maid to Andrew Carnegie's mother. Clara becomes close to Andrew Carnegie & helps to make him America's first philanthropist. Downton Abbey fans should flock to this charming tale of fateful turns & unexpected romance, & the often unsung role of women in history."
The English Wife (2018) by Lauren Willlig. "...Written with keen detail & subtle nuance...a dark & scintillating tale of betrayal, secrets & a marriage gone wrong that will have readers on the edge of their seats until the final breathtaking twist."
The Girls in the Picture (2018) by Melanie Benjamin. "Set at the dawn of Hollywood.... explores the friendship between renowned starlet Mary Pickford & screenwriter Frances Marion. With the artistry for which she has become renowned, Benjamin has simultaneously created an insightful tale of the relationship between writer & muse & a breathtaking view into Hollywood's most glittering era."
As Bright as Heaven (2013) by Susan Meissner. "Original and vivid."
Things to Do When It's Raining (2018) by Marissa Stapley. "Fans of Nicholas Sparks will adore...an irresistible tribute to first love, second chances & the powerful legacy of the past. Elegant & heartfelt. Marissa Stapley's writing is a gift."
The Dutch Wife (2018) by Ellen Keith. "...Keith illuminates an important but little known piece of history from WWII: the concentration camp brothels. Keith's portrayal of Marijke's courageous yet unfathomable choice is sensitive, graceful and unflinching - and in itself brave. Readers of The Nightingale will be rewarded by this original & unforgettable tale."
My Dear Hamilton (2018) by Stephanie Dray & Laura Karmoie. "Following their stunning success in America's First Daughter, Stephanie Dray & Laura Karmoie have penned an unforgettable story of the woman behind Hamilton.....a masterpiece that is both intimate in detail & epic in scope --a triumph."
Visit the FantasticFiction website for book information and what author's are recommending: www.fantasticfiction.com/

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Meet Author Pam Jenoff

5/22/2018

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We are fast approaching our last discussion book before our summer break. On June 7th
we end with a discussion and a potluck. I am always intrigued about an author's background.
Pam Jenoff was interviewed for GoodReads in October 2009. Let me share portions of her
interview here......take a look into the person behind the book.

What were your previous occupations?
I was the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon & a Foreign
Service Officer (diplomat) with the State Department" (assigned to U.S Consulate in Krakow,
Poland). "I am presently an attorney, as well as an author."

How would you describe  perfect happiness?
"A good morning of writing, a satisfying run, a meal with my family & a nap. To me
perfect happiness has nothing to do with possessions or material things. It's all about
having the time to do the things I enjoy with the people I love."

What's your greatest fear? "Fire, lighting, water, flying. I'm not at all brave!"

If you could acquire any talent, what would it be? "Singing. I have the world's worst singing voice."

What is your greatest flaw? "Impatience."

What's your best quality. "I'm very driven & motivated."

What trait is most noticeable about you? "I speak quickly & lots."

What 3 personal qualities are most important to you? "Loyalty, compassion, integrity."

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be."
"Probably right here, at home, surrounded by family. I have always been split between
homebody & world traveller, & right now I think it's a 51/49% split in favor of homebody.
But there's always a part of me that's dreaming of London, Krakow..."

What are your most overused words or phrases?
"My agent is forever chiding me for overuse of the word "suddenly" in my writing."

What is your fantasy profession?
"Writing children's books/young adult novels. Popular adult novelists are popular,
but popular children's authors are deities! I wish I had it in me, but I don't."

Questions About Books & Writing

Favorite Authors: "Tracey Chevalier, Anita Shreve, Pat Conroy, Anne Tyler, Kate Atkinson...."
What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
"A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helperin, Air and Angels by Susan Hill, The Winds of
War by Herman Wouk, Mila 18 by Leon Uris, Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien."

Is there a book you love to reread? "Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg."

Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
"I believe to succeed as a writer the most important factors are discipline, tenacity & the
ability to revise."

AND
How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
"Magical, chaotic, exploding symphony of love and laughter."

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.....................................................A Quote........................................................

5/15/2018

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"I can never read all the books I want;
I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want.
I can never train myself in all the skills I want.
And why do I want?
I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life.
And I am horribly limited."
Sylvia Plath
The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

This is why I read.

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Book Group Members are Reading and Recommending....

5/8/2018

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Looking for that next great book? Take a peek at what our community of readers are recommending....

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (2007). "What would happen to humankind's infrastructure & legacy if were were to all vanish tomorrow?"
Marlena: A Novel by Julie Buntin (2017). A Michigan novel. "A debut novel about love, addiction and loss; the story of 2 girls & the feral year that will cost one her life, & define the other's for decades."
The House of Broken Angels by Luis Albert Urrea. (2018) "The definitive Mexican-American immigrant story." GoodReads rated this 4.16 Stars (5 Stars possible). "From a Pulitzer Prize finalist comes a powerful & unforgettable portrait of one Mexican American family & the American dream."
LIfe is so Good by George Dawson. "...103-year old George Dawson, a slave's grandson who learned to read at age 98, reflexcts on his life and offers valuable lesson in living as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the 20th century."
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim Defede (2003). "When 38 jetliners bound for the U.S. were forced to land in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill."
I Was Anastasia: A Novel by Ariel Lawhon (2018). "...a new feat of historical suspense... unravels the extraordinary twists & turns in Anna Anderson's 50-year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman's legacy."
Sons & Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis & Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson (2017), "...the little known saga of young German Jews, dubbed The Ritchie Boys, who fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, came of age in America & returned to Europe at enormous personal risk as members of the U.S. Army to play a key role in the Allied victory....." Nonfiction.
The Miniaturist: A Novel by Jessie Burton (2015). "A dollhouse whose figures & furnishings foretell life events, mysterious notes, family secrets & the powerful guild & church of 1686 Amsterdam. All these elements combine for an engaging story of a young bride's struggle to be the architect of her own fortune."
Through Streets Broad & Narrow (Ivy Rose Series Book 1) by Gemma Jackson (2014). "This novel depicts the life of a woman in poverty who's father has died, leaving her alone in the world. With her new-found freedom, Ivy Murphy learns she can direct her own life & use her her intelligence & ingenuity to bring herself out of poverty."
"A Great Reckoning: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries #12) by Louise Penny (2017). "Receiving a mysterious old map that has been found stuffed in the wall of a bistro, former Quebec homicide investigator Armand Gamache follows clues to the site of a dead Surete academy professor & an unlikely cadet with whom he is implicated in a murder case."
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (2011). "Documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of free slaves & created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling discoveries in such areas as cancer research, in vitro fertilization and gene mapping."
The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty (2011). "Pursuing what she hopes will be a positive relationship with new boyfriend Patrick, hypnotherapist Ellen learns that his ex-girlfriend is stalking him, a situation that Ellen finds professionally fascinating before discovering the woman's identity."
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe (2017). "Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust." Translated from Spanish.
What are you reading and recommending?
Note: Above book descriptions were taken from GoodReads, Amazon, NoveLIst, LibraryThing or the CIDLibrary catalog.

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Voting Results - Books to be Discussed in 2018-2019

5/6/2018

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Voting has taken place and I am pleased to announce another 4 books slated for discussion
next October after book group's summer break. The membership has voted in
the following selections:

Classic Book: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier . (We will continue the discussion one week later after watching the 1940 movie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, staring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.) (1938)
Mystery: The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (2007). A Downton Abbey setting, secrets and murder.
NonFiction: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders & the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (2017) See the CBS Sunday Morning article on this book. www.cbsnews.com/news/killers-of-the-flower-moon-revisiting-the-reign-of-terror-on-the-osage-nation/
Biography/Memoir: Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (2018). IF you liked The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, open this book......

We have one last book to vote in. This will take place after the Discussion of The Orphan's Tale on June 7th.

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Paulette Jiles Recommends....

5/1/2018

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I have just completed reading our next discussion book The News of the World. I am reminded
of the movie True Grit with Rooster Cogburn and Mattie Ross. The beauty of this book was
the relationship between Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (love the name) and Johanna. To read fiction is to inhabit a different world; and, the author brought Texas to life in the 1870s - the landscape, the uncertainty, the lawlessness, the adolescence of an emerging nation. What does the author Paulette Jiles read and recommends?

Here are 2 recommended selections from Paulette Jiles:

Monticello by Sally Cabot Gunning (2016)......"Well researched and beautifully written... captivating."
Only Killers and Thieves (2018)....."A gripping novel about conflict in the Australian outback at the turn of the century: beautifully done."

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Author Pam Jenoff Recommends...

Meet Author Pam Jenoff

.....................................................A Quote........................................................

Book Group Members are Reading and Recommending....

Voting Results - Books to be Discussed in 2018-2019

Paulette Jiles Recommends....

Author

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