NVLC Fall Catch-Up Blog

Wow!  Hard to believe the last time I updated our blog was in July.  Here's a quick catch-up blog in advance of the NoVA Lit Chicks October meeting tomorrow night. 

1.  The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (July 2012)

Of course this was my pick....and I failed to keep up with the blog to go with it.  Overall, I think the group enjoyed the book.  This was a quick read that I enjoyed, and I think Oprah summed it up best:

“Spare and stunning. . . . By using the collective ‘we’ to convey a constantly shifting, strongly held group identity within which distinct individuals occasionally emerge and recede, Otsuka has created a tableau as intricate as the pen strokes her humble immigrant girls learned to use in letters to loved ones they’d never see again.” —O, The Oprah Magazine

2.  The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt (August 2012)

Lauren chose this book, and it's odd that we would have two westerns in one year (see: True Grit in March 2012), but the general consensus on this book was positive.  Rina (possibly Lorene?) made the interesting point in asking if our opinion of the characters would change if we considered them as older men (instead of younger men). 

3.  Also at the August meeting we welcomed two new members, Lorene and Kim!  Looking forward to Lorene's first book pick in this upcoming quarter. 

4.  Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay (September 2012)

Dustina's book choice was revised at the August meeting since her original pick wasn't available at the library.  Russian Winter won the re-vote.  We seemed to struggle with getting through this long novel and the back and forth between reality, Russia, and memories.  Most members did finish the book and enjoyed the plot twists at the end.  

5.  More new members!  We welcomed Rina's friend Jen to the NVLC at the September meeting!

Tomorrow night we'll hold our October meeting where we'll discuss this month's book, A Crime in the Neighborhood, and choose our picks for November, December, and January. 

My NVLC new-quarter-resolution is to update the blog more :)

"Rooftops of Tehran" by Mahbod Seraji

June's book was Sara's pick and she chose Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji.  The overall consensus about this book was that it left us wanting more....and there are rumors of a sequel in the works.  So, if Mr. Seraji happens to read this...please give us an update!

As for the book review, Rina actually wrote a review on GoodReads.com that I'm just going to steal:

"I loved this book! I don't normally like the "peek into this culture you don't really know" kind of stories, so I was hesitant at first. However, it was so much more than that. It had everything I could ask for - humor (I actually laughed out loud a couple times), action, heartache, love, depth, honest characters, and, yes, a peek into a culture I didn't really know.

The way it was written was also perfect for me. As this was a book club selection, there is always the challenge of catching my interest when I start reading that isn't there for a book I naturally pick up. From the first page, the writing and story brought me in. The back-and-forth through different points in time were woven together so well it was not at all confusing. The writing was simple and easy to follow without being simplistic. The writing flowed so smoothly it felt poetic in a lot of places.

It also gave me a lot to think about. About governance and what kinds of things our governments are really up to at home and abroad. About friendship and if I would be willing to take the kinds of risks they did for one another. About love, religion, and so much more...

My ONLY gripe about this book is that I am dying to know what happens next. I think the story completed its arc and ended where it should have ended. I know some people like to leave things to the imagination, but I need to read it. I need to know where these perfectly developed, honestly portrayed characters go next. The reading guide in the back of my copy said Mahbod Seraji was going to get around to writing a sequel. I cannot express how strongly I hope that is true."

Thank you, Rina!! Sara hosted this month's book at her home, and her lentil tacos were such a hit everyone wanted the recipe :-)  Plus, Carrie joined us for the first time since the birth of her son, Xavier...welcome back Carrie!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.  For July, we will read and discuss the Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka and pick our books for August, September, and October.  Stay tuned!

"Summer at Tiffany: A Memoir" by Marjorie Hart

My name is Emily, and I am a member of NoVa Lit Chicks and guest blogging for Debra for our May book meeting (very tardily, I might add – sorry).  For May, we read my selection “Summer at Tiffany: A Memoir” by Marjorie Hart.  This book has been on my to-read list for a year or so.  I really enjoy books about strong female friendships as well was women striking out on their own so  I was really attracted to the premise of two female friends spending the summer of ‘45 in New York City where they become the first women to work on the sales floor of Tiffany’s (yes, that Tiffany’s).  

To be honest,  I had somehow managed to overlook the whole “A Memoir” part of the title – so while expecting a fully fleshed out novel turned out to be more like air-brushed nostalgia.  The author mentioned several times in author notes and an interview with her editor that she was inspired to record her story in book form for her children and grandchildren to enjoy  - and this came through in the writing.  You could almost hear the author say, “And I remember the time…” each time she embarked on a new story.  While that doesn’t necessarily make it the most exciting book, it does lend the book a kind of familiar/comforting feeling – as if your own grandmother was telling you her story. 

While I think most book members enjoyed this easy read, many had trouble fully engaging with the narrator in the book.   Several members ended up expressing “wanting to know the full story” because it was clear that we were only getting the pretty half of the story.  Many of us also wanted to know more about why the author made some of the decisions she made.   For example, for almost two thirds of the book, the author worries about how she is going to tell her parents and friends that she is transferring schools and then suddenly in less than half a page she decides that she’s going to stay where she’s enrolled and that’s the last we hear about her school choice.  As readers, we were left asking ourselves what just happened there. 

The parts that most people liked were the ones that detailed actual historical events – like the soldiers returning to New York after the end of war in Europe, the V-J Day announcement in Times Square, and the day when a plane crashed into the Empire State Building.   The author did a very good job of both describing her thoughts and feelings surrounding those events as well what was going on in the environment around her.  In a way, these events were more relatable to us than her descriptions of the every day occurances.

I would say based on our discussion, most members felt neutral about this book.  We could appreciate the book, but we kind of wanted more from it.

In June we will be reading the Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji, and Sara will lead the discussion at her home in Chantilly.

"The Weird Sisters" by Eleanor Brown

Wow, what a great meeting!  The NoVA Lit Chicks met for our regular monthly book discussion with a packed agenda:

• Carrie hosted, so we all trekked across the river to travel up to Maryland.  Thankfully, everyone made it :)  
• The author of "The Weird Sisters," Eleanor Brown called in to our meeting, and she was a riot!
• Book picks for May, June, and July were presented, and...
• We had a "Baby Book Shower" for Carrie! 

First things first, we carpooled up to Maryland to visit Carrie, who hosted for the first time at her home.  It was a long and perilous journey, involving the Beltway and a bridge crossing.  Luckily, everyone made it without issue. Actually, I think everyone was surprised how easy it was getting there.  Not me though, as a native Montgomery County-er, it was a walk down Montgomery Mall memory lane.  Food court, anyone?

This month's book pick was "The Weird Sisters," by Eleanor Brown.  Eleanor reached out to us via Twitter, and she was more than happy to call in for a part of our meeting.  We happily accepted and began discussing the book in advance of her call.

For the most part, the group consensus was positive for the book.  Some said that it had a familiar theme, consistent with many books about siblings.  Siblings continue to live our their stereotypical roles within the family, despite all being successful, independent grown adults.  The book had several unusual features....the use of first person plural throughout the book, the scattering of Shakespeare quotes, and the odd fact that the Mother was never given a name.

On the phone with Ms. Brown, she told us that she modeled the book after her own family, and her experiences growing up as the youngest of three sisters.  She was very engaging on the call, and it was a pleasure to have her join us!  She shared her reasons for the use of first person plural, her naming conventions, and the Shakespeare reasoning....and made for a very enjoyable author call-in!

Up next....time to vote!

This month, we initiated our new Book Choice plan, where hostesses for May, June, and July (Emily, Sara, and Debra) submit 3-4 books to the group, and we then vote for a month's book based on their choices.  This new quarterly voting option was implemented to give the entire club a little more say in the monthly book picks, without the hostess losing her opportunity to choose her own books!

Frankly, this was a great idea.  Voting is "open" until Friday, and then this quarter's picks will be announced!  This was a really fun way for members to share what books they want to read, and give everyone some new "to-reads" even if that book isn't chosen for the month.  Can't wait to see the results! 

Lastly, to welcome our newest little bookworm into the world, the Lit Chicks had a "Baby Book Shower" for Carrie, who is expecting her little boy in May. 

This was a jam-packed meeting!  Looking forward to next month...stay tuned for the May book pick!  Happy reading!

Book World Twitter Roundup

Admittedly, the NoVA Lit Chicks are new to Twitter (you can find us at @NovaLitChicks!). Over the past two weeks, we've followed and tweeted and replied and retweeted to much success.  I think the most shocking thing is the sheer amount of book-related information out there in the Twittersphere.  However, if keeping up with the Book World on Twitter isn't your speed....here's a quick recap of Stuff We Found Interesting.  (And by "we" I mean, "me.")

Local Meet-the-Author Events

1. Meet author Sandra Beasley, author of a memoir, Don't Kill the Birthday Girl. March 20, 7:00 p.m. Burke Centre Library. (@FairfaxLibrary)
2. An evening with author Tom Perrotta March 22, 7:30pm at George Mason University's Center for the Arts, sponsored by the Fairfax County Library. Meet Tom Perrotta, bestselling author of Election, Little Children, Joe College, The Leftovers, and others. Cosponsored by Fall for the Book. Books available for sale and signing. (@FairfaxLibrary)
3. Chris Cillizza, Washington Post blogger and MSNBC political contributor, discusses the news and issues surrounding this year's elections. March 28, 7:00pm. Cosponsored by the Friends of the Pohick Regional Library. (@FairfaxLibrary)
4. Arlington Reads 2012 featured fiction author Jennifer Egan will speak on April 26, 7 p.m. at Arlington Central Library Auditorium, discussing her 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad. (@ArlingtonVaLib)

Used Book Sales

1. Looking for a cost-effective way to keep up your habit?  The Fairfax County Library has ongoing Used Book Sales at various branches throughout the year!  All branches also take book donations year round. (@FairfaxLibrary)
2. Arlington County Library has two "mammoth" used book sales a year...the Spring Book sale is April 12-15!  (@ArlingtonVaLib)

References

1. Got a question?  Ask a Librarian! (@librarycongress)

To-Read List

1. Too late for the Lit Chicks "Young Adult" theme, but wish this was around when I was a kid: Bad Girls Of History, How Wicked Were They?  NPR reviews The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames, a book collection aimed at children ages 9 to 13. The collection is edited and published by Shirin Yim Bridges.(@nprbooks)

Fun and Games

1. Hungry?  Try a Hunger Games Recipe! (@HuffPostBooks)
2. Not hungry?  @HuffPostBooks tried out the "The Drunk Diet"...which, according to the article is really more like "Drink all you want, so long as you eat egg whites and run marathons."
3. "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish." Take this quiz to see if you can identify famous authors by their styles. (@bookbench)
4. Where does DC rank? "Is your city hungry for the Hunger Games? Check out the top 20 U.S. cities reading the trilogy." (@amazonbooks) 
5. Listen to Christopher Walken read "Where the Wild Things Are."  Awesome. (@electriclit)

"They tell me you are a man with true grit."

You give out very little sugar with your pronouncements.  --Mr. LeBoeuf, to Mattie.

Last night, the NoVA Lit Chicks met for "Movie Night," in lieu of a regular book discussion.  We are resetting the calendar back to the first Tuesday of the month, so now we are back on track for April's discussion of The Weird Sisters, by Eleanor Brown.

Debra's book, True Grit, by Charles Portis, was recently remade as Coen Brothers movie and we decided to watch the new release as a group.  As the last book selection of our "Young Adult" theme, I chose this book for discussion because (a) it has a 14 year old girl as the hero and (b) I watched the old John Wayne movie with my grandfather as a kid.

Reading this book as an adult, and then watching the movie with my Lit Chick girlfriends, proved how timeless it is.  The dialogue was sharp and biting, all the more entertaining when we realized that nineteenth century western roughnecks have a better command of the King's English than we do. We joked that contractions must not have been invented in the nineteenth century.  Mattie's character never ceased to amaze, her negotiations and tenacity with Colonel Stonehill and Rooster Cogburn made you wonder who was the real adult.  Though Rooster Cogburn was the tough, whiskey drinking U.S. Marshal, based on Mattie's sharp tongue, adventerous spirit and dogged determination, I think we all agreed that she was the one with the "true grit."

Since this meeting was only two weeks past our March meeting, we opted to keep things simple and just ordered in pizza.  Thank you Sara for hosting, the food, wine, discussion and company was excellent as always!  See everyone at Carrie's in April!

Local NoVA Literary Events and Resources

Are you new to Northern Virginia?  Or just looking for somewhere to meet up with your follow NoVA book lovers?  Here are some local book-related resources:

Libraries
City of Alexandria, VA
Arlington County, VA
Fairfax County, VA

Our local libraries host events all year round, including used book sales, lectures, Meet-the-Author, and community events. 

Events
Fall for the Book (George Mason University, Fairfax, VA)
U.S. Library of Congress (events year round, Washington, DC)
Virginia Festival of the Book (Charlottesville, VA)
Washington Antiquarian Book Fair (Arlington, VA) 

Community Groups
FirstBook: Northern Virginia
Literary Council of Northern Virginia
Virginia Writer's Club (Northern Virginia chapter)

You can also check out the Washington Post's "Going Out Guide" and click on Book Events.  They keep an updated list of author book signings, readings, and lectures in the DC area.  Happy reading!

Welcome to our Northern Virginia Book Club!

Welcome to NoVA Lit Chicks on the web!

We are a women's book club in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC.  We have members in Arlington, Alexandra, and Fairfax Counties (and Montgomery County, MD).  The group has been meeting monthly for the past seven years, always welcoming new members as space becomes available.

We meet the first Tuesday of the month, with each member serving as hostess once a year.  The hostess chooses her book, leads the discussion, and provides a no-pressure entree for the group.  Everyone else is welcome to bring sides, snacks, drinks, or dessert...but we also understand that sometimes it's all you can do just to make it to the meeting!

If you are new to the DC area, or want to make some new book-loving friends, please contact us to see if the Chicks have any availability.  You can also find us on Goodreads.com under "NoVA Lit Chicks." We'd love to meet you!