Upcoming Books and Spring Extracurriculars

NVLC chooses books on a quarterly basis.  We are excited to announce our books for May, June, and July!  Stay tuned to the blog to see if these choices were loved or hated.

1. May 2013: The Secrets of Mary Bowser (Lois Leveen)
2. June 2013: Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness (Susannah Callahan)
3. July 2013: The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Laurie R. King)

Readers who run, or runners who read?  Very excited to congratulate FOUR of the 12 NoVA Lit Chicks in their participation in a spring 5K this past March!  Way to go Emily, Lauren, Stephanie and Debra!  An excellent time was had by all and we are looking forward to more races in the future.

Looking for something fun to do next weekend (unless the Cherry Blossoms finally bloom!!), then check out this new feature from the DC Public Library:

WASHINGTON - Have you ever visited the iconic "Exorcist" steps in Georgetown, where a Jesuit priest fell to his death in the 1973 movie? If you couldn't remember exactly how the scene played out or never read the book, a new website will help add some context to your visit. 

The nation's capital is popping out of the pages of fiction and onto a map with DC by the Book which launched Tuesday.

Using Google map technology, viewers can click on map points shaped as books and see what book, author and passage reference an area in D.C. Each pinpoint on the map features the book passage and a link to the DC Public Library catalog where a member can reserve the book. 

Tony Ross, 41, a librarian at the DC Public Library, spearheaded the project. "We can all read a history of Washington, D.C., and learn about the city and learn about how it's changed, but it's a completely different thing to be in a story…and to come across a little hidden part of the city or a hidden piece of the city's history," Ross says. (Excerpt from http://www.wtop.com/1232/3264232/DC-by-the-Book-takes-readers-to-novel-locations)

NVLC Spring Blog Cleaning

Happy 2013 NVLC Friends and Fans!  Our year is already off to a great start.  Here's a recap of our book discussions this year so far.

1. Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (January 2013)

Carrie chose this memoir by the "Bloggess" and most of the women found it hilarious.  Frankly, I couldn't stand it, but some members liked it so much they are new converts to Ms. Lawson's blog.

I was crying from laughing! - Lorene

Hilarious. Without a doubt the funniest book I have read in years, if not ever. A few of her episodes (Beyonce, the chicken shiv, turkeys, OD-ing on Ex-Lax, etc) had me laughing until I wept. I can only hope that her often referenced "second book" will actually become a reality soon. Until then, her blog will suffice.

I highly recommend to anyone looking for an easy, light read with lots of laughs. If you are easily offended by swearing or sexual innuendo, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!! I will say that stuff usually bothers me, but it came off more as her style of writing and less as crass. Either way, consider yourself warned.  - Stephanie

2. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (February 2013)

Jeanette's first time hosting and leading the discussion and she did an excellent job!  This book was about a murder mystery in Pennsylvania Amish country.  The interplay between a Philadelphia attorney and the local Amish was entertaining and the group gave it average reviews.

"Picoult now explores the complex choices of the heart for a young Amish woman -- the compelling journey of discovery for an urban lawyer who befriends and protects her."  (Goodreads.com)


      3. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway (March 2013)

Kim's first time leading the discussion and she too did an excellent job!  Rina hosted at her house.  The group definitely enjoyed this short, yet powerful, book.  I read it about a year ago and loved it then.  "A spare and haunting, wise and beautiful novel about the endurance of the human spirit and the subtle ways individuals reclaim their humanity in a city ravaged by war." (Goodreads.com)

Kim picked this book based her personal and professional attachment to this area of the world, and her perspective from having lived in the Balkans made for an even better discussion.


A compelling read. Prior to reading this, I didn't know a lot about the Siege of Sarajevo. Although this is fiction, I felt it had a lot of elements of realism--not just in the descriptions of the activities, but also the complex character studies and the human emotions and insecurities of the characters. It was a quick read, and I was sucked right in. Enjoyed this book. - Dustina

       4.  The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng (April 2013)

This month was my pick, and I tried to choose a book that had excellent reviews on Goodreads and Amazon....and one I'd never heard of.  This was a long, dense, but beautifully written story with lots of complexity and character depth.  Not everyone made it through the whole book, but it seemed that those who read the whole book did find it enjoyable.  If nothing else, it made me look up Penang in Wikipedia to find out where it was :-)

"The Gift of Rain spans decades as it takes readers from the final days of the Chinese emperors to the dying era of the British Empire, and through the mystical temples, bustling cities,and forbidding rain forests of Malaya."  (Goodreads.com)


Looking forward to our next quarter of books!

2012 End of Year Wrap-up

Never you mind the date of this post, gentle reader!  My New Year's resolution will be to update the blog more consistently with our meetings.  It's only April, so, may as well get started...

NVLC ended 2012 with a bang!  What a great year.  With new members and new democratic book choice process, we love Book Club!

1.  A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne (October 2012)

Rina's pick was an quick mystery, possibly more interesting for our group since it was set in the DC suburbs in the 1970s.  Overall, the group gave the book an "average" rating but it did have a solid story line and kept everyone's attention.

I found this to be a very quick read. Maybe part of the fascination was that the story takes place in the DC area. The story was a bit drawn out, and I was disappointed that the boy's killer wasn't caught in the end. This was an innocence lost type of story in a simpler time. Quick read, but not a terrific amount of substance.  -Dustina

2.  A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (November 2012)

This is an older story (1986), chosen by Lorene, about an alternate U.S.A of the future (now Gilead), with classes of citizens and a raging war going on.  Fertility is an issue due to toxins released during the war, and therefore women who are still fertile are called "Handmaids" and used strictly for procreation.  Women are controlled by their Commandants and are forbidden to read, keep their old names, or generally have any freedoms.

I hadn't read this book before (though some women had in high school or college).  I thought it was certainly an enlightening, thought-provoking read.  Though the timing was unplanned, since this book was discussed right after Election Day our discussion took an usually (though friendly!) political turn.  If nothing else, it was interesting to discuss the possible parallels between this alternate universe and today.

I always find these bleak future novels to be quite insightful, yet depressing. Are they warnings of what could be if we travel down certain paths, or are they totally off-base? Something I always find myself pondering with these reads.

Margaret Atwood creates a frightening/sad future for women in our country. A reminder to me of the importance of women's issues and protecting them for the future of our daughters.

This was a better than average read--but I didn't love it. Partially because of the bleak subject matter and story.  -Dustina

Sara hosted the meeting at her home and Lorene did an excellent job leading her first discussion!

3.  The Peachkeeper by Sarah Addison Allen (December 2012)

NVLC ended the year with our December tradition of hosting book club in a local restaurant.  This year, Emily picked Kawata Japanese Restaurant in Fairfax.

This book was not the biggest hit with the group, most seemed to find it a bit "hokey."  Generally, a quick southern-lit read.

This was an enjoyable read, but nothing more. It has such potential but is just very superficial. I wish there had been more to it - more character development, more about the town, more mystery that did not cross into the semi-sci-fi. It was fine and I enjoy Sarah Addison Allen's style, but I was left wanting more with this one.  -Stephanie

What a great 2012!  Looking forward to 2013!!!

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!