Let’s Talk About A Piece of Cake
June 1 , 2013 by Crystal JohnsonStories of tragedy, triumph, trials, and tribulations are what Cupcake Brown retells in her memoir called A Piece of Cake. While the title of this book makes Cupcake’s life seem plain and uneventful, you soon find that her life is the exact opposite of what the phrase suggests. Early on, Cupcake faces the loss of a loved one, being placed in foster care, and being exposed to drugs and abuse. It’s easy to feel the pain of her experiences as you read but Cupcake’s humor and intrigue with life will keep you engaged in her story and quickly turning the pages.
Vista Book Group – The Dog Stars
May 23 , 2013 by Chantal WilsonThe Vista Book Group met in May to discuss The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. An award winning adventure writer and author of several nonfiction books this is Heller’s first work of fiction. The Dog Stars is a novel about a pilot living in a harsh post-apocalyptic world but there still a sense of beauty and tenderness that underlays the bleakness.
Power Customer
May 13 , 2013The Vista Book Group met in May to discuss The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. An award winning adventure writer and author of several nonfiction books this is Heller’s first work of fiction. The Dog Stars is a novel about a pilot living in a harsh post-apocalyptic world but there still a sense of beauty and tenderness that underlays the bleakness.
Vista Book Group – Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
April 19 , 2013 by Chantal WilsonThe Vista Book Group met in March to discuss Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. There were five self-described introverts and three ambiverts in attendance. Many of us have heard the terms introvert and extrovert, but few of us have probably heard the term ambivert. According to Ms. Cain and the psychologists whose studies she references in her book, there really is no such thing as pure introvert or extrovert. However, most of us usually tend to lean prominently toward one end of the introvert-extrovert spectrum. If a person falls pretty much in the center of the spectrum, they are known as an ambivert.
Vista Book Group: Life of Pi
March 6 , 2013 by Chantal WilsonVista Book Group’s February read was the Life of Pi by Yann Martel which won the 2002 Man Booker Prize. The book has three parts, the first of which details Pi Patel’s life in Pondicherry, India and touches on his later life in Toronto, Canada, the second part details his 227 days as a castaway on the Pacific Ocean after the sinking of the Tsimtsum, and the third and shortest part takes place in Mexico where Pi washes ashore and tells his “unbelievable” story to two members of the Japanese Ministry of Transportation Maritime Department.
Vista Book Group: 1Q84
January 31 , 2013 by Chantal WilsonThe Vista Book Group’s January discussion was on Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84. 1Q84, originally published in Japan as three separate books, was translated to English and released internationally as one lengthy book (925 pages). But don’t let the size of the book scare you off, because if you do you will miss a compelling, interesting and, one might even say, weird story. Of the ten members that made it to the meeting, five of us finished the book and four of us were still working our way through, but were determined to finish. Almost all of us felt that the book was well worth the effort and time invested, although some felt that the book could have been shorter and still been a good read.
Let's Talk About The Help by Kathryn Stockett
January 24 , 2013 by Crystal JohnsonThe Main Library's Urban Readers Book Group is meeting on Tuesday, February
5th, from 6pm to 7pm to talk about The Help by Kathryn Stockett. If you've seen the movie, then you know The Help is a remarkable story about life in Mississippi during the civil rights era. Join us for an enjoyable discussion and light refreshments! Contact Crystal at 929-3400 for more information on the Urban Readers Book Group.New Tween Bookclub at Richland Library Ballentine!
January 15 , 2013 by Heather GreenRichland Library Ballentine is excited to announce a new Tween Bookclub for ages 9-12. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, February 12 at 4:30 pm. Come pick up our first selection, The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr at the Ballentine Library anytime!
Vista Book Group, Spring 2013
December 8 , 2012 by Kelly JonesVista Book Group returns in January, 2013 to discuss a new series of interesting and edgy reads. Join us at 6 p.m. on the 4th Wednesday of every month in Film and Sound at the Main Library.