thread the pages | book club meeting #2

we had our second book club meeting last week. i love being able to sit down and chat with ladies about a book that has literally left me inspired and depressed all in the same package. the unlikely pilgrimage of harold fry left me an emotional mess on so many levels, but was so amazing to me that i started to read it again. 

the journey this man went through, with his own faith and reasoning, to save his friend was an inspiring tale making me feel as though i wanted to walk to save someone's life myself. reading about his walk and everything he encountered made me feel like i was right there and when i put the book down {or, errr, my kindle} i felt years older through his experiences. 

here are a few comments from this past meeting:

It kind of made me want to go walk to/for someone myself!

I know what you mean Ashley! It had its inspiring moments

I got really emotional especially towards the end. The whole time I kept wanting harold or maureen say what they felt.

I think that's what's got my hooked,, the whole relationship between Harold & Maureen. It was sad & kind of painful, but it's what has me drawn into the story more

That one guy in the army pants who was doing it for his kids really pissed me off.

I really liked the style of writing, where it would go into the characters thoughts & past intermittently throughout the book. It keeps me interested

I loved when he was one with the road too. We were able to see more of his thoughts and past and I liked those parts of the story.

I also loved when Maureen was the narrative. I liked seeing what her thought process was and what her mirrored thoughts were to Harolds actions.

the next book on the list is 'she's come undone' by wally lamb. you can find it on amazon, but be sure to check your local library or ask a friend - free is always better!

if you're interested in joining thread the pages, please email me at afoxandawolf [at] yahoo [dot] com.

thread the pages | first book club meeting

last week we had our first book club meeting. i was a little nervous to see how well we would carry on conversation and discussion on the book, but it went fabulous! 

we held the 'meeting' on the facebook group through group convo. 

the first book we read was Talk Before Sleep, by Elizabeth Berg. here is a little blurb about the book:

"Until that moment, I hadn't realized how much I'd been needing to meet someone I might be able to say everything to."

They met at a party.  It was hate at first sight.  Ruth was far too beautiful, too flamboyant.  Not at all Ann's kind of person.  Until a chance encounter in the bathroom led to an alliance of souls.  Soon they were sharing hankies during the late showing of "Sophie's Choice," wolfing down sundaes sodden with whipped cream, telling truths of marriage, mortality, and love, secure in a kind of intimacy no man could ever know.  Only best friends understand devil's food cake for breakfast when nothing else will do.  After years of shared secrets, guilty pleasures, family life and divorce, they face a crisis that redefines the meaning of friendship and unconditional love.

and here are a few highlights from our 'meeting':

{no names will be displayed and these are in snippets, not the whole convo}

Alright ladies, thank you for being 'here'! Im so excited about this. I hope everyone enjoyed the book. I sure did. I even almost cried!

I'm pretty sure I did cry and played it off as allergies haha

I cried my eyes out! (Soaked my whole shirt)

What I loved most about the story was the connection they had with each other.

I think it had great character development and showed the relationships of all of the characters well

I know that I personally have a hard time in life having a 'best friend'. I feel like I am so old because I had to grow up so quickly that someone who might have been my best friend if I hadn't of had my daughter so young cant really relate to me and doesnt understand my life. So it kind of made me jealous, their friendship. Ha

Yes, and that the two women could bare their souls

I liked the book, but honestly couldn't relate to it very well. I don't have a best friend, so I couldn't really get that aspect

Although I've never kissed her under the stars.

I think the sort of lesbian overtones combined with the really vague spirituality part sort of made the book less enjoyable for me. It was a good read, but not necessarily my cup of tea I guess.

I would love a follow up to the book to see Ann later on. Death can change people.

I loved the whole damn book up until the end

Yup, hated the ending. It just ended so dull. Like anticlimactic.

the ending was poop

I think the snippets at the end were to show that Ann's life would go on w/o Ruth.

hahahaha. I LOL'd when she made her promise to take her vibrator so no one would find it later, hahahaa

In that situation, I would love to have someone by my side like that, To hide my vibrator!

Yeah, I'd be like "Let's go play Bingo and eat peanut butter cups!!

Yes, we all need the vibrator hiding friend. Lol

see, great conversation! 

the next book we are reading is The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce.

if you would like to join my book club, please send me an email or leave me a comment; be sure to include your email. you can also head on over to the Facebook book club group and ask to join. There is also a board on Pinterest where you can pin book suggestions!