January Book

Lots of Laughs!

Thanks for coming to my house tonight to discuss  Double Crossing........it was interesting....and fun!! Sorry about the cake!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR "DOUBLE CROSSING"

This book was actually the winner of the "2012 Best First Novel" from Western Writer's of America, as well as a finalist in 2012 for USA Book News Awards for Western Fiction.  Most of the online reviews were positive....."a thrill to read", "great historical fiction", "a hang on to your seat read", " loved this book from the very start".......Would you agree?  Why or why not?

The author said she wrote the book as a twist on TRUE GRIT and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, (two of her favorite novels/movies)......If you are familiar with these two works, could you see that?

Did you like a Western written from a women's perspective?  How did it help you see how women's roles have changed?

Were you impressed with Lily's initiative?

What surprised you about this book?  Or.....did you think it was predictable?

Were you happy or disappointed that Lily didn't want to marry Charles and be a missionary?

What did you think of "Ace"?  Aunt Sylvia and her husband, Uncle Harrison, Kate, etc?
Did you identify with any particular character?

Were you sad when Kate found out she wasn't really meeting her future husband?

Did the author do a good job describing the train and the stops along the way to help you picture the scenes in your mind?

Were you happy with the ending?

Did you like reading a "Western"?

Would you like to read the sequel...."Double or Nothing"?

December Book Selection

So Much Fun!

Tonight's discussion was heavy at times due to the horrifying events of 9-11, but we had such a good time!  The twelve of us enjoyed great food (thanks to all who contributed!) , encouraging conversations and the blessings of hearing testimonies of God's saving grace!  We learned a lot from this book!  Thank you for hosting, Selina!  See ya December 2, at my house!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR "THUNDER DOG"

What did you like best about this book?
Was there anything that you did not like?
Were you aware of the prevalence of blindness among premature babies in the 50's?
Did you have vivid memories of 9-11 as you read?  Where were you that day?
Did you learn anything new about the World Trade Center as you read?  If so, what?
What was the scariest thing you thought about as he described his experiences on that day?
Did you find the way the book switched back and forth from present to past helpful or distracting?  Did it help you understand the long descent down the stairs?
They had no idea what had happened as they were descending the stairs; do you think they would have behaved differently had they known the full extent of the damage?
Do you think Michael's parents decision to mainstream him in school was a good idea?  Why or why not?
Talk about how Michael's father researched the law and contacted the Governor so Michael and his dog could ride the bus.
After the long trip down the stairs, they must have felt some relief, but they quickly realized there was more chaos there.  How would you react if you were hoping for rest but were forced to run even though you were exhausted?
Have you ever experienced a tragedy that ignited renewed purpose in your life, like Michael said this did for him?
Does reading Psalm 23 in light of Michael's personal experience cause you to see this familiar passage in a new way?
Were you thrown off by Chapter 10 which was told from Karen's perspective?
Can you imagine what she and many others were going through as they waited to hear from loved ones?
What were some things you learned about blindness that were new to you?
What is the main lesson or piece of understanding you took away from reading Thunder Dog?
Has reading it changed how you think about anything?  Do you think you will act differently in the future as a result of reading it?
Would you recommend it to others!  Why or why not?

October's Book Selection

The Front Porch

What a beautiful first day of Fall on Connie's porch!  Perfect weather, delicious hot apple cider and "themed" food provided by Connie and others, and most of all a great discussion of a great book!  I don't think there was any mention by anyone of not liking something in this book!  A definite winner!  Thanks L.N. Cronk!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CHOP, CHOP

Did you like the book?  Find it an easy read?
What would you consider to be the main message of this book?
Did you like the title?
Did you consider this book realistic?
Did the kids in this book seem like typical teenagers?
Talk about the influence of Greg's family.
Did you agree with the "methods" taught in the Life Skills class? Why or why not?
Were you surprised by anything in this book?  If so, what?
How well do you think the author portrayed the power of forgiveness?
Did reading this book make you want to read others in the series?
To whom would you recommend this book?

September's Book Selection

Great start to Year 7!

Thank you, Tania, for hosting our Year 7 kick off!  We had lots of great food and lots of great conversation.  Looking forward to another year of reading and discussion!  See ya next month when we discuss "Chop Chop" on Connie's big front porch!

Discussion Questions for The Great Gatsby

Did it take you a bit to get into this book or were you immediately engaged?
Do you think Gatsby was "great"?  In other words, was Fitzgerald's title sincere or ironic?
Were you exposed to something new or different about people or certain parts of the world that maybe changed you or broadened your perspective?
Who was your favorite character and why!
Do you see changes in the main characters as the book progresses?  Do any of them grow or mature?  Do they learn something about themselves and how the world works?
Talk about any underlying symbols you picked up on.
If you've seen the movies, old and/or new....did you think they did a good job of "acting out" the book?  Did you prefer one movie over the other?
Did you find the end of the story surprising or predictable? Was it satisfying or would you prefer a different ending?

Year 7 Reading List

September 23 (4th Tuesday) Chop Chop by L.N. Cronk ( Free on Kindle)
October 28 (4th Tuesday) Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson
December 2 (First Tuesday) Double Crossing by Meg Mims
January 27 (4th Tuesday) The Blue Bedroom and other stories by Rosamunde Pilcher
February 24 (4th Tuesday) The Devil in Pew No. 7 by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo
March 24 (4th Tuesday) While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax
April 28 (4th Tuesday) Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski
May 26 (4th Tuesday) Apron Strings by Mary Morony
Summer Read....Divergent by Veronica Roth

Field Trip fun at Gatsby's at The Seelbach!

THANK YOU, JENN, FOR PLANNING SUCH A GREAT DAY!!!!

Summer Read

Can it really be?

Another year (year  6) has come and gone!  Thank you, Jean for hosting our last discussion!  It was another great one!  Thank you LBC LBC for a fun year of reading!  We have learned a lot this year and I have grown to love you more than ever!  I look forward to our Gatsby Adventure on August 2, (details to follow) and our Year 7 kick-off on August 26th.

Discussion Questions for "The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert"

What did you like/dislike about this book?
Do you think she did a good job of putting her feelings and experiences into words?
Did you "sense" the pressure she must have felt when she was making choices to be obedient to The Lord?
Did you agree with everything you read?
Were you surprised by any of the topics she chose to include in the book?  If so, what?
I have noted several statements she made that I may bring up in our discussion to see what you think.....was there anything you would like to mention before I do that?
Would you recommend this book to others?

May's Book Selection

Fun!

What a joy and blessing to be with the best book club ever last night!  Our diversity (and our freedom to voice our diversity) is one of the greatest parts of LBCLBC!  Thank you, Penny for your hospitality, thank you Penny, Amanda, Jenn and Sarah for the delicious food!  Only one more book to go!  See you at Jean's next month!  Stay turned for more info on our "Gatsby" adventure!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR "HEARTLESS"

Did you like it? Did you enjoy the descriptive language in the book?

Who was your favorite character?  Did you have any trouble keeping everyone straight?

Who were you hoping Una would end up with?

Talk about Monster, the cat.

What underlying messages did you get?  Explain.
Do you think the average reader would pick up on any of these?

Did you find this a quick/easy read?

Do you want to read the rest of the books in the series?

Who would you recommend this book to and why?

April's Book Selection

It Happens Every Spring

I think we're all ready for it to really be Spring!!  Even though it's still cold outside, inside it was warm and fun!  Thanks for having us, Lindsey, and thanks to all who brought food!  It  was great to laugh together tonight and listen to all the different takes on this month's book!

Discussion Questions for "It Happens Every Spring"

Would you have opened your door to Cody?  Let him stay on your porch? In your house?
What did you see as Cody's "role" in the story?
Did you find yourself taking sides in Steve and Brenda's marital problems?  Who did you side with and why?
Why do you think Brenda put away all the pictures, trophies etc. of her children?
One thing that stood out with Steve and Brenda......things aren't always as they appear on the outside.....talk about this.
Would you want to get your haircut at "Just As I Am"? Live in Deepwater Cove?
How did you feel about the petition against the Adult Bookstore?  Do you think it was right for Ashley to go ahead and sign it, after being pushed by Esther, even though she said she thought she was going against her husband by doing so?
Were you surprised by Pete and Patsy's developing relationship?
Though the situations written into the story were definitely object lessons, did you find them true to life, helpful, fun to read, etc.? If so, how?
We saw 2 different views from Esther and Kim on how to deal with depression.....which one did you agree with most?
Do you think something as simple as meeting with a group of ladies once a week, like the TLC, to share ideas on helping others could save a marriage?
Do you want to read the other books in this series?

March's Book Selection

Interesting!

It was great to have Karen Hall with us tonight!  She had actually been on a mission trip to the area we read about!

Everyone pretty much agreed that this book was a good pick for our book club.  There were 15 of us and we all felt that though parts of the book were difficult, it made us think about a lot of things.   How awesome our God is and how much in need of a Savior humans are...whether in Louisville, KY or in the jungles of South America....without Him, we are depraved, whether we have clothes on or not!

May we never forget to be thankful for the place that a God has determined for us to live (Acts 17:26) and may we be reminded that we have a job to do in praying for, giving to and being personally involved in the promotion of the Gospel both here and around the world!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SPIRIT OF THE RAINFOREST

Was it hard for you to read this book? (because of content and/or writing style?)
Did it help or hinder the story to have it told through Jungleman?
Did you wonder how he knew certain things, like what others were thinking at times?  Like when he was telling things that happened when he wasn't around?

Is it hard for you to imagine that there are people groups who live like this on the same earth that you live on?

A review on Amazon says "This book is a cheat.  It appears to be a true story until the middle of the book where the Christian claptrap becomes obvious.  The Author simply uses the Yanomamo as a shill to promote his own religious beliefs with a story that is clearly fictional."  Talk about this.

Mark Ritchie has received much criticism for this book - from other anthropologists, who feel he made it too "religious"...... to Christians, who feel he included too much sex and violence.  Do you think it is good for Christians to know the brutal truth about the sin in the world?  Does it cause Christians to dwell on things they shouldn't or does it give them a greater passion for the Gospel to go out and cause them to give God more glory for His redemption story?

Jaime helped me with some of these questions, and she said "I think God reveals Himself as cultures and/or individuals need."  Thinking about how God revealed Himself to Jungleman when he finally threw away his spirits, it seems revealing His great power seemed more important to the Yanomamo than even revealing His great forgiveness.  What do you think about that?

Contextualization is taking into consideration the cultural context in which we are seeking to communicate the Gospel.  Do you agree or disagree with the way the Yanomamo people learned about Jesus from missionaries who seemingly did this?
(i.e. The Great Spirit, The Enemy Spirit, His Son who made a path through the jungle. etc.)

What do you think Jungleman meant by his statement at the end of the book..."I am ready to begin my real life with Yai Pada"?

I made a lot of notes in my book as I read.  Did you note anything that you would like to discuss?

February's Book Selection

THE LIST

Thanks to Gayle, our hostess and to all who brought food!  We had 16 on this cold night and lots of fun and laughter!!  I love our book club!!

DISCUSSION "STARTERS" for "The List"

How was this book different from other books we've read recently?
What did you like/dislike about it?
Did you relate to or make any sense of the quotes/verses at the beginning of each chapter?
Did you have a favorite character?  Who and why?
Would you have been able to walk away from the money they offered Jo after they voted not to allow her to participate in the group?
Would you have put up a fight when you were not approved to join the group?
Al Jenkins, the lawyer who represented Renny, had an interesting quote, "My primary job as a Christian is not to curse the darkness in the world, but to bring in the light."  Talk about this a little!
Any other quotes that stuck out to you?
There is a DVD of this book....would you like to see it?
Anything else?????