We are Reading for November

For November we read The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta. Perrotta is also the author of the book Little Children that was made into a film in 2006 and nominated for three oscars.

To find links to reviews, and more information about the author, click here for the author's web site.

Many issues were covered in this little book concerning sexual mores. Many of the book group members did not like the characters and could not relate to them. However, I was impressed by the way the author made the characters engaging in spite of how flawed they were.

I have been seeing as a theme in contemporary books lately, is that middle aged women who say something daring, outrageous, or impertinent are the catalyst for the rising action in the story-line. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this.

We are Reading for October

The Tender Bar: A Memoir by J. R. Moehringer. Moehringer, a national correspondent won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 2000. Take a look at the article he wrote that won the Pulitzer.

You can learn more about the author by visiting his web site.

This is a coming of age story about a fatherless boy looking for male role models to fill the void left by his absent father. The family he creates are those he finds in the local pub. Led by his Uncle Charlie and his fellow bartenders of Dickens/Publicans, Moehringer's family of men are portrayed lovingly and somewhat sentimentally. I found the book poignant and his story a testament to overcoming one's dysfunctional family.