<p>^^ Friend in book club, recently read and discussed the " The Paris Wife ", and expressed your opinion, that there wasn’t that much to discuss.
That’s why I asked. </p>
<p>NJ Theater Mom – yeah , another South Jersey resident, we’re in the minority, most are from North Jersey.</p>
<p>SouthJerseyChessMom, I know of at least one very active CC member who grew up in South Jersey but later moved away. There could be many! :)</p>
<p>There’s also the Philadelphia overlap factor. Some Philly people know South Jersey pretty well.</p>
<p>Interesting new thread, in case you haven’t seen it.
“Worst “acclaimed” book you have attempted” —
Let’s not select anything on this thread ;)</p>
<p>I see that Onward and NJTheatreMom have posted over there …</p>
<p>Always fun to take a look at this list- from Bookmovement - lists of what book clubs are reading around the country.
[Book</a> Movement](<a href=“http://www.bookmovement.com/app/readingguide/bcbestsellers.php]Book”>http://www.bookmovement.com/app/readingguide/bcbestsellers.php)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Another great duet idea! Thanks NJTheatreMOM.</p>
<p>But given the possibility that The Paris Wife might not provide enough fruit for discussion on its own, let’s eliminate it from the October list (but keep it in mind as a duet for February). That leaves us with:</p>
<p>State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Solace by Belinda McKeon
School of Night by Louis Bayard</p>
<p>If everyone ranks their top three (which BUandBC82 has already done), we might find we have a consensus.</p>
<p>(P.S. All lurkers and new posters are welcome–and encouraged–to vote, too!)</p>
<p>Not ranking my top three yet, but did check availability at the library … and no copies of Solace at this time … and I have access to a great library system. State of Wonder has a formidable waitlist, but a goodly number of copies - may be cutting it close but still October 1st is a good bit of time from now, right? Don’t know how big a part library availability should play - though I think others have mentioned getting their copies of the books from a library. I usually check a book out and then buy a copy if I liked it. Too much money wasted on books that I considered “meh”. For the CC Book Club, I’ve checked out about half and purchased about half. I have a feeling that my top-three-ranking system will be split between library and ownership. Truthfully, I tempted to wimp out and say all sound good (which is actually true) … but I may attempt to rank … tomorrow.</p>
<p>Not ranking, yet, either, but provide these interesting reviews</p>
<p>School of Night - review
[Book</a> review: Louis Bayard’s “The School of Night” - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-louis-bayards-the-school-of-night/2011/02/01/AFmvNifC_story.html]Book”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-louis-bayards-the-school-of-night/2011/02/01/AFmvNifC_story.html)</p>
<p>From NPR review of State of Wonder
the first paragraph:
It’s not often that a novel leaves me (temporarily) speechless. But Ann Patchett’s new novel isn’t called State of Wonder for nothing, because that’s exactly the state I’ve been in ever since I first opened it. The numbness has worn off by now, but for days, all I could say to friends who asked me about it was the one-word review “Wow.”</p>
<p>[‘State</a> Of Wonder’ Deftly Twists, Turns Off The Map : NPR](<a href=“'State Of Wonder' Deftly Twists, Turns Off The Map : NPR”>'State Of Wonder' Deftly Twists, Turns Off The Map : NPR)</p>
<p>State of Wonder, Solace, and School of Night would be my top 3 in no particular order :)</p>
<p>Alphabetical order because I have no preference:</p>
<p>Finding Nouf, </p>
<p>School of Night</p>
<p>State of Wonder </p>
<p>The Sugar Queen</p>
<p>Yes … I realize my top-three list appears to include four books … but really any of those four books can my top choice (singular) … as I have no preference. The Invisible Bridge would be my second choice and Solace, my third. I can count - just lousy at making up my mind. ;)</p>
<p>SJCM: Your link for the review of The School of Night didn’t work. Can you try again?</p>
<p>Nothing too earthshaking, just a review from WashingtonPost, written By Kathy Blumenstock</p>
<p>Here is link again, but googling “Book review: “The School of Night” by Louis Bayard” --by kathy blumenstock ----would find it. </p>
<p>[Book</a> review: Louis Bayard’s “The School of Night” - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-louis-bayards-the-school-of-night/2011/02/01/AFmvNifC_story.html]Book”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-louis-bayards-the-school-of-night/2011/02/01/AFmvNifC_story.html)</p>
<p>School of Night or State of Wonder for me. I want to tell you how much I do enjoy everyone’s comments. I do try to comment a little, but then that’s about all I can think of to say. I’ve enjoyed all the selections very much and will read anything that is picked.</p>
<p>PATheaterMom- good to hear from you. You name is so similar to another poster above. The Theater Mom’s unite.</p>
<p>All six books are very appealing, but my top three choices would be State of Wonder, The Invisible Bridge and The Sugar Queen.</p>
<p>Although several titles are repeated on each of our respective lists, there is only one book that appears on everyone’s top three list and that is State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.</p>
<p>All in favor, say yay!</p>
<p>Yay! Saw a review on that and it looks really intriguing!</p>
<p>I say we give another 24 hours (It is only 10 days into August anyways) for any lurkers to chime in - and if a sleeper pick doesn’t make a run at it, then Mary go ahead and create the thread for October :)</p>
<p>Sounds good to me. If lurkers stage a coup, I’ll submit willingly. :)</p>
<p>Interesting. My bookclub doing Invisible Bridge next week, and State of Wonder in October.</p>
<p>I do write down the other suggestions to read</p>
<p>Shout out to any lurkers, or others who may have read State of Wonder, and can tell us if it is a “good discussion” book.<br>
I hope we can lure the lurkers into discussion if a book lends itself to discussion. </p>
<p>In my experience in real life book discussions and online, the books that strike a personal note, seem to elicit more comments.
The Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood was a memorable real life book discussion. The Help, of course, was memorable, as was A Thousand Splendid Suns.
One of my personal favorites from long ago, was The Bean Trees by Kingsolver.</p>
<p>So, perhaps with a book selection geared towards discussion, we will lure the lurkers back? </p>
<p>And, sorry Mary13, you do know that your position as CC book leader is a lifetime position! It’s in the fine print FYI.</p>
<p>Lurker here…I just finished the audio version of State of Wonder two days ago. Ann Patchett is one of my favorite writers; I enjoyed SOW, but not quite at the level of Bel Canto. It is a book with a strong sense of place–a place that is intriguing, beautiful, and terrifying. Although I haven’t discussed this book with anyone yet, I think there would be plenty of things to discuss, such as the ethics involved in the development of new drugs. I think the readers in the group who are so skilled at making connections to other works will find fertile ground here. (No pun was intended; however, fertility plays an important role in this book.)</p>
<p>^TY shyparentalunit- very helpful and interesting post! (I’m reading Bel Canto right now)</p>