Water for Elephants - April CC Book Club Selection

Parent Cafe
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<p>The movie is scheduled to open on April 22. Perhaps a follow on discussion afterwards, as I love discussing how well a movie captures the spirit of a book, if it is faithful to the book and if my mental images of the characters are brought to life by the cast, etc.</p>

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<p>NJ2011mom, I agree it will be interesting to compare the book and the movie. It will be fun,and the first time we’ve done that online. </p>

<p>Mary13-smart to read Water For Elephants right before the discussion. Of course, I read this when it was selected, and Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet, too.
Now need to reread …</p>

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<p>I’m inspired… ordered the book last night. Perhaps “real reading” can replace some of my CC thread scanning habits.</p>

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<p>In order to keep us back from talking about Water too soon, I can jump to June and tell folks around Seattle that there are book tours featuring the hotel for lunch. My mother’s book group did this last year but my Google search didn’t find the source… I’ll ask next time I talk to her.<br>
So, in between, what’s May?</p>

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<p>^ May is a free month! We only discuss books every other month, so that everyone has the opportunity to read other works on their own that might not interest the group. (You should see SouthJerseyChessMom’s reading list on our off months! Very impressive. :))</p>

<p>For me, the leisurely pace of the alternating months also makes reading the books more enjoyable–I don’t feel like I have an “assignment” to get through in a limited amount of time.</p>

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<p>^^^ SouthJerseyChessMom’s reading list ???
Mary13, even I need a little help with this.
Here’s a list-
[ReadingGroupGuides.com</a> - Most Requested - Find a Guide](<a href=“http://www.readinggroupguides.com/findaguide/most_requested.asp?yr=2010]ReadingGroupGuides.com”>http://www.readinggroupguides.com/findaguide/most_requested.asp?yr=2010)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the link - I’m trying to become a better casual reader, as I spend my entire day with business related literature and tend to pick up non-fiction as a safe choice. My head spins in the fiction section of the library and unless I something by John Grisham, I am generally disappointed with my picks. </p>

<p>I kicked this off this resolution with ‘Water for Elephants’ on my February vacation based on CC’s choise, followed by “The Lost Dogs” that I finished over the weekend. (Yes, it’s non-fiction, but I enjoyed it!). Last night I picked up “Promise Me” by Nancy Brinker, the founder of the Susan G Komen foundation and reserved “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet”, which is due back at the end of the month.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the link, SJCM. That should keep us busy for a long time!</p>

<p>nj2011mom, I’m glad a couple of our titles caught your eye, and I hope you (and Marian and cptofthehouse) will be back on April 1st to share your thoughts on Water for Elephants.</p>

<p>Do any of you check out e-books from the library? There was an interesting article about publisher mandated “expiration dates” in today’s New York Times: <a href=“Publishers and Libraries Struggle over Terms of E-Books - The New York Times”>Publishers and Libraries Struggle over Terms of E-Books - The New York Times;

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<p>I will keep my opinions of WFE to myself until April 1, but it was ironic that D1 also read it over Feb break. Instead of coming to the Caribbean with DH & S1, she went to FL to work on her cousin’s horse farm for the week. (D1 wants to be a vet, so she’s already accumulating animal hours). Cousin had it on her Kindle and D1 read it (and now wants a Kindle).</p>

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<p>

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<p>Do eAudio books from the library count? On my iPod at the moment, I have</p>

<p>The Witch of Blackbird Pond - a YA classic </p>

<p>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society</p>

<p>Anne of Avonlea - Second in the Anne of Green Gables series, another YA classic</p>

<p>I tend to listen to books that I have already read, would like to revisit - but know I won’t reread when I have so many other books on hand. I listen while I walk or on my occasional long car trips.</p>

<p>Interesting article about “mandated expiration dates” - surely not welcomed by libraries that are currently facing major budget cuts (at least around here).</p>

<p>I haven’t started Water for Elephants yet - next week, maybe. I understand it’s a quick read. Hope so since I’ve not started it yet. :wink: I need to finish The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise - Julia Stuart.</p>

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<p>^^ Ignatius, I will check out the Stuart book. Water For Elephants is a quick read. </p>

<p>I’m interested in what others are reading in between our book club selections, especially, you Mary13.
( I mentioned on another thread, that I recently read, and enjoyed, “People of the Book” byGeraldine Brooks, )</p>

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<p>Dragonmom, thanks for posting information about the Panama Hotel, post 24. regarding June’s book selection Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Here is a link:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.panamahotelseattle.com/history.htm[/url]”>www.panamahotelseattle.com/history.htm</a></p>

<p>Disclaimer for those of you still reading, nothing on this link would spoil any part of the book, in fact, it might enhance your experience, if you prefer to have a visual. If you would rather not, and create your own mental picture, don’t click on that link.</p>

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<p>SJCM, my reading list isn’t that exciting. Sometimes, I re-read old favorites (recently, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell). Other times, I go back to the classics that I missed in my youth (just downloaded The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, but I may need more than one month off to tackle that one!) Occasionally, I try a book that I know nothing about, except that it was recommended by someone else, often on CC. (I’m just finishing up Here Be Dragons, a historical novel recommended on the “Best Book” thread. Not a best book for me by any means, but wow, the things I have learned about King John Lackland and the history of Wales). And finally, I love to read aloud to my daughter before bed (currently, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery).</p>

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<p>^ thanks Mary13, very interesting !</p>

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<p>I’m with you worrywort. I’m about half way through it and I really don’t care for it at all. I just finished The Help by Kathyrn Stockett (great read) and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (amazing memoir) and I am finding this book pales in comparison.</p>

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<p>sunshinemom, did you see our thread on The Help from last year? You might enjoy it. (I am a shameless promoter of the CC Book Club. :))</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thought I’d give this thread a bump – I remembered seeing it a while back and I am now about a third of the way through Water For Elephants. I’m really enjoying it so far and look forward to the discussion. I’ve never done the cc book club before (and didn’t really read any posts here just in case there are spoilers!)</p>

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<p>Can we peg the book list to the top somehow?</p>

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<p>snoozn, I’m glad you’ll be joining us! I’m about halfway through the book and it’s a very quick read, so there’s still time for anybody out there who is inclined to be part of the discussion.</p>

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<p>Do you mean like one of “CC’s Hot Topics!”? I’m afraid we’ll never make the big time…:(</p>

<p>But here’s a reference list of all the CC Book Club titles to-date, for anyone who would like to read our (scintillating :)) commentary:</p>

<p>2009:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/722812-cc-june-summer-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/722812-cc-june-summer-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt; (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/739173-dreamers-day-july-cc-summer-book-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/739173-dreamers-day-july-cc-summer-book-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/756770-sarah-s-key-august-cc-summer-book-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/756770-sarah-s-key-august-cc-summer-book-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/775489-american-wife-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/775489-american-wife-october-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>2010:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/874004-shadow-wind-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/874004-shadow-wind-april-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/921062-elegance-hedgehog-june-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/921062-elegance-hedgehog-june-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/950434-let-great-world-spin-august-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/950434-let-great-world-spin-august-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/983235-cutting-stone-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/983235-cutting-stone-october-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1017662-moonstone-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1017662-moonstone-december-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>2011:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1051496-major-pettigrew-s-last-stand-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1051496-major-pettigrew-s-last-stand-february-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1088114-water-elephants-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1088114-water-elephants-april-cc-book-club-selection.html&lt;/a&gt; (Discussion to begin April 1st)</p>

<p>(And we have Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet scheduled for June 2011.)</p>

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<p>A compilation of past titles is just what I was searching for – thanks! I just got the April & June titles in eaudiobook format from our library. Books & podcasts ar eabout all I listen to on my iod. </p>

<p>I was also wondering if there was a basic description of the Book Club… like, it looks like there are titles chosen every other month? (I had been searching for May’s title when I saw reference to June’s…)</p>