Sept 2022-The Authenticity Project

It’s been a while! A few months to be exact — Life caught up with me (Kimy) the organizer of our book club. Travel, estate sales, then more travel….. Europe to be exact! Glad to be back on track for the time being and on to book club meetings!

Our Sept book is The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley. For author bio click HERE . Ms. Pooley sounds like she would be a great fit for our book club! Read her bio you’ll see! Our Sept meeting was held at Laura Lee’s lovely home. I always smile when entering your house. It’s so open and welcoming. We had a small group with much to catch up on! Our dear Carol who is also English took the Queen’s passing quite hard. We all mourn with the Royal Family. What an amazing and full life. Carol brought these fabulous English cookies and pudding. I could have eaten ALL the cookies – they were a mixture of soft cookie with an orange cream middle! Small group of Eileen, Laura Lee, Jules, Carol and myself. Our meetings are a combination of catch up, book club, and whatever path of conversations that takes on is quite magical.

Those who read the book did enjoy it. Book Club questions can be found HERE. We all discussed who our favorite characters were – mine was Julian. I had such a clear picture of him. And the twist at the end re: Mary! Oh my!!

What would you write about if you had the chance to add your story into the green notebook. I would write something along the lines of “Hi I’m Kimy. I’m a small business owner who is a complete workaholic. I own three Scottish Terriers named Pip, Cricket and Bumble. I’ve lived an interesting life to say the least. I adore travel and the thought of a new trip either by car, train or plane is always on my to do list. There’s so many wonderful things to see and do there doesn’t seem to be enough time! Even though I’m very social I’m also a mixture of an introvert meaning I work from a very quiet space. I found myself working from my bed surrounded by dogs during the pandemic. I seem to have kept this mode going to this very day. I’m up for a new right knee in a few months I’m nervous and excited all at the same time. Tired of the pain and inability to do a lot of physical things I want to do.” Something along those lines I think. What would you write?

I can’t believe it’s already September. I blinked and we are almost to the holiday season. Holy snap. Hope you’re reading something wonderful. I’m listening to the new Stephen King novel called Fairy Tale on Audible. Very good so far. Different for him…. can’t wait to see where it leads.

Happy trails to all and will see you next month for our October meeting. Cheers!

P.S. Today is Sept 11 — we will never forget!

#HCPbookclub #kimykennedy #TheAuthenticiyProject #ClarePooley #atlantabookclubs #bookclubrocks

Nov 2021 – Strangers at the Feast by Jennifer Vanderbes

Happy post Thanksgiving and welcome holidays!!!! The past two years have been a weird blur with covid etc. It truly feels as if we are getting back to a normal life routine – thankfully. Book club is one of those very important norms for me! Screw the zoom meetings – give me in person face to face!

The November book Strangers at the Feast is also an Oprah Book Club suggestion. This was also suggested by a dear friend who thought it a page turner.

Our November meeting was held in my home (Kimy) located in a petite historic district called Frog Hollow in East Point Ga, about 15 minutes SW of the city (Atlanta Ga). I adore historic homes and old neighborhoods. There’s just a charm you can’t get with new homes. My three wee scottish terriers Pip, Cricket and Bumble were VERY excited to have company. Sorry to Laura for all the licks!!

For author bio click HERE

For book club questions click HERE

Thanks for everyone who came out for book club on this chilly evening in Atlanta! I managed to decorate a wee bit for a more festive feel. We had a great core group. Plus a few of the guys for the food of course! We delved into the book club questions with the main line of talk being what a mother would do for her children and how different parenting styles affect the children. We all understand the complex nature of blight in neighborhoods and gentifrication and how that also is a complicated issue. We felt horrible for Kijo who was a good kid – just taken down a wrong path for breaking and entering which is NEVER a good idea. Without giving spoilers – read the book!

From our book club to yours – We hope your holidays are the bomb!

xo Historic College Park Book Club – Atlanta GA

#kimykennedy #atlantabookclubs #historicollegeparkbookclub #strangersatthefeast #oprahbookclub #bookclubrocks #jennifervanderbes

June 2021 – The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah

The Four Winds is not light reading.   The subject matter is depressing (i.e. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl) however the author does a fantastic job of relaying the struggles of that time period.  I learned so much I never knew! The dust storms, the migration of farmers to California, amazing story telling.   Hannah really gives you a slice of life during the Great Depression for farmers and families.

We gathered at one of my favorite cottages in Historic College Park – Julie’s home!  It’s literally a Kalidescope of my favorite things!   We were so happy to have Sherry who drove over from Chattanooga to join us! Great seeing everyone!  I was awarded an early birthday cupcake and I completely ate it!!! Thanks everyone!  (I’m a 4th of July babe).

Author bio HERE 

Book Summary:

In The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, Elsa Wolcott is a woman trying to raise two children on farm in the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl following the Great Depression. She watches as the lands around her crack in their perpetually parched state and the hopelessness threatens to breaks the spirit of those around her.

As the situation worsens, Elsa is forced to make a decision to stay and fight or leave for the uncertain and unfamiliar lands in the West. In this tale, Kristin has written a survival story about resilience, love, family, courage and the American Dream.

For a wonderful video of Kristin Hannah HERE 

So good to see everyone!  See you next month!

Oh!  Julie found our very first Historic College Park Book Club invite to everyone.  From 2007!

Jan 2020 – The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

Wonderful evening ladies!! Thanks to Linda (Alan and furry Teddy respectively) for hosting our Jan meeting!  I always LOVE being in your home. Filled with books and so many interesting things to see – always a pleasure.

I always get asked ‘ how do you pick the books for the year? ‘  It’s a complied ongoing list of recommendations from people and articles I collect that’s stored in my phone.  I go in and randomly add the books.  More fun that way don’t you think? Books are chosen for the entire year.   This particular book The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing was a recommenation by a University of Alabama Prof. of Womens Studies.   I completely freaked when I realized it was uber thick.  The audible version alone was something like 25 hours.

We all agreed it was very difficult to ‘get into’ the book.  It didn’t flow well.  Hard to keep track of when where and who is being discussed and how they entered the story.  The author Ms. Lessing is a very accomplished award winning author on many levels – this particular book was either you loved it or not so much.

For author bio click HERE 

For video of Doris Lessing discussing the book click HERE 

We had a lovely evening discussing the book which then lead onto other paths of conversation which is the very reason I LOVE BOOK CLUB!! Part literary, part social part therapy.   Two NEW members Christine and Alex – welcome!  We touched on so many subjects.  Bravo!

 

Nov 2019 – The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn

*Make sure you follow our book blog so that you don’t miss a meeting! Squee! 

What a FANTASTIC meeting ladies!!!  I came home with a huge smile on my face recalling the evening.   When friends new and old come together to discuss books, life and libations are involved wonderful things happen.  :::::beaming:::::::

Thank you Steph for having us in your loving home! We had ‘planned’ to be on the front porch covered in quilts thinking it would be chilly (I’m laughing…it is the SOUTH, yes it’s November…. which is exactly the point – you start out with boots in the morning and end up in flip flops most days it seems – sigh) however muggy and humid (think sweaty) came to pass last night in Atlanta.   Thus we ended up in the wonderful front parlor at Stephs – Oh DARN!!!! I never got to see the kitten lounge with the new feline bebes!!! Wah!

We had so many new members — WELCOME!  I hope you could feel the connections we share in this club.    All book clubs are not created equal  – I’m pretty darn proud of ours.  I shared our story of beginning in 2007 with most of our initial group present last night.   How many stories we’ve shared, how many book club meetings we’ve been a part of, who we miss for various reasons (Love to you Claire!!! ) We are a unique blend of ladies – diveristy is key to having a great group.  Proud of us!

Ok. So.  The author of our book for this month is AJ Finn – who actually is REALLY named Daniel Mallory.  A young pup born in 1979.   For author bio click HERE   

Book Club Questions click HERE 

We all REALLY enjoyed the book.   I listened on audible (which by the way, the narrator was fantastic – sometimes if you get someone wonky reading it takes away from enjoying the book – because all you’re thinking about is ‘Good LORD their voice is irritating….so….. I found myself driving around just to see what happened next!!!!  Twists and turns galore!!!! What you THINK you knew changed in the blink of an eye!!! What I felt towards Anna in the beginning was smashed on the rocks when I learned of the accident.  WOW!!!!  I don’t want to give TOO MUCH away… read the book!

Our November read is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson.  You can find all our books for the year and past reads under Book List Year in the tab section.  We’ve read some great selections…some not so great.  That’s the joy of book club! You may get something you would have never picked up and think WOW – or YUCK.   Bad with the good makes you enjoy the good even more! Boom.

Ok.  Enough of my morning chatter – I’ve had two cups of french press I need to get going!

Happy Halloween everyone!!!! See you next month!