Bookenders Book Club started in the late Fall of 1992. We are located in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

We have 15 members. With our group, you can count on lively and intelligent discussions. On the other hand, when we get a book that no one seems to like or doesn't seem to spark discussion, we get to socialize for an evening.

We come from different backgrounds, different states, even different countries! We have been together long enough that we feel comfortable saying how we really feel about what we read. Many times, our own personal experiences give credibility to the books. This "comfort" has also made us very close, caring friends. Our newest member joined in 1995.

As you can see by our list, we try to read a variety of books and authors. We have read fiction, nonfiction, classics, Pulitzers. For the most part, we have read wonderful books and have learned from those we haven't especially liked. One type of book we have discovered that is hard to discuss is a mystery. It is pretty much self-explanatory. In our readings, we like to travel the world. It is fun to read of another country then sample a dessert, music, and custom of that country. We have studied almost every aspect of World War II, unintentionally, but we now have a greater understanding of the War and the Countries affected.

We have had two author visits. Kevin Robinson has written three books. He is a paraplegic and writes mysteries of a character in a wheelchair. Nancy Pickard, another mystery author, came to my house.You will find all her books in your local library. She is a wonderful writer and it was a thrill for me to have her in my home. To have such an author sitting on my couch, sipping coffee, talking, relaxed, and saying how nice it was to have a night off from the book she was writing," Twilight", was just amazing.

We have gone to three book signing discussions. Robert Hellegna is the author of "The Sixteen Pleasures" and "The Fall of a Sparrow". Both books were excellent, very intelligently written, and easily readable. "Sparrow" has a reader's guide in the back of its paperback. The other author we met was John Berendt, who wrote "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". Talk about excitement!!! He spoke for over an hour then signed books. We were in heaven. Isabel Allende, who has written many books, spoke of her book, "Portrait in Sepia". It is the sequel to "Daughter of Fortune", and then is followed by "The House of the Spirits" which was actually her first book. She said she didn't realize she was writing a trilogy until now.

What I love about being in a book club, and we have discussed this, is the need to talk about a book. When I close a book, I am closing a world of people I have been living with for days. I, at times, miss them and wish to continue in their lives. In discussing a book, I find closure. I can get it out of  my head and move on. Only one book haunted me for days. It was "A Prayer For Owen Meaney" by John Irving. We discussed that book all the way through dessert and I was still discussing it in my head as I tried to fall asleep that night. When discussing a book with others, I see other points of view, which at times make me understand the book better or clarifies points I missed while reading alone. There have been books I didn't enjoy reading until I hear what others have to say and I realize there was more to the book than I thought. Only one book I didn't finish reading and that was "Women Who Run With The Wolves." It read like a psychological text book, one not to be read in a straight period of time. Others I have struggled with, but by the halfway mark, it starts to make sense. Those I treat as an assignment, so I stick with it.

Other books of interest that I have read are:

Nancy Pickard is one of my favorite mystery authors. She originally wrote the Jenny Cain series. I was sad when the Jenny Cain series ended. She then wrote the trilogy: "The Whole Truth",
Ring of Truth", and "The Truth Hurts". Her latest book, "The Virgin of Small Plains" kept me up until 2:00 AM a couple of nights in a row. I could not put it down. The ending was a mindblower. I can't say anything further. She has received numerous awards. Visit her website at www.nancypickardmysteries.com

"The Book Club Cookbook" by Vicki Krupp and Judy Gelman. This is a must read and own for every book club or individual. There are over 100 books listed with a summary of each book, recipes that go along with the book, then a profile of a bookclub. Our club is listed under "The Weight of Water". For more information go to www.bookclubcookbook.com
 

"Himalayan Dhaba" by Craig Joseph Danner. This is an extraordinary book for not only yourself but especially for bookclubs. The author and his wife found themselves as primary medical practitioners in a remote hospital high in the Himalayas. During the winter, the author wrote this fiction book. Please checkout his website at www.himalayandhaba.com for more info. A must read.

"Half Moon, Full Heart" by Gene Cartwright. He also wrote, "I Never Played Catch With My Father" and appeared on Oprah. Mr. Cartwright writes of a small town with a love story from the past that catches up with the future. A surprise ending. Visit www.namewhiz.com for more info.

"Rough Cut" by Michael R. Lane. This is a P.I mystery which I really enjoyed. A true who done it. More can be found at www.barebonespress.com

"Breadfruit" by Celestine Hitiura Vaite. You can check out the following website for information on this book. What I loved about this book is that besides the main story line, you read of folklore and family among the Tahitians. When I asked the author about breadfruit, she wrote me, "Breadfruit is the food of the little people in Tahiti. In Tahiti, most "poor" families have a breadfruit tree growing in their garden. Mum has always said to me, "Girl, when you get your house, make sure there's a breadfruit tree growing in the garden. A woman can always do with having such beautiful tree as a back up when money is low." The legend of the Breadfruit, tells the story of a man who during a famine transforms himself into a breadfruit tree in the middle of the night to feed his family. But mum and her cousins believe that it was the woman who had transformed herself into a breadfruit tree because women are more likely to do sacrifices for the family then men!" www.michaelpitt.com.au/celestine/

"pretzel logic" by lisa rogak. Ms. Rogak writes of the effects of marrying a man and then finding out he is gay. This is wonderfully written and explores a topic not many of us even think about.

"Feeding Christine" by Barbara Chepaitis. This is a story of a catering business getting ready for their holiday open house and the four main characters involved in the business. It is filled with food, of course (so do not read when hungry), family, and friendship. A readers guide is offered with this book.

"She Flew the Coop" by Michael Lee West. This is a fun book. It is set is a small Southern town filled with gossip, food and wit.

"The Kind of Love That Saves You" by Amy Yurk. This book is a diary of a mother to her unborn child and her life through her nine months of pregnancy. It deals with her relationship with her husband, friends, and unexpected happenings. This book read so fast I couldn't put it down.