New Year, re-dedicated to our book club!

Hi Friends! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (almost)! I am writing this post from Merced, CA and I couldn't be happier writing from here. I LOVE MERCED! I LOVE HOME! AND I LOVE FAMILY! I am finding myself a lot more sentimental and gushy lately, haha, I wonder why. I think it is my turn to pick a book. I got this book for Christmas and have been wanting to read it for awhile. I saw the movie years ago and have been wanting to read the book but never got around to it: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I can't find a short summary so if you'd like to read one you can go here. The storyline follows a man from childhood to adulthood and portrays the different obstacles he overcomes. I have been so in the mood for an amazing story of triumph, I love those. Let me know if you have read it and if most have we can maybe choose a different one. Yay for our book club!

Time For Some Book Discussion

Has anyone else finished "The Cater Street Hangman"?  I read it and thought it was okay.  Overall I felt kind of let down because I was expecting to feel more suspense.  Even though it was a murder mystery, I didn't really have the feeling of curiosity and eagerness to find out who the murderer was.  I liked the main character, Charlotte, but I thought the rest of the family was kind of annoying. 
But here is the thing that really disturbed me....did you guys know that Anne Perry, the author, is LDS?  Did you also know that when she was a teenager she and her best friend murdered her friend's mom?  Seriously.  For reals.  Before I even read the book Kim told me about this and I read about it on wikipedia.  I was, and still am, so disturbed by this.  AND she writes murder mysteries!!!  Is anyone else totally creeped out by this? 

Catch Up

Ok, I know I was supposed to pick a book for November but Kim and I were talking and we thought it would be a good idea to take a month or two to catch up.

As in, let's pick new books AFTER the holidays.

But, I still want to hear thoughts on the books from the last couple months. So let's keep up the commentary and then in January I'll pick a new one.

Today our RS lesson was about the new book about the RS that we were supposed to read. I haven't read it yet. Sigh. But, today totally inspired me to do it. Hopefully I'll have some insights to add to Camille's.

Love you all.

Happy Halloween!

I'm sorry this is so late. I'm behind in our book club and currently reading a book that is taking much too long to complete.
I wanted to choose something appropriate for Halloween. I came close to choosing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but couldn't get past the disgusting picture on the cover. I considered Devil in the White City but figured most of you have read it. So I decided to go with one of the mysteries I read in my British Mystery Novel class while in London (best class ever).

The Cater Street Hangman

by Anne Perry

is the first of the series

Here's the synopsis (and picture) from Amazon:

Panic and fear strike the Ellison household when one of their own falls prey to the Cater Street murderer. While Mrs. Ellison and her three daughters are out, their maid becomes the third victim of a killer who strangles young women with cheese wire, leaving their swollen-faced bodies on the dark streets of this genteel neighborhood. Inspector Pitt, assigned to the case, must break through the walls of upper-class society to get at the truth. His in-depth investigation gradually peels away the proper veneer of the elite world, exposing secrets and desires until suspicion becomes more frightening than truth. Outspoken Charlotte Ellison, struggling to remain within the confining boundaries of Victorian manners, has no trouble expressing herself to the irritating policeman. As their relationship shifts from antagonistic sparring to a romantic connection, the socially inappropriate pair must solve the mystery before the hangman strikes again.

And just so America isn't outdone, here's a link to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Plural Marriage

I'm only on page 49 of September's book, but I really like taking my time with this. Isn't it great? On page 49 it tells a bit about the history of relief society relative to plural marriage. There were only a handful of decades where it was a part of the church. Can you imagine hearing the prophet, Joseph Smith's command to practice plural marriage and reconcile yourself to that, and then decades later hear President Woodruff's manifesto? Yikes!

That would have required such a deep reservoir of faith for those women. It's something I haven't spent a ton of time studying or thinking about, but yikes! Can you imagine?

Conference is this weekend and whether this controversial or not, we will receive instruction from God at the general level, and on a very personal and spiritual level. I hope I can build my reservoirs of faith so that when I hear those commands, promptings, and principles my heart can say yes because of the covenants I've made.

Yikes! I feel like the plural marriage issue is as controversial as the gay issue. But both just require faith.

THoughts?

An Idea

I know September is Debbie's month to choose a book, but I have an alternative idea since she hasn't chosen one yet (which is totally fine, by the way).  Last week in Relief Society we were all given the new "Daughters of My Kingdom" book.  I started to read it and I'm actually really enjoying it.  Not so much because of the actual words I'm reading, but because I feel the spirit helping me understand what my role is and what I need to focus on and improve upon. 

Do you all remember Sister Beck's talk last fall at the general RS broadcast?  She talked about this book. Here is what she said:

"Our presidency has prayed, fasted, pondered, and counseled with prophets, seers, and revelators to learn what God would have us do to help His daughters be strong in the face of “the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth.” ⁶ An answer has come that the sisters of the Church should know and learn from the history of Relief Society. Understanding the history of Relief Society strengthens the foundational identity and worth of faithful women.

In consequence of this, a history of Relief Society for the Church is being completed and will be available for our use next year. In anticipation of this, Relief Society history is receiving increased attention, such as on the visiting teaching page of the Liahona and the Ensign. The preparation of the history has been an inspired and revelatory experience.

As we have studied the history of Relief Society, we have learned that the Lord’s vision and purpose for Relief Society was not of a sleepy meeting on Sunday. He had in mind something much, much bigger than a women’s club or special-interest entertainment group.

He intended Relief Society to help build His people and prepare them for the blessings of the temple. He established this organization to align His daughters with His work and to enlist their help in building His kingdom and strengthening the homes of Zion."

So I suggest that we all read this book in September.  I have complete faith in the revelation the general RS presidency and the quorum of the twelve received, that the women of the church need to know about the history of Relief Society to help us do the work we are supposed to do.  And I know from experience, by just reading the first couple of chapters, that the spirit will motivate us and guide us as we read this book.  What do you guys think? Do you have copies of the book yet?

Authenticity

So has anybody finished Camille's book yet?  I am about half way through.  So far, I have agreed with most of the author's ideas.  Randi posted about courage and having courage to be vulnerable and honest about who we are.  The author...can't think of her name right now and too lazy to find it...says that living with the courage to be who we really are is living an "authentic" life.  As I read the section about authenticity, it made sense, don't do things just to fit in, be who you really are, etc.  However, I am curious about where you draw the line.  I don't believe that life is about just sitting back and being "who we are".  I think we have to try to become something more; to grow and progress. 
For example, if I were honestly to be who I am naturally, I would always have a dirty house and spend my evenings being lazy.  I don't like to clean and after work I don't feel like doing anything.  However, I don't want to be known as a lazy person or have a nasty house, so I try to force myself to clean and to be productive, even though most of the time I don't want to.  So does that make me unauthentic?  I'm sure the author would agree that setting goals and trying to improve ourselves is a positive thing, but don't we have to set goals because our natural selves aren't accomplishing that specific thing?  If it were something we did or loved to do naturally, it would already be getting done!  Right? 
So what do you guys think?  Are there certain goals that we shouldn't try to achieve because it is just so far from who we really are?  What do you think about this concept of "authenticity"?  and how does it still leave room for trying become better people? 

"If we have a friend, or a small group of friends, or family who embraces our imperfections, vulnerabilities, and power, and fills us with a sense of belonging,

we are incredibly lucky."

The Gifts of Imperfection

Ok, I actually just got this book in the mail yesterday (and I ordered it like 3 weeks ago...booo).

I started reading it this morning and I have already realized it is exactly what I need right now.

I know you guys don't know this, but I have been struggling on and off with mild depression for a while now. And, with the birth of Liam 6 weeks ago, it has definitely turned into a full blown problem.

My mom and grandmother both struggle with depression as does my dad's sister, so it's a real deal in my family and it sucks.

I am having a hard time coping and seems to be getting worse as my life gets more hectic.

So I decided it is time to get some help.

I don't want my kids growing up with a depressed mom and I'm tired of feeling sad and irritated all the time.

I'm tired of feeling like I can't do anything right and being so down on myself.

I have an appointment on Friday with my OB where I'm hoping to get some sort of medication that can help me be more of the person I know is inside me.

This is why I am loving all the stuff in this book about courage.

I love this:

"Ordinary courage is about putting our vulnerability on the line. In today's world, that's pretty extraordinary."

Then the author talks about how her young daughter had the courage to call her mom when she wanted to come home from the sleepover.

Courage is hard.

I feel so dumb having to go get medication to help me deal with my own life.

But I know it will help and I know I need it, so I need to let go and have the courage to talk to someone.

We have to let go of what other people think and do what we know is right and best for us.

It's hard.

I kind of feel like no matter how many times we try to pretend like we don't care what others think of us, we do to an extent.

But we still need to have the courage to be we are and give ourselves permission to be imperfect and human.

" [....] courage has a ripple effect. Every time we choose courage, we make everyone around us a little better and the world a little braver. And our world could stand to be a little kinder and a little braver" (pg. 15).

Totally going out on a limb here

I want to read this book by Brene Brown. It seems like a quick read at 137 pages. The Provo City Library didn't have it so I just bought it new on Amazon for $6. They have used ones too, but maybe your library will have the book. Half.com also has it. Or maybe you can get it on your kindle, Cam?

(How do you guys get book club books? Buy them? Check them out? E read them?)

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown.

I want to read it for a lot of reasons that I will write about after I read it. I have a LOT to say about why I'm reading it - or maybe not a lot, but a really meaningful few things. Here's a TED talk by her to help you see if you'll like it/her. So it hasn't been recommended by anyone, but I'm just picking it! What do you think?

Here's a description of the book:

Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we’d no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking,

• What if I can’t keep all of these balls in the air?
• Why isn’t everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations?
• What will people think if I fail or give up?
• When can I stop proving myself?

In THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION, Brené Brown, Ph.D., a leading expert on authenticity, shame, and courage shares what she’s learned from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living.

She writes, “Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.”

Dr. Brown’s most unique contribution comes from her 10-year groundbreaking study on vulnerability and shame. In this new book, she not only gives us direction for living a more authentic life, but courageously talks about “the things that get in the way.”

For example, in the chapter on cultivating rest and play, Brown addresses the challenges of letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth. In her chapter on creativity she explains the paralyzing properties of comparison. Brown may be one of the only writers in this genre that offers us a path for change and an honest look at the obstacles.

As a nationally renowned researcher and speaker, Dr. Brown’s perspective is fresh, honest, and always delivered with warmth and humor. She writes about the experiences we all have, but few of us are willing to discuss. Using personal stories of her own struggle to “embrace vulnerability” she writes about the experiences we all have, but few of us are willing to discuss.

Don't Bother

Hello friends! So did anyone get a chance to read "All Other Nights"? I read it on my trip to and from Tahoe and I have to be honest, I was totally disappointed. If you haven't read it, don't bother. Just go ahead and cross it off of your list of books to read. Sorry for picking a dud. But in case any of you did read it, here are some reasons I didn't like it:
-the ending was retarded
-the event that I thought was supposed to be the climax of the story (based on the synopsis I read) happened way too early in the book and then the story was stupid from there.
-The characters weren't all that loveable
-the author didn't do a good job of making me believe that the conflict in the book was as serious as it was supposed to be.

Basically, I just wasn't that into it. So who is next?

July Book...sorry its late!

Okay, I have FINALLY chosen a book for this month. I apologize for taking so long. One of my sisters recommended a book to me months ago and I was trying to hunt her down (she is on vacation) and get the details. Long story short, I'm not completely sure I know which book she was referring too as there are several with very similar titles. I'll have to do more research and choose that one on my next turn.
So....without further delay, here is the book I have chosen instead.

All Other Nights
by Dara Horn

I read several overviews of the book, but all of the good ones kind of gave away the story. Here is one I found that remained ambiguous, but it also doesn't make it sound quite as interesting. Happy reading!

"How is tonight different from all other nights? For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union army, it is a question his commanders have answered for him: on Passover in 1862 he is ordered to murder his own uncle, who is plotting to assassinate President Lincoln.

After that night, will Jacob ever speak for himself? The answer comes when his commanders send him on another mission—this time not to murder a spy but to marry one.

A page-turner rich with romance and the history of America (North and South), this is a book only Dara Horn could have written. Full of insight and surprise, layered with meaning, it is a brilliant parable of the moral divide that still haunts us: between those who value family first and those dedicated, at any cost, to social and racial justice for all."--From the Barnes & Noble Website

Hello? Is anyone out there?

I have been a horrible book club member this past couple of months. I'm sorry! Has anyone finished reading "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less"? I have to be honest, I haven't even started it. I put it on hold at the library right when Amy announced it, and I still haven't heard anything from them. I'm going to head over there on my lunch break and see if I can find a copy. If nobody has finished, should I wait to announce a new book for July? Or do you all vote that I go ahead and pick something? I'm cool with whatever...majority rules.
How is everyone's summer going?

Um...different book for June??

Okay, so I started The Postmistress and I'm a little concerned about where some of it is heading. I'm so bummed because I thought it was going to be a really good one. I'm hoping everyone hasn't already gotten it since it's still early in the month. Maybe it gets better, but from what I read in the first few chapters I can see it having some sketchy content. :) Anyway, I decided to pick a new one...from someone I know that has already read it. My mom said this is one of her favorite books and it sounded like a good fun fiction story. Enjoy!



The conned: an Oxford don, a revered society physician, a chic French art dealer, and a charming English lord. They have one thing in common. Overnight, each novice investor lost his life's fortune to one man. The con: Harvey Metcalfe. A brilliant, self-made guru of deceit. A very dangerous individual. And now, a hunted man.

With nothing left to lose four strangers are about to come together-each expert in their own field. Their plan: find Harvey, shadow him, trap him, and penny-for-penny, destroy him. From the luxurious casinos of Monte Carlo to the high-stakes windows at Ascot to the bustling streets of Wall Street to fashionable London galleries, their own ingenious game has begun. It's called revenge-and they were taught by a master