Book Club 2

                                        
  
I have been so overwhelmed by your responses to the book club. Really I expected maybe 5 or 6 responses, but I got several phone calls and emails in addition to comments. It makes me so happy that so many of you are as excited as I am about this club.

So to answer a few of the questions I had - I think we will hold it at the end of every month (definitely for March since I have business trips the next two weeks.) I will choose the first book, but then every month after that we will decide on a book together? The only reason I say that I will choose the first one is because I want to choose one I have already read just to be sure it is worth reading and is non-offensive.

After a lot of thought and consulting with some friends, the first book I suggest we read is Maxine Hong Kingston's Woman Warrior (read the reviews if you want more information before diving in.) I read this in Hawaii and it truly changed my life. So much about women's issues, immigrating to America, and finding a home despite the communication barrier. The first section "No Name Woman" is haunting and depressing and beautiful all at once. I'll admit, it is not a simple read but it is achievable and a brilliant work about the strength of women. It also covers the Chinese version of "Mulan," which is kind of fun, and the reason it is called Woman Warrior. 

If you want to attend the club in person in Utah, would you email me? My email is mandy(.)madson(@)gmail(.)com. It will be easier to communicate through email instead of posting my address on the www.

Thanks for your interest everyone. Really - I think this could be something really wonderful. And if all of you hate my book selection, let me know and we can definitely choose another! I am excited to hear your requests at the meeting, and if my online participants have suggestions please send them my way as well.

(Just as a teaser - here are the first few sentences of the book: )

"You must not tell anyone," my mother said, "what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born."

(Edit - I will update the sidebar of my blog with the book of the month to make it easy to find. Click on it to take you to the Amazon link.)