After the Snow Melts

We were a slightly smaller group that met on Tuesday to discuss the book Out Stealing Horses, by Per Petterson. But, then, it was one of the more perfect beginning-of-spring afternoons.

Our overall opinion of the book was favorable, but a few people thought that the story moved too slow, or did not go far enough into certain scenes. Several comments were made about the book having a disappointing ending. A few of us read the book a second time for the meeting and found it more appealing to reread.

Our conversation was lively, however. It was interesting to compare our perceptions of the story. As we discussed different parts, such as the relationship of Trond's father with Lars' mother, we found ourselves clarifying portions of the story to each other. Some of this was due to the order in which the story was told, which someone aptly described as the unfolding of memories as they happen in life.

For us, living in a similar climate, it was easy to relate to the story that takes place in Norway and Sweden. And to those of us, like Cora, who have Norwegians in their family, the characters were understandable and lifelike.

Visit Per Petterson's web site and blog for this and more books authored by him at http://perpetterson.com. View more reviews of the book as a featured staff pick from the famous Powell's books web site.

The Famous Cat Named Oscar

When we met to talk about Dewey the library cat last December, other cats in the news were brought up in the conversation. One of them was a nursing home cat, who accurately predicted when residents of the home were soon to pass away.

Now there is a book about that cat, titled Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat. The book was written by David Dosa, M.D., a geriatrician working at the home where the cat's predictions took place.

Originally, Dr. Dosa had written a short article about Oscar the cat which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. (Read the excerpt by following this link.) When much publicity followed, the doctor compiled more his own experiences working with Oscar and his special gifts, to write this book.

If you are interested in learning more, visit the author's web site: www.daviddosa.com, which contains links to more things about Oscar, including articles and videos. Reviews of the book include comments from Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants, a book previously on our reading list.

March Springs Forward

Just a reminder that our next meeting is scheduled for the fourth Tuesday of this month, March 23rd. This will be after Daylight Saving Time takes place, since it is scheduled for Sunday, March 14th this year. Don't forget to set your clocks!

In my memory, Daylight Saving Time has usually taken place on either the first or last Sunday of April. This year is different, but it will bring us later sunsets two weeks earlier than we are used to. With this wonderful springlike weather we are having this week, I am all for having more daylight!

To be perfectly accurate, however, I should mention that news announced yesterday stated how our days have been shortened by the power of the earthquake in Chile. According to NASA, Chile's earthquake not only shortened our day (by 1.26 millionth of a second), but it also shifted the Earth's axis.

If you want to read more on the topic, one suggestion is an article from Time magazine: "How Chili's Earthquake Shortened Earth's Day."

Or, see the story in National Geographic: "Chili Earthquake Altered Earth Axis, Shortened Day."

Or, if you are just interested in knowing the current accurate time, visit the official U.S. Time web site at: www.time.gov, which includes links to interesting information about clocks, calendars, and time keeping, plus facts and figures about Daylight Saving Time.

Oh, and our meeting will be 6:30 p.m. at the library. Our book this month is Out Stealing Horses, by Per Petterson.

See you there.

A Valentine Tome

We met to discuss Loving Frank, a fictionalized biography of renown architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his love affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, written by Nancy Horan Drew.

The book gave us much to talk about. We marveled at the author's writing skills in blending fact and fiction to bring the story to life. We were impressed at the amount of time she had spent in research for the book. And many of us thought the facts of the story would be more palatable as fiction, and the fiction may be better to be read as fact.

The slogan of 'life as truth' that was central to the main characters' attitudes provided us friendly debate about the essence of the story. Were Frank and Mamah being true to themselves, in spite of the destruction they created to those around them? Or, should societal mores play the larger role in each of our lives? Is being true to yourself also selfish? Is it better to be selfish than unhappy?

The subject of women's rights was a strong theme throughout the book. We compared the differences of what women struggled with one hundred years ago versus how we struggle today. Some things, such as voting rights, significantly differ. Other things, such as equal pay, women are still trying to achieve.

This book gave almost all of us an eye-opening perspective on the man regarded as one of the world's greatest architects. We talked about whether privilege excuses eccentricity, whether fame excuses entitlement, and whether someone's artistry and drive excuses their responsibilities to uphold societal rules. It was easy to introduce names from today's headlines for comparisons.

There are a lot of online resources for more information:

• Loving Frank, the web site,
• Frank Lloyd Wright, on wikipedia,
• Taliesin, the book's location,
• Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, on Architecture Week, and
  most importantly,
  
• Pictures and Story of the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed gas station, right nearby us in Cloquet, Minnesota!

The Catalog is Here!

Have you received your District 833 Community Education catalog yet? (If not, a pdf version is available on the website www.cecool.com). It is chock-full of fun and interesting classes and programs for youth and adult enrichment.

Some of the classes, particularly in exercise and dance, are offered as a series of two to six sessions. But most of the offerings are from one to four hours of time! This is a great way to test the waters for developing a new hobby. Or, attend a seminar for inspiration on changing a lifetime habit.

Learn to make soap, bake a Shepherd's Pie, write your own will, or design a bonsai tree! There are so many things to pick from.

If you haven't tried it before, I would really like to direct your attention to the Laughter Workshop session. Who knew that so much fun could be so healthy? This is a class that no one should miss - no matter what kind of day you've been having, you will leave feeling great. Take a friend, a family member, or go by yourself, you won't regret it.

Find out more about laughter workshops (also known as laughter yoga), at the following websites:

• Laughter Yoga International - www.laughteryoga.org,
  
• Our local laughter professor - www.yogamn.com, and
  
• A Star Tribune article

Have fun!

Cold Snow and Frazzle

We greeted two new faces at our gathering Tuesday night, meeting to discuss Smilla's Sense of Snow, by Peter Hoeg. We relocated to an area behind the children's section in the back of the library for the night, and carried on in spirited and lively conversation. The book gave us much to talk about, even allowing us to venture into suggestions for casting a remake of the movie based on the book.

Our opinions of the book ran the full gamut, from those who loved the book, many who liked the book, and a few who hated the book. Most everyone agreed that it was a difficult read, for reasons of wordiness, confusing plot structure, and too much scientific detail.

The story seemed to stray from its plot so often that many of us could not follow its intent. One of our group admitted to falling asleep whenever she started reading the book. More than once we questioned whether part of the problem with understanding the story was due to the book being translated from the author's native Danish.

But, even with the difficulties, most of us felt that reading the book presented a worthy challenge, and all but one, (who happens to be me), finished reading it to the end. The story line twist at the book's conclusion caught most everyone off guard, resulting in reactions that a mystery thriller turned into a science fiction story.

Many positive comments were made on the value of learning so much about Greenland, Denmark, and the Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic.

If our reactions whet your appetite to know more, a comprehensive description of the book, more details, information, and other links can be found on Smilla's own page of wikipedia, just by clicking here.

Winter Jackets to Start Soon!

The transition to January is often a time for making New Year’s resolutions. While the snow piling up outside of our windows is a reminder that now might not be the best time to begin those outdoor exercises, we can always stay warm and cozy inside. This is a good time for reading!

Our book club has a great selection for this month, Smilla’s Sense of Snow, by Peter Hoeg. (Which we will meet to discuss on the 26th at the library.) But, don’t forget about the library’s Winter Jackets program. Find out more on the library’s web site, (link here).

And, best of all, each book review you submit is an entry for a possibility to win a prize!