key to the next year of reading

on september 10th 2008 my bookgroup gathered for our annual book selection potluck. one long time member remarked that she recently realized that the group has existed for 20 years! wow- now there's a cause for celebration. I expect there are few book groups that have marked their 20th anniversary.

over the years, the reading group has experienced many changes - even though several of the founding women remain active in the group, as time passes and life goes on, bookwomen have come and bookwomen have gone - but the passion for reading, discussion and sisterhood remains.

as is custom, the september potluck extravaganza was held at jeanne's lovely home. as always the food and wine made spirits soar and fueled a lively discussion of the selection of the books for the upcoming year of reading. in august the group selected food as the theme so everyone came to dinner with piles of books to consider. it was a difficult process, who knew there were so many good books out there where food is a major character? we ended up with a lovely, eclectic array of books and a nice mix of fiction and non-fiction.

the monthly meetings center around a focused discussion of the featured book, however, the host for the monthly meeting also creates a table of treats to stimulate both the senses and the discussion. since our books in this upcoming year center around food I can't wait to see what treats will be in store!

the key for the year of reading is as follows:

october 8 Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses by Isabel Allende host lillian

november 12 Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlien host melody

december 10 Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India by Madhur Jaffrey host carolyn

january 14 Soul of a Chef: The Journey Towards Perfection by Michael Ruhlman host freddy

february 11 The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean host mariel

march 11 A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage host kim

april 8 Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran host susan

may 13 The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones host marjorie

june 10 Too Many Cooks by Rex Stout host georgeann

july 8 The Passionate Epicure: La Vie et la Passion de Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet by Marchel Rouff host anne

august 12 Animal, Vegetable, Mineral: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver host jane