Beach Music by Pat Conroy

November 17, 2006

Location:  Françoise's home
Members: Virginia, Louise, Carmen, Margaret, Marvel, Wilma, Gisela

This book was quite well received by everyone. Some commented that it could have been made into 3 or 4 separate books because there were many different story lines being followed.

It was nice to read about the American South and to learn about their distinct culture. Enjoyed reading about the turtles and the parts of the book that took place in Rome. Nice to read about the cooking and the music.

It was difficult to read about the holocaust, makes you feel uncomfortable and wondering what it is you can do about what happened. Some felt that it has been heard so much and that there are terrible things happening still (genocide, etc.) It was also difficult to read about Shyla and her suicide. There were definite bleak aspects to the book - abuse, suicide, alcoholism, mental illness, etc.

Enjoyed the mystery, of not only Jordan but of Lucy and Father Josh .

This book was chosen by Françoise and she commented that she had enjoyed it reading it as much this time as she had when she was a teenager. At this point it was noted that the book had been published in 1995 – 12 years ago – those teen years do go on and on don’t they???

It was also noted that Pat Conroy had the gift of the gab – Françoise pointed out some phrases that she particularly enjoyed:

“It was here we gathered to say farewell to the sunburned dark-complexioned days which finger-painted the river in the tenderness of …..

 “I could smell the red wine importing some of its silken character to the aromas rising out of the skillet, where it blended and bound the congruent personalities of the tomato and garlic with the happy green smile of basil….”

Wow I’m getting hungry!

Anyway overall another great book.

Notes respectfully submitted by Marvel on January 19, 2007.

The Red Hat Society - Fun and Friendship after Fifty by Sue Ellen Cooper

March 11, 2005

Location: Joanne’s home
Members: Françoise, Louise, Carmen, Margaret, Joanne, Louise P., Bea, Marvel, Wilma

This was a combined International Dinner and Bookends meeting. It was also a celebration of Carmen’s 60th birthday. The “food” theme for the evening was Italian and everything was assolutamente delizioso!

In keeping with the theme of the book everyone wore a red or pink hat – red for those over 50 or pink for those under 50 (Joanne and Marvel). Françoise took some great pictures and distributed them to the group. As usual a good time was had by all!

All members were in agreement that the entire book could have been covered in a pamphlet recommending the Red Hat Society. The first twenty pages of the book were excellent in describing the contentment of the women that became members and the descriptions of how today’s women live. It pointed out that life’s treasures are people not things and that we matter because we exist. These first pages told it all and the rest of the book was like reading a Chicken Soup for the Soul book -- cute little anecdotes, however after the first 30 or so it was very repetitive.

Some comments from the group follow:
Loved the philosophy and the terminology – anti-parliamentarian – a disorganization
“I never realized I should have been shaving my big toe!” [Refer to Françoise’s picture of toes] also see page 175 for The Summer Shoe Pledge
Some woman need to have a club like this to be told that it’s ok to have fun
Some woman don’t have a good support system and this type of group is great for them
It was like a self-help book and I wouldn’t do this in public!
Good way to expand your circle of friends
The Bookends group all agreed that we already have a sort of Red Hat Society – see page 217 “Get Together With a Few Old Friends”. We don’t need to create a special “chapter” we are way beyond that within the circle of woman in Bookends and the International dinner club.
Book was boring – been there done that!
Some cute stories; may keep the book around and read a page here and there but could not finish the book before the meeting – too repetitive


Someone mentioned Stuart MacLean’s story from the Vinyl Café on his wife Morley’s book club. One member always sits in the same seat so that she is last to speak and she says “I agree with everything that has been said”. Fortunately (in this scribe's opinion anyway) every Bookend member always has plenty to say so we don’t have that problem.

In this “Pink-hatters” opinion we had a wonderful evening – absolutely full of fun and friendship and we do not need a special chapter or a special ‘disorganization’ to continue having a good time!

It was unanimously agreed that we did not want to form a chapter; however we did feel that it would add to the entertainment if everyone brought their red/pink hat and something purple/lavender to wear to Wilma’s annual cottage party. After all we can’t let our lovely red/pink chapeau’s go to waste.

Respectfully submitted by: Marvel on April 12, 2005