Fall Book Forum - Room

Come join One Book One University on Tuesday, October 18th to discuss Room by Irish novelist Emma Donoghue.

To five-year old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a live for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...nor for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year old Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

To participate, give $5.00 (no checks) to Lorraine Patrick in the Library on or before October 10, 2011. The cost includes our own personal copy of the book and tasty refreshments.

Book discussion is on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 from 3:00 - 4:30 PM in the Library (Classroom 460).

Summer Book Forum

The One Book One University Committee is excited to present the first book forum for the 2011-2012 academic year to University faculty and staff.

Come join One Book One University to read and discuss Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.

Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly form her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stays grow longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is uncertain whether or not Dana’s life will end, long before it has a chance to begin.

To participate, please give $5 (no checks please) to Lorraine Patrick in the Library on or before July 20. The cost includes your own personal copy of the book and tasty refreshments.

Book Discussion is on Thursday, July 28 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. in the Library (Classroom 460).

Special Event – Author Visit and Book Signing

The One Book One BU Committee, along with the partnering of The Writing Center, are excited to offer a special community building program to the Bellevue University faculty and staff.

Come join One Book One BU to read and discuss The River Wife by Jonis Agee.

This fast paced historical fiction novel deftly interweaves the history, lifestyle, and mysticism of five generations of women who experience love, heartbreak, passion, and deceit. Dr. Agee will also be on campus to visit and sign books immediately following so don’t wait – sign up today!

To participate, please give $5.00 (no checks please) to Lorraine Patrick in the Library on or before May 1, 2011. The cost includes your own personal copy of the book and tasty refreshments.

Book Discussion and Book Signing is on Tuesday May 17, 2011 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM in the Humanities Training Room (Room 202) Author Visit and Book Signing Immediately Follows.

On behalf of the Writing Center, All One Book One BU participants are cordially invited to attend an awards dinner and presentation to celebrate and honor Student Writing from 6-8 PM in the Student Center. If you would like to attend this complimentary special event, please RSVP to Lorraine Patrick by Tuesday May 10, 2011.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Well, I had no idea that the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's was based on a short novel.  And, I had no idea that the short novel was written by Truman Capote. Time to learn something new, at least for me - our selection for the next book forum is Breakfast at Tiffany's.  The book contains the 100 page Breakfast at Tiffany's plus three other short stories by Capote: "House of Flowers," "A Diamond Guitar," and "A Christmas Memory."


We'll meet on February 3rd, 2011.  A new twist to our forum is that we'll show the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's at 12:30 pm in the auditorium and then have our book forum at 2:30 pm in HUM 210, which is a classroom down the hall. Come to one, come to the other, or come to both. Food and drink are available at 2:30 as part of the book forum.



A review of the movie by the New York Times

The Truman Capote page at Amazon.com

The Yiddish Policemen's Union

Michael Chabon certainly has a vivid imagination. I must say that I pause more often than usual while reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union.  Some passages, usually descriptions of characters or settings, simply demand re-reading. The first paragraph of Chapter 16 is a pause-able moment.  Take a look!

My imagination is too limited to think up ideas such as Chabon's setting.  It is good to stretch.  Chabon stretches my imagination.  Unfortunately, I have to form my thoughts into questions to lead a discussion, and that keeps intruding on the imaginative setting.  Okay, let's rely on some discussion questions from the publisher and others:

http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?isbn13=9780007149827&displayType=readingGuide

http://bestsellers.about.com/od/bookclubquestions/a/yiddish_q.htm

I have not studied Jewish culture for over 20 years.  This book makes me think of days gone by and ideas that used to consume my days of graduate studies.  Thank you, Michael Chabon. 

Oracle Bones, by Peter Hessler

Think about how you travel on vacation.  Do you stick to a schedule and like to plan everything out ahead of time?  Or, do you like to wander?  If you like to wander, then you'll like Oracle Bones.

The title comes from the earlierst form of Chinese writing uncovered so far by archeologists.  Peter Hessler uses this as a thread from which to hang his collection of characters and stories.  It is non-fiction, but it reads like fiction. I am glad that I read the 400+ pages.  The last few pages present the wisdom gained by the author from his writing, teaching, and traveling in China. I feel wiser for having read this book.

It isn't one of our book forum selections, but I recommend it for anyone with an interest in China.

Bad Monkeys

My son is taking an advanced placement English class this year. His teacher assigned the novel Bad Monkeys by Mark Ruff for summer reading.  Naturally, I had a chance to pick up the book from the coffee table and read it since my son tends to wait until the last minute for his reading assignments.

Not too bad at all.  If you like conspiracy stories, then you'll love this book. I can see why an English teacher at an all-boys school picked it.  The book is relatively short, easy to read, fast-paced, and full of action. Parents might want to brace themselves since this book has plenty of drug use, sex, and violence.  Jesuits seem to have a higher tolerance for artistic license than most high school administrators.

It is not the type of book I normally read, but it is a great summer novel.  The alternatives were lawn care, painting the basement, or taking the kids to the pool yet again. A soft couch and a good novel won the day.