The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson and A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre (Trattoria da Vinci)

Scheduling conflicts forced us to skip a meeting, so we ended up discussing two books at the same dinner, not a desirable thing to do but it worked out well.  We had a voluble discussion about one book and pretty much shunned the other.  The spy book was uniformly praised as an informative, interesting, and intriguing account of the Hollywood-like exploits of the WWII/Cold War spymaster, Kim Philby, who was the leader of a group of loosely-affiliated, idealistic Cambridge students in the 1930s.  Written in a breezy style, the only questions unanswered by the book were why did Philby follow his youthful communist vision in the face of Stalin's outrages, and how did he fool so many of those closest to him?

The other book, set in contemporary North Korea, reminded us of other novels describing life in totalitarian societies, like 1984, but was so confusingly organized that we almost lost interest.  Most of us plugged on, trying to see the spark of brilliance the Pulitzer committee saw in the novel.

We met at a place we previously visited 15 years ago--and despised.  This visit was better, but the large portions of richly-sauced pasta still didn't quite make it.  The Cioppino, however, was pretty good.

Our next book is Tom Reiss, The Black Count, the story behind the Count of Monte Christo.  Other titles discussed were Evan Thomas, Ike's Bluff, and Jon Mecham, Winston and Franklin. We'll meet on April 29.   Here's the batting order: Don is up next, followed by Jim, then Roger.

Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves (Corner Table)

Graves' memoir of the years surrounding WWI, published in 1929, is a stunningly vivid account of the Great War from a personal perspective. His prose is sober and hauntingly beautiful.  We had few quibbles and rated it as one of our best book choices, appropriately timed to remember the war's centennial.  Our restaurant choice was also popular, and we had a lively discussion about a range of other topics like almost travelling to Antarctica and the hack of Sony Pictures.

Our next book is Adam Johnson's Orphan Master's Son.  Other ideas were Moon's Blue Highways and Kerouac's Lonesome Traveler.  We plan to meet on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6:30 pm.  Bill is up next.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (Libertine)

Libertine is a new restaurant in Uptown that specializes in meat.  It has an energetic vibe that was not very conducive to a group discussion, but I think we were all glad to have tried it.  We talked about the World Series, the election, and travel to places like Berlin, Sicily, and Aruba.  Several of us had read Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle many years ago and considered it a minor classic. Others, reading it for the first time, were somewhat less impressed.  A bitter satire on modern culture, religion, and science, it is pretty bleak and nihilistic but Vonnegut's outrageous sense of humor and underlying compassion pull the tale into balance.

Next time, we'll read Robert Graves, Goodbye to All That.  We also considered Ernst Junger, Storm of Steel.  We'll meet on Monday, December 22, and Phil will suggest the next title.

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn (Sea Salt)

To take advantage of the last days of summer, we dined at a picnic table in Minnehaha Falls Park and stood in line to order seafood at Sea Salt. Most of the offerings were good, with an emphasis on large portion size rather than culinary finesse.  Our conversation focused mainly on local politics, rumors, and scandals (the usual fodder).  We treated the book with respect and gave it an above average rating, subtracting points for occasional wordiness, tedium, and--for one--an annoying focus on baseball.  Most of us did like the insights into sports writing as well as the jumping forward in time in the second half of the book to learn what ultimately happened to the Dodger heroes of the 40s and 50s.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28; the book is Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle.  Other books considered were Herman Koch, The Dinner; Carl Hiaasen, Bad Monkey; and Daniel James Brown, The Boys in the Boat.  Paul will suggest next month's selection.

The Round House by Louise Erdrich (Ward Six)

We met at Ward 6 on St. Paul's east side and enjoyed a variety of dishes, including fish and chips, duck ravioli, and chicken risotto.  For much of the evening, the noisy atmosphere precluded extended conversation and at 8 pm, as we were closing out our dinner, an MC grabbed a mike and started a trivia game.  Our book discussion revealed a near consensus on The Round House:  we thought it was a little disjointed with some unnecessary side-stories confusing the basic story line, and most of us felt a little disappointed for a book that has received so much critical acclaim. Nevertheless, the book's depiction of life on a reservation, contemporary native culture, and the challenges of growing up in a small town were compelling.  Jim suggested the next book: The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.  Other titles considered: The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt, Radicalization of the American Revolution by Gordon Wood, and Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright.  The next meeting is set for Tuesday, September 23.  Roger will suggest the next book.

Listening Is an Act of Love by Dave Isay (Coup d'Etat)

We met at Coup d'Etat, a fairly new place in Uptown.  We rated the restaurant as fair, with generally good food but some rough edges.  The bill was high, but we ordered lots of extras.  Our conversation ranged from Obama's visit, to Light Rail, to saving old audio tapes, to Amazon's bullying, and finally to the book, which is a sampling of some of the StoryCorps interviews from NPR. Most of us liked the book because it captured genuine human stories, many touching and meaningful, that are easy to relate to.  The biggest criticism was that the book did not convey the stories as well as the actual recorded voices heard on NPR.

The next book is Louise Erdrich's Roundhouse. Other titles suggested were Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August, and James McBride's The Good Lord Bird.  We'll meet on Monday, August 25.  Jim will suggest the next book.

Passage of Power by Robert Caro (Lake and Irving)

Lake and Irving turned out to be a winner.  Despite a small menu, everyone was happy with their dinner selections, the service was good, and the parking generous.  We had a relatively quiet corner for most of the evening and that facilitated a lively discussion about travel to Arkansas, the upcoming election, state politics, etc.  The book, Passage of Power, was mostly praised, especially for the depth of Caro's research and the unveiling of previously unknown, and revealing, insights into the characters of LBJ and the Kennedys.  The story of the LBJ/RFK feud was particularly riveting. Next month, we'll read Listening Is an Act of Love, by David Isay.  Other books considered were Sandy Tolan, Lemon Tree, and Pearl Buck, A House Divided.  We'll meet on July 2 and Don will suggest the next book.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (Happy Gnome)

The Happy Gnome was noisy, but since only five of us were present, we could (mostly) hear each other talk.  We discussed the usual interesting topics: politics, state government, travel.  The book got a pretty good going-over, too, with a thumbs up from us all for chapter one, and mixed reactions for chapter two.  Some thought the depiction of the characters or their language was unrealistic.  Others were uncertain of the meaning of some plot elements.  At least it was an easy read.  The next book, however, is massive: Robert Caro's The Passage of Power.  Bill has helpfully identified four sections for us to focus on, essentially chapters 1-3, half of 8, and all of 16, 22, and 23. We'll meet on June 3 and Max suggests the next book.

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (Amore Victoria)

On a snowy night, five of us gathered at Amore Victoria, a place in Uptown offering a large menu of Italian dishes which we judged to be above average in quality but not in price.  We discussed the history of school closings, Mark Dayton's future, and other assorted topics.  Our book, a young adult prize winner entitled Navigating Early, garnered two strong endorsements and several Bronx cheers from us.  The fans said it was a cross-over book of distinction; the critics said it was jumpy, ill-written, puzzling, and boring.  Our next meeting is Monday, April 7; we're reading Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.  Other books suggested were Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra and The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson.  Bill will suggest the following book.

Ninety Percent of Everything by Rose George (Marin)

We all liked Rose George's book about the shipping industry and more.  It was well written and ranged over a range of interesting topics, including the structure and economics of global shipping, life at sea, piracy, the effect of shipping on sea life, and survival at sea.  Some of us wanted more developmental analysis on the shipping industry and others thought the book was a jumble of inter-related topics among an oceanic array of possibilities.  But we still liked it. Maybe it could have succeeded better as a long-piece in the New Yorker?

Our discussion also touched on Mandela's passing, sporting events,  politics, etc.  The restaurant, Marin, got mostly raves (the Fluke special was, well, special), but the service petered out and coffee was cold.

Our next book is Claire Vanderpool's young adult novel, Navigating Early.  Other books considered were Kate DiCamillo, Flora and Ulysses, and R. J. Palacio, Wonder.

Phil suggests the next book, followed by Bill.  Date TBA.

Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten (Sakana)

Unlike many gatherings, we got to the topic of the book immediately.  Cuba, after all, offers a colorful history and lots of controversy. Some of us liked the book's detailed focus on the Bacardi family and the company's development, while others found it less than scintillating, hoping for a more contemporary social and political analysis.  But all agreed that the book was balanced and informative.

The restaurant impressed us all.  Everyone was positive about the pan-Asian cuisine, menu diversity, and service.  It's a good addition to the Highland Park food scene.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 10, and our book is Rose George, Ninety Percent of Everything, an examination of the worldwide shipping industry.  Other titles considered were: Candice Millard, Destiny of the Republic, Lynne Olson, Those Angry Days, and Adam Johnson, The Orphan Master's Son.  Paul suggests the next book.

Beloved by Toni Morrison (Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar)

The club (minus Roger who was traveling in Denmark) had a great discussion regarding Morrison’s intense portrayal of the slave experience and the lingering nightmares even after emancipation. Some registered difficulty in always knowing if the narrator was speaking in the present, reliving scenes from the past or moving in some intense and mystical dream world. The book received a very high group score and deserved the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

The restaurant, Nico’s Taco and Tequila Bar, didn’t fare nearly as well. This new venue, occupying an old 3 story house and formerly operated as Birdhouse, was thought to be without much charm, the service slow and the food mediocre.

Jim suggested several books for next time: Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelton; World Within World: The Autobiography of Stephen Spender; and American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. The group decided on Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba.  Roger suggests the next book.  Meeting is set for November 4.