The Life and Times of Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson (Giulia)

We met at a nice restaurant in the Emery Hotel (former Hotel Minneapolis, former bank).  Most of us had the pork chop and most of us liked it, but the word "fatty" describes another reaction.  Also, our bill was pretty high, mainly due to the lack of affordable wines.  Anyway, the service was good.  The book was popular and it evoked lots of random memories of "the old days" experienced by us all. Bryson's books are always a joy to read and generally bring a smile with the flip of each page.

The book for next time (October 9) is Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon.  Also suggested: Less by Andrew Sean Greer, March by Geraldine Brooks, and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.  Phil is on deck to suggest the following book.

Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger (Handsome Hog)

An unexpected thunderstorm provided the backdrop for our discussion of Storm of Steel, a First WWI memoir written by an aristocratic German officer.  In blunt, straight-forward language, Junger depicts the minute-by-minute experience of trench warfare.  Needless to say, it was horrific, relentless, and soul numbing.  It is possible, however, to see in his account heroism and honor, too. 

The restaurant was mostly very good: we had a quiet corner, good service, and good food. 

Our next book is Bill Bryson, Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.  Also considered: Richard Powers, The Overstory; Anthony Tambakis, Swimming With Bridgeport Girls; and Carl Hiassen, Stormy Weather.  The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20.  Don suggests the next book.

When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson (Stella's Fish Cafe)

We agreed that Kate Atkinson is a pretty good writer, easy to absorb, straight-forward, and with a touch of humor.  Her story was a little contrived, however, and it was hard to believe that so many characters (in Scotland, of all places) were related to murder victims, were friends of murder victims, or were, yes, murder victims themselves.  Ok, we concluded, that's the genre.

Stella's was very accommodating and the food was quite satisfactory.  We also talked about the range of TV viewing options, golf, and (for good measure) the state of the world. We were joined by our new member, Peter.

The next book is Storm of Steel, a WWI memoir by Ernst Junger.  Other ideas were Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Chiang, Stories of Your Life and Others; and Owen, War Poems.  The next meeting is scheduled for July 15; next book suggested by Don, long absent due to his affinity for Nebraska.

Fine Just the Way It Is by Annie Proulx (In Bloom)

We met at In Bloom, an anchor tenant in the new Keg and Case Market.  They feature a wood fireplace used for cooking and for taking some of the chill off a cool spring evening.  We found the food to be pretty excellent, especially the venison.  As usual, the conversation covered the waterfront. 

The book got a positive reaction from all of us, mainly for its interesting characters, honesty, and clarity.  We also noted that most of the stories were pretty dark, none of them having an upbeat, Hollywood ending.

Our next book is Kate Atkinson's When Will There Be Good News?  Other titles considered were Jill Ker Conway's Road From Coorain, Tara Westover's Educated, and the Rules of Golf.  We'll meet on Monday, May 20.  Paul is due to suggest the next book.

Driftless by David Rhodes (The Kenwood)

Surrounded by waist-high snowdrifts, The Kenwood was a warm and cozy place to gather and talk about the state of the world.  And talk we did, about just about everything--except the book.  Having chosen the book for the second time (!), only one of us re-read it and gave it a rating.  Nevertheless, we had no trouble enjoying the food and camaraderie.

The next book is Fine Just the Way It Is by Annie Prooulx.  It prevailed over The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine (Michigan Legal edition, 2014), Endurance by Alfred Lansing, and The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien.  (Somebody helpfully pointed out that the group had already read the last two of these books.)  The date for the next meeting will be chosen later, but will be sometime after April 22.  Bill will suggest the next title. 

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (Lynhall)

We found the book an eye-opening look inside South Africa's apartheid system, plus a reassuring  confirmation of human hope and accomplishment.  It recounts Trevor's dicey family days, but stops short of his eventual American success story. The restaurant Lynhall, was accommodating if you like ordering from a desk and taking a number. Food was great and service to the table prompt.

Our next book is Driftless by David Rhodes.  The next book suggestion will come from Bill.  March 5.

All for Nothing by Walter Kempowski (Holman's Table)

All for Nothing, a novel set in East Prussia in the last few months of WWII, starts slowly and builds to a powerful climax. In language that is spare and precise, the author describes the denouement of an aristocratic family who are in denial about what slowly unfolds on their doorstep.  Although none of us were aware of the book or author until recently, we all gave it high marks.

The restaurant, too, was popular.  Combine a comprehensive menu, fine cooking, and an accommodating staff and you have a place that is worth going back to.

Our next book is Trevor Noah, Born a Crime.  Other titles considered were George Packer, The Unwinding; Tom Ricks, The Generals; Simon Winchester, The Map That Changed the World; and Michael Lewis, The Undoing Project.  We'll meet on January 2; the next book will be suggested by Phil.

Lost Horizon by James Hilton (Bluestem)

Bluestem is kind of a backroom extension of French Meadow restaurant and it proved to be an agreeable choice with a nice menu and generous helpings.  Too bad the place was hopping and the service very slow (not the waiter's fault).  The book was also agreeable to most of us.  A fantasy about an isolated place--Shangri-La-- where people are happy and long-lived and practice moderation in all things, Lost Horizon captures a moment in time between the world wars in which people could only hope that escape from a threatening world was possible.

The next book is Walter Kempowski, All for Nothing, a novel set in the chaos of post-World War II Eastern Europe.  Another book suggested was Jill Conway, Road from Coorain.  We plan to meet on Tuesday, November 27.  Roger will suggest the following book.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (Bungalow Club)

Our waitress at Bungalow Club said that her chef told her that Kitchen Confidential was completely true.  While unlikely, the book was lively and entertaining.  And, reflecting the author's personality, it was manic, crude, and funny, and seemed larger than life. Overall, we gave the book a pretty good rating.  The restaurant also got an above average vote.

In the midst of continuing Washington turmoil (Kavanaugh nomination, Rosenstein controversy, etc.), politics dominated our conversation.  Also, we did a round-robin description of our "most memorable meal:" somebody mentioned a Thanksgiving dinner but most of us thought of examples of wonderful French cooking.

Our next book is James Hilton's Lost Horizon.  Other titles suggested were Gibbon's Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Dumas' Three Musketeers, and Reich's Who We Are and How We Got Here.  The next meeting is Wednesday, October 24; Bill is on deck to suggest the next book.

Supreme Conflict by Jan Greenburg (Wilde Cafe)

It was a dark and stormy night and ... oops!  Well it was kind of cool and rainy, but the storms mostly missed the Twin Cities.  The Wilde Cafe proved itself not quite ready for prime time.  The kitchen did ok, but the rest of the staff seemed like they were on their first day of employment.  We proceeded to have a good time anyway. 

Our discussion focussed a lot on politics and the book, which was a journalist's account of the failure of the right to "swing" the Supreme Court through presidential appointment after appointment in the Reagan/Bush/Clinton/Bush era.  Relying mostly on behind the scenes anecdotes, press accounts, and memoirs, the book blames Justices Souter and O'Connor for lacking clear "judicial philosophies" and thus derailing the hopes of conservative presidents and their advisors. The book was an easy, entertaining read, but some of us would have liked a more systematic analysis.

The next book is Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential.  Other titles considered were Orhan Pamuk, Snow, and Leonard Mlodinow, The Drunkard's Walk.  A couple of people had already read Bourdain, so it was suggested that an alternative would be Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, How Democracies Die.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 25.  Paul is on deck to suggest the following book.

Dirty Doc Ames by Erik Rivenes (Octo Fish Bar)

For the first time, we had the author of our monthly book selection grace us with his presence at dinner this time.  Erik described his reasons for choosing the book's subject (nobody had written about this colorful character) and how he went about doing the research (lots of time in the library reading microfilmed newspapers).  The book itself was a fascinating look inside the messy and corrupt political system that ruled Minneapolis at the turn of the 20th century.  Erik's account brought the whole unsavory cast of characters to life.  Mostly featuring seafood, the restaurant was more than adequate and the ambiance was suitable for a book club.

Jim had to miss the gathering but he gave us several book possibilities for next time: Linda Greehhouse, Becoming Justice Blackmun; Linda Greenhouse and Michael Graetz, The Burger Court and the Rise of the Judicial Right; Noah Feldman, Scorpion: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices; and Jan Greenburg, Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the U. S. Supreme Court.  We chose to read the Greenburg book.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 28.  Phil will suggest the next book.

Writings From the New Yorker, 1925-76 by E. B. White (Urban Eatery)

Four of us gathered at Urban Eatery and enjoyed a nice dinner in relative quiet.  Topics of discussion included the latest national political machinations, local candidates for office, the alleged sins of MPR, and other juicy subjects.  E. B. White's work is almost universally admired, and much of this book was a joy to read.  But this collection seemed choppy and disjointed to some of us, the individual snippets too short to sink one's teeth into.

Our next book is Erik Rivenes, Dirty Doc Ames, a true story of political scandal in early Minneapolis.  Other titles considered were Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, and Kent Haruf, Plainsong.  We'll meet on either July 30 or 31.   Jim will suggest the next book.