March by Geraldine Brooks (Mill Valley Kitchen)

March, a fleshing out of the character of the father of Alcott's Little Women, is partly a novel of the Civil War and partly a character study of an army chaplain who leaves his family for extended periods to further his abolitionist ideals.  Our group marveled at the descriptive details gathered by the author--an Australian--and we rated the book very highly.  Our venue, Mill Valley Kitchen, also rated highly for the quality of the food and the service.  Our next book is The Crooked Path to Abolition by James Oakes.  Also considered were The Beak of the Finch by Rosemary and Peter Grant, The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan, and Destined for War by Graham Allison.  Our next meeting will be August 22 and Dick will suggest the next title.

A Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell (Handsome Hog)

On a lovely June evening, we dined on Handsome Hog's patio and had a wide-ranging discussion about many topics, finally settling on our assigned reading of the month: O'Farrell's "A Marriage Portrait".  Loosely based on a true story from the mid-16th century, the author takes us on a winding story, full of beautifully descriptive details about the place and the characters, only to finish with an unexpected outcome.  All of us gave the book and the restaurant high ratings.  Our next book is March by Geraldine Brooks.  Other titles considered were Brooks's Year of Wonders, Stonich's Vacationland, and Krueger's This Tender Land.  Roger will suggest the following book.

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout (Soberfish)

Most of us had read some of Elizabeth Strout's previous work, including Olive Kitteridge, and we were eager to dive into her latest novel.  Lucy by the Sea is written in the same easy, unadorned language and focuses on the same domestic kind of relationships as appeared in earlier work, but the neat interrelationships and the sparkle in writing were somehow lacking.  Maybe we have just heard enough of Strout's fantasy (or maybe real) world of characters.  The restaurant, however, was quite enjoyable and we liked most of the dishes we ordered.  Our next book is Maggie O'Farrell, The Marriage Portrait.  Other titles considered were Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth, Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, and Eric Larson, The Devil in the White City.  (The bookclub previously read the Diamond and Larson books.) Don is in line to suggest the following book.  We plan to meet on June 6.

The Revolutionary by Stacy Schiff (Raag)

Our book, a biography of Samuel Adams, was a fascinating story about a now rather obscure Founding Father who was once considered the leading force behind the American Revolution.  Well researched and written, we enjoyed reading about the backstories of important events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.  The restaurant, an Indian place called Raag, was an excellent choice with good food and service and a quiet atmosphere. Our next book is Elizabeth Strout, Lucy by the Sea.  Other suggestions were Orwell's 1984 and Will Bunch's After the Ivory Tower Falls.  Peter will suggest the next title.

Kazuo Ishiguro Klara and the Sun (Cecil's Deli)

As predicted, only two of us were available for a meeting, but we made the most of it over lunch at the ever popular Cecil's Deli.  Ishiguro's book is easy to take in but a little hard to analyze.  Is it a book about love? What it means to be human? Or simply a science fiction tale about AI in the not too distant future?  It's probably about all those things, and more.  A joy to read, Ishiguro addresses big themes by telling small, personal stories.  

Our next book is Stacey Schiff's The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, the hard-line rebel of the American Revolution.  Our meeting is TBA, but sometime late in March.  Roger will bring ideas for the following book.

Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit (Zoom call)

The deep snow experienced by the Twin Cities forced us inside and onto our computers, but our discussion was lively and generally glowing about the book.  It was a a biography, to be sure, but an unconventional one that digressed from Orwell's story to topics that pleased him, influenced him, or that reflected his impact or thinking.  It was a good book, for example, for someone who loves gardening.

Our next book is Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun. Several of our members will be out of town, but we plan to push on, meeting on February 7.  Peter is on deck to suggest the following title.

The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler (Noyes & Cutler)

While not an exemplar of outstanding literary depth and quality, Butler's book is a useful handbook for thinking about and planning for death.  Complete with checklists, best practices, anecdotes, and even a glossary of terms, the book is thought provoking and accessible.  It sparked a good discussion of topics seldom explored in most dinner conversations.  The restaurant provided a good round-table setting, offering excellent food and good service overlooking Mears Park in downtown Saint Paul.  (The piped-in music, however, sometimes made it difficult to converse.)

Our next book is Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit; the only other contender was Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun.  We agreed to have our next meeting on January 3 and the following book will be suggested by Bill.

One of Ours by Willa Cather (Lake and Irving)

Our book was a popular choice: Cather's story-telling talents and her writing skills won over most of our group. And her evocation of life in rural America in the years before WWI was admired by all.   One wise guy, however, didn't think she integrated the home-life first part with the war experience of the second part very well.  Hemingway was a better writer about war.

Lake and Irving provided a great setting for our discussion.  The menu was diverse, the food excellent, and the service friendly and prompt.  Our next book is The Art of Dying Well by Katy Butler.  Other ideas were The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, The History of Rasselas by Samuel Johnson, and The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.  We'll meet on October 26.  Roger is on deck to suggest the following book.  

Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman (Hola Arepa)

The book will be found in the mystery/thriller section of the bookstore, a section we don't often visit. But it provided a pretty good entertainment, especially after the late-in-the-game plot twist. The restaurant offered good food and service, but a lot of noise, too.  We were washed out of the inviting patio seating by rain showers.

Our next book is Willa Cather, One of Ours.  Other titles considered: Millard, River of the Gods; Krueger, This Tender Land; Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing; and Yong, An Immense World.  We'll meet next on Wednesday, Sept 28, at 6:30.  Max is in the hotseat for choosing the next book.

How German Is It? by Walter Abish (Tongue in Cheek)

The food and service at this east-side restaurant were very good but the noise level made conversation somewhat difficult.  The book, a novel about German identity and culture three decades after WWII, was often insightful and poignant, but ultimately confusing, patchy, and hard to read.  Our recent book, Aftermath, was a far more interesting and compelling portrait of post-war Germany.

Our next title is Thief River Falls, a thriller by Brian Freeman.  Other books considered: Ian Morris, Geography is Destiny; Candice Millard, River of the Gods; Nichole Eustace, Covered with Night; and Peter Matthissen, Shadow Country.  We plan to meet on Tuesday, August 16.  Don is in line to suggest the following book.

The Tyranny of Merit by Michael Sandel (Lat 14)

This book offers an insightful analysis of the impact of the meritocracy honored by western societies in the post-WWII era.  Its side effects, including the creation of meritocratic "losers", has sparked a shamed and disgruntled class of citizens, feeding today's angry populist backlash.  Although the author has few practical suggestions for turning things around, the book is an important contribution to civil discourse.  We gave it high ratings.  The restaurant, with its array of lively Asian-based dishes, was also popular with our group.

Our next book is Walter Abish, How German Is It?  Also considered: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and Euphoria by Lily King.  We plan to meet on July13 at Tongue in Cheek in St Paul.  Don suggests the next title.

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (Creekside Supper Club)

A beautifully written historical novel about the Shakespeare family in the 1590s, Hamnet imaginatively fills out the many facts missing from existing histories and describes in luminous prose the possible relationships, tribulations, and emotions of the family members.  Despite a few quibbles about the "plot", we all enjoyed the book and gave it high ratings.  But Creekside was not the ideal venue for our gathering.  The food was mostly very good, but place was loud and the service from the kitchen slow.  

Our next book is The Tyranny of Merit by Michael Sandel.  Also considered were James Rebanks Pastoral Song and Lawrence Wright God Save Texas.  Phil is in line to suggest the following book when we meet sometime in late May.