ITSARALABAM

    You know, we named this book club of ladies in a around my urban neighborhood about 7 years ago and I can't even remember what the acronym stands for except that the last part is "About a Book a Month".  Sheesh.  We've read nearly a hundred books in the intervening time and members have come and gone.  There are still 4 of us originals and we were all present at last nights meeting.
     We often meet in the home of the person assigning the book and usually on Sunday evenings, but this month we ended up in a nearby Irish pub.  (I had awesome Bread Pudding with Whiskey Butter Sauce -- what's not to like?)  Our theme this year is Books We Should Have Read in School and the book this month was My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok.  Really enjoyed it.  It's from the 70's (DH had read it in HS) and is about a young Hasidic Jew who is an artist -- he just is that and can't help it.  Father doesn't approve.  Coming of age story and very interesting glimpse into devout Judaism.  It's funny, but most of our group is Roman Catholic (heck, most of St. Louis proper is Roman Catholic, but don't hold that against us...)and we seem to gravitate towards books that can be discussed through the lens of religion.  The group bears no particular religiosity, it just informs our views of the world.  Hmmm...  Last night we discussed whether on can "shop" religions -- an offshoot of the conversation about the hierarchy of the Catholic church that contained many derisive references to penises and power, you get it, right?  Those of us raised Catholic don't seem to be able to do this, where our Protestant members could...the Catholics don't seem to be able to cross the divide even though we aren't particularly fervent, just "Catholic".  And raised as such.  Hard to explain, but nearly universal.  Hmmm I say again. 
Anyway, we meet 4-6 weeks and I really enjoy the group of ladies.  As I said, each month  a group member assigns a book (we've arranged ourselves in alphabetical order) and the next month, she hosts the discussion, and so on.  I'll let you know what our next book is when the absent assigning member gets around to letting us know what it is. 

Other Books

    I've also just finished Kite Runner, that book everyone is talking about  that takes place mostly in Afghanistan.  Whew.  Too graphic for me -- the raping and pillaging that has taken that country back to the stone age during our lifetimes!  Yuck. 
    But my favorite recent book has to be the Time Traveler's Wife -- sorry, not so good with authors -- A great read and lovely.  Get out the Kleenex.  My kind of no nonsense mom didn't like it as much as I did.  I'd say it's one of the best books I've read in recent years.  Not to give it away -- it's about a guy whose genetically predisposed to time travel when he's under stress.  You know, just disappear and reappear somewhere in his lifetime naked (because you can't take things with you, not even fillings).  Imagine the ramifications and they are in this book.  Fun. I didn't knit for a few days, just read the book.  Heck I even knit when I read the new Harry Potter, but not this....
    I'll have knitting content when I have done more knitting....