It is Sunday morning. EARLY. I am sitting here with COFFEE CUP contemplating the direction of this post. I had a different title in mind…. something I thought of yesterday but decided I dare not use. Yet. But it was a good one. 😉
I adore my book club. Yes, yes, feel free to insert eye roll here. I know I say it like ALL THE TIME. I can’t put into words everything this group of women mean to me but you know I like to try. After a whirlwind month of holiday dodging and extreme emotion, I did not pick up the book club book, Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Yesterday I put out a plea to my book club and one of the gals in our group delivered it to my door.
“Did you read it?” I asked her.
“I did.” she said.
“How was it?” I asked.
“It’s black.” was her response.
“Yes.” I said, and knew her comment was not demeaning or derogatory, just stating a fact. It is a different style of book than we have ever read as a group before. As I opened the book myself last evening, I understood what she was saying even more. Between The World and me is written as letters to Ta-Nehisi to his 15-year-old son and it covers what it is like to grow up in a world that can judge you by the color of your skin. I am proud of our book club for choosing this book and look forward to an interesting discussion this coming Tuesday.
For myself, the book so far is poetic, and metaphors, and very real. This morning I opened up my laptop and looked up what others were saying about this book. The reviews are mixed but interesting. I am not done reading but it is a short book and I will be done today. It is the kind of read where I sit with a notebook next to me to write down profound points and questions.
In other thoughts… books came in my house this week.
The History Manor and Still Well are both from Michael Phillip Cash and he always sends little treats with his books. The candy is nice, but the little yellow highlighter is what made me smile. I do love highlighters.
The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson is squeeeee worthy. I love her writing and can not wait to dig into this one.
This Is Not The Story You Think It Is by Laura Munson caught my eye in the latest bookmark magazine. I picked this one up at our library yesterday morning.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is also a library pick on CD. I hope t start listening to that one today.
Last night, my husband and I went out for a bit with our son Brad and his friend Andy. I was talking to Brad about book reviews and he said, “I didn’t realize you are still doing that.”
I told him I was, not at the pace I once was, but I didn’t and I don’t want to give it up. So much has come out of this thing I have created in Book Journey. As I look back at when I started this in 2009 I would have never dreamed that in 2016 I would still by typing away talking books, life, whatever. I told Brad that Book Journey has been such a big part of where I am today. This blog has brought me friendships, book connections, events like the book expo in New York, real life connections and a big one – this blog is why I was in St Paul on April 1st and 2nd with my son Justin preparing to interview Scott Eastwood. That was the last time I seen my son and if not for that book connection….
well. Let’s just say I am so thankful. In the months to follow, a bench was placed at the Brainerd Library with my sons name on it. That bench was from the connections I have made here at Book Journey. Seriously… my heart is full.
Book Journey and I are not done yet. I will continue to read and write, share and connect.
Book Journey 
I never stop talking about how much I love my book club, either, because at some point when you’ve been in a book club long enough it becomes so much more than a book club. We have a pretty diverse group in terms of age, lifestyle and sexuality… but we’re all from similar ethnic backgrounds, so it’s good to stretch ourselves to read outside of our daily experiences. I will definitely check Between the World and Me!
I am so glad you’re still blogging, Sheila! My bookish world would not be the same without your voice in our community.
I need to read Between the World and Me and hope to get to it soon. It sounds like a book my book club would embrace. We live in a pretty diverse neighborhood yet, somehow our group is not all that diverse so I think the book would give us a lot to think/talk about.
I stuck a piece of paper in my book to write down lines that particularly made me think too. I hope most of the others have read it. Our discussion should be a good one!
I’ve had Between The World And Me for a while and keep putting it off. I’ve been trying to stay away from anything that might make me sad, but and after reading your thoughts on it so far, I think I’ll listen to it today.
This is the time of year when I am grabbing books from everywhere…there are so many interesting ones in a multitude of genres.
I finished The Opposite of Everyone yesterday and LOVED it…but why am I surprised? I do so enjoy this author, and have since the first one of her books that I read, which I believe was The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, in 2011.
Enjoy your books, your blog, and the connections they bring.
I’ve always found the internet a blessing and a curse. Your blog is a blessing, not just to you, but we as readers/friends 🙂
P.S. I love highlighters, too!!!
Thank goodness for your blog. It is one of the reasons I continue to attend this world of book bloggers. I feel like I know you! I am glad your book club continues to be a blessing to you. One question- do you use the highlighters in your books? I just can’t. My grandmother was a librarian and she instilled in me to not write in, or get a book dirty. It would be easier if I could make notes or highlight certain parts. Thank goodness for post-it notes!
You’ll have to keep us posted on your book club and how the discussion goes. I think that’s the best part of a book club, when you expend your reading to cover subjects/themes you may not read on your own. And, I agree, the connections we make with our book blogs are so meaningful.
Sheila, I’m glad that your book club is reading something that will expand their (collective) understanding, and that you truly enjoy your book club meetings. I am also glad that you continue to read and blog (much more than me, I might add); your blog is outstanding and I plan many “visits” here in 2016.
My book club is going to read Between The World and Me later this year. I’ll be looking forward to hearing what your club thinks of it.
“Between the World and Me” has been on my TBR list for some time! I should have suggested it for my book club this year…oh well!
Our online connections are amazing, aren’t they? I too need to read Between the World an Me.
“Black” to me, would be the best part about the book. I love when literature helps me understand the world and different POVs better. It can be uncomfortable at first, especially if it is a new thing for the person, but I bet your discussion will be really awesome.