March 2012

The Bridge of San Luis Rey
By Thornton Wilder

"The Bridge of San Luis Rey opens in the aftermath of an inexplicable tragedy--a tiny foot-bridge in Peru breaks, and five people hurtle to their deaths. For Brother Juniper, a humble monk who witnesses the catastrophe, the question in inescapable. Why those five? Suddenly, Brother Juniper is committed to discover what manner of lives they led--and whether it was divine intervention or a capricious fate that took their lives." (Product Description)




Here are some fun wiki-facts about it:

• First published in 1927. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1928.
• In 1998, the book was rated #37 by the editorial board of the American Modern Library on the list of the 100 best 20th-Century novels.
• Time Magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.
• The book was quoted by Tony Blair during the memorial service for victims of the September 11 attacks in 2001.
• The book was cited during the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse by Brian Williams of NBC News as well as Charlie Gibson of ABC News.
• Three films have been based on the novel.
• An opera by German composer Hermann Reutter was based on the novel.
• A play for puppets and actors was based on the novel, adapted by Greg Carter and directed by Sheila Daniels.

Here is the official Thornton Wilder Website:
http://www.thorntonwilder.com/fiction/the-bridge-of-san-luis-rey.html
(Nice image gallery with all the covers of the book)

Leader/Host: Open
Special Guest: Laura Harkness

Discussion Meeting: Sun March 4th @6pm
Location: 4 Suyos Peruvian Cusine (BYOB in Logan Square)
2727 W. Fullerton
http://www.4suyos.com

Jan-Feb 2012

El Tiempo Entre Costuras
By Maria Duenas.

"La historia de Sira Quiroga, una joven modista empujada por el destino hacia un arriesgado compromiso en el que los patrones y las telas de su oficio se convertirán en la fachada de algo mucho más turbio y trascendente. Bajo esta trama esquemática se tejen múltiples lecturas transversales que la convierten a un tiempo en una novela de superación personal, una novela colonial, una novela de amor, una novela de conspiraciones históricas y políticas, y una novela de espías. Una novela de ritmo imparable cargada de encuentros y desencuentros, de identidades encubiertas y quiebros inesperados; de ternura, traiciones y ángeles caídos." (Maria Dueñas)

Check out the gallery and background info:
http://eltiempoentrecosturas.blogspot.com

Leader/Host: Sarah
Discussion Meeting: Sat Feb 11 @3pm
Location: Sarah's place

Nov-Dec 2011

The Ask
By Sam Lipsyte

"In his vastly entertaining--but dark--social satire, Lipsyte exposes the plight of the highly educated and discontented. Critics particularly enjoyed protagonist Milo Burke who, unlike most people, is keenly aware of his own mediocrity. They also enjoyed Lipsyte's well-rounded secondary characters: the embittered war amputee, the indifferent wife, the vaguely dissatisfied entrepreneur. One notable exception came from the Los Angeles Times critic, who found the novel strange and humorless. Overall, however, reviewers hailed The Ask as a worthy, amusing read, and a "witty paean to white-collar loserdom" (New York Times Book Review). Did we mention it was dark? The Cleveland Plain Dealer called it an "exercise in dread." Since we're throwing around words like "amusing," "witty," and "entertaining," we had to warn you. " (From Booksmarks Magazine).

Leader/Host: Isabella
Discussion Meeting: Sat Dec 17 @3pm
Location: Bella's place