Would a rose by any other name...

Hey, we were mentioned in the Readers Group article (I have us registered with them by the way!)....A fun article on names!

Reading Groups Choose Creative Ways to Describe Themselves

It’s not surprising that words are important to book group members. Readers search for just the right word to describe how they feel, what they see and experience, what they might like to experience or feel, and what they abhor. They marvel at their favorite authors’ ability to put words together in a way that evokes deep emotions, both positive and negative. They appreciate and choose words for their meaning, of course, but also for their sound, their nuances, their derivations, and their double meanings.

So it’s probably not surprising that book groups put considerable effort and creativity into selecting the words to describe themselves. The names that they choose somehow reflect the character of the group as a whole, which may be quite different from the words that each member would choose to describe themselves.

Take, for example, the groups that obviously intensely enjoy the reading group experience. A sample of group names from Reading Group Choices subscribers include the Better Than Therapy Book Club; Reading Between the Wines; Who Picked This Book? Club; Chapter Chat; Friends, Wines & Books; Face2Face and Woman2Woman; Boisterous Banter Book Club; Wine, Chocolate & Books; It’s Not Just About the Food Book Club; and Beyond the Book.

Apparently, some groups just like to have fun – and that includes taking the time to name themselves. For example, there are the Marmaladies; the Litwits; the Chapter Chicks; the Alleycats; the Bookworm Biddies; the Literal Hotties; Out on a Tangent; the Literary Lofty Dogs; the Happy Bookers; Girlz R Us; the Deadly Divas; and the Bemused Bibliophiles.

And then there are the groups that take on their own identity – comprised of, but beyond, the identity of the individuals within it. The names tell you a lot about the character of the group – the Benson Bifocals; Book Broads and John; the Amigos & Flamingos Book Club; the Book Club for People Who May Not Be Women; Cool Girls Read; Soul Sistas; Readers Dozen; the Crazy Eight; the Eclectics; English Teacher Nerds Unite; Party Girls; Smarty Pants; Bad Girls Book Club; Babes with Books; Soccer Moms Book Club; Peppy Ladies; Sweet Potato Queens; Sisters n Touch; YaYa Mommas; Women of Substance; the Dirty Girls Book Group; Reading for Christ; the Renaissance Men’s Book Club; and the Bamamas.

Some groups express their appreciation for the written word in the name they choose, such as the B.A.G. Ladies (Books Are Good); the Rabid Readers; Readers Delight; Berthoud Book Junkies; and As the Page Turns. And some actually play with words within their name, like the Literary Locusts of Lochmere; the Louisiana Literati; Secret Sworn Sisters; WOW (Women of Words); Women, Wine & Words; StatIS Quo; and Laughter, Lunch & Literature. Other groups apparently really like the reading experience, like the Spine Crackers; the Joyful Page Turners; Between the Covers; and the Cranial Crunch.

A few groups are literally literary, like the AlaKaye Literary Society; the Bellaggio Cultural Club; the Final Word Literary Guild; the Grand Dames of Literature; La Literati; the Literary Ladies; Joie de Livre – and perhaps Barely Literate.

Some groups are not so obvious about their meaning, leading one to wonder exactly what they are up to! Take for example, the C.H.A.R.I.S.M.A.; the FAUSA; the R.A.F.T.S.; the SLTSBC; the StARs; the KIBBIES; and the TWOGHIES.

But some groups leave no doubt what they are up to. Whether you approve or not, there are the Bath Tub Readers, for example, Andy’s Wives; and the Read Naked groups. You can also guess what goes on during the gatherings at Just Mai Tai’n; Literate Epicureans; the Martini Book Club; Mysteries on Main Street; Fiction Addiction; Not Just Desserts; Read and Feed; Page and Palette; Literary Potluck; Coffee by the Book; and Tea and Tales.

Some groups may use their name to remind themselves of when or where they meet. For example, the BLT Club’s expanded name is Books Last Tuesday. Then there is the Bar and a Book group; the Gazebo Gathering; Booked for Lunch; MysticMommas; Phat Tuesdays; See You Tuesday?; the Fort Dix Chicks; Books on the Bluff; Books By the Bay; Beach and Books; and the Rural Readers. In some cases, though, the mnemonic device may lead to some confusion – consider for example Reading in the Rafters, Across the Ocean, and The Red Truck!

For those of you who may be forming new groups, perhaps there are some ideas here that can lead you to the perfect name. For those – and there are many, we’re sure – who have other creative descriptive devices, please send them to us. We’ll publish a few of them in an upcoming e-newsletter. In any case, thanks for keeping the joy of reading alive.

Charlie and Tea

A Great Compliment to Three Cups of Tea

Charlie Wilson's War is a 2007 biographical drama film based on the true story of Democratic Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who conspired with a "bare knuckle attitude" CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos to launch an operation to help the Afghan mujahideen resist and ultimately defeat the Soviet Union's military occupation of the nation.
For movie clips go to http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3904700697/
For more info on the movie go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Wilson's_War

प्रेपरिंग फॉर टी

Preparing For Tea: In case you can't read the above! By the way... Here is our Gordon West connection http://www.ikat.org/publications/2007JOH.pdf



#1 New York Times Besteller
Three Cups of Tea
One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace...One School At A Time

“Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.” -Tom Brokaw

"A stunningly simple story of how to make peace" -Bloomsbury Review

"Fascinating...one only hopes U.S. policymakers read Mortenson's book" -Philadelphia Inquirer

"Astonishing tale of compassion - and of promise kept" -Time Magazine Asia Book of the Year

"Laced with drama, danger, romance, and good deeds" -Christian Science Monitor

After a stormy afternoon, skies over beautiful White Bear Lake cleared to provide Chapter Chatters with a evening of calm seas and perfect tempertures to discuss our latest read. Donning laurel wreathes on our heads we explored the ancient world from which the Olympic games evolved. Some we squeemish of the barbaric nature of the ancient games but after a little processing we concluded that it's not so different today. Some Chatters have brushed with Olympic greatness and most look forward to watching the up coming games. We munched a variety of Greek inspired foods including humus, olives and baklava. YUM. Thank for a lovely evening!

Garrison Keillor Trivia

Today in the small town of Isle, Minnesota I found out some interesting Keillor trivia.
On the wall in my Mom's doctor's office was a framed letter from Garrison Keillor to Dr.Bracken (he was my Dad's doctor). The letter started with an apology to Dr. Bracken for reading Moby Dick.....Keillor never meant to encourage that. He said he read the first 30 pages, put it down for he only reads books that give him pleasure.
Here's his interesting quote: " I spent quite a bit of time in Isle when I was a boy and whenever I imagine Lake Wobegon I always see Isle - Isle, Holdingford and a little bit of Anoka."

Gosh, I could have been hanging out with him on Mille Lacs all those years ago........

He went on to recommend his favorite authors who he described as - " Christian comic writers, who write extensively about small towns and rural people." J.F. Powers, Carol Bly, Charles Portis and Flannery O'Connor.

After the Dr. appointment I took Mom to the grocery store where we ran into Dr. Bracken......talk about small town!!! I had a chat with him about the letter and Dr. Bracken went on to talk about some of his favorite authors and books.....I attached a review of one of those books below. Sounds like a great read.......Deb H.

Morte D'Urban

By J.F. Powers

Winner of The 1963 National Book Award for Fiction.
The hero of J.F. Powers's comic masterpiece is Father Urban, a man of the cloth who is also a man of the world. Charming, with an expansive vision of the spiritual life and a high tolerance for moral ambiguity, Urban enjoys a national reputation as a speaker on the religious circuit and has big plans for the future. But then the provincial head of his dowdy religious order banishes him to a retreat house in the Minnesota hinterlands. Father Urban soon bounces back, carrying God's word with undaunted enthusiasm through the golf courses, fishing lodges, and backyard barbecues of his new turf. Yet even as he triumphs his tribulations mount, and in the end his greatest success proves a setback from which he cannot recover.
First published in 1962, Morte D'Urban has been praised by writers as various as Gore Vidal, William Gass, Mary Gordon, and Philip Roth. This beautifully observed, often hilarious tale of a most unlikely Knight of Faith is among the finest achievements of an author whose singular vision assures him a permanent place in American literature.

I want to go to this party!

Regarding our August pick....

Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea is doing a book tour. He will be very near. Alas, it seems that we are not invited...yet. I am going to call them!

RED WING, MN

Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 5:00 PM (Private)
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE ELCA
United’s 150th Anniversary Banquet
628 West Fifth Street
Red Wing, MN 55066
Contact: Pastor Randall Johnson
Phone: 651-388-3583
http://www.unitedlutheranchurch.com/
Limited to United Members and Special Guests

For more information go to threecupsoftea.com

Jeanette Walls

Wanda and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Jeanette Walls at the Kahler Hotel in Rochester yesterday. She brought her amazing story to life and inspired all who listened to her story.

She was so gracious and thankful for the outpouring of love she received after sharing her story. She said she was always afraid to tell her story for fear of people rejecting her.

She gave us an update on her family: Sister Lori-an artist in NYC, did not want Jeanette to write the book. Brother- most supportive of her writing the story and helped her remember. He is a retired police officer now teaching school. Younger sister Maureen, in CA, didn't speak to each other for 10 years, now do speak, she lives in a "safe" place in CA. Her mother is now living in a trailer on Jeanette and her husband's property helping to care for their horses.

Jeanette is working on another book, it's in the early stages and she thinks it will be about her mother. She says she's not creative and therefore cannot write fiction. Throughout her talk she never said a negative thing about her parents, she says she learned to dream from her father and learned wisdom from her mother. She's taken these gifts and made the most of her life. She stressed how reading was a gift her parents gave her, she never had TV or any other source of entertainment. We briefly said our hello's to Jeanette as she signed our books......a wonderful day!!

Deb H.