The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

The Buddha in the Attic

The way this book was written was, well, different. I thought it was just the introduction, but the whole book is written in the same tone. The book tells the story of many Japanese women who came to the United States as picture brides, got married, had children and then left to go to the Japanese camps when the Second World War broke out. There are no names mentioned, and it is not the story of anyone in particular, but many.

Within book club we discussed the forced removal of the Japanese people and the fact that many of us weren't even told about it in school.

Here's another book discussing the same forced removal of Japanese people that we discussed in book club. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

Say You're One of Them

What attracted me to this book was the fact the stories were told by children. It is a collection of 5 stories that take place in Africa. So as I read the book for book club, I also read it aloud to my 10 year old. That was a mistake. The stories were full of very graphic violence that even I couldn't stomach. 

I admit I don't know much about the political scene in Africa with the fighting in Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ethiopia. I didn't even know where they were situated on a map! But the book didn't make me care for the people in those countries, it just repulsed me that the violence was more severe than I had ever come across previously. 

The week we discussed the book in book club, there was a really low attendance. I think because most people didn't like it, or didn't finish reading it. For those of us who were there, after we had all registered our disgust, one lady commented, "Well I really liked the book." I'm glad we don't all have the same opinion, because that's what really makes us human. 

I listened to some stories on the CD, and for some reason that wasn't obvious to me, the stories were in a different order. 

Dear Mad'm by Stella Walthall Patterson

Dear Mad'm (Women of the West)

This is the story of Stella Patterson who, in her 80s, decided to live in the wilds of California for a year. She did just that and wrote this book about her adventure. Everyone in book club loved the book because I think we are all wild at heart, but a little too afraid to do what Stella Patterson did. 

The book was too brief, and left us with too many unanswered questions like, what did she do after her year in the wilderness? I would have liked more details about her adventure. So I'm very pleased to see someone has done some research and produced the following book, which I have yet to read:

Dear Mad'm, Who Was She?

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

The Constant Princess

I was excited to read a historical fiction book as a book club book because I have read many in the past. But I really disliked this book. It is the story of Catherine of Aragon  who became King Henry VIII's first wife. I found the princess very self absorbed and controlling in the book and never imagined she was in real life. I also found the book very repetitive. I kept thinking she'd said that before and then she said it again - and again. 

I also found intimate details in a historical novel disturbing. The evidence at the time was that her betrothal to Henry's older brother, Arthur, was never consummated. So I found the details of that disturbing. I think I didn't like the book because I knew too many real facts, maybe someone would enjoy it more if they didn't know so many details about that period of history. 

I listened to it on CD and I really didn't like the voice of the person who was reading it. Maybe reading the book would have been more enjoyable for me, but the book was on the long side. The voice of the person who is reading the book makes a huge difference with audiobooks.

Look Me in the Eye; My Life with Asperger's by John Robison

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's

In every group of people, there are many who personally know autistic and Aspergers children, and many books have been written about them, and so the topic frequently comes up in book clubs. What is unusual about this book is that is is written by the Asperger's person, so we get an insight into how his mind works. For instance, there is a large section in the book where he describes his misunderstanding when someone makes a casual comment. Also, the fact that he smiled when he was told his aunt had died is discussed in great detail.

John Robison describes his difficult childhood and his struggles with adolescence. As a result of his struggles with people, he developed an interest in electronics and eventually worked with the rock group, Kiss. 

I found the book (dare I say it?) eye opening about how an Aspergian person thinks, and I know it was a revelation to others in the book club. 

Here's a video of the author, John Elder Robison

Here's a fiction book I reviewed that has an Asperger's character. House Rules

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Loving Frank: A Novel

This book is the true story of Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who left her husband to be the mistress of Frank Lloyd Wright, in a time when people didn't leave their spouses and live with whoever they chose. Chicago society didn't accept their relationship so they had to go to Europe. 

The novel is rich in detail of the time period, the people involved and the attitudes of the day. The book engrossed me from cover to cover like few other books have done. 

WARNING: Do not read Wikipedia to find out the true story before you read the book, for the real story is engrossing to read, and the details are incredibly well written. You will love the plot much better if you don't know what is happening before you start the book. After I read the novel I did check Wikipedia and while the facts are there, the emotions are in the book.

The book stayed with me long after I had closed the covers.

Mary by Janice Cooke Newman

Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln

I loved this book and would put it in the top ten of my all time favorite books. It is the story of Abraham Lincoln from his wife's point of view. I assume that the author did her research and it is factually accurate, because of that I learned a great deal. I didn't check to see if the facts lined up with truth as the few facts I knew before I read the book did line up. The book is written in the first person as if Mary Lincoln were writing the story which for me added to the charm of the book. 

The book was longer than the average book club read, and most people enjoyed it. Just one person said she didn't, she actually thought that a lot of it was not true.