Aren’t we
all angels in training…just waiting to spread our wings and fly?
25 Bookers joined together to celebrate
the holidays at the home of Bonnie Magee in her dual role of hostess and food
czar extraordinaire. Many thanks to her for coordinating our fare and to all
those who brought yummy sustenance to soak up the spirits as we toasted the
season of joy and good tidings. If there was a Bah Humbug among us a Mimosa
took care of it.
As we’ve done in the past, our community
rallies when one of our “own” needs to be lifted by the warmth of our caring
arms. Sheri Green is participating
in clinical trials and will undergo a CT scan on December 17 to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. On my
front porch (315 St. Andrews Drive) is a “Boost Sheri Christmas Tin” and we are
asking that you please add a note of encouragement; a poem; a quote; a prayer;
or simply that you wanted her to know you are thinking of her…anything that
might put a smile on her face. Also, if you prefer, email me and I’ll print out
your message and include it in the tin, which will be placed on her front porch
the morning of the 17th. Thank you for your compassion.
Everyone had either read Dickens’ “A
Christmas Carol” or had seen one of the movies or plays of this classic. He
changed the way we see Christmas forever by featuring how the Ghosts of
Christmas past, present, and future showed a crotchety old miser the error of
his ways reminding Mr. Scrooge what it means to have love in his heart.
In her novel, Samantha Silva details how
she imagined Charles Dickens came to write this timeless classic. Charles is
not in the spirit of the season. His latest book is a flop, the critics have
turned against him, and his relatives hound him for money while his wife is
planning a lavish holiday party. He doesn’t have “sugar plums dancing in his head”
…only visions of the poor house as his publishers try to blackmail him into
writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, which he
refuses. To make matters worse, he has lost his muse, his great palace of
thinking, the city of London, has forsaken him, and he’s experiencing a serious
bout with writer’s block.
Within the context of the novel not only
did the author detail how she imagined Charles Dickens came to write “A
Christmas Carol,” she shared the secret to storytelling and the challenges
every author no matter their credentials face at some time or another…insecurities,
writer’s block, self-worth dictated by reader loyalty, self-doubt coupled with
criticism, especially from peers. A “shank” in golf and a “block” in writing
have the same DNA as they saturate your subconscious with negativity. Victor
Hugo increased his caffeine intake threefold and stripped naked instructing his
staff not to return his clothes until he met his deadline. On the practice tee
one day I saw the “shank” in person as my hubby, a pretty decent golfer in his
own right, hit an entire bag of balls dead right. I innocently asked if he was
doing this on purpose. His response was not G-rated. Both dilemmas require
burying the words deeply hoping they never resurface.
Ms. Silva drew on the truths of Mr.
Dickens’ life as his celebrity had faded, he was deeply in debt, his fifth
child was on the way, and his publishers threatened to deduct monthly from his
paycheck, which would have ruined him at the time. One of the great ironies of
his creation of “A Christmas Carol” is that it was created and written in six
weeks because of his financial situation, but the result was the clearest example
of his vision of the world, not only at Christmas but for all time…we must be
responsible for those who have less and generosity is the only antidote for our
selfishness, greed, and miserliness. Interestingly, because he wanted it priced
so people could afford to buy it, even offering to pay for it himself, he
didn’t make money on this novel.
Rebecca Brisendine did an excellent job of
leading the discussion of this month’s selection using Dickens’ reflections on
his past, present, and future to compare with our own. In addressing the
significance of the City of London to Dickens’ life and livelihood, we
reflected on the influences of our own stomping grounds…are we products of
where we grew up? We talked about the usages of clocks in the novel and how
each one signaled a different meaning. We spoke of Dickens’ view of his past
filled with social injustice, his present producing an ever-enlarging world,
his future filled with uncertainty. We wished our actress, Bernie Crudden, had
been there to give us some insight into an actor’s role in character
development. Most were shocked at the ending to find Eleanor was indeed a ghost
although several “tells” were planted by the author to suggest this…her payroll
records and that she left no footprints. We asked who dressed him in his
disguise if she wasn’t really there and marveled at the detail used in
describing the chemistry between the two…and what was the purpose of the
“ghost” factor – maybe to make the relationship between Eleanor and Charles
more acceptable given he was married and a father of five. Several had issues
that it seemingly took so long to name his newborn. The author says, “a
biography tells the truth of a person, whereby a story tells the truth about us.”
Look
inside and you will find an abundant of blessings.
On the business side:
Great news…a new independent bookstore
opened nearby…Athens Alley Books & Boutique is stocked and ready for
shoppers. It is located at 408 North Prairieville, a couple of blocks north of
the square.
COLOR CODING SYSTEM
WHITE: LIGHT READ
PINK: MODERATELY
CHALLENGING
RED: CHALLENGING
Jan. 8, 2019: The Great
Alone by Kristin Hannah
Set in Alaska in
1974. The ultimate test of survival for a family in crisis.
RED
Discussion
Leader: Patty Evans
Home of Daryl Daniels
February 12: The Cottingley Secret by
Hazel Gaynor
Set in 1917 England and based on a true story,
two young cousins somehow convince the world that the magic exists.
PALE
PINK
Discussion
Leader: Daryl Daniels
Home
of Beverly Dossett
March 12: Stormy Weather by
Paulette Jiles
Set in East Texas
during the depression, a story of hardship, sacrifice, and strength.
PINK
Discussion
Leader: Ann Ireland
Home of Melanie Prebis
April 9: Daughter
of a Daughter of a Queen, Sarah Bird
A forgotten part of history detailing the hidden
story of Cathy Williams, a former slave and the only woman to ever serve with
the legendary Buffalo Soldiers.
PINKISH RED
Discussion
Leader: TBD
Home of
Aulsine DeLoach
May 14: Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
Set in the 1950’s in very rural North Carolina
revolving around a young woman named Kya Clark – celebrating strength through
tragedy and the resourcefulness of a child left to fend for herself in the
swamp.
PINK
Discussion Leader: Jean Alexander
Evening Wine & Cheese Meeting at the home of TBD
Summer Read: Book TB
He who has not Christmas
in his heart will never find it under a tree.
Happy Reading,
JoDee
