Book Clubs -- Can I take one and beat you with it???

I don't know about anyone else but I love books. (I think this is not a surprise to anyone who knows me.) Mostly I love sci-fi/fantasy (Orson Soctt Card and Anne Mccaffery are my two favorite) but I am certainly not limited to it. I generally don't read romance because I consider it porn for women. There are a few notable exceptions though such as; Victoria Holt, Madeleine Brent, Dorothy Keddington and I'm sure a few I cant remember and will kick myself for later. Also, Kathleen Woodiwiss who is pretty explicit sometimes but the stories themselves are so fantastic that those spots are not distracting, and certainly not the basis for the book.

So, of course I found an interest in book clubs. I had no idea that it would be so difficult to find one I liked. And that the trick is really finding one with people that you like, and that those people like the books that you like. There is one that I go to now where I think most of the people are nice. I do. But the last time I went I wanted to strangle them. I have no idea how people can live in such a narrow world sometimes.

I admit -- I found it through church so maybe that should have prepared me, but still. Can you seriously read nothing but self-help books and scriptures? Not that I am knocking self-help books. I have a mind/body bridging one at home that is really helping me sleep. However, let me relate my last experience. I went to the first meeting in December where we all got to pick a book. Mine was April's. For January we read a book called The History Of Love by Nicole Krauss. Its just a general fiction book and not what I would normally pick up. But I loved it!! I thought, cool, this might work out great. Then I go to the meeting, and everybody hates it. For almost the same reasons I love it. So....crap. But sometimes I just like to argue. So I go back. I missed February and March for illness reasons but man I was excited for April!

I picked Enchantment by Orson Scott Card. Yes it's fantasy, but its not complicated and really easy to read. It is the story of Sleeping Beauty, starting with the kiss. Also, because it's Orson, it has a twist. He (Ivan-the hero) is from 1970ish (it doesn't say but that's the impression you get) and she(Katerina-the sleeping princess) is from 900 something. But of course the place in the woods she is trapped in sleep until kissed is magical and not really a part of time so of course that kind of thing can happen. Anyway, I love it. It's one of my favorites. I was so excited to talk about it. So I go to the meeting and guess what? They changed the book to The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. What???? Then they talked all about how its so spiritual and just like God. You pray, and he helps you. What?? I couldn't help it. I told them what I thought. I said I thought that it was full of crap and it was harmful by giving people a false sense of entitlement and made everyone lazy. After all, you dont have to plan anything do anything, work for anything etc.. you just have to want it and its yours. I was always taught that slothfulness was a sin and God helped those who helped themselves kind of thing. They didn't like that. So I talked about my book anyway.
One other person read it too and said how upset they were with it. After all Orson is LDS and there were a couple swear words and they were naked. I said what?? First off, Orson is LDS and an author. That does not automatically make him an LDS author. He doesn't write just church books. (He has a couple about bible characters but thats all compared to the very great many sci-fi/fantasy ones where bad guys actually do and say bad things. wow- what a concept) The swearing were little words and the nakedness was nothing sexual. When you shifted through time - your clothes didn't get to go too. Like on the Terminator right? Then they just looked at me a little offended and said how could you watch something like the Terminator? That's it. I'm done. Ok, so LDS or not there are far far too many great and wonderful books, people,music, and movies out there that I would be sorry to miss out on and feel as I was cheating myself by missing just because they are not G rated and sung in Primary!

Books!

So my mother and I have been consumed with a new book series. Along with many many others I am sure. We try to get everyone we know to read them. It is the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers. Yes, its about vampires. But they are so good! Even if you don't read that kind of book, you will most likely still like it. I am counting down the days until Breaking Dawn (book 4) comes out in August!! They are so easy to read but they suck you in. One of the coolest things I have learned from the authors website StephenieMeyers.com is that all of her places are real. Forks is a real town in Washington. La Push is a real indian reservation and the Quileutes are a real tribe. With the exception of the vampires (of course) the legends she tells of them are true. Thats so cool to me. I was debating if I should review them on here or not but I don't think I will. But I just had to add my blurb about them. When I was going camping with my family I put it on to listen to for the four hour drive. And instead of whining about it they listened. And liked it! This from an 8 yr old, 12 yr old and 31 yr old. I had to burn it on to CD's from my MP3 player so they could finish the story when they got home. The movie is coming out in December and Josh (the 8 yr old) says we have to go see it for his birthday. I said yes sir!