OLPD Book Diary

2008

Dec. 13 The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Nov. 15
Copperleaf Chocolate
Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

Oct.
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwanCopperleaf Chocolate 10 a.m. Oct.25
We all just adored this one. So bittersweet.

Sept.
The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. Hard to read. We disliked main character and never understood what we supposed to get from her. One member liked it.

May
The Fourth Hand continued...Coffee Traders, Sat, May 24, at 10 a.m.

April
The Fourth Hand by John IrvingSony's condo, Sat. the 19, overnighter with movies.. Show up around 5 p.m.

March
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi PiccoltWe liked the premise and most of the book, but were dissapointed with the wrap up.

Feb.
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch

Jan.
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch


2007
Dec. 15, Saturday 7:30 Whitefish Lake Lodge (that's the one on Wisconsin). Bring 4 or 5 gifts $1 or under.Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan
Also welcome to new member Carole.

Nov. 17, Saturday, Montana Coffee Traders in back. 10 am. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (hold over from last month because of slacking readers)

Oct. 20 Voyager Bookstore 10:30Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Sept 22 Voyager Bookstore (Central 300 block) at 10:30 The Namesake by Jhumpa LahiriRepeating because so many of us were gone, also moving to the next weekend because so many gone this weekend and I'll be at the Missoula Festival of the Book..
Also we're opening membership up again, as we're down in numbers and need new blood. We're planning to move to Grouse Mountain Bar for the winter so we can set up in front of the massive fireplace. Starting in Oct.

Aug. 18 Red Caboose The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Would everyone try to stop by the new used book store on Central. It's across from Ace Hardware and called Voyagers. If we like the venue, we could change meeting places.

July 21 We're doing a Turkish theme with two books. Pick whichever you want and we'll discuss commonalities, themes in Turkish literature. Get them early as you'll probably have to order. The White Castle by Orham PamukThe Garden of Departed Cats by Bilge Karasu Third Sat. at Red Caboose

June
No Country for Old Man by Cormac McCarthyThird Saturday 10 a.m. Red Caboose.

May 19, Caboose 10.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Janice pick) Those of us who finished were blown away.

April 21, Saturday Red Caboose at 10 a.m.
Lost in Translation by Nicole Mones (Be careful there are several books with this title.) (Paula pick.)Enjoyable reading, fascinating topic of Peking Man, and of the hinterlands of China. Some of us got tired of the main character's repetitive thoughts and of the romance aspects.

March 17, Saturday, at 4 p.m. at the bar of the new Whitefish Lake Lodge, or whatever that new monstrocity on Wisconsin is called. We'll be celebrating with Keirsten and Paula.
The Zero by Jess Walter (Cindy pick.)We all found this novel refreshingly different than so much of what we've read. Funny, off-kilter, and dripping with discussion-worthy ideas.

Feb. 17 10 a.m. the new Red Caboose join next to Casey's. Will also discuss hazing potential new members.
The World Made Straight by Ron Rash (Keirsten pick) Only two of us had read so discussion wasn't long. Agreed pretty good book, not great as if the writer hadn't delved as deeply into the possibilities he started with as he meant to.

Jan. 27, 10 a.m. Casey's Bar
Magical Thinking by Augusten BurroughAll agreed, very funny with a caustic hopefulness.


2006
Dec. 10, Sat. 7:30 p.m. Grouse Mountain LodgeChristmas Party, dress up, $1 gifts
The Final Solution by Michael ChabonWe all enjoyed, although no one fell in love. None of us got what the "wrenching solution" at the end was. If anyone has figured it out, please email us with solution.

Nov. 20 Casey's at 10 a.m.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss -- repeat

Oct. (21st at Casey's at 10 a.m.)
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss Split decision: some loved for the story, writing, and insights; some found impossible to get into and annoying.

Sept. (on the 23rd, meeting at Casey's Bar at 10 a.m.)
Sula by Toni Morrison

August (meeting a tea house in Big Fork)
Masks by Fumiko EnchiIntrospective, dark, engaging look into Japanese fiction

July (meeting at the Feather's house)
Angry Housewives Eating Bon BonsLike a good B movie

April
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz ZafonSplit on this one. Some loved the Gothic/bookish tone, other's got tired of all the navel-gazing, learned helplessness of the characters.

March
The Joyous Season by Patrick DennisMany of us laughed outloud while reading this one. Fun, happy, a nice change of pace. While we all liked it, the discussion, while interesting, was short. The book just didn't have enough structure to carry a long discussion.

Feb.
Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian -- Split decision. Half liked; half were luke warm. Sparked good discussion of hunting, guns, and meat.

Jan.
Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire -- We were all pleasantly surprised that we liked this book as the cover had a young adult/fantasy feel. The book sparked a lengthy and fascinating discussion about the hero's journey and archetypes.

2005

Dec.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Nov.
The Plot Agasint America by Phillip Roth

Sept.
Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner

Aug.
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

July
The Story of B by Daniel Quinn

June
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

May
Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh

April
Second Hand Smoke by Patty Friedmann

March
Epileptic by David B.

Feb.
Embers by Tomas Marai

Jan.
An Unfinished Life by Mark Spraag

2004

Dec.
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Nov.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime

Oct.
The Peppered Moth by Margaret Drabble

Sept.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

July
Any Human Heart by William Boyde

June
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

May
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

April
The Clothes They Stood Up In by Allen Bennett

March
Ahab's Wife by Sena Feter Naslund

Feb.
My Dream of You

Jan.
Life of Pi by Yanni Martel

2003

Dec.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Nov.
The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Letham

Oct.
Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker

Sept.
Nine Below Zero by Kevin Canty

Aug.
Dreamland by Kevin Baker

May
Back When We Were Grownups" by Anne Tyler

April
Mother of Pearl

March
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson

Feb.
Possession by A.S. Byatt

Jan.
Atonement by Ian McEwan

2002

Dec.
Zorba the Greek by Nicolas Kozininski

Nov.
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner & The Lovely Bones by Alice Seibold

Oct.
Last Refudge of Scoundrals by Paul Lussier

Sept/Aug
Ulysses by James Joyce

July
The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter

June
Fugative Pieces by Anne Micheals

May
Emmpire Falls by Richard Russo

April
Straight Man by Richard Russo

March
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Micheal Chabon

Feb.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

Jan.
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk

2001
Dec.
The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

Oct.
Enchanged Night by Steven Millhouser

Sept.
White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Aug.
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg

July
Motherless Brooklynn by Johnathan Lethem

June
In America by Susan Sontag

April
Lying Awake by Paul

March
Heart of Stone by Renate Dorrstein

Feb.
House of Fog and Sand by Dumas

Jan.
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oats

2000
Dec.
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian

Nov.
White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Oct.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Gold

Sept.
The Hours by Micheal Cunningham

Aug.
The Human Stain by Philip Roth