Monthly Archives: November 2011

True Grit – for the creative book club!

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“They tell me you are a man with true grit.”  -Mattie Ross, True Grit

Okay, is your book club like mine, and ready to try something unique, different, and not the typical “chick-lit?”  Look no further than True Grit by Charles Portis. This book has had a surge of popularity since the recent movie was released, but if you didn’t see the movie, and even if you did, this is a book not to be missed.  I can’t stress how thoroughly enjoyable it is!  My initial reaction was that it was easy to read, adventurous, and surprisingly funny.  Mattie Ross has to be one of the spunkiest, well-spoken and utterly fearless heroines in literature.  Another bonus of this book is that it’s relatively “tame” when it comes to content and language, and when you’re done, the feeling is that you’ve read something of a classic filled with good old-fashioned Americana. You would be surprised at how many people read this book when it was published in 1967 and describe it as one of their all-time favorites.  Get your book club to think outside the box and choose this book for its next read.  You will have tons of fun talking about Mattie and her unbelievable sense of justice, as well as Rooster and how completely un-refined, yet compulsively likeable, he is.  If you are a structured book club who follows a more rigid discussion format, there are lots of online discussion lists for this book.  One question to ask each guest:  “When in your life did you have to display, “True Grit?”  If you’re like my book club, you let the talking happen, and enjoy the food!

How do you get creative?

1.  Serve your guests hot coffee and if you can, get some old-fashioned blue enamelware dishes that look like you’re sitting around a campfire.

2.  Recipe ideas:  Grits! Chicken dumplings, cornbread and candied bacon.

3.  Use red bandanas for napkins to further enhance the “western” theme.

4.  The rooster motif can also be used in a creative way, as the main character is named Rooster.  Maybe include a rooster image on an invitation, or on handmade coasters.

5.  Can you find some horse decorations or imagery for decorations?  This would be appropriate, as Mattie and the men ride across the countryside in search of the outlaw Tom Chaney.  I found this one on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ManateesToyBox?ref=seller_info)

6.  Spurs and rope figure predominantly in the book.  Use these as charms and/or decorations.

7.  Do you want to send your guests home with a favor?  How about a red bandana tied with rope-like string and filled with individually wrapped taffy, as that is one of the ingredients in Rooster’s pack when they embarked on their mission.  Embellish it with a U.S. Marshall charm. I found this cute little one on amazon.com.

8.  Find some empty whisky bottles and set them on the table filled with wildflowers.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

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“I was born with a talent. Not for dance, or comedy, or anything so delightful.  I’ve always had a knack for school.”   — Kim, Girl in Translation

My book club just finished reading Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok.  In a nutshell, it was a hit. Sometimes we read a book, talk about it for five minutes, and then get sidetracked into other conversation.  However, this book had us talking.  This story of a young girl and her mother coming to the United States from China to seek a better life, is thought-provoking in the irony of what they actually encounter.  I don’t come from a part of the country that encounters many immigrants, nor do we see the kind of poverty that large cities do, so the conditions that this young girl faces are shocking.  So, you probably realize that Kim is not coming to the America she and her mother envision.  They endure hardship beyond measure, and one cannot help but be slightly remorseful for the luxuries we take for granted each day.  However, the story runs its course in a way that makes the reader realize that the American dream still exists for Kim, in that she eventually overcomes the oppression of her youth, takes advantage of the kindness of good people, and uses her natural talents to ultimately shine.  This is a quick read, but it will open your eyes and make you wonder why you ever complain about anything in your comfortable little life.  If you are going to choose this book for your reading group here are some ideas for bringing the book to your group:

1.  Serve hot tea and won-ton soup, both are featured in the novel.

2. Decorate the table with Chinese inspired china, tray and/or linens.

3.  As a favor for your guests, give them a Kuan Yin charm which can be purchased inexpensively from online bead stores.  In the novel, Matt wears this necklace every day. In the Chinese culture and the Buddhist culture, The Kuan Yin is known to bring health and good fortune to anyone who carries it. The novel says, “The Kuan Yin was carved with a multitude of arms, each hand holding a different tool.  People call her the goddess with an infinite number of arms to help all those in need.” (174) However in the end, Matt ends up giving his necklace to Kim as a way to pass this protection on to her.  Or you can use images of the Kuan Yin to make small notecards or  bookmarks for your guests.  (The image of this Kuan Yin is from:  http://store03.prostores.com/servlet/themonkeyking/the-1913/JADE-KWAN-YIN-THOUSAND/Detail)

Little Jars of Light

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Live in rooms full of light.  ~Cornelius Celsus
I thought I would share with you the creation my husband and I came up with for light fixtures at our cabin (which we refer to as Camp More).  A friend had shown us her Pottery Barn catalog, and we fell in love with their Canning Jar light fixture, but it’s hard to convince DIY’ers to hand over the credit card number when something looks like the perfect project!  We ordered these blue tinted jars from e-bay, and found the new, vintage-inspired electrical cord online. The ceiling canopy came from a porch light that we removed at our house, and we painted it with a hammered metal finish.  We love the way they turned out, and think they add just the right touch to our rustic little get-away.  I’ve seen Etsy shops that sell similar items, and they make such a unique conversation piece.