Our September Selection

All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name. - Andre Breton

Hello everyone!

At last, September has arrived and it carries the promise of grand things to come. Fall is definitely one of my favourite seasons, where one can witness the beautiful change of reds, oranges, and yellows on the leaves where it then makes its final bow.

Some lovely things to look forward to include:
Snuggling into thick sweaters, the smell of cooking and baking during family gathering as Thanksgiving, drinking apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes, eating apple pie and picking apples from the apple orchard, the thrill of dressing up for Halloween no matter what age (not to mention carving pumpkins!), Nuit Blanche, and so much more.

This month, our theme is called "The Nostalgic Romantic". The Nostalgic Romantic alludes to the touch of the historical and the sentimental, where we look back to the past, feeling a stir of yearning for what once was, and holding on to the sense of wonder found in our present everyday lives.
I am also excited to inform everyone that I have a list full of fun ideas for our book club this season. Some examples include picking apples at the apple orchard, throwing a Fall Craft Party (working on fun things as leaf lanterns that will brighten our home), have dinner-and-a-movie day where the film ties with this month's theme, visit historical places in the city, and much more!

How are you spending your September days?

Catching up on...

Our Fourth Meeting

Our fourth meeting was a hoot, where we discussed about our August book club pick "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett at Marche Restaurant (located at Brookfield Place) on Saturday, September the 17th. We touched upon many different subject matters at the plot, the characters, the symbols, and the themes embedded in the story, connecting the author's background to give us a bigger picture of the novel. Many of the members had seen the film version and were glad to have discovered that it was quite true to the book. Discussions were full of laughs and there was never a dull moment as we recall examples as Minnie's attitude and "Two-slice" Hilly, and were all very touched by Skeeter, Constantine, and Celia with her ability to see beyond the divided line found in Mississippi. We touched upon hard subjects as inequality and discrimination, where there was wholehearted agreement that issues found within the novel such as racial discrimination, which took place during that time, are just as relevant today.

Some very interesting points were brought out, one being the symbolic presence of red found throughout the book, as well as the meaning behind "the scream"- the author was actually inspired by the painter Edvard Munch and his famous painting, "The Scream." Who would have guessed!

Our September Selection

Out of the five titles that were picked, many were drawn and voted for  Rosie Alison's "The Very Thought Of You".

A summary:
England, 31st of August, 1939.

The world is on the brink of war. As Hitler prepares to invade Poland, thousands of children are evacuated from London to escape the impending Blitz. Torn from her mother, eight-year-old Anna Sands is relocated with other children to a large Yorkshire estate opened up to evacuees by Thomas and Elizabeth Ashton, and enigmatic childless couple. Soon Anna gets drawn in their unravelling relationship, seeing things that are not meant for her eyes- and finding herself part-witness and part-accomplice to a love affair, with unforeseen consequences.
A story of longing, loss and complicated loyalties, combining a sweeping narrative with subtle pyschological observation, The Very Thought of You is not just a love story, but a story about love.

Look to upcoming posts for more insights, thoughts and inspirations on this month's theme, about the author, and "The Very Thought of You".

Happy reading!

Joanne