Books, Inc. Palo Alto 4th Tuesday Evening Book Club (that's a long one!)

Last night I was in Palo Alto for the 4th Tuesday Evening Book Club.  It was the final one of the year. Because of the RBC and the Los Gatos Library Evening Book Club, I don't get to Books, Inc. more than a couple of times each year.  But it's still a heckuva book club. Margie Scott Tucker, a co-owner of the entire chain, emcees our meetings.  And she does an excellent job.

Here is the list of books for 2015.  There are only 9 because they're always off in December.  And Margie had 2 other months that she was out of town (she is a bookstore chain owner, after all).  See what you think of Margie's selections.

#1 - Painted Horses - Malcolm Brooks (started it and didn't finish it)
#2 - And the Dark Sacred Night - Julia Glass
#3 - My Brilliant Friend, Book One:  Childhood, Adolescence - Elena Ferrante
#4 - Dept. of Speculation - Jenny Offill (read it - didn't get it - 2/4)
#5 - The Goldfinch:  A Novel - Donna Tartt (read 19 pages and said "uh, uh")
#6 - H Is for Hawk - Helen MacDonald (got through 5 pages! - yep, you read that right)
#7 - The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty - Vendela Vida (read it - it was okay - 2.5/4)
#8 - Last Bus to Wisdom - Ivan Doig
#9 - Kitchens of the Great Midwest - J. Ryan Stradal (liked it - 3.25/4)

At the end of the discussion, Margie asked the members what their favorite book of the year was.  After I made a complete fool of myself (I thought she meant any book, not just the book club books - duh), the unanimous choice was Last Bus to Wisdom (which I missed).  So I immediately ordered it from Recycle Books today.

I'm going to try and get there a little more often next year.  It's worth it.

P.S.  Meg Waite Clayton, our RBC author on Feb. 3 for The Race for Paris, is a member of the club.  She doesn't get there very often, unfortunately, but she's fun when she makes it.

P.P.S.  Recognize that beauty on the far left?