Monday, April 13, 2009

New books chosen for discussion

The Fairfax Library Book Discussion Group has chosen the books we’ll read and discuss together in the next three months. Our meetings for the next three months will be on the second Thursday of the month at 7 pm in the meeting room of the Fairfax Library.

On Thursday, May 14th, we’ll discuss The Book of Salt by Monique Truong.

Set in Paris during the late 1920s and early 1930s, this uniquely told tale by debut novelist Truong features Binh, the fictionalized Vietnamese cook to literary figures Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Early in the novel, readers are whisked inside 27 rue de Fleurus, the real-life residence of the two women, as Binh judiciously describes the daily nuances of his life as well as his own equally intriguing biography. The novel portrays varying dimensions of love as readers observe the relationships between Stein and Toklas, Binh and his lover Sweet Sunday Man, and the Old Man and Binh's mother. From a culinary perspective, this work is a sensual treat .

On Thursday, June 11th, we’ll discuss To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel--a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus's children, Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930's.

On Thursday, July 9th, we’ll discuss The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud

Beautiful, Ivy League–educated, and the daughter of a renowned journalist, Marina Thwaite lives in New York City along with two close friends from Brown. All three are just barely 30 and making their way into adulthood. The group orbits around the post September 11 city with disconcerting entitlement. Messud’s comedy of manners is extremely well written and features characters that come alive. This wonderful read is an insightful look at our time and the decisions people make.

Thanks for reading with us!

Beth Bailey-Gates
Friends of the Fairfax Library