Her greatest legacy - lives made better because she had touched them - Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker April 2021

“Her greatest legacy could not be measured in garments or in words, but in the wisdom she had imparted, in the lives made better because she had touched them.”

― Jennifer Chiaverini, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker 

Our book club was held Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Sandy's home.  Ann, Heather, Lilian, Carolyn, Brittany, Sheryl, KD, Suzanne and Sandy were there.  We had a wonderful discussion about Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker,  by Jennifer Chiaverini. We all learned so much from the book, which is historical fiction, but much of it is true.  Elizabeth Keckley, was a slave in Virginia and an accomplished seamstress.  She had many patrons and actually provided the income for the Burwell family. when they fell upon difficult financial circumstances.  

Elizabeth Keckley

She eventually is able to purchase her freedom, with the assistance of some of her patrons and she and her son move to Washington D.C., where she establishes a successful millinery shop and employs others.  She fashions and sews dresses for the Washington elite society.  

Some of Elizabeth Keckley's creations

When Mary Todd Lincoln becomes the First Lady, Elizabeth begins to sew for Mary Todd and becomes more than Mrs. Lincoln's modiste, she becomes her friend and confidant.  

Even though the book seemed more like reading history, rather than a novel,it was different  from other Chiaverini's books that I have read, it was still fascinating to learn about the remarkable woman, and her life, as well as learning more about President and Mrs Lincoln and their familiy life in the White house. It was  a wonderful book to read. 

Next month, we will be reading Dani Shapiro's book, Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love.  We will meet on Thursday, May 20 because of upcoming graduations. 

“It is good to find comfort in memories,” Mr. Fry said gently.”

― Jennifer Chiaverini, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

“The sublimity of witnessing the ruler of a mighty nation turning to Holy Scripture for comfort and courage, and finding both in his darkest hour, brought tears to her eyes, and she was obliged to quickly compose herself before returning to Mrs. Lincoln’s side.”

― Jennifer Chiaverini, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

Stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another - The Thirteenth Tale March 2021

 “I have always been a reader; I have read at every stage of my life, and there has never been a time when reading was not my greatest joy. And yet I cannot pretend that the reading I have done in my adult years matches in its impact on my soul the reading I did as a child. I still believe in stories. I still forget myself when I am in the middle of a good book. Yet it is not the same. Books are, for me, it must be said, the most important thing; what I cannot forget is that there was a time when they were at once more banal and more essential than that. When I was a child, books were everything. And so there is in me, always, a nostalgic yearning for the lost pleasure of books. It is not a yearning that one ever expects to be fulfilled.”

                                                                              ― Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

We met Thursday,  March 25, 2021 at Ann's home.  We discussed Diane Stterfield's The Thirteenth Tale,  Opinions were varied, some ladies found the book fascinating and couldn't put it down and others didn't care for it very much.  It is a tale of a famous author, Vida Winter,  who has written twelve books or fairy tales but has always said there would be a thirteen tale.  People anxiously await this published thirteenth story, but it is long in coming.  The author invites a young researcher and biographer, Margaret Lea, to her home and the story of Vida's strange and dysfunctional family begins to unfold.  

We had a wonderful, spirited discussion about the book, visited  and enjoyed healthy refreshments.  

We decided to change our reading schedule land will be reading Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiavirin next month.  We will meet April 22 at Sandy's home. 

“A birth is not really a beginning. Our lives at the start are not really our own but only the continuation of someone else's story.”
― Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

“All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes -- characters even -- caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you.”
― Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

“Chivalry was a poor substitute for love.” February 2021

We met via Zoom Thursday, February 25th.  Ann, Heather, KD, Lillian and Sandy attended.  Most everyone thought the book was a quick, easy read.  A good Regency Romance to read in February.  It was quite predictable, with the villainous, abusive hated Uncle and the blossoming romance between Crispin (Lord Cravatt) and Catherine Thorndale.  If only they would actually communicate with each other and truly reveal their hearts!  

Heather shared two books she has enjoyed reading: Grandma Gatewood's Walk; The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Applachian Trail by Ben Montgomery

and

Clean:The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself  by Alejandro Junger and Amely Greven.

Our next book club will be held Thursday, March 25th at Ann's home and those who would like to can join us on Zoom

We have penciled in our Shakespeare Festival for August 9, 10, and 11th .

“You are a cad,' he told himself. 'A cur. A bounder. A scoundrel. A ... human thesaurus.”
― Sarah M. Eden, The Kiss of a Stranger

"How Rare & Valuable Each One of Us Really Is" The Good Neighbor January 2021

"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has- or ever will have- something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression."

The Good Neighbor, The Life and Work of Fred Rogers 

by Maxwell King

We started off the year with a really great book, The Good Neighbor, The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King. Attending were Ann, KD, Stephanie, Lilian, Carolyn, Heather, Suzanne and Sandy. The book was enjoyed by everyone who joined us on Zoom and we all felt it was a very positive way to begin our new year, with such an uplifting, encouraging book.    

Fred Rogers was a very intelligent, talented person, who cared deeply about other people and had a conviction that children needed to be cared for, taught and understood.  He lived grace daily and studied to become an ordained preacher.  He applied his learning and understanding of the scriptures  in his interaction to others and emulated charity in his life.  He looked for and found the best in others.  

He established deep friendships and seemed to live what he taught, "I love you just the way you are."  Heather said she did quite a bit of research while reading the book to check facts and cross reference stories, and found that everything she checked was accurate.  We all appreciated his values and the deep impact that he had on public television and children's programming.  This was a great read!

.  Some lovely quotes from Fred Rogers

"You can't really love someone else unless you really love yourself first."

"You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are."

"There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind."

"The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self."

"Real strength has to do with helping others."

"Some days, doing 'the best we can' may still fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn't perfect on any front-and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else."

For February we will be reading The Kiss of a Stranger  by Sarah Eden and we will meet via Zoom on Thursday, February 25.

Christmas Luncheon and Book Exchange December 2020

"There are no faster or firmer friendships than those formed between people who love the same books."  ~ Iriving Stone, Clarence Darrow for the Defense.

Stephanie hosted our Christmas Book Exhcange and Luncheon at her lovely home

 Monday, December 7th.

 

Suzanne and Brittany

 We enjoyed a lovely luncheon buffet.

Lillian, Ann, Heather

Stephanie, Brittany, Suzanne and Lillian - busy prepping the luncheon

Heather and Ann

Stephanie and Suzanne

We were able to Zoom Paula in for our Book Exchange.  She is currently in Finland and it was so fun to have her join us!

Stepahanie and Brittany

Brittany getting the Zoom just right

Sandy and Megan

Lots of new books to read and our 2021 list is complete with a few to spare!

Suzanne, Ann, Lillian and Heather - Book Exchange Time

Thank you, Stephanie for a lovely day, delicious food and lots of fun conversation!

Our Reading List for 2021

January - The Good Neighbor, The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King February - The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah Eden March - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield April - A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult May – Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini June - A HIgher Call by Adam Makos July - The Ware I Finally Won by Kimberly Bradley August - The Tender Land by William Krueger September - Under a Wing by Reeve Lindbergh October - The King of Torts by John Grisham November - The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan December –The Christmas Promise by Ronald Taylor

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another,

 "What? You, too?  I thought I was the only one." ~ C.S. Lewis

2020 ~ What a Year!

What we read in 2020 

January - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 

February - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonsen 

March - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson 

April - Still Time by Jean Hegland 

May - Hidden Figures: The American Dream by Margot Lee Shetterly 

June - Under One Roof by Barry Martin 

July - Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey 

August - News of the World by Paulette Giles 

September - Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper 

October - The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

Novmeber - The NIghtengale by Kristen Hannah 

December - The 19th Christmas by James Pattersen

We met together the first few months of 2020, then when COVID hit hard, we missed a few months.  We started meeting again during the summer when we could socially distance, "Zoomed" in those who did not feel comfortable meeting and still held our annual Christmas Book Exchange and Luncheon in December.