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ReadingGroupGuides.com Newsletter |
March 2004 |
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Well-read Books and Ones to Discover |
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This month we are spotlighting two books that I enjoyed over the past few months --- THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT by Meg Waite Clayton and THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD by Ben Sherwood.
Nelly, the protagonist in THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT, moves back to horse country in Maryland with her two small boys after the death of her husband. There she pursues her dream of becoming a photojournalist, like her father. Nelly learns a lot about her father --- and the world she knew when she was growing up, which was not all as she remembered. The imagery and metaphor of light in this book was so well done --- a great topic for discussion.
THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD will make you think about your own feelings about life after death. Charlie stops living when his brother dies in a tragic accident. It takes a woman to show him how to live again --- and love. The discussions about this book can go so many ways, which is why I liked it.
Both of these authors are available for groups to chat with. See details below.
Between THE DA VINCI CODE and THE PASSION, people have been discussing religion and religious figures like never before this year. A book we want to have on your radar screens is MARY, CALLED MAGDALENE, a historical fiction title by Margaret George. For those of you who want to explore this figure in religious history, this is a book you will want to read.
A couple of very interesting stats. More than 99,000 unique visitors (you only count once each month) logged onto ReadingGroupGuides.com in February. That's a lot of you for one short month! Also, more than 13,362 people went to see the guide for ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE, the new Oprah pick, and 8,008 of people looked at THE DA VINCI CODE guide. That's a lot of readers! Also, we learned that there are over 2,000,000 copies in print of another title book clubs love, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES. Please see our poll, which asks what books you are reading, or plan to read with your group.
And may we suggest you try some of the lesser-known titles below --- with your group, or just for your reading pleasure. We love introducing you to new books --- and authors.
Speaking of which...one of the authors in the Invite the Author program is Marian Keyes. I had the pleasure of meeting her when she was in the States in January. Her book party for her book UNDER THE DUVET was in a hotel suite where she greeted us in PJs. It was great --- and from this meeting I saw a lot of her charm and can see why groups would love to chat with her.
Have a great month.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected]) |
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THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT--- Enter Contest to Win Copies for Your Group |
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Chat or e-mail with Meg Waite Clayton, Author of THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT and Enter a Special Contest to Win Signed Copies for Your Group. Many of you have told us that you would love the opportunity to chat with an author, either by e-mail or by phone. Now you have a chance to do just that. Meg Waite Clayton's debut novel, THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT, tells the story of a young widow who moves her two sons to her father's ancestral home in the old-moneyed horse country of Maryland, and pursues her dream to become a photojournalist. To sign up to win up to 12 autographed copies of THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT for your group see the link below |
Read more about THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT here, as well as contest details.
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THE BLESSING STONE by Barbara Wood - A Reading Guide and Special Opportunity to e-Mail the Author! |
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To celebrate the trade paperback release of THE BLESSING STONE, ReadingGroupGuides.com has a special offer for readers --- an interview with the author and an opportunity for book clubs to e-mail its internationally bestselling author, Barbara Wood, to ask her questions your group may have about the book. |
Click here to read our feature about THE BLESSING STONE.
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THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD by Ben Sherwood |
Ben Sherwood brings us the unforgettable story of Charlie St. Cloud, who survived a tragic accident that would make him see the world in a whole new way. Though his little brother Sam did not live through the horrific collision one moonlit night, Charlie has discovered a miraculous way to keep him close. Then Charlie meets Tess, a woman so beautiful and fearless that she makes him yearn to embrace the land of the living once again. But she doesn't realize she's in terrible jeopardy, facing impossible dangers that only Charlie can help her defeat. With a love that transcends everything you may have believed about life and death, Charlie embarks on a spellbinding adventure to save her, and revive his own heart as well.
Ben Sherwood is available to speak with book clubs in person or by speakerphone about his work. Details can be found online at BenSherwood.com |
Read a guide for THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHARLIE ST. CLOUD here.
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MARY, CALLED MAGDALENE |
Weaving together hints from the New Testament, Gnostic gospels, and other ancient texts, Mary Called Magdalene portrays the life of the mysterious figure of Mary Magdalene, "Apostle to the Apostles," and companion to Jesus. Here Margaret George creates a new portrait of one of the most controversial figures in biblical scholarship: a strong, independent woman, given to visions and gifted with a unique faith in Jesus and his message.
Margaret has a terrific photo gallery at her website, MargaretGeorge.com where she has pictures she took during her research. |
Read a guide for MARY, CALLED MAGDALENE here.
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Invite the Author: Two New Authors! |
In April, Amanda Eyre Ward will call reading groups to discuss Sleep Toward Heaven. Groups will be chosen at random from entries received by March 18, 2004.
Amanda Eyre Ward's debut novel is an intimate portrait of three women whose lives collide during a brutal Texas summer. The Texas Observer said "[Ward] gives us vivid, often jarring images of life in and about women's death row. Remarkable and surprising. . ."
In May, best-selling author Marian Keyes will call reading groups to discuss Watermelon. Groups will be chosen at random from entries received by April 22, 2004.
Marian Keyes is the best-selling author of five previous novels Angels, Last Chance Saloon, Watermelon, Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, and Rachel's Holiday. Marian is Irish but lived in London for 10 years before returning to Dublin. After receiving a law degree and studying accounting, she began writing in 1993. She currently lives in Ireland.
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Click here for more details
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Book Club Interviews |
This month we bring you the following book club interviews:
Jean S. Robbins of "The Course That Never Ends"
Lee (Durham), NH
Christine A. Krahling of "Friends of Fiction Book Club"
Easton, PA
Susan Rubin of "China Dolls"
Denver, CO
Shannon O'Connor of "Little Bitty Book Club"
Mason, OH
Cheryl Paul of "The Book Babes and Bob"
Twin Brooks, SD
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Read our Book Club interviews here.
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This Month's Poll |
Which of the following books has your group read, or do you plan to read?
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Our group is not interested in any of these books. |
Answer our poll questions here.
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Newest Guides |
The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn by Janis Hallowell
Blue Suburbia by Laurie Albanese
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Faithful by Davitt Sigerson
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Hidden Life of Otto Frank by Carol Ann Lee
The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
A Memory of War by Frederick Busch
On This Day by Nathaniel Bellows
Parts Unknown by Kevin Brennan
Rendezvous in Black by Cornell Woolrich
The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch
Seduction of Water by Carol Goodman
Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
Tamarind Women by Anita Rau Badami
The Weight of It by Amy Wilensky
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin
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See the Newest Guides here.
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This Month's Contest: Win THE KALAHARI TYPING SCHOOL FOR MEN by Alexander McCall Smith |
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A subscription to our newsletter is all you need to be entered in our monthly contest. This month, one lucky reader will win enough copies of THE KALAHARI TYPING SCHOOL FOR MEN by Alexander McCall Smith for his or her entire reading group. |
Read contest details here.
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Do you like what you see here, and want to forward it to a friend? Then click our link on the bottom of the page to do just that!
Happy reading. We'll see you next month.
Don't forget to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: Bookreporter.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected]) |
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