I had so much fun last week. Two book clubs and a talkback!!
A couple months ago I joined a book club in the condo where my friend who’s a boy lives. It is small but we’ve read some interesting books I would not have otherwise picked up.
Then, I thought, why not start a book club where I live so I can make new friends!! The first tiny notice got about 40 members but, like the other club, many are snowbirds, so the meetings have between 9 and 14 attendees. I split them into two groups, if needed, and start the discussion off – as well as doing some extra research on the book, author, or story to give it more depth. West With Giraffes, The Personal Librarian, Oil and Marble, The Rosie Project, Saving CeeCee Hunnicutt have all been discussed and enjoyed to date. And so far, the two clubs have managed to read some of the same books, leaving me time to read other ones I really like!!
My success with the book club led to a request from the Pap Corps* charity group to do a talkback after the movie Where the Crawdads Sing. It was one of their fund raisers held at the local movie house. So, I grabbed the mic after the movie and threw out questions and answers to about 80 ladies.
I stayed away from the question – how did you enjoy the movie? – because, quite honestly, it wasn’t very good (despite a beautiful book and Reese Witherspoon as executive director). Let’s just say if Disney and Hallmark got together to make a film about a poor orphan heroine, a handsome prince, a mean ogre, cruel townspeople, and helpful elves…this would be the result. The heroine, orphaned at 10, raises herself, never musses a hair, wears clothing that has been fitted and ironed, has white teeth, impeccable skin, and apparently – even though she lives in a swamp – there are no bugs or mosquitoes. The “Atticus Finch” retired town attorney gets her off a murder charge and she lives happily forever after with prince charming. That aside, the cinematography is exquisite, and the script mostly follows the book – if out of order.
Oh, I also stayed away from the fact that the zoologist conservationist author of this charming tale is wanted for questioning about the murder of a poacher during the time the Owens family were actively involved in anti-poaching efforts in Zambia. Mark Owens ran anti-poaching patrols and had a team of scouts to help with the efforts; his son Christopher trained them in hand-to-hand combat.
The execution style murder was caught on film by the ABC news team filming Turning Point, then broadcast on TVs across the US as anchor Meredith Vieira narrated: “On this mission, we would witness the ultimate price paid by a suspected poacher.”
*PAP CORPS: Consider a donation!!
Papanicolaou Corps For Cancer, 1191 E Newport Center Dr STE 107, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442. The Pap Corps, Champions for Cancer Research mission is to enable and support through the funds we raise, the vital research programs at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
More than 50 chapters and 21,000 members are dedicated to supporting research for all types of cancer at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only academic hospital in our community. Since 1952, The Pap Corps donated more than $50 million dollars to achieve our vision because Research matters!