Book Draft

Book Club met for our annual book draft last night.  You know how I feel about my book club.  They are awesome.  Last year we started doing a January book draft in the same vein as a fantasy football draft (sort of).  We all gather with our book recommendations and set about plotting out what we will read for the next year.  After too many months of not reading the book because we couldn't get it from the library in time or finally managed to decide on a book about a week and a half before our next meeting it was really great to have the next eleven books mapped out.  This year the ante was upped when Sarah (our resident elementary school teacher) brought home her chart paper and markers, color coordinating our book suggestions.

I love a good book list and I'm super excited about the books we picked for this year.  I'm not sure anyone will care about what we've settled on, but in case some of you made a resolution to read more in the New Year thought I'd share the results of the 2015 book draft.  Without further ado, here's what I'll be reading this year.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr- This one was on a number of people's lists and I'm excited to start off with some fiction.  For some reason I find myself gravitating towards fiction less and less, which bums me out because I love a good story.

Small Victories by Anne Lamott-  I've got a couple of Anne Lamott books on my nightstand right now.  Whit said Small Victories was a "love letter to your soul" and really, who can argue with that.

Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand- Obviously there's a lot of buzz with this one with the movie coming out recently.  We decided to try a "couples" book club with Unbroken and include our husbands, fiances and boyfriends in on the action. (By the way Tommy, you have to read this book and come to a special book club in April.  I mean, only if you want to.)

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler- This recommendation came with the rule NOT TO READ ANYTHING ABOUT THE BOOK BEFORE YOU READ IT.  So we're doing that.  All I know is it's a thinker with a strange premise.

Yes Please by Amy Pohler-  I love Amy Pohler. I loved Tina Fey's memoir "Bossy Pants,"  I can't wait to read this one.

The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer- This is a short book that came out of Ted Talk by Pico Iyer.  It seems mindfulness, stillness and being present is the mantra of 2015 and I'm pumped.  I need more of it.

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi-  Yes my book club is reading a cookbook.  Cause the thing we love more than books?  Is food.  I'm actually really excited for this one.  Our plan is to spend the month trying out recipes and coming together to make a huge meal with the best recipes.  Sign me up.

The Memory Garden by Mary Rickert-  This was one book that until last night I'd heard nothing about, but it sounds like an interesting story with secrets, friendship, history and a garden.  And again, yea fiction!

The Secret Place by Tana French-  Tana French spins a great tale and her's take place in Dublin (my favorite).  This one also involves a boarding school which is a fascinating back drop for this life long public schooler.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd-  I'm hoping to read Kidd's non-fiction book this year as I heard I might connect well with it's spiritual journey themes.  This novel takes place in nineteenth century Charleston and chronicles the thirty-five year friendship between a young white girl and the little girl who is meant to be her handmaid.  It sounded fascinating and beautiful.

Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple- I've actually already read this one.  It's a really funny and thoughtful tale of a family trying to find its way back together.  I love the way Semple tells the story- through letters and emails and faxes and receipts and the occasional narration of the young teenaged daughter.



Last year we coined the phrase "Books to ROO" (Read On your Own) for books that looked great but didn't quite make the cut.  I have a few that I plan to ROO this year as well.

Columbine by Dave Cullen- Unbroken beat out this one, but I'm interested in reading it anyway.  I was 16 when Columbine happened and I think it would be fascinating to read about it now, as an adult.

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes- This one was deemed a little too long for our monthly gatherings but it generated a lot of excitement when it was suggested.

The Dinner by Herman Koch- I wanted to read this one because I love books that give you different perspectives on the same event.  I always think it's so fascinating how two or more people can see the same thing completely differently, in this case a dinner party.


So there you have it.  This is what I'm reading this year (among other things).  What are you excited to read in 2015?