Book Club Women's



Activity Leader: Jeanne MacEachern

                                                               

This month we have a review from Karen Boujoukos regarding an historical fiction novel recently read by her book group.  The group members are - Linda Barnes, Donna Bender, Lisa Hegel, Phyllis Koppel, Charlene Pilon, Cindi Kreisher, Nancy Messing, Marsha Ostrer and Josie Soucy.

We start nearly all of our book conversations with each member rating the current month’s read on a 1-5  scale (5 being the highest rating we can give it).  Until this past month, we had never had a book that ranked multiple 5 ratings let alone all voters giving it the highest rating, but last month’s book received the highest rating from each of the 5 members who were together for the discussion.  And that was in spite of the fact that several members have, on more than one occasion, shared their disinterest in reading any more books in the “WWII genre”, which this mostly highly ranked book is.   Curious yet to know what book was so thoroughly enjoyed and ranked so highly by all in on our discussion?  

The book is The Huntress, by Kate Quinn.   The book chronicles three separate but increasingly intertwined stories and primarily takes place in the years shortly after WWII.  One story involves a British journalist, an American ex-soldier and a Russian woman searching for Nazis who escaped punishment in the chaos and confusion that followed Germany’s loss and the race between the Americans and Russians to occupy as much territory as possible; another is the back story of that same Russian woman who was a pilot, one of the many known as the Night witches and feared by German troops during the war and the third, an American teenager who aspires to be a photojournalist and is suspicious of the Austrian woman who becomes her father’s fiancee and then wife.   The Huntress is (or becomes) a person of interest to all of them as the former mistress of a Nazi SS officer with a cruel history of her own.  

The four main characters are interesting, sympathetic and likable and I really wanted to know how things turned out for each of them.  The entire book is loosely based on the exploits of a real Nazi Hunter and the Huntress is a composite figure of a couple of German women active as Nazis or Nazi supporters.  Its a historical novel that is good as any I’ve read and I’ve read lots of historical novels.  I, and I think it’s very safe to say, the other members of my book discussion group all highly recommend this book.   

Thanks for sharing Karen!

Also from book group leader, Sherry Hersh, who's groups' name is: "Babes in Bookland" (great name ladies!)

-  their December book was Chances Are by Richard Russo

- for January it was Circe by Madeline Miller

and for February - American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

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As for the group that I'm in, headed by Ellen Andrews, we've read American DirtUnorthodox by Deborah Feldman in the past several months.  For February we're reading Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb....reviews to come next month.

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Finally, we have several new Chatham Harwich Newcomer Club members who have indicated they'd like to be part of a women's book group... I'll be reaching out to them to find out their preferences for days and times to meet.  If you meet someone who'd like to be part of a book group please reach out and let me know.  Thanks!

Stay safe and warm - Happy Reading!


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Joanne Henry hosted a recent meeting with her book group, Babes in Bookland.  Note the tablecloth highlighting the very popular book, Lessons in Chemistry. 

What a fun way to celebrate a book!  


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