On Parks, Nature and Children

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Participants to NRPA's National Summit on Environmental Stewardship came expecting a knock-out keynote address from Richard Louv, author of the critically acclaimed Last Child in the Woods, which chronicles children's lack of connection from nature and the outdoors.

They weren't disappointed.

For 30 minutes, Louv kept delegates' attention, taking on issues including suburban development that removes natural play from children's lifestyles, physical education disappearing from local schools, and parents' fear of releasing their children into the "unknown world."

"Parks need to be seen as preventative medicine," said Louv, who also stressed that we, as adults and parents, "need to enjoy the outdoors with our kids."

Also needed, stressed Louv, is greater support to organizations (such as parks) that help parents and kids "feel safe outdoors."


About his most recent book:
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Who is Richard Louv?

Richard Louv is a journalist and author of eight books about the connections between family, nature and community. His newest book is The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin), which offers a new vision of the future, in which our lives are as immersed in nature as they are in technology. This future, available to all of us right now, offers better psychological, physical and spiritual health for people of every age.

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin), translated into 10 languages and published in 15 countries, has stimulated an international conversation about the relationship between children and nature. Louv is also the founding chairman of the Children & Nature Network at www.childrenandnature.org, an organization helping build the movement to connect today's children and future generations to the natural world. Louv coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder™ which has become the defining phrase of this important issue.

In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal, presented by the National Audubon Society. Prior recipients have included Rachel Carson, E. O. Wilson and President Jimmy Carter. Louv is also the recipient of the Cox Award for 2007, Clemson University's highest honor, for "sustained achievement in public service" and has been a Clemson visiting professor. Among other awards, Louv is the recipient of the 2008 San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal, the 2008 George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society, and the 2009 International Making Cities Livable Jane Jacobs Award. He also serves as Honorary Co-chairman, with artist Robert Bateman, of Canada's national Children and Nature Alliance.

Louv has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times of London, and other major publications. He has appeared on many national TV shows, including NBC's Today Show and Nightly News, CBS Evening News, ABC's Good Morning America, and NPR's Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and Talk of the Nation. Between 1984 and 2007 he was a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune and has been a columnist and member of the editorial advisory board for Parents magazine. Louv was an advisor to the Ford Foundation's Leadership for a Changing World award program. He serves on the board of directors of ecoAmerica and is a member of the Citistates Group. He has appeared before the Domestic Policy Council in the White House as well as at major governmental and professional conferences, nationally and internationally, most recently as keynote speaker at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference. For more information, visit www.RichardLouv.com.

He is married to Kathy Frederick Louv and the father of two young men, Jason, 29 and Matthew, 23. He would rather fish than write.

January book: Last Child in the Woods

From http://richardlouv.com/books/last-child/

In this influential work about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today's wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.

Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions and simple ways to heal the broken bond—and many are right in our own backyard.

This new edition reflects the enormous changes that have taken place since the book was originally published. It includes:

• 100 actions you can take to create change in your community, school, and family.
• 35 discussion points to inspire people of all ages to talk about the importance of nature in their lives.
• A new progress report by the author about the growing Leave No Child Inside movement.
• New and updated research confirming that direct exposure to nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder has spurred a national dialogue among educators, health professionals, parents, developers and conservationists. This is a book that will change the way you think about your future and the future of your children.

About Kate Morton

Although she'd read and scribbled from before she could remember, it hadn't occurred to Kate, until that time, that real books were written by real people. She began writing in earnest and completed two full length manuscripts (which lie deep and determinedly within a bottom drawer) before settling finally into the story that would become The Shifting Fog (The House at Riverton).

Meanwhile, Kate graduated from the University of Queensland with First Class Honours in English Literature and took up a scholarship to complete a Masters degree focusing on tragedy in Victorian literature. Kate is currently enrolled in a PhD program researching contemporary novels that marry elements of gothic and mystery fiction.

Kate Morton's books are published in 38 countries. The House at Riverton was a Sunday Times #1 bestseller in the UK in 2007 and a New York Times bestseller in 2008. The Shifting Fog won General Fiction Book of the Year at the 2007 Australian Book Industry Awards, and The House at Riverton was nominated for Most Popular Book at the British Book Awards in 2008. 

Her second book, The Forgotten Garden, was a #1 bestseller in Australia and Spain, and a Sunday Times #1 bestseller in the UK in 2008. It won General Fiction Book of the Year at the 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards and was an Amazon Best of the Month pick and a New York Times bestseller in 2009. The Distant Hours was an international bestseller in 2010 and won General Fiction Book of the Year at the 2011 ABIAs. Kate continues to write the sorts of books she can disappear inside.

Author's Web site:
http://www.katemorton.com/

Page on The House at Riverton/The Shifting Fog on author's web site:
http://www.katemorton.com/the-shifting-foghouse-at-river/

Meet Author Kate Morton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QG8cFdWx_A

Kate Morton talks about her first book, "The House at Riverton," and reveals behind-the-scene stories.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=H9yvw-aVVrA

Kate Morton on writing

The House at Riverton discussion questions

Here are some discussion questions for our December meeting.


1. Do you think of The House at Riverton as a tragic novel? How are the characters' tragic outcomes caused by the incompatibility of what they want and who they are?
2. How important to the novel's outcome is Grace's longing for a sister? When Grace finds out about her true parentage, why does she choose not to tell Hannah? Is it the right decision? Would things have ended differently had she done otherwise?
3. Kate Morton has said that the novel's setting is as important to her as its characters, that Riverton Manor is as much a character of the book as its inhabitants. Do you agree? Does Riverton mirror the fates of the Hartford family and the aristocracy in general? If so, in what ways?
4. The First World War was a catalyst for enormous social and cultural change. Not a character in The House at Riverton is left untouched by this. Whose life is most altered? Why?
5. Is there a heroine inThe House at Riverton? If so, who is it and why?
6. Grace and Robbie are both illegitimate children of upper-class parents; however, their lives and opportunities are vastly different. Why?
7. Duty is very important to the youthful Grace. Did Grace's sense of duty contribute to the novel's conclusion? If so, how? Would things have turned out better for the characters if Grace had made different decisions?
8. One of the main themes of The House at Riverton is the haunting of the present by the past. In what ways does the novel suggest that the past can never be escaped? Do you agree that our pasts are inescapable?
9. Grace has resisted ever telling anyone about the events at Riverton. Why? What makes her change her mind? Is Grace a reliable narrator?Given her motive for recording her memories, can we trust her?
10. The twentieth century was a period of great and accelerated social change. In particular, the historical years that make up the bulk of Grace's memories comprised a time of enormous transition. In what ways does Grace's life exemplify these social changes?
11. Despite their differences, how might Grace and Hannah be seen as "doubles"? How does Grace's relationship with Alfred mirror Hannah's relationship with Robbie?
12. Another theme in The House at Riverton is that of inheritance — the way we are bound to our families through various items that are passed between the generations. Along with material inheritances, we are also subject to physical, social and psychological legacies. These inheritances are important in making us who we are, and are not easily escaped. In what way is this notion explored in The House at Riverton? How do these various types of inheritance influence the lives of Hannah, Frederick, Teddy, Robbie, Grace, Jemima and Simion?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

November 2011 meeting

We had a blast at our November meeting! Lots of laughs!! Glad Janis could join us and hope to see Cass and Saki next month!! Amy made us her delicious Chicken and green bean Mexican soup.

We also talked about other tips for eating well. Get a CSA (I ate so many vegetables this summer!). Throw flax seed into everything (smoothies, meatloaf, etc.). Buy veggies in bulk and then set aside a day a week or every other week to chop and throw stuff into easy to heat containers that are labeled with cooking directions; then even if the hubby is home first he can throw it in the oven. Janis, what was the supplement you recommend that you throw in smoothies?

We talked about how to do it on a budget. If you have tips, send those out too! Some of the group buys industrial organic stuff at Costco -- which has added ALOT the last few years and sells it at a reasonable rate. I forgot to mention a great buyer's co-op I am part of, AzureStandard.com. I like to get bulk things like rice, crackers, oatmeal, soup, spices, tea, etc. there. They sell perishables there too, but I've never gotten them. The prices are much cheaper than at the natural foods coops because you cut out the middle man. They deliver once a month to various locations, one of which is the Cambridge First Baptist parking lot (so my parents pick stuff up for me :). I haven't found a place yet in Minneapolis :( But for a site all you need is total sales of $500 a month... If we pulled enough people together...

We also talked about the hidden costs of food, and how we vote with our dollar. We tell corporations and our government what is important to us based on where we spend our money. Something for us all to think about...

If anyone has a wonderful recipe, please email it out! I think we're all always looking for healthy meals (well, maybe not Grace :).

We've also decided that it would be great to visit Anderson's Farm in Arkansaw, Wis. (Amy and Janis might do it as a homeschool trip in the spring.) Apparently, their practices are modeled off of those of Polyface Farms, which is featured in Omnivore's Dilemma. Their stuff is free-range and grass-fed, and very sustainable. We all like the sound of that! Their prices are reasonable for organic pork, chicken and beef, and they do deliver to a few sites in the Twin Cities area each month.

WINE
Elizabeth brought a bunch of wine left over from our Organic Meal at her place. Among them were two from her family's vineyard bottled by Northern Vineyards: Edelweiss and Prairie Rose. She also brought a chardonnay from Organic Vintners of Boulder, Co., and Our Daily Red's 2010 California Table Wine.

Next year we are all going to pick grapes at her family's vineyard!

BOOKS

For December, we are reading The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. We will meet on our regular day, which falls on Dec. 21. There are a bunch of us with December b-days, so we'll have an extra little celebration! (Becky Dec. 18, Elizabeth Dec. 20 and me December 23).

We decided to push Javascotia by Benjamin Obler to February. He'll be attending our February meeting.

We haven't yet decided what to read for January.

Omnivore's Dilemma (Pollan) - Discussion Questions

1. Michael Pollan approaches eating as an activity filled with ethical issues. Do you agree that the act of eating is as morally weighty as he says it is? What questions concern you most about the way you eat or the way your food is created?

2. Some readers might argue that Pollan’s ethics do not go far enough, perhaps because he does not urge us all to become vegetarians or possibly because of the zeal with which he pursues the feral pig that he kills toward the end of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Did you find yourself quarreling with any of Pollan’s ethical positions, and why?

3. Pollan argues that capitalism is a poor economic model to apply to the problems of food production and consumption. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

4. Pollan also shows a number of instances in which government policies have apparently worsened the crisis in our food culture. What do you think should be the proper role of government in deciding how we grow, process, and eat our food?

5. How has Michael Pollan changed the way you think about food?

6. At the end of In Defense of Food, Pollan offers a series of recommendations for improved eating. Which, if any, do you intend to adopt in your own life?

7. Which of Pollan’s recommendations would you be least likely to accept, and why?

8. Do you think that the way Americans eat reveals anything about our national character and broader shared values? How is Pollan’s writing a statement not only about American eating, but about American culture and life?

9. In both The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, Pollan quotes the words of Wendell Berry: “Eating is an agricultural act.” What does Berry mean by this, and why is his message so important to Pollan’s writing?

10. In each part of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan has a particular friend to help him understand the food chain he is investigating: George Naylor in Iowa, Joel Salatin at Polyface, and Angelo Garro in northern California. Which of these men would you most like to know personally, and why?

11. What, in the course of his writing, does Michael Pollan reveal about his own personality? What do you like about him? What, if anything, rubs you the wrong way?

12. If Michael Pollan were coming to your place for dinner, what would you serve him and why? [Or would you finally come to your senses...and cancel? —ed., LitLovers]

(Questions issued by publisher.)
http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/14-non-fiction/697-omnivores-dilemma-pollan?start=3

More on Michael Pollan

Author Bio
• Birth—February 6, 1955
• Where—Raised in Long Island, New York, USA
• Education—N/A
• Awards—California Book Award; James Beard Award, 2000
  and 2006; Reuters-IUCN Global Award-Environmental
  Journalism.
• Currently—lives in Berkeley, California

Few writers have done more to revitalize our national conversation about food and eating than Michael Pollan, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author whose witty, offbeat nonfiction shines an illuminating spotlight on various aspects of agriculture, the food chain, and man's place in the natural world

Pollan's first book, Second Nature: A Gardener's Education (1991), was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 75 best books ever written about gardening. But it was Botany of Desire, published a full decade later, that put him on the map. A fascinating look at the interconnected evolution of plants and people, Botany... was one of the surprise bestsellers of 2001. Five years later, Pollan produced The Omnivore's Dilemma, a delightful, compulsively readable "ecology of eating" that was named one the ten best books of the year by the New York Times and Washington Post. And in 2008, came In Defense of Food.

A professor of journalism at the University of California at Berkeley, Pollan is a former executive editor for Harper's and a contributing writer for the New York Times, where he continues to examine the fascinating intersections between science and culture. (From the publisher.)

http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/14-non-fiction/697-omnivores-dilemma-pollan?start=1

December and February books...

DECEMBER BOOK

Grace has picked The House at Riverton by Kate Morton for our reading pleasure. I picked mine up on Amazon for just 1¢.

The House at Riverton is a gorgeous debut novel set in England between the wars. It is the story of an aristocratic family, a house, a mysterious death and a way of life that vanished forever, told in flashback by a woman who witnessed it all and kept a secret for decades. Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline.

In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hannah and Emmeline and only they -- and Grace -- know the truth.

In 1999, when Grace is ninety-eight years old and living out her last days in a nursing home, she is visited by a young director who is making a film about the events of that summer. She takes Grace back to Riverton House and reawakens her memories. Told in flashback, this is the story of Grace's youth during the last days of Edwardian aristocratic privilege shattered by war, of the vibrant twenties and the changes she witnessed as an entire way of life vanished forever.

FEBRUARY BOOK

Janis has selected Javascotia for us to read. It is written by Minnesota author Benjamin Obler, a friend of hers who may attend our January meeting. Wouldn’t THAT be cool?

Review by ROGER COX

Obler must surely be a caffeine fiend like his hero, because his descriptions of the various incarnations of this beverage available in the UK before the advent of Starbucks are by far the best thing about this book. It seems hard to believe now, but in the mid-1990s nobody in this country had even heard of a skinny macchiato, so for the most part, British coffee is a big disappointment to Mel, either tasting like a combination of "spraypaint and tree bark" or coming in the form of liquid with a "coppery tinge" that "swishes limpidly like seawater" around his cup. From time to time, Mel stumbles across a coffee that could conceivably pose a threat to his client's all-conquering product - one, say, with a "stout aroma, thick consistency and full flavour, with hints of berry and a subtle tannic aftertaste like red wine". But these occasions are few and far between. The only way Mel can be certain of getting a decent cuppa is by making it himself, and while he is waiting for his own super-strong concoctions to brew, he talks in reverential tones about the "accumulation of the holy black syrup".

Mel's tranquil routine of trawling coffee shops and filing reports detailing their myriad failings is suddenly blown to smithereens when he becomes embroiled in the (real life, and failed) campaign to save Pollock Park from the M77, falling in love with Nicole and locking horns with her firebrand, eco-warrior boyfriend Ruaridh in the process. After snapping a picture of Tory MP "John Douglas" brandishing a pickaxe at protesters - a thinly veiled reference to real events concerning Eastwood MP Allan Stewart, who was forced to resign his ministerial post after just such an incident in 1995 - Mel and Nicole escape to the Highlands, where Mel finally feels able to tell her the improbable truth about his past life with Margaret.

Here, in this story within a story, Javascotia takes a turn for the serious, but it's all the better for it - by turns tragic, darkly comic, wise and true. And better yet, because Obler is writing about America, the twee "don't the Scotch say the funniest things?" moments dry up completely. It's a blessed relief.

Our own Omnivore's Dilemma

We had a fantastic meal and nice evening out at Elizabeth's on Nov. 8. She went to a lot of effort to prepare a delicious meal for us, cooking two chickens, stuffing, salad, potatoes and corn bread (without baking soda because we were doing this all natural and organic!!).

Building off the "Omnivore's Dilemma" (our book pick for November), Elizabeth bought a large-scale organic chicken from Costco and another from Anderson Farm in Arkansaw, Wis. The large-scale organic chicken was raised mostly in a shed, while the one from the Anderson Farm is free-range. What a difference in the meat! The large-scale one was whiter and plainer, while the Anderson Farm one was a richer meat. I think we're all going to be looking into the grass-fed beef, Berkshire pastured pork and pastured chicken from Anderson Farm. andersonfarm.us or 888-700-FARM

THANKS SO MUCH ELIZABETH FOR THE AMAZING MEAL!!

The two chickens. See the color difference? The one from Anderson Farm was more moist and flavorful.

Amy, Jenni and Elizabeth enjoying dinner. (Jenni hasn't been able to make it to book club because of her work schedule, but we were happy she could come to dinner in Isanti!)

Fun outing planned

Ok, so we've decided not to go to the Delano winery this fall. Instead, we're heading over to Elizabeth's house on Saturday, Nov. 5 for an organic Thanksgiving-style meal with organic wine. YUM!

We'll still be meeting Wednesday, Nov. 16 for our regular club meeting to discuss The Omnivore's Dilemma, but the meal at Elizabeth's house will be a nice example of what Michael Pollan is talking about in that book. No need to read the book early though.

We'll be carpooling up. Email me for details.

Michael Pollan on the Daily Show

Here is a link to a video of Michael Pollan on the Daily Show.

Click here.

The Daily Show, January 4, 2010

Michael Pollan wants Americans to recognize that cheap food comes with a high cost to their health and the environment.

November's Book

Elizabeth picked our November book:

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan

ABOUT THE BOOK

A NATURAL HISTORY OF FOUR MEALS

What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire, how we answer it today, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, may well determine our very survival as a species. Should we eat a fast-food hamburger? Something organic? Or perhaps something we hunt, gather, or grow ourselves? The omnivore’s dilemma has returned with a vengeance, as the cornucopia of the modern American supermarket and fast-food outlet confronts us with a bewildering and treacherous food landscape. What’s at stake in our eating choices is not only our own and our children’s health, but the health of the environment that sustains life on earth.

In this groundbreaking book, one of America’s most fascinating, original, and elegant writers turns his own omnivorous mind to the seemingly straightforward question of what we should have for dinner. To find out, Pollan follows each of the food chains that sustain us—industrial food, organic or alternative food, and food we forage ourselves—from the source to a final meal, and in the process develops a definitive account of the American way of eating. His absorbing narrative takes us from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots and fast-food restaurants to organic farms and hunting grounds, always emphasizing our dynamic coevolutionary relationship with the handful of plant and animal species we depend on. Each time Pollan sits down to a meal, he deploys his unique blend of personal and investigative journalism to trace the origins of everything consumed, revealing what we unwittingly ingest and explaining how our taste for particular foods and flavors reflects our evolutionary inheritance.

The surprising answers Pollan offers to the simple question posed by this book have profound political, economic, psychological, and even moral implications for all of us. Beautifully written and thrillingly argued, The Omnivore’s Dilemma promises to change the way we think about the politics and pleasure of eating. For anyone who reads it, dinner will never again look, or taste, quite the same.

October's Wine

Cindy brought cheesecake to compliment her wine choice for October: Raspberry Infusion by St. Croix Vineyards. I LOVE THIS WINE! It's been one of my favorites since I first tried it years ago on the Three Rivers Wine Tour. Yum.

For more on this local winery, go to: http://www.scvwines.com

We also had:
The Naked Grape, Cabernet Sauvignon - Becky's pick

Questions for discussion on Mary Karr

Questions for Discussion
1. The first sentence of Lit is "Any way I tell this story is a lie." What does Mary mean by this? Is she a reliable storyteller? Is there a story in your family famous for its different versions? Is there a story you can't tell without "feeling" like it's partially untrue?
2. Mary refers to her mother as "a shadow stitched" to her feet, and to herself and her mother as "dovetailing drunks" and as facing off "like a pair of mirrors". What does this say about Mary's relationship with her mother? Do all women feel this way about their moms? At what age is it most painful? At what age—if any—does it end?
3. Mary writes, "I sense the oppressive weight of my old self inside me pressing to run wild again. My old mother I'm trying to keep in." Have you ever found yourself wincing at how you resemble your mother?
4. How is Mary's trip to college with Mother the "hairpin", as she describes it, in her early life? This trip marks her introduction to real drinking, but it's also the point at which Mary would "start furnishing [Mother] with reading instead of the other way around." What does Mary mean by this, and what's the significance of this transition? Was there an "official" transition to adulthood in your life? Was it marked by college, marriage, parenthood, career success, or something else?
5. "Words shape our realities," Mary concludes when she registers the meaning of the Ernst Cassirer quote: "The same function which the image of God performs, the same tendency to permanent existence, may be ascribed to the uttered sound of language". How does this realization frame Mary's determination to become a poet? At what times do religion and poetry seem to do the same things for her?
6. Mary calls poetry "one of the sole spiritual acts in our mostly godless household" and poets "the gods I worshipped all my life" Has literature ever substituted for spirituality with you? In what ways has it done so?
7. Mary describes Daddy as a silent fixture of her adolescence. How does her father's silence emerge, later, as a threatening force? How does her father's silence compare to the silence of the Whitbread's, and to Warren's characteristic reserve? If Mary understood early on that "words would define me, govern and determine me", then in what way is "wordlessness" her enemy?
8. Why does Mary call her time in recovery a "nervous breakthrough"? Have the darker times in your own life preceded or manifested similar changes or moments of clarity?
9. Mary has "mysterious blanks" in her memory of fights with Warren. What are the glaring blanks in your own memory? Do you think these are genuine blanks of memories or memories that you have chosen to block out?
10. In what ways does Mary's son Dev save her? If she had lost custody of him in a divorce, would she still have gotten sober? How have your children made you better, at time, or ground you to a nub in others?

About the Author
Mary Karr is an award-winning poet and best-selling memoirist. She is the author of Lit, the long-awaited sequel to her critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling memoirs The Liars' Club and Cherry. A born raconteur, she brings to her lectures and talks the same wit, irreverence, joy, and sorrow found in her poetry and prose. A sought-after speaker, Karr has given distinguished talks at prestigious universities, libraries, and writers' festivals, including Harvard University, Oxford University, Princeton University, Brown University, Syracuse University ("On Salmon Rushdie" with Salmon Rushdie), the New York Public Library, the Los Angeles Public Library, the Folger Library (Poetry Society of America/Emily Dickinson Lecture), The New Yorker Literary Festival, PEN/Faulkner, and the Festival of Faith and Writing. Karr welcomes conversation with her audience and she is known for her spirited, lively, and engaging Q&A sessions.

From http://harpercollins.com/author/microsite/readingguide.aspx?authorID=27468&isbn13=9780060596996&displayType=readingGuide 

About Mary Karr

Mary Karr (born January 16, 1955 in Groves, Texas) is an American poet, essayist and memoirist. She rose to fame in 1995 with the publication of her bestselling memoir The Liars' Club. She is the Peck Professor of English Literature at Syracuse University.

Her memoir The Liars' Club, published in 1995, was a New York Times bestseller for over a year, and was named one of the year's best books. It delves vividly and often humorously into her deeply troubled childhood, most of which was spent in a gritty industrial section of Southeast Texas in the 1960s. She was encouraged to write her personal history by her friend Tobias Wolff, but has said she only took up the project when her marriage fell apart.

She followed the book with another memoir, Cherry (2000), about her late adolescence and early womanhood.

A third memoir, Lit: A Memoir, which she says details "my journey from blackbelt sinner and lifelong agnostic to unlikely Catholic,"[3] came out in November 2009. She writes about her time as an alcoholic and the salvation she found in her conversion to Catholicism.


PERSONAL LIFE

Karr was born January 16, 1955, in Groves, a small town in South East Texas located in the Port Arthur region, known for its oil refineries and chemical plants, to J. P. and Charlie Marie (Moore) Karr. In her memoirs, Karr calls the town "Leechfield." Karr's father worked in an oil refinery while her mother was an amateur artist and business owner. Karr's sister, two years her elder, is a key figure in her memoirs. Karr developed an early interest in literature; she told a Publishers Weekly interviewer that, at the age of eleven, she wrote in a notebook that her ambition was “to write poetry and autobiography.” Upon graduation from Port Neches-Groves High School, she traveled with a group of friends to Los Angeles, where she immersed herself in the lifestyle of the California hippie and surfer counter-cultures. Later that year, she enrolled in Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, but left school after two years to travel. Her political involvement in the anti-apartheid movement led her to meet African American poet Etheridge Knight who became an important influence on the development of her poetry. Karr eventually entered graduate school to study creative writing, and earned an M.F.A. from Goddard College in 1979. Among her mentors at Goddard was Tobias Wolff, whose memoir This Boy's Life served as a major influence on Karr's own writing. She also studied with noted poets Robert Bly and Robert Hass. Her first publication was a poem that appeared in Mother Jones magazine. Karr moved to Boston in 1980, where she held various jobs in the computer and telecommunications industries while continuing to write and publish poetry. In 1983 she married poet Michael Milburn, with whom she had a son, but the couple divorced in 1991. In the 90s, Karr dated David Foster Wallace. Karr has worked as an assistant professor at several colleges and universities, including Tufts University, Emerson College, Harvard University, and Sarah Lawrence College. She currently teaches in the department of English at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. She has been featured on NPR radio and CSPAN's Book TV.

AWARDS
2004 Guggenheim Fellowship
Pushcart Prize
PEN/Martha Albrand Award
Bunting Fellowship (Radcliffe College)
The Whiting Writer's Award
National Endowment for the Arts grant

VIDEO Mary on Mary

October's book pic

Becky has chosen "Lit" by Mary Karr for our October 2011 book. It's a book she thought was phenomenally well-written with a griping story. One of the best books she's ever read. Now that's a recommendation!

 

Here's a bit about it from www.npr.org (You can also listen to her speak about the book at this web site):

When it comes to writing about the pain of growing up, author Mary Karr isn't one to hold back. Her new memoir, Lit, describes Karr's early years as a writer, wife and mother, years that were marked by drug use, drinking and the dissolution of her marriage.

Burrowing into painful family stories has long been a Karr trademark. Her first book, The Liar's Club, focused on her volatile relationship with her mother, who had a psychotic break while Karr was a child. Her followup, Cherry, mapped the author's rebellion and coming of age.

Karr's new book, which follows Cherry by nine years, recounts her own descent into alcohol abuse through more family trauma and eventually her unlikely — as she describes it — conversion to Catholicism. Along the way, she grapples with her place in a lineage that she sometimes feels was preordained for disaster.

September's wine

- Clean Slate, 2010 Riesling, Grace's pick
- Kiyapura, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Elizabeth's pick

Plus we polished off the bottles from our August meeting.

And everyone tried MooJoos, a great beer with coffee and dark chocolate overtones.

I think everyone loved the Clean Slate Riesling, for sure.

Special Night Out in the works

Elizabeth and I are ready to go out and hit up some wineries. Woodland Hills Winery in Delano sounds like a great place to visit. It has just been named Minnesota's Best Winery.

Listen to this (http://woodlandhillwinery.com/winery/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=27&Itemid=2):


On a scenic, winding country road on the outskirts of Delano sits one of Minnesota's newer and most beautiful wineries. After planting in 2005, making a commitment to the land (to use no herbicides and only natural compounds and fertilizers), and first harvesting in fall 2007 -- owners Katie and Mike Dickerman have been reaping accolades ever since.
No wonder. The setting is picturesque (pretty buildings surrounded by pine and oak trees and well-tended flower gardens); the wines are top-notch (winning eight medals at the 2010 International Cold Climate Wine Competition); the tasting room/boutique a delightful place to spend time; and the winery calendar is filled with fun activities all year, from sleigh rides and teas to Girls Nights Out, art fairs, German festivals and holiday dinners.


In season, there's live music on the covered patio, winery tours, wine tastings and more. The gorgeous setting is also making Woodland Hill a new favorite option for weddings and events.


We are thinking about doing this event:

Ladies Night Out
Holiday Boutique
November 5^th 4:30-9:00
$15.00 per Person

Glass of Wine, live music,
Appetizers & Desserts
Ladies bring your friends to the winery and enjoy a memorable evening of wine, music, shopping and loads of fun. If you haven't been to a Ladies night out you will want to make sure to experience this event.

Call for Reservations
763-972-4000

September 2011 Book Pick

by Tesha

Amy has picked Dan Buettner's "Blue Zones" for our September 2011 read. This was a last-minute deviation from her intended book choice which would have educated us all on Mexican immigration issues. She promises that next time she picks a book it will be that one.

I just might read his sequel, "Thrive" as I've already read "Blue Zones."

ABOUT BLUE ZONES

With the right lifestyle, experts say, chances are that you may live up to a decade longer. What’s the prescription for success? National Geographic Explorer Dan Buettner has traveled the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity found in the Blue Zones: places in the world where higher percentages of people enjoy remarkably long, full lives. In this dynamic book he discloses the recipe, blending this unique lifestyle formula with the latest scientific findings to inspire easy, lasting change that may add years to your life.

You’ll meet a 94-year-old farmer and self-confessed “ladies man” in Costa Rica, a 102-year-old grandmother in Okinawa a 102-year-old Sardinian who hikes at least six miles a day, and others. By observing their lifestyles, Buettner’s team has identified critical everyday choices.

Author Dan Buettner with Oprah.  Buettner lives in Minneapolis. Wonder if he'd come to book club?

Find out more about Buettner's Blue Zones by going to the web site: http://www.bluezones.com/

Take the True Happiness Test here: http://apps.bluezones.com/happiness/

9 Secrets for Living Longer: http://www.bluezones.com/live-longer/

Wine from August meeting

We had quite a variety of wine at the August meeting, including my sangria. In retrospect, we were heavy on the Merlot!

• Door County Blackberry American Merlot

Amy's contribution

• Pavao Branco-White wine, Portugal

Grace's contribution

• Abby Road, 2009 Washington State Merlot

Sweet cherry aromas continue on the palate marrying with the flavors of blackberry and blueberry with a touch of cedar. A smooth tannin structure rounded out with lingering notes of berry on the finish.

• Hyatt Vineyards 2006 Merlot

Bright and generous flavors of raspberry and black cherry with tannins turning dry on the finish.

• Menage a Trois California Red Wine, 2009

Becky's contribution in July. I finished it up in the sangria.

A delightful blend of three varietals: zinfandel, merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

What did you gals think?

Our July meeting

We had a great time at our last book club meeting discussing what we liked and disliked about "The Latehomecomer" by Kao Kalia Yang. 

WINE

We tried three different kinds of wine: California Red by Meange A Trois, Sunset Blush by Door Country Peninsula Winery, and Purple Moon (a steal for only $4 at Trader Joes!). 

AUGUST

Our August meeting is set for Wednesday, Aug. 17, 5-8 p.m., at my place. If you're a bit late, we understand :) Remember to bring a bottle of wine to share.

The book of the month is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. It's Cindy's pick. Amy will be picking our September book.

GOODREADS

I want to remind any of you on Goodreads that I've set up a group for us. Especially if you can't make it to a club meeting, I hope you write a review of the book and post it on Goodreads so we can "discuss" it with you! 

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/50304.Standish_Book_Wine_Club

Following our start-up meeting...

Hey all!

We had a great first meeting of our book club. I cooked too much and then Grace brought chocolate! We tasted Mead from Wine Haven and Cabernet Sauvignon from Gnarly Head this last month. They were both delicious!!!

Cindy recommended that folks read two of her favorite books: "The Winds of War" by Herman Wok and "Last Seen Wearing" by Colin Dexter. I praised "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons", a book about a book club written by Lorna Landvik. And Amy suggested "The Spirit Catches You When You Fall Down," another great book about the Hmong culture.

We'll be rotating who picks the book. I picked for July. The book is "The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir" by Kao Kalia Yang. Amy is going to be ordering a few used copies from Borders (they are about $3). Let her know right away if you'd like her to order a copy for you. I picked this book because it received much acclaim when it came out a few years ago and I've been wanting to read it ever since. The Hmongs are such a big culture group in Minnesota and I'd like to learn more about them. There was another woman in my last master's class who was Hmong but had been born and raised in Minnesota. She shared some of the struggles she's had as a Hmong-American, including how odd it is to speak Hmong at home and English every where else. Plus, she didn't learn anything about her own culture, people or language in Minnesota schools. That is also something Yang discusses -- and the Hmongs fought on the side of America in Vietnam. I'm really exciting to be reading this book with the rest of you.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Yang, cofounder of the immigrant-services company Words Wanted, was born in a Hmong refugee camp in Thailand in 1980. Her grandmother had wanted to stay in the camp, to make it easier for her spirit to find its way back to her birthplace when she died, but people knew it would soon be liquidated. America looked promising, so Yang and her family, along with scores of other Hmong, left the jungles of Thailand to fly to California, then settle in St. Paul, Minn. In many ways, these hardworking refugees followed the classic immigrant arc, with the adults working double jobs so the children could get an education and be a credit to the community. But the Hmong immigrants were also unique—coming from a non-Christian, rain forest culture, with no homeland to imagine returning to, with hardly anyone in America knowing anything about them. As Yang wryly notes, they studied the Vietnam War at school, without their lessons ever mentioning that the Hmong had been fighting for the Americans. Yang tells her family's story with grace; she narrates their struggles, beautifully weaving in Hmong folklore and culture. By the end of this moving, unforgettable book, when Yang describes the death of her beloved grandmother, readers will delight at how intimately they have become part of this formerly strange culture. (Apr.) 

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SCHEDULE

July: Tesha - The Latehomecomer

August: Cindy

September: Amy

October: Becky G.

November: Grace

December: Elizabeth

We'll be announcing the next month's book at each month's meeting.

Our next meeting will be the Third Wednesday of July, the 20th, again at my place from 5-8. I make dinner so come hungry! Bring a bottle of wine and a treat if you want to. 

WINE TOUR

We're going to need to reschedule the wine tour of local wineries. Please email me and let me know which dates work for you:

• Saturday, July 30

• Sunday, July 31

• Saturday, Aug. 6

• Sunday, Aug. 7

• Saturday, Aug. 20

• Sunday, Aug. 21

I'm so excited about our new little group, and hope to see those that couldn't make it last night at our next meeting!