The Vegetarian Book Club

Skinny B*$@!

2009-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

Skinny B*$@!

Written By. Freedman & Barnouin

Although it is hard to swallow...

these ladies seem to have some great advice about diet and exercise.

It is so important to take care of our bodies and what better way than to make good, informed decisions about what kind of "crap" we put in it. These girls bash fad diets and inform readers about healthy food, drink and snack choices.

Diet & excercise are the keys to success...though I can't argue against a large fry or delicious chocolate brownie from time to time.

The House on Sugar Beach

2009-01-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

The House on Sugar Beach

Written By. Helene Copper

Helene Cooper, a descendent of two Liberian dynasties, shares with her readers the experiences she's had growing up as a privileged "Congo" girl and her time at Sugar Beach, Liberia. On Sugar Beach, Helene's family owned a twenty-two room estate of the coast of West Africa. Never would Helene have imaged that her youth, full of trips to Europe, flashy clothes, crushes, adventure, and wealth, would be destroyed instantly when civil war breaks among the Liberian people.

At the age of 8, Helene's family take in a foster child, a native Liberian. Eunice is to become Helene's playmate and sister. Eunice's mother is happy to send her daughter to live with the Cooper's in hopes that she will have a better life and receive a first rate education. The two form and instant bond as they share secrets, play foot games, and help fight each others battles.

The war in Liberia was the cause of racial tension between the wealthy and privileged "Congo" people and native Liberians. The "Congo" race arrived in Liberia in the 1800's as freed black slaves of the United States. On April 20, 1980 a group of rebel soldiers staged a coup, which began with the Liberian president. The struggle only elevates as Helene's uncle is savagely executed before the public and Helene's mother is raped in an attempt to save the innocence of her daughters. The Cooper family is forced to flee Liberian, leaving behind Helene's childhood and beloved sister, Eunice.

Helene shares her adventures and struggles in The United States; from entering a foreign country, high school, college, and achieving her dreams as a professional journalist for the New York Times.

I rented the audio version of this book from the public library which is narrated by Helene Cooper herself. Listening made long drives into town so enjoyable. It is neat hearing the author dramatize events from her past in her native Liberian english. This story is captivating! I laughed, cried, as Helene Cooper discover herself in this memoir.

Pick it up!

Twilight

2009-01-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

Twilight

By. Stephanie

They creep in the night, blood, guts, fangs, walking dead...Vampires!

I know, I know, I too am certainly surprise that I instantly became engrossed in a teenage romance novel about vampires. This story is unlike any vampire myth I have come across.

Quick synopsis: A romance between a young couple; the girl Bella and a Edward a teenage vampire. Twilight, book #1 in the series is a basic introduction to the new fantasy world Meyer creates full of emotion and creativity. Simply... how do a Vampire and a human relate?

Meyer's writing style is not one that I would usually enjoy, not intellectually written, rather more contemporary and common. I was surprised by the purity of the novel. No sex (until marriage) and strong values implied! But still vampires I know. I cannot believe how easily I was drawn in.

Twilight is addictive, captivating and imaginative!

Jailbird

2009-01-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

Jailbird

Written By. Kurt Vonnegut

For those of you who know me at all, you know that I really enjoy reading the works of Kurt Vonnegut. I by no means endorse his writings for these historical fictions are full of political satires, black humor, science fiction, and at times can be a bit crude.

Somehow Vonnegut Lures me in...

Time and time again I am amazed at his view on life. Not that I often find myself conforming to these views but rather how he makes me take a look at what is going on around me, in my world, its the irony of life!

Vonnegut's writings and artwork are full of underlying themes and reoccurring characters that seem to be a product of his own bizarre life; a mother who committed suicide at a young age, life as a prisoner of war in which he survived the bombing at Dresden, among other events that don't ever happen to the average Joe.

This year alone I have read about 10 of Vonneguts books and a few short stories, the most recent of these, Jailbird. Jailbird, drops a fictional character, Walter F. Starbuck into history; highlighting details of capitalism, U.S. labor unions, famous trials, and the Watergate scandal. This tale explores a crazy set of coincidences that surround the life of Walter and shape him into the man he has become. Another of Vonnegut's masterpieces in my opinion!

2008-09-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

sorry I missed a week!
I couldn't help it! I finished the book and it was so good. I don't have much time to write now, and I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but it was so compelling!

2008-09-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

I guess I am not as far in the book.....
I find myself reading and wanting to hurry and finish the book, but at times I find that I can only read so much...it is definitely not a feel good book. The sorrow and fear that you feel, I can't imagine whats going to happen...well I can...with what the title is. He has just lost one of his friends. The death of Saidu was sad. After being on the run and being so alone for the few days makes us all wonder at the amount of human interaction we need on a daily basis. Having to sleep up in trees and share watering holes with huge snakes is not my idea of fun. But when tested we do what we have to do to survive. But it does make you wonder if you could stand that test...are you strong enough to face those challenges...could I really survive in the forest? Could I run from the fear of the rebels and not get caught?

Why?

2008-09-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

What is it in the human brain and/or soul that might allow circumstances to dictate the direction of our lives as it did to Ishmael? Are we all victims of our circumstances? How do consciences become so seared? If homeless, hungry and without hope would we join in and ultimately become the monsters that we had originally hated? Would we become "one of them" not just for survival but actually enjoy the evil and cruelty that Ishmael describes in his writings. These questions haunt me as I think of all the "children soldiers" in the world today. Yes, today September 12, 2008 there are children without food, shelter and soon, if not to be already, without remorse. How can I just sit here and not do anything about it? What could I do to change the world? A point to ponder.

Can't put it down

2008-09-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

This book is really out of my box too. I almost feel a little guilty that I can't stop reading. Why is something so disturbing and violent also so compelling? It's not 'my' world. I think what I find really interesting now is the way the violence has 'become' him. Between the migraines and the automatic behavior - it's uncanny. I'm not really sure where we're supposed to be in the book, but I'm at a place where Beah has completely become a soldier. He is now acting in the same way he found so appalling and animalistic - the behaviors he had first seen in the rebels toward his family.
How does this change occur? When, what, how is the switch finally flipped to the point that killing and destroying is now not only normal but enjoyable for him?

2008-09-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

This book is so out of my "box". To feel the fear that Ishmael was feeling is unsettling . The joy of walking 16 miles to participate in a talent show, stopping to swim and just having a wonderful time being a young boy with his friends, is what being a young boy is all about. I can't even imagine at his young age, not knowing what will be happen next and being afraid for your life. To see the devastation that they witness and the unspeakable things that happen, is so hard to comprehend. We do live is such a soft "cushiony" world, I can't even imagine teenagers walking 16 blocks let alone 16 miles. Running for their lives after they are caught was so courageous. They are so many movies that we have watched over the years like this, but to actually sit back and to read this happening to a 12 year old and to know that this one young man is not the only one that this is happening to, makes you realize that the world is a scary place, that evil does exist, and bad things do happen. I do know that the next time I read the newspapers and see articles about things happening half a world away, I will see them in a different light. Reading this book will give me a greater insight to the horrors that people live every day. And I will pray harder for them.

Week # 2 (September 8-14)

2008-09-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

Great Job Team...

It is never to late to join the club. Chapters 1-5 are an easy read, it will be quick to catch up. And if for some reason you were unable to get the book, you can join in on the next book!

This week we will be reading Chapters 6- 10. I know it is hard not to read ahead but take your time read, meditate upon and focus on contributing to your blog.

Thanks!

A Broken Heart.

2008-09-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

Week one complete...

What an amazing book right? I really enjoy reading literature that really challenges my way of thinking. It is hard to digest all that Beah sets up in the first 5 chapters. War, hunger, loss, violence, a culture so far from my pampered American way of life. The hardest fact however is that these soldiers, killers, are only babies. As an individual grows into and adult he/she develops the ability think clearly, provide for their needs, and to survive on their own. The only thing Ishmael, his brother and friends know to do is Run. It gets my blood boiling thinking of the beasts who can look straight into the eyes of these innocent children, yet still bring them so much pain. This book really tugs on my emotions. I was especially afraid when the rebel soldiers almost assassinated Ishmael, and other women and children in order to break the wills of their new child recruits. Thank God they escaped! I just wish I hold these babies, and protect them. I am ready to read on...

Also, my husband challenged me to watch the movie Blood Diamonds this week, in order to get a real visual of the life of a child soldier. I wept!

Chapters 1-5

2008-09-02T18:56:00.001-07:00

OK, it's a great book!! I had to put down the other novel I had started. I'm through Ch. 6, I think. It breaks my heart! I thought about what I was doing at 7-12 years old, the life I had and my sisters had. I've never seen that much blood and carnage in my whole life.It find it interesting how he switches back and forth between recalling the past as and then reflecting from the present. He shows how clearly the events of the past are still affecting his present.I know that it is the case in many countries, but it boggles my mind how the 'RUF' can be natives of the same country and treat their own civilians, the people who's freedom they are 'fighting for' with such cruelty!

Figured it out!

2008-09-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll paste my 'comment' here since I have read!! And I did respond! Sorry girls, I'll figure this thing out!

2008-09-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

As I started reading “A long way gone” it seemed unfathomable to me that the citizens of Sierra Leone were not aware of the civil war raging in their country.Ishmael Beal was just a normal boy, part of a family unit that included parents, brothers and grandparents. He had never known hunger, he did not live in fear, and he even happily danced to American Rap. He was just a boy, whose main concerns were his appearance, dancing, and memorizing rap music lyrics. He had heard rumors of war in his country but felt that at times the stories were exaggerated. Then in what seemed like an instant his life dramatically changed. He went from an innocent child to a person exposed to the cruelty of humans at war. His priorities changed from dance to finding his family and survival. Ishmael describes the rebel’s cruel war tactics with such honesty and vivid reality that it makes my heart ache to think how circumstances can so swiftly change and effect lives. I know it will be hard for me to read this book as I sit in my cloistered living room, totally oblivious to the hurt and pain in our world. I will continue to read this book for no other reason other than to better understand and have more compassion for the things that are invisible to me but a reality to others. This is not a feel good book, this is a book that lingers in your mind long after you are finished reading the chapters.

Week #1 (September 1-7)

2008-08-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Our goal will be to complete the book, A Long way Gone, in a total of 4 weeks. So this week focus on reading chapters 1-5. Be sure to post a blog at least once this week. It is important that all blog posts are pertaining to the book, otherwise comments can be used to discuss each blog and also for chatting (there is a difference). And remember make friends, we have women joining from around the country.

Thanks!

Pick up this book...

2008-08-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

A Long Way Gone

By. Ishmael Beah

In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah tells a powerfully gripping story: At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and beh, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. At sixteen, he was removed from fighting by UNICEF, and through the help of the staff at his rehabilitation center, he learned how to forgive himself, to regain his humanity, and, finally to heal.

This is an extraordinary and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty.

Click on the book cover above to view the authors website.