May 2010 Meeting

We discussed A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This farcical work wasn't as well thought of by the book club members as I had hoped. Three members disliked it so much that they couldn't suffer to read the whole book. I think you have to be in the mood for a book like this. I caught myself on many occasions laughing out loud; this behavior is so unlike me.

The story is set in New Orleans, where I spent Easter of 2010. Here's a photo of Louis the webmaster at the Café du Monde.


Buddy, Barbara, and Sam hosted the meeting with terrific Mexican food, consisting of fajitas of both beef and chicken, fresh fluffy tortillas, chile con queso, pico de gallo, rice, beans and a plenitude of wine. We ate and discussed the book, then went outside to see Barbara's new addition to her house.

Jessica then directed our attention skyward, as the exact moment that the space shuttle would be over Houston was at hand. We saw it!!

All in all, it was a lovely evening, and I look forward to next month when the meeting will be at Linda's.
Cheers!
Louis

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

I finished the book club selection (my selection) of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. I am forbidden to discuss my views, according to our bylaws, so as not to prejudice our meeting's discussion.

I just finished Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith last Saturday. It started out intense,and grew more so in the next 400+ pages. This novel is set in Stalinist Russia, 1953. Communism gives killers an easy time of it, as there is always someone to blame their crimes on.

This is a powerful story, well told. I liked it so much that I've now ordered Tom Rob Smith's second book 'a Secred Speech." His characters invite either your sympathy or contempt, without being too stereotypical.

This one rates five jalapeños!