It was almost a year ago that Falise and I started to talk about the idea of a different kind of book club. The number of similarities in our lives and likes was comforting and almost scary. BUT, there is one afternoon that is still extrememly vivid in my memory. Falise came upon me reading and UNDERLINING in a book. Seeing the horror in her eyes, I almost thought it was the end of our partnership/friendship Our first dissimilarity!!! Falise sees the physical book as sacred, I see them as converations that I want to revisit from time to time. ( though granted, there some books that I won’t underline or make notes in the margins.)
The Chicago Tribune ran an intersting article in the Tempo section yesterday about the ethics of handling/or manhandling a book. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0830bookethicsaug30,0,2721844.story?page=1 They are looking for your thoughts. ctc-tempo@tribune.com. I am anxious to see the follow up story.
The Guardian cites an AP poll: “A quarter of US adults say they read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll.” The poll seems to offer insights on whether men or women read more, as well as hints about age, geographical location, genre preferences, and much more. Apparently, more women read books, and men seem to prefer nonfiction books.I wasn’t startled, I was sad. Even with all the media attention that authors and books are getting, there are still millions of people who count text messaging as reading.Falise and I started the 24/8 Book CLub, to remind and encourage women to take some time to read. It doesn’t have to be the Great Book of Western Civillization. Opening up any book,even a magzine just for the pure joy of the written word. Reading for escape, for insights, for knowledge, to open our imagainations, whatever. Just to read. Technolgy may be feeding us information, but, reading feeds our souls.
JoAnne
I just finished 100 Places Every Woman Should Go this week by Stephanie Elizondo Griest. I had thought this book would help me in my quest to pick a destination for travel this year but instead I went on quite a different journey.
This book is a very interesting and reads more like a history book then a travel guide, it will take you on many trips even if you never leave the living room. The book recounts and celebrates wonderous women in history, points out women friendly travel places, places that will inspire, and categories of not to be missed sites. But it is definitely not a book you can use solely use to plan a trip, the detail is missing but once you are at place 24 or so it doesn’t seem to matter.
Stephanie will be in Chicago as part of her “Traveling Sofa: Tips for Wandering Women” tour at Women & Children’s First Bookstore located at 5233 N. Clark Street at 7:30 pm on Friday, September 7th. This workshop will be so interesting if you are not a traveler, or know a friend that wants to travel but has some concerns, or just those that love to travel in order to learn about the world’s most “women-friendly” destinations.
Stephanie has a very impressive writing pedigree and I am sure she will have very interesting tales to tell. Check out her website, www.aroundthebloc.com and Women and Children’s too, http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp;jsessionid=abcJcsjlUZVTCgB5DH1sr too. The resources listed at the back of this book are definitely interesting to check out as well, there is something for everyone.
Falise
If you are like most of our reading friends, it was about 4th or 5th grade. How do you install that love of reading in your children? Most schools are starting this week, and homework and video games are in competition for quiet reading time. Mark your schedule for one event that will grab the childrens attention The Target Children’s Book Festival, September 22, 10am to 5pm, at the Grant Park North Rose Garden. Go to www.chicagotribune.com/about/custom/events/chi-eventcalendar for the listing of authors and illustrators that will be appearing. Even though school has started, remind the students that reading is fun.
Filed under: Events
We feel alittle like Noah and Team Blonde was the ark. Thursday night was the date of our recent 24/8 event. It was a great event just alittle tempered by the weather. If you live in Chicago you remember that day. And believe it or not the event went on and those that came risking life and limb and soaking wet deserve our gratitude.
We hope everyone had a great evening, we did! We are looking forward to doing it again because we know so many were rained out. A great thanks to our authors that braved the elements to join us.
To Stacey, Cara and Laura our guests of honor we love you guys and thank you for being such great sports. Team Blonde, www.teamblonde.com, our hostesses with the mostesses, it was amazing and we can only hope you will invite 24/8 back for another great evening. There were so many other special contributors we must thank them all. La Piazza, http://www.piazzacafe.com/, supplied the food and delicacies for the evening. House Red, www.house-red.com, was there with a Spanish red and french blush that were much needed for those that were soaked not to mention Tara herself being soaked. Augie what can we say, you braved a night of torential rain to be amongst the 24/8 proprietors and their beavy of beauties in order so that we could have books for signing. Centuries and Sleuths, http://www.centuriesandsleuths.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp, is not just the greatest mystery, history and biography bookstore in town but the bookstore with the greatest heart and soul. Brown Cow, www.browncowicecream.com, capped off the night with the perfect little sundaes, there was not a lip in the room left untouched by hot chocolate, thank you Connie.
And you might think that is it but that is not it. Two Fish Art Glass, http://www.twofishartglass.com/ckshop.php?category=10, supplied us with the grand prize of the evening. Chix With Stix, http://www.chixwithstixknitting.com/, provided us with another wonderful prize for the evening. Todd and Holland Teas, http://www.todd-holland.com/, went crazy to make the goodie bags very special with a sample of Morning Dew tea. Ferrara Pan, www.ferrarapan.com, provided us Lemonheads for the road, don’t forget them when thinking about Halloween candy this year. Krenek’s Antiques and Forest Park Emporium were part of the goodie bags too.
We also had several copies of C.A. Beaton’s A Rather Lovely Inheritance to give away. This is the book currently featured on the 24/8 website, www.248bookclub.com. And we also had several copies of agnes and the hit man by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Those kids will be at Anderson’s, http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/events.php in Naperville on Monday, August 27th at 7:00 PM. And don’t forget to check out the book of honor that brought us together, Everything I needed to learn about being a girl I learned from Judy Blume, which will soon be featured at the 24/8 website, www.248bookclub.com.
To all of those brave souls that joined us on Thursday, August 23rd thank you so much, we hope you had fun and we hope to see you at another 24/8 event. To all of the wonderfully generous Forest Park stores we thank you as well for making this a very special night. To Heidi and Jayne “The Blondes”, much gratitude and affection and we hope to do it again.
Falise and JoAnne
Filed under: 24/8 Musings
Just in case you are joining our blog for the first time, welcome and a big reminder to join us at Team Blonde, www.teamblonde.com, in Forest Park for our night of Beauties and The Beads, http://www.248bookclub.com/events/events.asp.
We know what you are thinking, “I can’t because everyone else will be prepared. They will have read the book.” At the 24/8 virtual destination or at our roving events you never have to read the book before you come. It is a night of dishing with our author or in this case our authors: Stacey Ballis, Laura Caldwell and Cara Lockwood, and usually some other surprises and alot of laughter.
So come out and join us, no preparation is ever required. But just in case you are one of those folks that likes to know more we are going to be dising about Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume. This Judy Blume anthology is a compilation of essays and our three authors are all contributors.
We have events every month so if you can’t make this one don’t forget to sign up for 24/8 news, http://www.248bookclub.com/mailing_list/mailing_list.asp, so you will be one of the first to find out about our next roving event when it is announced.
It is our desire to bring together our 24/8 community with authors at interesting spaces to give you a truly unique intersection of fun and laughter at each and every event. We can’t have a community without you.
Falise and JoAnne
Filed under: News
Join Poetry Guru, Marc Smith at the “Food Slam” August 25th at the Daley Plaza Farmers Market, 50 W. Washington. Marc will host the spoken word showcse of Chicago poets writing to the theme of all things food. Yummy.
If you still are not sure what to do with your week might we suggest joining us at Beauties and The Beads which is the title of our next 24/8 Book Club evening out. The event is going take place at Team Blonde in Forest Park, IL. www.teamblonde.com. Team Blonde is located at 7324 W. Madison.
Forest Park for those of you that are not familiar is just down the Eisenhower West of the city a short distance, you exit at Harlem and head North the second light is Madison and when you turn left and head west the first light you hit is Circle and you are there. It is also accessible by the El green and blue lines and the B & NW Geneva line. Or grab and friend and carpool it over. Come early and bring your copy of Chicago Magazine to check out why Oak Park/Forest Park were listed as buffed out suburbs among their list of the greatest 2007 picks, http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2007/Best-of-Chicago-2007/The-Local-Option/index.php?cp=6&si=5.
Our distinguised guests for the evening are authors: Stacey Ballis, Laura Caldwell and Cara Lockwood. They are all contributors to the Judy Blume anthology entitled: Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume. It is impossible for any woman to be caught up in this collection of essays without taking a trip down adolescent memories. Plus these gals are so intelligent, funny and interesting it is just fun to spend the night dishing with them.
But at a 24/8 event there is always something else amiss. You can have a nail polish change at Team Blonde for $6.00 and they would prefer an RSVP for planning just for this service. There will be beading if that is something that sparks your interest, you can do it yourself or “The Blondes” can assist.
So we hope you come out and join us and bring a friend. 24/8 was created for you and to remind everyone to take time our of hectic lives to do something fun and of course remember the magic of reading. This is one book club where no homework is required.
If your dance card is taken for Thursday night then remember to sign up at 24/8 to stay in the loop for our upcoming events, http://www.248bookclub.com/mailing_list/mailing_list.asp We do not sell or utilize your information for anything else then 24/8 news.
JoAnne and Falise Co-Proprietors of 24/8 Book Club
Normally, I do not read according to the season, but with the summer ending, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, by Sue Monk Kidd, just seemed right. www.suemonkkidd.com And, it was. Anyone who has ever doubted the power of women please read. And, if you want to ask Sue Monk Kidd about power, she will be at the Borders in Oakbrook, October 4th. www.borders.com.
About a day later , a friend sent me a notice to check out www.877chicago.com for Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, Most Creative Honey Reciepe. If you don’t want to enter, you can always sample the local crop of honey from the bees that are on the roof top of Chicago City Hall. Now that’s Power.
JoAnne
Filed under: Events
Well the 24/8 gals would like to tell you that we are blogging from Edinburgh, Scotland but alas we are not. But this festival is just impressive, we have to ask ourselves what are we missing here stateside. Do we not value our authors in the way they do in Europe? We would love to hear from authors on this topic.
There are over 600-plus authors reading and signing books at this 17 day extravaganza. If you go to this url you will get a taste of what the doings are, http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/.
Thought it would be appropriate to write a blog posting for our 24/8 community right in the middle of the 17 days. You still have time to hop on a plane if you are the adventurous sort and join in with the fesitivities. We hope at 24/8 to visit this and other Book Festivals in ’08 and report back to you from wherever “there” may be.
24/8 Book Club 