Chapter 2 - The Best is Yet To Come

I coordinate the Myrtle Beach Book Club which you can find on meetup.com under Myrtle Beach Book Club. This group has been in existence for over 8 years and a few of the participants are from the original group. We have read a lot of terrific books in our past years and our discussions are always lively.

In 2022 we have decided to "read around the world" and experience authors and books from different countries. Not only will this get us out of our comfort zones of American books but it will also allow us to do some armchair traveling which I think all of us need right about now.

Here is our book club list for the next 6 months.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - I described this a few weeks ago as coming of age book meets mystery meets hero's journey. I love the way Towles writes and am really looking forward to discussing this with the group. This takes place in America, of course.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf - If you've wanted to read Virginia Woolf but didn't know where to start, Mrs. Dalloway would be a good selection. The story centers around Clarissa Dalloway and describes a day in 1923 in the life of the upper-class Londoner as she prepares for a party she is hosting. Not only does it describe Mrs. Dalloway's day but also that of the lower class people who also live in London. It will be interesting to see what parallels the group finds to society today.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi - Taking place in India in the 1950's 17 year old Lakshmi leaves an abusive marriage and makes her way to Jaipur where she becomes a highly sought out henna artist to a wealthy clientele. Of course there has to be conflict and it starts when her husband tracks her down bringing with him a young girl who is the sister Lakshmi never knew she had.

In the Country of Others by Leila Slimani - After World War II, Mathilde leaves France for Morocco to be with her husband, whom she met while he was fighting for the French army. Mathilde now finds herself a farmer's wife, her vitality sapped by the isolation, the harsh climate, and the mistrust she inspires as a foreigner. At the same time tensions are rising between Moroccan natives and French colonists as Mathilde tries to raise her family.

Normal People by Sally Rooney - Taking place in Ireland, Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town, he a popular child, she a loner. Years later they both go to Trinity College in Dublin where she becomes the popular one and he the outcast. As they go through life they are drawn to each other although their lives take very different paths. Themes of friendship, love, and obsessions feature prominently.

The Promise by Damon Galgut - On her deathbed, Rachel Swart makes a promise to Salome, the family's Black maid. This promise will divide Rachel's South African family--especially her children: Anton, the golden boy; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by feelings of guilt. Galgut's compelling family saga won the 2021 Booker Prize.

What is your book club reading this year?