Susan's Literary Cafe

Our book club discussed Cutting For Stone, for May. Many of our members did not finish the book because it was a bit dauting, more than 600 plus pages. Including myself. Not because it was long, but with our busy lives most of us can read 400 pages, but 600 is long.

My reason, I just finished school a few days before and couldn't start the book. Another member had a problem because of the vocabulary, the writing was too sophistocated for her. There were a couple members that did not like reading about the surgeries, and the medical care. Myself, personally I am going to try and pick up this novel after my other commitments in reading for reviews that have been promised.

If possibly we had the book club broken up in two months maybe it could have worked. Most of the members that started the book did like the story.

The story takes place in Ethiopia during the 1950's. What was discussed was the conditions of living in Ethiopia. The medical care that was giving to women. Many women had developed bladder problems. Young girls having circumcisions. Immigrant life of all the cultures that intertwined in Ethiopia. How food ties in with the ethnic groups of Ethopia.
Ethopian food is not eatten with a fork, or spoon, rather the bread is used as a tool.

Since the book took place in the middle east. We seem to drift off and talk about the middle east situation. One member has been to the middle east and talked about the conditions and what it was like being a tourist. The treatment of women by the middle eastern men. This led to talking about the journalist that was raped in Egypt a few months ago.

We still had a interesting book club talking about the events of the middle east. There were medical subjects that were brought up for discussion.

We discussed that we want to change the time and date. The books that we will be reading in the next couple months are, what I call summer reads. I am glad about that, not too heavy. I like to read heavier books in the fall, winter, and spring and prefer lighter reading in the summer.

These are the books we are reading:
In June we will be reading Booked to Die by John Dunning
I am excited to be discussing for July, Butterflys Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe.
August will be discussing, Star Girl by Carl Hiassen.

Happy Reading!!!