Hooked on Books group

May’s Hooked on Books selection was Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmis. Nineteen members had “Supper at Two” instead of “Supper at Six”. All firmly agreed the meeting was quite a success. Hostesses were Val Tiemann, Cindy Hanson, Jayme Edwards, Kristina Lewis, and Miranda Edwards who embraced the theme of Lessons in Chemistry with such creativity and attention to detail.

Evidence of planning for the event was found in food, decorations and costuming. My, how the ladies love details related to our reading selections! To the crowd’s delight, Cindy Hanson’s attire mirrored the lab coat worn by the protagonist, Elizabeth Zott. The coat was cleverly labeled with a name tag, “EZ.” Her hair was adorned with a pencil in her bun.

The food was served on a tablecloth which displayed the Periodic Table since Elizabeth referred to it often in her occupation as well as her cooking show. Lasagna and a cucumber and tomato salad was offered as it related to the meaningful incident regarding her daughter’s meal for school. The scrumptious brownies and cookies were not undervalued as Elizabeth Zott was as a female scientist in the 1960s. They were quickly devoured.

To our surprise, the hostesses included past meeting pictures on the TV screen which added a lovely nostalgic touch and fostered a sense of connection and camaraderie among the members. So much reminiscing took place. It was such a treat and seemed like absent members were with us as we chatted about old times and readied for the book discussion. It’s moments like these that truly enrich the book club experience.

Overall, most agreed this fast-paced book has a strong female lead and touches on a multitude of complex subjects of gender and society, which made it a great book for discussion.

As always, the Book Club takes summer break during June, July, and August. However, there’s another intriguing discussion in store for September’s Hooked on Books meeting with our next selection, The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. Her work is sure to inspire deep reflection and lively dialogue.

For those interested in joining the club, the summer break offers a perfect opportunity to read ahead and become a part of this vibrant literary community. Join us in September. All are welcome. Interested? Contact:
alanehaardt@yahoo.com.