BookEnds Annual Report 2006

Once upon a time wasn’t there a pick up line, “Read any good books lately?” Or was that a conversation starter? Well, for anyone who has ever taken courage and joined the BookEnds group for a meeting, this question produces a rapid and rousing response. When people ask how we select our books, we have to admit that it is all rather random because everyone is asked to report any books worth reading. The surprises discovered in our reading were amazing and enlightening. We have spent time with mystery, mythical worlds, historical giants, ecological studies and just “average” folks.

Over this past year we have read

• Dry by Augusten Burroughs,
• Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes,
• My Invented Country by Isabel Allende,
• The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason,
• The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier,
• Three Junes by Julia Glass,
• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides,
• The War of Don Emmanuels Nether Parts by Louis de Bernieres,
• The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman,
• Wicked, the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire,
• Wild Swans by Jung Chang …and
• The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber.

Thanks to the group for opening their homes and sharing with one another. A really big thank you to Sue Hansen who has volunteered to help lead the group organization this coming year. BookEnds is always open to anyone who enjoys reading and would like to share discussion about books or whatever.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of BookEnds,

Sharon Fries