"the finer things" book club

For years I have wanted to be in a book club. I love to read and that is usually my main goal for the summer. It seems like certain genres naturally emerge, for instance last summer it was concentration camps and WWII, and this summer it seems to be personal biographies. I am really interested right now in people that were really devoted to their religion and then left the faith, and even more specifically, mormonism and polygamy (don't ask, I can't help my interests). For the last couple of years I have looked into the library and Barnes and Noble to join a book club, but nothing-- can you imagine? Anyway, my desire was rekindled when I noticed that our church has a book club, but decided quickly that Bellflower was a really far drive no matter how much I wanted it. My friend Erin has a book club with her friends but it doesn't start until 9pm, which is bedtime for me. So I decided to start my own book club and with the help of a few friends, it started today.

A few of the teachers from Calvary came up with a list of books to read for the summer and then we put it in everyone's boxes, not knowing who would show up or not. Well the first one today was at my house and after making biscotti and decorating the table with my cutest dishes, 3 people came. That is 3 people including me. My first thought was, "You guys better eat a lot of biscotti." Anyway, the book we read was Sheldon Vanauken's A Severe Mercy. As we were discussing the book I had to stifle a giggle the entire time. Sort of like when you get the giggles in church right at the wrong time and anything the pastor says is funny. It didn't sound like me talking-- discussing the themes, questions, and words used, talking about page numbers and letters written and poetry. All these years I have dreamed of a book club and I started to feel like it was way to0 sophisticated for me. We started joking about the Office's "finer things"club and that is totally how I was feeling. Well, I guess a little sophistication couldn't hurt a person (could it?). Maybe next thing you know I will be serving caviar instead of biscotti...