American Dutchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen Harper / 357 p.

Based on the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt, this fictionalized novel of her life was interesting. I don't know how accurate it is, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.
Consuelo was an only child. Her mother was strict and arranged a marriage for Consuelo with the Duke of Marlborough in England that would profit both families - a title of Dutchess for Consuelo and Vanderbilt money for the Duke. It was a loveless marriage, however Consuelo produced two male heirs (and heir and a spare) that pleased everyone and provided the love Consuelo was missing from her husband. She was well-received in England and used her status and wealth to help the common people. Consuelo did find her voice and strength later in her life. She also found love, redemption and forgiveness for her mother.

The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs/Matthew Dicks/216 pgs.

Caroline Jacobs is a self described wimp--she doesn't make waves, likes to remain invisible,and is highly non-confrontational. She and her tattooed, teenage daughter, Polly, hardly communicate until an action by Caroline has Polly react at school that is certain to get her suspended. Caroline's action is so out of character, that she realizes much of her behavior centers around an event that took place when she was in high school. She takes Polly with her to confront her past, which speaks to anyone who would like to right a wrong that was done to her/him in the past. It's a very fast, insightful, often humorous read. Very enjoyable!

The Canterbury Sisters by Kim Wright (316 p.)

After her mother dies and her long-time boyfriend leaves her, Che Milan travels to London to fulfill a promise to spread her mother's ashes along the Canterbury Trail in England.  Che joins a group of women who are also making this sixty mile pilgrimage from London to Canterbury.  The leader of the tour is an English professor of Chaucer.  She tells the group that they will choose a theme and each person will have a day to share their story (real or fictional) that follows the theme.  The theme she presents to them is "love." The individual stories will move you, make you think and even make you laugh.  There is plenty to talk about in a book club after reading this book!

Glitter and Glue: a Memoir/Kelly Corrigan/224 pages

Kelly Corrigan's dad was her best friend growing up. He was the "fun one." Her mother, on the other hand, was pragmatic, unimaginative and even cold to Kelly's way of thinking. When Kelly decides to spend a year travelling after college, her dad's all for it while her mother wants her to stay put and get a job. Kelly and her friend Tracy head to Australia for an adventure. Not too far into it, they realize they don't have enough money and will have to find jobs to finance the rest of their adventure. Kelly ends up with a nanny job for a family in the suburbs that has lost the mother to cancer. For five months she helps them establish a new normal and finds out a little what being a mother means. She begins to understand how her mother was the glue so that her dad could be the glitter.


It's always satisfying when your children realize you might have actually known what you were doing. It's also satisfying when you find that out too! A nice little book that will warm a mother's heart.

Let Me Go / Helga Schneider 166 p.

Helga Schneider was four when her mother left her family to do the Nazi party's work.  Her mother became a member of the SS and served as a guard at concentration camps, eventually Auschwitz, where she was in charge of a unit responsible for so many acts of torture.  Thirty-seven years since the first time she had seen her mother since 1941, her mother is now in a nursing home.  Helga seeks to find answers but her mother is still an ardent support of the Nazi party’s work.  This is very difficult read as Helga intersperses the interchange with her memories of wartime Berlin, quotes from official reports, and her knowledge of the torture in the camps.  Even jail time has not mitigated her mother's exuberant support of the SS horrific work.  

Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America by Linda Lawrence Hunt - 307 Pages

Book Discussion title at WingHaven.
My club really enjoyed this read about a pioneer woman and her daughter who set off on a journey to walk across America by foot to save the family farm from foreclosure. It was a great discussion book that touches on women's issues in regard to strict guidelines for dress, lack of right to vote, and basically how inferior women were regarded due to their "irrational nature". This book was based on a true story and required a lot of research by the author because at the time the main character's incredible journey turns out to be a disgrace to her family. The family tried to suppress the events and this fact alone brought about an illuminating discussion about heritage, family's and their secrets and what we value in our cultures.
Discussion questions available from Reading Group Guides at: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/bold_spirit1.asp#discuss
Jennifer - WH Book Club

THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton - 473 Pages

Book Discussion title at McClay Branch

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton is a Gothic novel...told by 90 year "Grace" who began her life in said house as a serving girl. When the story opens Grace is meeting with Ursula who is making a movie about the "suicide" which occurred there years before. Since Grace was in residence the night of the tragedy Ursula wants to interview her as well as get Grace's "take" on the sets. From there we journey back in Grace memories....her Mother's presence in her life...stern, unaffectionate but as best as she could took care of Grace., Grace's own daughter Ruth with whom she has no better relationship than she had with her own Mother.

We get a bird's eye view into the residents of the House at Riverton...the serving staff, caring, warm, a well oiled machine who had "serving" down pat yet who truly cared about not only the lords and ladies of the manner but especially about the rest of the staff who served. We see Grace become mesmerized by Hannah and her sister Emmeline who had "soo much life" about them. Grace feels a special connection to Hannah especially all her life....until the day of Hannah's death. We learn the true story of the "suicide" of Robbie Hunter and like a game of chess...all the pieces fall together to make a tragic but well written ending if a touch unbelievable (my take only!)

Many rabbit trails there are to go down from mother/daughter relationships, WWI with its rationing, the privilege and responsibility of wealth, to the unfairness of life, lost love, being but a few.

As is true of all Gothic novels there is dark side Morton creates which permeates the entire book. Some of her quotes are priceless:

"There's nothing spoils a young lady's loveliness so much as impertinence of intellect."

"...for home is a magnet that lures back even its most abstracted children."

"Photographs force us to see people before their future weighed them down, before they knew their endings."

and one of my own personal favorites: "reading is one of life's great pleasures;talking about books keeps their worlds alive for longer."

The gals gave the book a 2 out of five...with 1 being the best...majority rule.

Ruth - MY Book Club