July 2011 Book Club Soiree

Celia's Book Club in the Blue Goat's Seminar Room.

 Those of us who were able to gather at the Blue Goat had a blast, what a great place! We had our own room, surrounded by lux wine bottles with a window into the kitchen. Since the chef was really good-looking, all worked out really well and I think there are pictures to prove it. If you have some, send them on to Fiona to post unless you are already blog-savvy! We enjoyed the venue so much, Fiona and I brought our husbands there on the following Friday.

Mary and a tasty frite.

As for the book, Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind which now seems so far away, the general consensus was positive, although not so enthusiastic. While we all enjoyed the book, it generally qualified as a "light read" and fell into the "isn't that interesting" category. Good, but not great. The business aspects of the story were of particular note, and the issues with international copy writes were eye-opening to me.

Also eye-opening was the casual and cavalier attitude that Mitchell's publishers had toward her interests versus theirs. Over and over, the publishers failed in their duty to protect her and also to get the most for this very valuable property, in favor of their vacations and their related interests. Yikes! Not a positive portrayal, keep that in mind when you publish your next blockbuster best-seller. Margaret Mitchell and her husband also came across as a bit persnickety and a bit rigid, particularly in their relationship with David Selznick which would have improved greatly with just a tiny bit of open communication.

All in all, a fun read, an interesting view on the business end of an industry that has brought me endless joy and a great night with wonderful, interesting friends and excellent food. You can't beat that.

As for our next event, alas the calendar gods are against us. Our next meeting will be September 26!  The book is Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel. This is an historical novel mostly about Thomas Cromwell that won the 2009 Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, which some were anxious to re-read, always a good sign. See you on the 26th!!