Book Reviews by the WTS of Houston Book Club

The member who chose this next book felt we needed a change of pace and chose a western. Head'em up, Move'em out. We're talking shooting, torture, outraging (which in this book mean't rape), to love and denial. I wasn't prepared for the violence and the detail of some of the torture scenes. I guess I was thinking of westerns like Gun Smoke. The book chosen was ComancheMoon by Larry McMurtry. This is the prequel to Lonesome Dove. Most of our group wasn't real excited about reading this book but once we got started reading we really liked it. We appropriately had our meeting at restaurant with a western theme, "The Pecos Grill" and one week after Texas Independence Day. We weren't finished in time to have it the exact day.

This book is about the Texas Rangers in based in Austin with 3 main characters, Captain Scull, Woodrow Call and Gus McCrae.

Captain Scull lead his rangers out into the wilderness chasing Indians for weeks at a time. While out on a mission he decides that this is not enough adventure. He deserts his troop, puts Call and McCrae in charge and takes off into a madman's territory. This madman is the king of torture. Of course if you read this book going off like this might be easier that going back to his over-sexed
wife. Inez Scull was ready to ride anything in pants of the male persuasion and made no secret of it.

There was Woodrow Call who while dedicating his life to rangering, he did frequent Maggie Tilton's room. He knew her profession and he cared for her in his own way but when she became pregnant he would never acknowledge the child was his. The whole town had no doubts upon seeing the child. The boy looked just like Call. Maggie would have given anything for Call to marry her. She longed for a normal life.

Poor Gus McCrae was broken hearted when the love of his life, Clara wouldn't have him. She wanted a man who would be home to protect her and not a man who's job sent him off chasing Indians for long lengths time. She would never ask McCrae to leave the Rangers so she married another man for security not love.

The men take their families out into the wildness trying to tame it and make a new life but are unwilling to accept the responsibility of their actions. The Indians would rape the women and leave them for dead. Instead of giving the women their love and support to help them heal, the men would exile the women and pretend they were dead. They couldn't stand the idea of their women being with an Indian. Like the women were given a choice.

They chapters tend to jump around sometimes. Each would lead you to a new story line or character and then back again. The book is definitely worth reading even for the non-western readers.

Happy Reading
Carla Kennedy
WTS Bookclub
WTS of Houston, Inc

1/99

We ended our '98 reading season with The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. This is a book to read if you want lots of discussion. Our group is very opinionated and had no trouble finding something to talk about. Whether you finish the book or not you will be able to contribute to the conversation. The Power of Myth is based on every day traditions and myths and how they affect the modern world. You may find it hard to read because of the conversational style format.

Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers discuss in great length and depth how myth affect our every day lives from the beginning to the end.

Campbell feels the problem with today's society is we don't practice rituals and traditions as in the past. Example as a young child most of us knew every Sunday we got up to go to church but now that ritual is put aside if something better comes along. Even the simplest of traditions have been put aside for our more hectic and self serving lives. We have forgotten to pass on the smallest of rituals. Do you have a ritual or tradition that you are or have passed on to your children?

The most popular chapter was "Tales of Love and Marriage". Did you marry for the right reasons?
A few people after reading this chapter have questioned their motives.

This is a great book, but be prepared to concentrate. The conversations are in depth and throw plenty of information at you.

11/98

“WTS of Houston Book Club just finished a fun book. If you want to be entertained you need to read one of the Archy McNally series by Lawrence Sanders. We just finished reading "McNally's Trial"

Archy McNally is the main character and he narrates the story right down to the color of his socks. He's very flamboyant and very much a lady's man. He does have a steady girl but he does slip on occasion. He works for his fathers law firm. His job is to make indiscreet inquiries for various cases that come up. His latest endeavor is to find out way the Whitcomb funeral Home's profits were rising so dramatically over the last 6 months. There hadn't been any major accidents to account for a rise in the death factor, so just what was the story.

His best friend is Binky. Binky is not the brightest or most industrious person but he needs a job and Archy puts him in training making indiscreet inquiries for the case of Whitcomb funeral Home.

The book may not give you an in-depth conversation but you will laugh about the description of the character's, the case and whatever else Archy decides to share with you.

This is a very entertaining book. Read it and find out what Archy McNally is All about. Keep Reading.......”

Alas, Babylon

Here's a book that most us were suppose to have read in high school, but did we?

Alas, Babylon is about a nuclear holocaust and how it brought out the good of the people in a small community. Not to say there weren't some bad moments or people around. Disasters either bring out the good or bad in people. This little community pulled together it's resources and knowledge to make the best out of a bad situation. How would you rate your neighbor?

It made several of our members question the possibility of such an all out attack in today's time. To think that life as we know it now would be wiped out and we'd be set back centuries in technology. Several of us have experienced the lack of electricity for hours or days due to storms. You suddenly realize how dependent you are on today's technology. We'd have the necessary materials but what would we do with them. In a nuclear war there are no winners, just some do better than others.

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

"It was centered arou

nd one character the 'Signora' aka Nora O'Donoghue and how she affected 8 different lives and how they came to know each other. Ms. Binchy dedicated a chapter to each character. You as the reader got to know each character personally and how they came to be Aidan Dunne's Adult evening class in Italian taught by the Signora. We all really enjoyed this book and each of the characters. The book is based in Ireland but the Italian class made a trip come true to Italy. So for our meeting we had pizza."

Love in the Time of Cholera. by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

This book is about true and lasting love beyond all obstacles. Florentino Ariza fell madly in love with Fermina Daza but she rejected him and married another. While waiting 50 years for Fermina Daza to come to her senses hecreates his own sorted life with 622 short/long term liaisons while in his heart he remained true to Fermina Daza.

The book does require concentration with no interruptions and a dictionary might come in handy. Overall Love in the Time of Cholera was a good book and provided our club plenty of stimulating conversation.

12/99

WTS BookClub reading for this month was the Killer Pancake by Diane Mott Davidson.

Not all our members liked or enjoyed the book but most did. It's each members opinion that makes our club so great and the conversation flowing in whatever direction that might be.

Our meeting was held at one of our members home and the food was prepared from the receipe's that appeared in the book. This book is about a Cater named Goldy, her husband Tom the detective and a murder mystery. As she cooks for the various events she also includes her receipe's. Some of us couldn't figure out how the author came up with the title since no one died by eating or being beat to death by a pancake. It took our newest members to point out that make-up used to be called pancake foundation. She worded it much better that night. Another question on our minds was "What Lead Detective is going to let his catering wife get so involved with his cases, but then how does one stop Goldy? The Chefs among our members were green with envy over the description of Goldy's kitchen, pantry and fridge. This is a fun book to read. Goldy is always in the wrong place at just the right time to get into trouble. The book did leave us hanging on how Goldy's friend Marla is doing after her heart attack. I guess we have to read the next book.

Until then Happy Reading
Carla Kennedy
Carlaekennedy@juno.com
WTS BookClub