Edmonton Lesbian+ Book Club

February's title for book club is The Panopticon by Scottish author Jenni Fagan. Looking forward to it. Apparently it's full of good Scottish cursing. We've gone ahead and chosen a few more titles for the coming months. March we'll read The Miseducation of Cameron Post by American author Emily M. Danforth. April it's the uber-classic Lambda Literary Award-winner  Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg. May we're reading Toronto-based Japanese Canadian Tamai Kobayashi's first novel, Prairie Ostrich . In June we'll read Chinese-American author Malinda Lo's newest, Huntress . In July we'll read Alberta author Rae Spoon's First Spring Grass Fire . And finally, in August we'll read  Awakening to Sunlight  by British author Lindsey Stone.

2014 is already creepin' on. It's been a busy January and February is going to fly by! Tomorrow night we meet to chat about Michelle Tea's Mermaid in Chelsea Creek . I didn't discover until I finished it that it's the first of a trilogy! Yipes! So exciting. February's title is The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan. Don't know a thing about it other than it was requested by one of our members!

Sorry for the sorry state of this blog, peoples! I haven't got the wherewithal to do much more than keep my kids alive and clean lately. But the book club marches on, no matter. December is our month off from book club so our next title is Michelle Tea's latest, Mermaid in Chelsea Creek . Can't wait to read it - and chat about it at our next meeting in January, 2014. My goodness, 2014. See you then?

Hi everyone, The blog got WAY behind due to me being in the hospital due to pregnancy complications, then my baby being born premature, hospitalized, and finally, being home with a newborn. I haven't read anything in quite a number of weeks! Sorry about that people, but it could not be helped! May's title (lucky for you it's a short, easy read) is Marbles by Ellen Forney. June we have (You) Set me on Fire by Mariko Tamaki and in July Karleen Pendleton Jiménez's How to Get a Girl Pregnant . See you soon!

IMPORTANT! We won't meet in December since the holidays are usually a zoo for everyone! Next meeting at the end of January! I was so happy to discuss Ellis Avery's The Last Nude last night. Such a good book that as soon as I read the last page, I turned to the beginning and started again. Wonderful librarian Lindy showed me some paintings by Lempicka - it's so interesting to read fiction based on real people. Favourite things were how vividly each scene was depicted. In January we're going to read Zoe Whittall's Holding Still for as Long as Possible . Got a few more ideas for future reading last night and from this amazingly informative blog, Casey, the Canadian Lesbraria n. So for February let's go with Riding Fury Home , a memoir by American author and psychotherapist Chana Wilson. March we'll read a Saskatoon author, Beth Goobie's young adult novel, Hello, Groin (reviewed here ). Others that were suggested or caught my eye/ear - let me know i...

Hi all, I missed September's meeting - I was so sick. I'm still not 100% it seems but much better. However, I missed book club! And the discussion of Nalo Hopkinson's The Salt Roads , which I just loved. I hope you all will share your thoughts with me since I missed out. Apparently I missed meeting a new member or two as well. Sorry folks! Next we have to move on to Nina Revoyr's Wingshooters . Can't wait! Just for fun, let me direct you to Toronto author Farzana Doctor's list of favourite books ! There are a few we've already read, and a couple we definitely need to add to our reading list. Take care all!

Lovely discussion (as usual) of Jeanette Winterson's memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? One member pointed out we were discussing Jeanette's childhood on her birthday, how fitting! Members found some accounts of her childhood to be very painful to read, but all agreed this book is very interesting, and a wonderful read. Next month we're on to Canadian author Nalo Hopkinson's novel The Salt Roads . Can't wait!

Book club this week we discussed Maureen Johnson's young adult novel, The Bermudez Triangle . As happens sometimes, discussion is shorter when the group is unanimous in liking the novel. It was a well-written easy read focussed on the friendship between three high-school aged girls. We liked it! We noted the lack of tragedy, suicide and general malaise that befalls so many lesbian stories. Speaking of malaise, next month we read Jeanette Winterson's memoir, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal . One quick note for book club members, paperback copies will be available at Audrey's bookstore next week. If you can't wait, one member tells me there are several hardcovers available at bookstores throughout the city, including e-versions.

Hi all, thanks for book club last night. I really enjoyed our discussion of Mary McCarthy's The Group . This novel is a little different, almost strange. But it revolves around a group of women, recent graduates from Vassar in the 30s. It seemed everyone found the book at time slow-moving, too detailed, and yet, we all found it fascinating despite any criticisms. The book apparently was rather controversial in its time. No wonder as it actually touches on many subjects that might be considered controversial even today - sexuality, birth control, lesbianism, domestic abuse, sexual assault, mental illness, baby-rearing, and financial struggles. One of our members noted that the author is known for writing short stories and that seems evident in this book. While many novels incorporate multiple protagonists and voices, this book did it chapter by chapter and each story felt very separate. At the end of each chapter we were left wishing for more - what happened to this story about this...

Yo-yo reading is all I could come up with for a title today. Our discussion of Giannina Braschi's Yo-Yo Boing! was ... let's say it was difficult. One couldn't finish the book. One read it but said she couldn't really say she knew what it was about. After reading such glowing reviews, we looked forward to it. But sheesh. The first segment was about pus. But believe it or not, I looked back fondly on that section once I entered the next segment. A conversation that went on and on where the reader has no idea who's speaking, what they're talking about, whether the conversation 10 pages ago is still the same conversation on the current page... Well. We just didn't enjoy it. May's title Rose of No Man's Land promises much more. (I've already read it and loved it up!)