Friday, February 21, 2014

February Meeting: Transcendence by Chris McKitterick

It's SciFi month for PBR Book Club (too bad it's not SciFi month every month)! February's book selection was made by Nathan and Rose and it is the SciFi epic, Transcendence, by local author Chris McKitterick and published by Hadley Rille Books (publishing company of Rose's dad!).

We will be meeting intheflesh in the basement of the Taproom on Tuesday, Feb. 25th at 8pm. Joining us will be special guest Chris McKitterick, author of the book!!! We will get to pick his brain (unfortunately, without 3VRD) and maybe if we are nice, he will sign our copies of the book!

So crank up your revmetal, and get ready to see us on Tuesday!

-Nathan and Rose

PS - 3VRD is pronounced "three verd" (rhymes with freebird) :)

Thursday, February 20, 2014

The Ethereal Beauty of Housekeeping

The Read Across Lawrence book, Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, seemed like a strange pick. Written in 1980, it is not current fiction and is a little obscure.  However, the publishing date of this book is unimportant; events are ambiguous. The narrator relates to experiences as if describing a dream or fantasy. Place and time era are muddled and nailing down facts of people are elusive.

This intangible quality makes the book haunting, including description of memory and what memory means, and the inside and outside worlds of both character and physical environments.

Housekeeping has been on 100 greatest novels of all time lists including the Guardian Unlimited and Time.  I recommend this short and thoughtful read.




Thursday, February 13, 2014

Newsy: Art Tile and Read Across Lawrence

Art Tile in Bathroom
Book clubbers are very excited to have the name of the PBR Book Club on an art tile that will be permanently installed in the family restroom of the children's area of the new Lawrence  Public Library.  We are making a unique contribution to our city's bathrooms as we participate in a speical fundraiser sponsored by the Library Foundation.  We will be a part of history! Karen will post pics of the tile after it is fired and installed.

 Pic of the design of the tile

Read Across Lawrence 2014
The Read Across Lawrence current book is Housekeeping by Marilynn Robinson.  Copies of the book are available for free at the the information desk of the Lawrence Public Library as well as for check-out.

Marilyn Robinson is coming to Lawrence to speak on Thursday, March 6 at 7 pm at Plymouth Congregational Church ( 725 Vermont Street). There is also a film screening of Housekeeping on March 4 at 7 pm at Woodruf Auditorium at the Kansas Union (cost is $5.00).   In addition, there are discussions about the book through the month.  Read more about the book and these events here: http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/news-events/read-across-lawrence13/read-across-lawrence-2014/

The book is also available on audio.

About Housekeeping
Housekeeping is the story of two sisters raised in isolated Fingerbone, Idaho.  The family is plagued by loss, and the sisters are raised by a series of family members culminating in their last hope, their aunt, who is a boxcar drifter.