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Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone with the occasional classic, non-fiction piece or even a children's book!

Here's the email that I sent out to the Babes regarding our meeting to discuss Bill Bryson's book, The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid:

I hope to see as many of you as possible this Thursday here at the old ranch house. For those of you with little ones: if you can’t find a sitter, perhaps, you can just leave them in the Kiddie Corral at Dahl's. The younger ones do so enjoy the array of comics they have there. But no matter what, there are to be none of those petting, hair-combing, rock 'n' roll listening, left-winger, mutant TEENAGERS, under any circumstances.

Likewise, if you, or anyone you know, has any communist leanings, please remember to forget to come on Thursday at 7 pm. We can't have any of that at book club.

Do try to avoid any remnants of the recent nuclear testing when you come to my humble abode. We've been hearing that it's not as good of an idea to run around in the mushroom cloud aftermath as we had all originally thought.

I will have the Stor-Mor stocked up with plenty of Nehi (no grape for the ladies driving, please...), and if there's a new episode of I Love Lucy on, you can be sure that we can find time to watch it on our RCA television. There will be TV dinners for all. However, no cottage cheese will be served, and if you'd prefer, we could just meet outside in someone's car instead in my living room.

We will top the evening off with some instant coffee. Maybe for a special treat, I’ll spring for some powdered creamer for you special, special ladies. Oh, and Julie, would you mind modeling your new Maidenform for us? I can't wait to see it!

Gee, this is going to be just swell!

See you all on Thursday!

By way of quick explanation regarding a couple of things in the above note:

• According to Bryson, Grape Nehi could actually produce something of a hallucinogenic experience (!).
• Apparently, Bryson's mother served cottage cheese with every single meal - this in spite of the fact that he detested it with eveyr fiber of his being!

Other Books The Babes Have Read in Recent Months:

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bon’s, by Lorna Landvik - While both the title and cover page of this book, (and even the first 50 pages or so...) will have you thinking you are reading fluff, do not be dissuaded from reading on. This little gem is worth your time. Yes, there are 5 women, whose lives we hear about over a 40 plus year span. Does that sound trite? Perhaps. But dig deeper, book lovers, and you will find the heart and soul of this book. Landvik’s writing style is at once poignant and strong, and she delivers a story with twists and turns that make it worth every minute. In the end, the only thing better than a good book is a good friend. And this read has both. How can you resist?!

The heart Is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers - John Singer is the protagonist deaf mute in a poor Georgia mill town in the 1930’s Depression. Somehow, the townsfolk get it in their heads that Mr. Singer’s retiring manner is wisdom, and the next thing you know, people are flocking to him for "advice", though he speaks not a word and rarely even writes one on paper. Even so, the people are convinced that Singer is the answer to all of their problems. This book starts out powerfully, with a strong list of supporting characters who keep you thinking deeply. However, by the end, it was simply too depressing. This was author McCuller’s debut at the young age of 23, and that is, indeed, remarkable.

I think that just about brings you up to speed on the goings-on of my Book Babes. Happy reading!