The Gingerbread Book Club

I am a loyal fan to a good book - will tell everyone I know (within reasonable conversational opportunity) about a good read or a well-written thought. As part of our monthly Gingerbread Book Club I get to expand this conversation within a group and would like to bring that forum to you - our Gingerbread Lane Family Community. I keep posted on this blog the upcoming Book Club selections and would be thrilled if you would share your thoughts for any of the upcoming selections. I will keep posted a blog entry re: the Gingerbread Book Club to keep the conversation going. You are invited to comment - about the book posted or any that you see have been "clubbed" or will be "clubbed". Or, perhaps you have a recommendation of your own? Let me know - I love a good read...



Read It - Read It - Read It

For the month of September, I'm keen to share "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. Mr. Hosseini has the ability to tell a story with maturity and detail that I find refreshing. The story provides a personal connection to the main characters that develops into a close bond by the end of the story. Truthfully, I often found myself hesitant to pick the book up at night (I read at bedtime) as I had a preconceived notion that the content was dry and slow-moving. How pleasantly wrong I was!! I had to admit to myself by about mid-novel that despite my hesitancy to engage, once I began reading - within the first paragraphs in fact - I was drawn back to the story and continued enthralled much longer than my weary self would have/should have permitted.

The characters are 'full-bodied' people who you can see with greater physical and emotional clarity as Mr. Hosseini shares their story. You find Mariam and Laila's story overlapping in the most tragic and obvious of ways - are you thankful that they did? I am angered by the circumstance and history of the story - the brutal war and social situation that the characters lived throughout - it's a story I was naively unaware of. I found a unique respect and sorrow for Mariam and still think of her in the days following the completion of my reading.

I greatly appreciate when an author tells a story intelligently without the over-the-top hype that spoon feeds readers (and more commonly move-goers) the small details of the story. Mr. Hosseini allows the reader to develop their own emotion or attachment as he unfolds details, history and personality. I encourage you to read this book - at some point in your life - to enjoy a truly intelligent and compelling read.

Please post your Book Club comments below:
Did you like this book? Didn't like it at all?
Have a book you'd like to recommend?
Want to offer your own thoughts about A Thousand Splendid Suns?