Literary Larks
It’s spring and time to hit the road. Open Book is taking some fun field trips to literary venues in the Philadelphia area. Join us! Saturday June 14th Pearl S. Buck House Perkasie (Doylestown), PA Time: 11am to 2pm Buck’s classic novel The Good Earth, published in 1931, still resonates with its story of man’s striving to better himself, and the societal challenges of tradition versus modernization in China. In exciting news, a heretofore unknown novel, The Eternal Wonder, written by Buck in 1973 just before her death, has just been published for the first time. The Eternal Wonder tells the coming-of-age story of Randolph Colfax (Rann for short), an extraordinarily gifted young man whose search for meaning and purpose leads him to New York, England, Paris, on a mission patrolling the DMZ in Korea that will change his life forever—and, ultimately, to love. In this Literary Lark, we will convene for a private tour of Buck’s home in Perkasie. This will be followed by lunch at Vintage Grill and a discussion of both novels, The Good Earth and The Eternal Wonder. Cost: $65 This includes house admission and a copy of The Eternal Wonder, which you will receive when you sign up for the program, and lunch. Lunch will offer a varied menu of choices. Logistics: We will meet at the Pearl S. Buck house; you must provide your own transportation to the house. The restaurant, The Vintage Grill, is an easy straight drive three miles down the road from the house. Sign up HERE: With any questions or for more information please email lynn@lynnrosen.com or call...
Hot Off the Press: Spring 2014
In this monthly book discussion class, participants will read major works of new fiction just as they are being published. Class discussions include analysis of the book as well as background information about the author and the book’s path to publication. All classes meet in Elkins Park on Monday evenings from 7pm to 8:30 pm. Sign up here! Please note that we will be meeting this session in the library at Keneseth Israel (directions to be provided), which is a wheelchair accessible space. March 10th Orfeo by Richard Powers Retired composer Peter Els has an unusual hobby, do-it-yourself genetic engineering. Is his work dangerous? Powers (a National Book Award winner for The Echo Maker, 2006) sure-handedly builds a rich metaphor in which musical composition is an analog for other kinds of human invention, with all the beauty and terror that implies. Publication date: 1/20 BUY THE BOOK: If you would like to buy the book from me, I have it available in my Open Book Bookstore at a 20% discount for class members (plus tax). Either email me that you would like the book or click here to purchase it: https://squareup.com/market/open-book/orfeo [Note: Books for the other classes will be available, also at a discount, as they are published.] March 31st The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan Set in recession-struck Ireland, this virtuoso debut novel, long-listed for the Booker prize, pieces together a fractured portrait of a community in shock. Publication Date: 2/25 April 28th Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi Named one of 2014’s most anticipated books by CNN, The Huffington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and many others, this book from the prizewinning author of Mr. Fox is the Snow White fairy tale brilliantly recast as a story of family secrets, race, beauty, and vanity. Publication date: 3/6 May 19th Every Day is For the Thief by Teju Cole Teju Cole, whose critically acclaimed debut, Open City, was the winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and was named one of the best books of the year by more than twenty publications, In his new novel, a young Nigerian living in New York City goes home to Lagos for a short visit, finding a city both familiar and strange. In a city dense with story, the unnamed narrator moves through a mosaic of life, hoping to find inspiration for his own. Publication Date: 3/25 June 9th Casebook by Mona Simpson From the acclaimed and award-winning author of Anywhere But Here, a powerful new novel about a young boy’s quest to uncover the mysteries of his unraveling family. Publication date: 4/15 Cost: The cost for...
The Mom Salon
The Mom Salon is a discussion group just for Moms. It’s a regular gathering of thoughtful mothers who want to talk with other women about important issues in the world of mothering, issues including what it means to be a mother and a wife, balancing work and home life, finding time for self, and one’s relationship with one’s partner. For each Mom Salon session we’ll read ahead of time a chapter from a provocative book about women’s lives today. At the meeting, Lynn Rosen will lead a discussion about the reading and the issues raised by the author. The next Mom Salon gathering is on April 21st. It will take place at Whole Foods in Jenkintown on the Fairway. Class runs from 12pm to 1pm in the Whole Foods community room. There is no charge. Pick up a yummy lunch and join us for friendly, lively and thoughtful conversation! Monday, April 21st, 12-1xpm Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety by Judith Warner Of course we worry, we all worry. It seems to come with the territory of motherhood. Author Warner talks about dealing with the stresses of motherhood and bringing things back into balance, and we will too! Note: All books are available for sale at Whole Foods. For more details or with any questions contact lynn at lynnrosen dot...
Open Book “Pop Up” Mobile Bookstore
Stop by our mobile bookstore for a carefully curated collection of great books for adults and children. You’ll discover great fiction you didn’t know about, thought-provoking non-fiction, and terrific books for children of all ages. Sunday, February 23rd, 9:30am to 12:30pm, Keneseth Israel, 8339 Old York Rd. (corner of Township Line Rd.) Open to the public. Held in the main lobby accessed from the parklng lot side main door near the traffic circle. UPCOMING POP UPS: At Creekside Co-op, 7909 High School Road, Elkins Park, PA Sunday, March 2nd, 11am to 3pm Sunday, March 30th, 11am to 3pm Sunday, May 4th , 11am to 3pm If you have a location you’d like to have an Open Book Pop Up Mobile Bookstore, send us an email! Please note that we are also available by appointment. If you’d like to set up a time to shop our collection privately, email...