For questions, please call Bob or Kay Evans at
904 743-1885 or email: bobkayjax@gmail.com
904 743-1885 or email: bobkayjax@gmail.com
Book Bunch Summaries
May 2019 through December 2020
May 2019 through December 2020
2019
May 8 The Great Alone Kristin Hannah (Linda Robbins)
May 8 The Great Alone Kristin Hannah (Linda Robbins)
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and
volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will
move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America's last
true frontier. For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
June 12 The Woman in Cabin Ten Ruth Ware (Linda Tisdale)
In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie's works, Lo
Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the
assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins.
At first, Lo's stay is nothing but pleasant, but as the week wears on, Lo witnesses
what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being
thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for--and so, the
ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo's desperate attempts to convey
that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
August 14 Origin Dan Brown (Fred)
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives
at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major
announcement--the unveiling of a discovery that "will change the face of science
forever." Edmond Kirsch, who was one of Langdon's first students at Harvard two
decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will
answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence. Langdon and
Ambra Vidal, the museum director, uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-
to-face with Kirsch's shocking discovery . . and the breathtaking truth that has
long eluded us.
Sept 11 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman
(Bob)
Smart, warm, uplifting, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the story of an
out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make
for an irresistible journey as she realizes the only way to survive is to open your
heart.
Oct 9 The Winter Sea Susanna Kearsley (Linda Robbins)
A hauntingly beautiful tale of love that transcends time. A modern American
woman travels to Scotland to write a novel about the Jacobite Rebellion-- only to
discover that the vivid scenes and the romantic hero she's imagining actually
exist...American writer Carrie McClelland hopes to base her next bestselling
novel on that story of her ancestors in the dim, dark past . Settling herself in the
shadow of Slains Castle, she starts to write. But as Carrie's mind slips back in
time, she learns of the ultimate betrayal that happened all those years ago, making
her the only living person who knows the truth--and that knowledge comes very
close to destroying her.
Nov 13 Camino Island John Grisham (Judy)
A gang of thieves stage a daring heist from a secure vault deep below Princeton
University’s Firestone Library. Their loot is priceless, but Princeton has insured it
for twenty-five million dollars. Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy
resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money,
though as a prominent dealer in rare books. Very few people know that he occasionally
dabbles in the black market of stolen booksvand manuscripts. Mercer Mann, a young
novelist goes undercover to infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally
getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. But eventually Mercer learns far too
much, and there’s trouble in paradise as only John Grisham can deliver.
Dec 11 The Tumor John Grisham (Bob)
The Tumor" is a short story telling about the focused ultrasound process through
the case of a fictional character named Paul. This story was not released through
Grisham's usual publisher, but instead was published for a free eBook on the
website of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation,[1] on whose board Grisham serves.
Grisham's purpose in writing this short story was to increase awareness about this
promising new medical therapy. The use of focused ultrasound is not yet approved
for use on brain tumors, but The Tumor takes place in a time when the therapy is
in regular use. Unlike most short stories, the story is as much informational as
narrative, and includes medical illustrations and brain scan images. The book’s
cover includes the subtitle A Non-Legal Thriller. On Grisham's website, in a letter
introducing The Tumor, Grisham states "It's the most important book I've ever
written.”
2020
Jan 8 The Nightingale Kristin Hannah (Linda Tisdale)
"Viann and Isabelle have always been close despite their differences.
Younger, bolder sister Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann lives a quiet and
content life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their
daughter. When World War II strikes and Antoine is sent off to fight,
Isabelle's father sends Isabelle to help her older sister cope. As the war
progresses, it's not only the sisters' relationship that is tested, but also their
strength and their individual senses of right and wrong. Vivid and exquisite
in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with great
monstrosities, but also great humanity and strength, Kristin Hannah's novel
will provoke thought and discussion that will have readers talking long
after they turn the last page" -- Provided by publisher.
Feb 12 Forever Island Patrick Smith (Susan)
Forever Island is widely recognized as the classic novel of the Everglades.
Allapattah is the story of a young Seminole in despair in the white man's world.
Mar 11 Boy Erased Garrard Conley (Bob)
The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town
Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about
his sexuality.When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed
to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to
attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to “cure"
him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to
every day of his life. By confronting his buried past and the burden of a life lived
in shadow, Garrard traces the complex relationships among family, faith, and
community. At times heart-breaking, at times triumphant, this memoir is a
testament to love that survives despite all odds.
Apr 8 The Collectors David Baldacci (Fred)
People are dropping dead in Washington, D.C., and the Camel Club
must unravel a secret that threatens to bring America to its knees.
May 13 Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens (Judy)
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a
quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when
handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately
suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they
say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the
marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in
the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and
loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild
beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.
June10 The Sea Garden Deborah Lawrenson (Susan)
On the lush Mediterranean island of Porquerolles off the French coast, Ellie
Brooke, an award-winning British landscape designer, has been hired to restore a
memorial garden. Unsettled by its haunted air and the bitterness of the garden's
owner, an elderly woman who seems intent on undermining her, Ellie finds that
her only ally on the island is an elusive war historian. . . .
Aug 12 Exit West Mohsin Hamid (Linda Tisdale)
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet--sensual,
fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive
love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling
their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of
checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors--doors that
can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates,
Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their
homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. . . .
Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of
love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.
Sept 9 The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Mitch Albom
(Lynn)
Mitch Albom creates his most unforgettable character--Frankie Presto, the
greatest guitarist ever to walk the earth--in this magical novel about the power of
talent to change our lives. In Mitch Albom's epic new novel, the voice of Music
narrates the tale of its most beloved disciple, Frankie Presto, a Spanish war
orphan raised by a blind music teacher. Along the way, Frankie influences many
artists: he translates for Django Reinhardt, advises Little Richard, backs up Elvis
Presley, and counsels Hank Williams. Frankie elevates to a rock star himself, yet
his gift becomes his burden, as he realizes that he can actually affect people’s
futures: his guitar strings turn blue whenever a life is altered. Overwhelmed by
life, loss, and this power, he disappears for years, only to reemerge in a
spectacular and mysterious farewell. With its Forrest Gump--like journey through
the music world, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is a classic in the making. A
lifelong musician himself, Mitch Albom delivers an unforgettable story.
"Everyone joins a band in this life," he observes, be it through music, family,
friends, or lovers. And those connections change the world.
Oct 14 Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Ann Tyler
(Linda Tisdale)
Abandoned by her wanderlusting husband, stoic Pearl raised her three children on
her own. Now grown, the siblings are inextricably linked by their memories—
some painful--which hold them together despite their differences. Now gathered
during a time of loss, they will reluctantly unlock the shared secrets of their past
and discover if what binds them together is stronger than what tears them apart.
Nov 11 The Greatest Generation Tom Brokow (Susan)
The instant classic that changed the way we saw World War II and an
entire generation of Americans, from the beloved journalist whose own
iconic career has lasted more than fifty years.
In this magnificent testament to a nation and her people, Tom Brokaw
brings to life the extraordinary stories of a generation that gave new
meaning to courage, sacrifice, and honor.
Dec 9 The Cure: What if God isn’t who you think He is and
neither are you? John Lynch, Bruce McNicol,
Bill Thrall, Trueface (Rev. Tiffany McCall)
The Cure gives the diagnosis of this century's religious obsession with sin-
management. It has poisoned the Church, obscuring the Original Good News and
sending millions away-wounded, angry and cynical, from nearly any organized
expression of faith. The Cure offers an authentic experience in Christ that frees
some from a self-rewarded righteousness, and others from a beaten down striving
for a righteousness they can never seem to attain. The Cure infuses a relational
theology of grace and identity, which alone can heal, free and create sustainable,
genuine, loving, life-giving communities.
(Names in parenthesis are those who suggested the book and will lead the discussion.)
volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will
move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America's last
true frontier. For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
June 12 The Woman in Cabin Ten Ruth Ware (Linda Tisdale)
In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie's works, Lo
Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the
assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins.
At first, Lo's stay is nothing but pleasant, but as the week wears on, Lo witnesses
what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being
thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for--and so, the
ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo's desperate attempts to convey
that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
August 14 Origin Dan Brown (Fred)
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives
at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major
announcement--the unveiling of a discovery that "will change the face of science
forever." Edmond Kirsch, who was one of Langdon's first students at Harvard two
decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will
answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence. Langdon and
Ambra Vidal, the museum director, uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-
to-face with Kirsch's shocking discovery . . and the breathtaking truth that has
long eluded us.
Sept 11 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman
(Bob)
Smart, warm, uplifting, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the story of an
out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make
for an irresistible journey as she realizes the only way to survive is to open your
heart.
Oct 9 The Winter Sea Susanna Kearsley (Linda Robbins)
A hauntingly beautiful tale of love that transcends time. A modern American
woman travels to Scotland to write a novel about the Jacobite Rebellion-- only to
discover that the vivid scenes and the romantic hero she's imagining actually
exist...American writer Carrie McClelland hopes to base her next bestselling
novel on that story of her ancestors in the dim, dark past . Settling herself in the
shadow of Slains Castle, she starts to write. But as Carrie's mind slips back in
time, she learns of the ultimate betrayal that happened all those years ago, making
her the only living person who knows the truth--and that knowledge comes very
close to destroying her.
Nov 13 Camino Island John Grisham (Judy)
A gang of thieves stage a daring heist from a secure vault deep below Princeton
University’s Firestone Library. Their loot is priceless, but Princeton has insured it
for twenty-five million dollars. Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy
resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money,
though as a prominent dealer in rare books. Very few people know that he occasionally
dabbles in the black market of stolen booksvand manuscripts. Mercer Mann, a young
novelist goes undercover to infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally
getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. But eventually Mercer learns far too
much, and there’s trouble in paradise as only John Grisham can deliver.
Dec 11 The Tumor John Grisham (Bob)
The Tumor" is a short story telling about the focused ultrasound process through
the case of a fictional character named Paul. This story was not released through
Grisham's usual publisher, but instead was published for a free eBook on the
website of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation,[1] on whose board Grisham serves.
Grisham's purpose in writing this short story was to increase awareness about this
promising new medical therapy. The use of focused ultrasound is not yet approved
for use on brain tumors, but The Tumor takes place in a time when the therapy is
in regular use. Unlike most short stories, the story is as much informational as
narrative, and includes medical illustrations and brain scan images. The book’s
cover includes the subtitle A Non-Legal Thriller. On Grisham's website, in a letter
introducing The Tumor, Grisham states "It's the most important book I've ever
written.”
2020
Jan 8 The Nightingale Kristin Hannah (Linda Tisdale)
"Viann and Isabelle have always been close despite their differences.
Younger, bolder sister Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann lives a quiet and
content life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their
daughter. When World War II strikes and Antoine is sent off to fight,
Isabelle's father sends Isabelle to help her older sister cope. As the war
progresses, it's not only the sisters' relationship that is tested, but also their
strength and their individual senses of right and wrong. Vivid and exquisite
in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with great
monstrosities, but also great humanity and strength, Kristin Hannah's novel
will provoke thought and discussion that will have readers talking long
after they turn the last page" -- Provided by publisher.
Feb 12 Forever Island Patrick Smith (Susan)
Forever Island is widely recognized as the classic novel of the Everglades.
Allapattah is the story of a young Seminole in despair in the white man's world.
Mar 11 Boy Erased Garrard Conley (Bob)
The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town
Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about
his sexuality.When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed
to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to
attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to “cure"
him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to
every day of his life. By confronting his buried past and the burden of a life lived
in shadow, Garrard traces the complex relationships among family, faith, and
community. At times heart-breaking, at times triumphant, this memoir is a
testament to love that survives despite all odds.
Apr 8 The Collectors David Baldacci (Fred)
People are dropping dead in Washington, D.C., and the Camel Club
must unravel a secret that threatens to bring America to its knees.
May 13 Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens (Judy)
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a
quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when
handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately
suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they
say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the
marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in
the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and
loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild
beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.
June10 The Sea Garden Deborah Lawrenson (Susan)
On the lush Mediterranean island of Porquerolles off the French coast, Ellie
Brooke, an award-winning British landscape designer, has been hired to restore a
memorial garden. Unsettled by its haunted air and the bitterness of the garden's
owner, an elderly woman who seems intent on undermining her, Ellie finds that
her only ally on the island is an elusive war historian. . . .
Aug 12 Exit West Mohsin Hamid (Linda Tisdale)
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet--sensual,
fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive
love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling
their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of
checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors--doors that
can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates,
Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their
homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. . . .
Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of
love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.
Sept 9 The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Mitch Albom
(Lynn)
Mitch Albom creates his most unforgettable character--Frankie Presto, the
greatest guitarist ever to walk the earth--in this magical novel about the power of
talent to change our lives. In Mitch Albom's epic new novel, the voice of Music
narrates the tale of its most beloved disciple, Frankie Presto, a Spanish war
orphan raised by a blind music teacher. Along the way, Frankie influences many
artists: he translates for Django Reinhardt, advises Little Richard, backs up Elvis
Presley, and counsels Hank Williams. Frankie elevates to a rock star himself, yet
his gift becomes his burden, as he realizes that he can actually affect people’s
futures: his guitar strings turn blue whenever a life is altered. Overwhelmed by
life, loss, and this power, he disappears for years, only to reemerge in a
spectacular and mysterious farewell. With its Forrest Gump--like journey through
the music world, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto is a classic in the making. A
lifelong musician himself, Mitch Albom delivers an unforgettable story.
"Everyone joins a band in this life," he observes, be it through music, family,
friends, or lovers. And those connections change the world.
Oct 14 Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Ann Tyler
(Linda Tisdale)
Abandoned by her wanderlusting husband, stoic Pearl raised her three children on
her own. Now grown, the siblings are inextricably linked by their memories—
some painful--which hold them together despite their differences. Now gathered
during a time of loss, they will reluctantly unlock the shared secrets of their past
and discover if what binds them together is stronger than what tears them apart.
Nov 11 The Greatest Generation Tom Brokow (Susan)
The instant classic that changed the way we saw World War II and an
entire generation of Americans, from the beloved journalist whose own
iconic career has lasted more than fifty years.
In this magnificent testament to a nation and her people, Tom Brokaw
brings to life the extraordinary stories of a generation that gave new
meaning to courage, sacrifice, and honor.
Dec 9 The Cure: What if God isn’t who you think He is and
neither are you? John Lynch, Bruce McNicol,
Bill Thrall, Trueface (Rev. Tiffany McCall)
The Cure gives the diagnosis of this century's religious obsession with sin-
management. It has poisoned the Church, obscuring the Original Good News and
sending millions away-wounded, angry and cynical, from nearly any organized
expression of faith. The Cure offers an authentic experience in Christ that frees
some from a self-rewarded righteousness, and others from a beaten down striving
for a righteousness they can never seem to attain. The Cure infuses a relational
theology of grace and identity, which alone can heal, free and create sustainable,
genuine, loving, life-giving communities.
(Names in parenthesis are those who suggested the book and will lead the discussion.)
