Update on June-July Virtual Meeting Post
Our selection for June and July is the classic My Summer in a Garden by Charles Dudley Warner.
If you couldn’t get a copy of the book, there is a full version of the book on Google Books, where you can read it online or download it to a PDF.
And if you haven’t read the book and still want to participate with a post for the virtual meeting, you can do so by posting about your own “summer in a garden”.
I’ll publish the post of the June-July virtual meeting on July 31st, so post on either the book or the topic before then, and then send me a comment or email so I can find you and include a link to your post in the virtual meeting write-up.
August-September Selection
Several people have suggested that we read a garden mystery for the book club. All right, let’s do that! Not to get too complicated, but there are three ways to participate.
You can read the garden mystery A Hoe Lot of Trouble: A Nina Quinn Mystery by Heather Webber, which is what I’ll be reading. I was intrigued by the title, because you all know I have a lot of hoes, right? I blame Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening for bringing this book to my attention. (I could say that I am weak and can’t resist anything related to hoes, but that could get mis-construed, couldn’t it?)
Or if you have another mystery you would prefer to read, that works, too. There are several different garden mystery series available, including the Nina Quinn series by Heather Webber, the China Bayles series by Susan Wittig Albert, Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, the Abby Knight series by Kate Collins, the Louise Eldridge series by Ann Ripley and probably several others. If you don’t see your favorite garden mystery listed here, let me know and we’ll get it added to the list.
And finally, if you don’t want to read the same garden mystery, or any other garden mystery, you can participate by telling us about a real life mystery in your own garden.
The virtual meeting post for August-September will be published on September 30th, which seems like a long time from now, but time will go too quickly, I’m sure.
October Selection
No selection has been made for October, so send me your ideas. I try to select books that have universal appeal to gardeners, are easy to get either at the library or second-hand via Amazon and other outlets and aren’t terribly long. Other than that, anything goes! Send me an email or leave me a comment with your ideas.
Thank you!
I appreciate everyone who has participated in the book club in the past and look forward to YOUR participation whether you are a first time contributor or have joined for each book. Thank you for your participation.
If you haven’t heard about the book club or haven’t paid much attention to it and now want to participate, you can go the Garden Bloggers Book Club blog for links to all the previous posts of meetings and updates to get an idea of what it is about. All are welcome to participate!
I’m still deciding myself whether to post about the book or about my own summer in a garden which has been spent in the vegetable garden. That’s tonight’s harvest pictured above. Did you notice that ear of sweet corn? I picked it, and I shouldn’t have. It wasn’t quite ready. I don’t want to talk about it. Divert your eyes from it and look at all those beans!
A book I really enjoyed that you might consider for October is “From the Ground Up” by Amy Stewart. It is a fairly short book that tells the story of her first garden, back when she didn’t know what she was doing. I could identify with so much in it, and was moved by her letter to the future owner of her garden.
Really enjoyed your blog which is so well done and makes a newbie like me aspire to achieve what you have created. I am into Henry Mitchell also. Best regards,
Jon on 7-23-07
http://mississippigarden.blogspot.com
Carol, I have a lot of catching up to do, I see. But in the meantime here is my Garden Blogger’s book review. I doubt this link will work but you know where to find me! Lost Roses: Book Club
What a great idea to have a virtual bookclub. i would like to join in and will read the August-September selection. How exciting – I’ve always wanted to join a book club but felt I didn’t have the time as I spend so much time in the garden or on the computer, but I love to read!!
Sara from farmingfriends
I have not been able to take part in your book club series to this point but I pplan to start one of the books soon. I do ike the China Bayles series and any of the Susan Albert Wittig. Must finish Harry Potter 7 first.
Carol, I have given you an award on my blog post. You possible have receievd it before, but I wanted to thank you for all of your comments. When I first started blogging it was very difficult to get anyone to visit, but you were always there. Thank you.
Carol, I have posted my comments on the July selection on my blog. I look forward to reading the garden mystery for next month.
David in Greensboro NC… That’s a great suggestion and I’ll add it to the list.
Jon… Thanks for the kind words, I’ll be checking out your blog. Our first book to read was one by Henry Mitchell, perhaps we’ll choose another one to read this fall?
Lost Roses… I found you, I know the way, and I really appreciate your review. Well done!
FarmingFriends… I’m always happy to have new members in the club. You can also just post on your own summer in a garden to participate this month if you don’t want to wait.
Marie… Thank you for the award, it is one I haven’t received before. Please do join us once you finish HP7!
Bev… Great review and thanks for participating!
Did a mention a virtual book club has no restrictions on how many can join? The more the merrier!
Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I was very excited to find this blog. I just finished “The Water Lily Cross ” by Anthony Eglin, the third in his “English Garden Series.” I didn’t like it as much as his previous two books but it was a mild diversion. I’ve never heard of the Nina Quinn series but want to check that out.