August 31, 2016 @ Karen C’s with Shelley, Liz, Viviane & yours truly
Chatter:
- go, Larry Hogan…of course school should start after Labor Day
- annual oohing and aahing over the fabulous screened in porch
- Karen C’s new beach house (Bethany)
- school dances: 0-2 slow dances max (it should be a rule if it isn’t)
- the VMAs were terrible – no surprise
- Is cable TV dead (within 3 years)?
- Can live sports transition from cable/networks?
- Would you watch golf before or after bowling, poker, pool or bull riding?
- Olympics: awesome to see; waste of architecture & resources in host cities post games (how to repurpose?); opening ceremonies = overblown; make it stop; March of the Athletes is where it’s at…and the torch lighting, natch.
Our Book: 10 Days in the Hills by Jane Smiley 
Liz picked it because she saw Smiley at Nat’l Book Festival 2015 (fascinating speaker); intrigued by her goal to write a title in each genre/category (tragedy, comedy, satire, a trilogy, etc.) – this was her ‘satire’; Liz owned this book already
- Smiley lampooned Hollywood, but this was not satire – not witty, not acerbic
- Smiley seemed to identify very directly with Elena – a distractor to the reader
- Not a plot, but more like Jane’s political diatribes alternated with sex scenes she thought were needed to keep some readers engaged (through the political parts)
- We all were so very glad to reach the end.
- We did enjoy recognizing some of the places being described (those of us who’ve lived there).
Next Meeting: Viviane’s House (swapping months with Katie) @ 7:15 Sept. 29
Karen C’s pick: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
enjoytheread 