Friday, May 25, 2012

Saturday Samplers Book Group to Meet

Bernardsville Library’s book discussion group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, June 2 at 3:30 pm to discuss Broken for You (2004) by Stephanie Kallos. [The author will not be present.]
A national bestseller and Today show Book Club selection, Broken for You describes two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. This debut novel tells the story of septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company, and Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away. Both funny and heartbreaking, Broken for You is a testament to the saving graces of surrogate families and shows how far the tiniest repair jobs can go in righting the world's wrongs. Kirkus Reviews called it “A dazzling mosaic of intersecting lives and fates…[A] multilayered rhapsody…”

Author Stephanie Kallos spent twenty years in the theatre as an actress and teacher of voice, speech, and accents. Her short fiction has been awarded a Raymond Carver Award and nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her second novel, "Sing Them Home," was an IndieNext selection, a Shelf Awareness Pick of the Year, and was chosen by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 10 Best Books of 2009. She lives in Seattle with her husband and sons and is at work on her next novel.

Led by Evelyn Fischel, Saturday Samplers is a book discussion group dedicated to sampling various kinds of literature, including short stories, nonfiction, new and old novels, and even teen fiction. Its goal is to search out interesting, noteworthy, and sometimes overlooked books. Readers can find information about the group and about the books and authors on the reading list at http://saturdaysamplers.blogspot.com. No sign-up is needed to join the discussion. Call the library at 766-0118 for more information.

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