Happy Thursday, My Lovelies! Today I'm sharing ideas for hosting a spring book club meeting. I've chosen three very different books and themes for spring, and I hope that a few of these ideas might work for you and your book club.
Book #1: The Wangs vs. the World by Jade Chang
According to Goodreads:
Charles Wang, a brash, lovable businessman who built a cosmetics empire and made a fortune, has just lost everything in the financial crisis. So he rounds up two of his children from schools that he can no longer afford and packs them into the only car that wasn’t repossessed. Together with their wealth-addicted stepmother, Barbra, they head on a cross-country journey from their foreclosed Bel-Air home to the Upstate New York retreat of the eldest Wang daughter, Saina. The trip brings them together in a way money never could.
“Highly entertaining” (BuzzFeed), this “fresh Little Miss Sunshine” (Vanity Fair)is a “compassionate and bright-eyed novel” (New York Times Book Review), an epic family saga, and a new look at what it means to belong in America. “When the Wangs take the world, we all benefit” (USA Today).
Spring is the perfect time to read a book about a road trip, don't you think? This book is so much fun, and it does remind me of Little Miss Sunshine.
Ideas for the meeting:
Decorate using vintage or vintage-looking tea towels with state maps on them. You can find them on eBay, Etsy, Uncommon Goods, Amazon, and in local gift shops because I see them everywhere.
Suggested menu:
Strawberries are in season, and there's a scene in the book with strawberries. I think it would be fun to have a build your own strawberry shortcake bar.
What you'll need:
Fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
Slices of angel food cake
Fresh whipped cream
Powdered sugar
Chocolate syrup
Caramel syrup
Maple syrup
Chocolate shavings
Drinks: iced tea with strawberry syrup or strawberry soda
Below is an IndieBound affiliate link for purchasing The Wangs VS. the World:
Decorate with daisies...lots of daisies!
And why not serve Banana Pudding Layer Cake similar to the Banana Cream Cake Doris Day made for Rod Taylor (and Dom DeLuis destroys) in The Glass Bottom Boat.
Serve with tea or coffee. Why not dust-off your grandmothers tea and coffee service? If this sounds like a lot of trouble remember that you're not painting your entire home like Jane!
This book is a little harder to find, so you'll probably have to order it via Amazon.
Book #3: How to Be a Wildflower: A Field Guide by: Katie Daisy
According to Goodreads:
A fresh perspective, an outdoor exploration, a new adventure about to begin—How to Be a Wildflower is the book to celebrate these and other wide-open occasions. Encouraging self-discovery through encounters with nature, beloved artist Katie Daisy brings her beautiful paintings and lettering to this collection of things to do and make, quotes, meditations, natural history, and more. A recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie, a prompt to hike by the light of the moon, a place to press flowers: every page inside the charming textured two-piece case invites readers to wander, gather, savor, and ponder the natural world around them. For every wild and free spirit—and those who aspire to be—this is a field guide to living life to the fullest.
If you can't stand the thought of staying indoors on another beautiful spring day, you'll love this idea: take it outside! Why not have your book club meeting at your local botanical gardens or a park? Club members could walk around and use this adorable book as a guide.
Your book club could meet at a park or public garden and bring a brown bag (or wildflower bag) lunch.
Your club could also do some of the activities in the workbook. The line also has colored pencils.
If you have a beautiful back garden and patio, you could host the meeting at your home and enjoy the pretty weather outside.
If you host at home, you could bake the strawberry rhubarb pie from the book and serve it with homemade whipped cream.
That's it! Three very different ideas for hosting your spring book club meeting. Which idea do you like best?
Until next time...
Happy reading!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill, Your blog is looking so pretty and spring-like! These books look like they would be fun for a book group, especially the Doris Day inspired one. I would imagine that it could be quite controversial, and that's always good for discussions. I do have the Wildflower book and enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to your next newsletter! Linda
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty photos RJ and such good ideas for hosting (which will work for other get togeathers too). All of the books sound like fun summer reads, road trip and I’m thinking beach trip. I love your idea of a strawberry shortcake bar, just perfect for this amazing spring weather we are having. Looking forward to seeing you for lunch next week.........Happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteI need to save this Wildflower book title for a future purchase for me and as a gift for a creative friend. Love the pencils, too. Yes, that one might have be on my list. The shortcake bar is a great idea too!
ReplyDeleteHow to be a Wildflower would be my first choice. But all of the book covers on these books make them each irresistible! Enjoy your day! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post!! I love that you gave ideas for menus and settings to go with the book! I would have to choose, The Thing About Jane Spring! Sounds like an entertaining book, and Doris Day is one of my eternal favorites!
ReplyDeleteLove.
ReplyDelete