Train Depot Pitstop (Tuesday trip)

  A couple weeks ago my bookclub visited the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad for our recent book The Girl on the Train.  While here we discussed the book, were introduced to the next book and received an informative tour of the museum.

The tour was interesting as I had never visited here before.  Inside you see all types of items from the train itself, to what the conductor wore, signs and dining car items.

The group made the climb upstairs and took in the sights of downtown Suffolk.

 We concluded our trip with a peek in the caboose.  I actually didn't know these were the living quarters for the train staff.

Not sure about the story behind the torpedoes.

It was a nice day trip.  Train fans would appreciate seeing all the memorabilia and model trains.  

If you are interested in visiting the museum you can find out more information here.

Book Clubs

  Let's talk about a book club for a minute.  I know they have been around for years but, I only just recently joined one.  I saw a book that I had previously saw a movie for and it was the upcoming topic of a book club at my local library.

  This book club was meeting at a local trail to take a walk and discuss Wild.

photo credit to NY Times

I think it was a combination of the movie that I liked, the book I never read and a trail I hadn't hiked before caught my attention to join this club.  I read the book and showed up at the trail but the mosquitoes were out in full force and it was the 1st day of hunting.  The hike was canceled and we met at a local restaurant for discussion.

The next book was selected around the Halloween theme.

Photo credit to Amazon

This was the first time reading this book but, the author had written a piece I had read in highschool.  When I talked about this book I was surprised with how many people were familiar with it.  We met at a local teahouse and disused the book over hot cups of tea and a light lunch.

Over the holidays she just a winter themed book.

                   Photo credit to Amazon 

  This book discussion was to meet at the train station museum.  However due to bad weather that weekend this meeting was canceled.  I was looking forward to this as I had not been to that particular museum before.

Our most recent meeting took place this weekend.  We met at the library for an activity and to discuss the latest book.

For this event we discussed The Goldfinch and the previous book that we were not able to discuss.  For this event we painted our own goldfinch.  The host had already had the picture on our boards so we just got to paint and talk.

  I have never belonged to a book club but this has been a great experience.  It has allowed me to be part of a group, helped me make time to read, have adult time and read books I never would have tried before.

  Our next book has been decided but I can't remember at the moment what it is called.  I look forward to reading it and taking that journey that only a book can give you.

  What's the last book you have read?  Have you ever belonged to a book club before?

Book Club New Book Reveal

  So I stepped out of my box my introvert box, my warm and cozy anti-social box and joined a book club.  So far we have read 2 books for the end of last year and we are currently on our 2nd for this year.  My 1st book of the year with the club ended up in a cancelled meetup because of the weather so we are going to catch up on two books at the Feb meeting.

  This month we are reading The Goldfinch.

The Goldfinch is written by Donna Tartt.  A fiction, a #1 national bestseller, winner of Pulitzer Prize and from what I have been told a book that's been on a few people's must read lists!

  Lucky me, as I hadn't heard of the book before.  That's one perk of this book club.  I'm reading books I would have never selected, generes I have never read from and authors I didn't know.

This book when I picked it up intimidated me.  It's the biggest book I have ever had in my hands.  962 pages!!  I didn't think that I could even read say anything about understand and follow a plot of something so long.

I walked out of the library with the audio version to possibly help me along.  That has over 20 cd's so I have to pick my battles.  Bound and determined to finish this book I have broke it down into sections and hope to be done by the weekend.

So far I like the book and at page 350 I think I can say that with confidence.  I still know what happened in the beginning and look forward to completing this book.

After all my hard work at the completion of this reading I will be posting a review but until then.  

  What's the longest book you ever read?  Was it worth it in the end?  How did you find time to read all of it?