A Dog’s Life

Peter Mayle

 Witty, Clever, Fun

Dinner Conversation:

We would continue the speculation begun in A Dog’s Life about what our dogs are thinking, how they feel about us and if they are, in fact, smarter than we are.

Mr. Mayle would bring a good bottle of French wine.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

 Zora Neale Hurston

Memorable, Lyrical, Enlightening

Dinner Conversation:

Our discussion would cover migrant labor in the American South and the social and domestic progress made by women in the twentieth century.

Ms. Hurston would bring a large pan of seasoned beans, cooked with fatback.

Treat us like Dogs and we will become Wolves

 Carolyn Chute

Rambling, Needs Editing, Great Potential

Dinner conversation:

We would discuss the Constitution of the United States and women’s rights.

Ms. Chute would bring Little Debbie snack cakes, sweet but lacking substance.

behind the beautiful forevers

 Katherine Boo

Painful, Dignified, Shocking

Dinner conversation:

We would discuss homelessness and the inequitable distribution of wealth in world economies.

Ms. Boo would bring a loaf of bread, cut into small pieces to share.

Fellow-Townsmen

 Thomas Hardy

Beautiful, Heart-rending, Frustrating

Dinner conversation:

Thomas Hardy and I would talk about the roles of fate and honor in life.

Mr. Hardy’s dinner contribution:

A chocolate soufflé, but it would fall.

The Remains of the Day

 Kazuo Ishiguro

Revealing, Sweet, Wise

Dinner conversation:

The role of manners, order and tradition in everyday life and the surprising joys of retirement.  

Mr. Ishiguro’s dinner contribution:

A bakery box of four, perfect Napoleons, served on a silver tray.

Olive Kitteridge

Lady Love to Read’ s Minute Book Reviews

Olive Kitteridge

 Elizabeth Strout

Honest, Real, Sad

Dinner Conversation:

We would discuss our family relationships and how they have shaped who we are.

Ms. Strout’s dinner contribution:  

A pan of plain cornbread, with the comment, “Yes, plain.  No extra corn, no vanilla, no maple syrup.  It’s good enough just as it is.”