THE BEGINNING IDEA OF A CCL BOOK CLUB
What I said two years ago about a CCL Book Club, “Starting a Book Club has been calling to me for a few years. In 2021, I asked if anyone was interested, and a few of you said “Yes”. But I didn’t jump in – honestly, a bit of overwhelm jumped into my head. I couldn’t decide which books to read. So the idea has been swirling around for a year, yodeling at me. Therefore, to calm the yodeler and listen to my heart’s yearnings, I am starting A Carefully Curated Life (CCL) Book Club (in 2022).” The same idea holds for the 2024 CCL Book Club.
We’re still following this plan, “This CCL Book Club is a place to read about ideas in different aspects of life. Above all, not all Self-Help books. But books that circle our lives. Ideas that we can ponder with compassionate conversation. Not every idea will resonate with each of us. ‘I Dwell in Possibility,’ as Emily Dickinson wrote, leads the way; then we can decide whether it works for us. I want us to read various subjects – interior/home design, gardening/special interests, inspiration, lifestyles, and a bit of fiction.”
This past year has been a lot of fun with “Books, ideas, and community. I love the thought of us chatting about which idea(s) from the book called to us – good, bad, and a great big ‘What?’. This book club isn’t to “Fix a life”; it is for us to mull over ideas. Finally, it is to get past “like” and “didn’t like” with thoughtful ponderings.”
WHAT ARE THE 2024 CCL BOOK CLUB’S BOOKS?
“What is the lineup of 2024 CCL book club books?” I am smiling and laughing at myself again this year – I cannot narrow it down to a couple of books. So we chatted, and you all helped guide me. During one of our book club meetings this past year, it was requested that we include a couple of fiction books, so I paid attention to that request.
| January | Atomic Habits by James Clear |
| February | Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus |
| March | House Beautiful’s Live Colorfully by Joanna Saltz |
| April | Take It Outside by Mel Brasier |
| May | The Art of Picnics by Alanna O’Neil |
| June | The Great Book of Journaling by Eric Maisel |
| July | Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier |
| August | Reader’s Choice of a Biography about someone you admire. Then, we’ll share the book’s details. |
| September | Call it Home: The Details That Matter by Amber Lewis |
| October | Rules of Civility: A Novel by Amor Towles |
| November | Unearthing The Secret Garden: The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett by Marta McDowell |
| December | TBD |
LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE 2024 CCL BOOK CLUB BOOKS.
I don’t want to influence you on the 2024 CCL Book Club books, so I will give the basic theme of these books. When you sign up, you’ll receive an email with the list. Similarly, members will receive the list with the monthly email.
Firstly, our members enjoyed an earlier non-fiction book we read, Friendships Don’t Just Happen. That led me to select Atomic Habits, which is on many book club lists. I decided to begin our year with January’s book being helpful for our new year.
There are a few non-fiction books, including Lessons in Chemistry. The other novels are Remarkable Creatures and Rules of Civility: A Novel.
In addition, House Beautiful’s Live Colorfully and Call it Home: The Details That Matter are interior design books with different interior design ideas.
Meanwhile, we’ll be reading the garden books. Amazon states that Take It Outside is a book that is a ‘beautifully photographed guide to converting your outdoor space into an enviable oasis.’ The other book, Unearthing The Secret Garden, combines an informational garden, an author biography, and a horticulture book. It may be interesting after reading or rereading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
In addition, for Inspiration, a book, The Great Book of Journaling, is added. This book was inspired by one of our conversations during our book club meeting. The authors “assembled forty of the top journal experts, such as SARK, Kathleen Adams, Judy Reeves, and Lucia Capacchione, to explain exactly what journal writing can do for you.”
I did include a Reader’s Choice of a Biography about someone you admire. Then, we’ll share the book’s details. In 2023, we did a reader’s choice of any Brene Brown book. After we all spoke about the one we read, we all felt like we had some good recommendations for further Brene Brown books.
Another book added was The Art of Picnics. My thoughts on this book are for inspiring picnic ideas year-round. View this book as inspiration for food, seasonal, and outdoor dining styles. These are elements we discuss often in A Carefully Curated Life.
Lastly, December’s book is to be determined. I am trying to decide between two books best described as chef’s essays with recipes. Similar to 2023’s Buttermilk Graffiti book we read in November.
THE DETAILS ARE THE SAME AS BEFORE:
Specifically, there will be no charge. A Carefully Curated Life Book Club will meet via Zoom. I will keep this group via Zoom. In truth, I love our diverse group spread out across the country.
I do ask that you sign up to get the Zoom link. This way, you will be notified when we have decided on the TBD books. That is to say, please jump over to this landing page to sign up and for group details. Feel free to invite friends. Also, I am excited to tell you that my local independent bookstore, Carmichael’s Bookstore here in Louisville, Kentucky, will give a 20% discount on our books. They do ship; you just need to mention this book club, A Carefully Curated Life (or CCL), to get the discount. The bookstore is not an affiliate link. I enjoy supporting local places, and they offer to help us – a win both ways. Also, the Carmichael’s and Carmichael’s Kids Bookstores are on Rosie’s top 5 favorite places to go locally – they give her great treats and love when we stop in ~ wink.
Rosie, on our walk to Carmichael’s Bookstore.
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