shereads Never judge a book by its cover


Nettlebrook Farms readers step outside the box and discover great stories


STORY & PHOTOS By KATIE VANBRACKLE katie@northsidewoman.com


Even though “The Hunger Games”


by Suzanne Collins was generating a lot of buzz, Diane McNamee hesitated before suggesting the novel to her book club in the Nettlebrook Farms neighborhood in Milton. The


group had previously


attempted to read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road,” which most members strongly


disliked. “The


Hunger Games” is similar in some ways to that story, featuring starving characters struggling to survive in a futuristic post-apocalyptic America. Curiosity got the better of them,


however. Several moms in the group had middle and high school students who were raving about the series. To McNamee’s relief, not only did everyone enjoy “The Hunger Games,” they immediately wanted to read the rest of the trilogy and organized a book club outing to see the movie version that opened in March. Buoyed by this successful


venture outside their reading comfort zone, their


the sites on


Nettlebrook another


ladies set out-of-the-


box choice: Stephen King’s latest novel, “11/22/63,” a tale about an American English teacher who goes back in time to prevent Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating President John F. Kennedy. McNamee assured the group


that this King book was “not just another


bloody story” and was


more in line with the historical fiction genre the group enjoys. Still, it was a daunting 849-page novel. Once again, however, adventurous


readers’


the-box reading experiences, the Nettlebrook ladies decided to take it easy in April, reading Kate Morton’s “The Forgotten Garden,” well within their historical fiction safety zone. In


addition


Front, from left: Christine Judge, Diane McNamee, Chris Barron and Jessica Baker. Back, from left: Kim Hammer, Michelle Weston, Patti Ventura, Michele Bryan, Pat Check, Monica Vella and Gloria Kiely.


thought I would.” McNamee


but usually prepares


discussion questions for book club meetings,


found no readers’


guide on Stephen King’s website – not surprising, considering King’s famously reclusive nature. McNamee did discover multiple blogs and websites from King’s many devoted fans that revealed secrets within the book that the casual reader would never notice. For instance, the town of Derry, Maine is mentioned somewhere in each of King’s many novels and characters from previous stories often make small appearances in later books. “In ‘11/22/63,’ the lead character travels back in time and comes across two dancers,” said McNamee.


▼ The Nettlebrook Farms book club recommends these titles to fellow readers.


“Turns out, the dancers are the first two children King kills in the book ‘It.’ Kind of creepy, but only diehard King fans would put that together.” The


biggest surprise revealed


by the fan websites was that the ending of “11/22/63” was not the original version envisioned by King. Apparently King’s son,


Joe Hill,


strongly felt that a different resolution was needed for two of the main characters. King took his advice and re-wrote the ending. The


Nettlebrook ladies also


recalled Stephen King’s visit to Alpharetta in December 2011 when he signed books for fans at a Walmart on Highway 9. The event was not publicized, yet still attracted


600


fans from as far away as Hawaii and California.


King chose the Alpharetta location so he could also publicize his new musical, “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” which opens this month at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. King teamed up with


Mellencamp to the spirit was


rewarded. “I was truly surprised,” said Kim Hammer. “I liked it much more than I


16 | northsidewoman.com | april2012


popular musician John create


gothic ghost story set in 1967 Mississippi. Another


Nettlebrook the to “The Hunger


Games” trilogy and Stephen King’s “11/22/63,” the Nettlebrook book club recommends


the following books to fellow readers.


“The Book Thief” By Markus Zusak An unforgettable story about the


ability of books to feed the soul. Living in World War II Germany, young Liesel Meminger learns to read and shares stolen books with neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.


“Those Who Save Us” By Jenna Blum Driven by the guilt of her heritage, Schlemmer


Trudy unearths the


heartbreaking truth of her mother’s life in Germany during World War II. Combining a passionate, doomed love story, a vivid evocation of life during


mother/daughter


the war and a poignant drama,


“Those


Who Save Us” explores what we endure to survive and the legacy of shame.


“Elizabeth Street” By Laurie Fabiano


Giovanna Costa, reeling from book


club outing is in the works to travel downtown for the show. After


two successful out-of-


personal tragedies, leaves Italy for a new life in America in the early 1900s. After finding companionship and taking pride in a growing business, she is threatened by a gang of brutal extortionists and struggles


to save


what is important above all else: family.


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