Well, we don't really have a book club yet, but maybe we can get something together.

Finding the right kind of book will be the hard part, but I think I may have an idea - unless everybody has already read this book except me.

It's titled, "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank - Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier" by Thad Carhart. Here is a summary:

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An American expatriate living in the City of Lights provides an intimate portrait of Paris life as seen through the eyes of the individuals who use Desforges Pianos, a tiny little shop in his Paris neighborhood, where an intriguing array of locals from all walks of life gather to discuss music, love, and life over a glass of wine, surrounded by the pianos that the owner restores.

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Doesn't that sound great? I found the book at my local library and have already put a hold on it. Even we don't get a book club going, I'm going to read it.

OK, I'm gonna go look at library tomorrow to see if I can put it on hold. Sounds intriguing! (something looks off with the spelling of that word! )

My local library only carries out-dated encyclopedias and DVDs. When it comes to books, well, no luck there.

That´s sounds interesting, Monica. But I fear, it will be too difficult for me to read a complete book in English (though it would be a good praxis for me) and I don´t know, if I could get this book here in Germany. I fear, it would cost so much time to look for words in dictionary, that I wouldn´t come through the text.

I think you underestimate your English abilities. When the words "praxis" and phrases like "I wouldn't come through the text" are used, it can be said that the speaker is fluent. Sure you might have an "accent", but everyone who speaks (regardless of language) has an accent.

But the cost of shipping the book and the time waiting for it would not be worth the effort.

We could always read "Kleine Eisbaer" by Hans de Beer.

You guys are forgetting something. Many books are printed in other languages. Andreas - do you have a library near you? Maybe look for it there. Or maybe at Amazon.com.

And that goes for you Nathan, and you Julius. If you can't find the book at your library, just buy it at Amazon. There are used copies for as little as $0.25 plus shipping so about $5.00. That's cheap!

Great Idea, Monica. I am always up for a good read!

Great recommendation, Monica. I read that book in Italian some years ago. Chris would read it with special affection since, if I remember well, it speaks of a Gaveau.

I've just bought Perri Knize's Grand Obsession, that will be one of my summer vacation reads.

Ok, good Jennifer and Alfonso. We'll see if the others can get a hold of this book.

Alfonso - if we do read this, you can still join in the discussions.

Juufa72 wrote:


Thank you, Julius. That encourages me!:D



Your little german expressions are also always a pleasure for me, Julius. Unfortunately I don´t know "Der kleine Eisbär", but I´ll look for it (just by interest ) and I suggest you "Winnie Pooh" (has it not an English author, isn´t it?). This is also a child-book, which tells us of a bear, very nice and very funny.

Pianolady wrote:


O.k., Monica, it will be a pleasure for me to look for it at the weekend. After the encouraging words of Julius I´m really up to it.

I have bought the book. It´s only available in English, I suppose, a german translation doesn´t exist. It´s also possible to buy it as an e-book:
http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/title/piano ... ebooks.htm
but I prefer a real book.

In the online shop, where I bought it, there was the beginning of each chapter online to read. I think, it will be too difficult for me to read the whole book, because there are many many words, which I don´t know. (And I think, I´ll not have the time to look for much words in my dictionary.) But I would like to try the first chapter or so. This will be a good praxis in English for me.
And may be I will hear the rest from the others here. In every case it will be interesting, I think.

That's great news, Andreas. I will be picking up my book later today, but I may not have time to actually start reading it until tomorrow or so.

And to all you other members out there - you know what they say, "The more the merrier", so please join us.

But one thing - how do we do this book club? I read a lot but have never been in one.

Hi Monica,
we have not to hurry. I have ordered the book today online. It will take 6-10 days until I get it. Then I´ll need several days (or weeks?) to come through the first chapter, I suppose.
So, I think, you have still a bit time to read. On the other side: it´s not necessary to wait for me, if you want to start now.

May be we could do a summary by chapter (I only can take chapter one). Then we could develop interesting questions of understanding and/or interpretation of this novel and the others could write their thoughts to them. (Just a proposition.)

I´m looking forward to the book. Too bad, that it´ll take more than a week until I get it, because now I have two weeks Easter-vacation, and so I would have a bit more time for such things.

I´m really thinking about, if I should also buy the e-book, because I would like to start now with reading as long as I have Easter-vacations. I don´t want to wait one or two weeks. What do you think, Monica?