The Goals of Camelot Book Club
- To read and enjoy the books we choose
- To savor the discussion that follows
- To continue to develop an appreciation for excellent writing
- To relish the association and friendship with the members
Camelot Book Club was so named by its charter members because the ladies of El Dorado Bay wanted to celebrate the idea of our neighborhood’s original developer. He had a dream and saw El Dorado Bay as a Camelot -- the perfect kingdom - a place where dreams came alive -- a place where all was well.
The club’s inaugural meeting was in February, 1998. We meet at 1:30 on the third Friday of each month in a member’s home to discuss the current selection. The kinds of books we read are varied, ranging from novels, biographies, historical novels, the classics, - "a little of everything." The hostess facilitates the book discussion. After we review and discuss the book, we stay for dessert and conversation. All of us savor the camaraderie we experience in this group. We always seem to have a wonderful time. In addition to thoughtful dialogues about the current book, a lot of laughing and fun goes on - and none of us ever wants to miss a meeting. If you have an interest in joining us, please contact Anne Simms at asimms@peoplescom.net.
First Meeting, March 16,1998
Left to Right: Bobbie Wignall, Ann Seher, Lorraine Simms, Monica Luenser, Peggy/Margaret Oesch, Lee Ritz
| Current Members | ||
| Jennifer Cook | Kathie Cross | Lou Dunkle |
| Cyndie Ewert | Lori Forsyth | Judy Hatch |
| Tracy Hopkins | Tim Latta | Jill Nail |
| Anne Simms | Jane St. Romain | Sue Ward |
Past Books Read
2009 Hostess Title Author January Anne Simms Reader's Choice -- February Ann Seher Lincoln's War -- March Barbara Walton A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains Isabella K. Bird April Karen O'Shea March Geraldine Brooks May Dottie Miller The Little Giant of Aberdeen County Tiffany Baker June Gwen Nelson Three Cups of Tea Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin July Margaret Oesch Reader's Choice -- August Tim Latta The Big Rich Bryan Burroughs September Ann Fitzgerald A Handful of Dust Evelyn Waugh October Sue Ward The Help Kathryn Stockett November Peaches Oakes South of Broad Pat Conroy December Robin Westerheim The Untouchable John Banville 2010 Hostess Title Author January Ann Fitzgerald Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May-September, 1787 Catherine Drinker Bowen February Margaret Oesch Reader's Choice March Barbara Walton The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows April Dottie Miller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot May Anne Simms Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Strout June Gwen Nelson Spoken from the Heart Laura Bush July Ann Seher Reader's Choice August Robin Westerheim Theodore Roosevelt Henry Pringle September Karen O'Shea The Heretic's Daughter Kathleen Kent October Sue Ward To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee November Peaches Oakes Sacred Dennis Lehane December Barbara Walton Christmas Memory Truman Capote 2011 Hostess Title Author January Dottie Miller Reader's Choice February Peaches Oakes Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship Gail Caldwell March Ann Seher Saving CeeCee Honeycutt Beth Hoffman April Robin Westerheim Half Broke Horses Jeanette Walls May Anne Simms Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet Jamie Ford June Gwen Nelson Shell Seekers Rosamunde Pilcher July Margaret Oesch Reader's Choice . August Karen O'Shea Unbroken Laura Hiilenbrand September Sue Ward 13 Days to Glory Lon Tinkle October Barbara Walton The Worst Hard Times Timothy Egan November Suzanne Tuite Nothing Daunted Dorothy Wickenden December Terry Moore The Christmas Jars Jason Wright 2012 Hostess Title Author January Dottie Miller Reader's Choice February Gwen Nelson The Magic Room Jeffrey Zaslow March Margaret Oesch Cannery Row John Steinbeck April Karen O'Shea A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith May Anne Simms The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri June Tim Latta State of Wonder Ann Patchett July Suzanne Tuite Reader's Choice August Ann Seher The Paris Wife Paula McLain September Barbara Walton Gone Girl Jillian Flynn October Sue Ward One Amazing Thing Chitra Divakaruni November Dottie Miller The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern December Holiday Lunch 2013 Hostess Title Author January Tim Latta The Boy Kings of Texas Domingo Martinez February Dottie Miller The Round House Louise Erdich March Gwen Nelson One Thousand Gifts Ann Voskamp April Margaret Oesch Light Between the Oceans M. L. Stedman May Karen O'Shea Catherine the Great - Portrait of a Woman Robert Massie June Ann Seher Mary Coin Marisa Silver July Anne Simms Reader's Choice August Suzanne Tuite O Pioneers Willa Cather September Barbara Walton Honolulu Alan Brennert October Sue Ward In the Garden of Beasts Erik Larson November Mehri The Ochardist Amanda Coplin December Holiday Lunch Liefie's 11:30 2014 Hostess Title Author January Kathie Cross Reader's Choice February Tim Latta A Higher Call Adam Makos March Dottie Miller The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Jan Philipp Sendker April Gwen Nelson The Husband's Secret Liane Moriarty May Peggy/Margaret Oesch The Emerald Mile Kevin Fedarko June Ann Seher Reader's Choice July Gwen Nelson The Goldfinch Donna Tartt August Anne Simms The Orphan Train Christina B. Kline September Suzanne Tuite Major Pettigrew's Last Stand Helen Simonson October Dottie Miller Monuments Men Robert Edsel November Sue Ward The Invention of Wings Sue Monk Kidd December Christmas Lunch 2015 Hostess Title Author January Kathie Cross Reader's Choice February Mikey Girard Cold Sassy Tree Olive Ann Burns March Tim Latta The Burgess Boys Elizabeth Strout April Carol Lawler A Soft Place to Land Susan Rebecca White May Dottie Miller In the Kingdom of Ice Hampton Sides June Gwen Nelson Still Alice Lisa Genova July Lunch Reader's Choice August Peggy/Margaret Oesch Remarkable Creatures Tracy Chevalier September Anne Simms Wild Cheryl Strayed October Sue Ward All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr November Anne Simms The Liars' Club: A Memoir Mary Karr December Holiday Lunch TBD 2016 Hostess Title Author January Anne Simms Reader's Choice February Mikey Girard Bossypants Tina Fey March Lori Forsyth Circling the Sun Paula McLain April Judy Hatch The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin May Tim Latta Plainsong Kent Haruf June Lunch Out The Martian Andy Weir July Anne Simms Reader's Choice August Dottie Miller A Man Called Ove Fredrik Backman September Carol Lawler The Nightingale Kristin Hannah October Sue Ward Spare Parts Joshua Davis November Kathie Cross Love is a Wild Assault Elithe Kirkland December Holiday Lunch 2017 Hostess Title Author January Anne Simms Reader's Choice February Lori Forsyth School Master's Daughter John Smolens March Mikey Girard Tumbling Turner Sisters Julliette Fay April Carol Lawler The Dead Wake Erik Larson May Tim Latta When Breath Becomes Air Paul Kalanithi June Judy Hatch A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles July Dotsy Miller
Pot luck lunchThe Last Painting of Sara de Vos Dominic Smith August Anne Simms News of the World Paulett Jiles September Sue Ward Under the Wide and Starry Sky Nancy Horan October Dotsy Miller Once We Were Brothers Ronald Balsom November Mikey Girard One Thousand White Women
Jim Fergus December Christmas Lunch 2018 Hostess Title Author January Anne Simms Book Selection/Reader's Choice February Lori Forsyth Rules of Civility Amor Towles March Carol Lawler The Boys in the Boat Daniel Brown April Tracy Hopkins Before We Were Yours Lisa Wingate May Judy Hatch The Boy Who Knew Too Much Cathy Byrd June Lori Forsyth July Dotsy Miller
Pot luck lunchBeartown Fredrick Backman August Mikey Girard Sisters First Jenna Bush Hager September Anne Simms Ordinary Grace William Krueger October Tim Latta Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover November Sue Ward Mudbound Hillary Jordan December Christmas Lunch 2019 Hostess Title Author February Carol Lawler Beneath a Scarlet Sky Mark Sullivan March Kathie Cross The Language of Flowers Vanessa Diffenbaugh April Judy Hatch The Library Book Susan Orlean May Mikey Girard The Home for Unwanted Girls Joanna Goodman June Cyndie Ewert The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion July Lori Forsyth (Pot Luck Lunch)
Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng August Tim Latta Saints for all Occasions J. Courtney Sullivan September Tracy Hopkins Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens October Anne Simms Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman November Lou Dunkle The Whip Karen Kondazian December Christmas Lunch Liefie's 2020 Hostess Title Author January Cyndie Ewart
Book Selections for 2020 February Sue Ward Little Women Louisa May Alcott March Tim Latta The Dutch House Ann Patchett April Jennifer Cook The Cutting Season Attica Locke May Judy Hatch The Secrets We Keep Lara Prescott June Mikey Girard Olive Again Elizabeth Strout July Lori Forsyth
Pot luck lunch
East of Eden John Steinbeck August Jane St. Romain City of Thieves David Benihoff September Anne Simms The Giver of Stars and/or The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Jojo Moyes
Kim Richardson
October Tracy Hopkins American Dirt Jeanine Cummins November Lou Dunkle Sold on a Monday Kristina McMorris December Cyndie Ewart
Pot luck lunch
The Two Lila Bennetts Liz Fenton 2021 Hostess
Title Author January Lori Forsyth Reader's Choice February Lou Dunkle Indigo Girl Natashia Boyd March Jennifer Cook Personal Reflections of Joan of Arc Mark Twain April Jane St Romain The Last Tribe Brad Manuel May Cyndie Ewart Small Great Things Jodi Picoult June Tracy Hopkins Desert Queen Janet Wallach July Tim Latta
Pot Luck Lunch
The Exiles Christina Baker Kline August Jo Porterfield Heresy Melissa Lenhardt September Anne Simms This Tender Land William Kent Krueger October Sue Ward Cult of Glory Doug J Swanson November Lori Forsyth Home Made Liz Hauck December Judy Hatch
Pot Luck Lunch
The Shell Seekers Rosamunde Pilcher 2022 Hostess Title Author January
Lori Forsyth Book Selections for 2022 February Jennifer Cook Henna Artist Elka Joshi March Jill Nail The Midnight Library Matt Haig April Cyndie Ewart The Personal Librarian Marie Benedict May Kathie Cross Carnegie's Maid Marie Benedict June Jane St Romain Lincoln Highway Amor Towles July Tim Latta
Pot Luck Lunch
Miss Benson's Beetle Rachel Joyce August Lou Dunkle The Things We Cannot Say Kelly Rimmer September Anne Simms Surviving Savannah Patti Callahan October Tracy Hopkins The Rent Collector Cameron Wright November Sue Ward The Leopard is Loose Stephen Herrigan December Judy Hatch
Christmas Lunch
Blind Your Ponies Stanley Gordon West 2023 Hostess Title Author January
Lori Forsyth Remember Ben Clayton Stephen Harrigan February Jennifer Cook So Big Edna Ferber March Kathie Cross The Masterpiece Fiona Davis April Cyndie Ewert Such Big Dreams Rema Patel May Jill Nail Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow Gabriella Devin June Jane St Romain Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Gamus July Tim Latta
Pot Luck Lunch
Horse
Geraldine Brooks August Judy Hatch Cradles of the Reich Jennifer Coburn September Tracy Hopkins The Secret of Clouds Alyson Richman October Sue Ward A Friend of Mr. Lincoln Stephen Harrigan November Anne Simms The Book of Lost Friends Lisa Wingate December Lou Dunkle
Christmas Lunch
The Book Woman's Daughter Kim Michelle Richardson 2024 Hostess Title Author January
Tracy Hopkins The Ride of Her Life Elizabeth Letts February Jill Nail Pineapple Street Jenny Jackson March Jennifer Cook Dandelion Wine Ray Bradbury April Lori Forsyth Beyond that, the Sea Laura Spence Ash May Cyndie Ewert Weyward Emilia Hart June Jane St Romain The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store James McBride July Judy Hatch
Pot Luck Lunch
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell Robert Dugoni August Kathie Cross Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt September Anne Simms West With Giraffes Linda Rutledge October Sue Ward Table for Two Amor Towles November Tracy Hopkins King of Diamonds Rena Pederson December Tim Latta
Christmas Lunch
Welcome Home Stranger Kate Kristenson 2025 Hostess Title Author January Lou Dunkle The Women Kristin Hannah February Jennifer Cook The Secret Life of Sunflowers Marta Molnar March Kathie Cross (at Tim's) Iron Lake William Kent Krueger April 25--4th Fri. Lori Forsyth All the Colors of the Dark Chris Whitaker May Cyndie Ewert Becoming Madam Secretary Stephanie Dray June Jane St. Romain The Night Journal Elizabeth Crook July Tim Latta
Pot Luck Luncheon
The Other Wes Moore Wes Moore August Jill Nail The Wedding People Allison Espach September Anne Simms The Frozen River Ariel Lawhon October Sue Ward James Percival Everett November Lou Dunkle The Music of Bees Eileen Garvin December Judy Hatch
Christmas Lunch
The Briar Club Kate Quinn 2026 January Tracy Hopkins Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams February Kathie Cross (at Tim's) The Next Year in Havana Chanel Cleeton March Jennifer Cook The Motherless Land Nikki May April Jill Nail The Names Florence Knapp May Cyndie Ewert Wreck Katherine Newman June Jane St. Romain 19 Minutes Jodi Picoult July Tim Latta
Pot Luck Luncheon
A Woman of No Importance Sonia Purnell August Anne Simms The Correspondent Virginia Evans September Tracy Hopkins TBD October Sue Ward Buckeye Patrick Ryan November Lou Dunkle Bumblebee Season Eileen Garvin December Lori Forsyth
Christmas Lunch
The Girl in the Moonlight Charles Dubow 2027 January Judy Hatch A Theo of Golden Allen Levi