Over the years we have found that 12 is the right number for members in the LitChicks.  If a few people can't make it to a meeting, you still have enough people to have a good discussion; if everyone can make the meeting, there's not enough people so the meeting gets out of hand; and best of all, everybody gets to pick a book once a year.

One of the reasons for revitalizing this website is that LitChicks had a few open spots in membership and we were looking for some really cool women to fill them.  We were able to quickly do that, and since December we have had a full and steady roster.  While this is great news for our club, it has meant that any new people to write into us regarding membership have had to be put on a waiting list.

During the first part of 2015, our waiting list has grown big enough that there are enough people on it to start a new book club; rather than keeping people waiting indefinitely for an opening into the current club, we decided that we would start a second group.

Starting sometime this summer, we will be launching a second NoVA LitChicks club. Current LitChicks members will help at the beginning to establish the club, and will step away once everything is running.  Our hope is to have two independently running clubs, but who occasionally get together for social events (like movie nights).  

We are looking for another six or seven women to join some of the ladies on our waiting list to start the new club.  If you are a Northern Virginia, woman interested in joining us in this new book club, please let us know through our Contact Us page.

Yesterday was book club day and we met to discuss "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro.  I think most people are familiar with the title because of the movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. 

The general premise of the book is that James Stevens has been the head butler of Darlington estate for a very long time.  After encouragement from his new (very American) boss, Stevens goes on a short road trip to visit an old colleague.  As he travels, he reflects back on his time at the estate and tries to figure out what his role is in the rapidly changing world.  Basically, it's a grown man's diary.

This is one of those books where I think we were all on the same page as to how we viewed it.  Technically, Ishiguro is a very good writer.  His writing really did evoke a certain tone and feeling of melancholy.  That being said, not much happened.  Many commented that we kept waiting for something to change, but nothing ever did.  Despite it being a relatively short book, several people mentioned that the lack of action made the reading go very slow.

Despite our desires to see more action in the story, many of us gave the book 3 stars.  We didn't dislike it, but it wasn't a great book either.  If you want to read a Kazuo Ishiguro book, several members said that they thought his book "Never Let Me Go" was much better read.