What is the latest craze? It’s book clubs! Literacy has become the mantra of the 21st century.

Every neighborhood now boasts of a book club which meets to discuss a book mutually read. Libraries are hard-pressed to supply 10 or 20 copies of a book. Book stores and the internet also respond to the demand.

With celebrities and first ladies urging reading the coffee table is now crammed with classics and best sellers.

What used to be a colitary pleasure, reading, is now openly shared.

The Community Club has responded to this need for many years. On January 19 th a panel of members gave reviews on their choices. The casino was filled with an audience eager for more choices to read.

Joan Kuster was the moderator, giving charming tidbits about the age-old love of reading. She introduced the panel - Marjorie Maher, Bea Mercadante, Betty Pupke and Barbara Smutny. A veritable smorgasbord. Here are their choices:

Marjorie Maher

“The Final Solution” by Michael Chabon

“The Whitechapel Horrors” by Edward B. Manna

The ever-popular English mystery with a Victorian atmosphere and of course, the brilliant Sherlock Holmes to the rescue. Who really was Jack the Ripper? Cozy up for a good read. Is he the 89-year-old man?

Bea Mercadante

“Founding Mothers” by Cokie Roberts

“The Island at the Center of the World” by Russell Shorto

“Founding Mothers” is written by Cokie Roberts longtime correspondent, panelist and moderator. Yes, there always is a woman behind famous men, especially in our young country, Abigail Adams, Marjorie Corbin, and more!

“The Island at the Center of the World” is a fascinating chronicle of the early Dutch settlers in New York. They preceded the Pilgrim fathers and included many great men like Adrian Ondertonk, who wielded power and controlled the beaver trade. Good history read!

Betty Pupke

“Runaway” by Alice Munro

“The Last Juror” by John Grisham

“Eats Shoots and Leaves” by Lynn Truss

“Runaway” is a book of short stories, which is very enjoyable with a twist.

“The Last Juror” is a good Grisham novel about a young newspaper man and, of course an unsolved murder.

“Eats Shoots and Leaves” is a comical look at punctuation errors. It is a fun read.

Barbara Smutny

“The Kite Runner” by Khalid Hosseini

“The Tapestries” by Kien Nguyen

These two books cover worlds relatively unknown by the average reader.

“The Tapestries” was written by a man born of a Vietnamese mother and an American father. He is now a dentist and writer. He based this book on stories told by his grandfather about arranged marriages Colonialism and French and Indian influences. Truly a history lesson.

“The Kite Runner” takes readers to another culture. Emir is a doctor living in California with a large colony of expatriates from Afganistan. He and his father escaped Soviet occupation and are looking for the son of his friend.

A lovely tea ended th afternoon. Find grandma’s quilt and start reading!