The Christmas Cookie Club

I know -- it's been awhile since I've done two book reviews in a row. It's also been a long time (if ever) that I've gushed about two books I've loved in a row. Just a special holiday treat from me to you!

The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman hit on a completely different side of the holidays for me than A Christmas Carol. There was a charitable aspect to this book -- each member of the club made 13 dozen of her choice of cookie for the year. At the party, the women swapped so that they went home with 12 dozen different cookies and 12 dozen cookies were delivered to hospice.

The real focus of this book, though, was the complicated friendships among the women. We learn the stories of each of the 12 women as they present their cookies, but the unifying factor for the 16 years of this club is Marnie, the "head cookie bitch." She hosts the party, but most importantly, it's the women's various relationships with Marnie that have brought them together, despite their differences. The ages range from mid-30s to mid-60s. The newest member is Marnie's soon-to-be co-grandmother. Other members have known each other for decades.

As Marnie describes:

"Some arrive freshly dressed from home, some straight from work. Some will stop at a store to pick up appetizers or wine. A few will enter with the cookies and wine chilled from a day in the car. But each brings a flurry of expectation and enthusiasm. And ease, for we are ourselves with one another. We've known one another too long and have been through too much to maintain reserve or caution. We've watched our children grow, relationships dissolve and evolve into new configurations, job promotions and career changes, illnesses and surgeries, wrinkles and spreading tummies and breasts."

This book also includes recipes for each of the cookies (so I would recommend reading a print copy of this book, rather than an audio version), as well as non-fiction historical snippets about the common cookie ingredients (such as flower, salt, almonds, etc.). I can't wait to try these cookies -- especially the Chinese fortune cookies, but the real ingredient that will bring me back to read more Ann Pearlman, though, are her descriptions of the messy friendships among the party participants.

(Thanks to FSB Associates for sending me this review copy.)