About Me

From the time I could read with comfort, books were among my favorite companions. I read everything, good, bad, and whatever is in between. When I was in the middle of a book, I wasn't comfortable unless I had another one to start when I finished the first. To this day, I carry a book with me should I have to wait somewhere, in a car, in an office, etc.

Writing is an obvious occupation for a story lover, and was for me. I've written twelve books for children and young adults, and with my husband, co-authored one book for adults. Macmillan and Putnam published the majority of the books. Leading writing workshops, which I still do, was a natural outgrowth of my work as a writer.

Eight years ago, I began to lead book discussions for private book clubs and for the Scarsdale Adult School. I love what I do. What could be better than selecting books, particularly those from other cultures and countries, reading them, researching them, and then, in a relaxed atmosphere discovering how a thoughtful group of readers respond to them?

During those years, I collected the historic, cultural, and geographic material which supports each of the books listed on the site. Although the booklist is complete, I am still working on posting the supporting material. All the books we have discussed, since planetbookgroupie.com came on the Web, have material about them posted.

Please be patient. Soon all material will be on   Meanwhile, book group members and private readers, enjoy and email me with questions or comments.

I am available to lead book discussions for business and private groups  in NYC,  Westchester County, and lower Connecticut.

My New Venture

I will be leading monthly sessions on Joyce's Ulysses beginning in September and culminating in a celebration on Bloomsday June 16th. As a clever friend of mine said, the Joyce workshop "will be sponsored by Sobol Ltd."

Meetings will be held Thursdays  10:30-Noon (until 12:30 if necessary) on Sept. 10th, Oct. 8, Nov.12, and Dec 17th. Sessions will be scheduled for Jan. through June later. I will email registration forms to all those interested and they should be returned with payment by August 30th. I encourage people to read The Dubliners and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man this summer. The Dubliners is a collection of Joyce's wonderful and readable short stories.

Since we are no longer in school and therefore cannot be accused of cheating, we can use whatever information we need to make our reading easier and probably more enjoyable. You might want to check out the Web site http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/portraitartist/   I believe Barnes and Noble produces it. Don't feel uncomfortable about using the site if it makes the book more accessible to you. Whatever tools you use, you will be reading Joyce's language.

If you have questions or would like to join the group, there are a few spaces left. Email me at hsobol4336@aol.com