Since I'm heading on vacation in a few days (to La Paz, Mexico for my first scuba vacation since getting certified - can't wait!!!), I decided to go ahead and pick the winner.  I took the list of remaining books, asked a colleague to pick a number from 1-12, and the winner was.....

#11 - The Snow Fox: A Novel by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer

Description: When Matsuhito and Lady Utsu fall hopelessly in love, their lives are forever changed. Separated for years by warfare, Matsuhito and Lady Utsu reunite but their joy is shadowed by the cruelties and the caprices of passing time.

One thousand years ago, chaos loosed itself upon Japan, upending an era in which the arts flourished. At the dawn of 250 years of civil war, in the opulent court of Lord Norimasa, the beautiful but cruel poet Lady Utsu wages war with men's hearts and holds the fearsome lord and his devoted samurai Matsuhito in her thrall. As the two men raze Japan's landscape in futile battles for unity, Utsu falls for Matsuhito even as Lord Norimasa continues to love her.

The epic romance of Utsu and Matsuhito resumes itself decades later, when they meet as vagrants so transformed by time that they no longer recognize each other; they are reunited through their mystical connection to a pair of snow foxes that are their only company in the Japanese wilderness. The heartbreaking story of their renewed love is fraught by the Japanese concept of mono no aware -- life's ephemeral nature -- that weighs on the lovers. Reading group guide included.

About the Author: Susan Fromberg Schaeffer's previous novels include Anya, Buffalo Afternoon, and The Madness of a Seduced Woman. She lives in Chicago and Vermont and teaches at the University of Chicago.

Looks like there are 8 copies available on PBS, and I found many available through various sources on google.  Link

Have fun scuba diving, Michelle--my DS is an avid diver, has his open water advanced and is working on rescue diver----he's jealous!

I just ordered one of the 8 available from PBS...

Cool, thanks!

Have a great trip.

Thanks! - I travel so much for work, that it's nice to finally be traveling for me!!

Colleen - I may have to ask you for tips for my next vacation spot.

Anytime, Michelle--I absolutely love to travel, have been a lot of places (but still have some left on my Bucket List), and I love the beach, so when I do travel, if there is a way to get to nearby beaches, I always plan that in......I have a villa in the Dominican Republic that you might like, diving there is (per my son) above average.....he learned to dive in the Florida Keys, where my sister in law has a house, so he is incredibly spoiled, as visibility there is usually 100 ft. So if he says the diving is average, that usually means only 60 ft visibility, LOL. My prince.

Have a great time!

Oh, this is exciting! I loved Schaeffer's book Anya and I'm looking forward to trying this one. FYI, Anya is one of my favorite novels about the Holocaust, such a moving story. I  probably read it about 3 or 4 times between the ages of 18 and 25. I wonder what I'd think of it today, many years later.

Have a great time in Mexico! It's been about 4 years since I last went, but I'd love to go back some day.

I just looked at the Amazon reviews of The Snow Fox and, ladies, it's not looking good for us! The reviews are very mixed, and this seems to be one of those books people either loved enough to give it five stars or hated enough to give it one star. I wonder what we'll think of it...

Just received my Snow Flower from PBS---record time (2 days!) and an almost mint copy---happy dance!  But alas, STILL NO SIGN OF MY OCTOBER BOM...

Yeah, I'm worried too, Valli. I think I'll get this one from the library.

Bumping this thread as a reminder to order your book for November.  I've seen mixed reviews as well, but I have my copy and it looks good so I'm going to ignore the negative reviews and try to form my own opinion.

And Mexico was amazing!!  The scuba was great - crystal clear water, and lots of animals (sea lions, hammerhead sharks).  We did not stay in the resort area, so there were days where we had the beach all to ourselves.  Amazing!

Genie, I guess I could have looked at the reviews before I suggested it. Too late now! Maybe it will surprise us. I wouldn't be surprised if I enjoyed it because I have read two other books by the same author and enjoyed them both. One of them, Anya, I even loved.

I am going to pass for November.  The busy (I hope) Christmas retail selling season begins in earnest and I'm not sure how much spare free time I will have till mid December.

Hi, ladies!  I'm going to be in for November after sitting out September and October. I actually have An Arrow's Flight, but couldn't get to it in time. Hopefuly I can get my act together, read a few books yet this month and then be all ready to go come November 1.  Now . . . I just have to move something off my list so that I can ge a credit to order the book.  LOL!  Otherwise, I bet the library has it.

I just got it a couple of days ago, the cover is gorgeous which is worth a lot in my book/

I have been getting all of our BOM selections from our library cooperative and lucky for me there are 7 copies of this one and they are all on the shelf so I should have no problem snagging this one.

I know its a wee bit early to be thinking about it but if no one else wants to I volunteer to take the generalship (thats not a word is it...) for December :)

Go for it, Holly!  I say early is fine - that gives everyone time to find the book if it ends up being obscure or in demand.

My library does have a copy (well, actually more than one), so I'll go that route.

Holly - Please do lead the charge for December!  Keep in mind it's a busy month!  LOL!  Can't wait to hear the theme you decide on. 

Oh, and in case anyone's worried about it (LOL!), I did start reading a book on my lunch break today. I went with Mary, Called Magdalene.  (I had what you might call a "sign" yesterday that this is the one I should read next, so I went with it.)  I got through the first chapter over lunch. I think I'm going to like this one!

Genie, I guess I could have looked at the reviews before I suggested it.

LOL! I didn't know who suggested it. But now that I do, I know who to blame if I don't like it. ;-)

picked a copy up from the library yesterday so I'm all set :)

Me too!  Now if I can just plow through The Secret Magdalene before Saturday, I'll be a happy girl!  If not, I'll have to put that one on hold so that I can keep up with this month's BOM. 

Holly - Got any ides for December yet?  LOL! 

I'll have postings out by the end of the week for the discussion.

Oh yeah I forgot about that!  Since I was the victim of a coup by General Valli and the Secret Buddy Swap Brigade, I hereby declare my Generalship for January :) 

I do have an idea and it will work just as well for January so I'll probably be putting out a thread for nominations mid-november, probably right before I head of to NY for Thanksgiving.  Wow, I can't believe we're so close to the end of the year already!

Holly - I didn't know you had been usurped by Valli!  LOL!  She must have a hot idea, eh? 

Valli - Ready to spill the beans (the topic of December's BOM)?

Valli came up with the idea of doing the Secret Buddy Swap for December in Leiu of a BOM for December because its going to be such a crazy month for all of us.  This was shortly after I unofficially declared my generalship for December so now I'll do January instead since we're doing the Secret Buddy thing.  I think it will be a nice change of pace from the BOM but I'm still looking forward to this month's BOM.  I haven't read any Asian HF in quite awhile :)

Oh, okay, so no BOM for December?  That's cool.  I would ask what the Secret Buddy thing is, but I really need to not obligated myself to anything the month of December, so I'm just going to ignore that!  I'll look forward to BOM again in January!!