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Dinner with the Smileys: One Military Family, One Year of Heroes, and Lessons for a Lifetime

by Sarah Smiley

Published: 2013-05-07
Hardcover : 368 pages

4 members reading this now
8 clubs reading this now
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Recommended to book clubs by 2 of 2 members

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Introduction

The uplifting true story of a wife and mother's yearlong experience inviting one new guest (from senators to school teachers, artists to professional athletes) to dinner for each week that her husband was deployed overseas.

But DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS isn't really about dinner. And it's not about the military. It's about 250 strangers who came together to help raise three boys (one of the cusp of adolescence) in the absence of their father. It's a love story about marriage, motherhood, and the power of community.

Inside this personal story are the universal issues of loss, grief, loneliness, regrets, sacrifice, and, ultimately, unexpected joy and finding one's own strength.

See the book trailer on Sarah's Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/Sarah-Smiley/e/B001IR1MT2/

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

How did you keep your family engaged with one another during deployment?

What kind of activities for children of varying ages helped your family during deployments?

by GrandmaNaNa (see profile) 07/15/13

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Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 2 of 2 members.

Supporting Military Families

by ProudMilitaryMom (see profile) 07/24/14

I\'m presently reading \"Dinner with the Smiley\'s\" By Sarah Smiley, Although I\'m only half way through this heartwarming book about a military wife and her three young son\'s yearlong experience of inviting one new guest, from senator\'s to school teachers to fill her deployed husbands seat at their dinner table every week! Just like the Smiley\'s I cannot wait to meet their next dinner guest! What a clever way this mom discovered to focus on dinners, family & friends during deployment. MOMS ~ Keep your tissues handy! I only wish there were more books written with such heart warming supportive ideas for military families.

Creative ways to Create Memories for Your Family

by GrandmaNaNa (see profile) 07/15/13

The meal often mentioned in the story was spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. This would be symbolic to serve and easy too. Discuss ways your families dealt with the issue of deployments or temporary separations.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:

by Laura S. (see profile) 07/13/23

"Dinner with the Smiley's"by Linda P. (see profile) 07/24/14

Just like the Smiley's I really looked forward to who would be their next dinner guest in this heart warming story. Keep your tissues handy.

"Creative Family solutions"by Linda E. (see profile) 07/15/13

When Capt. Smiley announces an upcoming deployment his sons express that they will miss him at their family dinners. Thinking of his empty chair at the table he suggests they invite friends or neighbors... (read more)

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