Avid readers
2020-21 Book Selections
August 18, 2020: Just One Damned Thing After Another, Jodi Taylor. Science Fiction. 335 pages. This is the first book in a series of British madcap time-traveling books, which takes you back Into various historical events. The Chronicles of St. Mary’s involves Madeline Maxwell (Max) who as a result of being hired by this research Institute, travels from eleventh-century London to World War I, from the Cretaceous period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria. It is funny, sad, and a delightful frolic with British humor at its best. Led by Susan Mitchler.
Sept. 15, 2020 (via ZOOM): Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See. Historical Fiction. 384 pages. Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends who come from very different backgrounds. The girls grow up and take their positions in the village’s all-female diving collective. Spanning from the 1930’s through WWII, the Korean War to the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers, they find themselves caught between warring empires. Their differing backgrounds push their friendship to the breaking point. Publishers’ Weekly describes the book as “a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women.” Led by Nancy Goddard.
October 20, 2020 (via ZOOM): American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings. Fiction. 400 pages. Lydia Perez runs a bookstore in Acapulco. Her life, along with her husband, a journalist, and their son, Luca, is fairly comfortable. One day a charming and erudite man named Javier enters her bookstore and buys two of her favorite books. All is well until her husband writes a tell-all profile of Javier that exposes him as the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has taken over the city. Lydia and 8-year-old Luca are forced to flee. They ride the bestia, trains that run north toward the U.S. Lydia sees that everyone is running from something, but what are they running to? Barnes & Noble calls it “one of the most important books for our times.” Led by Mary Lofgren.
November 17, 2020 (via ZOOM): The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry. Fiction. 544 pages. Two opposing forces are attempting to find the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge of the Order of the Knights Templar which was exterminated in the 14th century. Cotton Malone is unexpectedly called to action to even the odds in the perilous race. As he learns more, he realizes even more than lives are at stake. This is a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery and craven lust for power. Led by Ann Peck.
Dec. 15, 2020: The Readers of Broken Wheel by Katarina Bivald. Fiction. 384 pages. The story begins as an international, correspondence friendship based on a mutual love of books. It becomes a story of current problems in small town America and is filled with quirky, surprising characters and a celebration of bookstores, readers and friendship. Cindy Lu calls it “a lighthearted book that did hold my attention, cause me to laugh, and make me reconsider ‘Bookshelf Categories.’ It is a little whimsical and eccentric, however.” Led by Cindy Lu Woldert
January 19, 2021: These Truths, a History of the United States by Jill Lapore. First two sections: Pt. 1: The Idea (1492-1799) Pt. 2: The People (1800-1865). 307 pages. (The book is 789 pages.) Nonfiction. This one-volume history of the U.S. places truth itself – a devotion to facts, proof and evidence – at the center of the nation’s history. The American experiment rests on three ideas – “these truths,” Jefferson called them – political equality, natural rights and the sovereignty of the people. But has the nation and democracy itself, delivered on that promise? The book tells the uniquely American story, beginning in 1492 asking whether the course of the events over more than five centuries has proven the nation’s truths or eluded them. (From the back cover of the book). Recommended by Becky Wilson. Led by Grant Gilfeather.
February 16, 2021: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende. Historical Fiction. 313 pages. A man and woman forced to flee Spain during the civil war make a marriage of convenience so that they can emigrate to Chile. “Both an intimate look at the relationship between one man and one woman and an epic story of love, war, family and the search for home, this gorgeous novel, like all the best novels, transports the reader to another time and place, and also sheds light on the way we live now.” (Quote by J. Courtney Sullivan.) Led by Susan Gilfeather.
March 16, 2021: Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Elaine Pagels. Non-fiction. 272 pages. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, Pagels returns to her investigation of the “secret” Gospel of Thomas, and breathes new life into writings once thought heretical. As she arrives at an ever-deeper conviction in her own faith, Pagels reveals how faith allows for a diversity of interpretations, and that the “rogue” voices of Christianity encourage and sustain “the recognition of the light within us all.” (from Barnes & Noble) Led by Susan Mitchler.
April 20, 2021: Tightrope – Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Non-fiction. 262 pages. This book is an urgent call to address the current crisis in rural and urban working-class America and offers solutions to mend a half-century of maligned neglect. It describes the crisis occurring all across the country of communities struggling to stay afloat as blue-collar jobs disappear and an American dies of a drug overdose every seven minutes. While our present state may seem (and actually is) grim, Kristof and WuDunn issue a challenge to strengthen America by strengthening each American….we must demand better of our political leaders, our business executives and ourselves. They offer a multitude of policy suggestions providing a path forward. Led by Allen Henry.
May 4, 2021: Book Choosing Meeting
May 15, 2021: How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry. Fiction. 352 pages. This is the enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart. Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers—a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father’s death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia's loyal customers have become like family, and she can't imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive. Led by Eloise Crosman.
June 16, 2021:. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Fiction. 352 pages. This finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is a dark fairy tale of a brother and sister spanning five decades. They are two smart people who cannot overcome the past. Despite outward signs of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Their past revolves around The Dutch House where they grew up as children and even after they leave, it remains a focus from which they cannot detach themselves. Led by Susan Mitchler.
July 20, 2021: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan. Fiction. 274 pages. In the summer of 1914, the elegant ocean liner carrying Grace Winter and her husband across the Atlantic suffers a mysterious explosion. Her husband secures Grace a place in the lifeboat, which the survivors quickly realize has exceeded capacity. For any to live, some must die. Now Grace is on trial for murder. Led by Helen King.
August 17, 2021: 20 Wishes by Debbie Macomber. Fiction. 384 pages. At 38, she’s childless, a recent widow, alone, and seeking happiness again. On Valentine’s Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to celebrate a sense of hope. They each begin a list of twenty wishes – including things they’s always wanted to do but never did. Anne Marie meets 8-year-old Ellen and learns that wishes can come true, but not always in the expected way. Recommended by Dee Davis, led by Eloise Crosman.
Also Recommended:
Badani, Sejal, The Story Teller’s Secret
Bosch, Henry, Black Echo
Camus, Albert, The Plague (a classic!)
Chung, Catherine, The Tenth Muse
Hannah, Kristin, The Great Alone
Hunter, Georgia, We Were the Lucky Ones
Kleinman, Arthur, The Soul of Care, the Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor
Lester, Natasha, The Paris Seamstress
Lombardo, Claire, The Most Fun We Ever Had
Loigman, Linda Cohen, Wartime Sisters
MacMorris, Kristina, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
Moyes, Jojo, The Giver of Stars
Obama, Michelle, Becoming Michelle Obama
O’Neil, Barbara, When We Believed in Mermaids (a surprisingly good beach read)
Russo, Richard, Chances Are
Tierney, P. J., Theocracy: Can American Democracy Survive Fundamentalism?
Wilson, Kevin, Nothing to See Hear
Sept. 15, 2020 (via ZOOM): Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See. Historical Fiction. 384 pages. Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends who come from very different backgrounds. The girls grow up and take their positions in the village’s all-female diving collective. Spanning from the 1930’s through WWII, the Korean War to the era of cell phones and wet suits for the women divers, they find themselves caught between warring empires. Their differing backgrounds push their friendship to the breaking point. Publishers’ Weekly describes the book as “a wonderful ode to a truly singular group of women.” Led by Nancy Goddard.
October 20, 2020 (via ZOOM): American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings. Fiction. 400 pages. Lydia Perez runs a bookstore in Acapulco. Her life, along with her husband, a journalist, and their son, Luca, is fairly comfortable. One day a charming and erudite man named Javier enters her bookstore and buys two of her favorite books. All is well until her husband writes a tell-all profile of Javier that exposes him as the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has taken over the city. Lydia and 8-year-old Luca are forced to flee. They ride the bestia, trains that run north toward the U.S. Lydia sees that everyone is running from something, but what are they running to? Barnes & Noble calls it “one of the most important books for our times.” Led by Mary Lofgren.
November 17, 2020 (via ZOOM): The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry. Fiction. 544 pages. Two opposing forces are attempting to find the legendary cache of wealth and forbidden knowledge of the Order of the Knights Templar which was exterminated in the 14th century. Cotton Malone is unexpectedly called to action to even the odds in the perilous race. As he learns more, he realizes even more than lives are at stake. This is a lethal game of conquest, rife with intrigue, treachery and craven lust for power. Led by Ann Peck.
Dec. 15, 2020: The Readers of Broken Wheel by Katarina Bivald. Fiction. 384 pages. The story begins as an international, correspondence friendship based on a mutual love of books. It becomes a story of current problems in small town America and is filled with quirky, surprising characters and a celebration of bookstores, readers and friendship. Cindy Lu calls it “a lighthearted book that did hold my attention, cause me to laugh, and make me reconsider ‘Bookshelf Categories.’ It is a little whimsical and eccentric, however.” Led by Cindy Lu Woldert
January 19, 2021: These Truths, a History of the United States by Jill Lapore. First two sections: Pt. 1: The Idea (1492-1799) Pt. 2: The People (1800-1865). 307 pages. (The book is 789 pages.) Nonfiction. This one-volume history of the U.S. places truth itself – a devotion to facts, proof and evidence – at the center of the nation’s history. The American experiment rests on three ideas – “these truths,” Jefferson called them – political equality, natural rights and the sovereignty of the people. But has the nation and democracy itself, delivered on that promise? The book tells the uniquely American story, beginning in 1492 asking whether the course of the events over more than five centuries has proven the nation’s truths or eluded them. (From the back cover of the book). Recommended by Becky Wilson. Led by Grant Gilfeather.
February 16, 2021: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende. Historical Fiction. 313 pages. A man and woman forced to flee Spain during the civil war make a marriage of convenience so that they can emigrate to Chile. “Both an intimate look at the relationship between one man and one woman and an epic story of love, war, family and the search for home, this gorgeous novel, like all the best novels, transports the reader to another time and place, and also sheds light on the way we live now.” (Quote by J. Courtney Sullivan.) Led by Susan Gilfeather.
March 16, 2021: Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Elaine Pagels. Non-fiction. 272 pages. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, Pagels returns to her investigation of the “secret” Gospel of Thomas, and breathes new life into writings once thought heretical. As she arrives at an ever-deeper conviction in her own faith, Pagels reveals how faith allows for a diversity of interpretations, and that the “rogue” voices of Christianity encourage and sustain “the recognition of the light within us all.” (from Barnes & Noble) Led by Susan Mitchler.
April 20, 2021: Tightrope – Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Non-fiction. 262 pages. This book is an urgent call to address the current crisis in rural and urban working-class America and offers solutions to mend a half-century of maligned neglect. It describes the crisis occurring all across the country of communities struggling to stay afloat as blue-collar jobs disappear and an American dies of a drug overdose every seven minutes. While our present state may seem (and actually is) grim, Kristof and WuDunn issue a challenge to strengthen America by strengthening each American….we must demand better of our political leaders, our business executives and ourselves. They offer a multitude of policy suggestions providing a path forward. Led by Allen Henry.
May 4, 2021: Book Choosing Meeting
May 15, 2021: How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry. Fiction. 352 pages. This is the enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart. Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers—a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father’s death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia's loyal customers have become like family, and she can't imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive. Led by Eloise Crosman.
June 16, 2021:. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Fiction. 352 pages. This finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is a dark fairy tale of a brother and sister spanning five decades. They are two smart people who cannot overcome the past. Despite outward signs of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Their past revolves around The Dutch House where they grew up as children and even after they leave, it remains a focus from which they cannot detach themselves. Led by Susan Mitchler.
July 20, 2021: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan. Fiction. 274 pages. In the summer of 1914, the elegant ocean liner carrying Grace Winter and her husband across the Atlantic suffers a mysterious explosion. Her husband secures Grace a place in the lifeboat, which the survivors quickly realize has exceeded capacity. For any to live, some must die. Now Grace is on trial for murder. Led by Helen King.
August 17, 2021: 20 Wishes by Debbie Macomber. Fiction. 384 pages. At 38, she’s childless, a recent widow, alone, and seeking happiness again. On Valentine’s Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to celebrate a sense of hope. They each begin a list of twenty wishes – including things they’s always wanted to do but never did. Anne Marie meets 8-year-old Ellen and learns that wishes can come true, but not always in the expected way. Recommended by Dee Davis, led by Eloise Crosman.
Also Recommended:
Badani, Sejal, The Story Teller’s Secret
Bosch, Henry, Black Echo
Camus, Albert, The Plague (a classic!)
Chung, Catherine, The Tenth Muse
Hannah, Kristin, The Great Alone
Hunter, Georgia, We Were the Lucky Ones
Kleinman, Arthur, The Soul of Care, the Moral Education of a Husband and a Doctor
Lester, Natasha, The Paris Seamstress
Lombardo, Claire, The Most Fun We Ever Had
Loigman, Linda Cohen, Wartime Sisters
MacMorris, Kristina, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
Moyes, Jojo, The Giver of Stars
Obama, Michelle, Becoming Michelle Obama
O’Neil, Barbara, When We Believed in Mermaids (a surprisingly good beach read)
Russo, Richard, Chances Are
Tierney, P. J., Theocracy: Can American Democracy Survive Fundamentalism?
Wilson, Kevin, Nothing to See Hear