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January 28, 2012
A Secret Gift by Ted Gup February 15, 2012 Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen March 21, 2012 Stiff by Mary Roach 
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​Affiliated with Lisle Library's nonfiction book group, this is a forum
for discussions, and also has info on events/authors of interest.
Learn more
 In our meeting on 1/18/12, the group selected books for future
discussions. New bookmarks will be available at the library very
soon (with the dates and selections)--- but in the meantime, here is the list of
what the group has selected for April, 2012 through March, 2013:
Have You Found Her by Janice Erlbaum
Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock by David Margolick
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
Cocktail House Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley
Life on the Line by Grant Achatz
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
That Used to be Us by Thomas Friedman
A More Perfect Heaven by Dava Sobel
Catherine the Great by Robert Massie
 The group met last night to discuss A Secret Git by Ted Gup. Here is
a summary of some of what people had to say (comments, opinions, etc.)
* Some readers felt the book did not hold their interest, and that it was very
repetitive. Some felt the book was a slow starter, and that the
author didn't have a fluid timeline (the jumping back and forth was sometimes
distracting). Some readers also said that it was difficult to keep
track of the different people the author wrote about.
* One reader said they would have preferred a smaller book, with fewer details;
or a more scholarly work. The author made a number of points, but there
wasn't enough exploration into these points. She said the book was
"a mind-numbing succession of people in dire straits," and felt the author went
over the same things multiple times.
* As far as the author's grandfather was concerned, readers found Sam to be
interesting, but many readers expected that his "secret" would be revealed to be
something much more than it actually was.
* Some readers really liked that the author included the actual letters from
people.
* Readers did find it interesting to draw comparisons between The Great
Depression, and the present. We discussed how economics and currency
have changed quite a bit since the Depression. Readers also
said that reading this book gave them insight into that time period, and also,
into how people who lived during through the Depression live now, and how it has
affected their lives.
Overall, we had a good discussion of this book, although reactions to it were
very mixed. If you would like to add your own thoughts on this
book, please do --- the discussion forum is open!
  Wed, 2/15/12, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm - Please join us for our discussion of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda
Janzen. In this funny and emotional memoir, Janzen describes how, after her
husband left her, and she was subsequently injured in a car accident, she
returned home to her Mennonite community.
If all of the library's copies of this book are checked out, and you would like
one for the discussion, please ask Reference staff to interlibrary loan one for
you.
Last night, the group met to discuss The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore.
Here are some of the comments that people made during our discussion:
* The author's writing was somewhat disappointing to some readers, although
they understood the author is not a journalist. People felt the
ending of the book was especially abrupt.
* The group spent a lot of time discussing the issues and questions raised in
the book, as to what affects the decisions people make, and the paths they take.
* People noted that the two men had some similarities, but that the personality
of Wes Moore #2 (not the author) seemed more volatile, and this, combined with
the other factors, seemed to influence his choices.
* We discussed how different the two men's families were; for the author, he
had a support system in his family, who gave him not only structure, but
expectations for him, and the means for him to reach those expectations.
On the other hand, Wes #2 did not really have that kind of support system.
* Some people felt they understood both Wes #1 and Wes #2, while others did not
feel the author gave them enough about both men to really feel a connection to
them.
* One reader said reading this book was like watching a train wreck slowly
unfold, a statement others agreed with.
Overall, this book generated some really interesting discussion about not only
the book, and both men, but about society in general.
Do you have thoughts you'd like to share? The discussion forum is open!
It should be noted that the paperback edition of this book, which not all
readers had, does include an epilogue from the author. The author has a
website, if you'd like to learn more about him or about the book.
  Wed, 1/18/12, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm - Please join us for our discussion of A Secret Gift by Ted Gup. Ted Gup
discovered that during the Depression, his grandfather had placed a newspaper
notice offering a monetary gift, and a promise of anonymity, to recipients of
his charity. Gup gives us compelling portraits of some of these letter writers,
showing us how the Depression affected not only these people, but their
children, as well. This is a powerful book about a significant time in America.
If you would like a copy of the book, and all of our library's copies are
checked out, please ask us to see if we can interlibrary loan a copy for you.
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June 16, 2010
Honeymoon in Tehran by Azadeh Moaveni July 21, 2010 Coop by Michael Perry August 25, 2010 Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder September 15, 2010 The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery October 20, 2010 The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum November 10, 2010 Louisa May Alcott by Harriet Reisen December 15, 2010 Honeybee: lessons from an accidental beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese January 12, 2011 Searching for Whitopia by Rich Benjamin February 16, 2011 Invisible: a memoir by Hughes de Montalembert March 16, 2011 The Girls of Room 28 by Hannelore Brenner |
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0 comments
Hi Mike! Just wanted to say hello -- I hope we'll see you in October. Book group's not the same without you. :) 
