Afternoon Book Discussions: January through June 2017

            Join us for our afternoon book discussions, held on the third Wednesday each month, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Here is what is scheduled for the first half of 2017.

            My Beloved World is written by Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic American Supreme Court Justice. She shares the story of her life before becoming a judge, describing her youth in a Bronx housing project, the ambition that fueled her Ivy League education, and the individuals who helped shape her career. The discussion takes place on January 18^th.

            Girl Waits with Gun, a novel, is written by Amy Stewart. Living in virtual isolation years after the revelation of a painful family secret, Constance Kopp is terrorized by a belligerent silk factory owner and fight back in ways outside the norm for early twentieth-century women. The discussion takes place on February 15^th.

            Mountains beyond Mountains is written by Tracy Kidder; it is a portrait of infectious disease expert Dr. Paul Farmer, following the efforts of this unconventional Harvard genius to understand the world’s great health, economic, and social problems and to bring healing to humankind. The discussion takes place on March 15^th.

            Circling the Sun: a Novel is written by Paula McLain. It is about aviator Beryl Markham, who was raised by her father and the Kipsigis tribe in 1920s Kenya. Beryl endures painful losses before entering a passionate love triangle and discovering her unconventional true calling. The discussion takes place on April 19^th.

            Nora Webster: a Novel, is written by Colm Toibin. Struggling with grief and financial hardships after the death of her beloved husband, widow Nora Webster struggles to support her four children and clings to secrecy in the intrusive community of her childhood before finding her voice. The discussion takes place on May 17^th.

            The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, is written by Rebecca Skloot. It documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of freed slaves and created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling discoveries in such areas as cancer research, in vitro fertilization, and gene mapping. The discussion takes place on June 21^st.