On April 17 we met to discuss A Simple Murder, by Eleanor Kuhns. The story takes place in Maine, in the late 1700s, with much of the action revolving in and around a Shaker community. We were very privileged to have the author join us and lead our discussion!
Ms. Kuhns explained that she chose to write about this time in history because there are very few books that take place during the period after the Revolution. She made her main character a weaver because she wanted a person who would be traveling and because she's a weaver herself. Shakers interested her because, among other things, the women have equal authority, a rarity especially in that time period. Ms. Kuhns provided all manner of background information on the Shakers, their history and current day status. We were given an intriguing, behind-the-scenes look into her thought processes in writing the book as well as insider information on publishing. Eleanor was an engaging speaker and we're looking forward to reading her next book, Death of a Dyer. You can follow her on her website at www.eleanor-kuhns.com.
If you attended the discussion, feel free to add your thoughts.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Welcome and Happy Anniversary!
April 2013 was the group's 12-year anniversary! What a run we've had! So many good books, a few truly wonderful reads, and, yes, some duds as well. Literary, historical, multicultural, and popular fiction, award-winners, biographies, non-fiction, and banned books are among the genres we've tackled. More than once I've heard someone say, "I never would have read this if it weren't for book discussion." Over the years we've all read something outside our normal "comfort zone" and I think most of us were happy to have our reading horizons expanded.
In addition to our monthly discussions we've had potluck dinners, guest speakers, scholar-led discussions and field trips. We've visited the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill), Peter's Valley, and Mills Mansion. We've gone to the movies, attended a lecture by Pete Hamill, and enjoyed several murder mystery dinners, one of which was aboard a cruise on the Hudson River.
Our group would be nothing without the ladies! We're a well-rounded group, from all walks of life: stay-at-home moms, professional women, and retired women of all ages. The thing we have in common is our love of books and the desire to talk about them. Indeed, sometimes it's our differences and varied life experiences that make our discussions so enjoyable: we each offer a unique perspective on the topic. Thank you to everyone who has made our book discussion group such a great success!
It's been a great twelve years and I'm looking forward to many more!
In addition to our monthly discussions we've had potluck dinners, guest speakers, scholar-led discussions and field trips. We've visited the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill), Peter's Valley, and Mills Mansion. We've gone to the movies, attended a lecture by Pete Hamill, and enjoyed several murder mystery dinners, one of which was aboard a cruise on the Hudson River.
Our group would be nothing without the ladies! We're a well-rounded group, from all walks of life: stay-at-home moms, professional women, and retired women of all ages. The thing we have in common is our love of books and the desire to talk about them. Indeed, sometimes it's our differences and varied life experiences that make our discussions so enjoyable: we each offer a unique perspective on the topic. Thank you to everyone who has made our book discussion group such a great success!
It's been a great twelve years and I'm looking forward to many more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)