 Fourth
Wednesday Book Club...
...will meet at 7:30 p.m.
on Wednesday, August 26th at the home of Berkeley and Mike McCaleb
To All Graduate Readers:
The Third Thursday Book Discussion
Club is officially changing, by popular request, to the Fourth Wednesday
Book Discussion Club.
This is a special kind of
Book Club. Members are not obligated to attend monthly meetings,
but simply choose which monthly selections they would like to read and
discuss and come to those meetings which interest them. If the monthly
book selection peaks your interest, be sure to RSVP to the person mentioned
in the monthly announcement.
In some cases, copies of
the books are supplied by our local library and may be picked up at Polly
Clement's home. Other times, we will try to let you know how many
copies are available at the library, or whether Costco may have the book
at a bargain price. Sometimes we may take a chance and order multiple
copies from Amazon, thus obtaining the book for you at a bargain price
with no shipping costs. Member input is always encouraged, and we
welcome recommendations for books to put on our "must read" list.
August's selection is SIGNING
THEIR LIVES AWAY: THE FAME AND MISFORTUNE OF THE MEN WHO SIGNED THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE, by Joseph D'Agnese and Denise Kiernan. The
book is available from Amazon for $13.57. Berkeley will be ordering several
copies, so let her know if you would like one from Amazon.
When? Wednesday,
August 26, 7:30 p.m.
Where? Berkeley's
home RSVP: Berkeley Cost: $3:00 for wine,
cheese, & dessert
Following are some book
reviews of next month's selection:
"This compact little
book is a good read at any time of the year because of its simple straightforward
style and humorous commentary on a particularly important subject.
Most of us are well aware of the major signers of the Declaration of Independence,
John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, & John Adams. But
this indispensable volume gives us biographical sketches of all 56 men
who risked so much to come together and sign this crucial document that
helped forge a new nation. As the book says, these are men worth
knowing and the authors do a good job filling us in on the fascinating
lives these men led and the confluence of events that led them to be signatories
of our nation's birth certificate." "I loved this book.
We Americans often THINK we know the real stories of our past. But then
along comes a writing duo like D'Agnese-Kiernan to remind us that we only
know the Cliff Notes versions, which are often missing all the good parts.
Who knew, for example, that so many 'criminals and crackpots' were among
the signers of the most important document in the history of the United
States? And who knew what strange fates awaited them after they 'signed
their lives away'? Now I know, and I'm grateful for the entertaining read." ''...,I get so tired of all
our heroes being shoved up onto a pedestal. De'Agnese and Kiernan make
them come alive with all their foibles and...well...humanism. I loved
this book! And I think you will too.'" ''Great book for the history
or trivia buff!"
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