(SBA) - I can’t remember a time in my life when I was not a reader. My earliest memory of enjoying the satisfaction of reading was in second grade when I read (all on my own!) a book about airplanes. As an only child, I always had plenty of time to read and I also remember the summer before seventh grade when I read every book by Charles Dickens. As an undergraduate, I enjoyed reading books in all my English major classes, as well as in French 4 when we read the classics in that language. I was the star pupil in that class because it occurred to me early on that the books we were reading had been translated into English and that I could understand the books better if I read them in English before I read them in French. Apparently, no other student did what I did, and I aced the class. After college, I fed my desire to read by joining numerous book clubs, some of which were intellectually stimulating and many that were not. Often the success of a book club relies on the choice of book and the ability of the leader to engage all participants and to limit the contributions of those who join a book club just to hear themselves talk. I also exchange books with friends and gift friends with books on birthdays and other holidays. One of my best friends from college told me recently that she loved exchanging books with me because it was such fun to discuss books with someone who cared as deeply about literature as she did. We have been friends for fifty years and the books we have shared over this time must be in the hundreds.
If you are interested in joining a book club, there are numerous opportunities available in our area. One of the most convenient is the Sergeant Bluff Library Book Club that meets on the last Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the City Library. Shannon Maier, the high school librarian leads the group casually, which means that no one should feel intimidated in joining this group. The best deal is that Mary Torgerson uses Interlibrary Loan to secure enough copies of the book so that no participant is required to buy the book. Several copies are always available at the library. The book selection for August is HONOR by Thirty Umrigar, the story of an Indian American journalist, Smita Agarwal who travels back to India to cover the story of Meena, a Hindu woman who is attacked by members of her own family for marrying a Muslim man. There, Smita is torn between her concern for Meena and her own relationship with Mohan, an Indian man that Smita meets while on assignment. The book tells the story of two courageous women trying to navigate the constraints of their culture while still remaining true to themselves. Author Lisa Wingate (author of “Before We Were Yours”) opines that Thirty Umrigar’s book will help readers to understand Indian women in a way similar to how “A Thousand Splendid Suns” helped readers to understand Afghanistan’s women. Call the City library if you have questions about the book or the book club.
Another local book club is sponsored by Elevate Church whose newest selection is HINDS FEET ON HIGH PLACES, an allegory by Hannah Hurnand. Although you do not have to be a member of Elevate to participate in the book club, a knowledge of Biblical teachings will help you to understand the Christian beliefs which surround this powerful story. This book is very different from anything that I have ever read before and I appreciate the age range of the individuals who have participated in the two previous meetings for discussion of this book. The allegory (a story designed to teach a lesson) features a young woman named “Much-Afraid” who is searching to find her way to the “high places” of joy and peace. She encounters many obstacles, but never loses the guiding hand of the “Chief Shepherd” who teaches her to find her way. The final meeting for this book club will be at Hawk’s Coffee Shop in early August. Call the Elevate Church for more information on how to join this fascinating group.
Another local book club comes out of the Lifelong Learning program at Western Iowa Tech. Once a month, this club meets in the Wells Fargo Room at WITCC for lunch and the discussion of a different book each month. The fall books include THE LAST RANGER—Peter Heller (September), NOSY NEIGHBORS –Freya Sampson (October) and THE SEED KEEPER –Diane Wilson (November). In December, each participant is invited to bring a holiday-wrapped book and to participate in a book exchange which should be lots of fun! In order to participate in the Lifelong Learning Book Club, participants must purchase a membership ($15/year) and pay $10 for lunch on the day of the club meeting. Lunch is available through the cafeteria which offers many delicious options and book club members enjoy their lunch during the book discussion. I am looking forward to joining this group for the year. Many of the books can be purchased online in used form (Thrift Books is a good place to find them.) or you might be able to check the books out through our local library.
Most of us spend way too much time on our phones, so perhaps this fall would be a good time to try reading something else that you can hold in your hand. I try to read every day and at the end of the year, I am always surprised at how much I have read. You might want to surprise yourself, as well!
