Thursday, December 30, 2010

January 2011

Our January selection is The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
The book tells the story of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Larson details the planning of the grand event, by Daniel Hudson Burnham who designed the plans on 600 acres and built over 200 new buildings.


Larson also tells the story of serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who exploited the city's fixation on the fair and built a hotel for fair-goers. He murdered many women, men, and children in his hotel and eventually confessed to 27 murders, though the count may be as high as 200.


Our discussion will take place on January 24th at 6:30 p.m in the First Amendment Room. Books are available now!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

September 2010


The book for our September discussion is The Big Burn by Timothy Egan. It is essentially two stories interwoven, the friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot which lead to the creation of the Forest Service, and the nation's largest wildfire in the summer of 1910. He describes the politics and passion behind the nation's conservation movement and ascribes much credit to the huge wildfire for fanning the flame, so to speak.

Our discussion will take place on September 27th at 6:30 p.m. in the First Amendment Room at the Eldridge branch library. Copies are available now at the library.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

August 2010 Discussion


Marcelo in the Real World will be the topic of discussion at our August 23rd meeting. Though it is typically found in the Young Adult section of libraries, this novel will appeal to adults of all ages. It is the story of a 17 yr old boy, Marcelo, who has Asperger's Syndrome. He has always gone to a school for kids with special needs and is looking forward to working there over the summer. Suddenly, his father tells him that he needs to experience the "real world" and work in his law office over the summer. If Marcelo is able to follow the rules, he can go back to his special school. Otherwise, he will go to public high school for his Senior year.

Discussion will take place in the First Amendment Room of the Eldridge branch at 6:30 p.m., August 23rd.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

July 2010 Discussion


Join us on July 26th at 6:30 p.m. for our discussion of Thomas Levenson's Newton and the Counterfeiter. It's the story of Sir Isaac Newton's career at the Royal Mint in London and the career criminal counterfeiter he was determined to take down. You can read an interview with the author here or you can view a lecture from him here

Copies of the book are available at the Eldridge branch library.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

June 2010 Discussion


Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

This book is written in a letter format and gives the reader a revealing look at Guernsey Island during World War II. Juliet, a London writer, is intrigued by the Literary Society and a series of letters are exchanged by members of the group and Juliet. With humor, snide remarks, and a mystery or two, the reader is pulled into the correspondence and can't put the book down.

Review by Elizabeth, tech services

Join us to discuss the book on June 28th at 6:30 p.m. in the First Amendment Room, Scott County Library, Eldridge.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

May 2010 Discussion


For May we are reading Five Equations that Changed the World: The Power and Poetry of Mathematics by Michael Guillen. Mathaphobes need not worry! It mostly discusses the five mathematicians and how they discovered the equations. This one is somewhat controversial and should make for an interesting discussion!

Join us at the Eldridge branch on Monday May 24th at 6:30 p.m. in the First Amendment Room. Books are available now for check out.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

FEBRUARY 2010 DISCUSSION


On February 22nd at 6:30 p.m. We will discuss the novella, Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan.

The story of Manny DeLeon, manager at a Red Lobster in Connecticut, and his last night at the restaurant before it closes forever.