To get into the holiday spirit, Scott County Reads book group read and discussed The Autobiography of Santa Claus on December 22nd. Jeff Guinn wrote the novel that is based partly on the real St. Nicholas, but mostly on the fictional character of Santa Claus. He describes his life from 280 A.D. to the present and adds in some other famous historical figures along the way. Guinn has followed up this novel with How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas and The Great Santa Search.
Our next book discussion will be on November 24th at 6:30pm in the First Amendment Room. Books are available now. Our selection is The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution by David Stewart.
Here's what one reviewer from Publisher's Weekly says- "Briskly written, full of deft characterizations and drama, grounded firmly in the records of the Constitutional Convention and its members' letters, this is a splendid rendering of the document's creation. All the debates are here, as are all the convention's personalities... Stewart, a constitutional lawyer in Washington, D.C., ignores the recent decades' penetrating scholarship about the Constitution's creation in favor of a fast-paced narrative of a long, hot summer's work."
Our next book discussion will be on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. Stop by the library to pick up your copy and join us on October 27th at 6:30pm in the First Amendment Room. The book is about Christopher, an autistic teenager who attempts to solve the mystery of the neighbor's murdered dog. It has been described as a funny and touching novel.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a school shooting from different perspectives. Readers will get to know each of the main characters in the story, their family history, and their view of what happened that day. The shooter, Peter grew up being bullied and ignored by parents who were still grieving the loss of their oldest son. Josie, the most popular girl at school and daughter of another main character, is your typical high school girl who tries hard to fit in, but isn't very happy in her skin. She witnesses the shooting first hand. You also get perspectives from Josie's mother Alex, Peter's parents, a policeman at the scene, and the defense attorney. Picoult often writes books that seem to be stripped from the headlines, but she does her research and always writes real and compelling stories. The book can be slow moving at times, especially through the trial, but the very real emotional characters should keep you hooked.
Join us as we discuss Water for Elephants on June 30th at 6:30pm.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is about 91 yr old Jacob, who recalls his past working for a second-rate circus during the Great Depression. Many interesting characters and situations make Jacob's life one worth reading. Stop by the library to pick up your copy now.
Click to hear a passage from the book Gabcast! Reading 2.0 #5
Join us for our Book Discussion on June 2nd at 6:30pm We will be discussing The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
What Friedman means by claiming 'the world is flat' is that barriers to communication have diminished and access to people, places, products, and ideas is easier than ever. His book discusses this phenomena, how it developed and what the future holds.
