UB Libraries Book Group discussion

How we’ve selected books the past few years has been fairly casual: someone in the group just chooses a book (from our suggestions or from their personal wishlist) and volunteers to lead the discussion for a particular month. Does this still work with everyone?

If so, we have four more selections to identify for the next year: November 2019, January 2020, May 2020 and July 2020. I promise to take one month but still need to work my way through suggestions and my own thoughts.

If you'd like to volunteer, please post the following info in this thread:
1) title of the book
2) the month you will lead the discussion
3) whether you'd like to meet in person to discuss or solely online

Currently scheduled so far:
September 2019: The Darwin Affair by Tim Mason (Marlies to lead discussion)
November 2019: Educated by Tara Westover (NancyJ)
January 2020: A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell (Lori)
March 2020: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony by Penny Colman (Ellen)
May 2020: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (Kath)

Kath,
Sounds good to me. I'll have to look and see if there is something I think will work well.
Becky

We also met in March last year (Vox). But not this year? Thanks!

You guys are on top of it -- I haven't even sent out the email yet! :)

We will meet in March but I was putting that Colman book there per the email discussions this morning.

Ellen, would you like to lead the Colman discussion? No pressure, really, if you choose something else I can lead it.

Lori has volunteered the following; I'll put on the bookshelf shortly:

"Hi everyone - sorry I missed the in-person meeting. I recently finished A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. An amazing story of strength, courage and patriotism. I'd be happy to lead the discussion for that one. Of those books already mentioned, I'd also vote for Educated. I also liked Where the Crawdads Sing, which seems to be pretty popular right now."

I'm excited about The Darwin Affair. I won a free copy of it in a goodreads giveaway! A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II sounds terrific. I love all the new books about real life amazing women.

I'm reading Educated with another group in early November. I'd be happy to lead a discussion of it here too. (Nov would be easy since it would be fresh on my mind). OR The Heart's Invisible Furies any month. I just read it and I found it amazing.

I'd also love to read (not lead) Where the Crawdads Sing. The library wait lists are still ridiculously long if that matters.

I plan to read at least one book about the suffrage movement in 2020. (I posted the title elsewhere.) I liked the new one because it covered the final year (1919-1920), which made it more exciting (for one reviewer anyway). I know that history books might not appeal to everyone. Another option (if there is even interest in the topic), is for people to read different things, or share what they already know. There was also a movie about the Alice Paul years that was really good. ADDED - OOPS I just reread the top post and I see the topic is already scheduled for March! Awesome.

Sorry I missed the earlier post. Yes, I'm happy to lead the March discussion of the Colman book. Thanks!

Ellen -- that would be great, thanks!

NancyJ -- Let's have you lead on Educated in November and I will lead on Where the Crawdads Sing in May.

Only one more selection needs to be lined up! Also, I assigned months as people volunteered but let me know if you want to make any changes.

Kath wrote: "Ellen -- that would be great, thanks!

NancyJ -- Let's have you lead on Educated in November and I will lead on Where the Crawdads Sing in May.

Only one more select..."

That schedule looks great to me. We have 2 fiction so far, and 3 nonfiction (bio/memoirs). Should the last one (July 2020) be fiction?

Hey All --
To coincide with the One Community One Book selection, we have chosen to read The Tea Girl from Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See as the May 2020 book selection. We will be posting information on any event programming here as we come across it.

Also, the title Where the Crawdads Sing will be bumped back to be our September 2020 book selection.

Thanks!

Hello friends,

I've been AWOL, but I'm ready to come back to the fold, assuming I can get my hands on the book. I see that The Tea Girl... is on the docket next, and Goodreads tells me April 1. Obviously I'm not going to read this by tomorrow. How long does the discussion last?

Stacy

hey Stacy --
Welcome back!

April 1 is just the beginning of the reading date. Our discussion will begin in mid-May through end of May. Sorry for the confusion!

Also, fyi, this book is also the One Community One Book selection as well.
Kath

Hi Kath et. al.
Don't know if I will have time to read the Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane this month -- okay to participate in the discussion if I only get as far as page 50? (or perhaps even fewer pages?)
Also, I don't own the book -- any suggestions re. where to find an electronic version, preferably a free version?
Thanks,
Kathleen Q.

hey Kathleen --
Definitely feel free to join in the discussion regardless of how far you get in the book!

Truthfully, I hadn't thought of book access issues during this time of mostly-closed libraries. Just did some checking. Even though the Buffalo Public libraries are still closed, they do have e-copies of this book. Looks like there is a hold list: 15 holds currently on the e-book and 7 holds on the e-audiobook.

Also, NYS residents can apply for a library card from NYPL and get on the hold list there (currently more copies, with more holds). Check out this link for more info: https://www.nypl.org/books-music-movi...

There are also lots of places to get the e-book at regular cost ($14ish) like Amazon, Apple, GooglePlay. Not ideal, I know.

Lastly, used physical copies are available on Amazon starting at $4-5.

Hope that is helpful!
Kath