Review of August

Anyone making a quick search on the Internet could easily conclude that the author of our book selection for August, (Nickel and Dimed in America), Barbara Ehrenreich, is as controversial as the books she writes.

Visiting the author's web site, you will be greeted with announcement of her newest release, Bright Sided, a book about the effects of positive thinking in America. Elsewhere on her site is a list of the books she has published, many of them along the same lines as Nickel and Dimed, in exposing realities within American culture. Also on her web site is a link to her blog, where she voices her opinion on topical subject matter. There is also access to a forum of internet conversation about her books.

Barbara's biography is presented in Wikipedia, identifying her as a "widely read columnist and essayist . . . the author of nearly 20 books." She is also described as an "American feminist, democratic socialist, sociologist, and political activist."

Not all authors are considered for quoting from, but that is not the case for Ms. Ehrenreich. It is easy to find several web sites with numerous quotes taken from her writing, some of the sites allow visitors to comment. See an example of this on Goodreads.com

Library Day at the Fair

Read and Ride Wednesday is scheduled for September 1st this year at the Minnesota State Fair.

This means that if you present a valid public library card at the gate that day when you buy a ticket, you will receive a discount on the price of admission!

The Fair also promises discounts on Midway and Kidway rides that same day, all-day. Read more on the Fair's web site at: http://www.mnstatefair.org/tickets_discounts/admission.html

An August Update

Diane has generously offered her home as meeting place for this month's meeting. It will be held on August 24th, just two weeks from today. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a pot luck - please bring a dish to share.

The book selection for the month is: Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich. Freda will be conducting the discussion.

This will be our last meeting of the summer, (already!), and only days away from the State Fair. Meetings will resume in September at the library.

Featured Book for July

During the month of July, the book club selection was Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. The book is about a woman who develops Alzheimer's disease. She is a university professor. So there is the reality: Alzheimer's can happen to anybody.

In my own life, I have experienced the illness in close relatives twice. In the first, I was caregiver for my mother. In those days we didn't have the volume of information that is available now on the internet. The Alzheimer's Association, (at www.alz.org), now has a web site that is very comprehensive and even includes a helpline phone number that is 24/7.

A memory walk to raise money is being organized for September 25th out of Bloomington, Minnesota. Sign-ups for people to walk or for donations can be made through the Alzheimer's Association web site.

Visit the author's web site, www.lisagenova.com, for information on the author, Still Alice, and news about the author's newest book, Left Neglected, due out in January 2011. This web site also contains access to a discussion forum with ongoing conversations about the book and the illness.