Our book group is small but mighty and while you only see three people in the picture there were 4 of us participating (one by phone) yesterday. Our group meets on Monday afternoons and unlike most book groups we don’t limit our discussion to a single book. Our members have eclectic tastes and backgrounds and the capacity for a lot of topics. In our last meeting we had a wide-ranging discussion of two wonderful Emma Donoghue books, Akin, introduced by Leslie and Haven, introduced by Marsha.
Marian told us about The BBC: A People’s History, by David Hendy and also Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century, by Christina Riggs. 2022.
Jean told us about Norman Doidge’s fascinating books about the plasticity of the brain and its ability to heal itself, while Marsha recommended Messages from Ukraine. Here’s Marsha’s review:
This seemingly simple book with graphic illustrations shows a slice of Ukrainian reactions as their country is being invaded by Russia. The story opens with a colleague in another country offering refuge to Ukrainian friends who need to escape the war. The varied responses are heartbreaking and inspiring. Some are surrounded so can’t get out, others have the care of family. Most though, while thankful for the kind offer of refuge, have no intention of leaving because they’re staying and fighting, or staying and helping in the war effort in another way. It’s an interesting contrast: When Ukraine is attacked, its citizens stay and fight. When Putin says Russia is under attack, its citizens flee. This book is short and of course has no ending but it’s a useful introduction for students who want to understand what it feels like to have your country attacked. The end notes include a discussion guide. Timely and important.
Leslie has been laughing out loud with Rick Mercer’s book and is enjoying The Marrow Thieves.
Our members also recommended two YouTube series. Jean has been watching PBS Frontline about Putin’s Road to War and Marsha has been fascinated with Timothy Snyder’s Yale Lectures on The Making of Modern Ukraine: Ukrainian Questions Posed by Russian Invasion.
