Among the February book club picks is “O Pioneers!” — the first selection for a new group organized by Shelter Island Public Library Director Terry Lucas, focusing on the works of Willa Cather.
[Note: We updated this post with new information about the Shelter Island Library Book Club pick for March 8.]
Cather’s 1913 novel is about a Swedish-American immigrant family at the turn of the 20th century. Alexandra Bergson inherits the failing farm when her father dies and devotes herself to making it a prosperous enterprise.
Best known for her novels about women’s lives on the Great Plains, Cather was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for “One of Ours,” a story set during World War I.
So pick up your copy of “O Pioneers!” at the library, and prepare to join the Zoom conversation on Saturday, February 26 at 2 PM. Use this link to register.
Shakespeare in Community: ‘The Taming of the Shrew’
Led by writer Becky Cole, Shakespeare in Community takes up famous works of the Bard for monthly Zoom chats. “The Taming of the Shrew,” a comedy of gender and materialism, provides ample food for thought.
Get your copy from the library, and join the conversation on Saturday, February 26 at 1:30 PM. Use this link to register.
‘Force of Nature’ by Jane Harper
“When five colleagues are forced to go on a corporate wilderness retreat, they reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking down a muddy path. But one of them doesn’t come out of the woods. And each of her companions tells a slightly different story about what happened.”
That’s the publisher’s synopsis for “Force of Nature,” the second of Jane Harper’s mysteries featuring Federal Agent Aaron Falk. Leading the discussion is Jocelyn Ozolins, the library’s adult programs director. The Mystery Book Club explores many mysteries, including suspenseful thrillers and police procedurals.
All are welcome to join! Pick up a copy of the book at the library, and sign up for the Zoom chat on Monday, February 29 at 5:30 PM. Use this link to register.
Coming in March — ‘Running with Sherman’
Save the Date for March 8 to join the Shelter Island Book Club for its discussion of “Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall.
The SIPL Book Club, run by Suzanne Louer, explores well-regarded contemporary fiction that covers both the light-hearted and the thought-provoking.
When Chris McDougall takes in a donkey from an animal hoarder, he thought it would be no harder than the rest of the adjustments he and his family had made after moving from Philadelphia to the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country. A heartwarming story about training a rescue donkey to run one of the most challenging races in America.
The program will take place on Zoom; please click here to register.
