August 10, 2010
The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby
The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family’s affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead. As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared.
September 14, 2010
Run by Ann Patchett
It's a winter evening in Boston and the temperature has drastically dropped as a blizzard approaches the city. On this fateful night, Bernard Doyle plans to meet his two adopted sons, Tip the older, and more serious and Teddy, the affectionate dreamer, at a Harvard auditorium to hear a speech given by Jesse Jackson. Doyle, an Irish Catholic and former Boston mayor, has done his best to keep his two sons interested in politics, from the day he and his now deceased wife became their parents, through their childhoods, and now in their lives as college students. Though the two boys are African-American, the bonds of the family's love have never been tested. But as the snow begins to falls, an accident triggers into motion a series of events that will forever change their lives.
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Westerly
Public Library book discussion group is open to all readers of the
current book. Each month's selection is listed on this website and in
the on-paper calendar which is mailed to members of the Friends of the
Library and Park, also available at the Circulation and Reference
desks.
The group meets year-round on the second Tuesday of the
month at 1 pm in the Granite Exhibit area in the lower level stacks.
Participants choose the books and share responsibility for discussions.
Book Discussions