Rejoicing in Our Present: The Women’s Book Discussion Group
In April of 2009, the Women’s Book Discussion Group was started – with great enthusiasm – by twelve women and organized by Bev Tenhor. They met at different homes and sometimes at the church.
After the first year, they decided that they would meet September through June and take the summer off.
Since its early beginnings, it has been a thriving group with lively discussions about each book.
In May of each year, the women who attended regularly offer suggestions for the next year’s book choices with a short synopsis of each book.
At the June meeting, the women decide on their 10 books they would like to discuss throughout the next year. They read a wide variety of books across many genres. Classics, like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee have been included in the book lists from previous years.
They have also included several books based on true stories, such Beneath the Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan, based on the true story of Pino Lella, an Italian teenager who became an spy for the Allied forces after being chosen as the driver for one of the Third Reich’s most powerful commanders, and The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray about Belle De Costa Greene, the personal librarian of J.P. Morgan, who helped him amass a world-class collection of books and art for the Pierpont Morgan Library, which still exists today.
They also read and discuss popular current titles, like Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Horse by Geraldine Brooks – who was the speaker for the 2023 Nickerson Lecture Series presented by the Brewster Ladies Library each year.
Ann Wolf shared,
“I always look forward to our book group discussions, as they not only provide fellowship and laughs, but often leave me with new insights into the books I read. I got into the group because I wanted to expand my reading diversity. Being part of the group forces me to read books that I would not have considered because it is easy and comfortable to select books in a familiar genre. It is always interesting to hear opinions of others in the group, giving me new ideas to consider. Everyone seems comfortable sharing thoughts and ideas about what they have read. It is definitely one of my favorite activities!
Sharon Kautz shared,
“I was preparing the list of books for the Beacon a couple of years ago and Beneath the Scarlet Sky (mentioned earlier) looked so interesting and I read it. It was such a moving and exhilarating book, I asked if I could join the discussion group that month to see what everyone else thought of it. It was such a great discussion, with so many different ideas and perspectives about what went on in the story. I enjoyed it so much that I attended the next month and have gone to as many as I could since. It has encouraged me to read more consistently, and to read books I never would have chosen on my own. I have learned so much, both from the books that we have read and from the life experiences of the women in the group, and I look forward to attending every month.”
Each month, a different book is discussed, so new members are welcome to join at any time to give it a try. The group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month (with a couple of exceptions) at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Hall at BBC.
They will begin with their discussion of the first book of the reading list this Thursday, September 26 discussing The Women by Kristin Hannah.
- October 24: The Spy and the Traitor by Ben MacIntyre; Facilitated by Eileen Vermilyea
- November 21: The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri; Facilitated by Nancy Renn
- December 19: The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts; Facilitated by Susan Logsdon
- January 23: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving; Facilitated by Paula David
- February 27: The Spectacular by Fiona Davis; Facilitated by Ann Wolf
- March 27: The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon; Facilitated by Nancy Wilder
- April 24: Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos; Facilitated by Mary Kaipainen
- May 22: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride; Facilitated by Nancy Renn
- June 26: The Little Liar by Mitch Albom; Facilitated by Paula David