2013 Reading Group

Conversations on Life, Ideas, & Good Books 2013

I'm kind of addicted to reading and talking about books.  Thus, I'm interested in getting another group going.  I thought I'd just put out a reading/conversation list for the coming year and see who's interested.  It's mostly fiction, culture, history, and science. (Due to a streak of frugality, I always stick to stuff that's out in paperback).

Our first gathering some time in late January will be a conversation about what makes a good library in the 21st century.  I'll post some articles to spur conversation later.  I should be more specific: "What would make OUR library the best it can be?" is actually the question.

Requirements: You have to like books, ideas, and conversation.  You have to be curious.  You have to be interested in the experience of others.  And you have to approximate a level of passion that stops somewhere just short of hurling your book at someone and yelling, "You're nuts, you crazy son of a bitch."  (Though, forgiveness in those cases is always a possibility).  If you meet this thresh hold - email me if you're interested: jaredwitt@gmail.com

January – “What is a good library?”

            Articles:

February – Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness

March – Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall

April – Richard Florida, Rise of the Creative Class

May – Jonathan Franzen, Freedom

June - Matthew Crawford, Shopclass as Soulcraft

July – Stephen Greenblatt, Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare

August – Walker Percy, Lost in the Cosmos

September – Alice Munro, Dear Life (paperback releases July 30)

October - Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything

November – Marilyn Robinson, Home