Book Group Selections for October and November - Archived
 |
 |
Did you know we have a Book Group?
The UU-HNL “Page Turners” meet on Zoom the 2nd Wednesdays of each month from 4:00 – 5:30 pm. We read a wide selection of both fiction and non-fiction with the requirement that the book either be available in the library or very inexpensive used. To join our zoom discussion email James Skouge.
Selections for coming months:
OCTOBER 8, 2025 (2nd Wed of month)
“The Signature of All Things,” by Elizabeth Gilbert
Historical fiction published in 2013 that tells the story of Alma Whittaker, a brilliant and independent botanist born in 1800. The book spans most of the 19th century, following Alma’s life from her childhood in Philadelphia to her travels and scientific research around the world. The narrative is richly detailed and meticulously researched, capturing the intellectual and scientific fervor of the 19th century. Gilbert immerses the reader in the world of botanical exploration, scientific discovery, and the early debates surrounding the theory of evolution, which Alma’s own work foreshadows. The story takes place in various locations, including Alma’s family estate in Philadelphia, the rugged landscapes of Tahiti, and the intellectual circles of London.
NOVEMBER 12, 2025 (2nd Wed of month)
“Other rivers : A Chinese Education” by Peter Hessler
More than two decades after teaching English during the early part of China’s economic boom, an experience chronicled in his book River Town, Peter Hessler returned to Sichuan Province to instruct students from the next generation. At the same time, Hessler and his wife enrolled their twin daughters in a local state-run elementary school, where they were the only Westerners. Over the years, Hessler had kept in close contact with many of the people he had taught in the 1990s. By reconnecting with these individuals—members of China’s “Reform generation,” now in their forties—while teaching current undergrads, Hessler gained a unique perspective on China’s incredible transformation. Other Rivers is a work of enormous empathy that rejects cheap stereotypes. It is both a window into China and a mirror on America from a master of the form.
