Although we did not meet physically last month and probably
will not again this month, we are still reading and a number of our members did get together via Zoom gatherings to discuss last month’s selection, The Library Book.
Our groups may try Zoom again this month to discuss The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter, Hazel Gaynor’s historical fic- tion inspired by true events. The book contains a dual storyline about two women living 100 years apart. The book jacket reads: “1838: Northumberland, England. Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands has been Grace Darling’s home for all of her twenty-two years. When she and her father rescue shipwreck survivors in a furious storm, Grace becomes celebrated throughout England . . . 1938: Newport, Rhode Island. Nineteen-years-old and pregnant, Matilda Emmerson has been sent away from Ireland in disgrace. She is to
stay with Harriet, a reclusive relative and assistant lighthouse keeper, until her baby is born. A discarded, half-finished portrait opens a window into Matilda’s family history. As a deadly hur- ricane approaches, two women, living a century apart, will be linked forever by their instinctive acts of courage and love.”
Our Seashore News editor has suggested we give some his- tory of our book club this month as we do not have the usual re- strictions on space, and so I have been giving that some thought. I am not sure of the exact year I joined Page Turners but I have a membership list in my file with my name on it from 2008.
At that time there were 34 members and we all met in one group at a member’s home. One person would volunteer their home, two people would be assigned to provide light refresh- ments, and one person would review the book and lead the discussion.
I remember that often the host and the refreshment per- sons would reflect the setting of the book being discussed. One month, when we were discussing The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak, the refreshments were a Turkish dessert and the person doing the review gave each member a woven book- mark that she brought back from her recent visit to Turkey.
Another time the book was Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, about Japanese internment camps. The host and refreshment persons provided Japanese floral arrangements and Japanese cookies.
As with all groups, things change over the years, and now we have three groups with a total of 36 members. The Monday afternoon group still meets in members’ homes with light refreshments. The other two groups meet in the club- house sans refreshments.
As the club grew, it became quite a challenge to host 30 plus women for the book discussion and, while it was a wonderful social experience, it was not conducive to a book discussion. It is suggested that the number of people for a good book discus- sion is 8 to 10 people, and so the groups now work very well.
In May, we will keep to our regularly scheduled days of the fourth Monday and fourth Thursday of the month either by meeting physically or by using the tech age app Zoom (or something similar!). Members, watch your email for announce- ments of the meetings. For information on the Thursday groups please contact Steve and Ann Morris at samwrsi@cox.net and for the Monday group me, Frances at fozimec@cox.net.
—Frances Ozimec
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