Calendar of Events

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Book discussions are held at 10:00 am in the Wisner Center at the  Cascade Library. They have been held on the third Monday of the month in the past but will be moving to  Wednesday as of September. If you would like to join the  book discussions, you can simply show up at the next scheduled discussion. No registration is required.

We encourage attendees to read ahead of the schedule if  possible since some titles may be in short supply near the discussion  date. 

September 18   The Covenant of Water (Abraham Verghese)

The Covenant of Water is an expansive, multi-generational tale of an Indian family whose members all suffer from what is termed the “Condition.” From the story’s opening in 1900 to its close in 1977, this Condition leads to the death by drowning of many members of the family, usually male. It is Big Ammachi’s greatest hope that someone will someday discover the cause of, and thus the cure for, this Condition. The Covenant of Water explores the caste system of India; examines the class system in the United Kingdom; spotlights the small Christian community within India; critiques the British imperial presence in India; and reveals much about Indian culture, history, and politics in the process.

October 23         Table for Two (Amor Towles)

The author shares some of his shorter six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of compromise which operate at the heart of modern marriages.

November 20    The Frozen River (Ariel Lawhorn)

A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history. Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

December 18     The Personal Librarian (Marie Benedict)

This is an exciting historical fiction novel that dives into the extraordinary life of Belle da Costa Greene, the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan, during the early twentieth century. This gripping tale offers readers a captivating narrative and raises important questions about feminism, social justice, and the power dynamics that women, especially women of color, face in a male-dominated society. The story follows Belle, a white-passing Black woman who hides her racial identity to navigate the prejudice of the early 1900s. As she climbs the ranks in Morgan’s powerful circle, Belle becomes an indispensable figure in the world of art and literature, curating one of the most prestigious libraries of her time. However, as her career flourishes, Belle must constantly grapple with the limitations imposed on her as a Black woman, facing overt and subtle discrimination.

January 15          The Women (Kristin Hannah)

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

February 19        The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (James McBride)

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (2023) is the richly-textured story of a small, diverse community centered around the Jewish-owned Heaven and Earth Grocery store in Pottstown Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 1930s, and of the big events – love, death, murder, kidnapping – that mark the lives of the people connected to it.

March 19             The Paris Library (Janet Skelslien Charles)

Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together. Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal. Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them. A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

April 16                The River We Remember (William Kent Krueger)

On Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service.

May 21                 Warrior Girl Unearthed (Angeline Boulley)

Warrior Girl Unearthed is a young adult mystery about an Anishinaabe teen who tries to find a way to bring a stolen ancestor back to her tribe. The book begins ten years after Firekeeper's Daughter with Daunis's niece, Perry.