Wilmette Reads Book Discussion: Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Wednesday, February 5, 7-8pm, Adults, Auditorium
Please join us for a special book discussion led by Matthew Nelson, Research Scientist at The Field Museum of Natural History.
When we think of fungi, we probably think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that support and sustain nearly all living systems. The more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them.
Sheldrake’s mind-bending journey into this hidden world ranges from yeast to psychedelics, to the fungi that sprawl for miles underground and are the largest organisms on the planet, to those that make all plant life possible, to those that infiltrate and manipulate insect bodies with devastating precision.
Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms – and our relationships with them – are changing our understanding of how life works. (From the publisher)
Matthew Nelson is a Research Scientist at The Field Museum of Natural History (Negaunee Integrative Research Center) and Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His interests lie in elucidating the evolutionary origins and diversification of symbiotic associations, clarifying the roles traits have played in shaping lineage diversification, and understanding the roles fungi have played in the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems.
Copies of the book can be found here. Ebook and audiobook copies are available through Digital Library of Illinois or the Libby App.
For those who would like to purchase a copy of Entangled Life, please support our local independent bookstore, The Book Stall.
This program is part of our 2025 Wilmette Reads community reading series. Learn more about how you can take part, including sign-up information, this year’s swag, and a full list of our associated programs.
Classics & Contemporary Book Discussion: Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes
Tuesday, February 11, 10:30-11:30am, Adults, Auditorium
When first published in 1930, Not Without Laughter established Langston Hughes as not only a brilliant poet and leading light of the Harlem Renaissance but also a gifted novelist. In telling the story of Sandy Rogers, a young African American boy in small-town Kansas, and of his family—his mother, Annjee, a housekeeper for a wealthy white family; his irresponsible father, Jimboy, who plays the guitar and travels the country in search of employment; his strong-willed grandmother Hager, who clings to her faith; his Aunt Tempy, who marries a rich man; and his Aunt Harriet, who struggles to make it as a blues singer—Hughes gives the longings and lineaments of black life in the early twentieth century an important place in the history of racially divided America. (From the publisher)
Copies of the book are available here. Ebook copies are available through Digital Library of Illinois or the Libby app. Ebook and audiobook copies are always available through Hoopla.
For those who would like to purchase a copy of Not Without Laughter, please support our local independent bookstore, The Book Stall at 811 Elm Street in Winnetka. Copies may also be available at Books Down Under on the Lower Level of the library. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.