Join us for these upcoming book discussions at Wilmette Public Library.
CLASSICS & CONTEMPORARY
Hard Times by Charles Dickens Tuesday, September 13th, 10:30am
Coketown is dominated by the figure of Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, school owner and model of utilitarian success. Feeding both his pupils and his family with facts, he bans fancy and wonder from young minds. As a consequence, his young daughter Louisa marries the loveless businessman and “bully of humility” Mr. Bounderby, and his son Tom rebels to become embroiled in gambling and robbery. And, as their fortunes cross with those of free-spirited circus girl Sissy Jupe and victimized weaver Stephen Blackpool, Gradgrind is eventually forced to recognize the value of the human heart in an age of materialism and machinery. (Provided by the publisher)
Reserve a paper copy of the book. Ebook copies are available through Digital Library of Illinois or the Libby app. Ebook and downloadable audiobook copies always available through Hoopla.
Registration will close two hours before the program begins and registrants will receive a link to join shortly thereafter.
MURDER WE READ
Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu Wednesday, September 28th, 7:30pm
"This delectable and witty mystery introduces Rosie “Aunty” Lee, feisty widow, amateur sleuth, and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home-cooking restaurant
After losing her husband, Rosie Lee could have become one of Singapore’s “tai tai,” an idle rich lady. Instead she is building a culinary empire from her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights, where spicy Singaporean meals are graciously served to locals and tourists alike. But when a body is found in one of Singapore’s tourist havens and one of her guests fails to show at a dinner party, Aunty Lee knows that the two events are likely connected.
The murder and disappearance throws together Aunty Lee’s henpecked stepson, Mark, his social-climbing wife, Selina, a gay couple whose love is still illegal in Singapore, and an elderly Australian tourist couple whose visit may mask a deeper purpose. Investigating the murder are Police Commissioner Raja and Senior Staff Sergeant Salim, who quickly discover that Aunty Lee’s sharp nose for intrigue can sniff out clues that elude law enforcers.
Wise, witty, and charming, Aunty Lee’s Delights is a spicy mystery about love, friendship, and food in Singapore, where money flows freely and people of many religions and ethnicities coexist peacefully, but where tensions lurk just below the surface, sometimes with deadly consequences."
(Provided by the publisher)
Place a hold on a copy of the book. Ebook and downloadable audiobook copies are available through Hoopla or the Hoopla app.
Registration will close two hours before the program begins and registrants will receive a link to join shortly thereafter.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS/WPL BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
The Turnaway Study by Diana Greene Foster Wednesday, September 28th, 11:00am
What happens when a woman seeking an abortion is turned away? To answer this question, Diana Greene Foster assembled a team of scientists—psychologists, epidemiologists, demographers, nurses, physicians, economists, sociologists, and public health researchers—to conduct a ten-year study. They followed a thousand women from across America, some of whom received abortions, some of whom were turned away. Now, for the first time, Dr. Foster presents the results of this landmark study in one extraordinary, groundbreaking book. Foster documents the outcomes for women who received and were denied an abortion, analyzing the impact on their mental and physical health, their careers, their romantic relationships, and their other children, if they have them. As the national debate around abortion intensifies, The Turnaway Study offers the first thorough, data-driven examination of the negative consequences for women who cannot get abortions. (Provided by the publisher)
Reserve a paper copy of the book. Ebook and downloadable audiobook copies are available through Digital Library of Illinois or the Libby app.
Registration will close two hours before the program begins and registrants will receive a link to join shortly thereafter.