The Mayfair Branch hosts a monthly adult book chat at Marie's Pizza, a nearby restaurant. Book lovers gather to say a few words about a book they are reading or have recently read. Titles discussed at the October meeting included:
Typhoid Mary: "The story of Mary Mallon, the Irish immigrant cook who later became known as 'Typhoid Mary,' dramatically illustrates the conflict between the needs of an individual and the needs of society. After she infected 22 people with typhoid, public health authorities forcibly isolated Mallon for most of her adult life in an attempt to limit the spread of the disease. Leavitt examines the medical, legal and social perspectives of the early 20th century as she endeavors to understand Mallon's situation, her reactions to her isolation, and the reaction of the media and of the public." - Library Journal
Morte D'Urban: "Father Urban is a man of the cloth who is also a man of the world. Charming, with an expansive vision of spiritual life and a high tolerance for moral ambiguity, Urban enjoys a national reputation as a speaker on the religious circuit and has big plans for the future. But then the provincial head of his dowdy religious order banishes him to a retreat house in the Minnesota hinterlands. Father Urban soon bounces back, carrying God's word with undaunted enthusiasm through the golf courses, fishing lodges, and backyard barbecues of his new turf. Winner of the National Book Award in 1963." - New York Review Books Classics
Steve Jobs: "Walter Isaacson set down the riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of the creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries." - Simon & Schuster
A Killing in the Hills:"Three elderly men are gunned down over their coffee at a diner in Acker's Gap, West Vriginia, and seemingly half of the town is there to witness the act. But it happened so fast that no one seems to have gotten a good look at the shooter. Was it random? Was it connected to the spate of drug violence plaguing poor areas of the country? Or were the three men targeted for other reasons? It's up to to Bell Elkins, the prosecuting attorney for the county, and her daughter Carla, who witnessed the crime, to find out." - MacMillan
What would you say about the book you are reading right now? Join us at the next book chat to tell us what you think and get recommendations on what to read next. Meetings are generally the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. A food or drink purchase is encouraged, but not required.
