Story provided by Stillwater Public Library
Stillwater Public Library (SPL) is happy to announce the return of the Walking Book Club for fall 2021. The club meets on the second Monday of each month, September through December, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The first meeting date will be Monday, Sept. 13. Attendees will discuss the monthly book while walking together in Couch Park. Registration is required and limited to 12 to ensure there are enough books and headsets for participants.
The four books planned for the club include:
· “The Light Between Oceans” by M.L. Stedman (Sept. 13): A lighthouse keeper and his wife find a baby with seemingly no other guardians and take her in. When they move back to the mainland, they find out their decision caused immense pain for someone else and readers follow their journey of navigating right and wrong.
· “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John (Oct. 11): This post-apocalyptic novel is the focus of the NEA Big Read Stillwater, also taking place this fall from Oct. 2 through Nov. 11. It takes place after the collapse of civilization due to a worldwide flu pandemic. Readers follow the travels of a nomadic group of actors roaming the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.
· “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides (Nov. 8): A psychological thriller about Alicia, a woman with a seemingly perfect life, who shoots her husband one night and never speaks a word and the therapist obsessed with getting her to tell her reasons behind the incident.
· “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” by Rachel Joyce (Dec. 12): Harold Fry is a retiree living with his wife Maureen in a small English village when he receives a letter from a woman he hasn’t heard from in 20 years, Queenie Hennessy. She’s in hospice and writing to say goodbye. This spurs Harold to walk 600 miles to see her one last time. Readers follow Harold’s travels and chance encounters with interesting characters while he relives his life with Maureen in his memories. But what is the unfinished business with Queenie, and will she still be alive when he gets there?
Lisa O’Donnell, adult reference librarian and walking book club leader, adjusts the pace of the walks depending on the needs of the participants.
“I want attendees to enjoy the books, the park and the discussion, so the walk will be conducive to talking, not a power walk,” O’Donnell said.
SPL started its first walking book club just before the City decided to shut public buildings down due to Covid-19. When the Library reopened to the public, the next walking book club provided a way to offer programs to patrons safely.
“We want to offer an outlet for people to meet in person, get some exercise and chat about books,” O’Donnell said. “But, most of all we want people to stay healthy.”
Book club participants can borrow each book from the Library’s book club kits, which are available for pick up at the help desk after registration. Headsets will be handed out at each meeting to allow participants to socially distance while walking and conversing with club members.
Space is limited and registration is required. Sign-up at /library.stillwater.org/register.php. Those interested in learning more about NEA Big Read Stillwater can visit library.stillwater.org/nea_big_read_stillwater.php.
The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. Library hours are Monday- Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.