The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben Submitted by Carey Benham As a devoted nature lover on Kiawah Island, I never imagined a book about trees could be so surprising, so wondrous and even magical. The author, Peter Wohlleben, spent over 20 years working for the forestry commission in Germany and now devotes his work to the study
Many thanks to Judy O’Brien who reported on the book and led a very good discussion following. The following report is from Judy. Despite some technical issues with Zoom, the Sandcastle Book Club enjoyed a rich discussion of Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera on October 5. Spera, a self-proclaimed redneck from Kentucky with longtime family roots in rural South Carolina, is a seasoned TV
Got your attention didn’t it? Thanks to Linda Malcolm for this reflection along with a few suggestions. ELECTIONS: A CIVICS LESSON It used to be that every school system offered a required course in US Government or “Civics,” usually in the sophomore or junior year of high school. For me, it was the sophomore year and Mr. Holman guided us through the mechanics of
Are virtual author interviews/talks as satisfying as in person appearances? Of course not!! That’s what we are relegated to for the present, however. Last night I tuned in to listen to Sue Monk Kidd interviewed through the Sophia Institute in Charleston. I had never seen her speak before and was impressed with the earnestness she displayed when talking about Ana, the main character in The
Last Sunday, October 4, 2020, many pets were ‘blessed’ in churches around the world on what is known as the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals (as well as ecology and merchants), and he died on October 4, 1230, in Assisi, Italy. Buried in the crypt with St. Francis is a little-known woman named Giacoma dei Settesoli.
Remember when Sandy Springs had its Town Turtles? Maybe not, if you aren’t familiar with all things Atlanta. Many cities around the globe have decorated cows. A town in Kansas decorates outdoor squirrel statues. Hendersonville, NC had a ‘bearfoot artwalk’ this year to reveal new decorated bears in the downtown area. So, it should come as no surprise that we now have park benches in
Today’s best-seller list has Jodi Picoult’s newest book The Book of Two Ways at #1. People must like this author, right? Well, not everyone. Picoult doesn’t write feel-good books. She probably will not win a Pulitzer prize for literature. Her books, however, make the reader think because she often presents complicated family situations and deep ethical issues. The Sandcastle Book Club read Small Great Things
Announcement from Debby Perelmuter I attended, virtually, this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival and one of the conversations discussed The Splendid and the Vile extensively, with the author, Erik Larsen. Please pass along this video as you see fit. https://youtu.be/kEwfrqXWf-U Another chance to hear Erik Larsen will be during the Southern Festival of Books which is going on right now in Nashville, TN. Erik Larsen will
Since we probably won’t be able to actually travel to Washington, D. C. to visit the National Portrait Gallery, the next best thing might be to read about the exhibit and to know about the authors featured. The following article appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine on September 23, 2020. BY MEILAN SOLLYNovelist and essayist Marilynne Robinson is one of 24 authors featured in “Her Story: A
Simon & Schuster announces a discussion of Alice Hoffman’s new book The World That We Knew. Log into their Facebook page at 1:00, on Setembert 22, to take part in their virtual book club. The following is taken from the Simon and Schuster e-mail announcing the event: The World That We Knew By Alice Hoffman For fans of The Dovekeepers and The Golem and the Jinni On the brink
