Hotchkiss Library Book Group

A dedicated group of readers has been meeting in the Reading Room the first Tuesday of each month at 7 pm for since 2000. We have read 250 books together, both fiction and nonfiction. Every fall, we host a facilitated discussion series moderated by scholar Mark Scarbrough. All are welcome. Copies of books are available from the Library. Meeting in-person in the Hayes Family Community Room. Be sure to check our frequently updated calendar for each month’s book pick.

Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forester (May 7)

An Immense World by Ed Young (June 4)

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (July 2)

Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tingui Zhang (August 6)

American History Book Club

Our American History Book Group, founded in the summer of 2019, has in-depth conversations about work covering a broad range of historical figures, events and movements. Meeting monthly, in-person on the third Wednesday at 10 am in the Collins Reading Room. Be sure to check our frequently updated calendar for each month’s book pick.

American Midnight: the Great War, a violent peace, and democracy’s forgotten Crisis by Adam Hochschild (May 15)

Reading with Deeper Eyes Book Group

A Book Group exploring the intersection of literature and spirituality. Led by Anne Cameron, retired psychologist and Presbyterian minister, we will read excellent literature (fiction and nonfiction; classic and current) to explore spiritual themes through the words of gifted writers. We will consider literature which touches on various traditions, as well as no formal tradition at all.

Being Mortal by Atwal Gawande (nonfiction)
Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler (fiction)
No Future without Forgiveness by Desmond Tutu
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruger
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kinsolver
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

The Guild: The Library’s New Volunteer Organization

The Guild was formed in Spring 2023 in anticipation of the reopening of the restored and expanded Library. Their volunteers were very helpful at the 25th Annual Sharon Summer Book Signing and at our grand opening celebrations. The Guild holds regular meetings and all are invited to learn more about how to support the Hotchkiss Library and to join the Guild and to attend their programming.

Abbey Nova, Co-chair for Outreach:  abbeynova@gmail.com

Julie Trager, Co-chair for Programming: jtrager9@earthlink.net