Fourth Friday Book Club to meet March 22
Fri, Mar 22 2024, 2pm
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, a recipient of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and other awards, is the Fourth Friday Book Club’s selection for March. It is a retelling of the 19th century novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
The setting is Appalachia in the early days of the so-called “miracle pill” OxyContin. It is a story of young Damon Fields, aka “Demon Copperhead,” as he struggles with the opioid epidemic that is plaguing his community. To quote Demon: “I don't know a single person my age that's not taking pills.”
Like David Copperfield, Kingsolver’s novel is about hardship, struggle, repeated societal failures, and survival. Dedicated by the author to “the survivors,” it is also a plea for reform, a novel that addresses issues of social justice and human relationships impacted by external forces. Totally grim? No. There is authentic humor throughout the novel.
Please join us. The FF Book Club welcomes all UMRA members. Email Dorothy Marden at [email protected] or Margaret Catambay at [email protected] for more information and to get the Zoom link to join the meeting from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on March 22.
Upcoming Events
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.