Book notes | Where the Crawdads Sing
In Delia Owens’ novel Where the Crawdads Sing, we meet a young girl named Kya living in a shack in the marshlands outside a small coastal community in North Carolina. By the age of 10 her family, one-by-one, has abandoned Kya and left her to fend for herself.
As the poor, uneducated, and strange “marsh girl,” Kya is an outcast in the community. Unable to fit into school, Kya grows up not knowing how to read books, but she is fluent in reading the natural world around her.
As she grows into young womanhood, two young men enter her life. Tate Walker, a shrimper who was a friend of Kya’s brother, is intrigued by Kya’s love and knowledge of the marshland. He befriends her and teaches her to read, but then goes off to college. Chase Andrews, is a handsome, smooth-talking, football hero and local lothario who is intrigued by Kya’s wildness and beauty. When he is found dead at the foot of a fire tower, possibly murdered, the evidence gathered by the sheriff’s office makes Kya the prime suspect.
To quote the inside cover of the book: “Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder.”
During our discussion, UMRA Book Club members said they enjoyed the book primarily because of the lyrical prose as the author described the natural environment of the marsh and surrounding area. One reader commented that the author’s descriptions of the North Carolina marsh area made her, the reader, feel that she was there. Some found events in the book hard to believe but didn’t mind because the book was written so well. One person did not care for the book at all primarily because of the murder mystery aspect of it. Overall, though, we thought it was an excellent book.
— Beth Bedell, Book Club member
Book Club to meet May 15
Fri, May 15 2020, 2pm
Beth Bedell will lead the discussion of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
Here are the books and discussion leaders for our summer reading:
JUNE Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes; discussion leader Laura Ericksen.
JULY The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See; discussion leader Paula Knutzen.
AUGUST The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri; discussion leader Mariah Snyder.
Contact Pat Tollefson at [email protected] for more information.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.