Fourth Friday Book Club to meet February 28
Fri, Feb 28, 2025, 2pm
The Fourth Friday Book Club will meet via Zoom on February 28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CST to discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
You might regard it as a literary leap-and-a-jump to go from Middlemarch by George Elliot (our selection for January) to Huckleberry Finn. The former was published in eight parts in 1871–72, the latter in 1884 (in Canada and the U.K.) and 1885 (in the U.S.)
Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Clemens, under the pen name of Mark Twin, chronicles the adventures of two white boys and Jim, an escaped Black slave. The book was criticized pretty much upon publication, described at the time as racist, coarse, trashy, irreligious, mindless, and so on.
Some two decades later, no less than the New York Public Library Children's Room joined the lengthening list of communities, schools, and libraries where the book was banished.
What are we to make of the criticisms? Satire? Irony? Exposure of the hypocrisy of slavery and of the society in which Mark Twain grew up?
Even the casual reader will conclude that the white characters are portrayed much more negatively: Huck's irresponsible and alcoholic father; the hollow and pious Miss Watson.
Generally regarded as Mark Twain's best work and one of the great American novels, perhaps there’s no better time than now to read Huckleberry Finn.
The Fourth Friday Book Club is open to all UMRA members. Please email to let us know of your interest.
—Dorothy Marden, Fourth Friday Book Club
Upcoming Events
UMRA’s Living Well Workshop on May 12 will feature Megan Walsh from the University of Minnesota Law School for a presentation on efforts to prevent gun violence through lawsuits designed to address unlawful practices in selling, manufacturing, or advertising firearms.
Craig Moody’s Swedish ancestors were among the 60,000 Swedes who chose to emigrate to the U.S. between 1868 and 1871, because of the poor economic conditions in their homeland. He has spent the last nine years investigating their history.
Back problems as we age and how we can treat them will be the discussion topic for the UMRA Breakfast meeting on Thursday, May 14. Paul Schanfield, MD, will be our expert resource person. He is a retired neurologist, a member of UMRA, and has personal experience with back surgery.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another by Ainissa Ramirez when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
Peter Moe, retired University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Director and UMRA member, will lead this hike.
Executive Vice President and Provost Gretchen Ritter will discuss her role and offer reflections on her first year at the University of Minnesota as the featured speaker for the UMRA Luncheon Forum on May 19 at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville. The forum will be preceded by UMRA’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
"Third Wednesdays in the West Wing" is a pilot program for spring 2026.
A 1987 classic, cited as the gold standard of modern legal thrillers.
Bev leads at Hyland Lake Park Reserve.
Connect, explore new ideas for what it means to live and age well, and celebrate a community of continuous learning at the fifth annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis on Monday, June 8.
Abandoned and discarded is the theme for the UMRA Photo Club meeting in June. Newcomers are welcome.
Michael leads this hike at Afton State Park.
We will gather in the Waterfall Room for an in-person, summer social and luncheon for UMRA members and guests on June 24th. Our event will include social time; a plated, seated lunch; and the always popular Summer Social Trivia Game with quizmasters Dave Dorman and Mark Jenson.
Kayaking at Lake Bde Maka Ska.
Bev leads the Nokomis walk to Minnehaha Falls.