Fourth Friday Book Club October meeting
Fri, Oct 28 2022, 2pm
Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky was chosen by members of UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club for their meeting from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, via Zoom. New members are welcome!
Several titles by Dostoevsky were suggested. Notes from the Underground, published in 1864, is cited as the forerunner of themes evident in Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, and is regarded by many critics to be one of the first existentialist novels.
It is arranged in three parts; the first part is in monologue form, spoken by an unnamed narrator who comes to be known as the Underground Man.
In its simplicity, Notes from the Underground appears as several riddles, seemingly ridiculous in their naivete but far from it. For example, the simple equation two-times-two is an attack on intellectual attempts at governing human behavior by systems of logic, and an untreated toothache is an affirmation of the absurdity of a utopian existence.
The second and third parts of the novel seem to confirm a history of isolation and anonymity and foreshadow outsized bitterness.
Contact Margaret Catambay at [email protected] or Dorothy Marden at [email protected] for information about how to join the meeting.
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.