'The Stories of John Cheever'
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 2pm
The September selection for Book Club II is The Stories of John Cheever, a 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever.
Cheever is celebrated as a master of short story writing, famously dubbed the “Chekhov of the suburbs.” For the most part, the stories in this collection are character studies of individuals facing a moral dilemma or a psychological crisis.
"Cheever’s crowning achievement is the ability to be simultaneously generous and cynical, to see that the absurd and the profound can reside in the same moment, and to acknowledge both at the detriment of neither." (The Guardian)
“By writing about any of us, Mr. Cheever writes about all of us, our ethical concerns and our failures of nerve, our experience of the discrepancies and our shred of honor.” (John Leonard, The New York Times)
The book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1979, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the National Book Award in 1981.
For those who enjoy reading at bedtime but would like to avoid the temptation to read “just one more chapter,” these stories provide the advantage of a complete narrative arc that can be fully enjoyed and finished in a single setting.
Our discussion will focus on several of Cheever’s most famous stories, including "The Enormous Radio", "Goodbye, My Brother," and "The Swimmer."
We read an eclectic variety of books, suggested by members, covering award-winning fiction, informative non-fiction, and books you should have read as an undergraduate.
If interested in giving our group a try, please contact Bob Bache at [email protected] or Dorothy Marden at [email protected].
Upcoming Events
Nanette leads a trail of two cities hike.
10:30 a.m. check in; 10:45 boarding; cruise from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Join UMRA friends and colleagues for a summer cruise and lunch aboard the Paradise Destiny II on beautiful Lake Minnetonka. Paul Maravelas, sailor, historian, and author of The History of Big Island, Lake Minnetonka will join us to share stories from 200+ years of lake-dwellers. Come early or stay after the cruise to explore Excelsior, a charming small town on the big lake.
Ticket price includes lunch: chef's sandwich, garden salad, fruit, chips, and cookies. Coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are complimentary and there will be a cash bar for other beverages. A vegetarian sandwich can be selected during registration.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the debut novel Buckeye by Patrick Ryan when it meets via Zoom at 2 pm. on Friday, August 21.
You are invited to join the discussion of The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents 1773-1783 by Joseph J. Ellis.
The theme for September is "Monuments."
Bev leads a Lake of the Isles hike with Isles Bun & Coffee afterwards.
.
Critical issues facing detained immigrants and their families will be discussed.
.
A 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever.
The architecture in Iceland is as spare as the culture -- honest and simple.
Michelle Trudeau-Spanjers leads the hike at William O'Brien State Park.
Topics include longevity, distributions, long term care, Social Security, and comprehensive planning.
The theme for October is "Hands."
UMF CEO John Morris
Jon C leads the hike at Nerstrand Big Woods with lunch afterwards.
.
Discuss long term care options with Fred Andersen.
Bob & Jean Hall and Andy Whitman, participants.