Dark Money provokes lively discussion at January Book Club
The most common reaction to Jane Mayer’s Dark Money was amazement at the billions of dollars the very rich have at their disposal, and the billions they spend to place Far Right politicians into state and federal offices. One member said that just thumbing through the book was enough to scare her; and she chose not to read the book. Another expressed concern that dark money is given to universities and colleges as a way of having influence on what is taught.
Below is a review of Dark Money by Mariah Snyder, January discussion leader.
Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, by Jane Mayer, provides a well-researched (five-year) exposé on the impact of money on many aspects of American life and politics. Mayer, a staff writer for The New Yorker, details how a number of United States billionaires such as the Koch brothers, Mellon-Scaife, Bradley brothers, Prince DeVos, and others made their money, and how they now use it to influence political affairs. Mayer lists companies, colleges/universities, and organizations owned or influenced by this money. After reading Dark Money, one is left with the question: “Can the impact of big money on our political system and way of life be stopped or ever be reversed?”
Dark Money was published in 2016 before the presidential election. For more up-to-date article by the same author, Jane Mayer, published in The New Yorker, March 27, 2017, enter the following into your web browser:
The Reclusive Hedge-Fund Tycoon Behind the Trump Presidency
— Mariah Snyder, UMRA Book Club member
UMRA Book Club to discuss Dark Money at January 19 meeting
Fri, Jan 19 2018, 2pm
Book Club member Mariah Snyder will lead the discussion of Dark Money by Jane Mayer at the January 19 meeting. The Book Club meets at 2 p.m. the third Friday of every month, except December. Meetings are held at the 1666 Coffman Building, which is located on Larpenteur Avenue near the St. Paul Campus. Newcomers are welcome. Contact Pat Tollefson for more information ([email protected])
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
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.