Book notes | A Gentleman in Moscow
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club enjoyed discussing A Gentleman in Moscow, a novel by Amor Towles, during their meeting in March. It was a good book to read during the COVID-19 pandemic because the protagonist, Russian Count Alexander Rostov, was under house arrest by the Bolsheviks in the luxurious Metropol Hotel after the 1917 Russian Revolution. Thanks to his wealth and the accommodating hotel staff, Count Rostov lived quite well, even during the war and Stalin’s purges.
Members of the book club agreed that Towles’ writing style was delightful, with its detailed description of the count’s life through decades; his working with the staff, not just being served by them; raising a child; and finally, getting the opportunity to escape.
We noted that a TV series based on the book was about to be filmed, but the production has been delayed due to the pandemic.
—Maggie Catambay, UMRA Fourth Friday Book Club (aka Book Club II) member
UMRA Book Club II to meet March 26
Fri, Mar 26 2021, 2pm
Maggie Catambay will lead the discussion of A Gentleman in Moscow by Armor Towles when the UMRA Book Club II meets at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 26, via Zoom.
The UMRA Book Club II is new and we welcome new readers. We meet at 2 p.m. on the fourth Friday of every month except December. At the present time, we are meeting online via Zoom.
We expect this club will be eclectic readers, fiction and nonfiction, although we are just learning what we will be. Newcomers are welcome!
Contact Dorothy Marden at [email protected] to learn more.
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.