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
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.