Book Club
The Elephant Whisperer
Chosen as book club book for June 22, 2023
1:00 PM at the Fountain Green Library
Author: Anthony Lawrence
Lawrence Anthony devoted his life to animal conservation, protecting the world’s endangered species. Then he was asked to accept a herd of “rogue” wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand. His common sense told him to refuse, but he was the herd’s last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn’t take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad memoir of Anthony’s experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, Anthony’s unrelenting efforts at animal protection and his remarkable connection with nature will inspire animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.
The Rent Collector
Chosen as book club book for May 25, 2023
1:00 PM at the Fountain Green Library
Author: Camron Wright
Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the ill-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money–a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past. The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one woman’s journey to save her son and another woman’s chance at redemption. It demonstrates that even in a dump in Cambodia–perhaps especially in a dump in Cambodia–everyone deserves a second chance.
Book of the Year Award, Gold Winner, Adult Fiction, —ForeWord Reviews Magazine
Best Novel of the Year Award, General Fiction, —Whitney Awards
International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award Nominee
Miss Benson’s Beetle
Chosen as book club book for April 27, 2023
1:00 PM at the Fountain Green Library
Author: Rachel Joyce
It is 1950. London is still reeling from WW11. Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and a spinster is trying to survive. One day she quits her job to go after her childhood dream of finding if the New Caledonia golden beetle exists. After finding a companion the two women set off on a cross-ocean adventure. Moments of tragedy and humor engage you in this quirky story from cover to cover.