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Annual Picnic/Meeting/Book Discussion
Sunday, June 3, 2007, 12 noon to 3pm
Each summer (usually in June), the council holds an annual meeting, picnic and book discussion. All are welcome. This year's picnic will take place at Tilden Park's Padre Picnic Area in the Berkeley Hills. Along with a short meeting and board elections, the group will engage in a book discussion of No god but God by Reza Aslan (Random House, Paperback).
"This is a fascinating book. Reza Aslan tells the story of Islam with one eye on faith and another on history. The result is a textured, nuanced account that presents a living, breathing religion shaped by centuries of history and culture."--Fareed Zakaria
Bring a "dish" for four to share plus your own beverage, paper plate and utensils. Barbecue grills will be available. You may also wish to bring a folding chair and a sun hat. More information and directions (with map) are available at our website: just click on "More About Us" in Quick Links in the column to the left.
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Leader training will be scheduled for July, 2007. A specific date has not yet been determined.
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2007 Long Novel Weekend
August 25 & 26, 2007, Walker Creek Ranch, near Petaluma, CA
William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury ranks high among the great novels of the 20th century. Our understanding of this rewarding, but challenging, book will surely benefit from three Great Books discussions. You should purchase the Vintage Intermational Edition.
The Long Novel Weekend begins with a continental breakfast from 8:30 to 9:45 am on Saturday, August 25th and includes three stimulating discussions, four fine meals and an evening program with refreshments. There will be free time for exploring the Ranch or to spend in the company of new and old Great Books friends. The cost is $140 per person.
Walker Creek Ranch lies in a valley of rural Marin County west of Petaluma. For walkers, there are trails through a wooded hillside. Weather is usually warm with cool evenings. This is a peaceful and pleasant place to spend a summer weekend. Lodging accommodations are comfortable, but not luxurious.
More information and a registration form are available at our website: just click on "More About Us" in Quick Links in the column to the left.
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22nd Annual Poetry Weekend
November 10-11, 2007, Westminster Retreat in Alamo
Come join us for a weekend of spirited group discussions of pre-selected poems at Westminster Retreat in Alamo. No special expertise is needed for this friendly feast of shared poetry. Westminster Retreat is a lovely rustic old manor-house estate, surrounded by peaceful, pleasant grounds near Walnut Creek, California.
The cost is $150.00, which includes a warm and welcoming Saturday morning greeting of muffins and coffee; four meals; a Saturday evening wine and cheese party; and overnight dormitory accommodations (with some private rooms for couples who register first).
Previous participants will automatically receive applications. If you have NOT been to the Poetry Weekend before, please contact us for an application. We will send out all applications starting mid-August, 2007. Contact: Theda or Oscar Firschein at 650-854-3980, or email oscarf1@earthlink.net
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Two Brief Book Reviews
Chromophobia by David Batchelor
The word "chromophobia," means fear of color. This little book talks about that. And it also talks about theories of color coming, at different times, from philosophy (that color is merely cosmetic and has nothing to do with the essence of the thing), theology (that color other than white is somehow the work of the devil) and other disciplines.
By discussing color theory, Chromophobia introduced me to a subject about which I had never (and never would have) read. The short time I spent with it was time well spent
The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
Teresita Urrea, the Saint of Cabora and an ancestor of the novelist, lived during the late 19th century in a remote region of northwestern Mexico where the non-Spanish population believed in an amalgam of Christianity and native myth. She first developed skills curing the sick (with indigenous plants, seeds and roots) and easing the pains of childbirth. She acquired supernatural powers - the power of miracle - and became an activist opposing the greed and cruelty of a corrupt government and its army. She earned the love of her people, but the hate of the church and the government and was finally forced into exile.
This is a beautifully written novel and a good read. It is also a literary work that deserves a prominent place beside the works of Marquez, Vargas Llosa, Fuentes and the great Latin American novelists of our time.
--Chuck Scarcliff
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