submitted by Kit Darling and the members of the Bay Area Book Club
Image permission Doubleday Canada
At our October meeting, we discussed Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home by Tom Wilson. Juno Award winning musician and perhaps ‘local legend’ this memoir recounts Wilson’s journey of self-discovery and recovery. His childhood memories of life on Hamilton’s east Mountain in a small home with a blind war vet and a mother both loving and distant, Wilson felt emotionally distant from his parents. The truth is slowly revealed as the story twists and turns through his battle with addictions, love won and lost, fatherhood and ultimately – truth. Members enjoyed the references to local personalities and landmarks. For some it was a slow start but became engaging as the story developed.
And here are some recommended reads available from the Hamilton Public To borrow them or place a reserve, go to https://hpl.bibliocommons.com . Note: The bookmobile will be at Bennetto Community Centre on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:15. There will be no access to the bookmobile to browse, but staff will be on hand for contactless returns and holds pickup.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. Libby Jones, just 25, learns that she has come into an inheritance – a house in London in an up-scale neighbourhood and the possibility of learning the identity of her birth parents and the real story of their death. 25 years earlier, the police arrived at a London townhouse to discover the decaying bodies of 3 adults in the kitchen and a healthy 10-month-old baby cooing in her crib upstairs. But what happened to her older brother and sister? Where are the others who were reported to be living in the house? A suspenseful read. Kit Darling
Crossfire Hurricane: Inside Trump’s War on the FBI by Josh Campbell. Former FBI Special Agent Campbell, writes about the earliest days of the Russia investigation, the firing of James Comey, the Mueller report, the convictions of Flynn, Manafort, Cohen and Stone. As Trump and his allies escalate their attacks on the agency, Campbell fears that the historical independence of the FBI is being undermined by partisan forces with their own political agendas. Campbell writes, “…never did I think I would someday witness my own country’s legal system begin to atrophy due to the relentless efforts of a US president.” A smart & newsworthy read. Paige Turner
Have you read any of our recommendations? Liked any of the same books we talked about or disagreed totally? Let us know at bayareabookclub@bell.net .
We have been asked whether anyone can join the book club. Our books are supplied by the Hamilton Public Library and come in a bag of 12. This obviously limits us to 12 members at a time. We currently have 12 members, but if you wish to be put on a waiting list, email us at the above address. Alternatively, check out the many book clubs run by the Hamilton Public Library.
