The October book selection for the Kilbourn Public Library Book Discussion Group is The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan.  The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is the 2018 Go Big Read selection.  This book explores the Great Lakes and explains how these lake are facing a severe threat from human activity and are turning into an environmental catastrophe.  This book blends the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and ways we can save our largest source of freshwater for future generations.

What do the Great Lakes mean to you?  Have they had an impact on your life?

Human intervention in the form of shipping, introducing non-native species, and manipulating waterways is a persistent theme in examining the causes of crises currently plaguing the Great Lakes.  Given this, can human intervention also provide solutions?  If so, what can be learned from the mistakes and successes of past interventions?

Though Egan is highly knowledgeable about his subject matter, he is first and foremost a reporter, not a scientist.   How does his reporting of the history of and issues surrounding the Great Lakes differ from how a scientist might write about the same information?  Who do you think the target audience is for a book like this?  What is its intended impact?

What bodies of water have had an impact on your own life, whether for recreation, sustenance or livelihood?  Have you noticed any physical changes in these water sources over time?  Reflecting on your own reactions to these changes, what do you think it would take to inspire people to pay attention to the Great Lakes in the future?

Despite all the evidence that the Great Lakes are changing dramatically--and not for the better--is there hope for the future?  What systems are at work that continue to put the health of the lakes at risk?  How can individuals make a difference?

Let us know what you think of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.

The September book selection for the Kilbourn Public Library Book Discussion Group is The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain.  Steeped in history and filled with heart-wrenching twists, The Stolen Marriage is an emotionally captivating novel of secrets, betrayals, prejudice and forgiveness.

One mistake, one fateful night, and Tess DeMello's life is changed forever.  It is 1944.  Pregnant, alone, and riddled with guilt, twenty-three-year-old Tess DeMello abruptly gives up her budding career as a nurse and ends her engagement to the love of her life, unable to live a lie.  Instead she turns to the baby's father for help and ends up trapped in a strange and loveless marriage with no way out.

What kind of tone do you think the prologue sets for the rest of the novel?  Did it succeed in making you want to read further?  Why or why not?

On page 138, Tess writes to Gina that she is still planning on becoming a nurse despite her new family's disapproval, saying,  "I've worked hard for this and I'm going to get that license!"  Why do you think Tess clings to this dream and works so hard to make it happen?

What do you think of Reverend Sam?  Can he truly speak to the dead or is he simply trying to comfort Tess?  Does it matter whether or not his "powers" are authentic?

Near the end of the book, Henry compared his experiences being "trapped" by society to Tess' experiences being "trapped" in marriage.  Do you think this is a fair comparison for him to make?   Why or why not?

Let us know what you think of The Stolen Marriage.