Kilbourn Public Library Book Club

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.