This book club reads nonfiction books under 300 pages related to the world today and how it got there. Some topics will be more social science and others more technical. The most important part is that the discussions and book selections are patron-driven. Every time you participate, you will have a chance to influence what the next topic will be and where the discussion goes.

For December we are reading American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal by Neil King, Jr. A revelatory memoir about a 330-mile walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City — an unforgettable pilgrimage to the heart of America across some of our oldest common ground.

Determined to rediscover what matters in life and to see our national story with new eyes, Neil turned north with a small satchel on his back and one mission in mind: To pay close attention to the land he crossed and the people he met. What followed was an extraordinary 26-day journey through historic battlefields and cemeteries, over the Mason-Dixon line, past Quaker and Amish farms, along Valley Forge stream beds, atop a New Jersey trash mound, across New York Harbor, and finally, to his ultimate destination: the Ramble, where a tangle of pathways converges in Central Park. The journey travels deep into America’s past and present, uncovering forgotten pockets and overlooked people. At a time of mounting disunity, the trip reveals the profound power of our shared ground.

We look forward to having you join this dynamic program!