Hi everyone, just a reminder, our October book club gathering is this Friday, October 10, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. We’ll be meeting at the library and discussing the novel Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.

Looking forward to November, we’ll be meeting on Friday, November 14 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., and discussing the book When Books Went To War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II by Molly G. Manning; this book received positive reviews, including a glowing one from the retired head of Circulation for the library, Marcia Stewart.

Here is an overview of the book from the publisher:  

While the Nazis were burning hundreds of millions of books across Europe, America printed and shipped 140 million books to its troops. The “heartwarming” story of how an army of librarians and publishers lifted spirits and built a new democratic audience of readers is as inspiring today as it was then (New York Times).

When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations.

In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today.

Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity and made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon.

Copies of When Books Went To War can be picked up at the Circulation Desk starting today.

And looking further forward, our December 2025  gathering will take place on Friday, December 12 and we will be discussing the short novel Small Things Like These by Clarie Keegan. Copies of our December read will be available at the library the first week of December, and copies may be requested now by anyone who’d like to read ahead.

Hope to see everyone on Friday!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Email: reimerl@stls.org

Tel: 607-936-3713 x4212