January Book Club

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Join us at the OSU Urban Arts Space for a book club discussion of Pontoon by Garrison Keillor.

Garrison Keillor’s variety radio show called “A Prairie Home Companion” has been capturing listeners for 35 years. Included with each broadcast is Keillor’s news report about Lake Wobegon, his fictitious hometown where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.” Pontoon is the fifth installation of a novel series about the town. But don't worry if you haven't read the previous books, you won't miss a beat.

“In Lake Wobegon lives a good Lutheran lady who is quite prepared to die and wishes to be cremated and her ashes placed inside a bowling ball and dropped into the lake, no prayers, no hymns, thank you very much. Meanwhile, the Detmer girl returns from California where she has made a killing in veterinary aromatherapy to marry her boyfriend Brent aboard Wally's pontoon boat, presided over by her minister, Misty Naylor of the Sisterhood of the Sacred Spirit. Brent arrives on Thursday. On Saturday, a delegation of renegade Lutheran pastors from Denmark come to town on their tour of America, their punishment for having denied the divinity of Jesus. And Barbara Peterson, whose mother, Evelyn, left the startling note about cremation and the bowling ball, is in love with a lovely fat man who slips around town in the dim light and reconnoiters with her at the Romeo Motel…. It is Lake Wobegon as you've imagined it--good loving people who drive each other slightly crazy.” (Product Review from Amazon.com)

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Local hand-roasted coffee will be generously provided by Cafe Brioso.