What we’re about
People who enjoy history but especially enjoy it told as fiction in order that they gain human perspective. Summed up best by this quote: “History tells us what people do; historical fiction helps us imagine how they felt.” Guy Vanderhaeghe
Meetings will be held virtually on either the 2nd or 3rd Monday from 7:00pm-8:00pm (eastern time zone) on Zoom. The schedule and supporting materials will be on the website.
Deborah Mayer and Lori Vinesett, Co-Coordinators
When you join, we ask that you include a photo of yourself so that it will be easier for everyone to find/recognize one another at meetups.
Please be sure you sign up to our events before showing up!
Non-Networking Policy: We are a friendship-based group. We do not allow networking of any type (e.g., passing around business cards, advertising, solicitation, gathering email address/sending emails for the purpose of sales/promotion/recruitment, posting ads for your own group/to create sales for any product you sell). If you do try any of the above it will be cause for immediate removal from the group. Our members do not wish to be used in this way so please do not join us if this is your idea of friendship. There are plenty of other great meetup groups set up specifically for this purpose, please join them instead.
Disclaimer: By signing up to attend these events, you agree and confirm to discharge the organizer, co-organizer, and any event host from any personal injury or any legal dispute. We are friends and take NO responsibility for you in any way, shape, or form! You are responsible for yourself.
Thank you for understanding!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- James by Percival EverettLink visible for attendees
A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.
Percival Everett James 2024 Interview: Martha’s Vineyard Production
Someone suggested it would be helpful to either read Huckleberry Finn or a synopsis so providing a ChatGPT AI generated synopsis here:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a seminal work of American literature that explores themes of freedom, friendship, morality, and societal hypocrisy. Set in the antebellum South along the Mississippi River, the novel is narrated by its protagonist, Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, a young boy who embarks on a transformative journey.
Synopsis:
Huck, the novel’s narrator, is a free-spirited and resourceful boy living in St. Petersburg, Missouri. At the start of the story, Huck struggles with the constraints of civilization imposed by the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, who have taken him in to "civilize" him. Huck's alcoholic and abusive father, Pap, returns to claim custody of him and takes him to a cabin in the woods. Seeking freedom from Pap’s abuse, Huck fakes his death and escapes down the Mississippi River.
On his journey, Huck encounters Jim, Miss Watson's enslaved man, who has run away after hearing that he is about to be sold. The two form a close bond as they travel on a raft down the river, seeking freedom—Jim from slavery and Huck from societal expectations.
Their adventures are both comic and perilous. They encounter various characters, including feuding families, con artists (the Duke and the Dauphin), and ordinary townsfolk, all of whom reflect different aspects of human nature and society. The Duke and the Dauphin, in particular, bring trouble by pulling scams on unsuspecting communities, dragging Huck and Jim into dangerous situations.
Throughout their journey, Huck grapples with the moral dilemmas of helping Jim escape, as he has been taught that aiding a runaway slave is a sin. However, his personal experiences with Jim challenge the racist ideology of his upbringing. Huck ultimately decides to reject societal norms, famously declaring, “All right, then, I’ll go to hell,” as he resolves to help Jim gain his freedom.
The climax of the novel occurs when Jim is captured and held at the Phelps plantation. Huck teams up with his friend Tom Sawyer, who complicates the rescue with elaborate and unnecessary plans inspired by adventure novels. In the end, it is revealed that Jim has already been freed by Miss Watson’s will before her death, rendering the rescue unnecessary.
Themes:
- Freedom and Slavery: Huck and Jim’s journey symbolizes the quest for freedom, contrasting Huck’s escape from societal constraints with Jim’s fight for physical and moral liberation.
- Moral Growth: Huck’s internal conflict about helping Jim reflects his moral development, as he learns to see Jim as a human being rather than property.
- Hypocrisy of Society: Twain critiques the moral and social institutions of the South, particularly slavery and the superficial morality of "civilized" society.
- Friendship and Loyalty: The deep bond between Huck and Jim highlights the transformative power of friendship across racial and social divides.
By the novel's end, Huck resolves to "light out for the Territory" to escape civilization altogether, reaffirming his quest for freedom and individual integrity. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remains a powerful exploration of conscience, freedom, and the flaws of American society. - Crow Mary by Kathleen GrissomLink visible for attendees
Inspired by the real life of Crow Mary—an Indigenous woman in 19th-century North America, marries a fur trader -a sweeping and richly detailed story of a woman caught between two cultures.
Author chat with Kathleen Grissom Crow Mary: LB the Lover of Books