Category: Book Club - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

PACG Book Club for April - July 2020

3/22/2020

PACG Book Club for April - July 2020

Hello Readers!

The PACG Book Club usually takes off the summer months as people travel for vacation or are busy with summer activities. However, with the coronavirus epidemic keeping many of us confined to home, and PACG's ability to use online video conferencing with Zoom, we decided we should keep meeting as a way to combat social isolation and boredom. So we have books selected for the next five months. After two years of reading mostly books with a racial justice theme, we are trying some other genres.

Monday, April 20th at 5:30 pm: Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/3525765230

This is the first novel in the award-winning Vorkosigan series, dealing with the initial meeting of the main protagonist's parents, 17 years before Miles Vorkosigan first appears in one of the novels. This is Alta Price's favorite science fiction series, and seems like a good place to jump in. It is also a quick read.

Monday, May 18th at 5:30 pm: Sherlock Holmes by Sir Author Conan Doyle
Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/3525765230

We may suggest specific stories to read in this series, possibly scheduling an additional Zoom meeting to view a documentary on the impact these stories had on the development of forensic science. Check back for updates.

Monday, June 15th at 5:30 pm: The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: A Border Story
by Aaron Bobrow-Strain
Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/3525765230

After a two month break from social justice reads, this story brings us a true life depiction of immigration issues dealing with our southern border.

Monday, July 20th at 5:30 pm: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/835436394

This Young Adult fantasy novel was a New York Times #1 bestseller. It is also a quick read. Although it is the first book in a trilogy, and the third book has not been published, we felt progressives would enjoy the richly imagined West Africa setting.

See you online, readers!

Alta Price

Book Club Discussion of "Honky" by Dalton Conley - December 7th at 10:30 am

11/12/2019

A Discussion of Honky by Dalton Conley -
Saturday, December 7th at 10:30 am

Davenport Main Public Library
321 N Main St, Davenport, IA (map)

Book Club

Everyone is welcome at our PACG Book Club discussions. We meet in the small community room on the Lower Level (LL) of the Davenport Main Public Library. We are continuing our theme of reading and discussing books about racial justice.

In December we will be discussing Honky by Dalton Conley. (Note: You can pick up a copy of our January book, Underground Railroad, from Alta at the December book discussion or at the PACG Holiday Party on December 5th.)

Find a list of our books for upcoming months at this PACG Blog post.

Contact Alta Price with questions or to arrange to get a copy of our January book.

Alta Price

PACG Book Club for October - December of 2019 and January - March of 2020

9/8/2019

PACG Book Club Selections for October of 2019 - March of 2020

The PACG Book Club will continue this year with our theme of racial justice. Our book discussions are held on the first Saturday of the month at 10:30 am at the Davenport Main Public Library, 321 N Main St, Davenport (map). We meet in the small community meeting room on level LL, unless noted otherwise. Everyone is welcome. Come even if you have not read the book. Contact Alta Price if you have questions.

The following are our selections for the next six months. Some of the later ones may change, so check back here as it gets closer to March.

October - Thursday, October 10th at 6 pm, UUCQC (map) Board Room
We are not meeting in October. The PACG Book Club invites everyone to join the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities (UUCQC) for discussion of White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. We will discuss the book at our November book discussion.

November - Saturday, November 2nd at 10:30 am - White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

December - Saturday, December 7th at 10:30 am - Honky by Dalton Conley
(Note: You can pick up a copy of Underground Railroad from Alta at the December book discussion or at the Holiday Party.)

January - Saturday, January 4th at 10:30 am - Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
(Note: Return your library copy of the book to Alta at the meeting.)

February - Saturday, February 1st at 10:30 am - The Souls of Black Folks by W.E.B. Du Bois (or anything by W.E.B. Du Bois)

March - Monday, March 16th at 5:30 pm - They Can't Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery

PACG Book Club Resumes

9/4/2019

PACG Book Club Meeting -
Saturday, September 7th at 10:30 am

Small Meeting Room
Davenport Main Public Library
321 N Main St, Davenport, IA (map)

Book Club

The PACG Book Club is starting up again after the summer break.

We were to read Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America, 1619 to 1962 by Leronne Bennett over the summer. We will discuss the book, although come even if you have not read it.

We will decide if we will continue with a racial justice theme, or broaden our focus.

We will choose books for the next 3 or 4 months. Bring your suggestions!

We will decide on days, times and locations for our discussions. Do we want to continue on the first Saturday morning of the month at the Davenport Main Library?

Hope to see you Saturday at 10:30!

Alta Price

June Book Club Meeting

5/20/2019

June PACG Book Club Saturday, June 1st at 10:30 am

Davenport Main Public Library, 321 N Main St, Davenport, IA (map)

The PACG Book Club continues to read books on racial justice this month:
Dear Martin by Nic Stone.

From Goodreads: "Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut." This book is highly recommended by one of our book club members.

Contact Alta Price with questions or to learn more.

Author Jason Reynolds to Visit the Quad Cities - Book Club

4/8/2019

Author Visit: Jason Reynolds - Thursday, May 2nd at 6:00 pm

Davenport Main Public Library
321 N Main St, Davenport, IA (map)

PACG Book Club

The PACG Book Club is excited about having a chance to meet prize-winning author of Young Adult fiction, Jason Reynolds. We read and enjoyed many of his works, which we discussed at our April Book Club meeting.

Read more at the Davenport Library website. Note: you are requested to register for the event.

There are also two presentations at the Rock Island High School auditorium (map) on Tuesday, May 3rd, one at 9:30 am and one at 1 pm. Both are open to the public. To reserve a seat for either presentation, visit rockislandlibrary.org, and select the online calendar at "find events" or call 309-732-7341.

Alta Price

PACG Book Club for March, April, May and June 2019

3/4/2019

Books to Read and Discuss - March, April, May and June 2019

Sunday, March 10th at 11:15 am So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities
3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport IA (map)
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation is having a discussion of this important book on race. It is short enough that you can get it read in a week. It is highly recommended by one of our book club members.

Thursday, March 28th at 6 pm - Author Visit: Jason Reynolds
Davenport Main Public Library
321 N Main St, Davenport IA (map)
Our April book discussion will be any of the books by this prize-winning and best-selling author of Young Adult fiction who is visiting the Davenport Main Public Library for a discussion and book signing. You must register at the above link if you plan to attend.

Saturday, April 6th at 10:30 am - Any book by Jason Reynolds
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level
321 N Main St, Davenport IA (map)
Check out Jason Reynolds' website to find a book that appeals to you. If you bring a copy of the book to the March 28th Author Visit (above), you could get it signed!

Saturday, May 4th at 10:30 am - Small Island by Andrea Levy
and Tell Me How It Ends by Valeria Luiselli
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level
321 N Main St, Davenport IA (map)
Both of these books deal with immigration, as well as with issues of race.

Saturday, June 1st at 10:30 am - Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level
321 N Main St, Davenport IA (map)
Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut. This book is highly recommended by one of our book club members.

Contact Alta Price with questions or to learn more.

Event UPDATE - Dinner Location Change

1/23/2019

PACG Out & About - Movie and Dinner
Thursday, January 24th

Dinner at 6:00 pm
Movie at 7:30 pm

Civil Rights Forum and Book Club Invite You to a PACG Out & About Event

Dinner - Zeke's Island Cafe at 6:00 pm
1509 N Harrison St, Davenport IA (map)

Movie - St. Ambrose Rogalski Center at 7:30 pm (map)
W High Street, Davenport

The PACG Book Club and Civil Rights Forum invite you to join us for the movie, The Hate U Give, at 7:30 pm at the Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose. Before the movie some of us will go out to dinner. Unfortunately, our original restaurant choice, The Olive Tree Cafe in Davenport, is closed for renovations.

Instead we will meet at 6 pm at Zeke's Island Cafe. The address is 1509 N Harrison St in Davenport.

Join the PACG Out & About Facebook group, where you can sign up to go. But your can come even if you are not on Facebook.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate! See you at dinner and the movie!
Alta Price

PACG Needs Your Support!

12/20/2018

PACG Needs Your Support!

This has been a busy year for progressives and everyone else resisting the drastic shift away from our traditional American values of equality, fairness, concern for our environment and taking care of the most vulnerable in our society. Throughout it all Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) continues to be a unique and respected force leading the resistance and promoting progressive principles.

We have four very active Issue Forums: Civil Rights, Environmental, Health Care Reform and our newest Issue Forum on Drug Policy. We started a PACG Book Club which right now is reading books with a racial justice theme. Check our website pacgqc.org for information on our many activities and events and to contact the leaders (facilitators) of any of our Issue Forums. Contact me if you want to start a new Issue Forum.

A great way to keep up is to sign up for our Weekly Email Update. You will need to respond to a confirmation email. Those of you on Facebook should like our Progressive Action for the Common Good page and join the PACG Facebook group of the Book Club or any Issue Forum that interests you.

Another way to help is to become a paying member. An individual membership is $10 and family membership is $20. Those who can afford to give more are encouraged to do so. We especially appreciate those who give monthly. You can donate through our pacgqc.org website or send a check to:

PACG
1212 W 3rd St, Suite 3D
Davenport, IA 52802

PACG is a 501(c) 3 organization, and donations are tax-deductible as charitable contributions to the extent allowed by law.

We have a new part time office manager and organizer, Amber Bordolo. She will support the efforts of our many volunteers, whether they serve on an Issue Forum or the Board. Amber will also help us utilize social media more effectively. You will meet her soon!

Resistance is hard work and must be on-going. The only way to succeed is by uniting with other progressive individuals and organizations. We couldn’t do it without you!

Alta Price
Board President
altaprice@gmail.com
563-505-2996 cell

PACG Book Club - January, February, and March 2019

12/2/2018

PACG Book Club Announcements for January, February and March of 2019

The PACG Book Club has had two excellent discussions in the last two months. Yesterday (December 1st) we met in the small room at the Davenport Main Library to discuss The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. A powerful book every progressive should read!

We also really liked the space at the Davenport Main Library (321 N Main St, Davenport, IA - map link ) and have reserved the small room for the first Saturdays in January and February. Take the elevator to LL and look for the meeting rooms. We will meet at 10:30 am so that Alta can make it to the Metropolitan Opera simulcasts at the movie theater at noon the first Saturdays in February and March (Carmen and La Fille du Regiment - both great operas!). Also, you can bring coffee or treats if you want - just don't eat or drink in the rest of the library.

We decided to continue to read books related to racial justice for the next three months at least. You can come for the discussion even if you have not read the book.

January 5th (Saturday) at 10:30 - Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King Jr.
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
This was Martin Luther King Jr.'s last book before his assassination. It is every bit as relevant today (see The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander) as when it was written. Read any book by or about Martin Luther King Jr. or read one of his important speeches or essays and join us. Although we will discuss the book selection, mostly we will discuss Martin Luther King Jr. - his work, his philosophy, his relevance for today's struggle for racial justice. Here is a link to multiple resources on Martin Luther King Jr. from the King Institute at Stanford University.

February 2nd (Saturday) at 10:30 am - Beloved by Toni Morrison
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
We have checked out a library book kit for Beloved. See Alta to get your copy of the book. The book is due February 2nd, so either come to the discussion or return it to Alta before February 2nd.

March 2nd (Saturday) at 10:30 am - The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
This is only one of multiple great books by James Baldwin. Feel free to come and tell us about any other James Baldwin books you have read, even if you don't have time to read this one.

Contact Alta Price (altaprice@gmail.com or 563-505-2996) with questions, comments, or to get your copy of Beloved.

We met at Fresh Deli in November to discuss the book The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. We were joined by students from St. Ambrose University. We had a great discussion! We didn't make it to the movie, but based upon how much we liked the book, we're going to look for it at the theater or when it is out on dvd.