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

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.

Book Club News for October, November and December 2018

10/9/2018

October 23 (Tuesday) at 5:30 pm: International Women Authors Series with Mexican Author Valeria Luiselli

In my other book club I have very much enjoyed the Annual International Women Authors series. Consider attending the 12th Annual International Women Authors Series dinner on Tuesday, October 23, 5:30 pm with Mexican author Valeria Luiselli. The dinner is at the Radisson in downtown Davenport. The cost is $40 (less if you fill a whole table). You must register in advance, and they could sell out. Her books are short and you could probably get some of them read by October 23. Also, she wrote Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions, a book of essays interviewing children fleeing violence in Central America that is very pertinent to the work we are doing on Immigration in the Civil Rights Forum.

Alta Price

**November 10 (Saturday) at 11:30 am: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas**

Read more about it at the author’s website. There is also a movie based on the book, so PACG will go to the movie as well (on a different date). Check back later for the location.

**December 1 (Saturday) at 11:30 am: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander**

Read more about it at the NewJimCrow.com website. We will be reading this with the folks in PACG’s new Issue Forum on Drug Policy. (Join the Drug Policy Facebook group or visit the Drug Policy section of our pacgqc.org website to get involved.) Check back later for the location.

PACG Book Club - Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire - June 19, 2018

5/30/2018

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen

Join our PACG Book Club private Facebook Group for Book Club news and discussion.

We had an interesting discussion of The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin on May 15.

Our next book club discussion will be on Tuesday June 19 (third Tuesday) at 6 pm at Fresh Deli (421 W River Dr, Davenport IA). The book is Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen.

I am enjoying the book, and its review of the history of our country from a somewhat different perspective. I think the book brings up many topics for discussion. Here are some discussion questions from Lit Lovers to keep in mind while you read the book.

More information about the PACG Book Club is available at our website.

Alta Price

Join the PACG Book Club Facebook Group

4/22/2018

Join the PACG Book Club Facebook Group

Join our PACG Book Club private Facebook Group for Book Club news and discussion.

While you are at it, Like our PACG Facebook page.

We had a thoughtful and engaging discussion of Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine on April 17, thanks to our St. Ambrose professors and our other discussion participants.

Our next book club discussion will be on Tuesday May 15 (third Tuesday) at 6 pm at Fresh Deli. The book is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin. Le Guin is an important woman science fiction author who passed away in January 2018. The book deals with gender issues. Although it was written in 1969, it has aged well – I just reread it and enjoyed it again.

More information about the PACG Book Club is available elsewhere at our website.

Alta Price