THOMASTON — On Sept. 21 at 2:30 p.m., the Intergenerational Book Club will hold a hybrid meeting both online and in person to discuss “The Signature of All Things” by Elizabeth Gilbert.
“Spanning much of the 18th and 19th centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker, a poor-born Englishman who makes a fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia.
“Born in 1800, Henry’s brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father’s money and mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma’s research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction — into the realm of the spiritual, divine and magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist — but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.”
On the third Tuesday of every month, the Intergenerational Book Club, a group of all ages from Thomaston and surrounding communities, comes together to share opinions and ideas about the book selection. Titles include fiction, biography and other non-fiction, Maine authors and subjects, adult and young adult levels. All can join.
The selection for the book club’s Oct. 19 discussion will be the memoir Eat a Peach by David Chang. Contact the library at 354-2453 or library@thomastonmaine.gov for more information.
