My Sister's Keeper

Thursday, April 7, 7:00 pm

My Sister's Keeper

by

Jodi Picoult

This is the story of Anna Fitzgerald who was conceived so that she could be a genetically compatible donor for her older sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. When Kate is 16 and Anna is 13, Kate needs a kidney transplant and Anna balks at giving up one of hers. She hires a lawyer to petition for medical emancipation from her parents, so that she alone can make decisions about her body. Picoult's novel examines the inner workings of a family struggling to find their way in the most complex of situations. The 2009 film adaptation stars Alec Baldwin and Cameron Diaz. 

Cold Mountain

Thursday, March 3, 7:00 pm

Cold Mountain 

by

Charles Frazier

Cold Mountain is a 1997 historical fiction novel by Charles Frazier. It tells the story of W.P. Inman, a wounded deserter from the Confederate army near the end of the American Civil War who walks for months to return to Ada Monroe, the love of his life. The novel alternates chapter-by-chapter between Inman's and Ada's stories. The movie was released in 2003 and stars Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger.

The Runaway Jury

Thursday, February 3, 7:00 pm

The Runaway Jury 

by

John Grisham

The Runaway Jury is a legal thriller novel by John Grisham. The movie was released in 2003 and stars John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, and Gene Hackman. 

Tuck Everlasting

Thursday, January 6, 7:00 pm

Tuck Everlasting

by

Natalie Babbitt

This story is a fantasy about a family named Tuck who accidentally stumble upon a spring in a wood, which has the ability to give eternal life. They don't realize at first what they have drunk until they realize that their bodies are not aging and the cannot be hurt or harmed in any way. They travel quietly around the countryside; never staying in one place too long so that people will not realize their secret. Into this family comes Winnie Foster, a little girl in search of freedom. She learns their secret and falls in love with them so deeply that she will do anything to protect them. The family and Winnie then must face a villain who would steal their secret for himself. 

The Time Traveler's Wife

Thursday, December 2, 7:00 pm

The Time Traveler's Wife

by

Audrey Niffenegger

The story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian who is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity in his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous; alternately harrowing and amusing. The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other as the story unfolds from both points of view. They attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals — steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and unforgettable. The 2009 film adaptation stars Eric Bana as Henry and Rachael McAdams as Claire.

Mansfield Park

Thursday, November 4, 7:00 pm

Mansfield Park

by

Jane Austen

In this novel, said to be Austen's favorite, the idyllic Bertram family estate becomes home to a poor young relative, Fanny. In Mansfield Park's wealthy world of social accomplishments and flirtations, the sensible Fanny finds herself out of place, yet secretly in love with her cousin, Edmund. Austen employs her unerring wit to brilliantly capture the social and moral values of an English society at a time of great upheaval. There are a number of film adaptations to choose from including a 1999 release and a PBS production from 2008.

Seabiscuit

Thursday, October 7, 7:00 pm

Seabiscuit 

by

Laura Hillenbrand

Seabiscuit is the nonfiction story of a thoroughbred racehorse who became an unlikely champion and symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression. The 2003 film adaptation stars Tobey Macguire and Jeff Bridges.