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Created for women to celebrate the journey, romance the soul, fuel the visual senses, and connect with those who have journeyed before us. 
Joy Kuby

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THE RAPID READERS BOOK CLUB

PELICAN RAPIDS, MN
July, 2005
Host:  Phyllis Wickland

After a string of hot days, the morning of the book club ushered in some much cooler breezes—refreshing to some, too cool, for others.  The weather forced us inside; however, the large windows of Phyllis' beautiful home overlooking the lake let in the outdoors in abundant shades of color.  My twin sister Christie had been my traveling companion for this four-hour trip to Pelican Rapids, made longer by missing a couple of turns while talking instead of studying the map.

We were delighted to meet this eclectic group of warm, spirited women—some living fulltime around the lake; others spending just the summer on the lake.  One spirited woman returns from her home in Acapulco each summer to get some "Minnesota" culture. These are active women who enjoy taking time together to experience a garden tour, concert, or play.  The book club was started when one of the women retired in 1991 and decided to form a book club.

After an array of yummy salads brought by the ladies and not one, but two, terrific desserts, we gathered to talk about the women in the book.  There were some wonderful conversations as we reflected on the journeys of the women who had shared their stories and how their lives differed from our own.  We talked about how exciting it would be to have a group sponsor a current-day road trip for four college students  similar to the four Hamline girls, providing host families along the way.  As member Judy said, "Traveling like this gives one such life experiences that you can't get in textbooks."
 

Other comments:

What a treat to have the author of one of our reads join us.  I loved the stories.  It has inspired me to ask more questions of my elders.  Phyllis G.

Thanks for coming to our book club.  I enjoyed reading the stories in your book.  My grandparents were immigrants from Norway, who came to America on their honeymoon and didn't return for almost 50 years.  My grandmom had come from a wealthy family and spent most of her life as a farmer's wife—shaping hay stacks and making chicken dinners, first killing the chicken. 
Sandy B.

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