BOOK DISCUSSION RESCHEDULED
by Mary Lintula, Trustee
The Drummond Public Library is pleased to announce that the book discussion of The Woman’s Hour to celebrate the Centennial of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 26, the date of the ratification on the law. We had originally scheduled the event for March 26, but it had be postponed due to Covid-19. Because of continuing concerns we will be taking precautionary steps to lessen transmission concerns. Instead of meeting in the library, we will meet at the Drummond Park pavilion by the lake from 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Admission will be limited to the first sixteen people who register with the librarian at (715) 739-6290 by Saturday, August 22. Registrants will be asked to wear a face mask as they enter, and will be socially distanced. Light refreshments will be provided.
The focus of the event will be a discussion of the book The Woman’s Hour by Elaine Weiss where she documents the research she has done on the struggles by suffragists to get at least thirty-six state legislatures in 1920 to approve the amendment that had taken seventy years for the US Congress to finally pass the legislation to make it possible for the process to go forward. This law established the legal right for women in all states to vote. Drummond Library is one of many regional libraries working in coordination with the League of Women Voters to highlight the interesting history involved in such a radical and valuable movement in American history. Ms. Weiss’ extensive research as well as her skill as an author make for an intriguing timely read. Accolades such as “page-turning drama”, "riveting", and “A genteel but bare-knuckled political thriller” abound. A review by The Christian Science Monitor sums up the general opinion of the book, “We all know, of course, how the vote ended, but most readers will be astonished to learn exactly how it all went down… Weiss’ narrative is an out-and-out nail-biter.” If the library’s Wi-Fi works at the pavilion we may be able to share a YouTube video of a discussion with the author Elaine Weiss.Copies of The Woman’s Hour are available from local bookstores, as well as on loan from local libraries, and through the Northern Waters Library Service internet Merlin site. To assist with our discussion I suggest that prior to reading the book you consider a few questions. 1) What did I already know about the 19th Amendment? 2) What additional information do I believe the author will provide? 3) What arguments for and against ratification might be presented? 4) How is the book relevant for today? If you do not get a copy soon enough to read the entire book, do as some members of book groups do: read the first couple of chapters, and the last couple, as well as the photos to have a fairly clear idea of the turmoil of the time. With the delay in the discussion we hope more people will have had the opportunity to get the book and read about this history. We will conclude our session with discussing the possibility of starting Book Groups at the library. Ideas on how to have Book Clubs will be shared. Possible books of interest could be fiction, history, thrillers, nature studies or how-to books. Bring your ideas to share.