Monday, April 25, 2016

April 24, 2016 Meeting at Carol's Log House


Created by Ann S.

At the end of a dead-end dirt road in Thornton is a log cabin set back from the road. The River Run book group met there on Sunday to discuss Madness, Medicine and Murder.  Once again we were a small happy group.  Our hostess Carol, invited us into a wonderful warm sunny home where we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, wine, a great soup provided by Kathy - and the smell of flowers from Claire’s garden. 

The book for discussion was Destiny of the Republic, interesting but not one that led to varied opinions. However, we strongly disagreed with the author’s statement that Chester Arthur enacted the Civil Service Act changing government appointments from being gifts to being positions won by merit. Ambassadorships today are still handed out as gifts – for instance Caroline Kennedy’s current appointment.  Does her background as a lawyer and sitting on various boards qualify her as ambassador to Japan? (Does she speak Japanese?)

Our prior knowledge re President Garfield could be described as limited and some interesting info re Alexander Graham Bell was new.  So, we now know…the original task of the Secret Service was to stop forgery; and security for U.S. Presidents did not come until after McKinley’s assassination in 1901; and it was 80 years after Garfield’s death before the country ratified the 25th amendment re transfer of power to the vice president.

Thanks Carol – it was great to see the log cabin again!

May Meeting:             Sunday, May 22 (29th being Memorial Day)
Place:                          Judy has volunteered to host
Book:                          The Last Policeman by Ben Winters


June Meeting:             Sunday, June 19  - Vote to change date was taken/accepted.
                                    (6 of us will be in Iceland on 25th.  The 19th is Father’s day.)
Book:                          “Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman”  by Kate Larson.
                                    (Kathy mentioned e-book available on Amazon for 99 cents)
Place:                          To be determined.

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