Monday, October 5, 2009

A Stranger in the Kingdom


The Hartness Library Reading Circle will discuss
A Stranger in the Kingdom
Monday, October 19, 2009
12 noon – 1 pm
At the Library, room H9

Or join in the discussion on-line:
(Spoiler alert! Stop reading now if you haven't finished the book yet...)

Thoughts on Stranger in the Kingdom? Did you like the work?

Is its message still relevant today, or have we made progress since the 1950's?

Do you blame other members of the town for Claire's death?

Monday, August 24, 2009

The Catcher in the Rye


Here are a few questions to get started. Please click on the comments link below to post a response....

How well do you think the Catcher in the Rye ages? As you've gotten older, does it stll resonate? If this is your first time reading it, do you think it translates well to modern times?

Would you consider this book a tragedy or comedy?

Levity.com states the following: (Spoiler alert!)"When critics consider the character of Holden Caulfield, many point to the novel's climactic scene, when Holden watches as Phoebe rides the Central Park carousel in the rain and his illusion of protecting the innocence of children is symbolically shattered. Critics regard this episode as Holden's transition into adulthood, for although the future is uncertain, his severed ties with the dead past have enabled him to accept maturity."
For instance, some say when he passes his hat to Phoebe, he's passing the torch of childhood on and accepting adulthood. Agree or disagree?

Welcome to the Hartness Library Blog


Welcome to Vermont Tech's Hartness Library blog. We created this blog as a forum for those who cannot attend the library's book discussions in person. Each book will receive its own blog post as we near the discussion date.


Our line-up at this point is as follows:



  1. Sept. 21: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.


  2. Oct. 19: Stranger in the Kingdom by Howard Frank Mosher.


  3. Dec. 7: Catch 22 by Joseph Heller.


Do you need a copy of the book? Contact Nancy Aitken, ext. 1236 or email naitken@vtc.edu


A 2007 study found that one in four adults read no books at all over the course of the year. Don't let yourself be a statistic!


Enjoy!