Arts Club of Washington Book Group
What Blest Genius
by Andrew McConnell Stott
Wednesday, October 14 at 4:00 pm
OPEN TO MEMBERS & GUESTS - FREE
We were pleased to offer the first book group meeting for the Arts Club in September. Our group had a lively conversation about the book, "The Heart's Invisible Furies" which elicited responses on many levels. We look forward to seeing more people join us for next month.
The meetings will take place the second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PM on Zoom. Please check in a little early to assure that your connection is stable.
The book for October 14 is the Arts Club own Marfield Prize winner, “What Blest Genius” by Andrew McConnell Stott. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40180085-what-blest-genius?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=z4GYFZ5xvT&rank=1
"The remarkable, ridiculous, rain-soaked story of Shakespeare's Jubilee: the event that established William Shakespeare as the greatest writer of all time. In September 1769, three thousand people descended on Stratford-Upon-Avon to celebrate the artistic legacy of the town's most famous son, William Shakespeare. For three days, attendees paraded through garlanded streets, listened to songs and oratorios, and enjoyed masked balls. It was a unique cultural moment-- a coronation elevating Shakespeare to the throne of genius. It was also a disaster. The poorly planned Jubilee imposed an army of Londoners on a backwater town ill- equipped to host them; meanwhile, rain fell in sheets and the whole town seemed like it might wash away. Told from the dual perspectives of David Garrick, who masterminded the Jubilee, and James Boswell, who attended it, What Blest Genius? is rich with humor, gossip and theatrical intrigue. Recounting the absurd and chaotic glory of those three days in September, Andrew McConnell Stott illuminates the circumstances in which William Shakespeare became a transcendent global icon."
November brings a choice of two: “On the Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/06/10/ocean-vuongs-life-sentences OR “Eat the Buddha” by Barbara Demick https://www.npr.org/2020/07/25/895329222/barbara-demicks-eat-the-buddha-profiles-a-little-known-tibetan-town Members will vote on their choice, and we will all read the one that receives the majority of votes.
Since December is a busy month, a book of short stories “Like Water” by Olga Zilberbourg will give us the option of discussing just one or two stories. Olga Zilberbourg | Like Water and Other Stories | reviewed by Alicia J Rouverol - The Manchester Review
This event is an online meeting. You must have the Zoom.com app. downloaded on your computer and an event link that we will provide in order to join the event.
