Friday, March 13, 2026

The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier


Next Meeting:

Date: March 27 moved to April 2
Hostess: Lynne

From GoodReads:

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may... < Read More

Friday, February 20, 2026

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Next Meeting:
Date: Feb 27
Hostess: Lesley

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine: The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, which are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. < Read More