Borrowed books ~ and two programs

Back When We Were Grownups ~ by Anne Tyler, 2001, fiction (Maryland)

Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.

That's the opening line of this novel, about a 53-year-old grandmother who wonders if she's an impostor in her own life.  Or is it indeed her own life?  Or someone else's?  I thought I had read this book, but it doesn't seem to ring any bells, now that I have it in hand.  You may wonder why I am contemplating a novel I thought I'd already read, so here's the story.

2019 Book Club Kick Off
On Thursday, we met here at the Crown Center with a woman from the University City Library Outreach program, who introduced this novel, told us a bit about the author, and distributed copies of the book along with questions from the publisher already printed out for us to consider.  This is the same great library that sends books every three weeks for home bound patrons living here at the Crown Center.  So we'll be discussing Anne Tyler's book on April 11th.  This is in addition to the two other, completely separate, book clubs already meeting here.

Ties That Bind: Stories of Love and Gratitude from the First Ten Years of StoryCorps ~ by Dave Isay, 2013, social history

StoryCorps founder Dave Isay draws from ten years of the revolutionary oral history project’s rich archives, collecting conversations that celebrate the power of the human bond and capture the moment at which individuals become family.  Between blood relations, friends, coworkers, and neighbors, in the most trying circumstances and in the unlikeliest of places, enduring connections are formed and lives are forever changed.

I borrowed this book from my friend Donna after we were each invited to a meeting about a project similar to what StoryCorps does.  I'd never heard of it, but Donna had this book of stories she's letting me read.

Oral History Project
Last week, I got a letter from the office in the box beside my apartment door that began with these words:  "How would you like the opportunity to share your story with others?  University City has begun an oral history project and you have been invited to participate."  The U-City Library representatives explained the local project to us on Thursday.  Besides answering our questions, their handout had a two-page list of possible questions we could discuss.  Some examples:

• Great Questions:   How would you like to be remembered?
• For older community members:   What do you miss most about the way it used to be?
• For friends:   What makes us such good friends?
• For parents:  Do you remember any of the songs you used to sing to me?  Can you sing them now?
• For grandparents:  Who were your favorite relatives?
• Growing up:   How would you describe yourself as a child?
• School:   Are you still friends with anyone from that time in your life?
• Love and relationships:   What lessons have you learned from your relationships?
• Marriage:  How did you meet your husband/wife?
• Working:   What did you want to be when you grew up?
• Religion:   What role does religion play in your life?