Converging Territories: The Female & Culture Book Club

TFC Book Club meets at Illume on the 2nd Monday of each month @ 7pm

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"We see the world not as it is, but as we are." - Anaïs Nin

The first version of this group addressed the question of female identity. Like Alice in Lewis Carroll's Wonderland who wrestles with the Caterpillar's question: "Who Are You?", so do we, in a culture that frames us from the moment of conception.

As we continue our exploration, we will focus on one aspect of this issue: living as outsiders, defined by others. That, of course, raises the question of who an outsider is, and what it means to be one. What values and roles are considered "inside?" Who defines those values and roles? Have those definitions altered over time? Has the change in the use of personal pronouns, for example, made a difference in those definitions? Can the condition of being outside bring benefits as well as challenges? (Artists and writers come to mind). Our exploration may, on occasion, intersect with non-female groups, also outside the main culture. Always, however, the sometimes delicate, sometimes brutal dance between female and culture will be the topic of our discussions.

Along those lines, our first reading will be the recently published biography by Ilyon Woo, Master Slave Husband Wife, which tells the story of the daring self-emancipation from Georgia to Boston, by Ellen and William Craft inn 1848. During their four days of travel to the free state of Pennsylvania, Ellen Craft may have given the greatest performance ever undertaken. Craft successfully posed as a wealthy, disabled white male with her husband as her accompanying slave.

The investigation will be cultural and social rather than political.

Lois Ascher is a retired humanities professor, who began with literature and progressed to Urban Culture Studies. While teaching literature she avoided book groups. In retirement her love of literature has returned through explorations in the company of others. Stephen Haley has done work in writing and creative producing and collaborated with Lois in the classroom. Stephen and Lois share a 20 year friendship and look forward to an engaging, informative & fun book club!