Book Group
Non-fiction book group
Great Decisions
Out ‘n About
Book Group:
The only requirement for a book to be chosen is the enthusiastic recommendation of one or more members. Individual members volunteer to provide background research and lead the discussion. Books for the academic year are chosen at a meeting in August. The evening and daytime meetings read the same book.
Karin Roberts is the contact.
List of books read in previous years.
Non-Fiction Book Group
This group meets approximately every other month on a Monday at 7:00pm.
2025
Feb 10: Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery: discussion leader: Cynthia Biddlecomb.
April 21: Becoming Earth: How our Planet Came to Life by Ferris Jabr: discussion leader and host: Denise George June 9: A Passionate Mind in Relentless Pursuit by Noliwe Rooks (about Mary McLeod Bethune): discussion leader: Laura Loving Sept. 15: Lovely One a memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson: discussion leader: Rozelle Wright
2024 Feb 12 Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie
The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR,
by Lisa Napoli Cynthia Biddlecomb.
April 15 The Wager by David Grann Angela Coop
2023
Feb 20 The Last Queen by Clive Irving Angela Coop
April 17 A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman by
Lindy Elkins-Tanton Denise George
July 17 Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg Helena Whyte
Sept 25 The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. Nina Thayer
Dec 11 All that She Carried by Tina Miles Sue Watts
2022
February 28th The Guarded Gate by Daniel Okrent: Margaret Gibson
April 18th Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson: Denise George
Nov 21 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer: Rozelle Wright
2021
Feb 15 Invisible Women by Caroline Perez Helena White
Apr 19 The Bad Ass Librarian of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer Nina Thayer
Jul 26 Caste by Isabel Wilkerson Denise George
Sep 20 The Lost World of the Old Ones by David Roberts Helena Whyte
Nov 15 Writing Wild by Katheryn Aalto Sue Watts
2020
Jan 20 The Pioneers by David McCullough. Denise George Denise George
May 11 Woman of No Importance zoom Carol Neal
by Sonia Purnell
June 29 Eager, The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers zoom Doris Lodwig
by Ben Goldfarb
Aug Born a Crime by TrevorNoah zoom Angela Coop
Oct 19 Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt Denise George
Dec 14 Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin Rozelle Wright
2019
Jan 28 Ladies of the Canyons by Lesley Poling Kempes Marilyn Doolen Betsy Comly
Mar 18 Code Girls by Liza Mundy; Rozelle Wright Helena White
May 20 The Feather Thief by KIrk Wallace Johnson Nina Thayer Rozelle Wright
Aug 19 The Line Becomes a River by Franciso Cantu Denise George Nina Thayer
Oct 21 Becoming by Michelle Obama Marilyn Doolen Marilyn Doolen
2018
Jan 15 Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson Rosmarie Frederickson Rosemarie
Mar 19 Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katerine Boo Denise George
May 21 The home that Was Our Country Betsy Comly
by Alia Malek
July Killers of the Flower Moon; The Osage Murders by David Grann Angela Coop
Sep 17 Pandora’s Lab, Paul Offit Denise George
Oct 22 Clementine, by Sonia Purnel Carol Neal
2016
Mar 14 Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington
May 23 In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides
Sept 19 Dead Wake by Eric Larsen
Nov 14 Wright Brothers by David McCullough
2017
Jan 9 Elephant Company by Vicki Croke
Mar 20 Sisters in Law by Linda Hirshman
May 22 The Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
July 17 The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko
Sept 18 The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester
Nov 20 The Scalpel and the Silver Bear by Lori Arviso Alvord
Out ‘n About
2023
Nov 3: Vladem Contemporary Art Museum, Santa Fe
2022
Nov 4: Georgia O’Keefe immersive experience in Albuquerque, “Music for the Eyes”
2019
Oct 30: New Mexico Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
2018
Mar 15: Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center
Nov 12: Jemez Pueblo Feast Day (cancelled due to weather)
2016
January 5: Art Gallery Tour
April 21: Puye Cliffs
October 19: Acoma Pueblo
2017
October 4: Chinese Quilts at SF Folk Art Museum
December 16: Santa Fe Botanic Garden GLOW
Great Decisions
The Foreign Policy Association is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Since 1981 it has endeavored to help Americans gain an understanding of important issues in our foreign policy and to stimulate constructive citizen participation in world affairs. Each year it publishes a book with eight topics for study and discussion. Opinion ballots included in the book are returned to the Association for tabulation and, ultimately, a national report is sent to the President, Congress, the departments of State and Defense, and the national media. The group meets eight times between January and May.
Meetings are held in person with a Zoom option at the White Rock Library except for Mar 28 and May when we will meet at Denise George’s home.
Denise George is the contact this year. denisegeorge@icloud.com
Great Decisions 2025
| Date | Topic | Presenter |
| January 30 | #7 AI and National Security | Denise George |
| February 13 | #8 American Foreign Policy in the Middle East | Mary Ann Lindahl |
| February 27 | #6 Nato | Karin Roberts |
| March 13 | #1 American Foreign Policy | Judy Prono |
| March 27 | #4 India: between China, the West, Global South | Marilyn Doolen |
| April 10 | #5 International Climate Cooperation in and Era of Geopolitical Turmoil | Rosemarie Frederickson |
| April 24 | #2 The Evolution of U.S. Leadership in the Global Economy: Dilemmas and Choices | Margaret Gibson |
| May 8 | #3 Competition, Cold War or conflict? Navigating U.S.-China Relations in Tense Time | Mona Wecksung |