December 18: A walk in the woods : rediscovering Amer ica on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
\nBack in America af
ter twenty years in Britain\, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself wi
th his native country by walking the 2\,100-mile Appalachian Trail\, which
stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape o
f silent forests and sparkling lakes&mdash\;and to a writer with the comic
genius of Bill Bryson\, it also provides endless opportunities to witness
the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. \;
\;
For a start there&rsquo\;s the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz\, a
buddy from Iowa along for the walk. But \;A Walk in the Woods \;i
s more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson&rsquo\;s acute eye is a wis
e witness to this beautiful but fragile trail\, and as he tells its fascin
ating history\, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America&rsq
uo\;s last great wilderness. An adventure\, a comedy\, and a celebration\,
\;A Walk in the Woods \;is a modern classic of travel literature.
January 22: Conclave by Robert Harris
\nThe pope is dead. Behind t he locked doors of the Sistine Chapel\, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes in the world's mo st secretive election. They are holy men. But they are not immune to the h uman temptations of power and glory. And they are not above the tribalism and factionalism that consumes humanity. When all is said and done\, one o f them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth.
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Did you know that all of our book clubs' selected books count towar d your Jax Stacks Reading Challenge completion? Find out what bo oks other book clubs are reading and join in the fun!
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