Join us for West Branch's monthly non-fict ion book discussion group. We read a variety of contemporary non-fiction a nd meet once a month for a lively discussion. Contact discussion leader Ja net Stephens at 630-264-3626 for a copy of the book or the list of current chosen titles.
\nJoin us virtually through Zoom or register for in- person\, as seating is limited. Contact discussion facilitator Janet Steph ens at jstephens@aurorapubliclibrary.org for more information or to receiv e a Zoom link to join us virtually.
\nThe book for June is "Sisters of Mokama: The Pioneering Women Who Brought Hope and Healing to India" by Jyoti Thottam. New York Times opinion editor Thottam debuts with a vivid a nd uplifting portrait of a hospital in the small market town of Mokama in Bihar\, India\, built in 1947 by a group of Catholic nuns from Kentucky. L ooking for a &ldquo\;new role as women in the Church\,&rdquo\; six nuns fr om the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth traveled to India\, where the trauma s of Partition and deficiencies in the healthcare system were causing dise ases like cholera to run rampant. By July 1948\, the nuns had built and st affed a 28-bed hospital\; the following year\, they opened a nursing schoo l. Young Indian women\, including the author&rsquo\;s mother\, came to Naz areth Hospital because they wanted a life beyond what tradition typically offered. Though students didn&rsquo\;t hesitate to point out the racist at titudes of teachers and administrators\, Thottam doesn&rsquo\;t linger on disharmony\, preferring to focus on the hard work and dedication of all th e women of Nazareth Hospital. She also doesn&rsquo\;t sugarcoat the stress es of missionary work\, documenting how illness and exhaustion forced chie f surgeon Mary Wiss to choose between her health\, her medical career\, an d her commitment to the order. Full of complex characters and intriguing h istorical tidbits\, this is a rousing story of hope and determination. (Pu blishers Weekly).
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