Wheeling Reads Ulysses (in 4 Months) – A Moral Book Club
The Ohio County Public Library will form a book group to read and discuss what has been called “the greatest book in the English language”- “Ulysses” by James Joyce. The library will obtain copies of “Ulysses” for all who register. Ulysses is a challenging (and oft-challenged) book and a tall order for even the most advanced reader, so we will divide the readings into 5 parts. Meetings will occur on Feb. 29, March 28, April 25, and May 30 – all Thursdays at 6:30 PM. Participants will then have the opportunity to discuss the book on June 11 with Patrick Hastings, English professor, author of “The Guide to James Joyce’s Ulysses,” and curator of ulyssesguide.com, who will be at the Library for Wheeling’s first-ever Bloomsday, a worldwide but Irish-centric celebration of the book and the genius of James Joyce. Ours will feature a virtual walking tour of Leopold Bloom’s Dublin led by Mr. Hastings, dramatic readings, trivia, music, food, and more! Dress like it’s 1904!
To join the book group, message us (put “Ulysses” in the comment section), send an email to lunchwithbooks[at]yahoo.com, or give us a call at 304-232-0244. Serious and committed inquiries only, please!
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March 5: Divorce in Civil War-Era Wheeling
For Women’s History Month, Allison Fredette will discuss the new book she edited, Heartsick and Astonished: Divorce in Civil War-Era West Virginia, featuring 27 divorce cases from mid-nineteenth century America. More than dry legal documents, these cases provide a captivating window into marital life – and strife- during the Civil War era In Wheeling, courtrooms bore witness to men and women from various ethnic, racial, and class backgrounds who shared shockingly intimate details of their lives and relationships. In an era of uncertainty – when the country was torn in two when Wheeling became the capital of a new state, and when activists across the country began to push for women’s rights in the household and family – the divorce cases of ordinary couples reveal changing attitudes toward marriage, gender, and legal separation.
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March 12 at noon: Rust Belt Union Blues Lainey Newman and Theda Skocpol
In the heyday of American labor, the influence of local unions extended far beyond the workplace. Unions were embedded in tight-knit communities. Today, unions play a much less significant role. In Rust Belt Union Blues, Lainey Newman and Theda Skocpol provide timely insight into the relationship between the decline of unions and the shift of working-class voters away from Democrats. It makes a compelling case that Democrats are unlikely to rebuild credibility in places like western Pennsylvania unless they find new ways to weave themselves into the daily lives of workers and their families.
Lainey Newman is a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School and a native of Pittsburgh.
Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University.
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March 19 at noon: St. Patrick’s Day Debrief by County Mayo Irish Band
St. Patrick’s Day will be in the rearview mirror, but we always want one more day of celebration to ease out of the merriment! An Irish debrief, if you will. And, with only 363 days left until the next St. Pat’s, County Mayo Irish Band will be here to help with their brand of lively, engaging performances of familiar Irish tunes. County Mayo has been entertaining for 30 years at festivals (like the Pittsburgh Irish Festival), pubs, concerts, conventions, schools, parties, and family events including Irish weddings and wakes.
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March 26 at noon: Classical Guitarist Peter Fletcher
Peter Fletcher’s journey in classical guitar began at the age of seven. He became the youngest student to perform in a week-long Master Class conducted by maestro José Tomás, the teaching assistant of Andrés Segovia in Spain. Peter’s exceptional talent led to invitations for performances at esteemed cultural venues across the USA. His appearances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall drew sold-out crowds and further established his reputation as a distinguished classical guitarist. Peter’s recorded works have garnered critical acclaim. He divides his time between his vintage home in Detroit and his residence in NYC. See peterfletcher.com.
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April 2: Appalachian Mushrooms – a Field Guide with Walter Sturgeon
From one of the region’s foremost mushroom hunters – Walter E. Sturgeon – comes a long-overdue field guide to finding and identifying the mushrooms and fleshy fungi found in the Appalachian mountains from Canada to Georgia. Edibility and toxicity, habitat, ecology, and detailed diagnostic features of the disparate forms they take throughout their life cycles are all included, enabling the reader to identify species without the use of a microscope or chemicals. Appalachian Mushrooms is unparalleled in its accuracy and currency. This guide is destined to be an indispensable authority on the subject for everyone from beginning hobbyists to trained experts.
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April 9 at noon: Rico Cosby: The Heroic Work of a Mine Detection Dog
The Marshall Legacy Institute’s Canine Ambassador, MDD Rico Cosby, has released his first book. Rico Cosby: The Heroic Work of a Mine Detection Dog, tells the story of Rico’s training and life in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Rico will be accompanied by his human, Anne Wooleyhand, Educational Programs Director at The Marshall Legacy Institute (Rico’s handler and author of the book).
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April 16 at noon: Appalachian Fishes with Stuart A.Welsh
A nature lover’s paradise, central Appalachia supports diverse life in an extensive network of waterways and is home to a dazzling array of fish species. In Hornyheads, Madtoms, and Darters: Narratives on Central Appalachian Fishes, Stuart Welsh focuses not only on the fishes of central Appalachia but also on the fascinating things these fishes do in their natural habitats.
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April 23 at noon: Benwood Mine Disaster, 100 Years
One hundred years ago, on Monday, April 28, 1924, an explosion at Wheeling Steel’s Benwood coal mine took the lives of 119 men and boys, most of whom were recent immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. It remains the third most lethal coal mine disaster in West Virginia’s history. We will discuss how and why this tragedy happened and pay tribute to those who died.
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April 30 at noon: Memories of Fostoria Glass
Moundsville’s Fostoria Glass was once the #1 hand-blown glass company in the US. People wanted Fostoria settings on their Sunday and holiday dinner tables. China cabinets showed off extensive Fostoria collections. Though strong enough to survive the Great Depression, changing tastes and foreign competition led to Fostoria’s closing. The workers who created these beautiful patterns and pieces of glassware were hard-working artists. Fostoria was a ‘family’ to them. These are their memories, gathered by Gary Rider and Roseanna Dakan Keller.
