Decorah Public Library staff are hosting one book discussion in August. The group is open to the public and newcomers are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested should call the library at 382-3717 to learn more or to reserve a book.

The Friday Book Group will discuss Daniel James Brown’s “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics” at 2:00 p.m. Fri. August 23^rd on the 2^nd floor of the library. “The Boys in the Boat” tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by an eccentric British boat builder, but the heart of the story lies with rower Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rowed not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in Berlin.

August meetings will not be held for the Happy Hour Book Group or the History Book Group. Monthly meetings for both groups will resume in September.

For more information, contact Carmen Buss (Friday Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour and History Book Groups) at 563-382-3717.

The History Book Group will discuss David W. Blight’s “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” at 6:30 p.m. Thurs. Sept. 19^th on the 2^nd floor of the library. As a young man, Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery in Baltimore and would go on to become one of the major literary figures of his time. Douglass spoke widely, using his own story to condemn slavery. By the Civil War, he had become the most famed and widely travelled orator in the nation. In his unique and eloquent voice, written and spoken, Douglass established himself as a fierce critic of the United States as well as a radical patriot.

For more information, contact Carmen Buss (Friday Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour and History Book Groups) at 563-382-3717.

Decorah Public Library staff are piloting a new speculative fiction book discussion group in September and October. The group is open to the public, and anyone interested is encouraged to call the library at 382-3717 to reserve a book or sign up for future info via email.

The September session will be facilitated by Erin Larson and will meet Wed. Sept. 25^th at 5:15pm at the library to discuss Rebecca Roanhorse’s “Trail of Lightning.” While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters. Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster who took her is more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

The October session will be facilitated by Kristin Torresdal and will meet Wed. Oct. 23^rd at 5:15pm (location TBD) to discuss Brandon Sanderson’s “Skyward.” Defeated and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship which appears to have a soul, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and persuade the strange machine to help her.

For more information, contact Kristin Torresdal at ktorresdal@decorah.lib.ia.us or Erin Larson at erin@decorah.lib.ia.us.