A book about presidential assassinations provided comic relief (really!), a true story induced sobering thoughts and a psychological thriller offered escape during a month when virtual book clubs became the new norm. Though not the same as seeing one another in person (bring your own snacks and adult beverage!), Zoom meetings meant much-needed social interaction _ and sometimes technical assistance from our teens.
'Assassination Vacation' by Sarah Vowell
What I thought _ I didn't expect to like this book, a travelogue about Vowell's pilgrimage to locations immortalized by the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield and William McKinley. But even though I'm not a history buff _ I knew little about Garfield or McKinley before reading this _ I was hooked once the author got past the politics. Published in 2005, the book is tied to then-current events and President George W. Bush. Not only is this an educational journey (Did you know Robert Todd Lincoln was present at all three of these assassinations, that President Lincoln was laughing when he was shot and that Charles Guiteau, Garfield's killer, was involved in an upstate New York sex commune?), but it is also witty and sometimes hilarious. That's not easy, considering the disturbing subject. Vowell's enthusiasm for plaques, monuments and morbid mementos is infectious _ but not as infectious as Garfield's wound ... eww! Interesting side note: Vowell provides the voice of Violet Parr in the animated film "The Incredibles." At book club _ I set up on my patio with a glass of wine on a sunny Tuesday afternoon while other members logged on from home offices, living rooms, bedrooms and a beach (thanks to Zoom's virtual background feature). Most people enjoyed the book, though some admitted to skimming the political parts. Vowell has a way of digging up obscure facts (Did I mention the sex commune was called the Oneida Community, which eventually dissolved to become the silverware company?) but can get a little too detailed at times. "She went off on tangents," one reader said. Vowell's quirky personality made learning this not-so-well-known history fun, and someone suggested high school students should read it. But maybe skip the sex commune chapter, another said.
