Our discussion last month centered on This America of Ours, Nate Schweber’s biography of writer and conservationist Bernard DeVoto and his wife and editor Avis. The DeVotos were fervent about the magnificent landscapes of the West and worked with different preservationists and activists to save vast acres of public lands from devastation by lumber and ranching giants. Their efforts brought them up against the FBI and politicians like Senator Pat McCarran of Nevada and Senator Joe McCarthy, who labeled them communists. But the DeVotos also counted Julia Child, Wallace Stegner, and Robert Frost among their friends, and earned the admiration of Arthur Schlesinger and the Kennedy administration. Schweber’s book extols their vision and activism.
On November 22 we will meet at 2 p.m. for a review of Reza Aslan’s book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. This book aims to give historical per- spectives on what is known about the times and life of Jesus the man, rather than religious interpretations.
We read thought-provoking books on a variety of interesting subjects, and we invite interested readers to join us on the fourth Tuesday of each month for an exchange of ideas. Contact nortlynne@cox.net to learn more about our group, which is celebrating our fifteenth year in Niguel Shores.
—Norton Schwartz
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