Fall Book Club Announcement
Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artisans and Innovation
Virtual Book Club is back! And I think we’ve found an fun easy ready to close out 2020. Author Peggy Hart is a teacher and production weaver. She designs, produces, and markets hundreds of blankets each year, including custom blankets for sheep and alpaca farmers using their own yarn. Her weaving career has followed the stages of wool’s technological developments. Hart began as a hand spinner and weaver, dyeing wool with natural dyes. As a Peace Corps Volunteer she started a hand-spinning and weaving workshop in Kenya. Upon returning, she attended the Rhode Island School of Design, worked as a weaver in one of the last mills in Rhode Island, and bought her first industrial loom. She weaves on totally obsolete Crompton and Knowles W-3 industrial looms.
How does “virtual” book club work?
Many of you joined us in the spring for our first ever round of Virtual Book Club so this will be a review, but if you are inviting a friend to join, or this is your first time thinking of joining in, please find below some common questions we’ve tried to answer ahead of time for you. We’ve also included a link to our video library where you can access past video discussions to get a sense of our format.
Where do I get my own copy of the book?
You can order it right here from Red Stone Glen. Or if you have a copy already, you’re ready to go! Follow the link below to order.
Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artisans and Innovation
How will the book club work?
Each week we’ll read one chapter, the same chapter, in preparation for discussion and sharing in our Facebook Live chat. Prior to our first meeting, we’re asking everyone to read the introduction on their own in order to participate in discussions. In addition to reading the chapter, the staff here at Red Stone Glen will be preparing additional readings, links to museums, informative video resources and even an interview with the author Peggy Hart.
Do I need to have a Facebook account to participate?
No. You just need to go to our Red Stone Glen Facebook page and click on the Live link to join in the conversation. If you arrive to the page and you do not see the link blinking “LIVE” just hold tight and we’ll begin our live stream shortly.
What if I can’t make it to the Facebook Live get together?
No problem! Every Live discussion will be archived and available on our Facebook page under “videos.” Book discussion videos will be archived within 48 hours of the live broadcast once we begin in mid October.
How many times will Virtual Book Club Meet?
We’ll meet once for every chapter, which read as stand-alone in the history of wool here in the United States. There are 8 sections or chapters we will be reading, so we will be meeting virtually 8 times, once per week, on Wednesdays at 8 pm.
Where can I find discussion questions, and where can I ask my own questions?
We encourage you to ask questions and offer feedback, engaging with other book club members, in the comments section for each chapter. Our friend Deb Fingerlow will be joining us once again, posting links in the comment sections and answering questions while we are streaming live. We will continue to monitor feedback and questions for the week following.
Do I need to register to participate?
No registration is necessary for the weekly book discussion group, and there is no cost to participate. How easy is that?!
Why belong to a book club?
For the same reason we come together to learn to weave. For knowledge. For community. For connection. So, do your reading, brew a cuppa tea or coffee, and come join us.
Scheduled Meetings
We will be meeting weekly beginning October 14th on Wednesday evenings at 8 pm. We hope that you are able to join us every week, but certianly understand if your schedule does not permit you to be there. This is the joy of this format utilizing Facebook live, if you are unable to attend live the videos are all saved for you to enjoy at a time that works best for you.
- Week 1 October 14th – Introduction: Why Wool? And Author Interview
- Week 2 October 21st – Colonial Period 1609-1780
- Week 3 October 28th – New Nation 1780-1840
- Week 4 November 4th – Industrialization and Mechanical Innovation 1840-1890
- Week 5 November 11th – Golden Age of Industry 1890-1920
- Week 6 November 18th – Wool’s Gains and Loses: 1920-1950
- Week 7 November 23rd – Losing Ground: Post World War II 1950-1980 (MONDAY night meeting)
- Week 8 December 2nd – Epilogue- Wool: Necessity to Niche
Take a look inside the book!