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Spring ’21 Book Club Announcement

The Indigo Girl: A Novel

Virtual Book Club is back! And I think we’ve found a book that will be educational, but also entertaining. For the first time in our limited book club history, we will be introduced to a historical fiction.

From The Indigo Girl:

The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family’s three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions. Tensions with the British, and with the Spanish in Florida, just a short way down the coast, are rising, and slaves are starting to become restless. Her mother wants nothing more than for their South Carolina endeavor to fail so they can go back to England. Soon her family is in danger of losing everything.

Upon hearing how much the French pay for indigo dye, Eliza believes it’s the key to their salvation. But everyone tells her it’s impossible, and no one will share the secret to making it. Thwarted at nearly every turn, even by her own family, Eliza finds that her only allies are an aging horticulturalist, an older and married gentleman lawyer, and a slave with whom she strikes a dangerous deal: teach her the intricate thousand-year-old secret process of making indigo dye and in return—against the laws of the day—she will teach the slaves to read.

So begins an incredible story of love, dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.

Based on historical documents, including Eliza’s letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral.

This book is set between 1739 and 1744, with romance, intrigue, forbidden friendships, and political and financial threats weaving together to form the story of a remarkable young woman whose actions were before their time: the story of the indigo girl.

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.

Facebook LIVE Videos

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.

This year, if you purchase the book from Red Stone Glen we will send you a free pack of Japanese Indigo seeds for a Live Streaming on “How to Sow your own seeds” special session!! This is a great way for Tom and I to show you at home how easy it is to grow, no matter where you live.

The Indigo Girl: A Novel

 

How will the book club work?

Each week we’ll read several short chapters, in preparation for discussion and sharing in our Facebook Live chat. Prior to our first meeting, review the schedule and have the first reading completed on your 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 a special session where we will be planting our own indigo seeds as a hands-on experience. If you purchased your book from us you will have received seeds, sowing and caring instructions, and a short list of other materials needed to participate.

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.

How many times will Virtual Book Club Meet?

We’ll meet once a week for 8 weeks. Discussions will be LIVE on Wednesday evenings 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 February 17th on Wednesday evenings at 8 pm. We hope that you are able to join us every week, but certainly 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.

Publisher’s Video Intro