'Are You a Bookie?' The Path to Deeper Wisdom...

A bookie, in this case, means anyone who loves books and book-clubs - not the kind of bookie who takes bets at a racetrack. I imagine one can be both, so we’ll exclude no one, especially as the event is designed to encourage those who have book clubs or are thinking of starting one to talk about their experiences and plans.

Prize winning author and writer-in-residence Suzanne Strempek Shea will lead the discussion, and author Jacqueline Blais will provide the keynote. It’s a great opportunity to meet authors - you can ask them about their work, invite them to meet with your book group (authors love to do this), and snag signed copies of their works - so the entire event is about getting people in closer touch with each other. I’ll be there, of course, for exactly that reason. Authors write in order to communicate ideas and emotions, but that can’t happen if no one knows we exist, so we hope to alter that!

What I like about this event is that it’s not going to be a stuffy conference, and it’s not going to be about people talking at you. It’ll focus on people asking you for your opinion, encouraging you to take part in two of life’s most meaningful activities - reading and the discussion of readings. When we read we utilize a whole series of physiological processes that we just can’t mobilize any other way, and these, in turn, lead us to places of insight and real wisdom. You can’t get there by watching TV, although I’m sure one can gather plenty of information that way. Information isn’t wisdom, though.

So if you want to be part of a reflective process that will show you how to enrich your life and your soul, come along. If you don’t, stay home and watch the tube; or go to the racetrack.

The ‘Are You a Bookie?’ event will be at Bay Path College, Longmeadow, MA on Sunday May 3rd, from 2 to 4. It promises to be a splendid occasion.