How many book clubs have lasted for 62 years? In this charming documentary, we become acquainted with a book club whose members have been together since 1942 when the ladies lived in an apartment complex near Washington, DC where their husbands worked in federal government positions. During this era, these stay-at-home mothers desired some intellectual stimulation and thus the book club was formed.
The program features vintage photos and news clips to augment current scenes of the women interacting at the book club along with talking headshots of the ladies who are now of a “certain age” but no less feisty and outspoken. The women tell their stories as they recount personal and professional experiences, including in some cases divorces, remarriages, and widowhood.
One woman married to a foreign service employee recounts her family’s time in India and Turkey and remembers coming back to the U.S. following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and taking her children to see the funeral procession. We also see the women reading book excerpts and talking about potential book club choices with other scenes showing the ladies kayaking, piano playing, volunteering, and engaging in other activities. Captioned quotes from such luminaries as Helen Keller, Rachel Carson, and William Makepeace Thackeray are a nice touch along with occasional background music.
Although it would have been nice if the women’s names were captioned on screen, the eight original book club members are listed in the credits along with titles of featured books. An enlightening program for current book club members and bibliophiles, this is also recommended to highlight the changing roles of women throughout the decades and the importance of maintaining friendships. Recommended for documentary sections on literature and women's studies in both public and academic libraries.