Book Clubs

You May live in a marble palace dear
on a throne that was built just for you
you may live in a tent in the far Orient
or a vine covered cottage for two
You may spend your life as a gypsy's wife
Or live in a French Chateau
but the love that is true
is waiting for you
In a Phi Delt Bungalow.

Phi Delta Theta "Love"Song
Song at all Phi Delt weddings...including ours




A few years back my Faithful and Obedient Companion along with three other couples formed "Chapter 2 Book Club".  Like most such "Clubs" we agreed to each read several  books per year and then we would meet and discuss at two dinner meetings held during those months we all would be back in Stowe. 

Recently, over two seperate nights, we gathered for drinks, dinner and discussion at two of the couples homes the four books assigned for 2019.  These books were Bunker Hill, South Sea Vagabond, A Gentlemen from Moscow and Brave New World. 


Now this blog post is not meant to be a review of  our discussions of these books .  Instead it is an Observation about how people with divergent life experiences, world views and even strong differences in political thought, can sit down and share their experience in meaningful ways.  Of course it is also fascinating to just to learn just how interesting and different all our lives have been.  One such story  from our book club comes to mind.


In discussing Bunker Hill we got into the subject of how "Unique" the American experience is based on those who first settled our country.  We explored the difference between the British settlements in Canada and the 13 colonies and how different the governance of those two British settlements had been.  We then discussed the British Military mindset versus the Colonial Militia.  Which leads me to share a most fascinating experience of one of our group, who wanted to specifically relate to the British Military mindset.  Interesting particularly since three of our eight members were once Canadians (including "Peter" who moved to Canada before becoming a US citizen).

Peter was originally a Brit whose Father had been a Mason on the Suez Canal when WW 2 broke out. When the Germans threatened North Africa he, his brother and his mother fled to safety in South Africa, traveling overland through Africa to escape the German Invasion., a story I had known from past golf discussions.  What I did not know is that he ultimately joined the British Military at age 19, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and was immediately stationed in the British colony of Gambia to head up a garrison of Gambians.  He told us how one of his duties was to head up the  motor pool despite the fact that he had never driven a car. In fact his Gambian troops had to teach him to drive!

Apparently in the waning years of British Colonial rule in Africa two Gambian tribes got into a conflict and Peter was dispatched to somehow settle the dispute at that ripe old age of 19. He proceeded to explain how he had no idea what his small group of troops could do to prevent an open conflict but it was his "duty" to travel up-river to the town where this conflict was breaking out and stop potential bloodshed.  (Apparently one tribe wanted to grow rice in the river while the other tribe wanted the river for fishing. and open warfare was about to break out.)  When he arrived  with his small contingent of troops he simply decided that he and his Gambian recruits would march back and forth through the town, band playing and banners waving in a show of "force", which he admitted he had no idea would work.  Fortunately for him (and his troops) this show of "force' was enough and he went on to spend some interesting times living  a life of leisure in a bungalow by the beach in Gambia during the last years of British rule in Africa.

As I listened enthralled by Peter's story all I could do was remember what I was doing at age 19. Drinking beer and listening to Double Shot of my Baby's Love at Lafayette (or  even singing about life in a Phi Delt Bungalow) all while I took subjects like the politics of Sub-Sahara Africa from Professor Glanz.  A youthful experience which pales in comparison to the first hand experience of Sub Saharan African Politics Peter actually lived out at about the same age!

Which brings me to today's observation.

All around us are people with who we may disagree with, politically, and socially.  Meeting and talking about our own unique human experiences is one real way to bridge our many divides.  Each of  us approaches life from our particular world experience.   Experiences that when shared can help us to better understand where the other is coming from.  Perhaps It is also one way we can find some common ground in spite of our own particular worldview.

With that I bid you
Adieu