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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
In today’s hectic world, it can be difficult to make time to simply read a book. With the responsibilities of everyday life, as well as the fast-paced world of technology surrounding us, reading can often fall to the wayside.
Not so for members of the Great Books Discussion Group at the Medfield Council on Aging.
On the first Thursday of each month, the group gathers together to have a lively discussion about a classic read in The Center’s library. This past Thursday, the group discussed "The Last Hurrah," a novel loosely based on the life of Governor James Michael Curley of Boston.
The group of eight were extremely comfortable with one another, able to jump in whenever they had a new point, or to elaborate on a previous one. The group rotates who leads the discussion each month. This month, the man who led had a particular interest in Curley, making this meeting not only a lively discussion of the book, but also a lively discussion of Boston history. Many of those present remembered Curley’s time as Governor, making for an especially fascinating discussion. “I was there the day he got out of jail!” one man added. “I remember the speech that he gave.”
The discussion covered all manner of topics, from the immigrant population in Boston and their affinity for the former Governor to Curley’s eccentric personality, as well as all of the ties between the novel and the real story. One thing the group touched on in particular was the use of the name Billy Bulger in the novel - something they found very interesting, considering none of the other names in the book were noticeable related to Boston.
The reading of this book was particularly well-received and accompanied by a poignant discussion due to location and each discussant’s personal history.
