Literati Book Club

Literati will not meet in December!

Our next Literati group will be:

Monday, January 19, 6:30 p.m.

The book will be:

West of Santillane

by Brook Allen

Desperate to escape a mundane future as a Virginia planter’s wife, Julia

Hancock seizes her chance for adventure when she wins the heart of American

hero William Clark. Though her husband is the famed explorer, Julia embarks

on her own thrilling and perilous journey of self-discovery.

With her gaze ever westward, Julia possesses a hunger for knowledge and a

passion for helping others. She falls in love with Will’s strength and generous

manner, but, like her parents, he is a slave owner, and Julia harbors strong

opinions against slavery. Still, her love for Will wins out, though he remains

unaware of her beliefs.

Julia finds St. Louis to be a rough town with few of the luxuries to which she is

accustomed, harboring scandalous politicians and miscreants of all types. As

her husband and his best friend, Meriwether Lewis, work to establish an

American government and plan to publish their highly anticipated memoirs, Julia

struggles to assume the roles of both wife and mother. She is also drawn into

the plight of an Indian family desperate to return to their own lands and

becomes an advocate for Will’s enslaved.

When political rivals cause trouble, Julia’s clandestine aid to the Indians and

enslaved of St. Louis draws unwanted attention, placing her at odds with her

husband. Danger cloaks itself in far too many ways, leading her to embrace the

courage to save herself and others through a challenge of forgiveness that will

either restore the love she shares with Will or end it forever.

Come join the fellowship and discussion.