While not an exemplar of outstanding literary depth and quality, Butler's book is a useful handbook for thinking about and planning for death. Complete with checklists, best practices, anecdotes, and even a glossary of terms, the book is thought provoking and accessible. It sparked a good discussion of topics seldom explored in most dinner conversations. The restaurant provided a good round-table setting, offering excellent food and good service overlooking Mears Park in downtown Saint Paul. (The piped-in music, however, sometimes made it difficult to converse.)
Our next book is Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit; the only other contender was Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun. We agreed to have our next meeting on January 3 and the following book will be suggested by Bill.
