Open to the public
No charge
Reservations required for each meeting.
Please note this is a book discussion without the author present.
SHORT STORY BOOK GROUP
Each moderated group will focus on an award-winning short story. Participants should have read the story and come ready to discuss. Whether new to short stories or an avid reader of them, this group will offer an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about literature and connect with other book enthusiasts.
Short Story: The Professor and the Siren by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
In The Professor and the Siren, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa offers a reflective meditation on memory, desire, and the passage of time. Best known for Il Gattopardo (The Leopard), Lampedusa weaves a haunting tale of Professor La Ciura, a brilliant scholar whose encounter with a mysterious siren shaped both his intellect and his lifelong sense of loss. When he meets a younger man, questions emerge about whether wisdom, especially about love, can truly be taught or only lived
Moderator: Alexander Ives
Alexander C. Ives is a consultant and multigenerational Palm Beacher who previously led the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach as its President. He served as a member of the Town of Palm Beach’s Architectural Review Commission from 2011-2022 and has served on its Landmarks Preservation Commission since 2023. He has also worked as journalist and occasionally writes columns for The Palm Beach Daily News. He is in the process of setting up an independent publishing house for neglected or out-of-print books.