August 28, 2026—The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

 The next meeting of Great Books KC will be August 28, 2026. We will discuss the book, The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope. Our discussion will cover all 100 chapters.

 

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: August 28, 2026 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book:

The Way We Live Now is a satirical and political novel by Anthony Trollope, published in London in 1875 after first appearing in serialised form. It is one of the last significant Victorian novels to have been published in monthly parts. The novel is one of Trollope's longest, comprising 100 chapters, and is particularly rich in sub-plot. It was inspired by the financial scandals of the early 1870s; Trollope had just returned to England from abroad, and was appalled by the greed and dishonesty those scandals exposed. This novel was his rebuke. It dramatized how such greed and dishonesty pervaded the commercial, political, moral, and intellectual life of that era.

Helpful Links:

1.  The two-part BBC mini-series, available on YouTube:
      (see this link to part 1 The Way We Live Now - Mini Series - Part 1 of 2 - (2001)
2.  Novelist Alex Preston's lecture to the Trollope Society
       The Way We Live Now Today - Trollope Society

July 31, 2026—The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be July 31, 2026. We will discuss the first 67 chapters of the book, The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope. We will cover the rest of the book in our August meeting.   

 

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: July 31, 2026 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book:

The Way We Live Now is a satirical and political novel by Anthony Trollope, published in London in 1875 after first appearing in serialised form. It is one of the last significant Victorian novels to have been published in monthly parts. The novel is one of Trollope's longest, comprising 100 chapters, and is particularly rich in sub-plot. It was inspired by the financial scandals of the early 1870s; Trollope had just returned to England from abroad, and was appalled by the greed and dishonesty those scandals exposed. This novel was his rebuke. It dramatized how such greed and dishonesty pervaded the commercial, political, moral, and intellectual life of that era.

June 26, 2026—The Way We Live Now, by Trollope (Chp.1-34)

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be June 26, 2026. We will discuss the first 34 chapters of the book, The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope. We will cover the rest of the book in our July and August meetings.  

 

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: June 26, 2026 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book:

The Way We Live Now is a satirical and political novel by Anthony Trollope, published in London in 1875 after first appearing in serialised form. It is one of the last significant Victorian novels to have been published in monthly parts. The novel is one of Trollope's longest, comprising 100 chapters, and is particularly rich in sub-plot. It was inspired by the financial scandals of the early 1870s; Trollope had just returned to England from abroad, and was appalled by the greed and dishonesty those scandals exposed. This novel was his rebuke. It dramatized how such greed and dishonesty pervaded the commercial, political, moral, and intellectual life of that era.

 

May 29, 2026—Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be May 29, 2026.  

We will discuss the play, Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare.  

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: May 29, 2026 
• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

Link to Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87382736944?pwd=EMtsVOSL0jYSaZ9wBhfwWaUqMXcj9F.1

About the Play:
Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same years he wrote Antony and Cleopatra, making them his last two tragedies. Coriolanus is the name given to a Roman general after his military feats against the Volscians at Corioli. Following his success, others encourage Coriolanus to pursue the consulship, but his disdain for the plebeians and mutual hostility with the tribunes lead to his banishment from Rome. In exile, he presents himself to the Volscians, then leads them against Rome. After his mother persuades him to make peace instead of destroying Rome, he is killed by his previous Volscian allies. 

Pale Fire, by Nabokov--April 24, 2026

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be April 24, 2026.   

We will discuss the book, Pale Fire, by Vladimir Nabokov.  

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: April 24, 2026 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Pale Fire is a novel presented as a 999-line poem titled "Pale Fire", written by the fictional poet John Shade, with a foreword, lengthy commentary, and index written by Shade's neighbor and academic colleague, Charles Kinbote. Together these elements form a narrative in which both fictional authors are central characters. Nabokov wrote Pale Fire in 1960–61, after the success of Lolita had made him financially independent, allowing him to retire from teaching and return to Europe. Nabokov began writing the novel in Nice and completed it in Montreux, Switzerland.

March 27, 2026 — Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be March 27, 2026.   

We will discuss the book, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: March 27, 2026 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was published in 1813 (but written about twenty years earlier when the author was approximately twenty years old). A novel of manners, it follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. 

Feb. 27, 2026— Tokyo Express, by Seichō Matsumoto

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be February 27, 2026.   

We will discuss the book,Tokyo Express, by Matsumoto

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: February 27, 2026 
• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Tokyo Express, original title Ten to Sen (Ponts & Lines), is a 1958 Japanese mystery novel by Seichō Matsumoto. It is considered a masterpiece of the "social realism” mystery genre, and is known for its intricate plot that unravels a supposed lovers' suicide to reveal a major government corruption scandal. The story follows two detectives who use meticulous analysis of train timetables and other details to connect seemingly unrelated "points" and disprove the official theory, highlighting post-war Japanese society and its complexities. 

Jan 30, 2026—Sorrows of Young Werter, by Goethe

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be January 30, 2026.   

We will discuss the book, Sorrows of Young Werter, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: January 30, 2026 
• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

The Sorrows of Young Werther is a 1774 epistolary novel by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, which appeared as a revised edition in 1787. This work placed Goethe among the foremost international literary celebrities and was among the best known of his works. It was one of the main novels in the Sturm und Drang period in German literature, and influenced the later Romantic movement.  

Schedule of Books for 2026

Jan. 30, 2026— Sorrows of Young Werter, by Goethe

Feb. 27, 2026— Tokyo Express, by Matsumoto

Mar. 27, 2026— Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Apr. 24, 2026— Pale Fire, by Nabokov

May. 29, 2026— Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare

Jun. 26, 2026— The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

Jul. 31, 2026— The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

Aug. 28, 2026— The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope

Sep. 25, 2026— Long Day's Journey into Night, by Eugene O’Neill

Oct. 30, 2026— On Obligations: De Officiis, by Cicero

Dec. 4, 2026— Book of Esther (from the Bible)

Dec. 11, 2026— Prepare Schedule for 2027

December 12, 2025--Select Books for 2026

We will meet on December 12, 2025 by Zoom to select books for our 2026 schedule. Send nominations to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com.   

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: December 12, 2025 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

Below are some guidelines:

• What Makes a Great Book

• History of Previous Books

• Categories of Books  

Dec 5, 2025—Book of Proverbs (from the Bible)

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be December 5, 2025.   

We will discuss Book of Proverbs (from the Bible)

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: December 5, 2025 
• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Proverbs is not merely an anthology but a "collection of collections" relating to a pattern of life that lasted for more than a millennium. It is an example of Biblical wisdom literature and raises questions about values, moral behavior, the meaning of human life, and right conduct, and its theological foundation is that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." Wisdom is personified and praised for her role in creation; God created her before all else and gave order to chaos through her. As humans have life and prosperity by conforming to the order of creation, seeking wisdom is the essence and goal of life.

2026 Book Schedule:

We will meet again on December 12, 2025 by Zoom to select books for our 2026 schedule. Send nominations to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com. 

Below are some guidelines:

• What Makes a Great Book

• History of Previous Books

• Categories of Books  

Oct 31, 2025—The Twelve Caesars, by Suetonius

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be October 31, 2025.   
We will discuss The Twelve Caesars, by Suetonius. 

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: October 31, 2025 
• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 
The Twelve Caesars was written in 121 CE by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (called "Suetonius" by scholars) while he served as a personal secretary to the emperor Hadrian. The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire during the Principate. The subjects are Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian.

Sep. 26, 2025—The Stranger, by Camus

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be September 26, 2025.   

We will discuss The Stranger, by Albert Camus.

(See "Comments" for discussion questions)
   
Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: September 26, 2025 

• Time 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

The Stranger is the first of Camus' novels to be published (1942). It follows Meursault, an indifferent settler in French Algeria, who weeks after his mother's funeral kills an unnamed Arab man in Algiers. The story is divided into two parts, presenting Meursault's first-person narrative before and after the killing.

August 29, 2025—World of Wonders, by R. Davies

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be August 29, 2025.   

We will discuss World of Wonders (The Deptford Trilogy #3), by R. Davies.
   
Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: August 29, 2025 

• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Magnus Eisengrim (also known by at least four other names throughout the trilogy) tells the story of his life to a group of filmmakers who are producing a biographical film about the great magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin for the BBC.

July 25, 2025—The Manticore, by R. Davies

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be July 25, 2025.   

We will discuss The Manticore (The Deptford Trilogy), by R. Davies.
  
Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: July 25, 2025 

• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

The Manticore is the second novel in Robertson Davies' Deptford Trilogy. Published in 1972 by Macmillan of Canada, it deals with the aftermath of the mysterious death of Percy Boyd "Boy" Staunton retold during a series of conversations between Staunton's son and a Jungian psychoanalyst.

June 27, 2025—Fifth Business, by R. Davies

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be June 27, 2025.   

We will discuss Fifth Business (The Deptford Trilogy), by R. Davies.

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: June 27, 2025 

• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Fifth Business (1970) is a novel by Canadian writer Robertson Davies. It is the first installment of Davies' best-known work, the Deptford Trilogy, and explores the life of the narrator, Dunstan Ramsay. It was the novel that brought Davies to international attention.

May 30, 2025—Love's Labour's Lost, by Shakespeare

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be May 30, 2025.   

We will discuss Love's Labour's Lost, by William Shakespeare. 

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: May 30, 2025 

• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies makes them forsworn (break their oath). In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year. The play draws on themes of masculine love and desire, reckoning and rationalization, and reality versus fantasy.

April 25, 2025— Spoon River Anthology, by Edgar Lee Masters

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be April 25, 2025. 

We will discuss Spoon River Anthology, by Edgar Lee Masters. 

Meeting Date & Time:
• Date: April 25, 2025 
• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:
• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library
• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book:

Spoon River Anthology (1915) is a collection of short free verse poems by Edgar Lee Masters. The poems collectively narrate the epitaphs of the residents of Spoon River, a fictional small town named after the Spoon River, which ran near Masters's home town of Lewistown, Illinois. The aim of the poems is to demystify rural and small town American life. The collection includes 212 separate characters, in all providing 244 accounts of their lives, losses, and manners of death. Many of the poems contain cross-references that create a candid tapestry of the community. The poems originally were published in 1914 in the St. Louis, Missouri, literary journal Reedy's Mirror, under the pseudonym Webster Ford.

March 28, 2025—The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be March 28, 2025. 

We will discuss The Optimist’s Daughter, by Eudora Welty. 

Meeting Date & Time:

• Date: March 28, 2025 

• Time: 7:00 pm

Hybrid Zoom & In-Person Meeting:

• In-person meeting, Little Conference Room, Plaza Branch Library

• Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting
• Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book:
The Optimist's Daughter is a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction-winning short novel by Eudora Welty. It was first published as a long story in The New Yorker in March 1969 and was subsequently revised and published in book form in 1972. It concerns a woman named Laurel, who travels to New Orleans to take care of her father, Judge McKelva. Her father's second wife, Fay, who is younger than Laurel, is a shrewish outsider from Texas. Her shrill response to the Judge's illness appears to accelerate his demise. Laurel and Fay are thrown together when they return the Judge's body to his hometown, Mount Salus, Mississippi, where he will be buried. There, Laurel is immersed in the good neighborliness of the friends and family she knew before marrying and moving away to Chicago. Fay, though, has always been unwelcome and leaves for a long weekend, leaving Laurel in the big house full of memories. Laurel encounters her mother's memory, her father's life after he lost his first wife, and the complex emotions surrounding her loss as well as the many memories. She comes to a place of understanding that Fay can never share, and she leaves small town Mississippi with the memories she can carry with her.

Feb. 28, 2025—Tale of Sinuhe (Ancient Egyptian)

The next meeting of Great Books KC will be February 28, 2025.  

We will discuss Tale of Sinuhe (Ancient Egyptian)

Meeting Date & Time:

Date: February 28, 2025 

Time: 7:00 pm

Zoom Meeting:

Attendance by Zoom only (meeting room not available)

Zoom link sent to mailing list on day of meeting

Request mailing list addition, send to GreatBooksKC@gmail.com

About the Book: 

The Tale of Sinuhe is a work of ancient Egyptian literature. It was likely composed in the beginning of the Twelfth Dynasty after the death of Amenemhat I. The tale describes an Egyptian man who flees his kingdom, and lives as a foreigner before returning to Egypt shortly before his death. It explores universal themes such as divine providence and mercy. The oldest known copy of the text dates to the reign of Amenemhat III, around 1800 BCE. The work was so popular within Egypt that newer copies have been found ranging up to 750 years after the original.

             

Availability of Book:

Google search of "Tale of Sinuhe full text" reveals many options.