Our Noon Study Group Will Be On Recess Until Friday, June 12
When we resume we will begin discussion of Geraldine Brooks’s The Secret Chord
This 2016 novel traces the arc of King David’s journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage. We see David through the eyes of those who love him or fear him—from the prophet Natan, voice of his conscience, to his wives Mikhal, Avigail, and Batsheva, and finally to Solomon, the late-born son who redeems his Lear-like old age. Brooks has an uncanny ability to hear and transform characters from history, and this beautifully written, unvarnished saga of faith, desire, family, ambition, betrayal, and power will enthrall her many fans. Copies of The Secret Chord are available through a variety of online booksellers.
When we meet on June 12, we will talk about the author’s background; literary, historical, and biblical contexts drawn from 1st and 2nd Samuel, Psalms, and Chronicles; Nathan the Prophet; and the “secret chord” in Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and other popular culture treatments of David. We will officially begin discussing the first 4 chapters of The Secret Chord at our second meeting on June 19.
Our informal discussion group, which has been in operation for 25 years, now meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1 (check CBI’s website for a link). All are welcome to attend. If you have questions, contact Jay Jacoby at jbjacoby@charlotte.edu.
