Last Monday of the Month | 6:30pm | McNally Jackson | Free
Join the South Street Seaport Museum for a recurring maritime-themed book club! Throughout summer the Book Club will meet every other month. You can find information on the June and August book selections below and get your summer reading list started.
In partnership with McNally Jackson Books—located at 4 Fulton Street, just a few doors down from the Museum entrance—Seaport Museum staff and special guests will stir up lively discussions informed by our shared love of literature, history, and preservation. Our literary selections will be announced one month in advance.
The event is free, and advance registration is encouraged.
June 26, 2023: The Engineer’s Wife: A Novel of the Brooklyn Bridge by Tracey Enerson Wood
In this book we will read how Emily Roebling contributed to the rise of a monument for all time––the Brooklyn Bridge. Join the Seaport Museum to discover the fascinating woman who helped design and construct the Brooklyn Bridge but, until recently, had been lost in its shadow. Together, we will explore how Emily overcomes stern resistance and overwhelming obstacles to assume her husband’s role as Chief Engineer of the bridge. At this session of the Book Club we will discuss Emily’s contributions to the Brooklyn Bridge as well as how her personal life was affected by the project.
The Engineer’s Wife is available for purchase at most bookstores. Register for the June meeting of the Seaport Museum Book Club today to receive a 10% off discount code for online orders of the book at McNally Jackson Books.
August 28, 2023: Manhattan Beach: A Novel by Jennifer Egan
In this installment of the Book Club, we will read a New York Times best seller and an entrancing work of fiction that will take us to a moment in history that impacted the world. Together, we will dive into the lives of women who stepped in to work jobs at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II. Though these jobs were typically reserved for men, the country was at war and men were now soldiers abroad. We will discuss the character Anna Kerrigan, her father’s disappearance, and how the young girl is mesmerized by the sea beyond the house and by the charged mystery between her father and his acquaintance.
Manhattan Beach is available for purchase at most bookstores. Register for the August meeting of the Seaport Museum Book Club today to receive a 10% off discount code for online orders of the book at McNally Jackson Books.
Previous Book Club Picks
March 2023: The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky
February 2023: Soldier, Sailor, Spy: The Story of a Black American Loyalist by Charles Hoffmire
January 2023: Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan
October 2022: Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell
September 2022: Saved at the Seawall: Stories from the September 11 Boat Lift by Jessica DuLong
August 2022: Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel José Older
July 2022: The Lost Endeavour by John Masefield
Ready for more?
Head over to our Programs and Events page to see what else is happening at the Museum. Sign up for an upcoming talk, learn more about visiting Wavertree, or explore our virtual offerings.