But a new book club at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College open to students and the general public features a book that's perfect for such trying times. Professor Chuck Spataro will host the ECTC Book Club on December 11th at 7 pm in Room 112 of the Administration Building and lead readers in a discussion of "Good Poems for Hard Times," edited by public radio celebrity Garrison Keillor. "I wanted to host a book club in late in December so during the final months and weeks and days of 2008, a very stressful year for many, we could all be reading a book of hope and light and goodness. This book of poems edited by Keillor is perfect for what ails us....," said Spataro.

The book jacket says, "This anthology of 185 poems was selected by Garrison Keillor from those he had read on The Writers Almanac on public radiochosen as poems he might send to a friend whose life had gone skidding into the meridian, who had been struck by bad newsnot poems about suffering but poems that are bracing , as bold, clear writing can be..."

Spataro added, " After talking with many faculty/staff, students and members from the general public I kept hearing folks say, 'These days I don't have time to read a novel'...and... 'I would like to be reading something short and uplifting, like a good poem each day.' And so "Good Poems for Hard Times" seemed a natural selection."

The book is a very popular gift item found in most bookstores. The ECTC bookstore on the Elizabethtown campus has copies for sale and many local libraries may have this book available for check out. The price of attending the club is FREE, but readers are to provide their own copy of the book. Registration is required for this free book club. To register email Professor Chuck at Charles.spataro@kctcs.edu or call ( 270) 706-8476.