Old Friends Remain Connected
In 1954, a group of young mothers, most living a few blocks from one another on Milwaukee’s east side, started a book club. At that time, book clubs provided the rare chance for intelligent, curious women to share their thoughts, and perhaps some frustrations, over lunch and an enjoyable read. Books ranging from classics to bestsellers provoked conversations on topics from religion to riots, terrorism to tragedy, civil rights to marijuana. Over the years, several authors were invited into club members’ homes to talk about their books the club was reading. . .
Some 65 years later, seven out of 16 found themselves (without ever discussing it) living at Saint John’s On The Lake. Penny Egan, Jill Heavenrich, Barbara Elsner, Nici Teweles, Nat Beckwith and Betty Bostrom along with Sally Tolan who passed away in 2020, have enjoyed more than six decades of friendship – and over 800 books.
