The Hoosier Authors Book Club enters its 10th year with five planned book discussions — several with strong Crawfordsville ties. The next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. June 26 in the Lew Wallace Carriage House at 200 Wallace Ave. The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum’s book club will discuss “The Port of Missing Men” by Meredith Nicholson, a Crawfordsville native and friend of Lew and Susan Wallace. The book is available online at Amazon. Visit https://www.amazon.com/Port-Missing-Men-Meredith-Nicholson/dp/1530110327/ $5.99 paperback or https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-port-of-missing-men-nicholson-meredith/11166477?ean=9781539363798 $11.25 paperback.
Nicholson became one of the best-selling authors of the early 20th century, a politician and a diplomat. He was a key author in the Golden Age of Indiana authors. This book followed his popular “House of a Thousand Candles” (1906) and preceded his equally popular “A Hoosier Chronicle” (1912).
Published in 1907, this story is set in the early 1900s and follows the life of a wealthy young man named John Keith, who embarks on a sea voyage to the Philippines in search of adventure and romance. Things take a dark turn when Keith’s ship is wrecked on a deserted island and he becomes stranded with a group of other survivors. As they struggle to survive on the island, Keith begins to uncover a sinister plot involving a group of missing men who were last seen in the same area. With the help of a beautiful young woman named Hope, Keith sets out to unravel the mystery and uncover the truth behind the missing men.
The novel is a thrilling adventure story that explores themes of love, betrayal and redemption. It also delves into the complexities of human nature and the lengths that people will go to in order to achieve their goals. “The Port of Missing Men” is a classic tale of survival and intrigue that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Other books that will be read by the Hoosier Authors Book Club this year include: “Some Memories of a Long Life — Malvina Shanklin Harlan,” with a Foreword by Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18; and “The Witchery of Archery” by Maurice Thompson on Oct. 23.
All discussions are free and open to the public.
For more information about the Hoosier Authors Book Club visit https://www.ben-hur.com/programs/hoosier-authors-book-club/.
