BOOK CLUB JUNE 24: Death Comes for the Archbishop

May 18, 2026
Book Club, Featured

Join us at the Library for our June Book Club!

Title: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Book Club Date: Wednesday, June 24
Time: 5:30 pm
Recommended by: Sarah Malinowski

“I’ve picked a meditative escape for June. As we prepare for summer on Fishers and navigate the complexities of today’s world, let’s enjoy a tale of friendship set amidst the stark beauty of the Southwest.”
~ Sarah Malinowski

Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) is a masterpiece of historical fiction. The action takes place after the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded more than 50% of its territory to the United States (all of California, Utah, Arizona and Nevada; large parts of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming).

It is based on the true-life experiences of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy and Priest Joseph Projectus Machebeuf, two French Catholics who were tasked with establishing a new diocese in the Spanish Southwest.

The themes are friendship, living with purpose, moral integrity, and faith. The two priests navigate cultural challenges amidst the natural world of the Southwest, and its “limitless craggy beauty.”

The Vintage Classic Edition features an introduction by Claire Messud, who considers Cather essential reading and a personal inspiration.

Orange Cover version: Penguin Classics Reprint Edition: November 14, 2023 | Hardback

Book Club books are chosen by various members and. Our group now generally meets the 4th Wednesday of the month with a few exceptions. As we make our monthly choices, the library has or can get copies of all the books. You can also get them via LIBBY with your library card and on tape. Many are on Audible.

Please be sure to bring your calendars so that everybody can pick a month this year to choose a book that inspires them. As always, the library has copies of the books if needed. As we make our monthly choices, the library has or can get copies of all the books. You can also get them via LIBBY with your library card and on tape. Many are on Audible.

Best wishes,
Abby

How to become a Fishers Island Library Book Club member?
Contact Abby McCall or Ann Banks, or just come to a meeting, and you will be added to the contact list. Easy!