The Mexico Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle had its first meeting of this year on Oct. 4. Each season, members take on a fresh lineup of thought-provoking non-fiction books, “sparking conversations that are both fun and eye-opening,” according to a news release from the group.

“The CLSC has a fascinating history,” the release noted. “Launched in 1878 by the Chautauqua Institute in New York, it holds the title of America’s oldest continuous book club. It began as a way to bring education and big ideas to people in rural communities — ordinary men and women who wanted to keep learning and stay connected to the wider world.

“Mexico’s local chapter is especially notable. It’s believed to be one of the very first CLSC groups west of the Mississippi and one of the last active groups. While historians haven’t pinned down the exact year it began, there are strong clues it started as early as 1888, and the group was already going strong by 1901.”

The release added that more “than a century later, the CLSC tradition lives on here in Mexico, offering a place where books and life-long learners come together.”

The Mexico CLSC meets Tuesday afternoons from October through March at the Mexico/Audrain County Library. At each gathering, two members share reviews of non-fiction books they’ve selected from the chapter's recommended titles, covering subjects like art, history, science and other timely topics. The meetings offer not just learning, but also a sense of connection and community, the release stated.

The books and authors being reviewed this year are: “The Bright Side: How Optimists Change the World and How You Can Be one,” by Sumit Paul-Choudhury; “Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend,” by Rebecca Romney; “River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads,” by Cat Jarman; “Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction,” by Fergus Bordewich; “George: A Magpie Memoir,” by Frieda Hughes; “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan; “Invisible Iceberg: When Climate and Weather Shaped History,” by Joel Myers.

Other books are “Cloistered: My Years as a Nun,” by Catherine Coldstream; “Book of Queens: The True Story of the Middle Eastern Horsewomen who Fought the War on Terror,” by Pardis Mahdavi; “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” by Anthony Fauci; “Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World,” by Olga Khazan; “Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty,” by Patrick Radden Keefe; “Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir,” by Ina Garten; “Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders and the Rise of Social Engineering,” by Malcolm Gladwell; “Silk: A World History,” by Aarathi Prasad; “Plot Against Native America: The Fateful Story of Native American Boarding Schools and the Theft of Tribal Lands,” by Bill Vaughn; “How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering and Math from Nerd Nite,” by Chris Balakrishnan; “The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet,” by Jeff Goodell; “Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space,” by Adam Higginbothan; “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality,” by Renee DiResta; “The Woman Who Knew Everyone: The Power of Perle Mesta, Washington’s Most Famous Hostess,” by Meryl Gordon; “Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing and Touching Plants is Good for Our Health,” by Kathy Willis; “The Small and Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History From the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement,” by Sharon McMahon; “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War,” by Erik Larson; “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science,” by Dava Sobel; “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout,” by Cal Newport.

Current members of CLSC include Jan Berry, Mary Borman, Vicki Briggs, Susan Chitwood, Aggie Deimeke, Joy Fairchild, Elaine Mensching, Lou Mongler, Susan Rockett, Christine Shire, Sue Waechter, Tori Webber, Ellen Wilson and Karen Wright.

New members are welcome, anyone interested may contact any member or inquire at the Mexico-Audrain Library.