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Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle - October

  • Peoria Women's Club 301 Northeast Madison Avenue Peoria, IL, 61603 United States (map)

Join the Peoria Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, a collaboration between the Peoria Women’s Club and Bradley University’s OLLI program. Discover the oldest continuous book club in the U.S., founded in 1878, dedicated to promoting reading across various disciplines. This semester’s selection includes four books from the Chautauqua Institution’s annual list:

The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance Description: Phosphorus has shaped some of history's deadliest weapons—firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas—and yet it is also essential for life as the cornerstone of fertilizer that sustains billions. In his compelling exploration of this crucial element, Pulitzer Prize finalist Dan Egan delves into its global impact and storied history, from its discovery in a seventeenth-century alchemy lab to the battlefields of Waterloo, guano islands of Peru, Bone Valley of Florida, and beyond. Egan reveals how phosphorus has revolutionized agriculture, feeding a booming global population, but warns of its environmental toll—triggering toxic algae blooms and "dead zones" worldwide. As the access to phosphorus dwindles, Egan highlights the looming threat to global food security and the potential for conflict.

Start anytime for the opportunity to graduate nationally. Registration includes breakfast, snacks, coffee, and a $10 CLSC membership fee. We welcome all who are interested in literature and intellectual discussions.

Questions? 

Contact Peoria CLSC Instructor Lynette Steger at (309) 642-2688 or stegerlynette@gmail.com.

Location: Peoria Women’s Club, 301 NE Madison Ave., Peoria, IL 61603

Here’s where you can find parking around PWC:

Earlier Event: September 19
September Luncheon & Program with GFWC
Later Event: October 17
October Luncheon & Program