Bev Miller hosted the November 22 Alpha Study meeting at Annie Stocker’s meeting room in Gladbrook. President Pat Goos opened the meeting with a pet peeve reading: “When someone assumes that when you are reading a book, that you are “DOING NOTHING” and therefore can be interrupted, repeatedly.” Twenty-one members answered roll call. The Secretary’s report was read and approved. There was no correspondence. The Treasurer’s reports was read and approved. Old Business: The social committee passed out Christmas luncheon invitations. The luncheon will be Tuesday, December 13 at Spanky’s restaurant at 11:00 o’clock. Respond with regrets only. New Business: Mary Trobaugh reported that she and Carol Kress selected a wooden snowman for the nursing home Christmas gift. It will be delivered in December. Karen Handorf shared that Alpha Study will have a fireplace made of books at the Festival of Trees. Those also helping with the display are Pat Goos, Pat Clausen, and Avriel Koester. Jean Livingston introduced Sue Storjohann who reviewed the book Shouting Won’t Help….Why I and 50 Million Other Americans Can’t Hear You by Katherine Bouton. For twenty-two years Katherine Bouton had a secret that grew harder to keep every day. As an editor at the New York Times, during daily editorial meetings she couldn’t hear what her colleagues were saying. She had gone profoundly deaf in her left ear and her right was getting worse. As she once put it, she was “the kind of person who might have used an ear trumpet in the nineteenth century.” Shouting Won’t Help is a look at a widespread and misunderstood phenomenon. Using her experiences as a guide, Bouton examines the problem personally, psychologically, and physiologically. This is an account of what it’s like to live with an invisible disability. President Goos adjourned the meeting with a reminder of our Christmas Luncheon time and date. Bev served warm spiced fruit with a selection of delicate cookies, nuts, tea and coffee. Marcia Plett, Secretary