CURRENT HOURS: Programs by reservation only from November through April

Book Club

open book on wooden table with bookshelves behind

Book Club takes place on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Registration is $12 per session, or free for Living History Farms members. Registration will open January 21 at 10am.

(Watch for Kids’ Book Club registration to open in April for sessions in June-July-August.)

TO REGISTER

Non-members may purchase as guest or create an account.

Members must create an account in order to receive the member price.

Step 1: Log In / Create Account

We have a new ticketing system!  Everyone will need to create a new account.

  • Click “Log In”
  • Click on “Register” tab
  • Do not select “I am a member”—the system will recognize your membership automatically
  • Enter your last name and the email address associated with your membership
  • Follow the instructions sent to your email

Step 2: Return to this page and click purchase button.

PURCHASE

You will receive an email confirming the registration.
If you require assistance, please contact the Registrar at 515-278-5286 x 123 or email registrar@lhf.org.
We strongly encourage you to read our refund & cancelation policy. You will be prompted to agree to the policy to complete your order. You can read our policy here.

2025 Book List

book cover

February 18: “The Medicine Woman of Galveston” by Amanda Skenandore

A doctor traveling with a medicine show is caught in the Galveston hurricane of 1900. She and the troupe ride out the storm in a town that is both hostile and desperate for their help.

Location: Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale

book cover

April 15: “Booth” by Karen Joy Fowler

This epic novel interweaves the story of John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, with that of his parents and siblings.

Location: Flynn Mansion (meet at Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale)

book cover

June 17: “Where the Lost Wander” by Amy Harmon

A 28-year-old widow sets off on the Oregon Trail in 1853, eager for a fresh start in the West. Her journey with the wagon train brings love along with unimaginable hardships.

Afternoon location: Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale
Evening location: Flynn Mansion (meet at Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale)

book cover

August 19: “The General and Julia” by Jon Clinch

As a dying Ulysses S. Grant struggles to write his memoirs, he reflects on his life as a victorious Union general and a twice-elected president.

Afternoon location: Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale
Evening location: Flynn Mansion (meet at Visitor Center, 11121 Hickman, Urbandale)

book cover

October 21: “The Last Days of Night” by Graham Moore

An account of the race to electrify America. A young, ambitious lawyer defends George Westinghouse against Thomas Edison to determine who invented the lightbulb.

Location: Murray Conference Center (enter from Gate 4, directions here)

book cover

November 18: “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce” by Stanley Weintraub

Weintraub uses the stories of the men who were there in 1914, along with their letters and diaries, to illuminate this extraordinary and poignant moment.

Location: Murray Conference Center (enter from Gate 4, directions here)

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