AFS Book Club
Host: Dr. Linda Bailey
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When and where is this book club?
Location: Wildflower
Seville Shopping Center (Across the street from Railroad Park)
Address: 7001 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 10:30am (may go longer)
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Tell me about this book club!
The AFS Book Club will meet 5 times from October through April to discuss flute, music history and helpful performance related books. There’s something for everyone! Flute topics, performance tips, humorous music history, and even a fictional book! What's even better, it's free for all AFS members!
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OK, I'm interested! How do I participate?
Read the AFS Book Club selected book (or a paragraph or a chapter) and come discuss the book. Haven’t read the book? Come and socialize with fellow AFS members! It’s casual and it’s fun… no rsvp required.
All book clubs need to have extra fun - in addition to discussing the book, there may be additional activities at a book club meeting. These activities will be short, appropriate for everyone and will be related to the book being discussed. The new book will be announced at the end of the previous AFS Book Club meeting and online.
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What book are we reading​​​?​
​Getting A Handel on Messiah by David Barber is a seasonally timed short music history read. David Barber uses lighthearted humor and facts to enrich our understanding of this wonderfully well-known work. Dave Donald’s illustrations at the beginning of each chapter will entice you to read further and may make you laugh a little. According to the back cover of the book here are some tidbits you may learn while reading this short history book…Handel’s first impulse to compose the work came not from religious inspiration but rather financial. The first performance of Messiah took place in Dublin. Originally, the Hallelujah chorus had a different title. Enjoy reading this brief history book and come discuss what you learned (or didn’t because you only read a paragraph!) on November 29th at 9:30am. I can’t wait to hear what you all have to say!
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Getting a Handel on the Messiah:
cost: $15.00 (paperback)
We’ll be meeting at a coffee place, so please be prepared to buy your own drink or snack. AFS wants everyone to be included - many of the books are available at libraries. Think about sharing a book with someone from AFS once you have finished reading it, or if you are able, buy an extra book to donate to the AFS library!
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Future AFS Book Club Dates
Note: the next book title will be announced at each meeting, as well as via email and media announcements from AFS:​
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January 3, 2026
February 21, 2026
April 18, 2026
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Past Book Club Meetings
