Staff Picks
20 years of “Clubbing”
I moved to Chicago in May of 1998 for a job at the Chicago Public Library. That fall my co-worker asked me to join her for a new book club she was putting together.
The rest is 20 years of history!
One of the first people I met when I started my new job at the Roosevelt Branch of Chicago Public Library was my co-worker Sarah.
Meeting for dinner, wine and BOOK CLUB for 20 years!
But the book club she started and that I joined is one of the most enduring things in my life outside of my family.
In some ways, they ARE family.
Our book club has met every first Thursday of the month for 20 years.
We will be celebrating this September by inviting any and all members for whom we have contact information.
(One Thursday early this year we counted and estimated over the years we’ve had about 27 members. So far 13 will be in attendance.
This is wonderful, considering so many are scattered around the states and the world. I can’t wait!
The Des Plaines Public Library has a fabulous Book Club collection that I’ve used dozens of times over the years to read the various picks.
I’ve also used it to grab multiple copies for the group when time was short or the title so hot copies were hard to find.
As you may imagine, the list of books we have read is LONG.
I hope you don’t mind, I’ve shared a few of my faves from over the years. Happy Reading!
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Favorite read that I refer to a lot but can never remember the title:
A Brief History of the Dead
by Kevin Brockmeier, June 2008
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Favorite read where I ranted about the arrogant author and wondered aloud why I should bother to finish it:
Cloud Atlas
by David Mitchell, December 2013
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Of my picks for book club, most fondly remembered by the group:
Coldest Winter Ever
by Sistah Souljah, August 2005
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Favorite book of all time, read for book club when it was the One Book, One Chicago pick, now read more than six times:
Interpreter of Maladies
by Jhumpa Lahiri, January 2007