Book Drives Los Angeles

Book Discussion: The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

"From the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collections Night Sky with Exit Wounds and Time Is a Mother, as well as the novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, comes The Emperor of Gladness—a novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. One evening in East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to an elderly widow with dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he becomes her caretaker. The unlikely pair develop a life-altering bond built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to transform Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community on the brink. The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. It’s about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance. A recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship and the American Book Award, Ocean Vuong used to work as a fast-food server, which inspired The Emperor of Gladness. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently splits his time between Northampton, Massachusetts, and New York City. Vuong will be in conversation with Nicole Chung, the author of the memoirs A Living Remedy, named a Notable Book by The New York Times, and All You Can Ever Know, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award."

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

In a slight departure, the runner-up from the June book poll is now the July book, and the July book poll winner is now the August book, for two reasons: The selected title for August is long and still has a 14 week wait at the library, so hopefully pushing it back by one month will give everyone enough time to get it and read it! **Summary of Eleanor Oliphant from Goodreads:** No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine. Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.

Book Club: If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura

In *If Cats Disappeared from the World,* our narrator’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . . Looking forward to enjoying boba and books at Dym in Pasadena. The menu can be found here: https://www.dympasadena.com/drinks The event fee will secure your reservation and be applied to membership dues, which covers the cost of the website. The event fee is NONREFUNDABLE unless the event is canceled by the organizer. To join the waitlist comment on the event page. If you have RSVPed and can no longer attend, please contact me directly and I will contact the people on the waiting list and then move you to "not going" when I find a replacement. Thank you and happy reading!

Queer Book Club- "Luda" by Grant Morrison

The Secret History- Donna Tartt

Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke

**IN-PERSON EVENT at Sheri's House** Bring either something to eat or drink.... and enjoy the conversation. *** #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR (SO FAR) • A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel. "A bold and biting satire, Yesteryear…will have you cackling and gasping right to the final page." —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive. Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the heir to a political dynasty? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it. Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a ruthless reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible. A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood.

Los Angeles French Language Circle

Ready to practice your French in a relaxed, friendly setting? Join us for our next language circle! This informal session is designed for local learners of all levels—whether you are just starting out with "Bonjour" or looking to polish your conversational skills. We will have light discussion prompts, fun icebreakers, and plenty of opportunities to chat and connect with fellow language lovers in the neighborhood. - **Cost:** Completely Free! - **Refreshments:** Complimentary snacks and drinks will be provided to keep the conversation flowing. - **What to bring:** Just your curiosity, enthusiasm, and a desire to learn! Spaces are limited to keep the conversation engaging, so please RSVP to secure your spot. We can't wait to meet you! À bientôt !

The Atomic Habits Bookclub

Dataland

Author Conversation with Nayantara Roy - Sisters of a Halved Heart

Come join us for a conversation with author Nayantara Roy as she discusses her newest book with us Sisters of a Halved Heart. Nayantara had previously written The Magnificent Ruins which drew a lot of critical claim, this time around her newest novel focuses on the story of two sisters who have to navigate a terrible betrayal from within their family. In a propulsive story of love and passion and the ultimate pull of family, *Sisters of a Halved Heart* examines the lengths we will go to in order to make our own narratives of love work out, the lies we tell ourselves, and the ways in which the truth, often right in front of you, can be impossible to see.

Los Angeles Beginner Speed Dating via Zoom

A friendly online speed dating evening for Los Angeles singles, hosted on Zoom. We're a welcoming local community where people come to meet genuine faces from the area. Expect short one-on-one chats, matched by age, all from the comfort of home. Sign up here: [Reserve your place](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=570&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Los%20Angeles&groupurlname=club-dust-jacket-discussion-and-meetup-society&face_v=1.0) Tapping RSVP lets us know you're interested. To join the rounds, please finish your sign-up at the link above.

The Year of Magical Thinking

Join us for a Book Club discussion **The Year of Magical Thinking** by Joan Didion; a harrowing memoir exploring the year following the sudden death of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne, and the severe, concurrent illness of their daughter, Quintana Roo. Didion maps the disorienting, isolating, and utterly illogical nature of profound grief. Sounds depressing and also a VERY good read according to many. We will meet at Oh LA LA on Colorado. Please be on time. They will not seat us until all of us are there.