Book Swaps New York

Book Swap @ Central Park

***The Meetup guest limit is 10 because of the free event limit, but we have unlimited space for people to join us.*** Book swap 11am-2pm at Sheep Meadow in Central Park. Look for books and the sign. This is a drop-in/drop-out event, meaning you don't have to stay the entire time. All genres, all sizes, and all conditions welcome. Leftover books will be recycled at future book swaps. **Don't have a book to contribute?** We'll have plenty of extras for you. **Not a big reader?** Come hang out anyway!

The Tombs of Atuan Discussion

Come join us for an in-depth discussion of themes and motifs in Ursula K. Le Guin's *The Tombs of Atuan*, an indirect sequel to *A Wizard of Earthsea*! (Note: You don't need to have read *Earthsea* before reading *Tombs*, so anyone can immediately pick it up.)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

NYC Romcom Book Club 💕 Elevator Pitch by Evelyn Leigh

At this meeting we will discuss the Elevator Pitch by Evelyn Leigh 😊

“Siren’s Call”, “Midnight Library” and “Washington”

Hi members! We will meet on June 4th at 6pm and discuss “Siren’s Call” by Chris Hayes, about the way technology is attracting our attention and alienating us from each-other; “Midnight Library” by Matt Haig about a woman finding herself between life and death where she is given the chance to re-live the past choices she didn’t not make and see life differently; and “Washington” by Ron Chernov about the life and legacy of George Washington, in the light of the 250th anniversary of America. As always, you’ll have to have read at least one of the titles, but you’re welcome to read and discuss all three. Happy reading!

Dead Souls (book 1) by Nikolai Gogol

This month’s read: Dead Souls (book 1) by Nikolai Gogol Join us to discuss this novel, first published in 1842, which follows a scheming traveler who tries to profit by purchasing the names of deceased serfs from landowners across Russia. It unfolds as a strange journey through a chain of encounters that become steadily more unusual and unsettling. Spaces are limited; RSVP required. You are welcome to participate regardless of whether you've finished the book. Please note: we will not be discussing book 2 (the fragmented, unfinished sequel to Dead Souls that is included in many editions). Looking forward to seeing you there! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Dead Souls is a darkly satirical Russian novel that exposes the corruption, greed, and absurdity of 19th-century imperial bureaucracy. First published in 1842, this literary classic follows the cunning protagonist, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, as he travels across provincial Russia buying up the names of deceased serfs—“dead souls”—to exploit a loophole in the law and elevate his social status. Gogol blends comedy, grotesque realism, and biting political commentary to create a brilliant social critique that remains relevant today. Often compared to the works of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, Dead Souls is a cornerstone of Russian literature and one of the earliest major works to fuse absurdist humor with a penetrating psychological portrait of flawed humanity. Gogol's vivid characters and surreal landscapes create an unforgettable journey through the decaying moral fabric of society, making it essential reading for fans of satirical fiction, Russian classics, and political allegory. Source: Amazon.com

Bookclub Sundayyy

Manhattan Smutty Book Club -

The book for this month is Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me. And you'd be wrong. Because now, the aliens are having ship trouble, and they've left their cargo of human women - including me - on an ice planet. And the only native inhabitant I've met? He's big, horned, blue, and really, really has a thing for me... Please join us at Cornerstone Tavern, 961 2nd Ave, New York, NY (51st and 2nd) for great conversation, laughs, and friendship. Look for our signs, and listen for the laughter. We are often in the back of Cornerstone behind the curtain, which is actually a different restaurant called the Stags Head. We start at 7pm, but feel free to come early before happy hour ends at 7. People usually start to drift in by 6:30pm.

Book to be discussed: “Tramps Like Us” by Joe Westmoreland

"*Tramps Like Us* is a modern day Huckleberry Finn. It's an all-American story about the search for home, for a better life, feeling like a refugee in one's own country. It's about creating a family from a group of misfits. It tells what it was like to come of age in the era between gay liberation and the beginning of the AIDS crisis." — [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217388193-tramps-like-us?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16) After the meeting, we head over to Julius' (one of the oldest operating gay bars in NYC) to chat about things other than books. Julius' is at 159 West 10th Street (on the corner of Waverly Place, about a block from the library). www.juliusbarny.com

So Big by Edna Ferber

We've been talking about reading more classic literature, and somehow Edna Ferber came to mind. She wrote "ShowBoat" and "Saratoga Trunk" and so many important works of the early 20th century. "So Big" was the one that won the Pulitzer. It's both a little story and a big story, a family story and an American story. It's about an American woman raising her son on her own, and the American society they move in and that shapes them. And the lady can write! Ferber's Pulitzer and still a moving and powerful book.

Bromantasy by Máire Roche

To kick off summer we’re reading what looks like a fun one! New release Bromantasy by Máire Roche! Two heroes. One brain cell. BROMANTASY is a cozy, queer fantasy about the mortifying ordeal of being known by your totally platonic best friend and the epic quest that might force you to confront the truth. Fellas, is it gay to kiss your bff while on a quest through the forest you’re unqualified for? Juniper O'Reilly is good at only two things: demolishing a pint of mead and finding the perfect skincare routine. Everything else—taking care of the farm, bartering for goods, any sort of manual labor—falls to Juniper’s best friend, the absurdly capable, endlessly patient Mo Elmthorn. But when Juniper accidentally volunteers them both for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, he knows he’s finally gotten in over his head. Juniper hates camping, he hates the dark, and there’s no way all these foraged mushrooms are going to sit well in his stomach. One thing he doesn’t hate? How good Mo’s thighs look in his questing pants—he doesn’t have time to think about that, though, with a monster to hunt and their futures on the line. But monsters come in all shapes and sizes. When Juniper and Mo realize that the terrifying beast they’ve sworn to kill is just a scared little girl torn from their family, they’re off to find not only the true villain of the story, but maybe even a happy ending.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower discussion

We will discuss *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* by Stephen Chbosky on Wed., May 27 at 7 p.m. at Agora Taverna, 70-09 Austin St., Forest Hills. It is a block south of Queens Blvd. on the corner of 70th Ave., close to the 71st/Continental stop on the E/F/M/R trains. The menu is at https://agora-taverna.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DINNER-MENU-2025-6.pdf