
What we’re about
If you have any questions, use Meetup internal communication or contact me via eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com (Preferred).
Books are made better by the conversations that happen about them.
Reading is isolating, unless you talk about the book. Then reading becomes a social experience within a community.
If you liked or did not like a book, and want to hear different thoughts on the book, this is a book club for you.
Want to create a habit of reading? The book club's community will support your drive.
Not sure about what you get out of books, or how to think about books, or how to apply the book's topics? Join the discussions and put your knowledge to the test.
This club primarily hosts non-fiction book club event, and some fiction. The value of the club comes from the discussions, and listening to everyone's views about the book. Everyone's different views. There will be agreement, but disagreement is permitted and encouraged. Everyone's diverse backgrounds will cause everyone to have different approaches to the topic which will elucidate arguments for and against the topic. What matters is how you engage with the information learned in the book and everyone's ideas. To seek out and understand the complexity of the topic.
A Note On Disagreement: Conflict is inevitable. Disagreement is inevitable. People come from different backgrounds, which causes them to interpret information differently. Sparking conflict and disagreement. Although conflict and disagreement cannot be avoided, each individual can choose how they respond to them. Everyone can choose how to fight. Can choose how to disagree. Everyone can make conflict and disagreement productive. Enabling everyone to become better. Disagreement causes a search for more information, for the reasons why others think differently. Which makes everyone more informed, better able to analyze the information. Knowing how to disagreement is a skill that can learned through practice.
There are conditions that are needed to facilitate an honest discussion about the different views everyone has, community guidelines. 1) To enable everyone be heard, everyone is able to speak. Priority goes to those who spoke less. 2) It is acceptable for everyone to err, and disagree. By finding out different information can any individual choose to error correct. For more community guidelines and the event's discussion, see Community Guidelines (Click Here).
The list of books are mostly member suggestions. Every cycle members suggest books, and then poll which books they wish to read. Books are selected for poll rank, and topic diversity. For details about How The Book List Gets Made, Click Here. Page contains the reasons why books are listed, and things to consider when suggesting books.
Club Maintenance:
The club has costs. If you appreciate the event, support the club. Contribute via:
- Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.
- GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/adabd41c
My blog for book reviews: https://www.inquiryreviews.com/p/about-inquiry.html
Basic Statistics:
Past Events = 140
Book Club Events = 133
Author Appearance = 7
Book Shop Visits = 6
Related Events = 1
Attendance: Average = 11, Standard Deviation = 6
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong by Steve Magness | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Full Title: Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness
Suggested by: Derek R
Pages to read: 216
ISBN: 9780063098619 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: 9780063098633 (Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Doing Something Difficult - 06/28/2025 = Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
2 - Difficult To Understand - 07/12/2025 = Understanding Knowledge by Michael Huemer
3 - Self-Help - 08/02/2025 = Tao Te Ching: Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao by Lao Tzu
4 - Difficult To Understand -08/09/2025 = Why? The Purpose of the Universe by Philip Goff
5 - Self-Help - 10/18/2025 = Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul SartreWhile reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What does it mean to be tough?
•How does being tough effect sports?
•How does being tough effect how a child develops?
•How tough are the people who are trained through authoritarian methods?
•What happened to people who are punished into becoming better, when they are not being punished?
•Who are the Junction Boys?
•Can cruel training methods build toughness?
•What is dissociation?
•How do soldiers build toughness?
•What does it mean to believe in yourself?
•How does confidence effect coping with a situation?
•What happened to the self-esteem research and how did that research effect society?
•How does self-worth effect a person’s mental health?
•When does faking confidence work?
•What is give-up-it is and how does it effect society?
•How does a sense of control effect mental health?
•How do emotions effect thinking and behavior?
•Why is being alone a skill?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Suggested by: Member
Pages to read: TBP
ISBN: 9781982181284Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Ideas - 07/12/2025 = Understanding Knowledge by Michael Huemer
2 - Interaction With State - 07/19/2025 = Seeing Like a State: Schemes to Improve Have Fail by James C. Scott
3 - Style of Math - 08/16/2025 = The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver
4 - Interaction With State - 08/30/2025 = How States Think by John J. Mearsheimer, Sebastian Rosato
5 - Ideas - 09/27/2025 = The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt RidleyContribute:
The club has costs. If you appreciated the event, support the club. Contribute via:- Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.
- GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/adabd41c
While reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- Saladin: The Sultan Who Vanquished the Crusaders by John Man | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Full Title: Saladin: The Sultan Who Vanquished the Crusaders and Built an Islamic Empire
Suggested by: Book Shop Extra
Pages to read: 274
ISBN: 9780306825422 (Originally listed edition, & Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - How States Try To Improve - 07/19/2025 = Seeing Like a State: Schemes to Improve Have Fail by James C. Scott
2 - International Relations - 08/30/2025 = How States Think by John J. Mearsheimer, Sebastian Rosato
5 - Neighbors - 10/04/2025 = The Land of Hope and Fear: Israel's Battle by Isabel KershnerContribute:
The club has costs. If you appreciated the event, support the club. Contribute via:- Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.
- GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/adabd41c
While reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is Saladin’s true name?
•Who was Saladin?
•Who was Reynald?
•How did Islam effect the people?
•What do Muslims think of art and science?
•What did Muslims think of Jews and Christians?
•What is the Shia-Sunni split?
•Who were the Assassins?
•How did Charlemagne effect Europe?
•What was the European political situation?
•What was the Christian political situation?
•How did Pope Urban manage conflicts?
•What did the Turks and Arabs think of Crusaders?
•How did the Seljuks effect Turkey?
•What factors contributed to the 2nd Crusade?
•How did people exchange information?
•What was Saladin’s first campaign?
•What happened between Nur al-Din and Shirkuh?
•How did Saladin become a political leader controlling territory?
•Who did Saladin serve?
•How did Nur al-Din handle Saladin’s power rise?
•To whom did Saladin show mercy?
•Why give alms?
•Who became Nur al-Din successor?
•What was the truce between Saladin and Baldwin?
•What was Reynald’s aim in Medina?
•What was the interaction between Saladin and Reynald?
•How long did sieges last?
•What did jihadist think of Saladin’s generosity?
•How did Saladin’s reputation change after taking Jerusalem?
•What did the Byzantine emperor think of the co-religionists?
•How did women take part in the Crusades?
•What was Richard’s personality?
•What did Richard do to prisoners, and how did Saladin respond?
•What decision did Saladin make for Ascalon before the arrival of Richard?
•What happened to Conrad?
•How did the 3rd Crusade end?
•What happened to Richard in Austria?
•Was Saladin successful?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.
- Understanding Knowledge by Michael Huemer | Book ClubLink visible for attendees
Suggested by: Member
Pages to read: 386
ISBN: 9798359316699 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: B0C5VBNCXW (Edition Eugene is using)Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)
Community Guidelines (Meetup Link, Click Here)
All Upcoming event (Meetup Link, Click Here)
Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Trying To Understand - 07/19/2025 = Seeing Like a State: Schemes to Improve Have Fail by James C. Scott
2 - Trying To Understand - 08/02/2025 = Tao Te Ching: Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao by Lao Tzu
3 - Trying To Understand - 08/09/2025 = Why? The Purpose of the Universe by Philip Goff
4 - Trying To Understand - 08/16/2025 = The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver
5 - Trying To Understand - 12/06/2025 = An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David HumeWhile reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is epistemology?
•What is a proposition?
•Is a proposition a belief?
•What are the characteristics of an argument?
•What is knowledge?
•What are justifications?
•What is the Gettier’s refutation?
•What is reliabilism?
•Should people define their terms?
•What are the structures of knowledge?
•What coherence theory of justification?
•What is skepticism? What are the types of skepticism?
•What is foundationalism?
•What is meta-knowledge?
•How does cognitive faculties effect knowledge?
•What is inferential knowledge?
•What is empirical knowledge?
•What is a priori knowledge?
•What happens to failed philosophical knowledge?
•What do observations provide?
•What is Bayesian analysis?
•What is “Nullius in verba”?
•What is the effect of disagreement?Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.