May 2025 ‘City of Girls’ by Elizabeth Gilbert Book Club Meet up

Join us for this month’s book club meet up to discuss ‘City of Girls’ by Elizabeth Gilbert

If you’d like to have a drink or a bite to eat please bring cash to cover your order as they don't allow ordering at the counter or split bills so we’ll have to pay as a group at the end, sorry for any inconvenience.

Thanks.

In 1940, nineteen-year-old Vivian Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College, owing to her lackluster freshman-year performance. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconventional and charismatic characters, from the fun-chasing showgirls to a sexy male actor, a grand-dame actress, a lady-killer writer, and no-nonsense stage manager. But when Vivian makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand.

Ultimately, though, it leads her to a new understanding of the kind of life she craves-and the kind of freedom it takes to pursue it. It will also lead to the love of her life, a love that stands out from all the rest.

Now ninety-five years old and telling her story at last, Vivian recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life - and the gusto and autonomy with which she approached it.

Beloved author Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction with a unique love story set in the New York City theater world during the 1940s. Told from the perspective of an older woman as she looks back on her youth with both pleasure and regret (but mostly pleasure), City of Girls explores themes of female sexuality and promiscuity, as well as the idiosyncrasies of true love.

Written with a powerful wisdom about human desire and connection, City of Girls is a love story like no other.

Trigger and Content Warnings

Cheating
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Sexual assault
Physical abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War

At the meet up we will have a mix of sharing our thoughts on the book, sharing what other books we may be enjoying and recommend, general chat and planning next month’s book so please bring along your suggestions and, if you can, check if it’s available at local public libraries beforehand.

This is a safe, inclusive space where everyone is welcome and embraced.
We ask that you are open to hearing views different to yours and mindful of the impact your words may have if discussing sensitive topics that the book brings up.

PS You can definitely still attend if you haven’t read the book, however be prepared for spoilers 📚
Please RSVP so we know how many to expect, thank you 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🖤🤎