Book Drives Los Angeles

Book Discussion: Stoner by John Edward Williams

Read as much as you can and then let's meet up to discuss our thoughts on the book Stoner. "Plot Points: Stoner's life includes an ill-fated marriage to a cold woman, a tender affair with a colleague, strained relationships with his family, and a quiet, impactful career. Themes: The novel delves into loneliness, disappointment, existential meaning, the power of literature, and finding integrity and quiet dignity in a difficult world. Style: Written with simple, precise language, it captures the depth and beauty of a seemingly uneventful life, making the mundane feel profound."

September Bookclub: The Correspondent — Virginia Evans

**📚 Our September Book Has Been Chosen!** Thanks to everyone who voted! Our next **Books & Brew** read is: ***The Correspondent — Virginia Evans*** Grab a copy, start reading, and join us for a great conversation! **About the Book** Sybil Van Antwerp has spent much of her life putting pen to paper. Through letters exchanged with family, friends, authors, and strangers, she shares her thoughts, frustrations, memories, and the pieces of herself that can sometimes be easier to express in writing than face-to-face. Told entirely through correspondence, *The Correspondent* gradually reveals the story of a complicated, sharp-witted woman confronting the relationships, regrets, and losses that have shaped her life. Warm, reflective, and deeply human, the novel explores connection, forgiveness, grief, and the ways we continue to grow and understand ourselves—even when we think we already know our own story.

September Book Club - The Calamity Club: A Novel by Kathryn Stockett

Oxford, Mississippi, 1933. Abandoned by her mother one Christmas Eve, eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur has learned the hard way to rely on no one. Now one of the unadoptable "big girls" at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, she fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie Calhoun, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford to ask her socialite sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. But as the Depression tightens its grip, Birdie discovers her sister’s seemingly charmed life is a tapestry of lies. Then, Birdie encounters Charlie, a woman running low on luck with little left to lose. When their fates—and Meg’s—converge, Charlie comes up with an audacious plan for them to take control of their lives. But in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife and women’s freedom is fragile, even the smallest act of defiance can have dangerous consequences.

Blood Relations by Jonathan Moore

A modern detective novel featuring PI Lee Crowe, who investigates the mysterious death of Claire Gravesend, found in a cocktail dress atop a Rolls Royce in a dangerous San Francisco neighborhood. The story unfolds as Crowe navigates family secrets and unexpected twists while Claire's wealthy mother insists her daughter did not commit suicide

Chef's Kiss - Author conversation with Akanksha Aurora (Desi Buchanan)

We have the wonderful opportunity to sit down and talk with local author and friend of the book club Akanksha Aurora (pen name Desi Buchanan). We will be talking with her about her spicy novella Chef's Kiss. Newly laid off from her writing job in Los Angeles, Aasha has no choice but to return to Bombay, leaving her apartment, Pilates membership and polyamorous boyfriend behind. Enter Chef Aditya, a Bombay boy who knows how to throw it down in the kitchen and the bedroom. As sparks fly in their Diwali romance, Aasha can’t help but is Chef Aditya the missing ingredient she’s been looking for, or is this whole thing a recipe for disaster? You can follow and support Akanksha and her many adventures by following her on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bombay_satire

A San Marino/Lacy Park & Beyond, 10k-Steps Challenge #44 [TCP MOAI Adventure]

**Welcome to [The Canis Pack IKIGAI 10K Adventure] + Purpose, Friendship, Togetherness & Support!** **We Will Not Wait Until Life Is Not Hard To WELCOME Strength, Beauty & Joy Into Our Lives!** **SNIFF - EXPLORE - EXERCISE** [**THIS IS A WALK FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE DOGS - AND FOR THOSE WHO DO**] **AGENDA;** **\- Gathering at 5:45 \- 1485 Virginia Rd\. Lacy Park** **\- Leaving at 6:00 pm Promptly** **\- Bathroom Break as we head out** **\- Continue with the Inner and Outer Loop walk** **\- After the Loops\, then exploring the surrounding San Marino neighborhood\.** **\- This will be a 10K Walk – About 6\.2\-5 miles** **\- 2 Hours or so Walk** **\- 8:00 pm \- Returning to Lacy Park** **WHAT TO BRING;** **\- Water** **\- A Warm Jacket for Chilly Nights** **\- Flash Lite** **\- Bug Spray** **\- Snacks if needed** **\- Good walking shoes** **\- Comfortable walking clothes** **\- A bright Jacket for the Dark days** **LISTEN THERE'S MORE;** **Goal: A STRONG LIKE-MINDED TOGETHERNESS!** \* We will Establish Togethereness \* We will Bring about a Strong Awareness \* We will Establish a Strong National Presence \* We will Be Active and Responsible \* We will Always Think as a Like-Minded Group \* We will Put our Health and Wellbeing First \* We are a Pack-Family **\* We will Gather and Walk with Harmony** I know—10,000 steps might not sound like a lot, but for those of us who sit at desks or stand in one place all day, it's not always easy to hit that goal. And while 15,000 or 20,000 steps would be great, they also require more time. So to make it fun and manageable, we’re starting with 10k steps as a challenge—and we may increase the goal in future events. **THE IMPORTANT POINTS ARE THESE;** Space is limited, so **please RSVP only if you’re 100% sure you’ll attend.** 🙏🏾If you RSVP and don’t show, you will be 🚩Red Flagged 🚩for future events—we all appreciate reliability and respect for others' abilities to get a spot to walk!🙏🏾 Expect to hit somewhere between **10,000–12,000 steps (approximately 7.5-9 miles),** depending on the pace and group. This **midweek walking event** is going really well. So, let’s **stay active together** and **make this a Strong part of our routine.** **See You There.** [COMMENT BELOW IF YOU ARE IN AGREEMENT] **NOW IS THE TIME, LET’S GET TO WALKING;** Btw. Yes, Lacy Park allows dogs. However, they must be on a leash and it will be your own responsibility. No running involved. Just a casual, social walk. Bring water if you need it. **Free street parking is available in the surrounding areas. Please avoid parking inside the park lot, as the gates may close before we finish our walk.** **Park closes at dusk so I strongly advise against parking inside any of the lots. Just drive around, and you can easily find free open parking spaces.** **Lacy Park is located at 1485 Virginia Road, San Marino, CA 91108**

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash

Walk up Barnsdell to see the International Space Station go over

We will wait approximately 10- 15 minutes and then head up the park to hopefully see the ISS go over at 7:21 PM. It will be visible for 5 minutes! It will be 10° above NNW. Bring binoculars--not necessary. I've seen it without them before. We will walk to the grassy area next to the Hollyhock house. Link: [https://www.nasa.gov/spot-the-station/#Sightings](https://www.nasa.gov/spot-the-station/#Sightings) You'll have great views of the city up here too and get to see cool architecture like Frank Lloyd Wright Hollyhock House. [https://www.barnsdall.org/](https://www.barnsdall.org/) No one in bad health since we are walking up some stairs. Bring warm clothes. **Cloudy or rain cancels.**

[Meeting #16] Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a science fiction thriller about a physics professor, Jason Dessen, who is abducted and wakes up in an alternate reality where he is a celebrated scientist who chose his career over his family. The novel follows his desperate journey across infinite parallel universes to return to his original life, exploring themes of choice, identity, and the multiverse, and has been adapted into a major Apple TV+ series. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27833670-dark-matter

Literary Open Mic

Bring a five-minute (maximum) original reading to share with a community of writers. Or just come drink beer and soak in the poetry, short stories, songs, monologues, and more! It's free to attend and free to read. Check out our [merch](https://noholitmic.threadless.com/)! **Please note that the only way to reserve a spot to read is to follow this link to our [sign-up form](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0) (or copy and paste the link below).** RSVPing on MeetUp doesn't guarantee you a spot! If you'd like to come listen without reading, you are very welcome to, and you do not need to sign up or RSVP. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0)

A South Pas/Garfield Park & Beyond, 10K-Step Challenge #30 [TCP MOAI Adventure]

**SNIFF - EXPLORE - EXERCISE** **Welcome to [The Canis Pack IKIGAI 10K Adventure] + Purpose, Friendship, Togetherness & Support!** **We Will Not Wait Until Life Is Not Hard To WELCOME Strength, Beauty & Joy Into Our Lives!** [**THIS IS A WALK FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE DOGS - AND FOR THOSE WHO DO**] **AGENDA;** **\- Gathering at 5:45 \- 1000 Park Ave\ Garfield Park** **\- Leaving at 6:00 pm Promptly** **\- Bathroom Break as we head out** **\- Continue with the Inner and Outer Loop walk** **\- After the Loops\, then exploring the surrounding South Pasadena neighborhood\.** **\- This will be a 10K Walk – About 6\.2\-5 miles** **\- 2 Hours or so Walk** **\- 8:00 pm \- Returning to Garfield Park** **WHAT TO BRING;** **\- Water** **\- A Warm Jacket for Chilly Nights** **\- Flash Lite** **\- Bug Spray** **\- Snacks if needed** **\- Good walking shoes** **\- Comfortable walking clothes** **\- A bright Jacket for the Dark days** **LISTEN, THERE'S MORE** **Goal: A STRONG LIKE-MINDED TOGETHERNESS!** \* We will Establish Togetherness \* We will Bring about a Strong Awareness \* We will Establish a Strong National Presence \* We will Be Active and Responsible \* We will Always Think as a Like-Minded Group \* We will Put our Health and Wellbeing First \* We are a Pack-Family \* We will Gather and Walk with Harmony **THE IMPORTANT POINTS ARE THESE;** ONLY (10) TEN DOGS FOR THIS WALK, SO SIGN UP QUICK AND BE ACTIVE AND SHOW UP. CALLING UP TO (60) HUMANS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING SOME STRONG, INVIGORATING, FRESH AIR! **[ALSO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE BRINGING YOUR DOG!]** We will be walking around. No running involved. Just a casual, social walk. Bring water if you need it. Around the center loop of GP and around the outer loop of GP. Then we will venture through the neighborhood and back to the Park. At the end of the walk, the humans with the dogs may stay for 15 to 20 minutes to ask questions or get tips on dog behavior. 🙏🏾Space is limited, so **Please (RSVP) only if you’re 100% sure you will attend.** If you (**RSVP)** and don’t show, it is a **🚩Red Flag🚩** for future events—we all appreciate strong reliability and respecting others’ being able to have a spot.🙏🏾 We’ll be **walking until** **around 8:00 PM.** Expect to hit somewhere between **10,000–12,000 steps (approximately 7.5-9 miles),** depending on the pace and group. This is going to go really well, and I will be hosting more **midweek walking events** **every other week** so we can **stay active together** and **make exercise a routine in our day-to-day lives.** **NOW IS THE TIME, LET'S GET TO IT – GENERAL INFO;** This meetup group is for Dog owners and Humans who enjoy exploring, exercising, and socializing with their furry friends. Whether you're into agility training, dog training, or simply love visiting the great outdoors and fun places with your pup, or just yourself, this group is for you. All sizes and breeds of dogs are welcome to join us for group walks, or meetups, and social gatherings. Let's make new friends, strengthen the bond with our dogs, neighboring humans, and have a Pawsitively good time together! Join us and become part of the pack today. Garfield Park allows dogs. But they must be on a leash, and it will be your own responsibility. **Free street parking is available in the surrounding areas** **Garfield Park is located at 1000 Park Ave. South Pasadena, CA 91030**

Shut Up & Write!® at And Destroy Coffee and Gaming

Today's event led by co-host Jason B: 10 am - meet up and chitchat 10:05 - introductions and setting intentions 10:15 - begin writing for 60 min 11:15 - finish the hour, around the room, mingle Join us for some focused writing time. All writers and all experience levels are welcome and don’t worry, no one will see what you've written. This session is about getting your writing done and meeting other writers in your area. When you show up, say hello, grab a drink, and get your writing tools ready. Once you’re all settled, you can take some time to chat with your fellow writers. Once everyone’s arrived, I will lead quick introductions and then set the timer for our quiet and focused writing session. Afterward, we’ll have time to chat and get to know each other. We often talk about our successes and challenges as writers. If you don’t have time to stick around, no worries! **A note about the format** We don’t host critiques or readings. These events are a safe space for writers of all skill levels and genres to work on their craft, so no one will read or critique your writing. For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com) **Other Important Details:** WiFi name/password: Password protected guest wifi available. Travel / Parking info: Free street parking. Venue Guidelines: Please thank our hosts by purchasing something.