Library Book Clubs - OCLS

In July the Hiawassee Book Club will discuss The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly.

Two sisters living on Martha's Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore--and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it's too late? 2016: Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother's death as she travels to the storied island of Martha's Vineyard, to take a painting class. Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.

Join Orlando Public Library for the Romantasy Book Club, where we'll discuss The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen and share fun bookish activities. Ages 18 and up. Registration required using link below:

In August the Hiawassee Book Club will discuss The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.

The unnamed narrator, who works for Britain's Ministry of Defence sometime in the near future, is selected by the government to aid a newly formed agency to process time travelers from the past. Her assigned "expat" is real-life polar explorer Lt. Graham Gore, who has arrived in the future sometime before his death during the ill-fated 1845 Franklin expedition. He's a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, but with an appetite for discovery and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts. The travelers must learn about plastics, social media, and a dizzying set of changes in their landscape. Graham has an easier time of it than the rest; he is also luckier than them as the sinister reasons for the experiment become more apparent.

This event occurs online through Zoom. An email will be sent before the event with more information on how to join. To receive the Zoom link, please register at the Library's website (Library card not required), https://attend.ocls.org/event/16555247

In September the Hiawassee Book Club will discuss The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong.

One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai's relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink.

This event occurs online through Zoom. An email will be sent before the event with more information on how to join. To receive the Zoom link, please register at the Library's website (Library card not required), https://attend.ocls.org/event/16555276