The Correspondent (Virginia Evans) April 15, 2026 Meeting

The Richmond Book Club's April meeting will be held Wednesday, April 15, 2026, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at the Capital Ale House, Midlothian, 13831 Village Place Drive. The book we're reading is The Correspondent (Virginia Evans, 2025).

From Kirkus Reviews:
"Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing.
"As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past.
"Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness.
"Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth."

Please join us to talk about the book, socialize, and have something to eat/drink. Our meeting will be held in the upstairs space at Capitol Ale House, Midlothian. There is no elevator. I can be reached at pawoodson@msn.com/text 760-650-6953 with any questions you may have. You can also use the Notifications or Messages options on the Club's page.

Thanks.

Pat Woodson