May Book Club - A Seat at the Table

Book: Revolt of the Cockroach People

This month, we’re diving into The Revolt of the Cockroach People by Oscar Zeta Acosta—a fierce, funny, and deeply unconventional work that blurs the line between memoir, fiction, and political manifesto. Chosen in part to coincide with Cinco de Mayo, this book offers a raw, satirical look at the Chicano Movement in 1960s Los Angeles, told through Acosta’s larger-than-life alter ego, “Buffalo Zeta Brown.”

At its core, the book follows Brown, a volatile attorney who becomes entangled in a series of real-life events: protests against the Vietnam War, police brutality cases, and the East L.A. student walkouts. As he defends activists and agitates against systemic injustice, the narrative spirals through courtroom drama, political organizing, and moments of surreal introspection. The result is less a traditional plot than a vivid, chaotic immersion into a community in revolt—capturing both the urgency of the movement and the personal contradictions of a narrator who is as flawed as he is passionate.

Bold, irreverent, and often deliberately disorienting, the novel challenges conventional storytelling while offering a powerful snapshot of a pivotal cultural and political moment. It’s no surprise it earned a place on The Atlantic’s list of Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years.

For discussion, we might explore:

• What makes this book feel “classic”—is it its subject matter, its voice, or its cultural impact?
• How does Acosta use humor and exaggeration to convey serious political realities?
• In what ways does the book challenge or expand our expectations of narrative and truth?
• How does the setting and historical moment shape the story’s urgency?

And for a lighter touch:

• If this were adapted today, who could capture Acosta’s wild, charismatic presence?
• Which moments felt the most surreal—or the most uncomfortably real?

Come ready to share your impressions, questions, and favorite passages as we unpack this bold and provocative work together over dinner.