Altered Books

Everyone\, please join us on Monday\, February 9 at 7 p\.m\. to discuss The Rule of Laws: A 4\,000\-Year Quest to Order the World \| 454pp by [Fernanda Pirie](https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/people/fernanda-pirie). In The Rule of Laws, Oxford scholar Fernanda Pirie traces the rise and fall of the sophisticated legal systems underpinning ancient empires and religious traditions, while also showing how common people—tribal assemblies, merchants, farmers—called on laws to define their communities, regulate trade, and build civilizations. Although legal principles originating in Western Europe now seem to dominate the globe, the variety of the world’s laws has long been almost as great as the variety of its societies. What truly unites human beings, Pirie argues, is our very faith that laws can produce justice, combat oppression, and create order from chaos. Our meetings have a $3 fee, purely to offset the cost of Meetup. This can be paid via Venmo, Paypal, or in cash. We do not accept requests from authors to read their books. We will never ask for money beyond the above fee. If you receive offers purporting to come from the club they are part of an online scam.

This month's selection is "Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy," by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams! Real life "Succession" drama!! If you're new, welcome! Don't worry if you can't finish or don't like the book, we're here for good casual conversation...

📚 Do you love reading, but wish you had a structure and a community to share your insights with? Join our small circle of curious minds (just 4 members per gathering) as we come together for an hour of focused reading—in the calm setting of a library or the cozy atmosphere of a café. Here’s how it works: First part: Quiet reading on your own—bring a book you’re exploring, whether it’s philosophy, history, psychology, literature, or anything meaningful to you. Second part: We regroup and each person shares key takeaways, insights, or questions sparked by their reading. This sparks a structured yet free-flowing conversation around ideas, perspectives, and personal reflections. Why join? Add structure to your reading habit. Discover new books, authors, and ideas through others’ choices. Build real connections by sharing and listening deeply. Socialize around something meaningful instead of small talk.

**🐍 🛢️ How To Sell Snake Oil (& Your Best Ideas)** Persuasive Speech Patterns with Dr. Ed Tori ***‼️In person at room 401-D at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, Washington, DC*** **How do you get your ideas to land?** Have you ever heard phrases like “there’s no buy-in,” “they’re resistant,” or “this group will not move.” But what if resistance is not the problem? What if the issue is the way we communicate? In this lively, participatory workshop, **Dr. Ed Tori** will introduce you to a set of practical and surprisingly playful **persuasive speech patterns** drawn from his work in influence, hypnosis, storytelling, and behavior change. You will learn how people naturally shift into more persuasive communication when pressure is removed and creativity is sparked. At the center of the experience is a hilarious improvisational game inspired by the card game Snake Oil. Participants take on imaginative roles like zombies, pirates, or kindergarteners. Others must invent and pitch made-up products on the spot. The role-play creates immediate psychological safety and unlocks natural persuasive instincts you may not realize you have. Ed uses these moments to teach simple, powerful patterns you can apply to real conversations. **What you will explore** * Why people communicate more confidently and creatively when the stakes feel low * How persuasive speech patterns can transform conversations in facilitation, coaching, leadership, and team settings * Why resistance is often a signal of mismatched framing rather than unwillingness * How to speak to the human behind the role, label, or stereotype * How playful practice builds shared language, humor, and camaraderie among intact teams * How these patterns apply across contexts: healthcare, corporate environments, education, and family systems **What you will experience** * A fast-paced, interactive group exercise that helps you practice persuasive communication through play * Step-by-step teaching of speech patterns you can start using immediately * Opportunities to experiment, reflect, and compare approaches * Practical tools you can adapt for your own clients, teams, or classrooms **Who this is for** * Anyone who works with groups and wants their ideas to be heard. * Ideal for facilitators, coaches, consultants, organizational development practitioners, educators, designers, and leaders at any level. This session is especially helpful for people who work in environments where “resistance,” “lack of buy-in,” and “difficult stakeholders” are common refrains. **About the presenter** * Dr. Ed Tori is a physician, educator, and expert in influence and communication whose work blends behavioral science, improvisation, and hypnotic language patterns. He teaches leaders, clinicians, and teams how to help others think, feel, and act differently through ethical persuasion and intentional communication. His sessions are energetic, funny, experiential, and unforgettable. * NOVA Scribes has entered into a partnership with the IFVP: the International Forum of Visual Practitioners! This workshop is an IFVP Learning Lab. All IFVP members have access to Learning Labs at https://ifvpforum.circle.so/c/learning-hub/ This workshop will be recorded and posted on YouTube for anyone who cannot attend. You can find the YouTube link in the Comments section of this NOVA Scribes Meetup event once the workshop video has been uploaded to YouTube. You can find previously recorded videos at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJfInZHmS8prj2_DUaJ35CYY8n7SzoPMJ We’re not charging for this workshop, but we will be asking for donations! Donations cover the costs of hosting events on Meetup, to honorariums for new graphic recorders, and scholarships. Please be sure you are registered on Meetup! If your Zoom name doesn’t match your name on Meetup, you will not be admitted. (We’ve had Zoom bombers.)

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Pagan Roots of Late Winter Holidays,”** a look at how ancient fertility rituals, Roman myths, and early challenges to Christianity gave us Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras, with Larissa “Kat” Tracy, scholar of medieval literature, author of several books on the Middle Ages, and visiting assistant teaching professor of English at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-late-winter-holidays](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-late-winter-holidays) .] On the surface, at least, the holidays we celebrate near the transition of winter into spring have confounding contradictions. The beheading of the pious Saint Valentine is commemorated with lovemaking. Fat Tuesday’s debauchery arose as a way for Catholics to brace for the abstinence of Lent. It all makes more sense, however, when we look back to seasonal celebrations in ancient Rome and Ireland, and account for Christianity’s knack for absorbing and incorporating earlier traditions and mixing them with a host of religious sentiments. Coming to DC’s Penn Social to help us make sense of it all is medievalist Kat Tracy. Having written extensively on the synthesis of Christian and non-Christian traditions in medieval literature and culture, she’ll be serving up an assortment of lessons about the strange and dramatic origins of this February’s holidays (sparing George Washington and the presidents, of course.) It’s a talk that will forever change how you think about the season’s celebrations. Dr. Tracy will talk about how the celebration of love associated with Valentine has its roots in the pre-Christian Roman celebration of Lupercalia—the February 15th Festival of the Wolf—when certain young men ran naked through parts of the city and tapped women with goat-skin whips dipped in blood out of a belief it would make them fertile. Also in the mix is the ancient Irish festival of Imbolc, the February 1st halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, marking the beginning of spring and the season of rebirth. Christians there transformed it into the feast of Saint Brigid, whose story has been found to share common traits with a pagan Irish goddess of the same name. From there, Dr. Tracy will discuss how Mardi Gras and Carnivale are Christian extensions of earlier Yuletide rites that stretched well into February, filling the time between winter and spring. Her talk will leave you with a much richer understanding of how much the medieval world shaped our current lives. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Torch bearers at an Imbolc Festival in Marsden, England. (Photo by mrMark / Creative Commons.)

**Come whit me, lets [Walk for Peace](https://www.facebook.com/walkforpeaceusa)** (Please, read the full event details if joining the walk - This is NOT a lets go to see the Monks pass-by meetup, this is a Lets go and join the Monks on they'r final 15+ miles from VA to DC as a day hike) The "Walk for Peace" is a 2,300-mile pilgrimage by 19 Buddhist monks from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., started in late 2025, to spread messages of peace, [loving-kindness](https://www.google.com/search?q=loving-kindness&sca_esv=88967a97f71d192c&hl=en&source=hp&ei=WQlnafi5LPWz5NoPwrO1KQ&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWcXaY2YxerYQCnaYyPDxGnEnebiLN0K&ved=2ahUKEwiU0s29h4qSAxW4FlkFHX9sJ0UQgK4QegQIARAE&uact=5&oq=what+is+the+walk+for+pease+movement&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiN3aGF0IGlzIHRoZSB3YWxrIGZvciBwZWFzZSBtb3ZlbWVudDIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCkj_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_ZIHBDQxLjOgB5iSArIHBDM2LjO4B_AUwgcGMy4zMy44yAdegAgA&sclient=gws-wiz), and [compassion](https://www.google.com/search?q=compassion&sca_esv=88967a97f71d192c&hl=en&source=hp&ei=WQlnafi5LPWz5NoPwrO1KQ&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWcXaY2YxerYQCnaYyPDxGnEnebiLN0K&ved=2ahUKEwiU0s29h4qSAxW4FlkFHX9sJ0UQgK4QegQIARAF&uact=5&oq=what+is+the+walk+for+pease+movement&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiN3aGF0IGlzIHRoZSB3YWxrIGZvciBwZWFzZSBtb3ZlbWVudDIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCkj_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_ZIHBDQxLjOgB5iSArIHBDM2LjO4B_AUwgcGMy4zMy44yAdegAgA&sclient=gws-wiz), documented online and supported by communities along their route, notable for their silent, mindful journey with a rescue dog named Aloka. **Key Aspects:** * **Origin:** The walk was initiated by monks from the [Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center](https://www.google.com/search?q=Huong+Dao+Vipassana+Bhavana+Center&sca_esv=88967a97f71d192c&hl=en&source=hp&ei=WQlnafi5LPWz5NoPwrO1KQ&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWcXaY2YxerYQCnaYyPDxGnEnebiLN0K&ved=2ahUKEwiU0s29h4qSAxW4FlkFHX9sJ0UQgK4QegQIAxAB&uact=5&oq=what+is+the+walk+for+pease+movement&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiN3aGF0IGlzIHRoZSB3YWxrIGZvciBwZWFzZSBtb3ZlbWVudDIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCkj_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_ZIHBDQxLjOgB5iSArIHBDM2LjO4B_AUwgcGMy4zMy44yAdegAgA&sclient=gws-wiz) in Fort Worth, Texas. * **Purpose:** To raise awareness for peace, mindfulness, and compassion, not as a protest, but as a moving meditation. * **Journey:** A roughly 2,300-mile trek across several states, beginning in October 2025 and expected to finish in February 2026, with Washington, D.C., as the destination. * **Participants:** 19 monks and a rescue dog, Aloka (The Peace Dog). * **Method:** The monks walk in silence, often barefoot, engaging in [mindful practice](https://www.google.com/search?q=mindful+practice&sca_esv=88967a97f71d192c&hl=en&source=hp&ei=WQlnafi5LPWz5NoPwrO1KQ&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaWcXaY2YxerYQCnaYyPDxGnEnebiLN0K&ved=2ahUKEwiU0s29h4qSAxW4FlkFHX9sJ0UQgK4QegQIAxAG&uact=5&oq=what+is+the+walk+for+pease+movement&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiN3aGF0IGlzIHRoZSB3YWxrIGZvciBwZWFzZSBtb3ZlbWVudDIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCjIHECEYoAEYCkj_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_ZIHBDQxLjOgB5iSArIHBDM2LjO4B_AUwgcGMy4zMy44yAdegAgA&sclient=gws-wiz), with supporters offering food, water, and lodging. * **Community Interaction:** They tie blessing strings (a simple thread) on supporters' wrists as tangible reminders of peace, fostering a connection between the journey and the individuals. * **Online Presence:** The group actively shares updates, photos, and live maps on social media (Facebook), garnering significant support and media attention. In essence, it's a walking meditation and grassroots effort to promote a message of inner and outer peace through personal example and community connection across the United States. **Proper & Respectful Practice TO BE FOLLOW when meeting the Monks:** **1\. Choose simple\, clean flowers \-** Fresh flowers without strong fragrance are ideal. Simplicity reflects sincerity. **2\. Place them low\, not high \-** Gently place the flowers on the ground, never at head level or above the monk. **3\. Do not block the path \-** Set the flowers slightly to the side or just ahead of where the monk will step, allowing him to pass naturally without changing his stride. **4\. Kneel or bow if appropriate \-** If culturally appropriate, kneel or bow briefly after placing the flowers. Keep movements calm and unhurried. **5\. Maintain silence \-** Avoid speaking, calling attention, or making eye contact unless the monk initiates it. **6\. Step back mindfully \-** After placing the flowers, step back to allow space. Let the offering speak for itself. **7\. Offer with intention\, "not expectation" \-** The true offering is your mindfulness and gratitude, not recognition. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Proper way to present your self to a Monk:** To show respect in front of a Buddhist monk, it is generally recommended to **bow with your palms pressed together** (known as the *añjali* gesture or *wai* in Thai culture), which is a common and appropriate form of greeting and reverence. Full prostration (the "kowtow") is typically reserved for sacred objects like a Buddha statue during specific ceremonies, not as a casual greeting. Here are the appropriate steps and considerations for greeting a Buddhist monk: The Basic Greeting (Añjali/Wai) 1. **Bring your hands together, palm-to-palm, in front of your chest**. This gesture is called *añjali* (or *wai* in Thailand) and can be used as a greeting, a thank-you, or when speaking with the monk. 2. **Raise your hands** to a level appropriate for the monk's status. * For a typical monk, the hands are often raised to the level of the lowered forehead, with the index fingers or thumbs touching the forehead. * The higher the hands and the lower the bow, the more respect shown. 3. **Accompany the gesture with a slight bow of your head or from the waist**, keeping your back and neck straight. 4. **Avoid physical contact** such as shaking hands, especially if you are a woman, as many monks follow a strict code of conduct regarding physical contact with people of the opposite sex. \* Deeper Expression of Respect (Prostration/Kowtow) A more profound sign of respect, often referred to as kowtow in a general sense, is the full **prostration** (known as *krab* in Thai culture). This is typically done during formal ceremonies in a temple or shrine room: 1. **Kneel** on the floor with your body composed. Men usually sit on their heels, while women may sit with their legs tucked to one side. 2. **Bow forward**, placing your palms on the floor about six inches apart, and touch your forehead to the floor between your hands. 3. **Repeat this three times** to show reverence to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha). 4. Avoid pointing your feet toward the monk or a Buddha image while seated or prostrating, as this is considered highly disrespectful in many cultures. **General Etiquette** * **Address the monk respectfully:** Use titles such as "Bhante" (Pali for "Venerable Sir") or "Venerable". In some traditions, senior monks with over ten years of experience may be addressed as "Ajahn" (Thai for "teacher"). * **Dress modestly:** Ensure your shoulders, chest, and knees are covered when visiting a temple or meeting a monk. * **Sit at a lower level:** If the monk is sitting, you should sit as well, avoiding sitting in a higher position than the monk. * **Use both hands when offering something** and avoid passing items directly to a monk of the opposite gender; use a receiving cloth or place the item on a nearby surface instead. * **Be mindful of your feet:** Never point the soles of your feet towards a monk or a Buddha image. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Join me to Welcome the Walk for Pease Monks and walk whit them on they last miles from Virginia to DC. around 15 miles. This will be a day hike, check the weather conditions on schedule day and wear layers accordingly. Be ready to bail out at any point if necessary. Main idea is to join them and follow them to they final destination on Washington DC. **(This is will NOT be your comum camaraderie gathering, "we must" remain silence all the time while we follow the monks steps on they walk to DC)** [Walk for Pease Facebook page, follow them here](https://www.facebook.com/walkforpeaceusa/reels/) [Walk for Pease main information webpage ](https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPT9bdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjV0ZIbUticHBxclU5dUJRc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHq2pGDrfIvv2AZV2pdaC0dkMzWFNBmYhWWuxnQiPnsWrOr3oak1lAKnFmmG9_aem_iqqtCUJa4zS8dJ3O4EnzxA) [Walk track map here](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZWZISG9wQndOQWVuRENRcXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6y5fmBoPZS2IHWeHm2Ro3KQ-SiDQmCThN8rOw_yfU3L2pnSqCAryoy4YkYiw_aem_6ibEwErq4BfbxA_7GWNwWw&mid=1f7eSxLc3YUERnnfeAK3NMg2hBI4zKDY&ll=35.67283467249799%2C-80.27828868165432&z=5) **NOTE:** Day schedule is not certain just yet, will be update as soon we have certainty of the arrival to Vienna area or close neighborhood ( 16 miles - This is only and estimate distance, Vienna area is only a guess for now but they may arrive to any other location on a 20 miles radius from it) **IMPORTANT:** You will need a designate driver to drop you on a location where we will join the monks, at this point we don know but will be the only way not to leave any cars on an area were it can get a ticket or be toll away. This time, In my personal case, I may use public transportation or Uber to reach the meeting point. **More details will be post it soon.**

Love audiobooks and nature? Looking to connect with fellow book lovers? Come **Book It Around** with us! Monthly audiobook walks are FREE and held in accessible public spaces around the D.C. Metro area. These \~ 90 minute walks are often followed by a social gathering -- book swap, picnic, indie bookstore private shopping, etc. Get a little dose of nature, read a few chapters, and make a bookish new friend! All ages, fitness levels, and identities welcome. If the event listing says "full," ignore that, come anyway, and bring a friend -- the more the merrier! Questions? Email bookitaround AT gmail DOT com

This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the entirety of “White Noise” by Don Delillo We will be meeting in the National Portrait Gallery Atrium. To stay up to date with events and discuss meetings or books, you can join our Whatsapp group. Please message me to get added.

Join us for **[Judy’s Altered Minds](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**! For the February meeting, we are asking members to bring and recommend favorite books covering fiber and mixed media arts — submit yours here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0eqHbKKpbPWcOuMmRs5E7a7f1us7IAKgf8Oewkhy4tOeQ2Q/viewform Bring your fiber & mixed media show & tell; many members also enjoy making ATCs (**[artist trading cards](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**) for exchange each month. **Come early to shop** (JAMs attendees receive a 10% discount on their purchases) — Artistic Artifacts is open Sundays 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. The JAMs meeting starts at 1:30 pm. New members are always welcome! A $3.00 contribution is requested at each meeting. JAMs members are art quilters, collage artists, art journal keepers, surface design enthusiasts, paper crafters, art doll/assemblage artists and more! All levels of expertise are represented, and all are welcome. During JAMs meetings, attendees gather support and encouragement for their art through show & tell and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends.

We will meet outside as long as the weather is nice. If not, we will move inside. Look out for a comment the morning of each meeting with our exact location. As we are meeting in person, please remember to bring something to read as we usually spend some time sharing our current reads and/or reading when meeting in person. As a reminder, there is no assigned reading; please bring whatever you are currently working on. This group is super casual, sometimes we read and sometimes we talk the whole time. **** NO SHOW POLICY: Due to the high number of members on the waitlist recently we are having to reinstate our no-show policy. If you sign up and no-show to 2 events you will be removed from the group. Reminders are provided weekly to change your RSVP to allow those on the waitlist a chance to come to the meet-up, no 3rd chances with be given. Please be considerate to your fellow members. Thank you! I look forward to reading you!

Note: RSVPs for this meetup open when our last meetup ends. For February, we are reading Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah. The book was first published in 2025 and the hardcover version runs 296 pages. The GoodReads blurb is In his first new novel since winning the 2021 Nobel Prize, a master storyteller captures a time of dizzying global change. At the turn of the twenty-first century, three young people come of age in Tanzania. Karim returns to his sleepy hometown after university with new swagger and ambition. Fauzia glimpses in him a chance at escape from a smothering upbringing. The two of them offer a haven to Badar, a poor boy still unsure if the future holds anything for him at all. As tourism, technology, and unexpected opportunities and perils reach their quiet corner of the world, bringing, each arrives at a different understanding of what it means to take your fate into your own hands.

For February's selection, we'll be reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Find out more information and register here: https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/15663422

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.

Join us for our February Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *A Master of Djinn* by P. Djèlí Clark in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

Can two girls—one enchanted, one the enchantress—save their kingdom and each other? Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from Auréal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: infiltrate the royal palace and steal the king’s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie d’Odette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queen…and Odile’s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy. With her father’s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursed…and the girl she can’t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts. To make matters worse, there are whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

This month we’ll be reading Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan