English Books & Literature

This month for English Party, April 18th, we are continuing the trend of trying something different. Since February’s outdoor game afternoon and March’s potluck were such successes, we are including some aspects from each of those days: We’ll have a craft afternoon (or “Crafternoon”) in Inés de Suárez Park (I'll share our exact location in the free WhatsApp group), at 1pm. Everyone brings their own picnic blanket to sit on, a packed lunch/snack, and a craft they are working on, to do “companionable crafting” - meaning everyone works on their own project and we sit and talk together at the same time. You could bring a sketchbook to draw, watercolors, knitting/crocheting, even a hand-sewing project. Anything that is portable and not too complicated or messy. If you are not into crafts but want to come and hang out, you are more than welcome! I think that this will be a fun, relaxing change of pace from the games we usually play! But don’t be surprised if we end up playing a game anyway! ;) We’ll hang out talking and crafting until around 3:30pm! Thanks and can't wait to see you there! Join our free WhatsApp group for exclusive updates, where you can also RSVP before the general public! [https://chat.whatsapp.com/CC7wzkxlnukBzmwaK3ovkM](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CC7wzkxlnukBzmwaK3ovkM) For those who feel moved to contribute to English Party, the completely optional suggested donation for this event is $3 USD. If you would like to make a donation, here is Shannon's PayPal link: PayPal (USD): https://paypal.me/ShannonMcEvoy?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US Friends are welcome (if possible please have them RSVP too, or add them as your guest) Can't wait to see you there! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Welcome to English Party! The purpose of our group is to encourage fluency in English while having FUN and making friends! Our main activities rotate between arts and crafts, game nights, and music (YES - singalongs and karaoke!). * Do you know some English, but freeze up in embarrassment when talking with native English speakers? * Are you bored with learning English in a traditional classroom setting? * Do you crave the challenge of communicating in English in real-life? * Are you a fan of learning by doing? * Are you an English-speaking traveler or expat looking to connect with locals? * Do you enjoy Arts and Crafts? Boardgames? Singing? All of the above? If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, chances are you'd have a blast with us in our group! We host both in-person (in Santiago, Chile) and online experiences. We would love to have you join us! Follow us on Instagram at @englishparty.cl https://www.instagram.com/englishparty.cl/ Questions? Contact Shannon: via DM on Instagram, @englishparty.cl on WhatsApp - wa.me/56982143632 +569 8214 3632 Want to host a private English Party event for your company or team? Check out the possibilities at: www.englishparty.cl Like what we do? Show us some love on Google! https://maps.app.goo.gl/ge9vCyFJyAthCYL3A

This month for English Party, April 18th, we are continuing the trend of trying something different. Since February’s outdoor game afternoon and March’s potluck were such successes, we are including some aspects from each of those days: We’ll have a craft afternoon (or “Crafternoon”) in Inés de Suárez Park (I'll share our exact location in the free WhatsApp group), at 1pm. Everyone brings their own picnic blanket to sit on, a packed lunch/snack, and a craft they are working on, to do “companionable crafting” - meaning everyone works on their own project and we sit and talk together at the same time. You could bring a sketchbook to draw, watercolors, knitting/crocheting, even a hand-sewing project. Anything that is portable and not too complicated or messy. If you are not into crafts but want to come and hang out, you are more than welcome! I think that this will be a fun, relaxing change of pace from the games we usually play! But don’t be surprised if we end up playing a game anyway! ;) We’ll hang out talking and crafting until around 3:30pm! Thanks and can't wait to see you there! Join our free WhatsApp group for exclusive updates, where you can also RSVP before the general public! [https://chat.whatsapp.com/CC7wzkxlnukBzmwaK3ovkM](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CC7wzkxlnukBzmwaK3ovkM) For those who feel moved to contribute to English Party, the completely optional suggested donation for this event is $3 USD. If you would like to make a donation, here is Shannon's PayPal link: PayPal (USD): https://paypal.me/ShannonMcEvoy?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US Friends are welcome (if possible please have them RSVP too, or add them as your guest) Can't wait to see you there! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Welcome to English Party! The purpose of our group is to encourage fluency in English while having FUN and making friends! Our main activities rotate between arts and crafts, game nights, and music (YES - singalongs and karaoke!). * Do you know some English, but freeze up in embarrassment when talking with native English speakers? * Are you bored with learning English in a traditional classroom setting? * Do you crave the challenge of communicating in English in real-life? * Are you a fan of learning by doing? * Are you an English-speaking traveler or expat looking to connect with locals? * Do you enjoy Arts and Crafts? Boardgames? Singing? All of the above? If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, chances are you'd have a blast with us in our group! We host both in-person (in Santiago, Chile) and online experiences. We would love to have you join us! Follow us on Instagram at @englishparty.cl https://www.instagram.com/englishparty.cl/ Questions? Contact Shannon: via DM on Instagram, @englishparty.cl on WhatsApp - wa.me/56982143632 +569 8214 3632 Want to host a private English Party event for your company or team? Check out the possibilities at: www.englishparty.cl Like what we do? Show us some love on Google! https://maps.app.goo.gl/ge9vCyFJyAthCYL3A

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. 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! 📖

Posting this early because seemingly all Sundays in May are holidays or busy! I picked a shorter thriller that's hopefully a fast read/listen. [Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3458940) Location: Grandview Cafe, *1455 W. 3rd Ave*, Columbus, OH 43212 [Menu](https://www.grandviewcafe.com/menu) Book summary: Daniel leads a rich life in the university town of Athens, Georgia. He's got a couple close friends, a steady paycheck working for a regional airline, and of course, for a few glorious days each Fall, college football tailgates. He considers himself to be a mostly lucky guy -- despite the fact that he's suffered from a debilitating disease since he was a small child, one that has left him unable to speak or to move without a wheelchair. Largely confined to his home, Daniel spends the hours he's not online communicating with irate air travelers observing his neighborhood from his front porch. One young woman passes by so frequently that spotting her out the window has almost become part of his daily routine. Until the day he's almost sure he sees her being kidnapped.

* Second ever book club! April meet up. All are welcome. * The book will be Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (determined by votes from March Book Club. Let me know if you’d like a free digital copy of the book) * This event will be at the main library, meeting room 1B, the location will not be changed for this event due to the number of people attending, we will just add more chairs if needed! * Feel free to come whether or not you’ve started or finished the book ◡̈ * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Starting in June I will try to keep future book clubs at the Dublin Library. Now that I understand their reservation system, I will be on top of it with booking that location as soon as the date is released for the month. Thanks for your understanding with the varying locations in the meantime.

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.

This month we’ll be reading Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!

Semi in honor of March being International Women's Month Columbus libraries: [https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3454709](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3454709) Location: SOW Plated Menu: [https://www.sowplated.com/menu-brunch/](https://www.sowplated.com/menu-brunch/) Book summary: In 2006 Julia Lerner is living in Moscow, a recent university graduate in computer science, when she's recruited by Russia's largest intelligence agency. By 2018 she's in Silicon Valley as COO of Tangerine, one of America's most famous technology companies. In between her executive management (make offers to promising startups, crush them and copy their features if they refuse); self promotion (check out her latest op-ed in the WSJ, on Work/Life Balance 2.0); and work in gender equality (transfer the most annoying females from her team), she funnels intelligence back to the motherland. But now Russia's asking for more, and Julia's getting nervous. Alice Lu is a first generation Chinese American whose parents are delighted she's working at Tangerine (such a successful company!). Too bad she's slogging away in the lower echelons, recently dumped, and now sharing her expensive two-bedroom apartment with her cousin Cheri, a perennial "founder's girlfriend". One afternoon, while performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity, and now she's burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerine's privacy settings aren't as rigorous as the company claims they are, and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself. The closer Alice gets to Julia, the more Julia questions her own loyalties. Russia may have placed her in the Valley, but she's the one who built her career; isn't she entitled to protect the lifestyle she's earned?

Love getting lost in a good book? [The Book Loft](https://www.bookloft.com/) of German Village is an iconic independent bookstore packed with hard-to-find literary treasures! This isn’t your run-of-the-mill bookstore; it’s a 32-room literary wonderland that would make even the most seasoned bibliophile’s head spin (one of the largest in the country)! **MEET**: We'll gather outside the storefront and then start browsing... **DESSERT**: We'll grab some famous macaroons to start our foodie tour. [Pistacia Vera](https://www.pistaciavera.com/) is a delicious bakery and cafe in the German Village. This charming shop is especially known for its classic macarons. **HAPPY HOUR**: Italian drinks and bites at [Cento's happy hour](https://centogermanvillage.com/menus/). **PARKING**: Street parking all around here. Check the parking time limit. The bookstore and the foodie stops are all on 3rd Street within 4 blocks on the same side of the street.