English Books & Literature

Please join us for the April Romance Book Discussion Club! Location is at my apartment in Dupont. Address and details will be provided to attendees closer to the meeting. Also, please update your RSVP by 6pm the day before, if you're unable to come. That will allow people on the waitlist to have enough time to consider coming, as well. Looking forward to discussing romance books with you all! **Information for New Members:** Each month we will vote on a subgenre and trope to guide our reading choices. There will be a voting link shared in the discussion board with 1 week to vote on your top choices. I'll then post the votes for that month and people can share recommendations. These are just for inspiration and as general themes. There is no set book - you're welcome to read whatever you like, although many members find it fun to explore new subgenres or tropes and see what you may like or hate. This is a book club for mood readers :) You're welcome to read whatever you fancy and come discuss it. Hopefully you'll leave with some new recommendations - or books you know are not your cup of tea. Please feel free to post below or message me with any questions.

Love audiobooks and nature? Looking to connect with fellow book lovers? Come **Book It Around** with us! This month's is a shorter walk on a paved urban trail in conjunction with Independent Bookstore Day! We'll walk out-and-back on the Bethesda Trolley Trail then join the festivities just down the street at local indie Wonderland Books (7920B Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, MD). Meet at the playground at Battery Lane Urban Park, near the intersections of Rugby and Norfolk Ave. in Bethesda. There is street and garage parking nearby, and it's .75mi from the Bethesda Metro (Red Line). Monthly audiobook walks are FREE and held in accessible public spaces around the D.C. Metro area. These \~ 90 minute walks (though only an hour this month!) are often followed by a social gathering -- book swap, picnic, indie bookstore private shopping, etc. Get a little dose of nature, listen to 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

* We meet inside Zazzy * Bring something to read, as we often take some time at the beginning telling each other about what we're currently reading. * I have a favor to ask of you. To offset the cost of Meetup fees (\~$200 a year), I kindly request that you consider a small donation to my my [Pledge account](https://www.meetup.com/a-different-type-of-book-club-arlington/#pledge). 😊 **NOTE: NO DISCUSSION OF POLITICS: 12/31/21 UPDATE** For the sake of polite company, moving forward, we will avoid the discussion of politics at meetings of the book club. Please let me know if you have any questions. **NON-ATTENDANCE / NO-SHOW POLICY** If you have said that you will attend this event, but no longer are able to attend, please kindly update your status to "Not Attending" so that someone on the waitlist is able to RSVP. **Because this Meetup group is popular, and typically has a waitlist, effective immediately, I'm instituting a two-event no-show policy. If you RSVP as "Attending" but do not show at two events, you will be removed from this Meetup group.** We look forward to seeing you! Best, Jay

Let’s read Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and come ready to discuss secrets and “what did I just read?” 👀

This month we’ll be reading Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta! We’ll also we creating the poll for June’s book, so come with ideas. Here is the description of the book from Storygraph: Inspired by Nigeria's folktales and war, Under the Udala Trees is a deeply searching, powerful debut about the dangers of living and loving openly. Ijeoma comes of age as her nation does; born before independence, she is eleven when civil war breaks out in the young republic of Nigeria. Sent away to safety, she meets another displaced child, and the star-crossed pair fall in love. They are from different ethnic communities. They are also both girls. When their love is discovered, Ijeoma learns that she will have to hide this part of herself. But there is a cost to living inside a lie. As Edwidge Danticat has made personal the legacy of Haiti's political coming-of-age, Okparanta's Under the Udala Trees uses one woman's lifetime to examine the ways in which Nigerians continue to struggle toward selfhood. Even as their nation contends with and recovers from the effects of war and division, Nigerian lives are wrecked and lost from taboo and prejudice. But this story offers a glimmer of hope-a future where a woman might just be able to shape her life around truth and love.

Join us for our April Meetup @ Solid State Books! We'll be reading "The First Woman" (also published as A Girl Is a Body of Water) by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is a Ugandan coming-of-age story following 12-year-old Kirabo, who seeks her birth mother in 1970s Uganda. Blending Ugandan folklore with feminism, Kirabo navigates patriarchal traditions, female friendship, and secrets to define her own identity.

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!

At this session we will be discussing the poetry of Robert Frost (1874-1963). Below are 15 selections we'll plan to cover, but please bring any other favorites to discuss. There are all available in [The Poetry of Robert Frost](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-poetry-of-robert-frost-robert-frost/1107483231) except for "The Prophets." I've also complied a PDF of the selections, available [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/15TFtWrFbOvj1y87Yvn3XxR8DfJ-eWvNS/view?usp=sharing). **Poems** *Mending Wall* *Home Burial* *Mowing* *Christmas Trees* *Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening* *The Gift Outright* *Ten Mills* *The Prophets Really Prophesy as Mystics The Commentators Merely by Statistics* *Nothing Gold can Stay* *The Road not Taken* *Acquainted with the Night* *The Star-splitter* *The Pasture* *Fire and Ice* *The Death of the Hired Man*

Hi everyone! For our next meeting on the 25th of this month, we are reading Aristotles's Nicomachean Ethics, Books 8, 9, and 10. Book 8 is on friendship and it leads to a discussion on pleasure in book 10. (I see some elements of Marcus Aurelius here). I saw several translations on Amazon, with notes, so I will be reading one of those, but any copy will do. Arthur, we liked your proposal to read Tacitus. Could you tell us about your idea at our next meeting? Let's discuss when we meet. As usual, we will meet in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the **205-B Accessibility Room**, located on the second floor. Ask at the Center for Accessibility front desk if you are looking for us. See you there!

Bring a book (or a few) you’re ready to pass along, and settle in for a peaceful time of silent reading. We’ll gather around books we’re currently reading, swap thoughts, favorites, and recommendations in an easy, unstructured way. Whether you want to read quietly, listen, or jump into conversation, the afternoon is meant to feel relaxed and welcoming. 📍 Location details will be shared in the WhatsApp Ladies’ group chat closer to the event, in consideration of women’s safety.

**💞 Zoom Speed Dating for Detroit Locals – Matched by Age & Personality** For this online speed dating version, the host and the people in the room matter as much as the agenda. The experience is designed to feel guided, welcoming, and social. Speed dating from home — connect with real Detroit singles on Zoom. We match you with compatible Detroit locals using a quick personality quiz. You'll chat one-on-one on Zoom in short timed rounds while a host guides the session. **Choose your age range to register:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=430.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Detroit&groupurlname=circle-of-singles-connecting-in-person&ar=18-32&face_v=1.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=430.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Detroit&groupurlname=circle-of-singles-connecting-in-person&ar=30-46&face_v=1.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=430.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Detroit&groupurlname=circle-of-singles-connecting-in-person&ar=40-58&face_v=1.0) **⚠️ Your RSVP doesn't guarantee a place.** Click your age group link below, register, and take the personality quiz to lock in your spot. Limited places. --- ✅ **You will like this if:** - Busy professionals who don't want to waste evenings - 💡 People re-entering the dating scene after a break - First-timers new to speed dating **How the event unfolds** 1. **Pick your age group** – Register through your link above. 2. **Fill in the matching quiz** – Helps us find your ideal matches for the evening. 3. **Log in** – Connect to the Zoom session from home. The host runs the show. 4. **Speed date** – One-on-one rounds with personality-matched Detroit locals. 🗂 **Quick details** - **Format:** Hosted on Zoom – one-on-one video dates - **Location:** From home – all you need is Wi-Fi and a webcam - **Host:** Professional host keeping the evening smooth and relaxed --- ✨ One Zoom call, genuine conversations, real matches. See you there. ✨ ✨ Compressed version with the essentials only. Concise by design so people can decide quickly. 🤝 **Community angle** - The host keeps the pace clear and the room welcoming - The community matters as much as the session itself - The structure is designed to help people settle in quickly It is meant to feel like the start of ongoing relationships, not just a single session on the calendar.

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.

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

**Our May novel is: *The Quiet Librarian* by Allen Eskens** **This month’s book is set in the 20th century and mixes historical fiction with suspense and thriller elements. It also centers on women’s stories and relationships. The novel is 368 pages in print or 8 hours and 12 minutes on audiobook.** Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared. Thirty years before, Hana was someone else: Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head\*\*.\*\*

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