Novel Reading

📚 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.

**Come work on your stuff! We chat a bit and then we get down to work. Very low key and very good atmosphere for creativity. Come join us! Look for my laptop in the photo! We will probably be in the overflow room with the big tables.**

**Tuesday Night Rides (TNR) B-Group Edition with Ryan, Dave, Bruce, Ronne, & Renee** As you may have heard, our illustrious TNR leader Ryan is sporting a repaired knee and is in recovery mode. We are recasting the TNR as a **B-ride!** (**no faster than a 15mph** pace). **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Summary** **(Must Read)** **++++++++++++++++++++** * RIDE NAME: Tuesday Night Rides (TNR) B-Group Edition - Lazy Mikes * START LOC: Shirlington Library * START GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/GXU2cMAG7672](https://goo.gl/maps/GXU2cMAG7672) * START PARKING: Any Garage in Shirlington * ARRIVAL: 6:00pm * SPEECH: 6:15pm * ROLLING: 6:30pm (or earlier if everyone is present) * LEVEL: \*\***Medium\*\*** * PACE: \*\***no faster than 15mph\*\*** * DISTANCE: 16 miles (Lazy Mike's) * TERRAIN: Trail / Street * RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE: **CBG_TNR_LMIKE_2026 (Updated)** **[https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55165275](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55165275)** **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Detail** **++++++++++++++++++++** For your riding pleasure NoVA CBG presents: Tuesday Night Rides (TNR) B-Group Edition - Lazy Mikes We'll start in Shirlington and do the Lazy Mikes W&OD OUT and BACK route! * The B group will do an OUT and BACK to Lazy Mikes via the W&OD - 16 miles (ice cream optional). It's UPHILL on the way out, but a glorious DOWNHILL on the way home! This is the Medium level ride because we're going to keep a pace of 13-15mph on flat stretches (slower on hills) and the total distance is approximately 16 miles. This is a NO DROP ride so you will not be left behind but you are expected to try to keep a B-Group level pace (NFT 15mph). **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Meeting Spot:** **++++++++++++++++++++** Shirlington Library 4200 Campbell Ave Arlington, VA 22206 GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/GXU2cMAG7672](https://goo.gl/maps/GXU2cMAG7672) We will meet directly in front of the library by the fountains. **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride After The Ride:** **++++++++++++++++++++** We’ll head to Samuel Beckett’s after the ride for a drink and food. We sit outside so we can bring our bikes and keep an eye on them. Join us if you like! **++++++++++++++++++++** **Ride Level Chart** **++++++++++++++++++++** NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types/levels of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best. * Introductory Level: If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle). * Beginner Level: You can ride for 10+ miles at a pace of 10+ to 12+ mph with potentially minor hills involved. * Medium Level: You can ride for 20+ miles at a pace of 13+ to 15+ mph with potentially moderate hills involved. * Advanced Level: You can ride for 20++ miles at a pace of 15+ mph with potentially major hills involved. Both Medium and Advanced Levels might require handling various challenges such as reading cue sheets, using a Garmin or navigation app, night riding, out of town travel, or any other odd cycling situations. **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Fine Print:** **++++++++++++++++++++** An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's: * "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release " found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/ * NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/ Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. NO exceptions. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. Again, no exceptions.

There is supposed to be a let up in the seemingly incessant rain. Let’s take advantage with a walk at Brookside Gardens. We will meet to the right of the visitors center. If anyone is interested we can go to lunch afterwards.

As we transition into the vibrant energy of summer, it's time to release the old that is no longer serving you. Close chapters and cycles and welcome new beginnings. This unique one-on-one experience is not to be missed! With limited time and limited spaces available, Secure your spot now. Special Price: Only $111 for this complete package! * Session Includes Tarot Reading: Gain clarity and insight into your journey. * Mini Limpia: A Traditiaonal Cuaranderismo cleansing ritual with herbs to remove negative energies. * Sound Bath: Immerse yourself in healing vibrations that promote relaxation and inner peace. This special healing session is available from 5/25/2026-6/01/2026 Cleanse your energy and prepare for the abundant summer months ahead. [BOOK NOW](https://curanderasheart.com/book-now/ola/services/ending-spring-curanderismo-energy-cleansing-limpia)

Alexandria Pints & Pawns is now part of the Chess on Tap community! If you have a travel chess set and/or clock, please bring them so we can be sure to accommodate everyone. If not, feel free to come anyway!

++++++++++++++++++++++++ **Our 4th Tuesday of the month Euchre Location:** Hank's Oyster Bar (Second Floor) 818 N St Asaph St Alexandria, VA 22314 [https://hanksoysterbar.com/](https://hanksoysterbar.com/) GPS: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/9c4JVfapgdM1P31w7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9c4JVfapgdM1P31w7) **Free Retail Parking Around the Corner.** **(Elevator takes you to St. Asaph Street)** Colonial Parking 530 First St. Alexandria, VA 22314 [https://www.ecolonial.com/park-with-us/parking-locator](https://www.ecolonial.com/park-with-us/parking-locator/?detail=1&loc=en&id=1703) ++++++++++++++++++++++++ * **Second Floor Opens @ 6:00pm (Gary will be there).** * **Please arrive by 6:30pm.** * **Please don't leave before 8:30pm.** * **Hank's Oyster Bar closes at 9:00pm.** * We are on the second floor, accessible via the stairs or elevator from the downstairs restaurant. Restrooms are also on this floor. * We start play as soon as we have enough people to get a table going. * We will be getting our bills at 8:30pm so we are all settled by the 9:00pm(ish) closing time. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ **For those new or haven't been in awhile, here is some basic information about our meetup:** 1. **Know How to Play the Game**: Every member of the Alexandria Euchre Club must know how to play the game of Euchre to attend a meetup. If you know the game, but it has been years since you've played, that is fine as we've all been there and will be patient while it comes flooding back to you. 2. **New To The Group:** If you have never been, we are a friendly group and welcome everyone to come. Very few people come with a friend or spouse. What this means is that it will not be awkward to arrive alone. It is better than a happy hour because it is easy to make conversation about cards. You don't have to even ask the dreaded "what do you do?" question. If you come three times, you are a regular. Also, house rules are that we play stick the dealer (ask if you don't know this variation). 3. **Correct Table Count:** Euchre is a 4 person game--yes, I know there are 3 and 6 person variations, but most people prefer the 4 person game. What this means is that if you sign-up, we are counting on you to be there. The deadline for RSVP is 2 days prior to the meet-up. Please update by that time, especially if you are going to cancel your RSVP. If you get 3 "no shows" and you'll only be able to sign up via an organizer. 4. **The Waiting List:** If this month is like the previous months, we will have a waiting list. Please be considerate and honor your RSVP. Of course, if you are sick and on death's door we don't want you to come out and get the rest of us sick; however, if not please do come play. A good evening of food, drink, cards, and friendship may be all that you need to be more productive the next day. If you are on the waiting list I am expecting you to either remove yourself if you don't want to be considered for an open slot, or check the site (or email) so you know you've been promoted to an RSVP of YES when a slot opens up. 5. **Costs:** There are some costs associated with meetup -- I have to pay Meetup every 6 months for listing on their website. They don't work off of advertising fees. We pass the bowl around and ask people to throw a $1 in each time they come. Thanks everyone... looking forward to seeing ya !! Gary Wolanske 703-568-1550 (cell / text)

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!

This month we’ll be reading Herland! It is the second book in a trilogy (but it stands alone as well), and you don’t need to read the first and third books (unless you want to!). Here is the description from Storygraph: Herland is a utopian novel from 1915, written by feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The book describes an isolated society composed entirely of women, who reproduce via parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction). The result is an ideal social order: free of war, conflict, and domination. It was first published in monthly installments as a serial in 1915 in The Forerunner, a magazine edited and written by Gilman between 1909 and 1916, with its sequel, With Her in Ourland beginning immediately thereafter in the January 1916 issue. The book is often considered to be the middle volume in her utopian trilogy; preceded by Moving the Mountain (1911), and followed by, With Her in Ourland (1916). It was not published in book form until 1979.

Our inaugural meeting will discuss the popular "The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn in Washington, DC, at the Mount Vernon Square Bus Boys and Poets. From Amazon, "Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare. Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst? Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test."

This is the first part of our discussion series on Middlemarch by George Eliot. This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the first half of Middlemarch. We will be reading books 1-4 ending with book 4 Three Love Problems. 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 Discord group. Please message me to be added.

* 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

We are going to talk about the books we read—any books, from any genre. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or something modern, everyone is welcome to share their thoughts, impressions, and favorite passages. It’s a relaxed and friendly conversation where we can discover new ideas and enjoy each other’s perspectives.

📚 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.

Come join us to discuss our July pick "Tusk Love" by Thea Guanzon! Book description: A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars. “A true delight of a book! Spicy and heartfelt—this one is a winner all around.”—Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure. Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack. Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise. Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance. Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.

[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3351321) Location: The Goat River South 219 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215 Street parking is free on Sundays [Menu](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/686d3ed16745133042482c5f/t/68ff654dbb03b96875430bde/1761568077220/all_brunch-20250311.pdf) Book summary: On a hot day in Bethlehem, a twelve-year-old Palestinian-American girl is yelled at by a group of men outside the Church of the Nativity. She has exposed her legs in a biblical city, an act they deem forbidden, and their judgement will echo on through her adolescence. When our narrator finally admits to her mother that she is queer, her mother's response only intensifies a sense of shame: 'You exist too much,' she tells her daughter. Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East--from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine--Zaina Arafat's debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to sought-after DJ and aspiring writer.

Join us for Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn! Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the unsolved murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story-and survive this homecoming.

Let’s meet and share discussion of the James Baldwin short story collection, Going to Meet The Man.

Welcome, readers! Our May read is **_Kindred_ by Octavia E. Butler.** The story follows Dana, a Black woman living in 1976 California, who is suddenly pulled back to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War. She learns her survival is tied to a white slaveholder’s son. Forced to move between centuries, she must endure the brutal realities of slavery while fighting to hold on to her identity. Tense, intimate, and unforgettable, Kindred explores how the past refuses to stay buried. 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! 📖

**Our June novel is: *The Eights* by Joanna Miller** **This month’s novel is set during World War I. It’s a 20th-century historical fiction story about friendship and war, with coming-of-age elements and a slightly haunted tone. The book is 384 pages in print and 10 hours and 9 minutes on audiobook.** Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its one-thousand-year history, Oxford University officially admits female students. Burning with dreams of equality, four young women move into neighboring rooms in Corridor 8. Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto—collectively known as The Eights—come from all walks of life, each driven by their own motives, each holding tight to their secrets, and are thrown into an unlikely, unshakable friendship. Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Politically-minded Beatrice, daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way - and some friends her own age. Otto was a nurse during the war but is excited to return to her socialite lifestyle in Oxford where she hopes to find distraction from the memories that haunt her. And finally Marianne, the quiet, clever daughter of a village pastor, who has a shocking secret she must hide from everyone, even her new friends, if she is to succeed. Among the historic spires, and in the long shadow of the Great War, the four women must navigate and support one another in a turbulent world in which misogyny is rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War don’t always remain dead.