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.

In the heart of a bleak winter in an isolated Provençal village, police inspector Langlois arrives in the village to solve the mysterious disappearances of villagers during the reign of King Louis-Philippe, in 1840. If you wish to read in English "A King Alone", get a copy here, https://www.amazon.com/King-Alone-Review-Books-Classics/dp/1681373092/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37FPE4T55T0FH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bQggl4O4P3XOWHVW3bXmp3EHCZ5VcYtkPgetuCOaw5M.PjQAuToFbMy38rkMmGo2460KYqM17zouLL-eMOeCgcY&dib_tag=se&keywords=jean+giono+a+king+alone&qid=1776708855&s=books&sprefix=jean+giono+a+king+alone%2Cstripbooks%2C93&sr=1-1 Ce roman envoutante du grand écrivain Jean Giono, le poète de son véritable pays, la Provence, L'inspecteur Langlois, ce roi sans divertissement, veut résoudre les disparitions des villageois dans ce village isolé aux montagnes des Alpes provençaux. Si vous préférez de lire "Un Roi Sans Divertissement" dans l'origine, vous pouvez l'en commander chez Schoenhof's. https://www.schoenhofs.com/Chroniques-I-Un-roi-sans-divertissement-by-Jean-Giono_p_111434.html ZOOM LINK: Alphonse-Louis Vinh vous invite à une réunion Zoom programmée. Sujet: Jean Giono.Un Roi Sans Divertissement. A King Alone. Heure: 4 juin 2026 07:30 PM Heure de l’Est (États-Unis et Canada) Participer à la réunion Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81762922682?pwd=osCpbGN07jcULAsar0wrsotmt86EO2.1 Lien du chat de la réunion https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/81762922682 ID de réunion: 817 6292 2682 Code secret: 943841 \-\-\- Une seule pression sur l’appareil mobile +13017158592,,81762922682#,,,,\*943841# États-Unis (Washington DC) +16469313860,,81762922682#,,,,\*943841# États-Unis Instructions pour participer https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/81762922682/invitations?signature=_FJ70xfmdF7zw8zxCSnes56onqjoE2BEbGVb2VBu4iM

**NoVA CBG has a turn by turn RideWithGPS club account that's free. [https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/](https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/)** **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Summary** **(Must Read)** **+++++++++++++++++++++** * RIDE NAME: Thirsty Thursday ("B" group) * START LOC: Jones Point Park (under the bridge) * START GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2](https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2) * START PARKING: Parking lot, if full park in the cul-de-sac * ARRIVAL: 6:30pm * SPEECH: 6:35pm * ROLLING: 6:45pm * LEVEL: Medium ("B" group) * PACE: NMT 16mph * DISTANCE: 14.5 miles * TERRAIN: Trail / Street * RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE: CBG_THIRSTY_THURSDAY_2026 [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40081486](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40081486) **NOTES:** * Try out a Medium Level ("B" group) ride in an encouraging, structured environment (No Drop). * **Bike navigation computer (Garmin, Wahoo, Etc...) or RidewithGPS app on your phone will be required as the season progresses.** * All road riding safety rules, and CBG Good Guy rules WILL BE followed * Heading to Southside 815 afterwards for the "Thirsty" part of the ride (cold beverages and hot food). **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride : Detail** **+++++++++++++++++++++** For your riding pleasure NoVA CBG presents Thirsty Thursday. Thirsty Thursday is about trying a solid Medium Level ("B" group) ride in an encouraging, structured environment. We welcome strong Beginner Level riders that are willing to push themselves to become better cyclists. This is a NO DROP ride so you will not be left behind but you are expected to really try to keep pace. The lead will go no more than 16mph and other organizers/helpers will attempt to "fill the gaps" as we ride. This is a mostly flat ride from Jones Point to Fort Hunt. Of course the "price of admission" for this ride is a hill that presents itself as soon as we enter the neighborhood across the GW Parkway... we have named it "The PUNISHER". If you successfully climb that hill, you are officially a CBG "B" group rider. Once we get to Fort Hunt we will do laps (or you can rest) for a bit before heading back the way we came. If you normally ride faster than 15mph you are welcome to practice your "keeping pace" skills. If you've done this ride at least once before and have the route loaded on a Bike navigation computer (Garmin, Wahoo, Etc...) or the RidewithGPS app there is also an "A" group version that you can sign up for (aka Very Thirsty Thursday) that rides independently and faster. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Meeting Spot:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** Jones Point Park Jones Point Dr. Alexandria , VA 22314 GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2](https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2) Gather under the bridge by the restrooms. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride After The Ride:** ***(This is the "Thirsty" part of the ride)*** **+++++++++++++++++++++** Southside 815 815 South Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703.836.6222 [http://www.southside815.com/](http://www.southside815.com/) **+++++++++++++++++++++** **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/ * NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. 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. There are NO exceptions to the above.

**NoVA CBG has a turn by turn RideWithGPS club account that's free. [https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/](https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/)** **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Summary** **(Must Read)** **+++++++++++++++++++++** * RIDE NAME: Very Thirsty Thursday ("A" group) * START LOC: Jones Point Park (under the bridge) * START GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2](https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2) * START PARKING: Parking lot, if full park in the cul-de-sac * ARRIVAL: 6:30pm * SPEECH: 6:35pm * ROLLING: 6:45pm * LEVEL: Advanced (A group) * PACE: Above 16mph * DISTANCE: 14.5 miles * TERRAIN: Trail / Street * RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE: CBG_THIRSTY_THURSDAY_2026 [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40081486](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40081486) **NOTES:** * To do this "A" version participation in a PREVIOUS Medium Level Thirsty Thursday ride is required. * Same RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE (the addition of the Evil Twin is Approved). * **Knowing the route is on you as there is no leader so having the route loaded on your bike navigation computer (Garmin, Wahoo, Etc...) or RidewithGPS app on your phone will be required.** * Only regroup is Fort Hunt (wait for Medium riders to fully arrive). * Ultimately the Medium Sweeper will be along if there are any issues. * All route, road riding safety rules, and CBG Good Guy rules WILL BE followed. **This is a ONE STRIKE statement.** * Heading to Southside 815 afterwards for the "Thirsty" part of the ride (cold beverages and hot food). **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride : Detail** **+++++++++++++++++++++** For your riding pleasure NoVA CBG presents Very Thirsty Thursday. This is the Advanced Version ("A" group) of our traditional Thirsty Thursday ride. Same route, just faster, and without a lead or sweep. To qualify for this "A" group you must have participated in the Medium Level Thirsty Thursday. "A" group riders are expected to do the same route as the "B" group riders. You are welcome to do the Evil Twin hill as an added bonus. The only "stop" you need to make is at Fort Hunt. When at Fort Hunt you will wait for the "B" group to fully arrive. As part of the "A" group you will be expected to know the route or have it loaded on your bicycle navigation computer or RidewithGPS phone app. At some point, the "B" group riders will be coming up behind you so if there is a problem someone from CBG can/will assist. Most importantly: All route details, road riding safety rules, as well as CBG Good Guy rules WILL BE followed. Any evidence to the contrary will have repercussions. **This is a ONE STRIKE statement.** **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Meeting Spot:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** Jones Point Park Jones Point Dr. Alexandria , VA 22314 GPS: [https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2](https://goo.gl/maps/kZ3zjBHHcQF2) Gather under the bridge by the restrooms. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride After The Ride:** ***(This is the "Thirsty" part of the ride)*** **+++++++++++++++++++++** Southside 815 815 South Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703.836.6222 [http://www.southside815.com/](http://www.southside815.com/) **+++++++++++++++++++++** **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/ * NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. 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. There are NO exceptions to the above.

Let's talk films, too! We will be seeing "Pressure," starring Brendan Fraser, at the Regal Gallery Place, next to Capital One Arena. Afterwards, we will repair to Clyde's, to have a drink and talk about what we saw. Just like with the books, our focus is on good casual conversation. The film starts at 7:05 and run time is 1 hour 40 minutes. Let's meet near the main entrance at 6:45. Attendees will responsible for buying their own tickets; I highly recommend purchasing in advance.

**Location:** Crimson Whiskey Bar (Either the downstairs whiskey bar, or main floor bar, TBD) The purpose of Thinkers and Drinkers is to facilitate casual but meaningful and interesting conversations with other people in a face-to-face setting. The topics cover a wide variety of issues and are different for every meeting. While conversations may get heated at times, we ask that all members be respectful of each other and refrain from personal insults. **Topic: The Gilded Age 2.0** It was estimated by contemporary sources at the time that John D Rockefeller's wealth passed the $1 Billion in 1916, becoming the first [Billionaire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billionaire?). This immense wealth was built from his firm, Standard Oil, which he grew from a small operation to one that eventually controlled 90% of the US oil refinery business. This occurred during a period many now refer to as "The Gilded Age". The Gilded Age was a time during the Industrial Revolution boom where unregulated capitalism and non-existent anti-trust laws allowed for the consolidation of immense wealth by individuals like Rockfella in Oil, Carnie in Steel, and JP Morgan in Finance. The age came to an end with progressives like Teddy Roosevelt coming to power, breaking up the big trusts, and instituting reforms to regulate industries and limit the influence corporations and the ultra-wealthy can have on politics. Fast forward to 2026, and the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, is projected to become a Trillionaire (With a T) after his company SpaceX launches its IPO on June 12th. There are 16 other Americans who can be classified as "Centibillionaires" ($100 Billion), and this number has been increasing every year. Having such extreme wealth in the hands of a few gives credence to the notion that we are now living in the Gilded Age 2.0. **Questions to Consider:** 1\. Is it necessarily bad to have so many billionaires? 2\. Are there lessons we can draw on from the first Gilded Age? 3\. Will we see our own "Progressive" backlash against mega\-corporations and the ultra\-wealthy?

This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the entirety of "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea" and New Direction's "Death in Midsummer" short story collection, both by Yukio Mishima https://www.ndbooks.com/book/death-in-midsummer/ The current list of short stories we will be focusing on is "Patriotism" and "Death in Midsummer," list pending to change. Due to recent high popularity of our meetings, we will be having a temporary moratorium new members until a level of member cultivation has occurred. We estimate this will be around July 1st. 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 get added.

Our June book will be The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Book summary: A struggling writer steals a dead student's brilliant idea and watches his success unravel into paranoia and danger. Fairfax County Public Library meeting rooms can only be reserved up to 60 days in advance, so we don't have a location or an exact time for this meeting yet. Update to come when a room is booked.

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!

* 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

📚 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.

With Christopher Nolan's film adaptation on the horizon, it's time for us to finally read one of the most iconic classics of Greek literature: Homer's *Odyssey*! We'll be reading the epic poem over the course of three meetings, starting with books 1-8, which introduce us to the situation on Odysseus's home of Ithaca and the first half of his long journey home from the Trojan War. I will be reading from the highly regarded [Lattimore](https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-odyssey-of-homer-richmond-lattimore/ca6dbb99680e7cd9) translation, but feel free to use whichever version you prefer. 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!

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.

**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.

[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! 📖