Wellington City Book Club

For our June book, we are reading “Escape from Manus Prison” by Jaivet Ealom.

This is the story of the only person to successfully escape Australia's notorious offshore detention centre, and his long search for freedom.

In 2013 Jaivet Ealom fled Myanmar's brutal regime, where Rohingya like him were being persecuted and killed, and boarded a boat of asylum seekers bound for Australia. Instead of finding refuge, he was transported to Australia's infamous Manus Regional Processing Centre.

Blistering hot days spent in shipping containers on the island melted into weeks, then years . . . until, finally, facing either jail in Papua New Guinea or being returned to almost certain death in Myanmar, he took matters into his own hands. Drawing inspiration from the hit show Prison Break, Jaivet meticulously planned his escape. He made it out alive but was stateless, with no ID or passport. While the nightmare of Manus was behind him, his true escape to freedom had only just begun.

This is the story of a six-month-long odyssey by foot, boat, car, and plane, that enabled Jaivet to reach sanctuary in Canada.

If you are coming to the Meet Up, we welcome recommendations for our next book. Come prepared to describe your choice. We like books of short to medium length that will not be too much of a challenge to read in the month or so allotted!

We also welcome anyone who wants to bring books along that they have finished with and are happy to pass on to other readers. However if there is no uptake on any of your books, please be prepared to take them home again as we have no storage facilities.

It is REALLY IMPORTANT that you please RSVP and CANCEL if your plans change as we have to manage the space we have booked at the venue. If RSVPs are closed, it means we have reached maximum numbers.

For our July book, we are reading “Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts” by Josie Shapiro.

This debut novel tells the story of Mickey five foot tall, dyslexic, and bullied at school. Mickey knows she's nothing special. Until one day, she discovers running.

Mickey's new-found talent makes her realise she's everything she thought she wasn't - powerful, strong and special. But her success comes at a cost, and the relentless training and pressure to win leaves Mickey broken, her dream in tatters.

Years later, when Mickey is working in a dead-end job with a drop-kick boyfriend, her mother becomes seriously ill. After nursing her, Mickey realises the only way she can overcome her grief - and find herself - is to run again.

A chance encounter with a stranger sees Mickey re-ignite her dreams. The two women form an unbreakable bond, as Mickey is shown what it means to run in the right direction.

A novel about change, family and grit, and what it takes to achieve your dreams.

We have decided to create a book exchange at our Meet Ups. Members are welcome to bring along any book that they have finished with and would like to pass on. However please be prepared to take any books home with you that don't get adopted as we have no storage facilities! But on the plus side, you might pick up that book you have been meaning to read...

If you are coming to the Meet Up, we welcome recommendations for our next book. Come prepared to describe your choice. We like books of short to medium length that will not be too much of a challenge to read in the month or so allotted!

It is important that you please RSVP and cancel if your plans change. If RSVPs are closed, it means we have reached maximum numbers.