Meeting Reports: January, February, March, and April 2024

Well, once again I've been slacking on these. I don't even remember some of the discussions anymore, so I'll try to keep this brief:

January 2024:

The Vanished Birds, by Simon Jimenez was Ashley's pick for January.

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Best Science Fiction (2020)

 

A mysterious child lands in the care of a solitary woman, changing both of their lives forever in this captivating debut of connection across space and time.

Miriam hosted this meeting and made delicious cinnamon rolls and we all pretty much liked the book, as demonstrated in our members' reviews:

Miriam: "This is just beautiful. It's metaphorical on multiple levels. It was satisfying to feel like I was reading the true history of the events, because the different points of view offered their own nuanced takes of what was happening, both in the present and the past of the story. In addition, the writing is so beautiful and fluid that although the story is intense, this would have been a one-sitting book for me if I had been able to carve out the time. It was just so masterfully done."

Ashley: "I didn't finish this in time for book club but I did finish it! And it was excellent. In the past two months, it really hasn't stuck with me as much as I thought it would. BUT IT WAS STILL EXCELLENT. It's sort of like if Becky Chambers's sci-fi also stabbed you with knives."

Lauren: "The Vanished Birds is an exploration of the importance of memory and human connection, as well as a scathing critique of capitalistic consumption and corporate exploitation. It's also smart and readable and well-paced and engaging with well-written, complex characters. There is one character where I struggled with her development and choices, but I think further reflection is necessary. The ending was perfect. I sat silently holding my book for several minutes upon finishing."

Sarah: "This was SO beautifully written and the critiques of capitalism, resource extraction, and exploitation come through powerfully without being overbearing. I felt like we get a better sense of some characters than others, and I wish there was more consistency here. The ending got a bit wild in a way that was unexpected (and a little hard to follow--I had to replay some bits of the audio a couple times--but that's likely my problem). Nonetheless, I would recommend this book!"

Average rating from our members: 4.57 stars

 

February 2024:

Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter, by Benjamin Perry was Lauren's pick for February.

What happens when we cry--and when we don't? One of our most private acts, weeping can forge connection. Tears may obscure our vision, but they can also bring great clarity. And in both literature and life, weeping often opens a door to transformation or even resurrection.

Paige graciously hosted this meeting, which was a thoughtful and productive discussion despite some mixed feelings about this book:

Lauren: "Overall this was a good, if not perfect read. Benjamin Perry looks at crying as an inherently human way of feeling and considers who is allowed to cry and who isn't. Perry's synthesis of anecdotes in each chapter is really well done. He has clearly gathered stories thoughtfully from a wide and diverse set of sources. I like the examination of crying thematically in each chapter. He considers gender, race, age, and biology. This is a little performatively woke and I was left wanting more depth from each chapter. It reads a lot like a set of longer articles than a really cohesive book and the chapters vary in quality. I think a more conclusive discussion of purpose would have worked well for me. Like, if we all cried more, what would be accomplished? What would we get out of a world where we felt free to cry more?"

Sarah: "I had some mixed feelings about this book. One one hand, I appreciated the stories Perry collected from a diverse range of people on their experiences with crying and their feelings, and I want to honor their vulnerability in contributing to this book. On the other hand, I felt that Perry was explaining something very obvious to me, which I found tiresome. There is an audience that needs to hear this message, though, and I sincerely hope they find their way to a more liberated emotional life somehow, whether that is via this book or some other means."

Miriam: "I’m about 10% in and I can’t stand this. It’s simply not for me. I already know the therapeutic benefits of crying, and I feel like I’m being mansplained to about it with this book. It’s also a little preachy."

Average rating from our members: 2.5 stars

March and April 2024: This was a double meeting for scheduling reasons. First:

Enchanted Hill, by Emily Bain Murphy was Paige's pick for March.

The year is 1930 and Cora McCavanagh is posing as a maid at Hollywood magnate Truman Byrd’s legendary estate. She’s closing in on the damning evidence she needs for a high-profile client. An aspiring PI, Cora was trained by her father, a former prison guard at the notorious Pelican Island, where Cora grew up surrounded by hardened criminals. Which is why she recognizes Jack Yates as soon as he walks through the door. The last time she saw him was on an ill-fated night that changed the course of her life and still haunts her more than a decade later. Cora never expected to see Jack again—and now a single misstep could cause both their secret identities to come crashing down. They strike a tentative truce to help each other during a week of parties overflowing with champagne and caviar. But there are puzzles hidden in every corner of Truman Byrd’s labyrinthine estate, and if Cora is to finally learn the truth about Jack Yates, she must unravel a sinister history that the rich and powerful will do anything to keep concealed.

 This meeting was recent enough that I remember we discussed some real historical people and events that likely inspired this book, like an art heist and the Hearst mansion. Overall impressions were favorable, though not ecstatically so:

Miriam: "The writing is honestly pretty good - I adored the imagery and descriptions. However, I’m kinda sick of reading about 20s/30s era rich people. Helpfully, the actual main characters of this story are not steeped in wealth, but we get some pov chapters from a few of those who are, and I did feel that these were not very strong povs. I questioned their purposes in the story and thought they could have been taken out with no negative consequences. For another thing, the mansion with all of its secrets and codes is simply way too cool to belong to the dude it belongs to. This is due in part to the only character I really loved, who is an architect, and unfortunately only appears in the book a few times. I desperately wanted it to be Florence’s story. It would be way more interesting to read about a Jewish lesbian breaking into the architecture field in California in the 20s and designing a kickass puzzle mansion than what we have here, which is honestly a fairly run of the mill mystery. I may have been in the wrong mood for this book, but it did partially win me over. The narrative is pretty flawless, and like I said, the writing is very nice. I liked it, but I don’t know what would have made me love it."

Sarah: "I love an eccentric puzzle house, and the architect of said puzzle house was my favorite character. Sadly, she's only in the book for a couple of scenes. The rest of the plot is about uncovering dark and hidden pasts which all resolve rather predictably. While I didn't love it, I had a decently fun time reading this. It was a pleasant and escapist light read."

Ashley DNF'ed, and while other members were present, I don't have any other reviews to quote (and I guess I get too distracted during the discussions to put on my stenographer hat). If there's anything I missed that must be immortalized in this blog *sound off in the comments!*

Average rating from our members: 3.63 stars

Then moving on to:

Some Desperate Glory, by Emily Tesh was Sarah's pick for April.

All her life Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the all-powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the Majoda their victory over humanity. Kyr is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet. But when Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, she knows she must take humanity’s revenge into her own hands. Alongside her brother’s brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, she escapes from everything she’s ever known into a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could have imagined.

Ashley: "I feel like Emily Tesh knew exactly what she wanted to do with the story, and pulled it off. The concepts, characters, plot twists, and everything else this book was wanting to explore I thought it explored really well, and did so with nuance and care*, for the most part. (*The one moment in here that absolutely should have been removed was the scene at the end with a certain two characters touching each other's hair/hair-equivalent, as like a gesture of solidarity? It was genuinely one of the cringiest things I've ever read.) I've seen some pushback to the idea that Kyr would have been deprogrammed so quickly and easily, but I think what happened here was right. Kyr was never going to change, unless world-altering circumstances made her. This book wanted to explore an unthinking adherent to a fascist death cult, what that person's life would look like to others, and what it would take to shake them out of it. The story had me the whole time, even when I didn't like anybody. It was an interesting way in to the narrative, where you have to literally read between the lines at what is not being said, or what Kyr is not noticing or understanding in order to get a more full picture."

Kris: "This book really surprised me. It’s not my typical pick, but I’m so glad I read it. It started slowly, but pretty soon it reeled me in. There were several times that I thought I knew where it was going, only for the book to shift."

Miriam: “'I need you to care about injustice.' This is absolutely a perfect science fiction novel and the less you know about it going in, the better (although I will add that it’s also a master class in character development)."

Sarah: "I had a great time with this book. The action was non-stop and it was hard to put down--always a great feeling from a book. Initially I was struggling with the complete 180° Kyr goes through in a relatively short period of time, which felt like it was more for plot reasons than anywhere in the vicinity of a realistic deprogramming journey. Upon further reflection though, and conversation with someone close to me who has first-hand experience, I think I appreciate this more. Once Kyr is out of her familiar surroundings, and away from people who know her well, she no longer has to keep up appearances, or perform her persona of the 'good soldier,' allowing long-suppressed feelings and doubts to rise to the surface. I also understand that someone in her situation could easily 'glom onto' the nearest person who knows the new Kyr, which to me explains a lot about her relationship with Yiso. Overall a great read."

I agree with Ashley; the thing at the end…so weird? Why? We didn't even get to that in our discussion, *sound off in the comments!* Overall though, impressions were quite favorable.

Average rating from our members: 4.5 stars

 

UP NEXT, May 2024: 

Witch King, by Martha Wells (Emily Y)

 

Lastly,

What has the microhistory book club been up to?

Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall by Alexandra Lange. 

Few places have been as nostalgized, or as maligned, as malls. Since their birth in the 1950s, they have loomed large as temples of commerce, the agora of the suburbs. In their prime, they proved a powerful draw for creative thinkers such as Joan Didion, Ray Bradbury, and George Romero, who understood the mall's appeal as both critics and consumers. Yet today, amid the aftershocks of financial crises and a global pandemic, as well as the rise of online retail, the dystopian husk of an abandoned shopping center has become one of our era's defining images. Conventional wisdom holds that the mall is dead. But what was the mall, really? And have rumors of its demise been greatly exaggerated?

Sarah: "This book had some interesting parts. Where it touches on the impact historically / socially / culturally of malls and their design were the parts I most enjoyed reading. However, I would have preferred maybe some deeper analysis. It also took me FOREVER to read this book, and I don’t know if it was too long? (some parts felt that way) or if it needed to be organized differently? Or was it just me? Lastly: malls outside of the U.S. aren’t discussed until the conclusion where we get a whirlwind global tour, which just doesn’t make sense to me; I would have liked more of this information throughout the book."

Ashley: "Can't really recommend this one! Unless you want something to put you to sleep. The pictures of the old malls were cool. I think I would have given this five stars if it was just pictures of old malls with people in them wearing weird old clothes."

Miriam: "I listened to this on double speed because I knew if I didn't get through it quickly, I would have a hard time staying invested. It really would probably be better in hardcopy so that the reader could see pictures that I assume are in there of the different malls being discussed. I did start to become interested in this in the latter half. It was a hard slog through the history of seemingly every mall that was ever erected in America for awhile, but then several things were brought up: A) RAY FRICKIN BRADBURY kinda designed malls because he was an excellent world builder because he was a sci fi writer, and he wrote something about it, and a mall architect USED HIS IDEAS. That's pretty cool. B) MY 2ND COUSIN was cited! Multiple times!! Dr. Bernard J Frieden, who was a Ford Professor Emeritus of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, is my father's cousin. Anyway, it was really cool and unexpected to hear my relative's name cited in this book. Neat! C) I have always felt that malls aren't that bad, actually. Like, I get that they take up a ton of space and they're full of generic "keeping up with the Joneses" type nonsense, but they don't have to be like that. I have often argued that local businesses should be more of a focus in malls. I also see value in a place you don't have to pay to get into, and which is air conditioned (or heated, if you don't happen to live in the American Southwest), has good lighting, gathering spaces (food courts, bench and seating areas, fountains,), and long, walkable spaces. This book agrees with me. It brings up how a mall can be a safe place for youths to hang after school, for unhoused individuals to get shelter, water, and restroom use, and for people to be able to walk safely for exercise. It also brings up what I've seen happening at two malls near me: local businesses ARE starting to move in. While being a mall rat in the 90s was some part of my identity as a tween and teen, I'm happy to see the direction malls are going. I agree with this book: they're not decaying into slummy ruins. At least, not all of them. I think we should keep them, but make them better, and so does this author. While I had a hard time slogging through some of this book, it ended up being more valuable to my personal knowledge and understanding of city life than I expected."

Erin: "If you’re into urban planning, architecture, and design this book may be for you. Evidently that’s not really my jam and I found this dry and difficult to get through as an audiobook. I think a physical book and pictures would have been the way to go for me. That said, the chapter on teenagers and malls was very interesting and would have enjoyed an entire book on this topic alone!"

Average rating from our members: 3.0 stars

 

"Wow, that's so interesting! What else?"

 

Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs, by Jamie Loftus

Part travelogue, part culinary history, all capitalist critique―comedian Jamie Loftus's debut, Raw Dog , will take you on a cross-country road trip in the summer of 2021, and reveal what the creation, culture, and class influence of hot dogs says about America now. 

Hot dogs. Poor people created them. Rich people found a way to charge fifteen dollars for them. They’re high culture, they’re low culture, they’re sports food, they’re kids' food, they’re hangover food, and they’re deeply American, despite having no basis whatsoever in America's Indigenous traditions. You can love them, you can hate them, but you can’t avoid the great American hot dog.

Miriam: "I desperately wanted a hotdog while listening to this. Jamie Loftus is one of my favorite podcasters out there, because not only is she a comedian, but she also seeks to make people think on a deeper level about things that are not usually analyzed. She's also very transparent in her goals for the work she puts into the world, and I commend that. It was more of a memoir than I was expecting. I do adore a well-written memoir, and that's partially what this is, but interspersing it with histories of various hot dog joints made it feel a bit jumbly. That being said, the histories of various hot dog joints were sometimes pretty boring, so I understand the purpose of doing it this way. What I am saying is, most of this book is quotable, I enjoyed my time with it (but it's not a favorite), and now I want a hot dog."

Sarah: "I went in thinking this was going to just be about hot dogs, but it's also about AMERICA. And capitalism, and classism. It's weird, informative, and funny. I loved the Wienermobile chapter. 100% recommend the audio to hear this in Jamie's own voice."

I sadly missed this meeting due to travel, but while everyone went to Two Hands for corn dogs, I joined in spirit from Dog Haus in Utah:

 

But getting back to the book, anything else of note that was discussed? *Sound off in the comments!*

Average rating from our members: 4.6 stars

P.S. Hey, look, a Mini Cooper Wienermobile! One-of-a-kind! (It's like 4am right now--insomnia!!!--and my brain was suddenly unsure how to spell Wienermobile so then this happened.)

Next we're reading Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries, by Greg Melville.

If you want to join us for this or any future micro-history books, get in touch with Jessy!

Don't forget!: If you're curious what our "sister book club" THIS BOOK CLUB SHALL NOT BE NAMED is up to, Ashley has written some great recaps over there as well!

Seventh Cycle

Salutations fellow readers! 

We have compiled the book list for 2024, also known as the Seventh Cycle (or if you now reckon time according to The Most Sacred Dangerous Creatures Book Club Calendar, the Blessed Year of Our Reading Collective 7).

Anyway, here's some books:

January 2024:

The Vanished Birds, by Simon Jimenez (Ashley)

February 2024:

Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter, by Benjamin Perry (Lauren)

March 2024:

Enchanted Hill, by Emily Bain Murphy (Paige)

April 2024:

Some Desperate Glory, by Emily Tesh (Sarah)

May 2024: 

Witch King, by Martha Wells (Emily Y)

June 2024:

Ink Blood Sister Scribe, by Emma Törsz (Miriam)

July 2024:

No book, but possible bonus book club activity--stay tuned!

August 2024: 

Every Drop is a Man’s Nightmare, by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto (Emily O)

September 2024: 

The Fiction Writer, by Jillian Cantor (group vote)

October 2024: 

Rouge, by Mona Awad (Jessy)

November 2024:

Funny Story, by Emily Henry (Kristyn)

December 2024:

No book, but we will do our annual Winter Holiday party and choose books for the next cycle!

The Holiday Merger Party was a Blast!

I just returned home from our holiday party, and I am so overwhelmed with feelings of joy and gratitude! The party was super fun, and I think everyone went home with at least one book they are excited to read! Even though the White Elephant book exchange got a ~teensy~ bit heated at the end, we all got something interesting (or terryifying - my book has DOGS WITH HANDS). Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my co-leaders, Jessy and Sarah. Jessy, you're such a great friend and I deeply appreciate you stepping up to host the party when my house became unviable. Your spread was delightful and your house is always such a millennial daydream to be in. Sarah, you're my ride-or-die, and I adore your posts to this blog. I also deeply appreciate your record-keeping so that the club can keep running smoothly. It was great to merge the two clubs for a gathering, too! For those who don't know, the other club is called The Book Club that Shall Not Be Named, and we have quite a few members who hop back and forth between clubs! Also represented at this party was our nonfiction delegation, from Jessy's Quarterly Microhistory Book Club. Shoutout to everyone! Let's do this again next year!

Meeting Report: November 2023

Meeting Report: November 2023

Book: "Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist" by Jennifer Wright

In "Madame Restell" we get a look at the controversial life and times of Old New York's most successful abortionist, from her personal journey to the evolving societal attitudes towards abortion. Jennifer Wright weaves together Madame Restell's early life, her rise to prominence, and the tumultuous events leading to her downfall at the hands of the notorious Anthony Comstock.

In our meeting, we discussed the success Madame Restell had performing abortions without any demonstrated loss of life of any of her patients due to infection, an achievement that was quite unusual for the time. We also discussed some of her choices, particularly around apparently sending the child of one of her patients away to some unknown place (I think it was supposed to be Ohio?), with only the direction of the child's father to go on and to the great lifelong distress of that child's mother. The social context of the time was an interesting conundrum: there was an overabundance of orphaned children in New York City and not enough space in the city's orphanages or willing families to take them in. As a result, many children died of neglect. How society was changing from acceptance to condemnation of Restell's work in providing abortions (a view helped along by Comstock, that dick) when the alternative was already too many children (not to mention women) dying doesn't exactly seem more ethical.

Wright also sprinkled in a few humorous interjections in her writing, such as:

“Mill towns […] offered women financial independence […] Many hoped to earn enough money to provide for a relative, pay a brother’s tuition, or save for their own dowry and then return home. Others intended to get a better education, or to buy the things they wanted for themselves-books! pretty dresses!-with their own money. At least one went because she ‘hate[d] her mother in law,’ which seems fair.”

and:

“Surely the thought of inserting […] boiled garlic into one’s vagina is enough to make a modern woman shudder.”

and:

“You could probably make anyone go anywhere with a whip made out of scorpions.”

Though a few of us noted we would have liked even more of these, a) because they're hilarious and b) they helped to break up an otherwise quite serious (and sometimes infuriating) historical account.

We also discussed the Wikipedia page for Madame Restell [this is the permanent link to my revised version as of this post; the live version is here, and hopefully no one changes it...], which at the time of our meeting suggested Restell's death was most likely to have been murder. This came as a surprise to our group, because Wright's book says it was either suicide per the official ruling of the time, or posits that she may have faked her death and fled to Europe (admittedly a more satisfying ending), but says nothing at all about murder, so what gives?? 

Well, I did some digging into the other Restell biographer (Sharon DeBartolo Carmack*), and my official position is her assertion that Restell was murdered is speculative and not substantiated by multiple mainstream sources per Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Unofficially,† she's a quack who believes in Spiritualist mediums and talking to the dead. I'm not spending money to buy her (possibly self-published‡, another reliability red flag) book to find out what evidence she supposedly has for this claim, and barring any corroboration from reliable sources, I say it's bovine feces.

*If she's gonna cite/brazenly self-promote her own book on Wikipedia, calling her out by name is fair play.

†If she comes at me, this blog was hacked by the angry ghost of Madame Restell. PROVE ME WRONG, SHARON. You're the one who says anyone can be a medium, and that's science.

‡Her imprint for her Restell bio, Scattered Leaves Press, belongs to Warren, CARMACK & Associates. Most of the books they've published are written by either Warren or Carmack. I counted.

Rant over...

Average Goodreads rating from our members (who have rated at the time of this writing): 4.67 stars

Stay tuned for the next recap of our annual December holiday party, and the unveiling of the book list for the next Cycle!

P.S. Reminder that our spin-off microhistory book club meets quarterly--next meeting tentatively scheduled for February 23, 2024. The microhistory readers will next be tackling "Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall" by Alexandra Lange. If you want to join us for this or any future books, get in touch with Jessy!

Meeting Reports: September, October 2023

Once again, I apologize for my tardiness in recapping our book club meetings. First up is the recap for September:

Book: "Stone Blind" by Natalie Haynes

In "Stone Blind," Natalie Haynes brings a fresh perspective on the myth of Medusa, exploring the life and transformation of the only mortal among the Gorgon sisters. The story delves into Medusa's life and the unjust consequences she faces after a tragic event in Athene's temple. Natalie Haynes revives and reconstructs Medusa's story, highlighting themes of blame, punishment, and the mistreatment of women wronged by powerful men.

We had quite a robust discussion of this book during our meeting, highlighting the emotional impact, humor, and narrative style that make "Stone Blind" an excellent addition to Greek mythology retellings. The book's exploration of Medusa's story challenges traditional narratives and emphasizes the importance of a unique voice in mythology retellings. While I don't recall what everyone said, Miriam and Ashley both wrote thoughtful reviews on Goodreads that I encourage you to read if you haven't already. Some highlights:

Ashley said, "I knew I was going to like this, but I didn't quite expect to like it as much as I did. . . What did she ever do to deserve her fate? Absolutely nothing! She could still be a fun friend with her eyes closed or blindfolded. Let her live her life!" Continuing that while some have critiqued "Stone Blind" as "not having enough Medusa in it, but I actually find this really interesting. . . there isn't really that much to Medusa's story! So what Haynes does here is highlight the absurdity of that, of this person who through no fault of her own ends up in this tragic situation, because of the greed, pettiness, arrogance, and abuses of people more powerful and less thoughtful and caring than she is."

Miriam loved the book, remarking, "This was so good," noting also "how masterful the dialogue is." 

Ashley highly recommends the audio version of the book (a sentiment I [Sarah] agree with, since this is also the method I engaged with the book as well), adding "I recommend having the audiobook at least on hand to listen to every now and then. . . The bit with the crows was probably my favorite humorous scene, and the bit where the narrator 'breaks cover' was pretty powerful because I did not see it coming at all, and I got hit in multiple senses at the same time with the change in style. Extremely effective, is what it is."

Average Goodreads rating from our members: 4.5 stars

Now, moving on to our October book:

Book: "The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones

We had a lively discussion about "The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones, a novel that blends classic horror with social commentary in a way that leaves a lasting impact. The story follows four American Indian men whose past comes back to haunt them, pushing them into a desperate struggle for survival.

The core of the narrative revolves around a past mistake made by the main characters. They hunted on sacred land reserved for tribal elders and committed various hunting ethics violations, including killing a pregnant female elk. The consequence of their actions, that is, the haunting by the elk-head woman, make for some especially chilling passages.

The final climactic scene focuses on the daughter of one of the main characters. We are compelled to root for her, as she is innocent, and she successfully persuades the vengeful spirit to end the violence. In indigenous lore, the elk-head woman, and other similar deer-woman spirits, typically target only those who have harmed women and children, and while the novel's genre requires suspense, the resolution ultimately aligns with this tradition.

Our meeting also delved into the exploration of masculine identity in indigenous culture and life on the reservation, shedding light on the broader themes that the book tackles. We also discussed the elk-head woman's appearances, whether as human women or in her original elk form, and how this added depth and horror to the story.

"The Only Good Indians" sparked some thoughtful conversations and left us with an appreciation for its nuanced horror and social commentary.

Average Goodreads Rating from our members: 4.2 stars

And finally, our spin-off microhistory book club had its quarterly meeting at the end of August.

Book: "Butts: A Backstory" by Heather Radke

"Butts: A Backstory" by Heather Radke delves into the multifaceted history and cultural significance of our behinds. It's a topic both amusing and thought-provoking.

As Ashley writes in her Goodreads review, "We start with the evolutionary purpose of the butt and then move on to such topics as: Sarah Baartman (“The Hottentot Venus”, and why everything about what happened to her and even that moniker is super racist and tragic); the impact of butts on fashion and the impact of fashion on butts (where did bustles come from? why can you never find a pair of jeans that fit? and why is everything so tragically linked to eugenics?); re-explorations of Josephine Baker, Jennifer Lopez, Sir Mix-A-Lot (“Baby Got Back”), Miley Cyrus (along with a history of twerking), and the Buns of Steel phenomenon."

The book club meeting was an enlightening experience, uncovering the social and historical significance of a body part we often take for granted. "Butts: A Backstory" exceeded our expectations, blending humor, knowledge, and insight into a truly enjoyable read. If you're curious about the profound cultural impact of the derrière, this book is well worth exploring.

Average Goodreads Rating from our members: 4.3 stars

The microhistory readers will next be tackling "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World" by Dan Koeppel. If you want to join us for this or any future books, get in touch with Jessy!

Stay tuned for the next recap covering our November book selection, and last book for this Cycle!

Book: "Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist" by Jennifer Wright

Shoutout: If you're curious what our "sister book club" THIS BOOK CLUB SHALL NOT BE NAMED is up to, Ashley has written some great recaps over there as well!

Meeting Reports: May, June, August 2023

I'm sorry for the delay in sharing our book club recaps; we have three meetings to cover since my last post. Let's start with the recap for May:

Book: "The Penelopiad" by Margaret Atwood

In "The Penelopiad," Margaret Atwood offers a contemporary twist to the ancient story of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus from "The Odyssey." In Homer's original account, Penelope is portrayed as the epitome of a faithful wife who patiently awaits her husband's return. However, Atwood gives Penelope and her twelve maids a voice, exploring what led to the hanging of the maids and revealing Penelope's hidden truths.

Miriam found the book surprisingly enjoyable, stating, "I liked this more than I thought I would!" She particularly appreciated the depth that Atwood added to Penelope's character, as it aligned with her love for the myth. Miriam's sentiment captures the essence of this retelling.

Average Goodreads Rating from our members: 3.5 stars

Now, moving on to our June book:

Book: "The Library at Mount Char" by Scott Hawkins

"The Library at Mount Char" introduces us to Carolyn, a character who isn't quite like the people around her. Raised by a mysterious figure known as Father, Carolyn and her adopted siblings have been steeped in Father's ancient customs, including the secrets within his Library. When Father goes missing, leaving the Library unguarded, Carolyn finds herself in a fierce competition against powerful adversaries for control over all of creation. But in the midst of this battle, Carolyn realizes she's forgotten to protect the things that make her human.

Our book club members had varying reactions to this unique tale. Sarah found the book to be highly engaging despite its bizarreness and extreme violence, describing it as "enjoyable (and funny)." Ashley, who read the book twice, elevated her rating to five stars upon revisiting it, emphasizing its weirdness and the fact that it left a lasting impression. Miriam, in her succinct yet enthusiastic review, exclaimed, "THIS SHIT IS 100% MY JAM." Paige enjoyed the book's blend of dark fantasy, humor, and lore, rating it 4.5 stars. Finally, Lauren appreciated the thought-provoking exploration of godhood but rounded her rating down to 4 stars, mentioning that the prose didn't stand out.

Average Goodreads Rating from our members: 4.25 stars

And finally, our August book:

Book: "Silver Under Nightfall" by Rin Chupeco

In "Silver Under Nightfall," Remy Pendergast, the son of the Duke of Valenbonne, is an elite bounty hunter tasked with hunting rogue vampires. His lineage and the rumors of his vampiric heritage have made him an outcast among his fellow Reapers. When a new and terrifying breed of vampire emerges outside the city, Remy embarks on a solo investigation. However, his path crosses with the warmhearted vampire heiress, Xiaodan Song, and her arrogant fiancé, Zidan Malekh, who may hold the key to combating the mutating virus Rot plaguing the kingdom. Remy's loyalty is put to the test as he navigates his feelings for the vampire couple and reevaluates his family's legacy.

"Silver Under Nightfall" offered an intriguing blend of vampire lore and a complex protagonist in Remy Pendergast. Miriam summed it up well with 'This was... a whole lotta vampires.' Ashley found it quite enjoyable, while I, personally not a fan of the genre, thought it was decent. However, I couldn't help but have numerous unanswered questions (which hopefully will be explored further in the sequel!), and Remy's character didn't entirely resonate with me. Chupeco's world is certainly imaginative with fascinating relationships and an exploration of loyalty and identity. While it may not be everyone's cup of tea, those with a penchant for vampire stories are likely to find it captivating.

Average Goodreads Rating from our members: 3.4 stars

I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer!

Stay tuned for our next recap covering our September book selection!

Book: "Stone Blind" by Natalie Haynes

Meeting Report: April 2023

The DCBC met on Sunday, April 30, 2023 to discuss April's book: The Monsters We Defy, by Leslye Penelope (selected by Sarah).

Attendees were: Sarah, Jessy, Miriam, Emily Y, Emily O, Kristyn, and Ashley.

The Monsters We Defy is about Clara Johnson, a young woman living in 1920s Washington, D.C. who can talk to spirits. She uses this gift to help the people who come to her for contacting the right sort of spirit (or Enigma) to intercede on their behalf. Each gift from an Enigma (a Charm) also comes with a price (a Trick) that either sounds benign at first, or the client is so desperate for the Charm that they are willing to pay any price. Clara herself has a Charm and a Trick, bestowed on her by a powerful Enigma known as the Empress.

"'You're just giving her the same deal you got. It's their choice to make it or not. Everyone has a choice.' 'Not always a good one,' Clara grumbled. 'No,' Mama Octavia said sadly. 'Colored folks don't often get good choices, do we?'"

― Leslye Penelope, The Monsters We Defy

Clara's Charm has helped her in the past, in order to get out of jail, but she has vowed to herself that she will never use it again. The Empress speaks to Clara, offering her an opportunity to free herself from her debt, removing both her Charm and her Trick. What the Empress asks in exchange is for Clara to obtain a ring, currently being worn by the wealthiest woman in D.C.'s social scene.

"Enigmas considered their offerings--the Charms and the Tricks--valuable and highly prized and couldn't understand why humans who received them were less than enthused."

― Leslye Penelope, The Monsters We Defy

If this task was as simple as just getting close to the woman and taking it from her, the book would be about four pages long and we would be deprived of the ensuing heist narrative. So of course Clara has to assemble a motley group of characters to pull this off--a jazz musician and his cousin (or brother? I forget), and an aging vaudeville actor who all have spirit debts of their own they want lifted, plus Clara's roommate Zelda, an albino circus runaway, with occasional insights from Mama Octavia, the ghost of Clara's own deceased grandmother.

"'We're not doing that bad,' Zelda replied. 'Haven't been shot, stabbed, or arrested yet. Got out of a pretty righteous scrape down at the garage. Honestly, I ain't had that much fun in years.'"

― Leslye Penelope, The Monsters We Defy

They encounter obstacles at every turn, leading to a final showdown between some of the most powerful spirits in the spirit-realm. There are also cameo appearances from some of the most famous figures of the Harlem Renaissance, including a young Langston Hughes.

“If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! —Claude McKay”

― Leslye Penelope, The Monsters We Defy

Our book club discussion touched on many topics: our favorite characters (Zelda and Mama Octavia were favorites), who we would recommend this book to (young or new adult readers), the Enigmas themselves and the concepts of destinies and souls. We didn't arrive at any sort of consensus on what a Destiny is, but it was fun to speculate about them and ponder the ramifications of such on the idea of free will.

Miriam said (in her Goodreads review): "This was so great! It is both historical fiction and slightly historical alternate fiction. I enjoyed this peek into the cultural past, and loved that it doesn’t shy away from discussing issues of race and class while still being a magical story."

Emily O prompted us during our discussion to consider whether the stakes felt high enough to really be satisfying, which was a good part of the discussion and part of why we largely agreed that this sort of book would be a good fit for a young or new adult audience. 

Kristyn (also on GR) said: "Big fan of Harlem Renaissance. Usually not a big fan of magical realism. But this book was delicious. I loved all of it."

“Professor Hansberry taught us about a concept they have in Africa—in Swahili it’s called utu. In Zulu, the word is ubuntu. It translates to ‘humanity,’ but what it really means is ‘community.’ I am because we are. Our humanity is tied together.”

― Leslye Penelope, The Monsters We Defy

I was amused to see this reference to the Zulu word 'ubuntu' and wondering if the author has a background in Computers (Ubuntu is the operating system for Linux, which I know are words for Computer things). Sure enough, in the About the Author section at the end, I learned that Leslye Penelope does in fact have a background in Computer Science. I always love a subtle nerd reference.

Personally, I had a great time reading it and I would love to watch a movie of this or even a monster-of-the-week TV series based in this world.

The Verdict

Taken from the average DCBC member ratings on Goodreads who had marked the book as read and rated at the time of this writing:

The Monsters We Defy: 4.7 stars

Next Month: May 2023: The Penelopiad, by Margaret Atwood (voted on by Committee; i.e. those present at the set-up meeting in December).

The meeting for which I will sadly miss, but I will be back in June! If anyone would like to contribute thoughts or notes on the discussion for a May recap, I would be much obliged and could possibly put a post together.

As always, the full book list for this cycle can be found here.