INTRODUCING OUR VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
Staying socially distant doesn't mean we can't meet to chat about our favorite reads...virtually, of course! Join us for our first
community book read
, where we'll read and discuss a new book every other month. Our selections will be available for a free download in either eBook or eAudiobook format through
OverDrive
.
The July/August selection is "
Me and White Supremacy
" by Layla F. Saad, an interactive read that challenges readers to dismantle the privilege within themselves. We'll tackle tough and thought-provoking questions, with the end-goal of making the world a more inclusive place.
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DIG IN TO SUMMER READING AT LBPL
Have you signed up for Summer Reading yet? If not, there's still some time left to
register
!
Log your reading and activities to earn super sweet prizes and get rewarded for the reading you're already doing. Summer Reading is free and for all ages, so you can get the whole family involved! The program runs until July 25, 2020, so be sure to sign up ASAP to make the most of the summer.
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WE RECOMMEND...BOOK CLUBS
There are loads of good reasons to join (or start) a book club. They can give you that push to the finish. Decrease stress and boost teamwork skills. They may gain you new friends and get you involved in the community. Books clubs introduce you to new authors, titles, and genres, so you may gain new perspectives. They can serve to better your own writing skills. And books, of course, are mental food for the brain.
We hope you'll join the library's newly launched online book club - but if you're already in one, or are itching to start your own, here are some suggestions to keep your club hooked on books.
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Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
For years, Kya Clark has survived alone in the marshes of the North Carolina coast. Dubbed “The Marsh Girl” by the locals, she was abandoned by her family and has been raised by nature itself. Now, as she comes of age, she begins to yearn for something more than her loneliness – maybe even a connection with the locals. This bestseller is exquisitely written and a wonderful book club selection.
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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
For a light-hearted book club book,
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely
Fine
is the perfect choice. Eleanor has the habit of saying exactly what she thinks and much prefers to spend her weekends at home talking on the phone to her mother. When Eleanor and her slovenly coworker Raymond help an elderly gentleman after a fall, the three become friends and Eleanor learns that opening up isn’t always a bad thing.
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We Were the Lucky Ones
by Georgia Hunter
If your book club loves historical fiction based on true stories, this one might be for you.
We Were the Lucky Ones
is based on the epic true story of the Kurc family. Separated during the war, they determine to not only survive the atrocities but reunite and be a family again. To make the story even more compelling – it’s a tale of the author’s ancestors.
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Behold the Dreamers
by Imobolo Mbue
A compulsively readable debut novel about marriage, immigration, class, race, and the trapdoors in the American Dream, this is the unforgettable story of a young Cameroonian couple making a new life in New York just as the Great Recession upends the economy. It's been described as the intersection of
Americanah
and
The Help.
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The Mother-in-Law
by Sally Hepworth
If you’re looking for book club books about family relationships, you won’t want to miss this one. The first time Lucy met Diana, she disappointedly finds her future mother-in-law cold and distant. Not at all the best friend and replacement mother Lucy was hoping to find. Now ten years later, Diana is dead, and all eyes automatically turn to Lucy. Much more a character study than a murder mystery,
The Mother-in-Law
shines by highlighting how two different people can view the same event differently and by navigating the history of a complicated relationship.
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The Great Alone
by Kristin Hannah
Coming off
The Nightingale
, Kristin Hannah's wildly successful World War II novel, her next book explores the untamed wilds of Alaska. A recently returned Vietnam War POW, Ernt Allbright decides to move his family to the Alaskan frontier. At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. But when the harsh Alaskan winter approaches and Ernt’s mental state begins to deteriorate, his wife and daughter must fight to survive. A captivating, stay-up-all-night kind of novel sure to snare your book club members.
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Talking to Strangers
by Malcolm Gladwell
In
Talking to Strangers
, Gladwell focuses on what happens when we encounter new people and why those encounters so often turn out poorly. With his mix of statistics, scientific research, and interesting anecdotes, Gladwell is the ultimate storyteller. Be prepared for lots of debate as many of his viewpoints may be quite controversial with some people. Making it a perfect book club book to spark conversation.
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FROM THE LBPL ARCHIVES
On January 22, 1927, Long Beach police arrested Babe Ruth before his scheduled appearance at the State Theater, a vaudeville venue near the Pike, on the southeast corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue.
The Bambino had been backstage getting ready for his touring show—a lucrative but apparently not very entertaining endeavor in which the Babe would “sing” and tell stories—when he was informed by the theater manager that officials in San Diego had issued a warrant for his arrest. Several days earlier, the Sultan of Swat had allegedly violated child labor laws at a performance in San Diego by inviting children on stage to meet him and receive souvenir baseballs, with some children reportedly reciting poems and becoming part of the show.
On the day of the arrest, the Caliph of Clout arrived at the Long Beach police station, smelling of fish and booze (he’d reportedly been trout fishing in San Bernardino earlier in the day), and handed Desk Sgt. Joe Hale a stack of “25 crisp $20 bills” to pay his $500 bail, according to the
Press Telegram
.
The Big Bam was able to make it back to the theater only a few minutes behind schedule. The charges would later be dismissed.
Later that year, Ruth’s New York Yankees would win the World Series, with their 1927 “Murderers’ Row” lineup, widely considered to be the greatest baseball team of all time.
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LA Times, January 23, 1927
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Babe Ruth posting his bail, January 22, 1927
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