First Friday Book Discussion: The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
Friday, November 6 @ Noon
Don’t let social distancing prevent you from discussing a great book with your neighbors! Download The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai on Hoopla (free with your Blackstone Library card), then meet up with us via zoom for a live book discussion on November 6th.
With the epic sweep of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and the lyrical beauty of Vaddey Ratner’s In the Shadow of the Banyan, The Mountains Sing tells an enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Trần family, set against the backdrop of the Việt Nam War. Trần Diệu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Nội, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Hồ Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that tore apart not just her beloved country, but also her family.
Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Việt Nam, The Mountains Sing brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope.
Registration is required to receive a link to this online event. Click here to register.
2nd Tuesday Book Group, 6:15 – 7:30 p.m.
October 13 – The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
November 10 – The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Meetings will be held via Zoom or outside on the Branford Green. Interested in more information? Email ckondziela@blackstonelibrary.org
Best Seller Book Club – last Saturday of the month @ 3:30 pm., held virtually via Zoom!
October 31: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Have you ever thought about joining a book club? It’s a fun way to get connected, make new friends, and read more books! In the Bestseller Book Club, we’ll be reading and discussing newly released, highly rated books from a wide variety of genres. This month we’re reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Read the full synopsis here.
Registration is required to receive a link to this online event. Click here to register.
The Blackstone Library has a limited number of copies available for book club participants. If you are interested in obtaining a library copy, please call us at (203) 488-1441 ext. 318 or email programs@blackstonelibrary.org. Copies are first come, first served.
Books & Brews – last Wednesday @ 6 p.m., held virtually via Zoom! at Thimble Island Brewing Company
October 28: Ghost Stories
We’re temporarily switching to a genre study format. Check out our Meetup page for details!
Choose one (or both) titles to read, then join that table discussion the night of the group. Books are available for loan in advance of discussion. Ask at Reference about getting a copy. Group meets at Thimble Island Brewing Company, 16 Business Park Dr, Branford, CT 06405.
Book groups meet in the Lucy Hammer Room and new members are always welcome. Call the Reference Department at 203.488.1441, ext. 318, if you need help placing a book on hold.
The above book clubs are meeting virtually for the foreseeable future. Any updates will be posted here.