Book Discussions
Library-sponsored discussion groups for every literary interest. Book discussion selections are available at the Reader Services Desk one month prior to meetings. New members always welcome. Just drop in.
Special Author Event
Crime Fiction Author Panel
Wednesday, April 24, 7-8:30 PM • Community Room
Interested in finding clues, solving crimes, and the thrill of the chase, but prefer reading about it in a fictionalized setting? In this panel discussion, authors Susanna Calkins, Jack Fredrickson, Julie Hyzy, and Victoria Thompson discuss their works and share the stories behind their exceptional crime fiction novels. Book sale by Book Bin Northbrook and author signing following program.
Great Books Discussion
Wednesdays, March 13, April 10 & May 8, 10-11:30 AM • Community Room East
Inquiring minds and passionate readers: explore works of the world’s biggest thinkers and finest writers, from Plato, Aristotle, and Sophocles through Shakespeare, Dostoyevsky, and Austen, to Marx, Freud, Darwin, and more. Moderated by Michael Bartlett, journalist/editor and Glenview resident.
BookBites: Reading Social
Meets First Thursday of the Month • 7 PM • Hackney’s on Lake (1514 E. Lake Avenue, Glenview)
Co-sponsored by the Niles-Maine District Library. More information.
March 7: The Little French Bistro by Nina George
Terribly depressed by the emptiness of her long marriage, Marianne decides to end it all by jumping off a Paris bridge. Her unwanted rescue and ensuing marital abandonment jolt Marianne into ditching her tour group and setting out for Finistere, the westernmost coast of Brittany. Keeping body and soul together by working at a seaside bistro, Marianne finds herself healing through the company of a diverse group of quirky locals.
April 4: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
Sara arrives in the small town of Broken Wheel to visit her pen pal Amy, only to discover Amy has just died. The tale of how she brings the love of books and reading that she shared with Amy to the residents of Broken Wheel is just a lovely read. Any book lover will enjoy Sara’s story and that of the friends she makes in Broken Wheel.
May 2: The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
In this poignant, charming debut, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper stopped engaging with life a year ago, when his wife of 40 years died. But the discovery among her things of a charm bracelet he’d never seen before prompts a quest to discover the origins of the bracelet and all of its charms. His adventures take him from his home in York through the English countryside, and on to Paris and India.
Page Turners
Meets First Monday of the Month • 1PM • Community Room East
Indulge your passion for literature with a wide range of literary genres.
March 4: The Hearts of Men by Nickolas Butler
In the summer of 1962, we are introduced to popular Jonathan and social outcast, Nelson, aka ‘The Bugler.’ The only thing the two seem to have in common is that they both spend a few weeks of one summer at Camp Chippewa in the woods of Wisconsin. Yet, over the course of decades, their lives and the lives of those they love the fiercest are intertwined. This wonderful novel peels back the layers of male friendship and shows what loyalty, compassion, and selflessness look like.
April 1: The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
On the way to a big literary-award ceremony, the wife of a famous New York Jewish novelist—sick of his philandering, his self-importance, and his limited talent—decides on divorce. Her stingingly comic story of their marriage shows why. They met in 1956, when she was his writing student at Smith and he was the author of one very bad published story. Only after running off with his talented and self-effacing pupil does he burst into literary stardom. Although they have three (variously unhappy) children, he has always been the real child in the family, dragging her along to the fêtes at which he is flattered and flirted with while she drinks her jealousy away.
May 6: The Muralist by Barbara A. Shapiro
When Alizée Benoit, an American painter working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) vanishes in New York City in 1940, no one knows what happened to her. Not her Jewish family living in German-occupied France. Not her artistic patron and political compatriot, Eleanor Roosevelt. Not her close-knit group of friends, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. And, some seventy years later, not her great-niece, Danielle Abrams, who while working at Christie’s auction house uncovers enigmatic paintings hidden behind works by those now-famous Abstract Expressionist artists. Do they hold answers to the questions surrounding her missing aunt?
Next Chapter Book Club
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities read and learn, make friends, and have fun together in a public setting. Trained volunteers facilitate each club meeting. We have filled all volunteer positions, but we are still looking for members. Read more about becoming a member or volunteer.
BOOKit! Exploring Nonfiction
Meets Bimonthly, Fourth Wednesday of the Month • 7 PM • Multipurpose Room
Explore intriguing nonfiction selections with lively group discussion.
March 27: Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson
Learn the history of food through its tools across different eras and continents, presenting a fully rounded account of humans’ evolving relationship to kitchen technology. From the birth of the fork in Italy as it discovered pasta, to culture wars over spoons in Restoration England, this is the previously unsung history of our kitchens.
May 22: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
A true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
Much Ado About Mysteries
Meets Quarterly, Thursday Evenings • 7 PM • Community Room East
Are you mad about mysteries? Join us for a quarterly discussion for mystery fans. To sign up for the group’s email list, receive book lists, meeting reminders, and agendas, contact: mystery@glenviewpl.org or call Reader Services at 847-729-7500 x7600.
Thursday, March 14, 7 PM • Discussion Topic: Murder by the Book: Library & Bookshop Mysteries
All Things Spanish
Wednesdays, 7-8:30 PM • Multipurpose Room
Native and non-native Spanish speakers are invited to join the fun while practicing language skills and expanding their love for Spanish/Latino culture. Meetings are conducted primarily in Spanish and may include reading a short story, watching a film, and more. Contact cramirez@glenviewpl.org for more information.
April 17: Movie Night—Sueño en Otro Idioma / I Dream in Another Language (2017/NR)
May 15: Short Story or Excerpt Reading & Discussion
Collections for Book Clubs
Book Club in a Bag
Twelve copies of each title plus discussion guides. Perfect for book clubs.
Book Discussion Collection
Multiple copies of specially selected titles available for your book club.
Need More Help?
Call 847-729-7500 x7600, visit the Reader Services Desk or fill out an online request form.