Book Clubs Los Angeles

Book Club Meet Up

Solenoid by Mircea Cărtărescu

WHAT WE'RE READING: Solenoid by Mircea Cărtărescu WHAT IT IS ABOUT: "Based on Cartarescu's own role as a high school teacher, Solenoid begins with the mundane details of a diarist's life and quickly spirals into a philosophical account of life, history, philosophy, and mathematics. One character asks another: when you rush into the burning building, will you save the newborn or the artwork? On a broad scale, the novel's investigations of other universes, dimensions, and timelines reconcile the realms of life and art. The novel is grounded in the reality of late 1970s/early 1980s Communist Romania, including long lines for groceries, the absurdities of the education system, and the misery of family life. The text includes sequences in a tuberculosis sanatorium, an encounter with an anti-death protest movement, a society of dream investigators, and an extended visit to the miniscule world of dust mites living on a microscope slide. Combining fiction with autobiography and history, Solenoid ruminates on the exchanges possible between the alternate dimensions of life and art, as various, monstrous dimensions erupt within the Communist present." WHERE WE'RE MEETING: 4100 Bar in Silver Lake A NOTE ON PARKING: Street parking should be more readily accessible on Sunset Blvd to the west of the meet-up location. A NOTE ON THE MEET-UP SEATING LOCATION: Meet-ups are generally held on the bar terrace, if sufficient seating is available. Please dress warmly in the event of cool evening weather! A NOTE ON RSVPING: If your name is on the attendee list for a scheduled meet-up and you no longer plan on attending the event, please remove your name from the attendee list at least a week before the scheduled event to allow individuals on the waitlist sufficient time to read the book beforehand (no worries if a cancellation has to be last-minute, though!). Happy reading! Colin

A Wound That Will Not Heal by Eric Beetner

Book 3 of 3: A Carter McCoy novel. Author will be present. Trilogy conclusion. No LAPL hard copies but available on Hoopla and for purchase @ Bookshop.org,, Amazon, etc. inc. Kindle and paperback. Our host Erik Grady will lead discussion as Peg is out of town. Carter McCoy is on borrowed time. The only thing that could get him to hit the road is a call for help from a friend. When that call comes in, he doesn't hesitate. Loading his dog Chester and his best friend, Ivana, into his truck, they head for California to help in a way only Carter can. Bree and Katie's idyllic life is shattered when a homegrown evil begins terrorizing their new home. They need the help of the man who got them out of the worst situation of their lives before. They need Carter McCoy. Carter must face down a gang of men emboldened by a culture of hate and intolerance to rescue innocent people being snatched from the streets. When someone close to him gets caught up in their illegal and immoral mission, the man they need to fear most is the one with the least to lose. Once again, Carter McCoy stands up for the innocent and the helpless. Once again, he faces the ticking clock on his own mortality. This is his last stand for justice. His last chance at redemption. His last few miles of road. It's time for the thrilling conclusion to the Carter McCoy saga.

Book Club Meeting: The Color Line by Igiaba Scego

**Happy November, Mocha Girls! ☕🤎** Join the **Mocha Girls Read Los Angeles Chapter** for an afternoon of reading, friendship, fellowship, and community. 📅 **Saturday, November 7, 2026** ⏰ **1:30 PM** 📍 **Lore Bookstore** Our October Monthly Book Selection is *[The Color Line](https://link.amazon/B01y48eRX)*[ by Igiaba Scego.](https://link.amazon/B01y48eRX) ### 📖 About the Book Inspired by true events, this gorgeous, haunting novel intertwines the lives of two Black female artists more than a century apart, both outsiders in Italy. It was the middle of the nineteenth century when Lafanu Brown audaciously decided to become an artist. In the wake of the American Civil War, life was especially tough for Black women, but she did not let that stop her. The daughter of a Native American woman and an African Haitian man, Lafanu had the rare opportunity to study, travel, and follow her dreams, thanks to her indomitable spirit, but not without facing intolerance and violence. In 2019, an Italian art curator of Somali origin is desperately trying to bring her sixteen-year-old cousin to Europe after she has already attempted the long, treacherous journey to Italy. While organizing an exhibition combining the paintings of Lafanu Brown with artwork created by young migrants, the curator becomes increasingly obsessed with Lafanu's life and secrets. Weaving together these two vibrant voices, Igiaba Scego offers a powerful exploration of what it means to be “other,” to be a woman, and particularly a Black woman in a foreign country, yesterday and today. As our 2026 **AROUND THE WORLD** reading journey continues, *[The Color Line](https://link.amazon/B01y48eRX)* takes us to Italy for our October theme, **IT HAPPENED IN ITALY**. 🇮🇹 And remember, **you don't need to read the book to join us.** Come for the conversation, meet your fellow Mocha Girls, and enjoy an afternoon of books, friendship, and community. **Please RSVP so we know you are coming.**

Literary Open Mic

Bring a five-minute (maximum) original reading to share with a community of writers. Or just come drink beer and soak in the poetry, short stories, songs, monologues, and more! It's free to attend and free to read. Check out our [merch](https://noholitmic.threadless.com/)! **Please note that the only way to reserve a spot to read is to follow this link to our [sign-up form](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0) (or copy and paste the link below).** RSVPing on MeetUp doesn't guarantee you a spot! If you'd like to come listen without reading, you are very welcome to, and you do not need to sign up or RSVP. [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sYc12KZ9c_P_6jbylgF1R1ER03S35XghUYgCR52Irf8/edit?tab=t.0)

Game Day at Geeky Teas & Games

**Please note the $8 fee for this event is NOT payable to the meetup group, it is the entrance fee to Geeky Teas & Games, paid directly to Geeky Teas. (Feel free to use your punch card instead!)** Join us at Geeky Teas & Games (Alameda & Main St, Burbank) for an afternoon of board gaming with fellow sci-fi/fantasy readers. We have tables reserved from 11am-3pm; staff can help you find us. In the past we've had people teaching Wingspan, Mysterium, We're Doomed, Monikers, Catan, Gloom, Everdell, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, and Parks. If you have a game you know and want to teach, you are welcome to bring it - or grab it from the Geeky Teas library. More from their site: "In-store gaming is open for nice guests. Entry is $8 / person with all-day privileges and access to our large libraries of board games, tabletop terrain, and miniature paints." Their game library is truly impressive (https://www.geekyteas.com/game-library) and your entrance fee allows you to play for the full day until close, not just during the meetup. Looking forward to an afternoon of gaming with you!

The Tusk That Did The Damage by Tania James

Orphaned by poachers as a calf and sold into a life of labor and exhibition, the Gravedigger breaks free of his chains and begins terrorizing the countryside, earning his name from the humans he kills and then tenderly buries. Manu, the studious younger son of a rice farmer, loses his cousin to the Gravedigger’s violence and is drawn, with his wayward brother Jayan, into the sordid, alluring world of poaching. Emma is a young American working on a documentary with her college best friend, who witnesses the porous boundary between conservation and corruption and finds herself in her own moral gray a risky affair with the veterinarian who is the film’s subject. As the novel hurtles toward its climax, these three storylines fuse into a wrenching meditation on love and betrayal, duty and loyalty, and the vexed relationship between man and nature. We read this book in the early days of the book club and it has always stayed with me, therefore I want to revisit again with all the new people that have made this book club a part of their reading life.

Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan at Aroma Cafe

A Taste for Death by P.D.James

(Posting Early as I'll be gone until Nov 4th.) When the quiet Little Vestry of St. Matthew's Church becomes the blood-soaked scene of a double murder, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh faces an intriguing conundrum: How did an upper-crust Minister come to lie, slit throat to slit throat, next to a neighborhood derelict of the lowest order? Challenged with the investigation of a crime that appears to have endless motives, Dalgliesh explores the sinister web spun around a half-burnt diary and a violet-eyed widow who is pregnant and full of malice--all the while hoping to fill the gap of logic that joined these two disparate men in bright red death. . . .

Sondheim's Sweeney Todd

I hesitated to post, But this is put on by my fav opera company [Pacific Opera Project ](https://www.pacificoperaproject.com/sweeney-todd)(obvi!). Sweeney Todd is considered one of the most brilliant scores in musical theatre history, Sondheim’s thrilling masterpiece blends razor-sharp political wit, haunting melodies, and a killer recipe for meat pies into an unforgettable night at the theatre. POP’s signature production promises powerhouse singing, bold staging, and plenty of gruesome surprises. Only one tickets left. **[Link $45-100](https://www.pacificoperaproject.com/sweeney-todd)**

November Book Discussion: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

# **Our November Book Has Been Chosen! 📚** Thanks to everyone who voted! Our next **Books & Brew** read is: ## 📖 *Man's Search for Meaning* — Viktor E. Frankl Grab a copy, start reading, and join us for a thought-provoking conversation! ### About the Book Drawing on his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl explores how people find purpose and meaning even in the face of unimaginable suffering. Part memoir and part psychological exploration, *Man's Search for Meaning* introduces Frankl's approach to psychotherapy, known as logotherapy, which centers on the human search for meaning as a fundamental source of motivation. Through his reflections on suffering, resilience, freedom, and personal responsibility, Frankl challenges readers to consider what gives life meaning and how we respond to circumstances beyond our control. A powerful and deeply reflective book, *Man's Search for Meaning* offers plenty to think about—and even more to discuss together.

November: "The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife" by Anna Johnston

**LOCATION:** Ellen's House! Address will be emailed and posted the Friday before! (South Redondo Beach) **WHAT WE'RE READING:** *‘Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.'* Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up. Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again. As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition. Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, *The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife* is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family. **NO SHOW POLICY:** In April 2019, a new NO SHOW POLICY was put into place to help ensure people on the waitlist can get into each meeting with enough time to read the book while also weeding out flakey flakers who reserve a seat but don't use it. The new NO SHOW POLICY is in two parts: (1) If you RSVP 'Going' and cancel your RSVP within seven days of book club WITHOUT EXPLANATION, you'll be immediately removed from the group. (2) If you RSVP 'Going' and cancel your RSVP within seven days of book club with explanation, but for any reason, you'll be marked a 'No Show.' If you rack up three 'No Shows," you'll be removed from the group.