Book Clubs Toronto

Mississauga Age Matched Local Speed Dating

**UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled and is now set to begin at 5:00 PM on Sun, Oct 4 (local time).** Virtual speed dating hosted over Zoom for singles residing in Mississauga. Participate in brief individual rounds while being paired according to your age group, all from the comfort of your home. Simply confirm your attendance and we will contact you with the complete information. Availability is restricted and the gathering might be called off if attendance is insufficient.

Kitchener Introvert-Friendly Speed Dating Event

**UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled and is now set to begin at 5:00 PM on Sun, Oct 4 (local time).** Virtual speed dating hosted over Zoom for singles in the Kitchener area. Experience rapid individual sessions organized by age group without leaving your home. Simply submit your RSVP and our team will contact you with further instructions. Availability is restricted and the gathering might be called off if attendance is insufficient.

London Professionals Seeking Life Partners

**UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled and is now set to begin at 5:00 PM on Sun, Oct 4 (local time).** Virtual speed dating hosted on Zoom for singles based in London. Experience rapid individual rounds with matches based on your age range all from the comfort of home. Simply confirm your attendance and we will contact you with the complete information. Availability is restricted and the gathering might be called off if attendance is insufficient.

Writers' Pub Night

In another of our highly advisable moves, we're back with another pub night! Join us for a pint, a bite, and much writerly debate the night before Word on the Street! We'll be at our usual haunt: The Bishop and Belcher near Bloor and Church. Hope to see you then!

September's Book: Katabasis

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault. Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams…. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion. With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like. But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.

Such Is My Beloved

A Canadian classic, written in 1934, by one of our nation's leading writers, Morley Callaghan. Such Is My Beloved, is the story of Father Stephen Dowling's efforts to realize the true meaning of God's love by befriending two sex workers in the hope of saving them. Despite contending with their reluctance as well as the hostile resistance of society, Dowling is determined to help these two women. Selfless love comes at a great cost. Set in Toronto during the Great Depression, it is a recognizable story; tragic and beautiful, Such is My Beloved, is a timeless contemplation about faith, love, sacrifice, and redemption in a deeply flawed society.

October's Book: Weyward

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century. 1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom. 1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom. Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

Game of the Month: Big Walk

***Big Walk*** Developer: House House ***Join our Discord to find people to play with!*** ***NOTE:*** This month will be an in-person meetup exclusive to members of the Discord server. Join our server for more details. Platforms * PC * MAC * PS5 * SWITCH 2 Looking for others to play with? Join our Discord! Message me (Jake) or go to ivgbc.com \*\*\*

September Books n’ Brunch: The Courage to be Disliked

Book Description: An international bestseller and TikTok sensation with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, The Courage to Be Disliked is a transformative and practical guide to personal happiness and self-fulfillment. Now you can unlock your full potential and free yourself from the shackles of past traumas and societal expectations to find true personal happiness. Based on the theories of renowned psychologist Alfred Adler, this book guides you through the principles of self-forgiveness, self-care, and mind decluttering in a straightforward, easy-to-digest style that’s accessible to all. The Courage to Be Disliked unfolds as a dialogue between a philosopher and a young man, who, over the course of five enriching conversations, realizes that each of us is in control of our life’s direction, independent of past burdens and expectations of others. Wise, empowering, and profoundly liberating, this book is a life-changing experience that shows you a path to lasting happiness and how to finally be the person you truly want to be. Millions are already benefiting from its teachings—and you can be next. PLEASE NOTE: There is no cost to attend but it is a restaurant so please plan to purchase at least a drink. It would be even better if you join us for brunch. 😁

[NEW DATE] Why we're polarized -- by Ezra Klein

One of Barack Obama's favorite books of 2022. One of Bill Gates’s “5 books to read this summer,” this New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller shows us that America’s political system isn’t broken. The truth is scarier: it’s working exactly as designed. In this “superbly researched” (The Washington Post) and timely book, journalist Ezra Klein reveals how that system is polarizing us—and how we are polarizing it—with disastrous results. “The American political system—which includes everyone from voters to journalists to the president—is full of rational actors making rational decisions given the incentives they face,” writes political analyst Ezra Klein. “We are a collection of functional parts whose efforts combine into a dysfunctional whole.” “A thoughtful, clear and persuasive analysis” (The New York Times Book Review), *Why We’re Polarized* reveals the structural and psychological forces behind America’s descent into division and dysfunction. Neither a polemic nor a lament, this book offers a clear framework for understanding everything from Trump’s rise to the Democratic Party’s leftward shift to the politicization of everyday culture. America is polarized, first and foremost, by identity. Everyone engaged in American politics is engaged, at some level, in identity politics. Over the past fifty years in America, our partisan identities have merged with our racial, religious, geographic, ideological, and cultural identities. These merged identities have attained a weight that is breaking much in our politics and tearing at the bonds that hold this country together. Klein shows how and why American politics polarized around identity in the 20th century, and what that polarization did to the way we see the world and one another. And he traces the feedback loops between polarized political identities and polarized political institutions that are driving our system toward crisis. “Well worth reading” (New York magazine), this is an “eye-opening” (O, The Oprah Magazine) book that will change how you look at politics—and perhaps at yourself. ═════ Discussion questions: TBD Facilitator: Susan ═════ $$ Refundable deposit: We'd like to make sure everyone on the RSVP actually intends to join us and enjoy the event. Please make a **refundable** deposit of $5 to hold your spot, via Paypal or Interac e-transfer to [toronto.nonfiction@gmail.com](mailto:toronto.nonfiction@gmail.com), when you RSVP or shortly thereafter. If you are waitlisted please wait until a spot opens up for you before making a transfer. You'll get your $5 back in cash if you join us at the event. If you decide to drop out later or not attend, consider this a donation to support our meetup and zoom subscriptions, which aren't cheap. Thank you! ═════ Meeting format: * We meet to discuss the book after having read it beforehand. * A facilitator guides the discussion ensuring that everyone has a chance to speak, one person at a time. * Warning: Participation in a book club is a dangerous activity. You may encounter opinions different from yours. By joining the group you agree to assume all risks.

Last Sip and Read of the Season [Testing Required]

Books Up September Meetup

**Books Up Circle** Join our monthly Books Up Circle! It is a relaxed, social gathering where we share our current reads, exchange recommendations, and meet fellow book lovers. **What to expect:** We’ll start with casual introductions and a little socializing, then take turns putting our books in the spotlight. **Bring a book you’re currently reading and give us your mini review:** 📚 What is it about? 💭 Why did you pick it up? ⭐ What are you enjoying or not? 👍 Would you recommend it? Who is it for? Give us a short synopsis and your honest take.. After each share, the circle can ask questions and chat about the book. Once everyone has shared, we’ll open things up for socializing, open conversations, and discovering our next great reads. **Comment below with the book you’re bringing!** 👇📖 Come with a book, leave with recommendations and maybe a few new bookish friends. ✨