Online Book/Movie Discussion Group

Feeling witchy? In October we'll have a magical time with Alice Hoffman's 1995 novel Practical Magic, about the Owens sisters, who use their delightful and dangerous family traits to protect each other from an abusive spirit. We'll also discuss the 1998 film adaptation, directed by Griffin Dunne - and we might even mention the brand-new sequel, just for fun.

Take it easy! In November we'll meet veteran-turned-private-eye "Easy" Rawlins, in the first of his investigations by Walter Mosley, 1990's Devil in a Blue Dress. Set in 1948, the mystery unfolds when Easy is hired to find a missing woman and discovers a much bigger secret. We'll also discuss the 1993 film adaptation directed by Carl Franklin and starring Denzel Washington.

It's a classic for Christmas - we'll go back in time to discuss Betty Smith's semi-autobiographical 1943 novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, following six years in the life of young Francie Nolan and her family. We'll also discuss the film adaptation from 1945, directed by Elia Kazan.

Happy 2027! We'll start the new year with what has been called "one of the great modern American novels," Charles Portis's 1968 western True Grit, in which a farmer's daughter hires a U.S. Marshal to avenge the death of her father and joins him on the quest. We'll also discuss the Coen Bros.' 2010 film adaptation. (Don't worry, we might sneak in a little about the 1969 version, too!)