Monday, April 15, 2019

Less, Moldover, and an Updated Syllabus


It was a big week for the Book Group last week and I want to thank everyone who made it to the store on Tuesday night for Joe's book launch party for Every Moment After or Wednesday for the discussion of Less.  I give a special shout to those of you (there were 14!) who made both nights. Joe and I both really appreciate the enthusiasm and support.  It was standing room only on Tuesday night including all the way up the stairs. I counted over 90 people in the room.  And now Joe hits the road for book promotion!
 
We had about 25 of you in for the discussion on Wednesday and I'm increasingly amazed at our ability to have a disciplined and cogent conversation over the course of  the two hours with the large group. I was just looking back and by my calculations, Less was the 50th meeting of Bill's Book Group for Guys.  (I've included an updated list of our reading selections below.)  Several of you have been with us since the beginning, but we've picked up some great friends along the way.  I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of you. For me personally, the conversations and friendships that have emerged through the Group are one of the best developments out of our purchase of the store a little over 8 years ago. 


All thumbs Up!
As you all should know by now, our next meeting is slated for Wednesday, May 22nd at 7pm.  We'll be reading Every Moment After with the author in attendance.....

Hope to see you all there!


Updated BBGG Reading List

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
Cooper's Creek by Alan Moorehead
The New Confessions by William Boyd
A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
Headlong by Michael Frayn
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway
The Son by Phillipp Meyer
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre 
All That Is by James Salter 
Consider the Lobster  by David Foster Wallace
A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr
Lucky Jim  by Kingsley Amis
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
The Sisters Brothers  by Patrick DeWitt
Tenth of December by George Saunders
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The Tsar of Love and Techno  by Anthony Marra
The Sellout by Paul Beatty
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 
Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean 
The Whites by Richard Price
Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson 
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer 
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Red Notice by Bill Browder
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin 
Gringos by Charles Portis
Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta
Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross
The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks
Autumn by Ali Smith
My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover