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Westchester County is home to a number of book clubs that offer a space for avid readers to connect, discuss, and dive deeper into literature. In a world dominated by screens, these gatherings provide a refreshing opportunity for face-to-face interaction and meaningful conversations centered around books. These book clubs are often offered through local libraries or our favorite bookstores.
Here are a few top book clubs in the area and what you can expect from them.
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Queer and Now Book Club
Katonah Reading Room, Katonah
Erin Geary, a local 26-year-old, started this book club just this past fall, but it’s already been frequented by many. This book club, made for the LGBTQ+ community, meets monthly to discuss reads like Big Swiss by Jen Beagin and Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden. The monthly meet-ups are on the third Sunday of the month and have two sessions on the same day: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
People over 18 and all identities are welcomed. Aside from books, expect things like special events, art making, clothing swaps, and bake-offs. The next one, on January 21, will include a collaborative vision board planning the future of the club and a discussion about Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakely.
“As a high school English teacher, I have seen the quality of relationships that bloom from a shared understanding of a piece of literature,” says Geary. “I started this club to create an avenue for my community to meet friends and potential partners post-college.”
So far, the book club’s members have expressed a feeling of comfort and safety at the meetings, Geary notes.
“Our club is so oriented around mingling that even non-readers can get in on the fun,” Geary enthuses. “All are welcome.”
RSVPs are required through @queerandnowbookclub on Instagram.
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Future Is Female Book Discussion
White Plains Public Library
Led by Ellen O’Connell, a White Plains resident and retired teacher, this book club meets on Zoom on Monday afternoons from 2 to 3 p.m. The Zoom link can be found on the White Plains Public Library’s website.
This club dives into all different kinds of feminist literature, ranging from Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin to Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano.
If this one isn’t your cup of tea, the library also offers Book ‘Em, a popular crime fiction book group that meets on Zoom, Graphic Novel Book Club on Mondays, and Forever Young Adult, a book club for YA fans who are a little less young and a bit more adult.
The Gloss Book Club
Rotating locations across Westchester County
Westchesterite Kenya Rand brings residents together through books with help from The Gloss, a global book club that reads the same book over the same period. Members then meet up in their respective cities at the end of each month to discuss the book and exchange views.
In December, a discussion of Michael Christie’s Greenwood was held at Lombardo’s of White Plains. On January 30 at 6:30 p.m., book lovers will meet at One Seventy Nine Bar and Grill in New Rochelle to discuss The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.
Westchester Weekend Book Club
Elmsford
This club, open to people of all ages and identities, meets on the third Saturday of the month at 11:30 a.m. at Racanelli’s Original Pizza & Brew. Members of the club help pick out the book of the month, which is always Kindle-friendly.
The size of the book club is limited to 12 members to foster an inclusive conversation. For the first meeting of 2024, on January 20, the book at hand is Emilia Hart’s Weyward.
Hudson Valley Books for Humanity
Ossining
Hosted three times a year, this independent bookstore gathers the community to debrief around a book – usually fiction. The next one will be announced toward the end of January and will include the book, the date of the club, and more information. Those interested can receive weekly email updates and thought questions to follow along with the book before there is an in-person gathering after the book is completed.
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The Village Bookstore x Mount Pleasant Public Library
Pleasantville
This bookstore-library collaboration comes together to offer a book club that is focused on literature from local libraries. The next one meets in February 2024. Stay tuned on Mount Pleasant Public Library’s website for more information.
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