Oakland Review of Book (Club)
**Space is limited to give everyone a chance to speak and to be heard, so please only RSVP if you signed up at ORB's Launchiversary party at Eli's Mile High Club**
**If you do plan to come, please do RSVP so we can get an accurate head count.**
At long last, ORB is kicking off a book club! Some of our friends have kindly offered their space to us, and we're thrilled to take them up on it.
Our first book will be Jenny Xie's Holding Pattern. There are copies at the Oakland Public Library, and at other libraries nearby. (And don't forget, California residents are entitled to cards at every library that takes state funding, which is pretty much all of them.)
Please do read the book ahead of our meeting, and come with your comments, your gripes, your ideas, and anything else that the book inspired. We'll have some questions to get us all started, but please come with your own, also! And if you have any questions that you'd like us to share with us ahead of time to bring to the group, we welcome those, too!
Since this is our first meeting, we'll set aside some time for all of us to discuss the group and what we'd like to see for our next meetings.
We'll bring some snacks too.
**See below for FAQs & commitments, if you have questions or otherwise want to get in touch ahead of our meeting, please contact Alex Park (acpark1@gmail.com) and Steph (stephuchino@gmail.com).**
See you then & there!
Alex & Steph
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does it end? Approximately 8pm but we’re open to going longer depending on the discussion! Since we’re meeting at a library after hours for this first session, we want to be respectful of their time and space.
What is the max group size? We’re aiming for somewhere between 10-15 people maximum, plus organizers.
When does the book club meet? Monthly on the 4th Tuesday
Is there a theme? Not at this time, but let’s see how things evolve
How will books be chosen? We will be requesting submissions from the group and will then do ranked choice voting.
Can I bring a friend? To keep things manageable, we’re starting with a smaller group, but please reach out if you have a friend who is interested in joining and we can see if there's room closer to the time.
I have a book suggestion. Can we read it? Please submit your book here!
Where can I find the book? We will always try to choose a book that’s readily available at multiple libraries.
What should I bring with me? The book is nice to have, so you can refer to specific passages, but not a must have. Feel free to also bring any notes or questions you have!
Will we always be meeting in the same place? Unsure at this time, but we’ll keep you updated!
Book Club Commitments
Read the book ahead of time: If you don’t finish before we meet, be okay with spoilers.
Attend when possible: You don’t have to come every month, but we’d love to see you when you can make it! A consistent group is beneficial when discussing comparisons or continued conversations from previous sessions.
Communicate with us: If you can’t make it or no longer want to be a part of the book club, please let us know as soon as possible so we can potentially invite others to attend
Be open: We are welcoming and open to all and appreciate good discussion about the books, even if that means disagreeing on themes, ideas, or even just whether or not it was a good book. That said, we do not stand for any hateful comments or questions. We will also not be reading any books by known zionists, TERFs, racists, or any other -ists.