CJE VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
3rd Wednesday at 11 am
Join us for our next CJE Virtual Book Club discussion!
Date: May 15
Book Title: The Wishing Game
Book Author: Meg Shaffer
Register for this book review on May 15 >>>
In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she shares her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher, who was left orphaned. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher but be careful what you wish for. Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s written a new book and is holding a contest. Lucy is one of the contestants chosen to compete to win the only copy. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.
This book can be bought on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can also purchase the book directly through your favorite independent bookstore (check for curbside pickup options) or purchase online at Bookshop.org, an online bookshop that financially supports independent bookshops locally and nationwide. It can also be borrowed from the Chicago Public Library.
Date: June 19
Book Title: Invisible Women
Book Author: Caroline Criado Perez
Register for this book review on June 19 >>>
From economic development, to healthcare, education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But data often fails to take gender into account; it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias in time, money, and sometimes with their lives. Invisible Women investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research, diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.
This book can be bought on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It can also be borrowed from the Chicago Public Library.
Date: July 17
Book Title: The Vulnerables
Book Author: Sigrid Nunez
Register for this book review on July 17 >>>
The Vulnerables offers a meditation on our contemporary era, as a solitary female narrator asks what it means to be alive at this complex moment in history and considers how our present reality affects the way a person looks back on her past. Equally vital is connection with others, who include a spirited parrot named Eureka. The Vulnerables reveals what happens when strangers are willing to open their hearts to each other and how far even small acts of caring can go to ease another’s distress.
Date: July 17
Book Title: The Lost and Found Bookshop
Book Author: Susan Wiggs
Register for this book review on August 21 >>>
There is a book for everything . . .In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather. After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie hires a contractor to do necessary repairs. His young daughter also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together. To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries, and revelations, including unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls.
CJE Virtual Book Club will be taking a break for the month of September and October. We will resume our regular book reviews in November.