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Cherrydale Branch Library

Serving North Arlington since 1922

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(For other library programs for adults, click here.)

Evening Book Discussion Group for Adults

This page was last updated April 1, 2020.

Meets monthly on a Monday at 7:30 pm. New participants are always welcome, even if you read the book some time ago. If you'd like more information about our group, send an e-mail to group member Suzanne Embree ( suza1@comcast.net ). Special "discussion-group" copies of each upcoming book are available for checkout a month ahead of time at the discussion of the preceding book. You can also check out a discussion copy at the Cherrydale Library front desk starting the first Tuesday after the discussion of the previous book. You might want to phone the library (703-228-6330) first to make sure a copy is available and to sign up for a discussion.


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NOTE: All book discussions, along with all other library programs, have been postponed indefinitely.


Book Cover Monday, April 6, at 7:30 pm: Educated, by Tara Westover.

Published 2018. . . Amazon reader rating: 4.7 stars (out of 5). . . 352 pages.

#1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe Bestseller • Named one of the ten best books of the year by the New York Times Book Review •One of President Barack Obama's favorite books of the year • Bill Gates's holiday reading list • Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle's Award in Autobiography • Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize for Best First Book • Finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award

Named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post • O: The Oprah Magazine • Time • NPR • Good Morning America • San Francisco Chronicle • The Guardian • The Economist • Financial Times • Newsday • New York Post • Publishers Weekly • Library Journal • LibraryReads • BookRiot • New York Public Library

"An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University." -- Book Description, Amazon

Nominated by another Arlington Library book group. Three people from our group who have read the book recommend it for discussion. Also, a friend of our book group said, "This was my book club's last book. It should definitely be on your list. It is a compelling read and great discussion material."

“Westover has somehow managed not only to capture her unsurpassably exceptional upbringing, but to make her current situation seem not so exceptional at all, and resonant for many others.” -­The New York Times Book Review

“[She] is a keen and honest guide to the difficulties of filial love, and to the enchantment of embracing a life of the mind.” --The New Yorker

“[Her] one-of-a-kind memoir is about the shaping of a mind. . . . In briskly paced prose, she evokes a childhood that completely defined her. Yet it was also, she gradually sensed, deforming her.” --The Atlantic




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No meeting in May. June book will be given out at April 6 discussion. Any extra copies will be available at front desk later.


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Book Cover Monday, June 1, at 7:30 pm: (two-month book): The Hate U Give: A Novel, by Angie Thomas.

Published 2017. . . High Amazon reader rating: 4.8 stars (out of 5). . . 431 pp.

This book debuted at the top of The New York Times young adult (YA) best-seller list, where it stayed for more than 50 weeks, and had 100,000 copies in print in the first month.

In the Toronto Globe and Mail, Shannon Ozirny wrote, "Ignore the YA label –this should be the one book everyone reads this year."

Movie based on the book released 10/19/2018.

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. . . .What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr." -- Book Description, Amazon.com.

Nominated by another Arlington Library book group. A friend of a member of the group who read it recommended it as "excellent for discussion and well written."

“With smooth but powerful prose delivered in Starr’s natural, emphatic voice, finely nuanced characters, and intricate and realistic relationship dynamics, this novel will have readers rooting for Starr and opening their hearts to her friends and family. This story is necessary. This story is important.” --Kirkus Reviews **starred review**

“Beautifully written in Starr’s authentic first-person voice, this is a marvel of verisimilitude as it insightfully examines two worlds in collision. An inarguably important book that demands the widest possible readership.” --Booklist, American Library Assoc.** starred review **

“The Hate U Give is an important and timely novel that reflects the world today’s teens inhabit. Starr’s struggles create a complex character, and Thomas boldly tackles topics like racism, gangs, police violence, and interracial dating. This topical, necessary story is highly recommended for all libraries.” --Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) ** starred review **

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Book Cover Monday, July 13, at 7:30 pm: Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, by Yuval Noah Harari.

#1 New York Times Bestseller, a #1 International Bestseller.

41 weeks on Washington Post bestseller list. The Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg.

4.5 stars Amazon rating. Published in hdbk: 2015, pbk: 2018 . . .416 pp. of text.

Recommended for discussion by a friend of a member of our group. This reader said: "A fascinating read. The author talks about the development of writing (the physical act, not the intellectual craft), lighting, money, health, agriculture, and other topics with insight and originality. I greatly enjoyed reading it."

"A sweeping tour of the history of our species . . . . Important reading for serious-minded, self-reflective sapiens." -- Washington Post.











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This site is maintained by Citizens for Cherrydale Library, a group of citizen volunteers seeking since 1998 to promote and preserve our most important neighborhood institution. Contact us at suza1@comcast.net with any questions or comments.