Book lovers don’t need to let COVID-19 social distancing keep them from sharing their opinions and feelings about books with other readers.
Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will offer an online option for book-club meetings this fall – all book-club meetings will take place online through Zoom/WebEx so that readers can interact with others in real time and participate from the comfort and safety of home!
Fort Bend County Libraries’ book clubs represent a wide variety of books and genres. Book clubs that were previously specific to particular branches can now be enjoyed by readers all across the library system.
Books can be requested by calling the libraries, or by placing them on hold in the online catalog. They can be picked up from the libraries through FBCL’s Books & More! Curbside Pick-Up service. Digital versions of some books are also available for download from FBCL’s eLibrary.
Because the book club meetings will be livestreamed over the Internet via Zoom/WebEx, participants should register for the meetings by going to the FBCL website – www.fortbend.lib.tx.us – click on “Classes and Events,” and register for the book club meetings of their choice. A link to the Zoom/WebEx sessions will be emailed to all who have registered.
The schedule of book club meetings in November is as follows:
- Wednesday, November 4, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm – Literary Lunch League Book Club
The book to be discussed is Just Mercy, written by Bryan Stevenson.
· Saturday, November 7, 11:00 am-12:00 noon – Talk Back Book Club
The book to be discussed is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, written by Rebecca Skloot.
- Monday, November 9, 3:00 pm – Sienna Book Club
The book to be discussed is Educated, a memoir written by Tara Westover. (This title is available on OverDrive or in print. Please call the library to check on availability of print copies.)
- Monday, November 9, 7:00-8:00 pm – University Branch Book Club
The book to be discussed is The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century, written by Kirk Wallace Johnson
· Tuesday, November 10, 2:00-3:00 pm – Mission Bend Book Club
The book to be discussed is Gods of Jade and Shadow, the 2020 Gulf Coast Reads selection written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
- Wednesday, November 11 – Book Talk (pre-recorded video)
In FBCL’s Book Talk series, library staff give a synopsis of a featured book and share their thoughts on it. Hear about books that might not have been on your radar – you may discover a new favorite! In this episode, hear about Map of Bones, a Sigma Force novel written by James Rollins. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the designated date, and it can be viewed at any time.
· Thursday, November 12, 1:00-2:00 pm – Sugar Land Book Break
The book to be discussed is Where the Crawdads Sing, written by Delia Owens.
· Thursday, November 12, 1:30 pm – Novel Expectations Book Club
The book to be discussed is The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America’s First Serial Killer, written by Skip Hollandsworth. This true-crime story took place in Austin, Texas, in the 1880s.
- Thursday, November 12, 4:00-5:00 pm – Sienna Subtext: Graphic Novel & Anime Club
The book to be discussed is Last Pick, Vol. 1, created by Jason Walz. (This title is available in print; call the library to check availability.)
- Wednesday, November 18 – Book Talk (pre-recorded video)
In FBCL’s Book Talk series, library staff give a synopsis of a featured book and share their thoughts on it. Hear about books that might not have been on your radar – you may discover a new favorite! In this episode, hear about Monday’s Not Coming, written by Tiffany D. Jackson. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the designated date, and it can be viewed at any time.
· Thursday, November 19, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm – Book Break Book Club
The book to be discussed is I See Rude People: One Woman’s Battle to Beat Some Manners Into Impolite Society, written by Amy Alkon.
- Friday, November 20 – “Author of the Month” Book Talk (pre-recorded video)
In FBCL’s Author of the Month series, learn more about your favorite authors, or hear about new authors and discover something fresh and exciting to read! In this segment, Brandon Solomon from the Missouri City Branch talks about Jon Meacham, an American writer, reviewer, and presidential biographer. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the designated date, and it can be viewed at any time.
· Saturday, November 21, 11:00-11:40 am – Heavy Inks Graphic Novels Book Club
The book to be discussed is Drax, Vol 1: The Galaxy’s Best Detective, created by CM Punk. (This title is available on hoopla or in print. Please call the library to check on availability of print copies.
- Monday, November 23, 3:00-4:00 pm – Booked on Crime Mystery Book Club
The book to be discussed is Still Life, written by Louise Penny. (This title is available on hoopla, OverDrive, and in print. Please call the library to check on availability of print copies.)
- Wednesday, November 25 – Book Talk (pre-recorded video)
In FBCL’s Book Talk series, library staff give a synopsis of a featured book and share their thoughts on it. Hear about books that might not have been on your radar – you may discover a new favorite! In this episode, hear about Convenience Store Woman, written by Sayaka Murata. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the designated date, and it can be viewed at any time.
The book club meetings are free and open to the public. Registration is required for the book club meetings so that a link to the Zoom/WebEx sessions can be emailed to all who register. To register online at the library’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us), click on “Classes & Events,” select “Virtual Programs,” and find the program on the date indicated. Participants may also register by calling Fort Bend County Libraries’ Communications Office at 281-633-4734.