Waking Up

Excuse me! I’ve been busy putting my affairs in order. I have a lot of affairs. Though not of the kind Mrs. Raven needs to worry about. Anyway, the plucky River City Books fiction book club is the club that will not die. Despite their favorite meeting place’s imminent demise, they are, like a chameleon in a car, adapting to new environs. The skinny: the club meets at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, at the James Gang Hideaway. Club members will be wide awake for a discussion about “Dreaming in Cuban.” All are welcome. Plus, good salads. By the way, I’ve never dreamed in Cuban, but one of my dreams did include a cameo by Fidel Castro.

New Bat Time, New Bat Channel

I almost forgot to remind you that the River City Books fiction book club will meet this Monday night. This is a new meeting date and a new meeting place. The group will gather at 7 p.m., Monday, February 2 (not Tuesday, February 3 as would be the case if things were the same as they usually are) at the James Gang Hideaway in downtown Northfield. I heard a rumor that glasses of wine may be served as the club discusses Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje, who is perhaps best well known as author of the “The English Patient.” If you have questions, call this number — 507-222-7754 — and you shall receive answers.

Book Club Trying Something New

The River City Books fiction book club meets the first Tuesday of the month in the store’s downstairs meeting area. I must add one word to that statement: usually. In February the club is meeting on a Monday (Feb. 2) and elsewhere (the James Gang Hideaway in downtown Northfield). But the rest remains the same: good folks discussing a good book and all are welcome. This month’s selection is Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje. I think I’ll have a Cobb salad. They make a pretty good one down at the Hideaway.

Northfield Reads! Celebrates Mom

Mom. She’s underappreciated, wouldn’t you say? I know mine is. Oh, the stuff she had to put up with from … my siblings. OK, maybe from me, too. Once or twice.

Well, there’s a great book out that celebrates Mom — Riding Shotgun: Women Write About Their Mothers — and Northfielders have the chance to hear from a handful of the acclaimed writers who contributed to the anthology. Minnesota authors Faith Sullivan, Sheila O’Connor, Heid Erdrich, Wang Ping and Shannon Olson will read from and discuss “Riding Shotgun” as part of the Northfield Reads! communitywide book club. This free event, which will include a book signing, will be at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14, in Great Hall on the Carleton College campus.

In “Riding Shotgun,” a group of literary women offer personal and universal stories that provide windows into the influential mother-daughter moments that shape lives. In true tales of candor and insight, the writers reflect on the women who raised them, revealing hard work and hardship, successes and failures, anger and love.

Northfield Reads! is a communitywide book club sponsored by River City Books, the Carleton and St. Olaf bookstores, the Northfield Public Library and Monkey See-Money Read. The public is invited.  Hope to see you — and your mother — there!

Of course, the book’s on sale for 20 percent off at RCB. Copies will also be available at the event. 

Fiction Book Club Meets in Full

I am hear to remind you, in case you haven’t heard, that Tuesday is election day. Oh, it’s been on TV and in the newspapers? I am a little slow. Well, then, let me tell you something about Tuesday that you might not know: it’s also reading night at River City Books. The River City Books fiction book club will gather at 7 p.m. in the store’s downstairs meeting area to discuss Shelter Half by Carol Bly. 

Sue de Malignon, club moderator and longtime RCB bookseller, told me she’s read the book twice — it’s that good.

The club, of course, is free and new members are welcome. Participants receive discounts on selected books. 

Need more info? Call 507-222-7754. The club will get started right away tomorrow night so those who want to can get home in time to watch the returns.

Go vote, then come to RCB!

Club Staying Home for ‘Away’

We’re coming upon the first Tuesday of the month and you know what that means? No, sadly, it’s not time for tacos. Instead, it’s time for the River City Books fiction book club.

I am always impressed with the mix of books the club chooses to read. This month the club — which always meets in the store’s cozy downstairs meeting area — will discuss Away by acclaimed novelist Amy Bloom. Says The New Yorker: “Amy Bloom gets more meaning into individual sentences than most authors manage in whole books.”

The book club, which is free and open to the public, will meet at 7 p.m., tomorrow (Tuesday, October 7). New members are welcome. Participants receive discounts on selected books.

Next Week Notes

Leave it to me to skip over a weekend. But, alas, duty calls. At the end of this week two friendly reminders about the start of next week:

• River City Books is open on Labor Day! That’s right, but, however, they are not open as long as during a usual Monday. Actually, they are treating it like a second Sunday. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. So stop by any day during the weekend (Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

• The River City Books fiction book club will meet the next day, Tuesday, at 7 p.m., in the store’s downstairs meeting area to discuss Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. The book club is, of course, free and open to the public. New members welcome. Participants receive discounts on selected books.

I hope you and yours have a lovely holiday weekend!

Another Winner

This month’s River City Books fiction book club selection is generating a lot of buzz. Sue de Malignon, longtime RCB staffer and moderator of the club, told me she enjoyed Montana 1948 so much that she’s reading it a second time in advance of Tuesday night’s gathering of the club.

Even if you haven’t yet read it for the first time, there’s still time to dig into this slim and satisfying novel about a middle-class Montana family torn apart by scandal during the summer of 1948. Members of the club are learning what other literary authorities have long known — author Larry Watson was awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize for his efforts.

As always, the book club — the meeting is at 7 p.m., August 5 — is open to the public. New members are welcome. “Montana 1948” retails for $14.00. Pick it up in advance of or during the meeting and save 20 percent.

One Month Till ’1948′

I always let you know about upcoming meetings of the River City Books fiction book club but sometimes I don’t mention the next meeting in time for you to read the next book. If you think that’s one of my greatest flaws, you should see me try to negotiate a keyboard with these wings.

Anyway, the fun and engaging group will next meet a month from today — at 7 p.m., Tuesday, August 5, in the store’s downstairs meeting area. The book to be discussed is Montana 1948 by Larry Watson, which won the Milkweed National Fiction Prize and has been called “a literary page-turner” by Kirkus Reviews.

The boilerplate: The club is open to the public and new members are welcome. As always, participants receive big discounts on selected books.

Book Club Gathers Tomorrow — It’s the Truth

I am not going to fib you. The River City Books fiction book club will meet at 7 p.m., tomorrow (Tuesday, July 1), in the store’s downstairs meeting area. The book to be read is The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett.

As always, the club is free and open to the public. New members are welcome. If you join you receive 20 percent off every title the club selects.

Patchett, of course, is the critically acclaimed author of Bel Canto, Run, and others. Here’s a summary of “Liars,” her first book (and one people tell me is her best — honest):