Book & Social Groups
Library staff members lead a variety of book discussion and social groups — we are always excited to welcome new participants. Explore the descriptions below to find out more about each group. Have a question for a book group leader? Send us a message!
For book groups, copies of the books are available for pickup starting approximately one month in advance of the meeting and may be picked up at the circulation desk at the library hosting the group.
Click on “Show Book List” to see upcoming books and their meeting dates. Click View in Catalog to see further details.
If you plan to attend one of our book groups, please check the next meeting date on our events calendar in case of changes of time or venue.
Brookline Village Library
A Taste of Poetry
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the A Taste of Poetry Zoom MeetingWhen: First Thursday of the month, 11 AM
Led by: Jackson
Bring your lunch and an appetite for poetry. Each month we look at half a dozen poems by a well-known poet. We provide copies of the poems – no need to read anything in advance – and lead a discussion after reading them. Request a copy of this month’s poems through our contact form.
January 4: Seamus Heaney
February 1: Sonia Sanchez
March 7: Louise Glück
May 2: Rabindranath Tagore
June 6: Federico García Lorca
July 11: Hoa Nguyen
August 1: Mark Strand
September 5: John Keats
October 3: Emily Pauline Johnson
November 7: Dunya Mikhail
December 5: Emily Dickinson
Graphic Novel Group
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library Conference Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Graphic Novel Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Fourth Monday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Jared
Read and discuss graphic novels with like-minded readers. We read a wide range of books, from big titles everyone has heard of to the newest micropress anthology that might just become your new favorite, and are always willing to try something new that the group is interested in reading.
Look Back
Tatsuki Fujimoto
The overly confident Fujino and the shut-in Kyomoto couldn’t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. A poignant story of growing up and moving forward that only Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Cha
Read More View in CatalogGiant Days Vol. 1
John Allison & Lissa Treiman
"Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, "personal experimentation,"
Read More View in CatalogDo a Powerbomb
Daniel Warren Johnson
From the creator of MURDER-FALCON and WONDER WOMAN: DEAD EARTH comes the wrestling adventure of the decade! Lona Steelrose wants to be a pro-wrestler, but she's living under the shadow of her mother, the best to ever do it. Everything changes wh
Read More View in CatalogUzumaki (3-in-1, Deluxe Edition)
Junji Ito
A masterpiece of horror manga, now available in a deluxe hardcover edition! Kurôzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not
Read More View in CatalogPaying the Land
Joe Sacco
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE GUARDIAN, THE BROOKLYN RAIL, THE GLOBE AND MAIL, POP MATTERS, COMICS BEAT, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY From the “heir to R. Crumb and Art Spiegelman” (Economist), a masterful work of comics journalis
Read More View in CatalogKlaus
Grant Morrison
Set in a dark fantastic past of myth and magic, Klaus tells the story of how Santa Claus really came to be-- the tale of one man and his wolf against a totalitarian state and the ancient evil that sustains it ... Klaus is 'Santa Claus: Year One&
Read More View in CatalogQueer Reading Group
Where: Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Queer Reading Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Percival
Read and discuss books by queer authors in a variety of genres. This group has a stress-free structure, where the conversation we develop about identity, gender, race, and all intersections that these generate is just as important as reading the book. We make space to feel seen, safe, ask questions, and learn.
Bury Your Gays
Chuck Tingle
Bury Your Gays is a heart-pounding new novel from USA Today bestselling author Chuck Tingle about what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead. "Brilliantly bloody, wildly fun, and extremely scary, Bury Your Gays brings a sledgehammer
Read More View in CatalogLove & Other Disasters
Anita Kelly
The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that USA Today hailed as “an essential read.” Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, D
Read More View in CatalogNavigating With You
Jeremy Whitley
A charming POC-led WLW romance where two new friends hit the road in search of the missing volumes of their favorite manga. Neesha Sparks is a disabled, vocal community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is an optimistic surfe
Read More View in CatalogCoolidge Corner Library
Afternoon Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Afternoon Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third OR Fourth Monday of each month, 3 PM; check events calendar for the latest schedule.
Led by: Jessica
This group reads a variety of fiction and nonfiction. Books chosen are usually 350 pages or less and released within the last 5 years.
The Bad Muslim Discount
Syed M. Masood
Following two families from Pakistan and Iraq in the 1990s to San Francisco in 2016, The Bad Muslim Discount is an inclusive, comic novel about Muslim immigrants finding their way in modern America. “Masood’s novel presents a stereoscopic, three-
Read More View in CatalogPride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Austen’s most celebrated novel tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a bright, lively young woman with four sisters, and a mother determined to marry them to wealthy men. At a party near the Bennets’ home in the English countryside, Elizabeth meet
Read More View in CatalogDaughter of a Daughter of a Queen
Sarah Bird
"You'll be swept away by the passion and power of this remarkable, trailblazing woman who risked everything to follow her own heart." – Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author "An epic page-turner." – Christi
Read More View in CatalogThe Bride Test
Helen Hoang
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart... Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or con
Read More View in CatalogBestiary
K-Ming Chang
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • Three generations of Taiwanese American women are haunted by the myths of their homeland in this spellbinding, visceral debut about one family’s queer desires, violent impulses, and buried secrets.
Read More View in CatalogMidday Monday Mystery
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Midday Monday Mystery Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Monday of the month, 12:30 PM
Led by: Chloe
A mystery book group at the Coolidge Corner Library.
The Last Days of Kira Mullan
Nicci French
Nancy North is ready to put her life back together. After suffering a psychotic break that ruined friendships, stalled her fledgling restaurant, and forced her to move out of her comfortable flat, she’ll do anything to get back to normal. She and h
Read More View in CatalogThe Murders in Great Diddling
Katarina Bivald
The small, rundown village of Great Diddling is full of stories—author Berit Gardner can feel it. The way the villagers avoid outsiders, the furtive stares and whispers in the presence of newcomers… Berit can sense the edge of a story waiting to
Read More View in CatalogA Duty to the Dead
Charles Todd
The daughter of a distinguished soldier, Bess Crawford follows in his footsteps and signs up to go overseas as a nurse during the Great War, helping to deal with the many wounded. There, serving on a hospital ship, she makes a promise to a dying youn
Read More View in CatalogY is for Yesterday
Sue Grafton
In 1979, four teenage boys from an elite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate—and film the attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, a fellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that fo
Read More View in CatalogMovie Matinee
Where: Coolidge Corner Library Meeting RoomWhen: Wednesdays at 1:30 PM
Led by: Jeanne
Join the Coolidge Corner Library every week for free screenings of recent favorite films! Doors open at 1:15 PM.
Thelma
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
View in CatalogIt Ends with Us
When a woman's first love suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with a charming, but abusive neurosurgeon is upended, and she realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future.
View in CatalogTitanic: The Musical
In the final hours of April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg and ‘the unsinkable ship’ slowly sank. It was one of the most tragic disasters of the 20th Century. Fifteen hundred
Read More View in CatalogThe Millennial Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner LibraryWhen: Third Tuesday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Kenny
A book club intended for busy millennials looking to make connections and read books they never thought to read before. Group members select a variety of books (such as fiction, non-fiction, memoir, short story, and even graphic novels) and discuss each month.
When We Do Harm
Danielle Ofri, MD
Medical mistakes are more pervasive than we think. How can we improve outcomes? An acclaimed MD’s rich stories and research explore patient safety. Patients enter the medical system with faith that they will receive the best care possible, so when
Read More View in CatalogNettle & Bone
T. Kingfisher
Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel An Instant USA Today & Indie Bestseller An Oprah Daily Top 25 Fantasy Book of 2022 A Vulture Best Fantasy Novel of 2022 An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022 A Goodreads Best F
Read More View in CatalogTigerman
Nick Harkaway
From the award-winning author of The Gone-Away World and Angelmaker—a novel at once heartfelt and thrilling about parenthood, friendship and secret identities, about heroes of both the super and the everyday kind. “An irresistible delight, someth
Read More View in CatalogTouch
Olaf Olafsson
Soon to be a film directed, written and produced by Baltasar Kormákur, co-written by Olaf Olafsson. Only In Theaters July 12. "Delicate, absorbing...as satisfying as it is moving." — Vogue A mesmerizing, panoramic story of one man’s se
Read More View in CatalogThe Vegetarian
Han Kang
FROM HAN KANG, WINNER OF THE 2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE “[Han Kang writes in] intense poetic prose that . . . exposes the fragility of human life.”—from the Nobel Prize citation WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE • “Kang viscerall
Read More View in CatalogPutterham Library
Council on Aging Book Group
Where: Putterham Library Meeting Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Council on Aging Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third or fourth Monday of the month, 2 PM
Led by: Ginger
A book group for seniors to read together. Please note we’re taking a break in October!
Project 562
Matika Wilbur
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A photographic and narrative celebration of contemporary Native American life and cultures, alongside an in-depth examination of issues that Native people face, by celebrated photographer and storyteller Matika Wilbur of
Read More View in CatalogDead and Gondola
Ann Claire
In this series debut, a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, compelling the Christie sisters and their cat, Agatha, to call on all they’ve learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist. “A fair-play plot,
Read More View in CatalogInstructions for Traveling West
Joy Sullivan
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A vivid and inspiring poetry collection about what’s possible when we heed our instincts and honor our intuition, allowing ourselves to strike out for new territories of love, pleasure, and peace. “This empathetic, honest,
Read More View in CatalogThe Color Purple
Alice Walker
The Pulitzer Prize– and National Book Award–winning novel is now a new, boldly reimagined film from producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, starring Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino. A PBS Great American Read Top 100
Read More View in CatalogDearly
Margaret Atwood
A new book of poetry from internationally acclaimed, award-winning and bestselling author Margaret Atwood In Dearly, Margaret Atwood’s first collection of poetry in over a decade, Atwood addresses themes such as love, loss, the passage of time, the
Read More View in CatalogA Woman Is No Man
Etaf Rum
A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist for Best Fiction and Best Debut • BookBrowse's Best Book of the Year • A Marie Claire Best Women's Fiction of the Year • A Real Simple Best Book of the Year • A PopSugar Best Book of the Year • A
Read More View in CatalogLost & Found
Kathryn Schulz
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • A “profound and beautiful” (Marilynne Robinson) account of joy and sorrow from one of the great writers of our time, The New Yorker’s Kathryn Schulz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize “I
Read More View in CatalogLess
Andrew Sean Greer
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018 'You will sob little tears of joy' Nell Zink 'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett 'I adore this book' Armistead Maupin 'Charming, languid and incredibly fun
Read More View in CatalogBeing Heumann
Judith Heumann, Kristen Joiner
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year for Nonfiction "...an essential and engaging look at recent disability history."— Buzzfeed One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her personal story of fightin
Read More View in CatalogHow to Age Disgracefully
Clare Pooley
A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results in the new ensemble comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project When Lydia takes a job running a Senior Citizen’s Social Club three afternoon
Read More View in CatalogWisdom Cafe
Where: Putterham Library Meeting RoomWhen: Starting in September: first or second Friday of the month, 12 PM
Led by: Ginger
Join us at the Putterham Library for Wisdom Cafe: a social hour that features guest speakers sharing their knowledge across a diverse range of topics.
Wisdom Cafe takes place on the first or second Friday of the month following Gentle Chair Yoga. Coffee and pastries provided!
Featured guests (please note we take break in January and again in July + August):
September 13 – eLibrary resources with Ginger O’Day
Join local librarian and Putterham’s own Branch Supervisor Ginger O’Day to learn about accessing the Public Library of Brookline’s digital collection. She’ll walk attendees through the three most widely used resources for ebooks, audiobooks, movies, and more: Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy!
October 11 – Legacy letters with Miriam Diamond
Convey your personal values and life lessons with a legacy letter: a means of conveying personal ideals to inspire family, community members, friends, and future generations. Program leader and frequent Library collaborator Miriam Diamond will guide attendees through reflecting on, articulating, and preparing to communicate their special insights.
November 1 – Therapy dog meet and greet with Deb Harrow and Buddy
Therapy dog handler and Library volunteer Deb Harrow will be joining us to speak about therapy dogs and provide a special Q+A session. Attendees get to meet the amazing Buddy, Deb’s dog and one of the stars of our popular Pups @ Putterham reading program!
December 6 – Winter preparedness with the Office of Emergency Management
Join us with the Town of Brookline’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, Sara Schaffer and Sophie Gordon, to learn all about being prepared and staying safe this upcoming winter!
February 7 – Yoga Q + A with Keith Beasley
Join us with Putterham’s very own Gentle Chair Yoga instructor Keith Beasley as he speaks about the practice of yoga and answers any questions you may have about it!
March 7 – Local birding with Brookline Bird Club
Join us with local birders Leslie Kramer and Cliff Cook from Brookline Bird Club, the largest and one of the oldest bird clubs in the state of Massachusetts!
April 11 – Local pollinators with Brookline Pollinator Pathway
Join us with Brookline Pollinator Pathway to learn all about our local pollinators and what we can do to support them and our environment!
May 2 – Brookline history + archives with Samantha Valentine
Join us with local librarian and archivist Samantha Valentine as she shows us how to access local history through the Public Library of Brookline’s digital catalog and archives collection!
June 13 – Ebooks, audiobooks, + more with Ginger O’Day
Join us again with local librarian and Putterham Branch Supervisor Ginger O’Day as she gives us a refresher on the Public Library of Brookline’s eLibrary resources!
Brookline Village Library
A Taste of Poetry
Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the A Taste of Poetry Zoom MeetingWhen: First Thursday of the month, 11 AM
Led by: Jackson
Bring your lunch and an appetite for poetry. Each month we look at half a dozen poems by a well-known poet. We provide copies of the poems – no need to read anything in advance – and lead a discussion after reading them. Request a copy of this month’s poems through our contact form.
January 4: Seamus Heaney
February 1: Sonia Sanchez
March 7: Louise Glück
May 2: Rabindranath Tagore
June 6: Federico García Lorca
July 11: Hoa Nguyen
August 1: Mark Strand
September 5: John Keats
October 3: Emily Pauline Johnson
November 7: Dunya Mikhail
December 5: Emily Dickinson
Graphic Novel Group
Where: Brookline Village Library Conference Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Graphic Novel Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Fourth Monday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Jared
Read and discuss graphic novels with like-minded readers. We read a wide range of books, from big titles everyone has heard of to the newest micropress anthology that might just become your new favorite, and are always willing to try something new that the group is interested in reading.
Look Back
Tatsuki Fujimoto
The overly confident Fujino and the shut-in Kyomoto couldn’t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. A poignant story of growing up and moving forward that only Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Cha
Read More View in CatalogGiant Days Vol. 1
John Allison & Lissa Treiman
"Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of hand-wringing boys, "personal experimentation,"
Read More View in CatalogDo a Powerbomb
Daniel Warren Johnson
From the creator of MURDER-FALCON and WONDER WOMAN: DEAD EARTH comes the wrestling adventure of the decade! Lona Steelrose wants to be a pro-wrestler, but she's living under the shadow of her mother, the best to ever do it. Everything changes wh
Read More View in CatalogUzumaki (3-in-1, Deluxe Edition)
Junji Ito
A masterpiece of horror manga, now available in a deluxe hardcover edition! Kurôzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not
Read More View in CatalogPaying the Land
Joe Sacco
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2020 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE GUARDIAN, THE BROOKLYN RAIL, THE GLOBE AND MAIL, POP MATTERS, COMICS BEAT, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY From the “heir to R. Crumb and Art Spiegelman” (Economist), a masterful work of comics journalis
Read More View in CatalogKlaus
Grant Morrison
Set in a dark fantastic past of myth and magic, Klaus tells the story of how Santa Claus really came to be-- the tale of one man and his wolf against a totalitarian state and the ancient evil that sustains it ... Klaus is 'Santa Claus: Year One&
Read More View in CatalogQueer Reading Group
Where: Brookline Village Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Queer Reading Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Thursday of the Month, 7 pm
Led by: Percival
Read and discuss books by queer authors in a variety of genres. This group has a stress-free structure, where the conversation we develop about identity, gender, race, and all intersections that these generate is just as important as reading the book. We make space to feel seen, safe, ask questions, and learn.
Bury Your Gays
Chuck Tingle
Bury Your Gays is a heart-pounding new novel from USA Today bestselling author Chuck Tingle about what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead. "Brilliantly bloody, wildly fun, and extremely scary, Bury Your Gays brings a sledgehammer
Read More View in CatalogLove & Other Disasters
Anita Kelly
The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that USA Today hailed as “an essential read.” Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, D
Read More View in CatalogNavigating With You
Jeremy Whitley
A charming POC-led WLW romance where two new friends hit the road in search of the missing volumes of their favorite manga. Neesha Sparks is a disabled, vocal community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is an optimistic surfe
Read More View in CatalogCoolidge Corner Library
Afternoon Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Afternoon Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third OR Fourth Monday of each month, 3 PM; check events calendar for the latest schedule.
Led by: Jessica
This group reads a variety of fiction and nonfiction. Books chosen are usually 350 pages or less and released within the last 5 years.
The Bad Muslim Discount
Syed M. Masood
Following two families from Pakistan and Iraq in the 1990s to San Francisco in 2016, The Bad Muslim Discount is an inclusive, comic novel about Muslim immigrants finding their way in modern America. “Masood’s novel presents a stereoscopic, three-
Read More View in CatalogPride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Austen’s most celebrated novel tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a bright, lively young woman with four sisters, and a mother determined to marry them to wealthy men. At a party near the Bennets’ home in the English countryside, Elizabeth meet
Read More View in CatalogDaughter of a Daughter of a Queen
Sarah Bird
"You'll be swept away by the passion and power of this remarkable, trailblazing woman who risked everything to follow her own heart." – Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author "An epic page-turner." – Christi
Read More View in CatalogThe Bride Test
Helen Hoang
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart... Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or con
Read More View in CatalogBestiary
K-Ming Chang
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • Three generations of Taiwanese American women are haunted by the myths of their homeland in this spellbinding, visceral debut about one family’s queer desires, violent impulses, and buried secrets.
Read More View in CatalogMidday Monday Mystery
Where: Coolidge Corner Library, meeting virtually -- register for the Midday Monday Mystery Zoom MeetingWhen: Second Monday of the month, 12:30 PM
Led by: Chloe
A mystery book group at the Coolidge Corner Library.
The Last Days of Kira Mullan
Nicci French
Nancy North is ready to put her life back together. After suffering a psychotic break that ruined friendships, stalled her fledgling restaurant, and forced her to move out of her comfortable flat, she’ll do anything to get back to normal. She and h
Read More View in CatalogThe Murders in Great Diddling
Katarina Bivald
The small, rundown village of Great Diddling is full of stories—author Berit Gardner can feel it. The way the villagers avoid outsiders, the furtive stares and whispers in the presence of newcomers… Berit can sense the edge of a story waiting to
Read More View in CatalogA Duty to the Dead
Charles Todd
The daughter of a distinguished soldier, Bess Crawford follows in his footsteps and signs up to go overseas as a nurse during the Great War, helping to deal with the many wounded. There, serving on a hospital ship, she makes a promise to a dying youn
Read More View in CatalogY is for Yesterday
Sue Grafton
In 1979, four teenage boys from an elite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate—and film the attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, a fellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that fo
Read More View in CatalogMovie Matinee
Where: Coolidge Corner Library Meeting RoomWhen: Wednesdays at 1:30 PM
Led by: Jeanne
Join the Coolidge Corner Library every week for free screenings of recent favorite films! Doors open at 1:15 PM.
Thelma
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
View in CatalogIt Ends with Us
When a woman's first love suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with a charming, but abusive neurosurgeon is upended, and she realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future.
View in CatalogTitanic: The Musical
In the final hours of April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg and ‘the unsinkable ship’ slowly sank. It was one of the most tragic disasters of the 20th Century. Fifteen hundred
Read More View in CatalogThe Millennial Book Group
Where: Coolidge Corner LibraryWhen: Third Tuesday of the month, 7 PM
Led by: Kenny
A book club intended for busy millennials looking to make connections and read books they never thought to read before. Group members select a variety of books (such as fiction, non-fiction, memoir, short story, and even graphic novels) and discuss each month.
When We Do Harm
Danielle Ofri, MD
Medical mistakes are more pervasive than we think. How can we improve outcomes? An acclaimed MD’s rich stories and research explore patient safety. Patients enter the medical system with faith that they will receive the best care possible, so when
Read More View in CatalogNettle & Bone
T. Kingfisher
Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel An Instant USA Today & Indie Bestseller An Oprah Daily Top 25 Fantasy Book of 2022 A Vulture Best Fantasy Novel of 2022 An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022 A Goodreads Best F
Read More View in CatalogTigerman
Nick Harkaway
From the award-winning author of The Gone-Away World and Angelmaker—a novel at once heartfelt and thrilling about parenthood, friendship and secret identities, about heroes of both the super and the everyday kind. “An irresistible delight, someth
Read More View in CatalogTouch
Olaf Olafsson
Soon to be a film directed, written and produced by Baltasar Kormákur, co-written by Olaf Olafsson. Only In Theaters July 12. "Delicate, absorbing...as satisfying as it is moving." — Vogue A mesmerizing, panoramic story of one man’s se
Read More View in CatalogThe Vegetarian
Han Kang
FROM HAN KANG, WINNER OF THE 2024 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE “[Han Kang writes in] intense poetic prose that . . . exposes the fragility of human life.”—from the Nobel Prize citation WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE • “Kang viscerall
Read More View in CatalogPutterham Library
Council on Aging Book Group
Where: Putterham Library Meeting Room, meeting virtually -- register for the Council on Aging Book Group Zoom MeetingWhen: Third or fourth Monday of the month, 2 PM
Led by: Ginger
A book group for seniors to read together. Please note we’re taking a break in October!
Project 562
Matika Wilbur
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A photographic and narrative celebration of contemporary Native American life and cultures, alongside an in-depth examination of issues that Native people face, by celebrated photographer and storyteller Matika Wilbur of
Read More View in CatalogDead and Gondola
Ann Claire
In this series debut, a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, compelling the Christie sisters and their cat, Agatha, to call on all they’ve learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist. “A fair-play plot,
Read More View in CatalogInstructions for Traveling West
Joy Sullivan
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A vivid and inspiring poetry collection about what’s possible when we heed our instincts and honor our intuition, allowing ourselves to strike out for new territories of love, pleasure, and peace. “This empathetic, honest,
Read More View in CatalogThe Color Purple
Alice Walker
The Pulitzer Prize– and National Book Award–winning novel is now a new, boldly reimagined film from producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, starring Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Fantasia Barrino. A PBS Great American Read Top 100
Read More View in CatalogDearly
Margaret Atwood
A new book of poetry from internationally acclaimed, award-winning and bestselling author Margaret Atwood In Dearly, Margaret Atwood’s first collection of poetry in over a decade, Atwood addresses themes such as love, loss, the passage of time, the
Read More View in CatalogA Woman Is No Man
Etaf Rum
A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist for Best Fiction and Best Debut • BookBrowse's Best Book of the Year • A Marie Claire Best Women's Fiction of the Year • A Real Simple Best Book of the Year • A PopSugar Best Book of the Year • A
Read More View in CatalogLost & Found
Kathryn Schulz
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • A “profound and beautiful” (Marilynne Robinson) account of joy and sorrow from one of the great writers of our time, The New Yorker’s Kathryn Schulz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize “I
Read More View in CatalogLess
Andrew Sean Greer
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018 'You will sob little tears of joy' Nell Zink 'I recommend it with my whole heart' Ann Patchett 'I adore this book' Armistead Maupin 'Charming, languid and incredibly fun
Read More View in CatalogBeing Heumann
Judith Heumann, Kristen Joiner
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year for Nonfiction "...an essential and engaging look at recent disability history."— Buzzfeed One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her personal story of fightin
Read More View in CatalogHow to Age Disgracefully
Clare Pooley
A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results in the new ensemble comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project When Lydia takes a job running a Senior Citizen’s Social Club three afternoon
Read More View in CatalogWisdom Cafe
Where: Putterham Library Meeting RoomWhen: Starting in September: first or second Friday of the month, 12 PM
Led by: Ginger
Join us at the Putterham Library for Wisdom Cafe: a social hour that features guest speakers sharing their knowledge across a diverse range of topics.
Wisdom Cafe takes place on the first or second Friday of the month following Gentle Chair Yoga. Coffee and pastries provided!
Featured guests (please note we take break in January and again in July + August):
September 13 – eLibrary resources with Ginger O’Day
Join local librarian and Putterham’s own Branch Supervisor Ginger O’Day to learn about accessing the Public Library of Brookline’s digital collection. She’ll walk attendees through the three most widely used resources for ebooks, audiobooks, movies, and more: Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy!
October 11 – Legacy letters with Miriam Diamond
Convey your personal values and life lessons with a legacy letter: a means of conveying personal ideals to inspire family, community members, friends, and future generations. Program leader and frequent Library collaborator Miriam Diamond will guide attendees through reflecting on, articulating, and preparing to communicate their special insights.
November 1 – Therapy dog meet and greet with Deb Harrow and Buddy
Therapy dog handler and Library volunteer Deb Harrow will be joining us to speak about therapy dogs and provide a special Q+A session. Attendees get to meet the amazing Buddy, Deb’s dog and one of the stars of our popular Pups @ Putterham reading program!
December 6 – Winter preparedness with the Office of Emergency Management
Join us with the Town of Brookline’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, Sara Schaffer and Sophie Gordon, to learn all about being prepared and staying safe this upcoming winter!
February 7 – Yoga Q + A with Keith Beasley
Join us with Putterham’s very own Gentle Chair Yoga instructor Keith Beasley as he speaks about the practice of yoga and answers any questions you may have about it!
March 7 – Local birding with Brookline Bird Club
Join us with local birders Leslie Kramer and Cliff Cook from Brookline Bird Club, the largest and one of the oldest bird clubs in the state of Massachusetts!
April 11 – Local pollinators with Brookline Pollinator Pathway
Join us with Brookline Pollinator Pathway to learn all about our local pollinators and what we can do to support them and our environment!
May 2 – Brookline history + archives with Samantha Valentine
Join us with local librarian and archivist Samantha Valentine as she shows us how to access local history through the Public Library of Brookline’s digital catalog and archives collection!
June 13 – Ebooks, audiobooks, + more with Ginger O’Day
Join us again with local librarian and Putterham Branch Supervisor Ginger O’Day as she gives us a refresher on the Public Library of Brookline’s eLibrary resources!