The Salon Book Club

In the past, the Salon book club read books about writing and discussed them over a season. Some favorites include Anne Lamott, Ursula Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut with Suzanne McConnell, Roy Peter Clark, Mary Oliver, George Saunders, and Lisa Cron.

We're now turning to an exploration of genre. We'll meet every other month on the 2nd Saturday (at 11am) to discuss a different book, allowing us to learn from the strengths (and weaknesses) of styles, structures, and other choices made by the authors.

Join us for discussions of these upcoming books. And reach out to [email protected] with ideas for future selections. 

July 11th: "Beach Read" by Emily Henry
Romance, Popular Fiction

What do authors do to get readers hooked from the first page? We'll be discussing how the author gets us invested in the characters and their relationships, and turns a story into something as addictive and fun as candy. 

September 12th: "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell
Science Fiction, Historical Fiction

Exploring a book with six interconnected stories that span across history and into a dystopian future, we'll talk about world building and the challenges of developing and fitting together distinct voices into a cohesive narrative arc.

November 14th: "In The Woods" by Tana French
Mystery Fiction
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Turning to crime fiction, we'll talk about mystery, suspense, methods for selecting revealing information to the reader, and the challenges of working within (and perhaps challenging) the confines of a specific genre.